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ConvertiblesDiscussed here are problems and solutions to convertible specific questions, including difficult to find part numbers and other convertible tech help.
Re: Long time thirdgen'r, Convertible/Firebird Newbie
Reviving this thread as I bought my baby back a little over a year ago. Back around March 2021, I found it listed on Marketplace on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening so I immediately reached out to the guy via text saying I wanted to buy it back. He agreed, said he would hold it until Saturday for me, no deposit needed even though I offered. That Thursday he texts me that he had sold it that morning. I was steaming. A little over 2.5 years later, Memorial Day weekend 2024, I went on to Marketplace and once again, there she is with only 54k miles. I message the seller immediately but don’t hear back from him for a day or so. He responds that he has someone interested and would let me know. I told him I built the car originally and offered his full asking price, site unseen. After a couple days, I hear back from him and it’s mine for the taking. I sent a deposit and drove a little over 3 hours to Central Virginia for it. In the ad, the car was sitting in his nicely manicured yard but when I got there, it was around back, at the end of his yard, sitting at the end of a row of landscape equipment, grass grown up around it. She wasn’t in bad shape, but she’d definitely been neglected. He said he never drove it (only put maybe 500 miles on it in 2.5 years) and it just sat. This was evident by the lack of grass underneath it. But, it did start right up and I was able to drive it over and load it onto the trailer. Fortunately, there was no rust but the engine bay looked like hell with all the aluminum oxidizing and the ceramic coating flaking off the headers. The seats had faded and the shifter boot had all but disintegrated. The guy I had sold it to poorly dyed the top black and rattle canned the trunk lid where the clear had started to lift. The spray paint looked far worse with overspray everywhere. The rear axle was leaking and the rear tires were completely balled so it was apparent how it had been used those last 500 miles. But, I had no regret other than not being able to rescue it back sooner. I brought it home, cleaned it up some, ordered new tires, change all the fluids and a week later, took it up to UMI Motorsports Park in PA for the UMI Muscle on the Mountain autocross event. Now, she’s currently torn apart in the garage getting an extensive makeover with a new engine, suspension components, resprayed engine bay and more. Right after I picked her up Bald rear tires Rattle canned trunk lid and spoiler Poorly dyed and riveted top Guy used a razor it looked like to remove a decal I had on it and gouged the paint Neglected engin bay Busted ground effects Worn seats which were brand new when I sold the car Damaged paint on rear bumper and overspray on taillights
Re: Long time thirdgen'r, Convertible/Firebird Newbie
Current status Refinished engine bay 355 with Lloyd Elliot heads, custom grind cam, HSR intake with stand alone MegaSquirt system Refinished calipers Prepping Disassembling
