Just looking for Firebird people in this area.

Schmaltz, Hartman's, kowis, and schultz... Killdeer ND,

Thanks for letting me know! Are any of those names user names on here? I very rarely see a FGF around here unless it's at the drag races and I haven't been there for 4 years. I'm familiar wiht Killdeer and know some people there. I didn't know any with FGFs though. How do you know the Killdeer people?

Sorry, I see you answered that question on your Pontiac story. How long have you been away from Killdeer? Do you know the Brown boys who worked at KMM? Do you know of any Pontiac/Firebird clubs in the Dickinson area?

Sorry, I dont know those folks. My wife and her family are from Killdeer. We usually get back there every coule years.
We havent gotten to know anyone in any clubs yet since our project hasent hit the road yet. I suspect next summer we'll be able to attend a few cruises and start meeting folks.

The Brown boys grew up in Strasburg ND and have been around Killdeer and Dickinson since about 94-97. If you get to Dickinson with the Firebird, please message me. I would love to see it. I know there are a few car clubs here, Prairie Cruisers and SW Drag Association. I was planning on calling them to see if they know of any Pontiac groups around here. I know Medora ND has a couple of car shows every summer and Buggy N Blues in Mandan ND is a very nice event. That is in June I believe. Alot of cars show up for that one and they have events like dances,etc. One of the nicest road trips from Dickinson to Bismarck was the day people were traveling west for the Medora car show I believe. I got to see a bunch of nice classic cars along the way. Is the Hartman name related to the Hartmans in Linton? I had a good friend who was a Hartman that came from Linton to Bismarck. In fact, her and her sister owned that Chevy Monza Spyder I was talking about before my cousin had it. I could tell you stories about being in that car with her! lol

Medora is beatutiful! We were there last year and stayed for a night before pulling into Killdeer. My boys and I did a little mountain biking in the badlands. If we get our project done by July, we plan on a trip to ND in 09 and will send you a message beforehand. It's a great drive from Denver and a lot of open road to open it up. My youngest son (Dustin - 15)and I picked up our project in February. We really didnt know a thing about cars. Just looking for a project to spend some time together on. Since then we've learned so much and our passion for Firebirds has grown. So we're really excited to finish this before next summer and take a road trip. I'm not sure if the Hartmas are related to the one's in Linton but would assume they are since the Hartman generation I know have been in Killdeer since the 1800's.

That sounds great. I'm looking forward to '09. Medora is beautiful. We go camping and hiking there every year. I'm glad you and your son found a project to spend time together on. That will be a good memory for him and you. My daughter is 14. She is already a bit of a car person. Between her dad, her uncles, and me she is learning alot...lol. I give you alot of credit for taking that project on without knowing too much about cars. Most of our family learned from watching others, asking questions over the years, reading whatever material is out there, and learning from mistakes. Let me know how the project is coming along. talk to you later.

I must say, We've spent many hours in front of a compueter learning what goes where and finding out what we still need and where it will go! the most frustrating part of our project. I'll post some before/after pics later... it was a basket case barn find. no engine/interior. 67 front frame, 68 shell. converted the front brakes, went to floor mount th400. 400 overbored .060. Changed the manual to to power. New wirinig harness throughout. Blasted the underside and repainted with por15. All new joints,rubber, fuel and brake lines. All ball joints new along with shocks... and we havent even started on the bling stuff yet!
Lots to do.
Bet you and your daughte have fun in your bird. I'd like to see some pictures al if you have a chance.
Nice chatting with you

Thank goodness for the internet. It is so helpful to find info at a moments notice. I have not purchased a Firebird yet. I just decided this summer to go with the Firebird. At this time, I am in the process of saving and researching. I doubt I will have a Firebird by summer '09 but maybe '10. When I get one, I will show you pics. Right now, time spent on cars has been on my Grand Am and my daughter's father has rebuilt a Toyota Celica for her. My daughter took an online quiz about how engines work and received 80% on the test. I was quite proud of her for only being 14. It has been nice chatting with you too.

Sheri,
Which year bird are you thinking about? Coupe or droptop?
Now is a great time to buy... gas is cheap and folks be selling stuff much cheaper. Even the parts are coming down.

I would like a '68 coupe preferably with a 400 and 4 spd. Ram air and matching numbers isn't important to me. I just want it to have a genuine Pontiac V8 in it. There's a few things I'm trying to decide on before I buy. I'm not sure if I want to get something for cheap to restore or if I want to go the route of modestly restored and do a little work on it. I'm thinking I would need another garage to store it in or else leave my daily driver in the yard. Decisions, decisions...lol.

In hindsight we would have bought a more complete car rather than a total project. Missing parts and not knowing what to buy has greatly hindered our progress. You're doing it right, researching a lot before you buy. I agree on the pontiac engine! They are seemingly harder and harder to find.

Yeah, I'm thinking I would rather get a car that has good body exterior and runs. I wouldn't mind redoing the interior but I would want a good console. Depending on the exterior paint, I might repaint it later. I can be patient with alot of things. But I think I would go crazy having a total project FGF sitting in the garage unable to drive it! lol I might see about finding a Pontiac V8 motor first, then see about finding a car that needs a motor. I can handle a motor being in the garage alot easier than FGF project car...lol. Not sure about much, I'm still trying to figure it out what I want to do.

Go ahead and make your plans, and one day the right opportunity will come up, it won't be anything like you planned, and it'll turn into an adventure.

LOL Yeah I'm thinking that's probably what will happen. It's nice to make plans until the right opportunity comes along. I'm hoping I will find a great barn find around here but I won't hold my breath. It will be a great day for me when I have my FGF and I can drive it!

If anyone would have suggested I'd be buying a '66 Le Mans Sprint with a 2 speed auto I'd have told them they were nuts. But that Fontaine Blue 33,000 mile car was the best running, easiest classic car I've ever owned and driven. I put 3K miles on in just one summer.

I wasn't even looking for a car when that one came along.

That car sounds like a sweet ride. It would be hard to pass up at only 33,000 miles. Do you have any pics of it?

Wow, that's a beauty. What work did you do or have done on the car? The paint looks amazing.

Gorgeous.

Vikki, do you still own that one?

Just the paint needed attention. The original lacquer was tired, dull and spotted. The rest of the car was perfect.

That is the work of my "secret weapon" paint shop. They are doing my dad's '68 convertible now, but that's a whole lot more work.

No, I sold the Le Mans to buy a few Firebirds. And I've since sold those Firebirds, and regret selling the 'Mans.

Too bad I don't live closer to you. If I had my bird painted, I would know where to go. I hope you put up pics of your dad's bird when it's done.

I will indeed. The shell is spending a couple months at the shop to save on labor; they only work on it when there is no insurance work to do, which is fine because it's already too late to drive it this season. I stop in every once in a while and take some pics.

Once the shell is done it will come home for reassembly.

And I thought only my shop did that! I have been "promised" they will get to my car every month since I dropped it off last January.

If I only had more time...

I want it that way! They could have had all the metal work done in two weeks, the whole thing done in three, but by allowing the car to go on the back burner it's saving thousands. And it's only been there since September, and just needs a little spotting before prime/seal/paint.

The Le Mans was drive-in, drive-out in two weeks.