[DanC]

This past Friday after an overnight trip to Rome, GA I picked up this amazing, totally original (except for a Flowmaster dual exhaust), unmolested, super clean 1978 Pontiac Firebird Esprit showing 62,553 miles! Still wearing all it's original rust free, damage free sheet metal. Original silver paint and maroon interior.

A/C, tilt, Cruise, Rallye Gauge pkg, AM/FM stereo, power trunk release, console, floor shift auto, polyglass spare tire, and 4bbl 350 Chevy (original). At least it's not a six or 305 It even still rides on it's original sprial shocks and doesn't bounce!

Everything works but the a/c (compressor is locked up) and the fuel gauge reading is stuck at 1/4. These will be first order of business!

Not a "show car" as it was stored outside/under a car port, but I'm thrilled with what it is and what it represents!!! And my plans are to just repair/replace as necessary for operation and safety. As we say "it's only original once"!

[DanC]

Pictures of underside and shock...

[johnta1]

Congrats!
Looks like it's in great shape.
Other than the compressor and alternator are on wrong side.

[SRR]

Sweet!

[Lightfoot]

Nice.
350 Chev is a bit unusual if it's original. Sure it's not H or U in the fifth digit?
Either a Calif or Nev, or possibly Col car? Does it have a west coast plant code?

Neat TPC spare but the tread pattern is different than the typical Good Year, Firestone, Uniroyal of the era. Is it a General? A check of the date code (DOT) will zero in on the age. It should coincide with the car's build date. (earlier than).

[KS circutguy]

Sweet

[694.1]

YOU SUCK!


I would be all over that.

[Skidmark]

I like it. Great find. For me i would never able able to resist putting a 400 in it and of course save the 350.
How'd you find it?

[DanC]

Originally Posted by Lightfoot

Nice.
350 Chev is a bit unusual if it's original. Sure it's not H or U in the fifth digit?
Either a Calif or Nev, or possibly Col car? Does it have a west coast plant code?

Neat TPC spare but the tread pattern is different than the typical Good Year, Firestone, Uniroyal of the era. Is it a General? A check of the date code (DOT) will zero in on the age. It should coincide with the car's build date. (earlier than).

VIN is 2T87L8N******. I did order a PHS package on this, but it hasn't been rec'd yet.

The only what looks like a date code is D13 and then theres MEVU H10367 molded in next to that on this Goodyear Polyglas II

[DanC]

a few more pics...

As you can see, the drivers seat bottom is fine, but for some reason the seat back lower section is gone!

I removed the original GM vinyl floor mats and that revealed the beautiful carpet color underneath! Too bad the floormats are extremely faded and hard.

[Lightfoot]

Tire was made in the 36th week of 1977. I was unaware that GM shoed new cars with anything other than steel belted radials back then. And I even worked in a Firestone dealer in 1978- 1980. Fiberglass radials were definately the minority.
That will surely show up on the window sticker as "No extra charge".

[DanC]

Originally Posted by Skidmark

I like it. Great find. For me i would never able able to resist putting a 400 in it and of course save the 350.
How'd you find it?

Facebook Marketplace, while doing a 500 mi search range. I sat on it for about six weeks before inquiring about it, but once I did it was just a matter of a couple days to get my butt up there

My buddy "GTO John" asked me the same thing, "how long before you put a Pontiac in it?" I honestly don't believe I will, although I have always 'hated' seeing a "C" engine in a Pontiac! I guess I'm gettin softer in my old age.

[Dave R]

Congrats! I didn’t think you could get a Chev 350 in a 77 Esprit. I would keep it as is. Normally, I’d want a Pontiac in there but it’s just too unusual to change. Must be getting soft as well.

[bhill86]

Love it. And that you’re keeping it as is (mostly). There can’t be many base birds around that are relatively unmolested. Several years ago I ran across a 76 Firebird with a straight 6 in it I really wanted. Just didn’t have to time space or money (you know, the important stuff).

[Drag Star Le Mans]

Great car! I won't hate on the Chebby engine. That will be a fun driver for sure.

[burd]

Cools Bird, the 350 is better than the 403, lol.
A good cleaning will do wonders.

[Mr Twister]

I have been looking for something like that for over a year. Nice find!

[camerjeff]

Very Nice find, I have always liked that color combo! Congrat's!!!!!

[77 TRASHCAN]

Silver paint did not hold up well on GM and I think most other makes of cars back in the late 70's and into the 80's
I would of liked to had a silver TA. Didn't know anything about the Smokey and the Bandit movie when I bought my TA just a couple of weeks before the movie came out. I'm very glad I bought a black car!!!

[srmmmm]

Originally Posted by 77 TRASHCAN

Silver paint did not hold up well on GM and I think most other makes of cars back in the late 70's and into the 80's
I would of liked to had a silver TA. Didn't know anything about the Smokey and the Bandit movie when I bought my TA just a couple of weeks before the movie came out. I'm very glad I bought a black car!!!

You're quite correct. There was still a lot of the paint application performed with hand guns on the line. The silver paint was very close in color hue to the primer coat that was applied after ELPO. The operator had a difficult time visually determining if he had sprayed enough paint over the neutral gray primer. The worst areas were the rocker panels. Lots of silver painted cars had very thin paint on the rockers. My father had a silver 75 Grand Am with virtually no paint on the rocker panels and lower rear quarters. Rust showed up in less than 2 years. We had really severe problems with silver at the Oklahoma assembly plant on the Chevy Citations and Pontiac Phoenix that were water based paints.