Hope you don't mind a non-technical question, just makin' conversation...

When I was growing up, our next door neighbor was an Englishwoman- tall, slim, dyed her hair flaming red with a bit of an accent. She was older, in her sixties somewhere, but still very attractive.

I was seven when she brought home a new 67 convertible- white, white top, white interior, I think it was a 326.

She babied that thing- garaged it always, replaced the top several times, minor rust repair etc.

And she loved driving it too, got the wolf whistles all around town!

I always wanted it, but unfortunately she gave it to her niece as a graduation present and it quickly went downhill- sad, really.

Whenever I see a Firebird, especially a convertible, still get those twinges of nostalgia!

So what's your story?

Well when i was 17 i went out to look at some cars with my dad for my first car.We looked at a 71 yellow nova then a blue 72 ranchero ,My dad had enough and wanted to go home and i said i know where there is a car for sale siting at the end of a drive way can we go check it out? I wasn't sure what it was but thought it looked cool ! so we get there and find out it was a 69 firebird 350 automatic red with parchment interior ,We talked to the owner and she wanted $1000 bucks as is.Sold!! i remember my dad taking me to the bank and i withdrew $1000 dollars cash ,most cash i ever carried . Anyway we got the car home took it in to get safetied cost me another $200 dollars and i had my first car on the road.Man i loved that car!

I'm almost the big three oh, and my dad has owned at least one first gen my whole life. He sold a real nice red 68 in the early 80's to get a down payment for our house. He bought the car I now have around 86 or 87. It looked great in the late 80's, early 90's, the motor blew, and it's sat OUTSIDE ever since. I just got it down to SC a few months ago. He has a 68 convertable that's been in the same state of a stripped down shell for over 30 years.

My dad and firebirds are the reason I'm addicted to this sickness. I started out with trucks because they were soooooo much more affordable. I built a pretty nice 67 C10 with a 350/700R, A/C, pdb, and some other modifications for around 7 grand. I looked for a 67/68 bird but I couldn't find one decent enough that wasn't $$$, so when my dad offered to give me the old 67, I jumped at it. And the madness continues...

My first car was a 1970 Ford LTD. Bought it from my brother for $500, who bought it from my father, so I grew up with that car, and HATED every minute of it.

My best friend had just bought a car, and when I saw it, I loved it. He had picked up a '68 Camaro (real RS) coupe. I wanted one too, but didn't want to copy him. He told me about firebirds. So I started looking for a 'fixer-upper'. Looked at about five or six '68's before I found the one I wanted. All of this was back in 1979. It was a 350 coupe, Verdoro green with green interior, and black vinyl top.

I re-did that car in a black and charcoal (Hurst/Olds style) with black interior. I airbrushed a 1980 turbo-T/A screaming chicken on the hood, and added aluminum rear louvers.

(I cringe nowadays even when typing this)

I posted some picts a while back for a good laugh...

My later-to-be Uncle had a '69 T/A he had bought new a couple years prior. We lived with my grandparents for a short time, and I remember him coming to pick up my Aunt for dates. It's literally the only thing I still remember at that age. I was only about eye level with that gorgeous spoiler. They moved out of state later, but I loved getting to do on rides when we'd visit. Unfortunately he sold it long before I reached license-age. I secretly hoped that would be my car some day (even though it was in pretty rough shape to say the least - that's another story)

One time, we pulled in the driveway after an errand run (it was his daily driver for years) and he did a short brake-stand as my father walked in front, scaring the bejesus out of him. I don't think Larry Bird could've jumped that high. We laughed our tails off.

When I was 17 I bought a 69 bird because it had a 396 in it that I wanted for my 66 Impala project. Took the engine out of the bird and sold the shell to a friend, who installed in a 327 (poor car). I wasn't allowed to have the bird.

I always remember liking the 2nd gen firebirds. Trying to pursue one led me to my first experience with a 69 firebird. Thought it was the ugliest thing i had ever seen.

Went to look for a first gen camaro instead. Then I saw a 67 firebird sprint, bought it and have loved looking at it ever since.

It was a great compromise between my father wanting a first gen camaro and me wanting a second gen firebird. The firebird has brought me and my father closer then we have ever been, love pontiac for that alone.

