Think this thing is real? Interesting if it is. Think it would be considered a Recaro from the factory if it is real? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...865518113#DESC

It looks legit to me....looks to be in pretty good shape.

it's an MR MSE. I saw that auction from the start but didn't want to spread the word. See alex's page which is probably the best source of info about these cars, though still needs work:
http://www.transamgta.com/MRMSE
the ebay guy either sold it locally or decided not to sell.. based on the bid history page.

I have this feeling that car fell into unworthy hands and will probably cease to exist in the super-near-mint shape shown there.. of the 500 made, there's probably no more than 25 left in good shape, I would guess.

If I was able to afford it it would've been all mine but I can't afford much of anything right now so.. I just hope it survives intact but I doubt it will.

MR MSE was NOT a factory option; it was wholly an aftermarket conversion, but those cloth Recaro seats were pretty much standard on MR MSE's. The vast majority of them, probably all of them, had the Recaro seats. You'll notice the passenger's side seat looks identical to an 82 Recaro T/A, while the driver's seat side supports are super thick, even thicker than the normally thick Recaro seat. That extra thick side support is found on MR MSE's only so you know that seat is super supportive and super duper rare.. only 500 made. They fall apart when oblivious people drop all their weight on there when getting in and they rub hard up against that side support, eroding it over time.. such is their unfortunate fate. The headrests are different from other Recaro seats.. they are some sort of super shiny material and they have no apparently seat belt guides. Rear spoiler is the most functional ever put on any third-gen. I read somewhere it provides between 100 - 200 pounds of downforce at highway speeds.

For more specific details, go to the link above or see this article for some decent pics: http://ohok.com/82recaro/misc/MRMSE.jpg (compare the 2 seats shown; driver's seat design is MR MSE specific like I said before)

That car on ebay had the original wheels, original MR MSE steering wheel, console serial number, all body emblems except sail panel decals, mint seats.. it was pretty much all stock and correct. There will *never* be another one like that for sale. if there is, I'm sure it'll be $10k or more.

GT

Thanks for the info kizz, so did all the years (3rd gen)of the MSE have the same color seats?

That must be a super rare bird, most of the MSE below appear to have LS seats.

http://www.firebirdgallery.com/dkmlot2.htm

Don

Hey Don
info is really scarce on 83-and-up MSE's so I really do not know what seats they came with from the factory. As far as 1982, most of them did have the Recaros shown in that auction URL above. I was lucky enough to find an MSE locally one time and test drove it. It was a real dog.. it had seen better days.. and it had the Viscount bucket seats, the ones optional for '82, so I'm guessing those were original but I dunno.

The firebirdgallery.com link you posted seems to be out of date and does have some mistakes on it.. notice how one car came with the "L-69 2.8L V-6 2bbl HO". yikes.. the L69 is not a V6! The top car (83 white/black) looks like it has had the wheels swapped so I don't really trust that one for originality (unless it got "next year's wheels" a whole year before the 84 15th got 'em ?? that is a real possibility. read more below). Next one down looks more legit but is the 83 "L69 V6" so I'm not sure what's up w/ that one. 3rd down being an 83 with 900 miles on the clock looks and sounds really original but is not a Recaro so I dunno. the next two are both 84's with red/white and white/red but both look and sound like non-Recaros. I'm starting to think only 1982 had the recaro option? Hard to say. Notice on both those 84's: they appear to have the 15-inch pre-GTA wheels that did not debut on ANY third-gen until 1985 F41 and 1985 WS6 came along (my 85 bird came with 'em too but they're long gone now sadly).. but in fact those are the proper wheels for '84 MSE's and both cars look correct.. amazing! MSE sort of had a way of getting next year's wheels while no other firebird had that luxury -- Cars I can think off hand that got options "from the future": 82 MSE (wheels), 83 daytona (84-style ground effects), 84 MSE (wheels from 85), 84 15th anniv (16 inch wheels from 85). there are a couple of more examples in the early third gen. as far as that first white/black 83 MSE with the 16-inchers.. I have no idea if that's original or not. I'm betting against it. info and magazine pics are so hard to come by...

hope this was entertaining for ya

GT