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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.
It is number 22 of the known 43 Convertible 350 Verts (By VIN)... Does not look too bad, might be worth saving... I know someone has Bill Speed's old car, this might be the perfect parts car, or a great fixxer upper...
If we let it go it just makes mine all the more valuable. If someone wanted to fix it up or save it that would be way cool too...
It is number 22 of the known 43 Convertible 350 Verts (By VIN)... Does not look too bad, might be worth saving... I know someone has Bill Speed's old car, this might be the perfect parts car, or a great fixxer upper...
If we let it go it just makes mine all the more valuable. If someone wanted to fix it up or save it that would be way cool too...
Yep John, thats the one I PM'd you about. This picture was taken the day it was in a discussion on FB. Looks like its been dismantled somewhat already.
Its IL, if it has a salvage title on it you would have to be a salvage yard to buy it. IIRC
IL kind of sucks as far as that stuff goes.
Before packing up and leaving Illinois I had a few in-depth conversations with the Illinois DMV, not the clowns at the local DMV office but the headquarters in Springfield. Amazing how little or the adverse how much misinformation the local DMV people know. I've had to print out DMV policy and laws or tell them to actually look it up or call their state headquarters to correct them.
I was looking to buy cars for restoration and some I was finding had salvage titles and some were title-less. Lots of misinformation floating around about stuff like this. As I was told, anybody can buy a vehicle without a title or with a salvage title. However, if the vehicle has a salvage title only a licensed mechanic or shop can re-title the vehicle for road use after they have the vehicle undergo an inspection with the state and it is deemed road worthy. Fairly certain there were some shops and unions lobbying for the license requirement for a salvage titled vehicle as that qualifier isn't common in all states.
I was the one who took the picture of the car at pick n pull. Was kinda surprised to see it on here lol. but ya it was really sad to see that car like that. I was looking at the pick n pull website, and seen the car on there a week after it was put on the lot. It was picked clean by the time I got there. The 350/trans was still there. I took the stamped tag that was on the front superstructure just because I wanted something off it.
From: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Re: Formula 350 Vert in the JUNKYARD IL
THink of it this way, the value of our cars just went up Tony... If you are one of the many that want a Formula 350 Convertible, it just became that much more difficult.
Before packing up and leaving Illinois I had a few in-depth conversations with the Illinois DMV, not the clowns at the local DMV office but the headquarters in Springfield. Amazing how little or the adverse how much misinformation the local DMV people know. I've had to print out DMV policy and laws or tell them to actually look it up or call their state headquarters to correct them.
I was looking to buy cars for restoration and some I was finding had salvage titles and some were title-less. Lots of misinformation floating around about stuff like this. As I was told, anybody can buy a vehicle without a title or with a salvage title. However, if the vehicle has a salvage title only a licensed mechanic or shop can re-title the vehicle for road use after they have the vehicle undergo an inspection with the state and it is deemed road worthy. Fairly certain there were some shops and unions lobbying for the license requirement for a salvage titled vehicle as that qualifier isn't common in all states.
Yeah, I have talked with people in springfield as well, even there it seems they have no idea whats going on, just depends on who you talk to...
I was the one who took the picture of the car at pick n pull. Was kinda surprised to see it on here lol. but ya it was really sad to see that car like that. I was looking at the pick n pull website, and seen the car on there a week after it was put on the lot. It was picked clean by the time I got there. The 350/trans was still there. I took the stamped tag that was on the front superstructure just because I wanted something off it.
I just downloaded the pic from FB. I know that okfoz follows the 350 verts and has data, so I was just providing info for documentation purposes. Seems like any 3rd gen that gets in one of those pick it yards, gets ripped apart pretty quick.
From the looks of it, most of the parts that have been removed can be easily replaced (tonneau cover, top frame, trunk lid and spoiler, fender, doors). The parts that are hard to replace are still there (the molded trim pieces that cover the cut on the body and run along side the trunk and tonneau. This style was only used for these Firebirds. The later Firebird convertibles had a different (though also hard) to find piece. The interior molded plastic trim pieces at the a-pillar and on top of the b-pillar are available used or new aftermarket (Hawks Thirdgen). Then talk to "t/aws61985" about returning that stamped tag. Of course doccument the entire restoration process and submit it to Hemmings Muscle Machines magazine for a feature article and hit the show circuit proud of the knowledge you saved one from the crusher.
Aw, man, look at that hood laying there. I hope it was gently laid aside and not tossed aside. It doesn't look damaged (yet) though, so if someone is nearby and needs or has been wanting a Power Bulge hood, you should go there and save it before it inevitably gets damaged. It's priceless!
I'll call tomorrow to see If I can buy it whole...well what's left of it. I'll need that tag back if I buy it.
and I sold Bill Speeds car to a guy in Indiana that I deal with
I still have my 89 GTA 350 convertible (Flame Red Met)
Last edited by TRANSAM82-92; Sep 7, 2015 at 08:44 PM.
From: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Re: Formula 350 Vert in the JUNKYARD IL
Originally Posted by TRANSAM82-92
I'll call tomorrow to see If I can buy it whole...well what's left of it. I'll need that tag back if I buy it.
and I sold Bill Speeds car to a guy in Indiana that I deal with
I still have my 89 GTA 350 convertible (Flame Red Met)
This car before it was not all picked over would have been at least a good parts car for BIll Speed's car... Or Bill Speeds car would have made a good parts car for this one. It is sad about both of them.