About 1968 I knew I would like either a Firebird or Camaro if I could afford one for my first car. When one of my college roommates returned to campus that year with a new '68 350 convert I was even more hooked and leaning more towards Firebird. As I neared graduation in 1969 my current '68 became mine...... for life.

Like long stories?
Told it many times, so may very some, but thats do to being wild and drunk with something happening all week for 10 yrs before settling down.

My dad had a 57 Super Chief/370-a/t-4.10 grs.
Younger guys came by in the mid to late 60's all the time wanting to race. He never lost.
My oldest brother's 1st car was a 71-350 ht Malibu. Didnt really appeal to me.
My next older brother bought a 68 camaro-396 a/t vert. Now we'r talk'n.
He sold that and bought a 68 FB-428(transplant)ht 4spd. Now we'r really talk'n!
After wrecking that one, bought a 67 FB-400 4spd vert. He was kill'n me!
Altough i wanted the 57,my dad drove it to the wrecking yard in 74. Can you beleave it. Had sat since about 72. Said it was to far gone.
Got my license in 75 and knew it had to be a FB or camaro.
C's where around, but either oil sucking rust buckets, or to much $.
One day my dad said hey theres a 68 FB in the paper not far from here for $550. Lets go check it out.
It was a Vedero grn 350 H.O. a/t 3.23's, and solid.
I drove it down the block, and he drove it back.
He said i'll talk, you listen and dont show much interest
10 minutes later and $400, HE drove it home while i followed in his car.
When we got there he said it drove fine, but alittle fast for my 1st "driver".
Get a ticket or in trouble drink'n, your on your own. Dont care if you spend a night in jail. My brother had that problem with his fb's.
Since help'n my brother at the strip with his car, and cruise'n, knew what cars to avoid. Was out street drag'n for $ the next week
Did i mention it was a chick magnate too
In 79, while out testing my 68 with it's 3rd engine(455/70RAII top end), lo since i bought it, lost rear brake line come'n hard to a stop sign.
Knew i wasnt gon'a make it so floored it and hoped make it through.
Didnt work, a girl was spending in her 70 caprice and clipped my r/r qtr spinning me in a 360.
Couple weeks later found my Tyrol blu 67 400 4spd, which still have.
Drove it till 93, then torn it completely apart in one weekend for restoration, but had kids and bills.

Quit'n time, i'll finish tomarrow.

Think I was 20, somewhere around '76, been thru owning a 67 GMC Van, a 70 Ford Econoline (not to mention the bikes) then a 72 LeSabre in which I holed a piston cruising Southern Alberta Hwy #2 at 120 mph on my way to Colorado. Guy at work had this rusty old 67 FB Convert, 326, Gold on Gold...for $450, ran fine 2 speed, so WTH, always wanted a ragtop...well, I fell in love with it...did not know much about them but bought a 68 400, rear end wrecked, and mated the engine and front end to the 67, repainted, dyed the interior,and voila...a 67-68 mish mash. but the chicks loved it so WTH!

My first introduction to Pontiacs was a cousin's 67 GTO one fun summer I stayed with him and his sister in Alabama. I'll never live in the south, that's for sure. Too hot. Too humid. But for a couple of months it was fun. I was about 14 and he asked me one night would I like to take it for a spin. Not wanting to trash his pride and joy, not to mention his DD/ getting to work car, I declined but always regretted it. When I went out looking for my first car I kind of already had an idea what I wanted to use it for eventually. In 79 these cars weren't really classics yet. Just kind of cool cars. I looked at an orange 68 w/350 but the guy wouldn't budge on price. I really wanted a Merc Capri(ugh, I know), but I still think it would look kind of cool in the mud with big meats and blacked out glass all around. Anyways I found my 69 for $1350 from a young real estate guy that probably thought it wasn't nice enough to show clients around in. Looked aweful. Whitewalls and hubcaps on front, slot mags out back with the rearend jacked up about 12 feet in the air. Even found some pot under the back seat. Bonus. Not quite as nice as my girlfriend's(wife) brand new RX7 that we traded in for the mini van when we had kids but it was falling apart after about 5 years anyhow. Yeah, who's laughing now.

