My 71 Firebird Formula/TA Blend
I've finally gotten the car I've wanted forever, an early 2nd gen Firebird. I've looked for years, but they seem to be scarce anymore, and the ones you do find are typically pretty thrashed and overpriced. A week after I sold my 98 Trans Am I didn't even get to enjoy the cash for a week before stumbling across this one while browsing Craigslist. This was mid January, and a couple miles away from Barrett-Jackson so I dropped by on the way out to look at it. It was an Espirit, but it has a Formula hood, and stock 455 that actually runs very well. The body is pretty solid, just a few blisters in the LH rear 1/4 panel, and some potentially hidden sins in the RH 1/4, but the floors and trunk were very nice, and was definitely a great start. The guy knew what he had, and I couldn't get him to budge $1 off his $7k asking price. At least I was able to negotiate free delivery. The craziest thing of the day was looking at the title, and seeing the name of a former co-worker who'd I've always heard about having a 71 Firebird, but I'd never seen the actual pictures. I guess he sold this car to this guy a couple months prior.
As I drug it home. All the front end is missing is the A/C compressor. Why it sits like a 4x4, I don't know. The undersized tires don't help either.
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I haven't had a lot of time to mess with it, but the wheel combo didn't work. I didn't want to spend money on bigger tires for temporary wheels, so I borrowed these Boss Motorsports 338's I had for my S10 Blazer for the time being, which is undergoing a V8 swap so it won't need them for a bit. The Firebird will be minitubbed with a narrowed rear later so it will need special wheels anyway.
Better, but the stance is still horrible.
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I'm excited about this car, big time. I've wanted one for years and finally got it. Plans so far are to cut a coil up front, just to get the stance livable while I'm working the body... it's just that horrendous to look at. Hammering the nose will make the car look so much better. The car also came with another mint nose, and a pair of Trans Am fenders. My theme will be the a Trans Am with the Formula hood (which I've heard was the original intent with the 70 T/A, before they realized they wanted a "shaker"). The car will retain the 455, which will stay like this till the rest of the chassis and body gets too nice for an original old engine, then it'll get aluminum heads, EFI, the full treatment. I'm going to just start doing the bodywork, starting with the Trans Am fenders, and rebuilding the doors and hinges. I'm unsure of the suspension. I've talked with Ridetech, and spoke with DSE for awhile at Goodguys last weekend. We'll see, I don't think I want to go full subframe since this car will always be nose heavy, and I can't make it as nimble as my future 71 Camaro project (aluminum LS, lighter nose, etc). I may do a 4 link though, as I do want to minitub it, and don't know if relocating the leaves are worth it. I'm thinking a medium to dark blue, and I have a stripe design in my head that should look cool. Probably a forged custom offset wheel.
I'm definitely going to go a little more crazy with this one, as this is my first car with racing as a high priority. It's a car that will be a lifetime keeper, and I can't wait for the day when I can have this and my 71 Camaro done side by side. I've begun stock piling parts from Classic Industries, and now that my Mustang sold I have room to begin work!