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First Two Pontiac Firebird Prototypes Discovered In A Barn

The first Pontiac Firebird prototypes ever have been discovered in a Connecticut barn by the host of the Discovery Channel’s Fast and Loud, Richard Rawlings.

According to Car and Driver, the cars were discovered after Rawlings asked a client if he had anything interesting to sell. He said he didn’t, but told them he knew where Firebirds No. 1 and No. 2 had been hiding out for all these years.

The cars were hand built by John DeLorean and the rest of the GM design team using bits from the Chevrolet Camaro. Soon after, the Firebird debuted three months after its bowtie-badged platform mate, the Chevrolet Camaro, at the 1967 Chicago Auto Show.

Rawlings originally wanted to sell the two prototypes in as-is condition, but a collector from North Dakota wanted both the cars restored to factory specifications for a museum display. He wanted the restoration complete in 60 days and luckily, Fast and Loud were on hand to document the entire thing. You can catch the episode on April 21 and April 28 on the Discovery Channel.

Sam loves to write and has a passion for auto racing, karting and performance driving of all types.

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Comments

  1. “wanted both the cars restored to factory specifications for a museum display. He wanted the restoration complete in 60 days”

    With those hacks??! Come on!

    What corners were cut?

    Reply
    1. During post-production, the editor uses ‘the magic of television’ to make 60 days worth of restoration appear out of nowhere.

      Reply
      1. They’ve embellished everything about these cars and it’s just a big TV lie.
        They weren’t prototypes.

        Reply
  2. I am not fans of these guys but they are not the hacks they appear to be on TV.

    They so some real serious work that you do not see on the show.

    To be fair they can do cars as well as anyone.

    Reply
    1. Bullshit…

      Reply
      1. The whole premise behind the show has been nothing but fraud.
        They’ve been debunked on the internet.

        Reply

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