Okay, my two cents… The purest here will want it restored and rightly so as it is a well optioned numbers matching car. Me, I’m more of a it’s your car, build what you want kind. The big question is what do YOU want? Do you intend to keep the car or are you a build it, drive it a couple years then pass it on. If so, a correct, superb restoration may not be for you. If you keep, is it a trailer queen, limited driver or driven a lot? I will tell you, even 2000-3000 miles a year in perfect weather still takes tremendous effort to keep looking show perfect.
I can’t answer the value question. IMO Firebirds are way under valued in the market place. Anything less than a perfect restoration or an LS/LT powered, full DSE equipped build, brings far less money than a similarly built Camaro. Very easy to invest way more money in these cars than the market will return. That said, a perfect restoration or well done pro-touring build bring big dollars but are expensive to build.
What ever you decide, research combinations and parts, build a plan you are happy with, including a realistic budget and stick to it. Changing mid stream or scope creep gets expensive.