Very first car my parents gave me a 70 maverick. Before I turned 16 I purchased a 68 firebird convert. It was in grey primer packed with bondo. I rebuilt the engine in high school vocational auto shop. I still remember the heads getting lightened up about every time the machine shop teacher left the shop! Ram air 4 cam and a holley. Back in the 80's parts were hard to find! My friend who was taking welding and I welded on the camaro quarters. Sure missed those louvers! One of My teachers painted it for me as long as I promised to go to college. Dark blue lacquer, spent a week sanding and buffing. Jim was an awesome painter! Several years later I had to let her go. This was the start of my wish list. 20 or so years went by till I found myself in position to purchase the 69 I purchased in Sept of 07. Her first show was this year, she earned a nice knee high trophy. It was supposed to be that same blue, but I purchased a yellow front clip from a guy bolting on camaro metal. My wife and many of my friends kept telling me how well yellow worked on it, and finally I pulled into Jims drive one day last year with that front clip installed on a primer grey and edp color rear that finally convinced me. Was something like "Anthony that yellow really works"! It is gonna take a lot to get this one away from me! Think I only would sell it if I could build 2! Never again will I be without a FGF!

You'll also notice the louvres on my new rear quarters from that first FB LOL

Well I was 13 riding my bike thru my town and saw a 68 camaro in a 30ish guy's garage. I had to know all about it. We struck up a friendship. He got me interested in restoring older cars. I wanted a 1st gen camaro but mowing grass could only afford a worn out 67 bird with a motor that may or may not run. My father and I worked on getting it running and driveable. After putting 2 gallons of bondo in the body it was painted white. I loved the car so much that I would wash it by hand if salt got on it. Now you all know what happens to water at below 32F? 16 came and 4 tickets later I was no longer the owner of that car. But I have owned 3 67 birds,70 T.A., 73 ramair formula, 79 Bandit T.A.,68 SS camaro, 65 Comet. My father owned soooo many old muscle cars it's crazy. He owned a 421sd 4spd car he raced in the late 60s. Had a 68 cat with a 428. Supposedly the last 68 bird he had came with a dealer installed 428 with hood tach NON-power car. From the info we got about the car a dealer(can't remember exactly where) liked racing so he installed 428s into some strip down birds to sell.

David probably the second thing I look at on every 67 or 68 I see. Firs place is the vent window to decide 7 or 8.

I know...I wanted it done so bad I said the hell with it and left em out....LOL....wasn't the purist then I am now....just wanted a chick magnet!

I returned to the US in 1969 after being gone a year ( I came here in 68)....found a used 1968 on my dads used car lot,,, fell in love at first sight.



paid almost $3500 for it ,as it was only 6 mo old and still under warranty....luckily! lol...I later found out why the prev owner had traded it...it must have been built first thing a monday morning...that was was in for warranty more than I had time to drive it...sometimes I felt like adding sacks at the rear bumper to pick up the stuff that fell off of it! still, I loved it...a blue 68 coupe 350 w ac...almost a year later I had to sell it to pay for a surgery....but 30 yrs later (this week 10 yrs ago!) I bought my second one.....

So how did that work out for ya?

That was my first time seeing a Firebird. The first Firebird I owned, 1979, was 1970 Formula 400. Always liked those better than the TA's, good performance and suspension, but much more understated, more my style. THAT was a chick magnet too!

My current 68- one of my neighbors was an older gent that passed away, his son had a couple cars in the garage he had to move since he was losing his storage. He kept the 81 TA (UGLY, hate that flat front end!) and sold me the 68.

Making progress, I'll be glad when it's a dependable, reliable car!

In 1968 I had a hotwheels 68 firebird convertible... my favorite toy. 40 years later I bought a project 68 vert for my son and I to restore. Had never seen a real one in person until that day.

Awesome for sure....quite a few passing lovelies and one I dated off and on for 6 years...including living with for 2 yrs. It was definitely a c**k extender....as we used to say...

oddly enough it was another convertible, my mint 72 Impala, that my wife first saw me in...before she approached me...

I had Pontiac exposure early on. My Dad worked for GM at the Tonawanda Engine Plant in the foundry from 65-77. In 71 when I was 3 he bought a brand new 71 Catalina Conv. 350. Limelight Green with a very dark green conv. top & black int. Then my older brother had a 79 Formula, dark blue with light blue leather int. with an Olds 403 I beleive.

My first exposure to FGF was right after we sold our 68 RS/SS Conv. 350 Camaro. We bought the Camaro in 93. Spent 6 years restoring it ourselves. Finally finished the car and took it to it's first car show at Carlise PA in 2000. It was a 3-day car show and we were offered twice what the car was worth Friday morning before we even could find our parking spot for the w/e.

