General motors came pretty close to perfecting the 2 door hardtop when they designed the 1st generation firebird/camaro. If they can make a new version of the VW beetle or the mini cooper, why cant they put the 68 firebird back into production? They would'nt have to design anything new. It's already been perfected. They could use the old dies and tooling, which would save them millions of dollars, if they built a competitor to the new mustang. Hey they already spent the money to build a new lo-emissions version of the 350 v8. (lt1) I think its time we let the GM shareholders know the real story of the life and death of the firebird, and how it proves that GM mangement is incompetent. Take a picture of a 67 firebird parked next to any thing in a pontiac showroom and you have all the evidence you need to prove that the GM head office has become a sheltered workshop for blind retards.

Very nice first post and welcome!!!! GM has had their heads up their butts far too long and I think they are stuck up there now forever, Soltice or no Solstice. As for F-bodies making a resurection, the 2007 Camaro project was shelved and if they shelf the Camaro, then unfortunately no Firebird (probably no bird even if the Camaro made it to production)

David

I`ve been asking for a retro or similar version of the Fiurst Gen Firebird for a loooong time ....GM seems more interested in making 'Cobalts' instead, I have no idea on how that wil do in sales vs the new Mustang .....but have my doubts. :rolleyes:

gm do something that makes sense??????????you all having pipe dreams?????

While everyone's dreamin' about ordering a modern version of a 1st gen F body think about all the whining when someone asked for $20,000.00 for a restored one,when you think about it 20 grand a real bargain for what you likley get for drive train in a modern version!

GM is a failing company so they keep reporting.So was ford till the new thunder chicken and mustang.Mopar has the new 300,charger ect.Gm is too busy making cars that look like jap traps to build a real car any more.I have sent several letters asking why not build a 55-56-57 bel air,66-67 chevelle,67-68-69 camaro?firebird.I know they would be like the 05 mustang,not a replica but close.All you have to do is go to a gm lot look around its sickening.

Here's what I would like to see - ditch the Solstice name and I4 stick a Vette/GTO/CTS V8 LS-whatevermodel under the hood and make a hardtop version.

There you the makings of a Mustang killer. And everything else killer. It'll never happen though. Too bad.

Retro Firebird,,,, NO THANKS!!!
A retro firebird will take away from the FGF's out there.
These cars are something special and deserve to be preserved, honored, respected,,,, not mimicked.
Why should someone off the street be able to buy 60's style and power without effort?
There is a certain amount of respect that we all get for having a classic firebird because we have put forth great effort and expense to preserve a piece of history.
To me, owning a classic muscle car is more than simple ownership. It’s a marriage of man and machine. This is an expression of ones self and requires devotion.
The title of "muscle car owner" is one that is earned, not bought.
A person that simply throws a wad of cash down on the register and drives home a muscle car doesn’t truly deserve it.
All me to elaborate a bit.
Now, you don’t need to do all your own work on your car or be the most knowledgeable wrench either. But what you do need is to have a respect for the classic vehicle and what it represents to many people.
This is something that cannot be reproduced in Detroit. These cars are dreamt about, lusted for, and kids build models of them.
This is only something that a true love and devotion to these machines can deliver.
Whether you pay thru the nose to have your classic restored and worked on, or if you do all your own work,,,, if you maintain these classics to the best of your ability (both knowledge wise and financially) and its more than a car to you, then you deserve to have it.
Retro cars simply cash in on the mystique of "real classics"
Mass-produced, marked up, bastardized versions of the original have no place in my heart!
I have more respect for a 1968 firebird or any classic for that matter, that is held together with bondo and has a owner that spends every extra dime on it than an off the shelf, brand new, high performance, full of options, "retro muscle car"!
To me, that guy did nothing special to buy or maintain that car.

The fact that retro cars are even around points to a complete lack of creativity from today’s automakers. They have no clue what the people want, so instead of making advances they simply re-package what worked before.
If this is what GM needs to do to stay a float,,, so be it. But it takes away from all the classics out there. Just as the mustang has taken away from its ancestor.
Sad, sad, sad.
Of course, as always this is just .02

Hey Joe - a well-crafted post.

