1984 Pontiac Firebird 305 gasoline from North America

Summary:

One great machine

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

I do not drive it too often due to my age.

There is nothing wrong with the car - it still has the original wheels from the manufacturer. The seats, headliner and dash are all in real nice shape.

This car is a joy to drive.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 17th June, 2016

1984 Pontiac Firebird SE 2.8 from North America

Summary:

If you buy it, there are no regrets of ownership

Faults:

Tear in the driver's seat from use.

Clutch has average wear.

Rear universal.

General Comments:

Handles awesome; the acceleration and curve handling perform very well together.

I also bought the Trans Am of the same year. It has the T-tops that I have yet to have problems with.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 28th March, 2015

5th Apr 2015, 05:11

Congrats on your purchase :)

One word of caution: The varijet carburetor is a difficult beast. Locate a GOOD rebuilder ;)

1984 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am LG4 305- 150HP from North America

Summary:

Best car I'll ever own - hanging on to this one

Faults:

Headliner began to sag throughout the years and was replaced.

Factory quadrajet has been rebuilt twice - once at 72k and once at 99k, first from sitting, and second because the ethanol in today's gas is no bueno for old cars.

Ball joints replaced at 90k.

Idler arm and center link done at 73k.

Starter went out somewhere around 95k.

Exhaust from after catalytic converter to muffler rusted out over the years; replaced with a custom 3" cat back with SLP muffler.

General Comments:

This car has been in my family since 1988, when it had 40k on the ticker. My dad owned it and drove it sparingly until my senior year of high school in 2010.

I daily drove the car for about two years, parking it only when it snowed. I also auto crossed in it a few times and made a few passes at the local 1/8 mile drag strip. It managed a best of 10.35 at 67 miles per hour.

I retired the car from daily duty in June of 2012 when I bought a second vehicle. I still drive it as much as I can when it's nice out though. It's needed a few things replaced, nothing out of the ordinary for a car of its mileage or vintage. It's never left me stranded once.

Driving one of these is stupid fun. I say stupid, because they aren't trendy like Mustangs or JDM type imports. In stock form they're pretty slow compared to pretty much any new car.

The fun comes from the chassis - the suspension is wonderfully thought out, and is crude but very effective in helping this car rip up the road. The 305 is asthmatic but torquey - on stock size 215 width tires it'll chirp second under full throttle. Peeling out and power oversteer are as easy as stabbing your right foot toward the firewall. While the handbrake is ineffective and the car doesn't get as much steering angle as most imports, it is surprisingly easy to drift and power slide, and is very forgiving at the limits of grip.

Over the years, I've replaced most of the stock bushings with Delrin, the struts with high end Koni units, strut mounts with high performance units, and the phenomenal WS6 springs with Ground Control weight jacks. I've also strengthened the chassis with subframe bracing. I plan on replacing the slushbox with a proper manual gearbox, and the aging engine with a more powerful full roller small block. The car was great stock, but can really be a world class performer with some love, time, and money.

Best car I'll ever own. I'll never get rid of it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th January, 2014

2nd Feb 2018, 19:41

Thanks, insightful.

1984 Pontiac Firebird 2.8L V6 from North America

Summary:

Best money I ever spent and will never sell

Faults:

Nothing yet.

General Comments:

I bought the car on July 9th, 2005 and haven't driven the car since. I bought it as a project car and will replace a number of suspension and steering components because they are all rusted and look original from 21 years ago and likely are. Brake pads and rotors as the rotors are starting to crumble in the slots, having it painted red and black and getting some older stock rims and tires.

The car has some body rust, but not too bad for the age and I will strip all the paint and rust with stripping discs and prime myself and hopefully can afford to have professionally repainted, but will do it by spray can if I have to. I want to paint in to resemble the WWE wrestler Kane's mask he used to wear before he stopped wearing it.

I had an '82 back in high school, about 6 years ago that my Dad bought me. It sat and rusted for 3 years and then was sold for scrap because insurance was gonna be something like $5000 a year for a teenage boy in a sports car.

I am doing all the work myself as part of the deal I made with my wife-to-be before she agreed to let me buy it, even though it was only $400. However, I almost starved to death for 2 weeks after because it was the only $400 we had. I am going to spend the winter buying everything I need or want to replace.

In May 2006, I plan on driving it in our local car show and parade we have every year called RetroFest. I need to have the car in good enough shape by then to be able to safely drive it and also look half decent in the paint aspect of it. Here's hoping all goes well.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 7th October, 2005