canadian firebird?

[396/425blr]

probably a dumb question but, were the early canadian firebirds chevy powered? dennis

[Keith Tedford]

In those days Firebirds were made in the US only, with Pontiac power. Pontiac pulled a fast one to get the Firebirds into TransAm racing with Chevy 302s.

[BARRY]

HI there are stories of 396 G T O S made in 1969 in canada

[Keith Tedford]

A friend's '70 GTO Judge was Oshawa built and is Pontiac powered. I think that Chevy powered GTOs is/was just urban legend. Canadian built Pontiacs in the '60s were Chevy powered. Again "real" paperwork tells the final story.

[HiHorse]

[ QUOTE ]
"real" paperwork tells the final story.

[/ QUOTE ]
Gotta love that Canadian paperwork!

[Keith Tedford]

You have to be careful. The GM of Canada paperwork just says that serial number such and such has this information and options. No one comes out and says that your car is the real thing. I'm taking a LOT of pictures while doing our car. How else can you tell if a cowl has been welded into a good body to keep the right numbers in tact once the car is done. There are quite a few talented body men out there who can hide a lot, even to a trained eye. I sure wouldn't want to be paying extra for a numbers car these days. The odds of getting one are getting worse every day. Too bad.

[HiHorse]

Canadian paperwork is a start and is bulletproof, at least you know what the serial number is or is not. The rest of the car is another story.

[P.J.]

[ QUOTE ]
You have to be careful. The GM of Canada paperwork just says that serial number such and such has this information and options. No one comes out and says that your car is the real thing. I'm taking a LOT of pictures while doing our car. How else can you tell if a cowl has been welded into a good body to keep the right numbers in tact once the car is done. There are quite a few talented body men out there who can hide a lot, even to a trained eye. I sure wouldn't want to be paying extra for a numbers car these days. The odds of getting one are getting worse every day. Too bad.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes GM paper work is great but a clear history of the car owners back to the original puts the icing on the cake.(chocolate)
We are lucky in ONtario the ministry gives you a record of all the owners back to 1975. then its a lot of work to back track but can be done. My 68 Camaro is a good example
of the work it took to find the original owner. Boy did it ever pay off . Original bill of sale, class record holder document, newspaper aricle winning the top eliminator in bracket racing. And the stories ,street racing killer(never beat) cops shot at the car when it would not stop after a drag race.The boys were waitng for him: Bullit hit the rear quarter went throuht the metal into the back seat and then came to rest in the back of the rear tray. Hole still there when I checked. Motion altered 427 a few weeks after taking deliver of the car.
Oh yes it beat the hemi Cuda during the race.
that makes driving the car that much sweeter.I must thank
my friend Tony for doing all the research to find the original owner of the car.I followed the trail back to the second owner and thats were the cop story came from.




PJ

[396/425blr]

heres one, 69 COPO firebird 428. wouldn't that be neat dennis

[Keith Tedford]

The ministry records on our 396 car went right back to 1969. I met the original owner at Waterdown a few years ago. He explained the CE engine and the dropped valve. A story that was all too common for these L78 engines. I've also talked to three other previous owners of the car. Everyone should be so fortunate.