These days, any Honda Accord can pretty much take most muscle cars to task, thanks to torquey little turbo-fours that nonetheless get amazing fuel economy. But of course, no self-respecting gearhead would let a muscle car catch sight of the taillights of a modern commuter—not when the internet has so many amazing ideas for restomod projects available at the click of a few keys. Enter a 1968 Pontiac Firebird currently set for auction by Barrett-Jackson that will make any fan of Detroit steel weep with envy.
Under The Hood
The Barrett-Jackson listing describes a project that took over 4,500 man-hours of labor to complete—and the photos reveal a pretty mind-blowing result. Under the hood rests an LS3 V8 pumping out over 550 horsepower. The 6.2-liter behemoth routes power to the rear wheels through a GM 6L90 six-speed automatic and a 12-bolt rear differential with 3.73 gearing. While purists may bemoan the lack of a stick shift, that automatic is going to shred tires and put down quarter-mile times better than just about anyone out there.
Clean As It Gets
No full restomod would be complete without a few modern amenities thrown into the mix, and this Firebird clearly spares no expense. The entire interior has been retrimmed with bucket seats from a 2006 Pontiac GTO—yes, a big plus of this car is that one of those embarrassments got torn up. A touchscreen and enormous gearshifter round out the look.
Get It While It's Hot
The finishing touches on this Firebird's exterior include a custom front fascia, a mesh grille, and inner headlight deletes to better feed the gulping V8. Detroit Speed coilovers dampen the ride of Rushforth Concept wheels measuring 18 inches up front and 19 inches out back. Braking is handled by 14 and 13-inch rotors, respectively. This masterpiece in class and restraint is up for auction with no reserve at Barrett-Jackson's Palm Beach 2020 auction, which runs from April 16 to 18.
Source: Barrett-Jackson