Why have one when you can have three!
Metallic Blue
As a fan of the second generation Pontiac Firebirds, the seventies muscle cars, V8’s, I purchased some years ago – 2001 in fact, a 1981 Pontiac Firebird Transam. Metallic blue, it was loaded with a 4.9 (301 cu.in) non turbo version V8 engine. This particular model had the standard vinyl seats and no T-tops, a fixed roof, which was a shame as a T-top model would have been good for a sunny day.
I was working in London and renting a flat in Essex for the commute. One parking space was allocated at the flat which the Transam duly took. My daily driver was resigned to on street parking. The Transam was a fun car to drive and great mechanically but the paintwork was showing its age and it ideally needed a respray. The plastic nose cone and bumpers would either need fixing or replacing before paint being applied.
Bright Orange
I was in luck. A local breakers yard was advertising a 1980 Pontiac Firebird Transam with its 6.6 V8 engine for sale for parts or repair. This may have been great for spare parts and possibly a rear bumper that I needed. I telephoned and viewed the same day with my son, somewhat anxious of someone else beating me to it. A bright orange beast welcomed us just inside the breakers yard. There was no available paperwork and possibly no V5 from memory. The business owner wanted a few hundred pounds for the complete jalopy. I really only wanted to a few parts off it but potentially I could break it and see parts I didn’t need
I bought it and then had the challenge of moving it the one and a half miles home. I did not want to spend more funds on having professionally towed or carried home on a low-loader. I owned a Jeep Cherokee with a tow bar – that was a solution to one problem. The remaining hurdle who was going to steer it home. I wanted to take it away from this yard today and the owner wanted it gone. My son was 16, a vehicle enthusiast, understood cars and had driven in a field before. I proposed to him about steering it whilst I drove. This plan was a go-er.
The following weekend I ascertained what parts I wanted from Orange and the remaining parts that could be removed from the car. The 6.6 engine seemed to run fine so was also sellable. I took a video of the engine so I could show a potential purchaser. Over the next couple of months I removed what was unboltable including some body panels such as the front wings. I used the bumper for my metallic blue Transam. I advertised the rest on ebay and eventually sold most parts. The engine was old too. Eventually a carcass was remaining on the driveway which a local scrap merchant was happy to take away for me for free. A shame it could not be fixed. I would love to drive a bright orange Transam now!
Baby Blue
For sale locally was a baby blue 1979 registered Pontiac Firebird. I needed to take a look even though I wasn’t in the market for another Firebird! One viewing, one drive and I wanted it. I cannot remember if I paid the asking price or managed to secure a lower price, but it was mine. The house I was renting at the time luckily had plenty of parking on its driveway, so an additional car in the family didn’t cause any headaches. The problem with owning multiple cars however, was the frequency and duration each vehicle would get to see the road. Sharing the road miles between them all was slightly diluting the experience and joy of owning them.
These two phoenix’s were insured on classic car policies with limited mileage which was much cheaper than mainstream insurance. There was only one fuel spend per mile as I could only drive one car at a time. The biggest problem was the required road tax which seemed a waste when the cars were not being driven. I did the usual immediate service on her, ensuring that her ownership with me, began with fresh oil and filters.
After about six months though, baby blue really had not travelled many miles as I was using other vehicles. After one morning, sitting down and calculating what my vehicle running costs were with multiple insurances and road taxes, I have to make a sensible decision and cull my car lot. This toy amongst others, became a casualty. I still had the 81 Transam for the moment. A check on the DVLA site has her registered still but I wonder if she is still on the road, sitting in a garage somewhere or has been broken for parts.
These Firebirds were of the era, but thoroughly enjoyed decades later and in some sense, have been classic vehicles.
