Hello all.

TGO has a new feature we're calling Benchmark Car. Basically, these are all original, or at least as original as possible, 3rd gens which we'll be featuring every month or so. They'll usually be low miles survivor cars, but not always. We'll create a thread where we can discuss the featured car and JT should be along shortly to put this month's car on the site's front page with a link to this thread. Consider this a work in progress and we're fine tuning as we go along. Feel free to leave constructive feedback on how we can do this better.

So, on to the feature car. I specifically chose the first car because it's not an IROC-Z or GTA. It's a base V6 '82 Firebird with 24K miles, owned by TGO member Kymmee. Virtually all of these base cars have been used up and turned into soup cans by now. So it's nice to see one as a survivor. Time for the base cars to get a little love, don't you think?

This car was purchased from Holland Pontiac in Ohio on 4/19/82 and driven sparingly until it was parked in a pole barn in 1998. It was later purchased in 2009 by Kymmee with ONLY 22,900 miles on it. Except for tires, battery and cat back it is all original. This car is equipped with a 2.8L V6, TH200 trans and 3.08 rear.

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Congrats Kymmee,on being the 1st.Looking forward to see some fine examples of what Original and Stock 3rd gens were designed to look like.

 

I see a ground strap flapping in the breeze on top of the heater box, better get that put back where it goes!!!!

Car is a great early example, very cool!

 

Not exactly a knockout example, but very attractive in a Mary Ann from Gillian's Island sort of way.

I like cars that have somehow managed to evade any guy with the sidecutters under the hood for over 30 years. Great example as a benchmark.

There is a ground wire hanging loose on the heater box. It probably goes on the star washer just above the heater.


My suggestion to the moderators is to find 6 each of pristine Camaros and Firebirds in various trim levels, ask the owners to submit high resolution pictures, and put them all in a sticky for future reference. As better examples surface, lesser examples can be bumped down the list.

 

Thanks chazman for making me #1, although I know I will never be #1 in popularity with this car. I have plenty of muscle in my garage so I can appreciate the constructive critisism.

A lot of the photos were taken shortly after possesion, so the ground strap has long been fixed.

I am basically an opportunist, this car came about as an opportunity, so I jumped on it. I have thought about hacking it many times, but at the end of the day-it needs to stay "as is" for historical reasons and that is what keeps me motivated to leave it alone.

Hopefully, all of you will understand my reasons. Thank you for letting me display it on TGO.

 

I agree, a nice example and worth more now than it would be all hacked up. I like seeing them like this. This should be a nice addition to 3GO

 

I always liked Mary Ann better than Ginger.

 

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The gas cap on my '83 is the same as Kymme's above. Until I saw her pics, I was pretty sure that it was a replacement piece, since my other two have the plastic caps. After seeing the '82's pics, I now know that it's a factory original part.

 

^ Perfect case to illustrate the need for a benchmark section.

 

Exactly.


Look at the wheels as well. When was the last time we saw those?


These base cars were ridden hard, usually received absolutely minimal maintenance, racked up the miles, and by the time they got to their seventh owner, exchanged hands for a few hundred bucks. That's usually when the were transplanted with a mystery, junkyard "350" and shortly thereafter ended up in the junkyard themselves.

That's why kymmee's car is so unique to me. There were plenty of people who would cherish the top end models, but a low mile base car is RARE!

When I met my wife, she had a very similar '84 Firebird. The day after she made the final payment on it, the car was stolen by some punks, taken for a joy ride and totaled. I sometimes wonder if that car would have still been in the family, had that not happened.

If anyone else knows any other such low mile base cars, let me know. I've got a soft spot for them and hope to see more being featured.

 

Built at Van Nuys and shipped to Massillon, OH, which is another 3 1/2 hours NE of the Norwood Plant.

 

All of my cars are Van Nuys built and delivered to the Midwest. My '89 obviously had to be built Van Nuys. But my '83 came from Van Nuys and spent it's life in Wisconsin before I bought it. And my Van Nuys '85, spent it's whole life in Minnesota before I got it.

You'd think the Norwood cars would have supplied the Midwest..

 

So, is Kymee the second owner? Love to hear more about it's history. When we look at the photographs of the plants back in the day, this is one of those cars that is only 22k miles away on the odometer. Like Chazman said most base cars are indeed soup cans...heck you don't even see these base cars in junk yards anymore, at least I don't.

 

I believe that she is the second owner. I'd like to hear more about the car's history as well.

 

This is awesome, I personally love a stock thirdgen and prefer one over a modded one

 

Fantastic car! You are very lucky to own it!!

 

Thanks for all the positive comments!! I can give some history on the car for those interested.

The car was purchased by a co worker of a family member brand new, off of the Holland Pontiac dealership on 4-19-82. He paid $9266.00 for it. When we went to the title office to transfer ownership, we requested a copy of the original title for our records, so we do have this information verified. The original owner drove the car on and off for 16 years and last registered it in 1998 and parked it. He did start it occasionally and move it around in the pole building.

The car came about, as I was looking for some cheap transportation for my son, who had just gotten his license. The original owner was going thru some life changes and had the car in the pole building, along with some other "toys" and equipment he wanted to sell to liquidate some funds.

When we went to see the car, it was covered in dust and looked like a good "first car" candidate and the price was right. We made the deal and actually drove it home. It was maybe 5 or 6 miles, it didnt run very well, but made it home.

