Topspeed

I decided to post my recent project after reading WhitedevilTA's thread. I hope mine will come out as good. It all started back in 1987 when I bought the car as a theft recovery from a junkyard. It was black/silver and to me looked plain. I decided to change the color to white and add ground effects to it. here is a few picture from back then when I was working on it.




I had it painted, put the ground effects on it, new TA wheels. All it needed was interior work and it was road worthy.



But the guy I had doing the work desided to stop working on it and the car disappeared. The title to the car was in his name because that is how I had to purchase it from the junkyard. There was nothing I could do because it was all cash deals and no receipts. I was a 17 year old teen who just lost his first car. After years of begging the guy to just give me my car And I would finish it... Still no car. I gave up on the Firebird and moved on.

I turned forty this past summer and my wife wanted to give me a gift I could remember for a long time. She also wanted to when I turned thirty but her plan never fell through. She knew how much that car meant to me and she tried for eight months to find my firebird and give it back to me when I turned the big "40". Well on my Birthday I was sitting eating breakfast and I heard a beeping noise coming from outside. It was some kind of truck backing up my driveway. I ran to the garage, opened the door, saw my wife standing next to a flatbed with my firebird on it. I couldn't speak. After 23 years my firebird is mine and is in my driveway.

Topspeed

The car was sitting in the woods about a 1/4 mile behind his garage and he finally decided to give it back to me. After going through the car... to my surprise... there wasn't much rust. The driver window wasn't there and there is a hole behind the driver seat and under the drivers seat. I also noticed that the car only has 334 miles on it.


So I have decided to save it from the scrapyard and start restoring it. The project is already underway and I will have some more pictures up for everyone soon. Going to replace the 2.8 she has in her with a 5.7 TPI and do some mods to the exterior.

Topspeed

Here is a few pictures of it after I washed the 23 years of sitting in the woods off of her.

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

Very cool story, and that is one nice wife you have. How was she able to locate the car?

Topspeed

He was told by the town to clean up his yard. He had over 100 cars in his yard that where going to the chrusher and my bird was one of them. I guess he had a change of heart and told my wife, after she was after him to give it up, that it has been in the woods behind his house this whole time. He stated that he was paid in full to complete the job and never finished it so he was claiming it was missing. To help offset my cost of restoring the car he is giving me a '91 camaro RS to sell or part out. Saved that car from the crusher also.

Dyerseve1988

Wild man glad to see you got it back, would it be worth more if you just restored it to spec, seeing it has less than 500 miles on it? Did you get the title back?

Topspeed

Still working on the title. It doesn't matter to me what the car is worth, I will never get rid of it. I have been to a few swap meets this fall and picked up some parts from 2nd gen firebirds and 4th gen firebirds and I'm going to incorporate them into this one. Kind of make it a one off if my wallet allows me to.

eseibel67

Mileage is actually 100,334.9. Maybe even 200,334.9 or worse.

Does the rest of the interior match the speedometer? Hope not. You've got a long way to go get to where WhiteDevilTA is now. Since the car has sentimental value, have at her.

Topspeed

Nope the mileage is actually 334. The car was stolen from the original owner 3 months after it was originally inspected, then was in the junk yard until i picked it up. The guage cluster was smashed and it was sitting in the woods for many years. The interior to the car is non-existant and the only rust is behind the driver seat and under the driver seat. I bought a parts car with a mint interior. I can only wish that it comes out a great as whitedevilta's does.

musclecar70sfan

iTrader: (1)

All I can say is WOW. 334 miles, unbelievable. I'd restore it to factory original with that kind of mileage but that's just me. Regardless, good luck with the project and keep us posted Got any pictures of the Camaro too?

Topspeed

A few months ago I bought a parts car from Long Island. A Totalled 1989 Formula TPI. This car will give me most of what I need to bring her back to life.





Fast forwarding to today... She is all stripped down and almost ready for media blasting. Had to remove the radiator support. The bottom was rusted.

Topspeed

New radiator support and k-member

Topspeed

Here is a link to a video of my boys helping me pull out the V6 in 50 seconds. My boys wanted me to post it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxfIvOgLsho

musclecar70sfan

iTrader: (1)

How is the Formula totalled?

Topspeed

The undercarriage of the car is destroyed . It hit a median and bent the whole front end up and ripped apart the undercarriage. Look at the third picture... The top of the door in relation th the top of the fender. You can also see the dents in the rims and that they both wheels aren't facing forward. The car otherwise is immaculate

84firebirdlg4

Cool story! That is just like a chevy commercial i saw. Its on the chevy website and its about a guy and his impala. The same scenario as your story. you should check it out! anyways, I myself have a 84' bird. gotta love thirdgens!

Dusk2600

I cant believe he stole that car from you, then u guys tried to get it back and he denied it, i would have definatly gotten physical with him, but it looks like your peaceful approach paid off. Congrats and goodluck i look foreward to seeing the finished project

White93z34

iTrader: (1)

Awesome project. Can't believe its back after all those years! I wonder about the odometer being correct... look at the first 2 digits, they aren't aligned straight and the silver lines are visible between the numbers which means its likely been tampered with. Not like that matters at this point in time.

