Rebuilt Catalina Convertible, 421 Superduty Engine, 428 Crank 4 Spd Manual on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Junkyard Gem: 1986 Pontiac Sunbird Sedan

The J-Body platform was a giant seller for GM, staying in production from the first 1981 Chevrolet Cavalier all the way through that final 2005 Pontiac Sunfire. Outside of North America, Opels and Daewoos and Isuzus and Holdens and Vauxhalls and even Toyotas flew the J flag, and better than ten million rolled out of showrooms during that quarter-century. In the United States, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Buick, and Cadillac each sold J-Bodies. Of those, the Pontiac Sunbird often had the sportiest image, more cavalier than even the Cavalier Z24. I've documented a discarded Sunbird Turbo in the past, and now here's a bread-and-butter Sunbird sedan from the same era. The Sunbird name began its life in 1976 on the Pontiac-badged version of the rear-wheel-drive Buick Skyhawk, itself based on the Chevy Vega. The first J-Body Pontiacs had J2000 badges, then 2000 badges, then 2000 Sunbird badges, until finally the pure non-2000 Sunbird appeared for the 1985 model year. I remain disappointed that the 2000 name didn't survive into our current century, because we could have had a 2000 Pontiac 2000, or just the "2000 2000" for short. The base engine in the '86 Sunbird was this SOHC 1.8-liter four of Brazilian origin, rated at 84 horsepower. Originally developed by Opel in the late 1970s, this engine family went into cars built all across the sprawling GM empire. 84 horsepower doesn't sound like much— and it wasn't much, even by 1986 standards— but at least the original buyer of this car had the smarts to get the five-speed manual transmission. This car weighed just 2,336 pounds, a good 500 pounds lighter than the current Chevy Sonic, so performance with the manual transmission was tolerable. The '86 Sunbird's interior was much nicer than those in its Cavalier siblings, though nowhere near the Cadillac Cimarron's reading on the Plush-O-Meter. An AM/FM/cassette stereo with auto reverse was serious audio hardware in a cheap car during the middle 1980s, when even a scratchy factory AM-only radio cost the equivalent of several hundred 2020 bucks. The price tag of this car started at $7,495, or about $17,500 in 2020 dollars. The cheapest possible Cavalier sedan went for $6,888 in 1986, but a zero-option base '86 Cavalier would make you think you'd been transported to the Soviet Union every time you slunk into its harsh confines. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Destiny: General Motors should bring back Pontiac

Despite having officially left the market in 2010, the Pontiac badge is still a common sight on roadways throughout the United States. Towards the end of its life, Pontiac models were largely rebadged versions of other General Motors vehicles, like the Pontiac G5 and Chevrolet Cobalt. It's sad, but there's no other way to put it; Pontiac was a mere shadow of its former self at the time of its death. Now it's time to revive the legendary brand. General Motors announced it would be reviving the Redline series, a package that originated with Saturn, another dead brand, earlier this year. Some models, like the Chevrolet Camaro will receive unique cosmetic touches designed to make it look even sportier, something Pontiac excelled at in most cases. Gas prices have fallen dramatically in the past few years and consumers have taken notice. Sales of fuel efficient cars, like hybrids and compact sedans, aren't increasing at the same rate as larger, less efficient vehicles, like trucks and SUVs. Muscle cars, like the Ford Mustang, are seeing increasing sales as well. Perhaps it's time to revive Pontiac and restore the marque to its former glory: a brand that brought performance and style at an affordable price. There are currently few manufacturers that offer a true challenge to high-performance automakers like BMW. The German brand continues to see high sales year after year and performance has a lot to do with it. Brand recognition, namely through the BMW badge, plays a major role as well. Pontiac, arguably one of the most well-known brands to ever grace the industry, can match both factors with ease. Pontiac was once revered as a brand that revolutionized the muscle car segment in the 1970s and 1980s. It still has a lively following throughout enthusiast spheres and amongst drivers of all ages to this day. Reviving the brand with a small line of high-performance vehicles would certainly offer a challenge to dominating German brands. A small lineup of affordable vehicles bearing the Pontiac badge and designed for performance and style would certainly make waves in the current market. Reviving a few older nameplates, such as the GTO and Trans Am, would offer nostalgic appeal. Packing both models with a powerful entry-level engine, say the Camaro's turbocharged four-cylinder or V6 engine, would open up the market considerably.

Junkyard Gem: 1987 Pontiac Firebird

From 1967 through 2002, the Pontiac Division offered the Firebird, close sibling to the Chevrolet Camaro. By the third generation, which debuted for the 1982 model year, it became more difficult to tell the two F-body cars apart at a glance and the Pontiac-exclusive engines of the earlier years disappeared, but the Firebird still retained its own personality and its own position in the GM marketing hierarchy. I still find the occasional 1982-1992 Camaro as I search car graveyards for interesting stuff, but the corresponding Firebirds have become scarce in recent years. Here's a base-engine-equipped '87, its Bright Red paint (yes, that was the official name for the color) faded by the Colorado sun as it awaits the crusher. Firebird shoppers had their choice of three engines in 1987: A 5.7-liter Chevy V8 (210 hp), a 5.0-liter Chevy V8 (205 hp) and the same 2.8-liter 60° V6 that went into the Fiero and countless front-drive GM sedans (135 hp). This car has the base engine. The third-gen F-body didn't weigh much (3,105 pounds for the '87 with six-banger, about what a 2020 Corolla weighs), so 135 horses was tolerable. Plenty of these cars got T-5 5-speed manual transmissions, but this one got the two-pedal setup. Camaro wheels, of course. Our Friend the Carburetor didn't disappear from new cars until the early 1990s in the United States, though electronic fuel injection had become very commonplace by 1987. Still, GM considered this car's EFI worth a door-handle brag. It's not worth fixing up a mashed six-cylinder third-gen Firebird, so we can see the route this car took to its final parking space. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. When you're about to be beaten to a pulp by catcalling, Olds-driving thugs, run to the Firebird! This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. So much big hair in these late-1980s Pontiac ads! Featured Gallery Junked 1987 Pontiac Firebird View 24 Photos Auto News Pontiac Automotive History Coupe Firebird pontiac firebird Junkyard Gems