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SlackerTA
Member
Joined: 20 Dec 2010
Posts: 123
Location: Gresham, OR
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 Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 12:04 am Post subject: Bought a Firebird! |
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I test drove an '85 T/A w/ an LG4 and a 305TPI '88 GTA w/ an auto today and neither floated my boat. Saw a '91 V8 'bird on CL and made the call.
It was owned by the 60yr old daughter of the now deceased female original owner. That's right, two elderly female owners and one family since new. The old lady had only owned red Firebirds since 1968 and she always had to have a V8. The family showed me pics of them on vacation in different 'birds, mostly a 2nd gen. I was hooked!
On the test drive it ran and drove awesome. It pulled smooth and shifted solidly but the power windows didn't work and the sunvisor hung halfway down in my face. It was just starting to sprinkle and I got on it and it barked the tires on the 1-2 shift. It's a hoot to drive and I was laughing so hard.
After haggling a little I walked away with a red w/ black interior, hardtop, '91 Firebird w/ an LO3, a 700r4 and 102k original miles. Since I got a base model I spent less than planned so I have some cash leftover to fix all the little things. It has a ding or scrape in just about every panel but since it's gonna be my driver I'm more concerned w/ the mechanical condition. I'll take some pics in the morning and post. |
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turbo_jimi
Member
Joined: 23 Feb 2004
Posts: 1206
Location: Tacoma
1985 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 12:10 am Post subject: |
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Cool that you found something! You bringing it to dyno?
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1985 Z28 Crate 350, Hurst T-5, 3.23s, Flowmaster Under previous set-up: 143.82 rwhp 216.98 lbs. torque @4390 rpms 3/12/11 |
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SlackerTA
Member
Joined: 20 Dec 2010
Posts: 123
Location: Gresham, OR
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 12:15 am Post subject: |
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I was just looking thru the dyno event thread. It's bone stock so it's perfect for a baseline. Hmm.... what's the cost on that again?
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'91 Firebird - LO3, 700R4, 2.73 gears
'85 Trans Am - SOLD
'95 Z28 - SOLD |
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Dewey316
The Lama
Joined: 08 Jan 2004
Posts: 7295
Location: Bringing the tech
1990 Chevrolet Camaro RS
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 12:29 am Post subject: |
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| SlackerTA wrote: | | I was just looking thru the dyno event thread. It's bone stock so it's perfect for a baseline. Hmm.... what's the cost on that again? |
$60. |
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QwkTrip
11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004
Posts: 3942
Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 8:05 am Post subject: |
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Great! A new Firebird joins that stables... and it is red!  |
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aaron_sK
Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006
Posts: 8834
Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 8:25 am Post subject: |
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And it runs, Jon.  |
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SlackerTA
Member
Joined: 20 Dec 2010
Posts: 123
Location: Gresham, OR
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 9:48 am Post subject: |
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I really like that it's a hardtop and doesn't have the gfx. It'll look sweet w/ the 16" Formula wheels I just picked up.
The old lady's license plate frame. I'm keepin' it.
And finally, my favorite feature of this particular car... cat stickers!
_________________
'91 Firebird - LO3, 700R4, 2.73 gears
'85 Trans Am - SOLD
'95 Z28 - SOLD |
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QwkTrip
11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004
Posts: 3942
Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 9:54 am Post subject: |
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Ya, I'm sure she ran it pretty hard with those kitty stickers covering the tachometer.  I'll bet the fastest it ever went was when you took the freeway home. |
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iansane
Member
Joined: 16 Jan 2004
Posts: 5742
Location: Bothell
1991 Pontiac Trans Am
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 10:52 am Post subject: |
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Haha. That bird looks pretty good. With the formula wheels you'll be a hood and spoiler away from looking like a formy!
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| Quote: | | Sometimes I actually think I'm slightly retarded in the mouth. |
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Schultzy89GTA
M.R.A. (11sec Club)
Joined: 08 Jan 2004
Posts: 4417
Location: Gresham, OR
1989 Pontiac GTA
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 11:03 am Post subject: |
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Congrats! Sweet find. That looks real straight and will be a good platform.