While doing some general searching on the internet for information on getting it running properly, we ended up on the TGO website. My son actually drove the car for about 6 months, but as we continued reading up on third gens, we decided the car was somewhat special and unusual. I wouldn't call it rare, because they made thousands of them, but it was a survivor and hadn't had much use or abuse.

We decided then to retire it to historical status and got him something else to drive. TGO has been very helpful and informative. We found the build sheet under the passenger front seat, and got the documents from PHS. I also have the owners manual, service manual, dealership brochure, dealership license plate bracket and a few other things.

I have talked to the original owner a few times, since purchase. He was really amazed on how nice the car looks now that it is cleaned and detailed.

 

Cool car and cool story. It's always great to know the life history of a car like this. I hope that you keep it as it is.

 

Im very anxious to see more of these cars on here

 

It's really nice to see a base model survivor in such great shape. Very sharp looking car.

 

Wicked Awesome Kymmee!

Very Happy to see that the ole girl can claim this special new recognition here!!!

Now we just need a few more features on all of those others beautiful 3rd Gens you have in you're newly finished stable.

 

Me too!

I'm diggin' around for them.

 

I love this car, and I love the interior.

 

"2.8l V6"

 

Heck yeah, so freakin awesome!!!!!

I'm only into 3rdgens thanks to a 1982 Firebird S/E I bought as a basket case and put back together my first year of high school! SOOO many good memories! I really regret letting it go but it was a good straight across trade for a 1960 El Camino SS that was all original down to the powder blue paint lol.

Alex

 

Was gonna point that out lol

Chazman I'm so happy to see this up and running! Great feature for the site, and another reason for some of the member to post up and be proud of what they have!

Kymee - Congrats on being the first selection and finding such a neat car!

 

V6, doh...

 

 

Me too! There's just something so cool about it.

 

LOVE that interior!!!! Such a cool car and congrats one being the first!! Great car!!!

 

Glad you guys like it!

 

awesome bird! nice to see some originals

 

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Post what you've got in this thread.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...low-miles.html

 

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Thanks. Now if I could find a mint Iron Duke.

 

Great idea! And kudos to the owner for keeping it original, I wouldn't have the self control.

 

Awesome car Kimmie. Do you get it to many cruise ins? I live in Wadsworth, my brother and I have hit about 20 shows this summer. Would love to see it in person.

 

Notice the GM part number

 

Fantastic thread/idea, and fantastic car.

 

how is yours not a benchmark yet? you must be next

 

I think I have tried this to some extent as far as a sticky...

I started with just the stickers & such under the hood... I think if we were talking 4th gens, it would probably be more simple, basically they had 4 engine options, 93-97 LT1 & 98-02 LS1, 93-95 3.4L, and 95-02 3.8L

3rd Gens there was a minimum of 4 different engines for any particular year. some had 5, and they changed every darn year it seemed to some extent...

I guess we have to start somewhere tho...

 

at the same time though what all is different about the underhood stickers? i know all of them should have the warning about the fan kicking on at any time, and belt routing diagrams (unless v belts of course) but what else is there? ho stickers on l69s?

 

Actually those are the stickers that everyone sees, the big stickers that show the emissions... This was more about the stickers on the speedometer cables, the brake master calendar, on the Alternator etc... These usually do not last very long as they were for identification in the factory during the build, the little stamp (not a sticker) on the alternator, the stickers on the suspension springs that identify which spring they are, etc...

This is good information here, don't get me wrong, but for every car, there are special things that often go unnoticed because they often fall off or were removed early on. I could look at it kind of like painting a car, but not painting the trim, it looks good, but when you trim it out it looks so much better.

 

This car makes me think back to my first car and 83 Camaro Sport Coupe. Black with no power anything and a 2.8 V6 Then I got an 86 TA but always loved that car. I remember when my parents were shopping.. they looked at base firebirds. rode in quite a few even the 4....
Remember the hubcaps. never see them any more like this. great thread!
Nice car Kymme! keep it original. You have 800 more miles than mine! I drive mine too much! LOL its now in storage for the next 5 years - no time!
Thanks for the thread! would love to see undercarriage shots of these benchmarks!

 

Yup. Still waiting to hear back from JT on how he wants to structure this.

 

Agreed! Maybe we need to standardize specific pics for the cars which end up in this feature.

 

ok so quick question is this thread for those cars that have the original stuff that came with the car from the factory or factory original as in some piece got broke and then they had to replace it or a repaint after so many years? im actually liking this some of the v6s might stand a chance to the v8s.

 

I like the concept but you really need to define what constitutes "Benchmark"
I like the definition "As Stock" meaning original...no upgrades, only replacements.

 

IMO,

Parts that aftermarket may be used without damage to value:
The standard parts that are good with normal service to replace on a 20-30 year old car:
IE engine rubber hoses, brakes, rotors, spark plugs, etc, Stock appearing Cap, pieces and parts... Using Blue or red hoses is a no-no. If you have access to it and you still have them I like to copy the little stickers that came on the car when I replace the pieces and parts. IE I went through a ton of work duplicating the little ties that go on the springs when I repainted the rusty rear axle of my 89 350 convertible... I actually got marking paint for the pieces and parts on the suspension that were used when the car was inspected on the line.