Vehicle Description
1968 Pontiac FirebirdConvertible
Less than 17,000 1968 Firebird convertibles were made and as far as
how many are still in roadworthy condition, it's hard to know. But
what we do know is that anecdotally, they don't show up in huge
numbers at car shows. In your town, maybe you know of one or two
regulars and that's about it. Compared to its cousin the Camaro,
Firebirds, and especially convertibles, are rare.
For consignment, a surviving '68 convertible born at the Lordstown,
Ohio plant. It's got the numbers matching drivetrain and a lot of
newer parts thanks to a consignor described amateur restoration. It
presents some options for the next owner in terms of continuing the
restoration and enjoying the open air experience of a now legendary
pony car.
Exterior
Born a white car with a black top, the car now sports a coat of
single stage blue paint and a white canvas top. The paint has a
general orange peel finish and plenty of incursions which we'll
note in this section. Chrome bumpers, most metalwork and emblems
are in good condition. The door handles and side mirror however are
pitted. The epic hood mounted tachometer is in place behind one of
two nostril intake scoops which never cease to be cool. The canvas
top is nice but we do note a tear and some staining. 14-inch Rally
II wheels have black centers, polished trim rings, and PMD center
caps. Imperfections in the paint and body include many areas with
apparent Bondo applications, overspray, paint drips, general
blemishes, and gaps that are imperfect.
Interior
Parchment molded plastic make up the door panels which retain the
Firebird emblem and carpeted base. The whitish bucket seats look
good with tuck and roll patterned vinyl in the middle of each. The
rear seats mimic this pattern and the rear seat sidewalls show some
wear, fitment issues, and staining. The original 3-spoke steering
wheel is in place and that gives way to two main gauges in the
driver's view, speedometer and gas gauge. Wood applique backs the
center stack which holds the heater control and a radio delete
panel. That faux wood continues on the center console where the
T-handled automatic shifter resides. The plastic then tapers
rearward where a storage bin is located. The tan loop style carpet
is in good condition and is protected by matching mats. The trunk
is uncovered and shows some patchwork. The consignor states that
rear weather stripping is new along with window felt, window seals,
windshield molding, wheel molding, and door hinges.
Drivetrain
The numbers matching 350ci V8 is under the epic hood and is fed by
an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor which sits on top of a
yellow-painted intake manifold. The ST300 2-speed automatic
transmission is also numbers matching and leads to a 10-bolt rear
with 2.73 gears as verified by the JG stamping code. Power drum
brakes are housed at all four wheels.
Undercarriage
The underneath presents as lower end driver quality. Dual exhaust
flows to Spintech mufflers and exits out the back via chrome tips.
The 205/70R14 tires have a mid-2020 date code. Coil springs are
found in the independent suspension up front with leaf springs in
the back. The consignor states the gas tank is new and has a new
sender. Some oil is noted on the rear differential and oil pan. The
entire underside has been undercoated, some of which has dripped
onto exhaust components and other parts. There are numerous areas
of invasive rust and also patching and repairs,some performed with
spray foam. Please see the 20+ photo in the photo set for detailed
images of imperfections on the undercarriage.
Drive-Ability
Prime the Edelbrock and turn the key and she fires right up. Onto
the loop we roll, with the top up, and note good power and decent
acceleration. On braking, she pulls to the right but otherwise
travels straight and true. A little bit of suspension creaking but
outside of that, the engine sounds good.
Here's a numbers matching '68 convertible Firebird that could
benefit from the TLC. There are the bones of something special here
and it's looking for the right person to make this bird fly!
223678U125461
2-Pontiac
23-Firebird
67-Convertible
8-1968
U-Lordstown, OH Assy Plant
125461-V8 Car Sequential Unit Number
TRIM TAG
11E-5th Week November
ST 68 22667-Pontiac Firebird Convertible, Deluxe Interior
BDY-LOR2291-Lordstown Body #
TR 259-Black Vinyl Deluxe Buckets
PNT C2-Cameo White, Black Vinyl Top
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
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