Hey all, it's been a LOONNGG time since I've posted. I haven't owned a third gen in a very long time, either.

This, however, makes me mad. Back in the August/September timeframe of 2010, I had purchased a 91 Firebird Formula (that had some Trans Am conversions done to it). It was originally a 150K 305 TBI 5-speed that had a BAD rod knock.

So, I bought it for $600, and got to work on it. I'd found a 92K, 92 305 TPI Camaro engine for $200, and swapped intake manifolds to make it TBI compatible. It took me 4 weekends to successfully swap that engine, put the tranny back in, gutted the interior and by chance I found an immaculate interior at a j/y. Flawless dash pad and instrument panel, brand spanking new center console (and I now know how hard these are to find!), and aside from body work... it was a great running, good looking car inside and out. Hell, the t-tops didn't even leak and I had put a new hatch motor in it (after learning how easy they break).

Along with this, I had even completely rebuild the front brakes. Everything from pads to rotors to new brake lines, machined hubs, new bearings, new hardware... EVERYTHING.

Again, only thing it needed was body work.

So, shortly after making this car one hell of a nice daily driver, I received a call to duty and had to leave for Afghanistan in 2 weeks.. I had no room for this car so there was no choice but to sell it. I had to sell it fast so I offered it to my father first. He helped me with that car through it all, especially the 20* weather and snow and ice of that front brake job.

Well, he couldn't buy it because he had no room, either. I ended up selling to a friend of mine from high school for $1000 .

He only bought it to **** off his wife because she hates cars. I personally think he just wanted to re-live his "80's hair band" youth. Point being, it was a turn-key car so he drove it away (me with tears in my eyes). 4 days later I get a phone call. It won't start. I already knew there was in issue with the ignition cylinder so I told him about it. The steering column was fresh rebuilt but the ignition cylinder was original. Well, he didn't believe me so he tried every cheap fix under the sun to get it started. Nothing doing.

By now, I'd left for Afghanistan. I didn't hear a thing about this car all through my tour and had just about forgotten about it. I did often wonder if he ever got it fixed.

Today, I got my answer. My father and I were strolling through the GM section of the local j/y to find Saturn parts... Low and behold we come across a black 91 Firebird Formula that needed some really obvious body work. I thought OMG... can it be??? Sure enough, we looked under the hood and there's the engine we had put in! The interior was completely stripped apart and evicerated . T-tops were gone, and the telltale signs of the bodywork were still there. Same car, no question about it! I was PISSED!!@#$. I canno believe this guy JUNKED this car after ALL that work I put into it! If I had known he was going to junk it, I'd have given him the $250 he's have gotten from the yard in a heartbeat and fixed it the rest of the way up.

Damn, damn, and DAMN~!@#$%

On the bright side, I now have closure that know the final fate of that poor Firebird.