Dusty & Rusty – 1973 Pontiac Firebird

If you’ve been channeling your inner Burt Reynolds, this car may be for you. While it is four years younger than the Firebird Trans Am that Reynolds out ran the smokies in, this car could make a great base for a replica. The seller of this 1973 Pontiac Firebird for sale on Craigslist in Portland, Oregon lists the car as a running, driving survivor with only 60,000 miles, though they recommend trailering it home. For a fairly firm $8,500, could this dusty and rusty Firebird be your next pet Phoenix?

In 1973 Pontiac introduced the Super Duty 455 V8 that produced 310 horsepower as the top of the line engine for the Firebird. This car does not have that. It is equipped with a Pontiac 350 and is backed by an automatic trans. While not the most exciting driveline, it does move under its own power, which is a major plus for any project.

The seller doesn’t offer many photos of the interior, but from what’s there, it doesn’t appear terrible, besides the ripped drivers seat and some dash cracks. Check out that beautiful leather-wrapped steering wheel. The seller does include a carpet kid and seat reupholstery kit that matches the original, which are great items to have to ensure a crisp and clean look for your summer cruise nights.

Outside we’ve got rust. The seller highlights a few areas in the trunk and the quarters, but is including patch panels in the sale. Hopefully you’ve got some skills in metalworking. I don’t see this Firebird jumping and rivers anytime soon, but with a little elbow grease you’ll be airborne in no time. If this was your Firebird, what direction would you take it?