1987 Pontiac Firebird review from North America

Radiator developed a leak shortly after I got it, but I was expecting it to happen. Exhaust also had a leak in it, but I was going to put on a cat-back anyway and did.

The car was a former V6 car that the previous owner had swapped over to a carbed 305 v8. It was well taken care of, undercoated winters, and had been recently painted black when I got it.

The car looks great, I love the simple interior, comfy seats, lack of computerized nonsense to go wrong, and T-tops in the summer. It also handles a lot better than I was expecting, even on the not so great tires that are on it now. The only real downer is the motor.

I was hoping that all the talk I'd heard about the Chevy 305 being such a dog was exaggerated, but sadly it is not from my experience. The motor is gutless and really drags the whole car down as a result. The earlier carbed 305s like mine are apparently rated for only 145hp from the factory and let me tell you it feels like 145hp, or less, even with all the emmissions junk removed from the motor. My previous car was a wasted old 2.8L Corsica and I have this awful lingering feeling that the Corsica could actually give this car a run for its money. The Firebird screams for about another 100-150 hp, just to move like it should when you put the peddle down.

Other than the motor (which is going to be swapped again as soon as possible) I'm very pleased with the overall condition of the car and expect to keep it for many years. Except for the radiator issue I knew was coming, it's been problem free so far and parts and information relating to it is easy to come by.

I would recommend the 3rd gen Firebird/Camaro to anyone looking for a cheap sporty car. If you can find a good rust free one and are willing to spend a little bit extra making the "go" live up to the "show" you can end up with a quite a nice ride here.

If you want a fast car straight out of the box though you're not going to get one with a 305 third gen. The later model 350s put down much more respectable numbers stock, so if you like the look of the third gens and want a quick one without the hassle of a lot of extra motor work or replacement, those are the ones to look for.

As a starting platform to build up a nice little tire smoker, without the cost associated with older muscle cars, it's hard to beat a nice rust free third gen.