What a fun car Lou! My first car was a 1977 Buick Skyhawk with V6 and a 5 speed. This Starfire with a V8 is indeed a rare car. Surprising slick looking car for the period. Thanks for bringing this one and the trip down memory lane to us Lou.
Nice little car. I had a 77 Olds Starfire. I bought it used in '86. It was white with a V6..don't remember what size. The only issue I had with it was the water pump. Other than that it was just ok. I do remember that if you got one of these with a V8 I'm pretty sure you had to jack up the engine to change the spark plugs. Thanks for posting Lou!! have a blessed day!
Hi Gerry, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing, and for the blessings. You're welcome. God bless you today too, Lou
Thanks, oddly I remember something like that also! Interestingly, I ordered my 1977 TA/ Special ED/Hurst Hatch, end of Oct 1976: haD TO OPTION CRUISE/ Auto ( grudgingly) over 4 SPD: as Cruise *NA for Manuel ( yet, from GM), Family Use, **&” the 6.6L /400 engine @180 bhp( ???, an appalling weak engine, though EASY TO IMPROVE!) as the GASOLINE CRISIS was REAL….in 1975-77….😢🙏 Did hear & see some if these ….Firenze, etc ….. really interesting, esp Optioned right……
@@opera93 were you in California by chance? California Emissions restricted many choices on vehicles, including stick shift availability, engine availability and other things.
@@maxheadroom8857 pardon… NO, lived in N. Indiana (WARSAW)….hard decision to NOT opt fOR TA 6.6::: & Four Speed. .. Actually the 6.6 //400 , regular Engine , appeared to be better built, & was easy , to make, improvement :::::& of course the aftermarket’s had a good CRUISE fir a 4 SPEED, , LATER IN. …. &=ACTUALLY 20:years later we bought a 1997 INTREPID SPORT Dodge new……( good handling ,etc),
Hi, Lou! Yep, this one definitely falls into the "and now for something completely different" category! You'd be pretty hard-pressed to find a Starfire of any kind, let alone a Firenza! Heck, I can't even recall the last time I saw a Monza! The Monza, Starfire and Skyhawk were all introduced for 1975. All came as hatchbacks, and the Monza also came as a notchback coupe. The Sunbird (not Sunfire until 1995) came along in 1976. It came only as a notchback that year, but added the hatchback for '77. All were made until 1980. GM design chief Bill Mitchell took Ferrari as the inspiration for the sleek styling of these hatchbacks. Kurt is so fortunate to have found this little Rocket Olds! There's so much satisfaction in being able to show off something the showgoers rarely get to see! Thanks you both for this extra-special maiden voyage presentation!
Hi iswc27, This one is so rare to see today. I've been looking for a Monza or Monza Spyder however seems they've gone away. I'll keep an eye out. Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
I remember those when I was a teenager. You never see even the Chevy Monza these days. I think they all turned into rust and disappeared! Nice to see someone took care of that one! I always liked the styling on these vehicles. Thanks for sharing, Lou!
Nice! It has been a while since I've actually seen one of these, and boy does Mr. Karch's look great. It must be fun to drive with its V-8 and 4 spd., too. Thanks, Lou!
Hi TheGunfighter45acp, You're right, a rare sight to see one today. I agree, the V8 & 4 Speed would bring a fun experience driving this car. You're welcome, Lou
I remember these around 1973 -1974. Consumer Reports did a review on its twin, the Chevrolet Monza. These cars introduced the rectangular sealed beam headlights to the public. Consumer Reports was not happy about this; they argued it was a serious mistake that the NHTSA made, permitting GM to produce these cars with rectangular headlights. They said the lights were no brighter than the round sealed beams, the lamps cost double than the price of a round headlight, and that it would be hard to find a replacement when a headlamp failed. They argued that GM executives' point saying that the hoodline would be lower to allow more visibility to the driver was a bad excuse to permit GM to introduce the rectangular lamps to the public. On a side note, the company that supplied headlights to GM at the time was General Electric. GE was the biggest supplier of OEM headlights to the domestic automakers at that time, supplying more than Wagner, Westinghouse (now Phillips) and Sylvania.
