The 68 panels didn’t seem to fit very well but I did find screw holes that seem to be for a 68 style panel, I just made up my arm rests, got some foam from Joanns. Will try to install soon.
Finally getting around to putting some tunes in my wife's 68 (non-AC). I've got all the parts on the way (head unit, amp, 6X9s in enclosures going behind the seats on the floor, amp kit, wires, and a super cool dual dash speaker replacement. Here's the million-dollar question for you cats that have done this/got the T-shirt. What are the steps to access/replace the dash speaker? Of course, I'll have the head unit and ash tray out to start... Will that be enough opening/access to get to the old dash speaker? Thank you. r/RJ
Sorry, I misunderstood. Still, don't the '68 side covers go right on over the painted top? Re-pops should work. I also had to order some '68 convertible arm rests from Firebird central. I needed the metal forms. I have '68 hardtop arm rests and thought I could modify them to work. After getting the re-pops I now know I was wrong.
only Camaro's with deluxe interior will have the arm rests.
Both my 1968 Firebirds had rear arm rests. One was deluxe and the other is base. Both had the ash tray inserted in the arm rest. I don't recall ever seeing one without arm rests.
If you notice I said only Camaros with deluxe interior, I didn't say Firebirds, I know Firebirds have the arm rests, I made that coment because most places try sell Camaro stuff as Firebird stuff
Been going thru this my self, but with a 69 convertible, which is the only thing that will fit mine. Beside the scammers that answer you part searches, the only place I found that had them was Firebird Central. They weren't cheap and when I got them it was just the fabric and cardboard. Called and explained they were incomplete. Not attached to the metal piece on top and did not have the window felt. Turns out they source that out and I was sent the wrong thing. I returned the parts and they put a rush order to have the others made. Got them last week and they look good. On a 69 convertible it is actually three parts that make up the interior side pieces.
only Camaro's with deluxe interior will have the arm rests.
Both my 1968 Firebirds had rear arm rests. One was deluxe and the other is base. Both had the ash tray inserted in the arm rest. I don't recall ever seeing one without arm rests.
if you notice, the door panel ends at the back of the upper seat, the rest of the metal is exposed so it gets painted interior color, and there are metal corner pieces that go in the corners where it wraps around to the bottom of the window
the metal there is right. the door panels fit over it. here is a pic of my 69, which should be close to your 68. sorry for the small pic, and for not showing the whole area, but you can get the idea. the other pic is what it looks like done. the door panels dont cover the whole area, the arm rests cover the lower part, and there is a metal filler piece for the upper seat. don't get confused looking at Camaro's as only Camaro's with deluxe interior will have the arm rests.
Maybe they crunched the numbers looking for fat males that lean on steering wheels to get out? Did Pontiac have a 'fat guy' box to be checked on the order form at the dealership?
All I know is that I rarely if ever see an intact deluxe wheel like Jim's. I have a pretty good black one stashed away but it is not perfect. That is why I fixed up a Formula wheel with the wings down Firebird.
Maybe I am not understanding. Don't the '68 rear panels just cover the top painted part? And the '67 panels leave that bare? I am pretty sure the '67 panels were used by someone because they were available and worked. I would think just get some re-pop '68's and carry on. Or am I totally backwards on this? The pic is my '68 and my '68 panels covered the painted top. I think it's just a minor model year change. I am fitting a roll bar so ignore the mess.
Dylan, I'm curious what you decided to do with your 68 convertible? Did you end up going with a Dynacorn body?
I'm in a similar position, although mine is a 350 convertible. I've replaced both quarters and tail pan. But now I want to replace the trunk pan and from what I've read online the tail pan needs to be removed to get the new trunk pan in (which i SHOULD have done at the same time but didn't). In addition, the floor pan needs some work as well. Whomever had this car before me did some questionable patch work so might be better to just replace the whole floor pan. Also the top inner cowl and upper dash have rot. I have most of the parts (purchased from Classic Industries) so it's mainly the labor I'm concerned with. I have a young child so spare time is valuable and hard to come by these days so I'm debating to farm out the work, or just bite the bullet and buy a completely new body from Dynacorn or similar and then transfer the VIN.
I'll add one more twist to the '68 steering wheel recall. The recall mentions it applies to both '68 Firebirds and '68 Tempests yet only says "Potential Number of Units Affected 12,164. Note that the Definitive Firebird & Trans Am Guide 1967-1969 shows 47,532 Deluxe steering wheels were equipped on '68 Birds.
Note that there were only three steering wheels from the factory, standard, deluxe and sport. With 47,532 deluxe, 3,655 custom sport, I would assume there were about 56,000 standard steering wheels.
Did they estimate only some of the wheels would break?
I am glad to hear that. The 455 I am sure is a bottom end street monster. 3:36 is right next to my favorite 3:23 gears. My car was originally an OHC-6 so it came with 3:23 rear gears. Great take off, decent highway. My car has always been a wreck since I got it. The little bit I drove it just to move it up and down the driveway the 455 felt incredible. I now have a 1979 Trans Am rear with the disc brakes in it. It has 3:08 gears which are much better for highway use. I have a set of 3:23's that can go in, but my four speed is a Super T-10 with the 3:42 first gear. That much gear is too much for the 3:23 so I am leaning on keeping the 3:08's in there. My 1977 TA was set up that way. Even with the 3:08's I could start in second gear no problem.
Unfortunately all that's left of the interior is one kick panel and the original column, you can see gold under the layers of red paint someone sprayed. I wish I had more to work from, only original parts to the car inside it now are the gauges and console, rear view mirror I think too, seats came from junkyard. Car was a shell with a box full of random parts when purchased, there was a rectangle and round mirror that came with it, I think the round door mirror is what came on it, I put the rectangle one on. I do have the original Wiring in a box too.
Another sorta interesting thing is it was shipped to Zone 25 (Portland, OR) Dealer 991, looking on Wallace Racing there's a couple entries, them being for "PMD".. I have no clue if it was just a Zone car and later shipped to dealer or something unique.
The '68 production began in late August or early September '67, meeting a September 21 on sale date. So, there had already been a month or more of production before yours was built.
You no longer have that original gold interior sitting around somewhere?
Hopefully someone has some suggestions for you. If the '67 panels won't fit, could a good upholstery shop modify the '68 Custom interior parts you already purchased to work and still look good? I searched various sources and found no other record of that on another '68. There's a thread on here dealing with "Firebird Mysteries". There are a lot of curious build differences in the 1st Gens, many that have yet to be explained.
The Body by Fisher tag on the firewall will have a code showing the build week of your '68. Might be interesting to know.
I’m looking for some rear door panels for my 68 Firebird 400, a while ago I blindly bought what I should need, 68 panels that wrap all the way up the around the top, like the fronts. Should’ve looked closer before I did that, seems my car was made with 67 style rear panels? (with metal at top) Why might this be and does it look like the 67 panel will fit? Thank you - LB
I really like the 455/4spd, with 3.36 gears it does great in town and great on highway, mine is mildly built and is very tame until you lay your foot in it, you’ll feel the torque! Flooring it in second puts the car sideways!
SHARP! I like it! Alcoholic grandfather. I can relate to that. I stopped drinking when I retireded and that is why I am able to work on my '68. Hopefully my Grandkids will get involved. How do you like the 455 four speed? I have that in mine too. Some say that is overkill for a Firebird but I think with the right rear gears and cam it would be very streetable.
Jim, look at the steering wheel. Deluxe interior without the deluxe wheel. Maybe that was the recall wheel at the time?
