I can't get the fantasy of building some sort of Firebird out of my head. Never been a Pontiac fan and never had any particular liking for the car, but for some reason I can't let go of buying some cheap, scabby, nasty roller then stuffing a SBC into it and dragging it south as a Gastropod. Is there a clinical name for this malady?
Ok, what year are we talking here?
SSND Sudden '70's nostalgia disorder.
Vigo said:Ok, what year are we talking here?
Yeah, if we are talking Smokey and the Bandit body style, I'm all for it!
Usually we take the Chevy parts OUT to make them faster.
If you want to make a Camaro, just buy a Camaro.
Any Firebird I owned would have to have a 455 motor.
For the Torque's.
Idle fantasizing at this point. I'm thinking a 70's or 80's model. Just noodling...
I'll always have a soft spot for the 389 because it was my first 60s American big v8.
2nd gen cars are getting expensive.
I've owned a 3rd gen car. They're.... weird.
It's just a big Vega really, with no glovebox, almost no trunk and no Pontiac engine option.
Third gen has to be a crammit. 2nd gen has to be a firechicken.
As to your initial statement about something being wrong with you.... well duh. You're here aren't you?
BMS.
Billy Madison Syndrome.
The 1986 Pontiac Grand Am SE we owned soured me on Pontiac or maybe GM but I have a soft spot for factory steel rallye wheels..
Big fan of the second gen cars.
If you do buy a 2nd gen car, be prepared for the absolute worst build quality I've ever seen from the General.
I've owned lots of them, from a '73 Formula to an '81 Pace Car, they cranked them out as fast as possible and it shows.
The drivetrain is great but the body and interior quality leave a lot to be desired.
I started with a car I bought for $190.00 and said to myself " I'll just make it safe, get it running good, paint it, slap on a set of Cragar SS wheels with fat tires, and use it as a daily driver". I got a bit carried away.......
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^That's awesome!
NOT A TA said:slap on a set of Cragar’s
Fixed it for you.
Well, nothing is wrong with you for wanting to do the build - it sounds awesome to me!
BUT
If I have learned anything from the challenge it is that you should be very wary of building a challenge car you know you won't want after the challenge.
Datsun310Guy said:NOT A TA said:slap on a set of Cragar’s
Fixed it for you.
I had written that, but then thought some of the "kids" in the collective might not know what I was referring to ahahaha. So I changed it to Cragar SS wheels in case they wanted to find out what they were.
Back in the day everybody mentioned getting Cragar’s then Centerline Wheels was the hot one.
2nd gen F-Bodies... If you want some cheap hop ups and how to's look for things written by Herb Adams. Herb Adams VSE had some great 2nd gen equipment and information back in the day.
Do it!
I would only deal with a 2nd gen if it had a 455. Otherwise I'll keep my 3rd gen. Admittedly sometimes I wish my 3rd gen was a Camaro everytime I have to find one of the Pontiac specific bits.
Okay, I'm a sucker for self-destructive behavior and I'm finding some Firebird candidates, but I know NOTHING of Pontiacs. Assume a V6 manual or a V8 auto roller needing plenty of rust repair and bodywork. Build me a $1K Challenge engine on paper in the Gastropod theme...? The 455 blocks I'm finding appear to blow Challenge budget out of the water.
That 2.8 V6 is the absolute worst engine. Plenty of 305 powered cars out there to start with. Some 350's can be found.
A Pontiac V8 like a 455 is going to be a VERY tight squeeze in a 3rd-gen engine bay. It might not fit at all due to the strut towers.
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