I also agree that those formy wheels would look good on there.
Look forward to checking it out next week.
-Schultzy |
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fiveoformula
Member
Joined: 08 Aug 2007
Posts: 1799
Location: OR
1988 Pontiac Formula
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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Dude nice! Hope to see you bring it next week! Don't see many without the GFX. looks pretty clean!
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'88 FORMULA |
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SlackerTA
Member
Joined: 20 Dec 2010
Posts: 123
Location: Gresham, OR
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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It's def a 20 footer. The old lady must have had trouble seeing out of it cuz it looks like she scraped every corner on something. A little cleaning and polishing and it will be a respectable daily driver.
I'm gonna look into getting some tires for my Formula wheels this week so hopefully it has diff shoes when everybody sees it on dyno day. The factory FE1 Softride springs aren't helping the handling situation any tho. |
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RSFreak
The other "John"
Joined: 23 Jan 2004
Posts: 2946
Location: Renton
1989 Chevrolet Camaro RS
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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The old lady never had it above 2500rpms so figured a nice cat sticker could cover the unused portion of the tach!
_________________
'86 Trans Am - 5.0L TPI - LT1 cam - 700R4 - WS6
'85 Camaro Berlinetta - IROC clone
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SlackerTA
Member
Joined: 20 Dec 2010
Posts: 123
Location: Gresham, OR
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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| RSFreak wrote: | | The old lady never had it above 2500rpms so figured a nice cat sticker could cover the unused portion of the tach! |
That's what I was thinking.
I punched it up to 85 in third on the freeway last night and it was dead smooth and very quiet. I don't think this car has ever been driven in anger. It's got a bunch of sap on the hood and roof so I'm gonna clean it and fix a couple little things tomorrow and start driving it. |
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QwkTrip
11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004
Posts: 3942
Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 10:07 pm Post subject: |
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| SlackerTA wrote: | | I don't think this car has ever been driven in anger |
I don't think all those dents came from driving into the handicap sign post at the parking lot. For all you know, you have one of the most well known and feared cars in the area. Everybody knows it as the crazy cat lady car. |
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SlackerTA
Member
Joined: 20 Dec 2010
Posts: 123
Location: Gresham, OR
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| Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 8:33 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Everybody knows it as the crazy cat lady car. |
I wouldn't doubt it. It does have a faint crazy old lady smell to it. Kind of a mix between cats and loneliness.
From what the family told me, the cars originally from Medford and was parked under a carport most of the time. They also said it gets like 25mpg. Is that accurate? |
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QwkTrip
11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004
Posts: 3942
Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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| Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:07 am Post subject: |
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| That depends how far off the speedo & odometer is reading. |
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Al Hasse
Member
Joined: 19 Nov 2005
Posts: 4379
Location: Bremerton, WA
1992 Chevrolet Camaro RS
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| Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 10:17 am Post subject: |
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| SlackerTA wrote: | | They also said it gets like 25mpg. Is that accurate? |
If that's a TBI car, then it might be quite accurate. Depending on the tranny, you may have either a 3.08 or 2.73 rear end gear. When I had the stock rear in my 89 (3.0 , I got that or better on the highway, now with a set of headers and 3.73 rear, it gets a bit better than 20mpg on the highway.
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92 Camaro
89 Camaro
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SlackerTA
Member
Joined: 20 Dec 2010
Posts: 123
Location: Gresham, OR
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| Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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It's an auto w/ 2.73 gears. It lopes along @ 60mph not even turning 1500 rpm. I can't wait to take a road trip and see what kinda mileage it gets.
On another note.... I removed the kitty stickers so now it's ready for some "spirited" driving. |
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QwkTrip
11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004
Posts: 3942
Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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| Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:41 pm Post subject: |
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| You should try to sell those stickers at thirdgen.org |
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