@@loucostabile in 1978, I was 15. My dad encouraged the 3 of us (my big sister, older brother & me) to read Consumer Reports very early, so that we wouldn't get taken by advertisers for a ride. In the 80s, during my college years, I became friends with a gal from across the state of California whose dad had bought her a Cadillac Cimmaron for her high school graduation. I remember reading about that car when the 2nd generation of those 4 GM cars came out with Cadillac joining the platform as another badge engineered dressed up Chevy Monza as the rest of the cars were. Unlike the others, it didn't sell as well, as the Consumer Reports review was not very good for it. My friend made it through her college undergraduate years with that car; it was one of the few Cadillac Cimarron subcompacts I've ever seen. That model, if I remember correctly, got dropped by GM quickly after maybe 5 years at the most. If you come across a stick shift California Emissions model Cadillac Cimmaron in the future, that will be a very rare survivor of all models. I'm thinking that the California model stick shift version Cadillac Cimmarons have all landed in junk yards and gotten crushed. Oh, by the way, that gal I became friends with lives in Florida and became a news anchor on TV.
@@maxheadroom8857 - Uh... Max... you're confused here... the car in this video is a variant of the kewl RWD H-body platform: Vega, Astre, Monza, etc... the Cadillac Cimarron was a variant of the crap FWD subsized J-body Cavalier platform... The '95 Pontiac Grand Prix 2 door cars had a low profile version of the rectangular headlights and those cost 5 times what the regular size rectangular headlights cost... still readily available... but costly...
Someone preserved one This is fantastic. 145 HP, like my 82 Trans Am with the 305. These were detuned by now. The 85 mph speedo, that brings back memories. Man, I can't wait one of these days to show you my 1988 Mazda MX-6 GT Turbo stick, original paint in ticket red. I have been told my Mazda is very rare, now. It, too, had 145 HP, but with a Turbo Charged 2.2 Liter 12V 4.
What a beauty. I do see a lot of shrinkage with the rubber/ plastic exterior trim parts and I have to wonder how that issue might be affecting other GM products from that era. Can't wait for the next video, thanks Lou!
A wayyyy long time ago I had the V8 Monza. It had the factory body kit and sport suspension. I shocked a lot of Camaros and Mustangs with that little car 😎 Thanks for another great one Lou 👍👍
Awesome trip down memory lane! I had a '77 Monza Spyder with the 305 V8, 4 speed manual, bought new. The '78s were out, I really wanted a new Starfire but got a great deal on the year-end Monza. No AC, had the kick vents. The hatchback was practical, could hold a lot of cargo or serve as a 6-foot bed for camping or drive-ins 😊 the car was a blast to drive but guzzled gas.
Hi David, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Monza Spyder :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
I love these little cars! They were not the most attractive cars, but I still loved them! I like seeing someone cover these different cars, Lou! Tired of the same ol Mustangs, Camaros, Chevelle, Novas and 55,56, and 57 Chavy's....keep these comin Lou!!
I can't remember the last time I saw one of these, let alone a regular Starfire - or ANY H-body car! Mr. Karch has what appears to be one of the very last Starfires left anywhere in America. (I should point out that Pontiac's version of the H-body was the Sunbird - the Sunfire didn't come along until 1995. My sister had an '80 Sunbird for all of three months in 1983 before it was totalled in an accident.) And it has a 5.0 liter V-8? That's even rare, and I wonder how the GM engineers were able to stuff a V-8 under the hood of such a little car. And it must have put a hell of a strain on that front suspension! The name "Firenza" had been used once before, on a Vauxhall (GM's British branch - now owned by Stellantis, which also now owns all of Fiat Chrysler) in the early seventies, and also later, from 1982 to '88 on Oldsmobile's version of GM's J-cars. The other J-cars were the Chevy Cavalier, Pontiac J2000 (it later changed back to Sunbird), Buick Skyhawk, and - oh yes, one of the biggest flops of all time, the "Cadillac" Cimarron. Thanks again, Lou, for another great video. Maybe sometime I'll see you do a video on a Dodge Omni GLH! I wouldn't be surprised! _(3/28/2023)_
Hi Know Bodies Full, You're right, a rare sighting with this one today. Happy to read this one brings back memories. I'll keep an eye out for the GLH :-) Lou
I just did a double check - the owner's last name really _is_ Karch! (That auto-correct kicked in while I was typing my comment from earlier today.) _(3/28/2023)_
Congratulations to the owner - I've never seen one as nice. They are usually beat to hell, the flares are history, soft plastic cracked, etc. So unusual for not having AC - squeeze every bit out of those 140 ponies. Still, with lb/hp ratio and decent enough gearing it probably more than kept up with the Mustang 'King Corbra' lurking nearby.
