LS3-Powered 1983 Pontiac Firebird Five-Speed

Description

OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

The 1983 Pontiac Firebird SE (Special Edition) marked the second year of a third-generation lineup known for its sleek, aerodynamic styling and improved performance. The standard engine was a 2.8-liter V6, although buyers could opt for more power. The owner of this one certainly did, swapping the engine and adding numerous additional upgrades and styling tweaks to create a bespoke Firebird. 

The Pontiac is powered by a 480-hp GM Performance Parts 6.2-liter LS3 V8, paired with a Tremec T5 five-speed manual transmission offering precise gear shifts. The engine is kept cool with the addition of two electric pusher fans and one large electric puller fan for the radiator. A fully custom ivory and brown interior remains cool on hot days thanks to the addition of Old Air HVAC. 

The meticulously maintained custom car is painted Candy Red with additional custom artwork inside, outside, and in the engine bay. The car's pop-up headlights have been blended into the hood, which was lowered to the bumper's edge. Headlights from a 1989 Chevy truck were moved to the leading edge of the bumper, and the character slits for the original headlights received LED lights. A hand-built rear bumper fascia features four taillights from an ’83 Firebird. And that’s only the beginning of the work done on this unique Firebird. 

Highlights 

• Custom rebuild (completed in 2016) included: 

  • 480-hp GM Performance Parts 6.2-liter LS3 V8 swapped for original engine 

  • Tremec T5 five-speed manual transmission installed 

  • Two electric pusher fans and one large electric puller fan for the radiator 

  • Old Air HVAC 

  • Subframe connectors added to ensure the back-halved rear setup is better integrated with the unibody 

  • Rear wheel wells were tubbed (necessitating the elimination of the rear seat) 

  • Drive Train Specialties’ custom Ford 9-inch rear end 

  • Original pop-up headlights blended into the hood, which was lowered 

  • Headlights from a 1989 Chevy truck installed on the leading edge of the bumper 

  • Character slits for original headlights are filled with LED lights 

  • Hand-built rear bumper fascia with four vertically mounted taillights from a 1983 Firebird 

  • Finished in Candy Red paint with custom artwork inside, outside, and in the engine bay 

  • Custom ivory and brown interior 

  • Custom dash, modeled after a 1959 Chevrolet's dash, with ivory-faced gauges from Classic Instruments (140 mph speedometer and 8000 rpm tach) 

  • Three dash switches for engine fans 

  • Sony CD/MP3/WMA/AAC/Aux stereo 

  • Bucket seats from a 1969 Plymouth Duster, covered with synthetic leather (also on interior panels) 

  • Wood-rimmed steering wheel with flared “spokes” 

  • Hand-built center console with a cupholder behind the handcrafted shift lever 

  • Custom Billet Specialties aluminum wheels 

  • New Mickey Thompson 29x15.00R20LT radials in rear and new 225/50ZR17 BFG G-Force Comp2 radial tires in front 

• Clean CARFAX Vehicle History Report   

Features 

• Two-door hatchback coupe 

• T-Tops 

• Tilt steering column 

Known Imperfections 

• No known imperfections at the time of cataloging

Included 

• Keys 

Ownership History 

The accompanying CARFAX Vehicle History Report places this 1983 Pontiac Firebird SE Custom in Texas. The first owner was reported on 26 April 1983 in Houston, then the report skips 13 years to an emissions inspection in May 1997, also in Houston, with 14,555 miles on the odometer. The seller, who lives in La Porte, Texas, says, “My dad had the car built from the ground up. In 2022, he passed it to me.”