1968 Pontiac Firebird Convertible With Recent Mechanical Work

Red drop-top pony cars have been fun to drive and fun to be seen in since their introduction, and this 1968 Pontiac Firebird Convertible is no different. Our dad loved this car, the sellers say. He spent many years working on it, but he passed away, so it needs an owner who will appreciate and love it the way he did. This Firebird was factory equipped with a V8 given the 1 in the eighth position of the VIN, but whether it was the 350 or 400 is not currently known. Regarding the details of the engine that's in it now, the sellers state, We are not 100-percent sure, but they believe it's a 400. The included block code photo appears to show YD but the D is somewhat obscured. This code was used for two-barrel engines from 1965 into the 1970s in various years and in displacements of 389-, 400-, and even 455-cubic-inches. Since the engine unit number is seven digits (0507077) instead of six, the block should be 1969 or later, which would rule out a 389. A service receipt refers to the engine as 6.6L (400-cu.in.), which the technician would have to confirm when ordering the rear main seal that was replaced because the 455 has 3.25-inch mains and the 400 has 3.00-inch mains, so it's likely a 400 engine. Nevertheless, since a photo of the block date code or casting number could not be obtained, the displacement and year haven't been verified. The cylinder head code in the photo of the passenger's side of the engine is not readable at all. A -1- can be seen on the head in the driver's side photo of the exhaust manifold, but the second number is cut off. The passenger's-side cylinder head date code appears to be -F128-'June 12, 1968'in its photo. If the heads are the same on both sides, since we only have a -1- to go by, they can be code 16 from a 400 or code 17 or 18 from a 350'not much help. The build date on the body data plate is -10C-'October 1967, third week'so the heads aren't original to the car. A Holley aluminum intake manifold can be seen in the photos, so the engine has a four-barrel carburetor now. An aluminum radiator and its support are new; as is the water pump; battery; oil pan, timing cover, thermostat, and rocker cover gaskets; fuel filter and hose; and some ignition components. The sellers go on to say, As long as it's given a little gas, the engine starts up really quickly with no smoking and sounds great! There are no leaks to our knowledge, as they were fixed recently. On the service receipts, a Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 is listed, which is a three-speed automatic that wasn't offered in the 1968 Firebird. Conversely, the gear indicator layout on the shifter indicates a two-speed automatic, which was available with the 350-cu.in. engines in that model year. The gear ratio in the rear axle isn't known. Originally the car was painted code-R Solar Red, per the body data plate (see photo). The sellers disclose, as far as we understand, this Firebird was refinished around 2018 or 2019 after the rear quarter panels were replaced. The paint is described as great with no swirls, but there are a few snaps for the convertible top boot that are a little rusty, and there appears to be an area of discoloration on the driver's door. A Pontiac hood tachometer and Camaro rear spoiler were installed, and the locks were replaced. Though a Firebird 400 hood is present, there isn't enough information or documentation provided to confirm whether or not the car was factory built with a 400. The front bumper arrowhead emblem and the extended grille trim used on the Firebird 400 are not present. The sellers mentioned a prior minor accident, so possibly some front-end parts were changed due to it. The convertible top went down fine the last time we put it down, and the small cracks in the material are barely noticeable, they say, but its motor doesn't work. We washed the vehicle recently, and didn't notice anything leaking. The windows need to be down a centimeter or less for the door to close well. We have heard this is a problem with other Firebirds. There are no major scratches in the glass, and all the lights work, but the high beams are stuck on. - The quality of the [Red Morrokide] seat material is good, the seats move, all of the gauges, except for the aftermarket one for the temperature, work as far as we know [as does the heater/defroster], and the AM radio has no modern capabilities. Surface wear is evident in various areas of the interior, an aftermarket steering wheel was put in, and speakers were added to the kick panels. Some new wiring was installed, the steering column was repaired, and the horn and headlight switch were replaced. Nevertheless, they recommend cleaning up the wiring on the car, saying, The wires are fine, just messy. - Per the sellers, a 1969 Nova subframe was installed, the lower control arms were rebuilt, and new parts include the upper control arms, bushings, the steering box, center link, and outer tie rod ends. The four-wheel power drum brakes have no issues. Steel Rally II wheels have staggered size (P245/60R14 rear and P225/60R14 front) BFGoodrich tires mounted on them. The tires are of unspecified age and DOT date codes are not visible in the images provided, so tires should be inspected for both age and condition before the car is driven any distance. No vibrations are reported, and the power steering does have some play but no leaks. Paperwork for some recent work is included. This 1968 Pontiac Firebird Convertible will soon offer an open-air vintage pony car cruising experience to a new owner.