My wife cried all w/e as she did not want to sell the Camaro. The man wrote us a personal check and told us if we wanted to, cash the check and when it cleared, call him and he would come and get the car. Well, Monday morning I went to his bank in Lancaster, PA and cashed his check. Called him and he showed up a week later to get the Camaro.

Mind you, this entire time my wife cried DAILY over this car. To the point where it was not even funny. Soooo, the following Sunday morninig I told her to go buy a Philly news paper and we would go look at any cars listed under the "muscle car" heading. There was only one.

1968 Firebird 400/4-speed coupe. Original owner w/60k something orig miles. I said well, there you go. Called the number, drove to Philly (northern Philly area) pulled in the driveway and there she sat. 68 Bird w/blk vinyl top. I told my wife "let me handle the negotiating". Asking price was $5500. We walked up said hello and my wife burts out "WE'LL TAKE IT"!!!!!!!!!

I looked at her, looked at the man and he said "ok great, I only take cash". Sooo, $5500 it was, little room to negotiate when your wife already told the man we'd take it, and that was without firing it up, driving it nor knowing ANYTHING about Firebirds.

Came home, jumped on line, found this site and have been a member here since that very Sept. day in 2000!!!! That's my FGF story and I am sticking to it! LOL

Camaro Sold:

Bird bought:

As a side note. Camaro looked good, Firebird SCREAMED! Absolutely NO comparison between them. The Bird had a TON of power, torque etc. the Camaro looked good, period...

A long, long, time ago.. in a galaxy far, far away.. I was walking home from the bus stop with my best friend. He was 16 and I was 15 and he had been talking about wanting his dad to help him get a car. As we walked towards his house the hair on the back of our necks stood up and we awe struck as we could just see the silhouette of a sleak black car parked in front of his house. It turned out to be a 72 Firebird 350 auto, black on black, Rally II's and white letter tires. Nice paint, nice interior, and it ran really well, chirped 2nd gear when ever you want. So, that started it as I had the opportunity to ride in that car alot.
The next year after I turned 16 I found a nice 69 Firebird 350, triple white, 2 speed auto on the column and made her mine. Miss that car to this day but I did own it for about 10 years.

Not sure about him, but the jocks at school thought about kick'n my [censored] weekly.
They rarely mentioned who they where currently with

Hey Joe "Earlybird" you are a purist right? So what's up with the spoilers on that red bird you used to own? Boy talk about straddling the fence.... Just messing with you. So you were born in 68? That's makes you BARELY older than me.... 5 years to be exact.
My dad had a 69 rs vert when he married my mother. Someone tied her mothers' underware to the hood (wedding pic). No lie those bloomers covered most of that hood.... I will get the pic and post it.

jose, my Bird had those Camaro parts on it when I bough the car. From the original owner no less. Keep in mind, I knew very little about FGF when I bought the car. The day someone on this site pointed out they were Camaro parts, and I mean that VERY DAY, I went outside and removed them! For being a one owner car, the old man did a ton of screwy stuff to that ole girl.

It took me the 10 years we owned her to get the car "right". But I never gave up. Right up until the bitter end I was still hunting down and replacing parts. For being an non numbers car, we put a ton of money and effort into making her as close as possible to stock as I absolutely loved the challenge of making things "right".

Amazing when you think about it. One person's idea what a car should have or not have installed on it to make it "better". Honestly I like the front spoiler on the birds. The rear spoiler not so much. Original from factory appeals to everyone from a collecting stand point. But most like to individualize there ride. Weither it be just adding some chrome or performance upgrades. But most of us remember as kids seeing a car that touched in a way that we wanted to reproduce that car in some way. I loved camaros as a teen but my first car changed that to pontiacs. I would go to older friends houses and watch, ask questions, help when possible. Twelve years old I was helping pull engines, trannies,do body work. I love to fix things or tinker with stuff. I like go fast but look stock cars and the look stock but have small upgrade cars IE-wheels,intake-carb packages, chrome engine bays. It's early and I am rambling have fun today, enjoy your family, don't kick your cat(JOHNY-MAC), be nice to your neighbor, take someone for a ride in your car. Make sure that ride is with someone who doesn't know how to take you yet and scare the hell out of them.....