Ricks Fitch Firebird...very rare Bird

[Charley Lillard]

One on other side says "wiper"

[Mr70]

Is that a shifter boot,or a litter bag?..Can it be any taller?

[earntaz]

I thought they looked like a push-pull knob.

[Rick]

Thanks for posting the pictures Mike, those are great, never saw them!

Those pictures look to be taken at the Trinity Episcopal Church across the street from Lime Rock Park Raceway in CT. In the rear looking forward picture Lime Rock is in the background. Fitch lived about 1 mile or so from there.

The switches on either side of the gauge pod are Lucas "One Time" touch switches, meaning all you have to do is tap then to work. The "Flasher" switch (below the ignition)flashes the high beam lights, which Fitch replaced with Lucas "Flame Throwers". The switch on the left makes the wipers make one pass when touched. Interesting to note, in the photo Mike posted the wiper switch is mounted up higher then in my car (see my interior picture on page 1 on of this post). I have a feeling Fitch did my car first and figured out that almost every time you get in the car your knee hits it(mine does) and the wipers make a pass!

The labels on the shifter plate to the right of the shifter must refer to the mods Fitch made to the automatic transmission (he modified the auto trans on the Olds Toronado he did too).

The piece under the ashtray to the left is the Light Monitoring Panel. That box was missing in my car. You could see my attempt to reproduce it in the interior picture on page 1 of this post. The panel looks for a change in voltage to figure a bulb went out. The wiring for this was very crude. You can see part of it in the engine shot Mike posted (lower right corner cylinder below the cross brace).

Thanks again for Sharing!

[earntaz]

Thanks -- they did appear to be "add-on" switches of some sort ... TAZ

[Liqu]

Hi, this is a GREAT forum, I posted info and pictures of my car (Fitchbird) and have received HUGE interest
and some offers (sight unseen), many people willing to help me with history, who would know that a 1 to 5 off (best guess) car would cause so much talk and E Mails, I guess John Fitch was known to more than I ever thought, and thanks to all the guys at Lime Rock Park who have taken the time to E Mail me.


Thanks a lot

Cliff Murray

[Rick]

Here are couple pictures of the only remaining Olds Toronado (2 built). Interior shows the altered shift level and Light monitoring panel. The seats have holes in them and fans under them to cool people. Fitch added a folding sun roof too.

[Liqu]

Check out EBay 262410668049