Dare I say that GM definitely needs a retro Camaro or GTO? Duh, I love my FGF, but that would be my advice to GM. I don't think the new 'Stang waters-down the respect for it's ancestors. But who am I? I'm just assuming.

Yes, classic car ownership is a priviledge. And that's why I haven't hacked-up my car inside or out. I treat my car like a rolling museum, kinda, but I drove her to work today while the Honda is getting the brakes done. And I'll drive it to work when the Honda ISN'T in the shop. :-)

I favor a retro GM car because what is left if you DON'T go retro? A sheetmetal-bland experience. Yet another Toyota Camry/Honda Accord look-alike with nary a nod to asthetics or passion!

Cheers,
Scott

Thanks dude.

Originally posted by Smitty2k
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I favor a retro GM car because what is left if you DON'T go retro? A sheetmetal-bland experience. Yet another Toyota Camry/Honda Accord look-alike with nary a nod to asthetics or passion!</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Thats the problem. No more imagination.
They can design cars that people want but it costs more money to do things drastically different. Thats why you get the same boring crap day in and day out.

I've thought about this for a while - not just for fgf's - but for all the cool cars we love from the 50's & 60's.

First issue - safety. The safety standards passed by the federal government have changed in the past 40-50 years. The old design would need a LOT of changes - under the sheet metal if nothing else - just to pass current minimum standards. Think crumple zones.

Second issue - handling. Look - these cars weren't designed to handle even like a Cobalt. To put in a 300hp V8 and have them handle like they did in the 1960's would *really* be putting the safety specs to the test! Think of how the auto journalists would kill the car "lots of power, but handles like a swimming pool!".

Right there you've already encountered a whole lot of engineering redesign. The finished product would look different to the original, even if they tried to keep it close.

Next issue - cost. Are these cars going to be low production cars, or will there be a huge demand from the market for one? And what will they sell it for? V8 sports coupe? $25-30k. Puts it out of the range of the $15-20k Civic/Cobalt buyer.

Now - what *I* would be interested in seeing happen is a private company buy up all the old tooling to make these cars, and set up a factory and produce them under some licensing method using the old specs. Call it a "kit car" or whatever they need to do to avoid the government regulations as well. Then you could order a newly made 1967 Firebird! Now *that* would be pretty cool!

Originally posted by Ashtray
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Now - what *I* would be interested in seeing happen is a private company buy up all the old tooling to make these cars, and set up a factory and produce them under some licensing method using the old specs. Call it a "kit car" or whatever they need to do to avoid the government regulations as well. Then you could order a newly made 1967 Firebird! Now *that* would be pretty cool! </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">If they did this, you would have a bunch of pissed off FGF owners out there. The value of FGF's would sharply fall and guys like Gary (plowman) would be looking for you

I didn't say these recreations would be cheap! Think about how much a Factory Five Cobra is out the door, everything finished. $40-50k? Might build some appreciation for the old ones! And it would be such a low numbers production that I don't think anyone would notice.

I don't even like Chip Foose's take on the '69 Camaro. It's okay I guess for only $198,000 at Sam's Club.


http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/custom-carshot-rods/the-sams-club-camaro-by-foose-135670.php

I hate to think what a retro version from Detroit would look like in metallic silver paint and softened styling lines.

Here is a 2006 Firebird SUV

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-12/919290/firebird4wd2.jpg

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Here is a 2006 Firebird SUV </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">that is Utt Bugly!

FUGLY I think is a better word for it!

I just got my Hemmings Muscle Car issue.

One of the staff writers has some "secret" photos of the clay mock-up of the Next Gen Camaro. Apparently he's a diecast fan cuz he states that it looks quite a bit like HotWheel's "Muscle Tone".

Muscle Tone pic

Hmm - I'll have to check if I even have the Muscle Tone car! That might have come out while I stopped collecting for a few years! :p