Clean, Unmodified LS1 Firebird Trans Am Convertible is a Rare Find

Driver’s seat is in rough shape, but this Firebird is clean all around the outside.

The demise of the Pontiac brand has made the Firebird Trans Am a hot commodity, especially when they are powered by the legendary LS1 engine. The problem is that in many cases, LS1 cars have been heavily modified or abused during their lives, and not everyone wants a car that someone else built and drove into the ground.

Fortunately, some searching will find you a clean, unmodified Pontiac Firebird with an LS1 engine, but thanks to the LS1Tech Marketplace, you don’t need to do any searching. A white 1998 Trans Am convertible was posted to the forum by “standup95” and for someone looking for a relatively clean LS1 Firebird in stock form, this car is an excellent option.

The Introduction

When the OP first posted his 1998 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am convertible for sale in the forum, he offered a pretty detailed run-down on the car. Since it is stock, he mostly talked about the condition of the vehicle, along with mentioning some of the highlights, lowlights and things that have been recently repaired or replaced.

Selling my 98 trans am convertible, has 118k miles, auto trans, torque thrust wheels, stock never modified or molested, clean grey interior, ripped driver seat on bolster and bottom, perfect black top, everything works, no mechanical issues, asking $5500, car is very clean and spotless underneath, new brass headlight gears, new torque thrust 2 wheels and tires, same owner since 01 runs very quiet and smooth

normal cosmetic wear and tear for 22 year old car, spider web front bumper and 2 small tears on bottom, rear has little on top, clearcoat fade on spoiler a little but can’t really notice outside in sun, the door panels and dash pad are NOT CRACKED, the only thing that acts up sometimes is the radio screen has a mind of its own sometimes haha, one pic is with stock wheels which have been sold already.

He also included a dozen pictures, several of which we have posted here, but there are more close-up shots in the sale post.

Endless Options

This Firebird is nice enough that anyone looking to buy and drive might want to jump on this opportunity. The driver’s seat is the worst part of the car and that is easy enough to replace with a seat from a junkyard or a new seat skin, but other than that, this LS1-powered Pontiac is ready to be a great summer cruiser.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a Firebird to build up, this is a great option, as you know that no one has added aftermarket components that will lead to headaches during the build. Anyone who is going to build the car won’t mind replacing the stock seats with some aftermarket buckets, effectively fixing the ugly seat problem.

In any case, if you want a clean, unmodified LS1 Firebird convertible that is priced to move, this $5,500 Pontiac might be your ideal summer cruiser.

Join the LS1tech forums now!

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com