Topspeed

Yeah I know it is hard to believe but the car was only on the road for three months of its life. The dash was smashed and most of the guages were destroyed. The numbers could have been screwed up a little because behind the faceplate is bent up. It doesn't matter to me though...it is going to have a total restoration done.

Topspeed

Just a little update. Radiator support is welded in and starting to repair a small portion of the floor pan under the driver seat.






Under the driver seat had a small bit of cancer so I'm in the process of welding that in. Found another donor car for the floor replacement pan.



Cutting mine out


My youngest thought it looked funny without the floor and wanted me to take his picture.

Dusk2600

how much did you pay for this car in 87? Also wondering if you wife had to buy the car from him even though he basically stole it from you

Topspeed

New Update

Floorpan in is and the car is off to media blasting.

86birdt/a

cool story glad you got your baby back and are now able to restore it

Topspeed

The car is back from mediablasting and I rust proofed and painted the interior. Now on to doing the underside.

Topspeed

I haven't updated in a while so I figured I should. The engine compartment is now painted and the new crossmember put in.



Painted the underside



WS6 suspension put in with upgrades


PBR brake system put on. Needs some cleanup and paint




Then started putting the body back together. Here is what it looks like now.

Topspeed

Long time since I updated.

Front end has all new links, wonder bar, Brakes are all painted and assembled on the car



Welded up a battery relocation tray




Motor is in the car, polished the plenum, SLP headers, welded up the exhaust.
Hoping soon to get all the wiring hooked up and running soon

Topspeed

Since the last post I got the car running and now just working on a few custom mods before sending it to paint. Here are some pics

Custom hood hinges for suicide hood
Video: http://s1196.photobucket.com/albums/...t=MVI_1663.mp4


scoops from a 1976 trans am hood cut out, flipped around, and welded to my hood








Now to just get it painted and the interior put back in and she is done.

2007xl50

Super cool story man and glad to see your still working on the car. Way to stick with it.

Richboll

Great story...great build. I'd really like to see what it looks like when you get finished with it.

lonestar7

iTrader: (1)

Great job! Looking forward to seeing the final results.

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

Wow - the hood is different. I like.

19CAMARO85

iTrader: (5)

Looks awesome great work.

Topspeed

Just brought the car to paint today. Will post pics during the process.

MNformula350

iTrader: (2)

Love the hood scoops, Nice Job

jlarsson

iTrader: (5)

Brilliant story and great work and progress ... can't wait to see the pictures when you got it back from paint and start putting it all back together ...

punkmaster98

iTrader: (5)

this is amazing

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

You should get some pics of the hinge you fabbed for the hood. It appears to clear everything nice, and lines up good when closed.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

That hood is very cool....

Gotjag

This is a great story. I really like the hood. Something different, but still very Pontiac.

whitedevilTA

iTrader: (8)

This build was just brought to my attention, and I just finished reading through it.

First off, I will say that I am so happy that my build has motivated you, along with a few others to get out there and fix up/restore their third gens. It really is an honor to me to see my build be the cause for someone to go out and get to work on their project once again, and I am gad I could help!

I also have to say that you sir have MUCH more motivation than I do. I actually started with a car that was in good shape, whereas you took a car that was sitting in the woods for ages and brought it back. Kudos to you! The build looks great so far, and I really love the exterior styling mods you did, like the vette style hood hinges and the scoops. I will surely be following this build now since I am subscribed, and can't wait to see the paint updates! Once again, congrats for bringing your old car back from it's would-be grave, and I wish you the best of luck!

-Rob

Topspeed

I have another post on the hinges already. Take a look.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/fabr...cide-hood.html

Topspeed

Glad to hear you like the build so far Rob. I'm not to far from you so maybe this summer when the car gets done we can meet up. Because I would love to take a ride in yours. Also congrats on making the car of the month. Maybe I will be nominated when mine gets done.

stealtht/a

iTrader: (1)

Very cool hood idea!

whitedevilTA

iTrader: (8)

I noticed you weren't very far from me. I built my car to drive it, so I'm always up for a little road trip. I'm actually currently planning a trip to NY for a big meet in May with NY3rdgen. I believe I'm stopping in Albany, NY first to meet up with a few cars, and then were cruising to Buffalo. Should be a good time!

Topspeed

I'm just west of Albany. There is a meet in Saratoga, NY that is only Firebirds usually in July. You should try and make that one also. Maybe I will try and hook up with you guys before you go to Bufffalo.

whitedevilTA

iTrader: (8)

If you have some information about that show in July, send it my way! As long as I have nothing planned when they do it, I'd swing up. I will try to let you know exactly when and what time we'll be in Albany. Got a few months still though and the details are still being worked out.

Topspeed

She is at the shop being worked and prepped for paint.

Richboll

Any updates?

Topspeed

It is still in the paint shop. I'm having a guy doing it at night in his spare time. The body work (which wasn't much) is done and the color is going on next week. I will post updated pictures when I get them. Thanks for the interest.

Topspeed

Piant started going on the bird today.