Hi everyone - just catching up. Been a long time lurker on the site and got active a few months ago. Wanted a 75-78 my whole life. Remember riding the bus to/fro 6th grade with my best friend (who just went to Carlisle with me 31 years later) and admiring the Sterling Silver 77 T/A on our bus route. Went to high school driving a 67 Lemans with a 428 that was nice but not original. Sold that when the kids were babies to furnish our house. 7 years ago I built my dream garage - radiant heat, cable, appliances, bathroom, lift and bought a couple of mint third gen firebirds (the second gens I looked at were either cheap restos or way out of my budget). I held onto both for enough time that they appreciated and I just sold them to buy the car I really wanted all that time.
It is obviously a 76 455 4speed. I will take lots more photos as I'm a serious amateur photographer. I just haven't had the time. Spent the last couple of months going through it. Got it out yesterday to its first show with the intention of taking some nice shots of it at an old diner en route....Bad news is I blew the upper radiator hose and had to do a roadside fix. Good news = oh so minor an inconvenience and the car cleaned up great - and took second at its first show! The car is original except for a 3 year old repaint and minor interior, etc. replacements. 17,000 mile car - I'm the second registered owner.
Car was ordered with three options (Defrost, 455 package and mats). Radio and antennae were dealer installed options (love to find the radio the dealer put in as that is long gone). So far, I've been busy replacing worn and old hoses (fuel line and power steering line as well as original starter were about to or did fail). Also replacing parking brake cables, springs, etc. as it was dragging on the right rear drum. Had to correct overflow tank setup, track down original brackets, etc. Not many major to do's - will make the most of the winter to bleed an clean up the brakes, replace the parking brake cables, install an oem style radio, replace and correct vacuum lines, pull the interior and replace the sound insulation (original) which was left in and is having a tough time being 35 years old. Have to track down some wiring issues - back up lights etc. but all in all, the car is very solid, original and, most important....puts a big a&$ smile on my face every time I see it.!
Thanks for looking.
Dave