Intake and TPI are gone. I removed end caps. Rear end is gone. Passenger door and fender are gone. No seats. They will sell me engine and trans and then shell but not whole. I don't know if they would remove vin first before letting me take shell. Plain and simple the people at Pick N Pull in summit are unintelligent people who make up rules. The whole thing with this car there is suspicious. The car is very clean and rust free top and bottom. So how the car got there is shall i say...mysterious. I'm not interested in it i have an 89 GTA 350 convertible. It's sad though such a rare car and it will probably be crushed soon...oh well
Indeed suspicious. Did anyone ever run the VIN to see the history? Maybe stolen/stored or whatever. Like I thought earlier and mentioned by TRANSAM82-92, this car was in too good of shape to just " end up there"
I didn't but it be interesting to see where it came from because its too clean of a car to be junked. Plus their giving me such a hard time buying it whole...well if you'd call that car whole.
I didn't but it be interesting to see where it came from because its too clean of a car to be junked. Plus their giving me such a hard time buying it whole...well if you'd call that car whole.
It WAS whole until.......like they said, "hey, lets get this thing stripped fast" type a thing
Yards in Chicago are usually good about removing anything they think is valuable and selling it online or else where before it goes to the yard. But it could be stolen.
Highly unlikely the car is stolen although it may make you all feel better to think that.
Junkyards have stringent reporting requirements just like pawn shops to combat the trafficking of stolen property. They won't risk it no matter how high the return may be.
Highly unlikely the car is stolen although it may make you all feel better to think that.
Junkyards have stringent reporting requirements just like pawn shops to combat the trafficking of stolen property. They won't risk it no matter how high the return may be.
Chicago area is a different world. Crime, corruption and cronyism is rampant all over the area from the local businesses to the (prior at least) governors. When some junkyards accept cash only, no receipt is ever given, and over half the staff can't speak English it's obvious the law isn't followed well.
A buddy & I were talking about this car over a couple beers on Friday & it came to mind this car could have been discovered in the garage of a foreclosure house. It's not uncommon for all sorts of things to be left in houses, one house I recently bought had a low mile Ford Expedition parked in the driveway for the last 4 years. The bank got it removed before I closed, it's now sitting in the lot behind the police station.
From: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Re: Formula 350 Vert in the JUNKYARD IL
IT is the same piece on a Cavalier or Sunbird... You have to trim it to fit like ASC did. Fortunately the Cavalier/Sunbird has a slightly longer wheelbase.
From: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Re: Formula 350 Vert in the JUNKYARD IL
Originally Posted by mike graycar
How do they know there were 43 cars ?
Because.... I happened to procure a copy of the ASC Dealers Order Log for 1989.
Unfortunately there are 6 cars that were not on the list (one was found) and there are another 14 cars that were destroied early on or have been exported... However the remaining cars or what I could find information on left me with 310 cars that I could decipher, I found one more, so 311.
There was a total of 330 Firebird Convertibles in 1989, From that information there was 43 Formula 350 convertibles... and 143 GTA or Trans Am Convertibles with the 350...
I have confirmation of 15 Formula 350's and 37 GTA/Trans Am 350 Convertibles, and random other cars... So far it has been spot on.
So these are have 3 as the sixth digit and have the correct code for 350 tpi. I'm argueing with someone who says they never existed. I know I sat in a showroom car, 350 vert. 1988 with the widow sticker showing it as a 350.
So these are have 3 as the sixth digit and have the correct code for 350 tpi. I'm argueing with someone who says they never existed. I know I sat in a showroom car, 350 vert. 1988 with the widow sticker showing it as a 350.
If you want to get really technical, the FACTORY, never made any verts.
They all went to ASC to be converted. The only thing the factory did was change 1 number in the VIN.
From: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Re: Formula 350 Vert in the JUNKYARD IL
Originally Posted by mike graycar
So these are have 3 as the sixth digit and have the correct code for 350 tpi. I'm argueing with someone who says they never existed. I know I sat in a showroom car, 350 vert. 1988 with the widow sticker showing it as a 350.
ASC Convertibles.
1) Tony is correct, the Factory did not make a "3rd Gen" Convertible
2) IF The 6th Digit is a 3 then it was ordered through GM ordering system as a Convertible through ASC.
3) If the 6th Digit is a 2 then it was ordered through dealerships directly dealing with ASC.
4) It was likely that yes you could have sat in a 350 IROC Convertible (1 in a million chance it was an 87 or 88 and a Firebird) BUT it would have been a Dealership special order car through ASC. The reason why it could not have been a 1987 or 1988 Firebird was in 1987 & 1988 you could not purchase a GTA or Trans Am or Formula 350 with T-tops in the USA, it was not until 1989. However in Canada you could have purchased a GTA or Trans Am with the 350 and T-tops (No Formulas). However AFAIK you could not have it drop shipped to ASC in the USA to be converted...
YES they exist, the VIN of my Convertible shows an "8" for the engine which is the 350...
The reason why GM did not offer 350 convertibles had to do with Fuel Economy and the EPA (Yes they have been screwing with our lives for a long time now). But there was a workaround...
