[pammiesuesguy]

Three years ago I bought a 87 Firebird, hoping to do a grandson-grandpa project. He was 15 at the time and lives nearby. Bottom line is he never took interest in it and now at 18 bought a Subaru Forester that he is tricking out. I have tried to sell this 87, 2 months listing in POCI Smoke Signals and some local attempts with not one call on it. It's a good runner 2.8, little to no rust, a perfect LS candidate or good first car for a teenager with its small engine can't go too fast.
So what gives, is thing going to pick N pull for their $1500 offer when I have twice that in it.
Rich Gabrielson

[Stuart]

I suspect the problem is it's basically a base model car with a small V6, so unfortunately it's just not that desirable to enthusiasts. If it were a Trans Am the demand would be a lot higher. You can place an ad in the classifieds here as well (although I think you may need more posts before that's allowed.)

[694.1]

Going to watch this thread. Those were some pretty fun cars but the truth is, a Camry would run flaming circles around it. But we don't swing that way.
Boy do the times change. Keep trying!

[b-man]

If it’s not a special model or at least in super outstanding shape it’s not really worth much.

Pretty popular for building a drag car but that market is quite limited.

[Scarebird]

I am astonished pick-n-pull offered that much unless they plan to resell it whole.

[Murf]

Originally Posted by Scarebird

I am astonished pick-n-pull offered that much unless they plan to resell it whole.

This, you’d get about half that around here.


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[tom s]

One issue with calif cars is they are hard to smog,over the years many have had some kinds of mods done to them.Have a friend with his high school car,a 78 I think and all the smog stuff is gone.Tom

[Chief of the 60's]

GTA's pull the best money. Then come T/A's and certain Formulas if near perfect. The V6 cars are pretty much worthless unless they are back-halfed (tubbed) and you have a $25,000.00 Kauffman Pontiac engine in it. Then, you might get $20,000.00 for it.

[sdbob]

At the time those cars had low drag coefficient. From what I read.

[Chief of the 60's]

I had an '87 Formula, solid roof, Tuned-Port Injected with a 5 speed. The transmission sucked but the car was fun as hell and got 31mpg.

[RocktimusPryme]

If you want a post 75 car, go to Cali and buy it. They have a depressed value because of the smog laws. Usually have little rust, and again because of the smog laws, tend to be mostly stock.

I sorta kick myself for not dragging an IROC with me when I left.

[1965gp]

We collected a few third gens and your right. Unless it’s a flagship car or a high end resto mod it’s not worth much. Especially if there is any rust on it at all.

[77 Canamman]

Didn't like them then... don't like them now.

[ponyakr]

They're junk around here. Most have already been mashed. Only decent ones I see are now high dollar drag cars.

Back around '07, I bought several. Most I gave was $500. Was gonna use a 455 & build a bracket car. Decided to buy a race-ready 455 Ventura instead. Thought I could at least get my money back. Wrong ! Had to sell the whole bunch, as a package deal, for $200 a pop, to a guy who owned a junkyard.

After that, was offered a running T/A, with a decent body, for $500. The guy couldn't sell it. So he pulled the engine/trans & sold it to the crusher for scrap iron.

They do make nice drag cars. Here are 3 Pontiac powered Super Stock 3rd gens, currently racing.

[RocktimusPryme]

Ive never seen them be that cheap, not the decent models anyway. I always keep my eyes open for an 86-90 IROC. I had one in high school and would like another. I usually see decent examples closer to $5000 than 500. You can get clapped out ones for cheap.

[ta6point6]

I had a 90 v-6 auto with the Aero package, looked like a TA. I loved that car ultra cool red with t-tops. The car was so light though and any little rain the tires would spin. The cars may not be worth much but the tail lights are going for good money and some other hard to find parts, like the black bowling ball hubcaps. I am still hoping for a 89 Turbo TA one day, wife says no

[unruhjonny]

they are not worth much, but can be really nice cars none the less;
Why not fix it up yourself and have some fun with it?

Maybe drop a V8 in it?

[Chief of the 60's]

LOL! Yep! Absolutely WORTHLESS

[unruhjonny]

I know I dind't comment on my percieved value, but I'd love to (if I had a garage big enough at some point) add a minty '82 with a four speed or something like that to my stable...
When in mint condition, these are spectacular looking cars, but what really hurts them is that as the condition deteriorates, they look exponentially worse...
But they will always have a soft spot in my heart

The '89TTA is in a class all by itself...

I also really like the looks of the 87-90 GTA's - the ones with out the banshee-inspired spoilers ect...

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by pammiesuesguy

Three years ago I bought a 87 Firebird, hoping to do a grandson-grandpa project.

You sound like a really great grandpa for making that effort.

Post some pictures of the car and lets see how bad off this Bird really is.
Some of them were obnoxiously plain jane and/or had undesirable color combos.
Tan interior would be the first kiss of death
Just about any interior other than black or dark grey gets shabby looking in them by the 10 year mark.