The 1968 Pontiac Firebird
Lot#2

Ron Fortin owns this absolutely stunning "All the cops please look at me" red Firebird. Ron writes:      "I picked up this 1968 for $800 and it looked in bad shape. My wife thought I was crazy to buy it. The body was in good condition but the engine and transmission were shot. I spent 4 years restoring it to original condition. I even did some improvements. I didn't like the silver paint on the spokes of the rally II wheels so I ground them down and polished them for a better shine. Many people think they were chromed. I get a lot of satisfaction when heads turn as I cruise down the road with it. This has a 400ci with factory air (I'm working on that now but it's not in these pictures), a turbo 400 transmission with a shift kit installed and a deluxe interior. The color is Viper red because I didn't like the 68 red color. Lots of fun to drive and hasn't seen a day of rain." Thanks, Ron Fortin Huntersville, NC

On a few rare occasions a Firebird fan has browsed this site and found there car displayed among its pages. They contact me and I am able to give the car an identity of sorts. I love it every time it happens. Such was the case with Paul and Susan Cooper's Firebird displayed here! Paul writes:      "Susan bought it in September 1979. The picture was taken in '96 at the Pacific Performance Pontiac Car Club's All Pontiac Show and Shine in Richmond B.C.. We got first place in the Firebird class. The color is "Ultra Violet Metallic" and changes through a range from gray, to silver, to a vivid violet depending on how much sunlight is on it. The pin striping is a shade between mulberry and hot pink The chrome Rally II wheels were made for us by Specialty Wheels of Sandy, Oregon. The drive train is the original 400 cid, 4-speed, with 3:08 posi and 4-piston front disc brakes.  Other features include black deluxe interior, black top, rally gauge cluster, and hood tach.  Thanks again for a great website. We have you linked from our website, and hope our visitors are dropping by to check you out."                       Paul Cooper, Co-President             Western Washington Firebirds

John Whitlock owns this amazing convertible Firebird. John writes:      "Hello, I would like to offer the following picture for addition to your website. I'm enclosing a pic of my '68 Firebird 400. The vehicle is totally stock w/ a bench front seat. The only changes forthcoming are the addition of a '68 HO Camshaft, and 14x7 Rally II's with Radial Redline 70's. The car is a stripper with no A/C, or pwr brakes and only an AM radio. Though I wanted a 'bird that was more highly optioned, I HAD to get her because she is a true creampuff. She's been garaged all of her life and is only on her second set of tires (Sears steel belted radials from 1974). Mileage you ask? 56K original. Thanks for having such a great website and keep up the good work." John Whitlock

This bird is definitely silver. Equipped with a set of factory Rally IIs, and antennae and sporting a cool white interior, this is definitely a car for cruising and terrorizing Chevy's and fords.

This red convertible looks like its seen its fair share of dirt roads. This car would probably be a great restoration project. Just the kind of thing you'd like to stumble across.

I believe this photo was used in some magazine ads in 1967 and 68.

Randy Pendergraft owns this Firebird. Randy writes:      "This is my 1968 Firebird I've been working on since October 2001. It now has a painless wiring Harness and an MSD Ignition, homemade console I made myself, a 400ci engine, 400 Turbo automatic transmission, and an RCI Fuel cell.  The motor came out of a '67 Catalina. The original color was Verdero Green with Gold interior. Originally it had a 400 ci engine with 4 a speed manual tranny; they were sold out of the car before I got to it {how sad}. I'll replace the Muncie 4 speed back when I find one for the right price. The original Bumper with the Pontiac emblem is being re-chromed. All that's left is interior work. It was in bad condition when I got it. It had set for 17 years. The harness was chewed up by something. I had to replace it. The interior was non-existent and the windshield was cracked in half. It does however have a 12 bolt posi. It also came with Rally II wheels that I need to clean up and repaint.I'm also rebuilding a '72 firebird 350 and an '85 Trans Am. Now all I need is a 4th gen car." Another Firebird Enthusiast Randy Pendergraft Randy recently took on the daunting task of restoring on very rough '85 Trans Am. You can see it at the Project Lots#4.

This Solar red convertible is owned by Michael Wempe. Its currently setup as a Ram Air I with a code WI 335 hp 400c.i. and a functional hood scoop. It is originally a standard 400c.i. 4-speed car built at the Texas plant. A 3.90 is the rear end of choice for this bird. The interior is black as is the convertible top. Its optioned well with a console, power steering, power disc brakes, full gauge set including the factory hood tach, an AM/FM radio, air conditioning, the deluxe steering wheel, and a collapsible spare tire. This particular car is Michael's "driver". Besides the Firebirds below he also owns a 1 of 1 '92 Firehawk (see the Pontiac Firebird Firehawk Lot#1).

This white gem is another of Michael Wempe's Firebirds. Unlike the one above this one is a fully documented Ram Air I coupe with the 335hp XN 400c.i. block and the functional hood. Its also equipped with a turbo Hydromatic 400. A 3.90 rear, ride and handling package, and Rally II wheels round out the mechanicals. The interior is red and interestingly enough came with the radio deleted. The car had been in storage for 17 years in New York!!      The car had originally been ordered by Pieler Pontiac to be raced and the first weekend they had it out, they destroyed the automatic transmission in it. So a 4-speed Muncie was installed but the speedometer cable was too short to be connected so it was left unattached to the tranny and the car was ran without it. The odometer read 24 miles on it when Michael bought it and it now reads '74. The owner estimated the car actually had around 5,000 miles on it at the time of purchase.      After purchasing it Michael had it completely restored including the installation of a correct Turbo Hydromatic 400 automatic transmission. The original paint was also replaced but the car retains all its original sheet metal. Everything else that was either worn or weathered was replaced and the car now sits as new.

This is the third installment in the Michael Wempe '68 Firebird collection and I HAVE saved the best for last. A true Firebird connoisseur will recognize the rare combinations that are not always apparent to the naked eye. The Ram Air option was introduced in 1967 and carried over to 1968. This option included a 400 with 5 more horsepower and a hood with functional scoops. This was the Ram Air I option. Late in the model year the Ram Air II was released. This version featured a virtually all new power plant sporting such heavy duty items as four-bolt main bearings, special manifolds, forged pistons, a forged crankshaft, revised cylinder heads with round port exhausts, a higher lift cam and a new horsepower rating of 340 horsepower. Because of the late model introduction only 110 firebirds received the new Ram Air option. Of those only 8 were convertibles. This is one of them.           A fully documented Ram Air II convertible. The paint is Starlight black and is accented by a black custom interior and a black top. Like most of the Ram Air equipped cars it also features a 4-speed and a 3.90 rear. The options are a Delco AM/FM  Radio, Rally gauges with the optional hood mounted tachometer, a console, Rally II wheels with redline tires, and a custom wood steering wheel. Something interesting about the car is that Michael is its ninth owner and it has never left the same town.