I have an 83 firebird s/e. To the best of my knowledge I believe it to be all factory. It has a 5 speed standard and rear disc brakes. I was wondering if any one knows if the rear dics were factory in 83? Also I have noticed that no one mentions much about the s/e model firebirds is it worth keeping original or should I just get my hands on a t/a or gta?

 

yes firebirds did come as "se" from 82 till 85 it was a more opted buy over base-model it avoided getting the crappy iron duke 4cyl and got a 2.8 6cyl but disc brakes on the rears sounds aftermarket to me unless it was a trans am in some part of its life maybe check your RPO codes for the disc brake option?

 

I would think that the rear disc's are factory. 82-85 Camaro's could have rear disc's on any model. I'm sure the same holds true for Firebirds. It's only after 87 that rear disc's were put into option groups.

I should add that a Firebird S/E with a 5 speed and rear disc's is probably fairly low production, so keep it!

 

Actually,they made s/e from 82-86.The 85 -86 ones are the rarest of the s/e

 

WS6 was a option on the Firebird S/E.

Anymore details on the car? What color int/ext and which engine does it have?

 

S/E's could have any options the T/A's had WS6, Rear Disc Brakes etc...

 

Definitely a keeper! I can count on one hand the number of S/Es I've seen in my life, even back on the college campus back in the mid 90s when cheap Third Gens were everywhere. Initially, the S/E was designed to be the luxury Firebird and as such, you could load it with more options and have a higher priced car than the TA. Pontiac apparently thought that they could sway yuppie buyers away from Volvos and BMWs by offering the S/E, but after four years of poor sales the S/E faded away. The 85 and 86 models look great, especially with the Trans Am hood. A very nice package, shame it didn't really catch on.

Anyone remember the new interior they introduced in the Berlinetta for 1984? Talk about a GM miscalculation....GM was a little confused about the direction they wanted to take the Camaro and Firebird in the early to mid 1980s. It showed in models like the Berlinetta and S/E.

 

The car was built in van nye, cal. It has been wrecked and repaired. I know that by looking at the front bumper brackets they shimmed it rather than try to pull it back into place. The car seems to have been a dark brown in color and is now maroon (which needs to be repainted). The interior was a nasty tan color that is being transproted into a grey. It had a 305 HO motor that finally gave out. I really don't want to get rid of her but my wife has other plans about that. So she is secretly being stored away while she gets a makeover. So in all honesty do you that have responded to my keep her or not in the history/resotration think it is worth the time and money to fix her up?

 

hey man...
that s/e is a great car its a piece of history KEEP HER N' RESTORE
i have a base model firebird with the LG4 in it most likely so did yours but mine has a lil piece of history going down with it i have the second from last 305 4bbl carb'ed engine pontiac ever put into there firebirds so im kinda proud to own it even though this car has no options at all! i will defently be handing the keys to my kid when they grow up and want to thake there dates to prom lol

 

 

Problems like the ones you mentioned are the spice of life as far as restoration goes. By all means, restore the S/E! Just remember that you are probably not going to make any money on it- do it because you love the car, not because you want to get rich quick.

 

I agree on restoring it because you love it.Even if he wanted to restore it to "get rich quick" theres no way in heck he could make money quick unless he waited 20 years to sell it even then its a gamble

 

I thought I saw a 83 daytona pace car with the SE option
I also thought that although disc brakes were available in rear in later 83 that the WS-6 was a 15th anivversary car and UP (mid year) for 84
I think the 83 SE is a keeper as well

 

Hey to all of you that replied to my thread here I appreciate all of your advice and tips. Unfortunately, I sold the car today. I really needed to because my son keeps having medical problems and I can always buy another car later. So I will keep my eyes open in the future for another good deal once I can afford to keep it.