A Short History
After having a wreck in the first first bird I had, I was determined to find another after I realized I would never get the title to my first car, and even if it was repaired it would never be the same. After some looking I found the only other TPI 350 Formula within driving distance.
So I went to check it out, the first thing I noticed is it was UNBEARABLY stock, with fat slicks on the stock wheels, stock exhaust, some minor cosmetic damage, and a shattered rear hatch compliments of some teenage punk on the last day of school.
After having it jump started, and seeing a puff of smoke out of the rear I knew the car was badly beaten and neglected. Talking with the mechanic who maintained the cars on the lot, I also realized they were willing to sell the POS even if they had to try the "It has the VETTE engine in it" routine.
Finally after a test drive, my suspicions were confirmed. The steering was all over the place, and very vague, it has TONS of get up, but seemed to hate life, the A/C refused to work, and without a hatch, it was rather drifty. At least the factory radio worked - sort of.
We left that day without the car, now i'm not sure if I was more dissapointed that the car would likely be plopped into the hands of some one who only wanted a parts car to cut up, or that I would never have the chance to take the ugliest peice of rust ridden mullet and make something worthy of it - But like any gear head leaving behind a prospective project, I felt like it almost begged me to save it.
Round II
After nearly drowning in the cesspool of neglect and abuse surrounding the shell of that firebird, I decided to go home and run a carfax on the car. Turns out the car was originally sold in Alington and trekked around that area until being sold off to a dealer, at which point they sent it to auction, small car lot bought it. And there it sat.
I did not see a single blemish on the car's carfax, although that isn't saying something couldn't have happend to the car and not been reported. I figured it would be a decent buy, if i could haggle. As luck would have it, the car was still at the lot and because of the shattered rear hatch, the price dropped from $3200, to $2200.
After discussing the poor condition and work needed to make her road worthy, the seller agreed to have it inspected, cleaned up, and checked out for $1800 total. A good bit more than the $500 I paid for my first bird, but worth it I think. After dispensing with formalities and haggling, I drove off with a new (used) car - minus some parts.
The cruise home was entertaining to say the least, air being sucked out of the cabin by the hatch-less rear end, the lovely dance of death as the front danced about the highway, and the static filled nerve shredding music of a radio that only - sort-of-worked. As I finally neared my exit on the hour long trip home, I decided I was close enough to home to play with the car a bit and see what she had left.
She moved, zipping across the lanes it felt like it had substantially more power than my previous firebird. That's until it threw a belt passing a dump truck...
And right then, the modding began.
Page 1: Back Story
Page 2: Build I: The Stroker
Page 3: Build II: The LSX
Page 4: Shots along the way: The LSX
Page 5: Factory Stock WS6 Specs
