Hi everyone, I finally got the courage to do this. I hope this is the right place to put this. Here is the story but first a brief history. I come from Ireland and was in the US in 2001 visiting with my wifes sister, went out for a walk one of the days and saw at the side of a road this car, it looked like it had been abandoned there for quite a while but it still looked good. It has black and had T tops. I had never seen this type of car before but Man did it look good! It was a Pontiac Trans am. Looking back it must have been one of the earlier models. I visited there a few years later but it was gone. I tought to myself I would like to have one of these. A few months after I got back home I joined the American car club here in Ireland and put the word out I was looking for a Firebird. I didn't have much hope of finding anything as there are so few American cars here. A few months later I got a call from a guy who was selling a 1982 Firebird 2.8L. I went and had a look at it and bought it. It was in a bad state and needed to be restored. This was back in September 02. I spend a year and a half at it and finally had it finished early 04. It needed doors, battery tray and small bit of welding passenger rear wheel arch but other than that body was solid. The interior was in bad shape but got it sorted in the end. Engine needed work also as did brakes suspension etc. Below are pictures of when I got it, restoration and afterwards.

 

In January 2012 had it out for the first drive of the year. I alway go out early on Sunday mornings. The road was quite but there was another car coming in the opposite direction. It started to move towards the center of the road and then came at me diaganally at speed. I moved as far in a I could and accelerated to avoid impact but there was nothing I could do to save the Pontiac. Got slammed into a wall. It was a drunk driver who was asleep at the wheel and to top it all off had no insurance. I was brought to hospital in the ambulance and it was so dark I couldn't see what damage was done to it. I know it had to be bad but still taught it could be repaired. I was two day later before I saw what state it was in. Below are the pictures, remember we drive on the right hand side of the road over here so it was hit on the passenger side.

 

I had put 10 years into this car and now in 30 seconds was wiped out. I had post tramatic stress afterwards as well as back problems. I could't accept that it was gone and was adamant it would be back. My wife searched the internet for another car but 82's don't seem to be out there and not much of any other year either at least on this side of the water. She did find one in Ireland which had no engine or gearbox. I went to see it but it was horrendous. But that was all that was available so bought it. It was basically a rotten shell. The hood, fenders, doors, sills, a pillars, quarter panels, wheel arches, core support, section behind where engine is, etc all rotten. I saved what I could from my own car which of the body was the trunk lid, back lights, drivers door mirror, driver door glass, and the tray under the charcoal canister. I got parts where I could, USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Poland and started a 1 year and 8 month battle, 7 days a week. Below are some pictures.
I saved the engine from my car, the starter was smashed, flywheel bent, sump damaged, engine mounts damaged. The transmission (th200c) outer casing was cracked but guy in the UK was able to get one and rebuild transmission.

 

I finished it September 2013. The end of my drive way is the furthest it goes now. I miss the Knight rider wheels but only one of these survived. I would like to say a special thanks to Pete (stealtht/a) for sending me some body parts and to Jeff (z28v8) for sending me cargo door for the trunk.

Well that's it. Oh just to throw something out there, the one part that has alluded me. I am looking for the aluminium fly wheel cover used only on the 82 2.8L engines if anyone would have any idea where to get one. Thanks

 

Wow! What a ton of work. You've done some awesome work. Congratulations!

 

Nice job, it looks amazing! And being that its so much more rare over there makes it even cooler

 

Wow the damage on that car.That must have been a serious crash by the way that car looks...these cars dont look distort like that from fender benders.

the end result thou looks better than the old car.The PMD seats and interior look show quality.

 

You sir, are my hero!

My first real car was a 1982 Firebird S/E. My 92 GTA that I've had for going on 15yrs now (bought when I was 20) has been in 3 accidents, one of them a rock slide that totaled it by the insurance company but I still bought it back. I'm in the middle of making it perfect again right now.

No matter what ever happens to my 92, I will always bring her back. Thank you for the inspiration!

BTW, I do have a few parts from my old 82 S/E still and I remember the aluminum inspection cover well (from the times I had to replace the transmission and had the engine out). I sold it when I found out my 92 came with an even lighter plastic cover. I'm sure you will find one!

It is a shame you don't drive it more but whatever makes you happy, that's all that matters!!!

Alex

 

Thanks guys for you kind words. It was some battle but got there in the end. I really like the look of the 82 -84 models. I see occasionally an 86 or newer model turn up for sale but prefer the older ones.

As for the fly wheel cover, have been trying to track one down now for over 2 years but it still alludes me. My old one was in 5 pieces but managed to aluminium weld it so have something there til I hopefully find one.

 

Sorry to hear about your wreck, but congrats to you for being adamant about getting an 82 back on the road. Looks great!

I have an 82 Firebird V-6 also. Mine is the base model, plain jane car. I've owned it for 5 yrs, dont drive it much. It is all original with 23,4xx miles on it.

 

OMG you are a hero for sure! Nice save.

 

Very nicely done. However, you just blew away everyone's excuses for driving a ratty 3rd gen in the States. This is a reminder that everyone here should be driving a nice 3rd gen due to the easy/cheap availability of parts. It's also a reminder to list your auctions with worldwide shipping, as 3rd gens in other countries need parts too.
Excellent work. There's a dozen 2.8 cars in my local yard. I'll take a look for that part next time I'm there.

 

Kymmee,
I have to ask, Does your car have the original transmission, the TH200C. It has metric stamped on sump. Also if you could post a picture or 2 would love to see it.

Jensen73110,
If you could look to see if any of those cars have the cover would appreciate it.
I have attached picture which has part number on it. Only used on the 82's a far as I am aware.

It is frustrating for me to see the parts I need but won't ship overseas and if they do it is crazy money. I have a distant relative in Boston and she used to mail me the parts but she is old now and not in great health so don't like to ask. For the interior I had to take the cracked or broken pieces of trim from the wreck and plastic weld it, fill it, sand it and spray it. I managed to get some SEM paint in the UK but they couldn't match the GM trim codes and did it from a sample I sent over. The color is way off. I see you guy in the US can buy a can for $10 and the color is a match. Can't get any company to ship that to me though.

 

Yes, the car still has the orig transmission, I am assuming it is the TH200C.
Here is a link to a thread where the car was featured here on TGO last year. There are lots of pictures.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...k-car-1-a.html

 

Wow! Talk about clawing your way back to the top!
Nice work! Glad to see you made good use of the parts I sent!

 

Good to hear from you pete.

Kymmee,
That was a great find. PMD interior-- Nice. With the 2.8 engine with all the emission stuff still in place and Th200C transmission makes it one of the rarest 3th Generation Firebirds in existence. The fact that it was used so little means you don't have the usual problems with the interior like cracked dash top, vinyl gone off steering wheel,center console lid deformed, drooping headliner, sun rot on the plastic trim.

 

Heck of a story man and great work. The new one turned out great.

 

that turned out mighty fine mate,as a fellow this side of pond resident with a 84 no how hard it is to get early parts over here hats of to you mate took me 6mth to find a decent door/steve

 

great work!

 

Very nice job on the rebuild. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to get parts. another great reason to have the collectible agreed value insurance. On your inspection cover, try also looking at the S10 and Blazer with the 2.8. I used to have a 4x4 version that had a cover like that.

 

I noticed that parts of your center console are tan... I've never seen that before. Was that an option over there? Or maybe an option everywhere that I wasn't aware of?

 

Not an option, more of a base bird thing. I've seen maroon, blue, and tan before.