Hi Joe, Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
¡Qué belleza de Oldsmobile Starfire Firenza 1978 plateado! Me gusta mucho su facia delantera, ya que me recuerda a la del Camaro 1982 con sus faros rectangulares dobles. El interior es también muy bello, con esa combinación de tapizado en vino y marrón junto a su tablero de instrumentos en madera. Por poco y te olvidas de los pedales y la palanca de cuatro velocidades, jeje. ¡Por allí se alcanzan a contemplar otras joyas de esta impresionante exhibición! ¡Un cordial saludo, Lou!
I LOVED These cars...and I was around when they came out. They were very cheap looking then...though I'd love to have one now. Look how the plastic discolored front end clip doesn't line up with the hood. This one looks great, but the tail lights on a lot of these cars didn't quite match up and looked a bit crooked on some cars. You can see what I mean a bit on this car on the right hands side tail light where the gap is not even. The V8 Sounded EXCELLENT!!!
@@BuzzLOLOL WOW, Buzz. I remember those cars too! Loved them. It was a Pontiac Front clip and interior and a Vega wagon rear. Did I get that right? My sister had a Saturn Astre years later. I loved that car too! Enjoy your Astre.
Thanks for this one. Loved seeing all the details... this car is in incredible condition! I had two Monzas- a four cylinder coupe, and a fastback with a 305 small block. The V8 car had tall gearing, and would cruise at a rapid clip at low RPM. If you want to seek out a Monza, a Mirage would be interesting. There was also the Cosworth Vega- not sure if you've filmed one yet.
Hi Josh, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your two Monza's :-) I've been looking for a Monza or Monza Spyder....when I see one with a Caretaker willing to share, you will see one too. Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome, Lou
Hi Gaylon, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Pontiac also put the Formula name on the earlier Astre H-body cars. I still have my ultra rare '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari (kammback) Station Wagon, Iron Duke, A/C, 5 speed manual, posi...
My first car was my stepmother's 1975 Chevrolet Monza Town Coupe with the 4.3L (262 ci) V-8, 2 bbl carb, 110 hp (the weakest V8 ever made by Chevrolet) backed by 3 speed TH350 automatic. To do a tune up, the motor mount bolts were extra long. You had to back them out and lift the motor out to get to the back two spark plugs.
Hi Bobby, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 1st car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
wow you do not see many of those! I had a 1978 Monza, it had the 5.0 liter - was a cool car but falling apart by 1988 - amazing they were able to preserve this one so well for so long.
There was a silver Monza Spyder in my neighborhood when I was a kid with the giant spider decal on the hood. A couple of members of my extended family owned more commonplace Monzas but I can't think of anyone I knew who had a Firenza. I do remember them being around on the streets though. Actually saw a hot rodded one at Lebanon Valley a few years back.
Kool car! I seem to remember these cars needed one of the motor mounts to be disconnected, so you could jack up the engine a few inches to replace the rear spark plugs. 😀
Had a 1977 Oldsmobile Starfire GT with the V6 engine 231 cubic inches but a hydromatic transmission ( about 105 HP ). Firethorn Red metalic paint ( copper color ) with the white stripes & white vinyl interior. GM had quality problems back then & I found out the engine mounts were missing on my car. The fan ate the plastic shroud & lucky it didn't hit the hood on hard acceleration the 1st few days I had it. The hatch also had a paint bubble that rusted in the 1st months of ownership. The rear seats folded down & the hatch area was actually pretty big.
Hi Alan, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
THANKS LOU AND CURT or KURT ,I had a 👨🔧 friend who collected a couple of them in the 1990’s with the same paint scheme …so I had no idea 🤷♂️ that they were rare 💚💚💚
Great looking sporty Oldsmobile from the late 1970s. A rare thing. I recall these weren’t blazing performers as stock, but a great cruising experience with the V8 and manual transmission- certainly better than the V6 or four cylinder.
I owned a 78 with a 305. Mine was automatic with a black interior and I tore out the radio to put in a tape player. Not only were the plugs a pain but I went through motor mounts like they were going out of style.
Hi Ldastro, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Malaise and badge-engineered my butt. I love these cars because my wife and I owned three Starfire SX Hatchback Coupes and loved every one of them. Unlike the Starfire Hatchback Coupes (VIN code T07,) The Starfire SX Hatchback Coupes (VIN code DO7) featured the tuck and roll style upholstery, fancier interior trim and four spoke steering wheel seen in this Firenza. (If this Firenza is indeed all original, I'm 99.999% sure it's "built upon" a Starfire SX.) Some will recall SX models (which were not also GTs or Firenzas) having chrome edged black body side stripes, but those stripes were not always, if ever, standard on the SX. I owned a '76 SX with V6 & 5 speed, an '80 (SX) GT with V6 & 4 speed, and my wife owned a '79 SX with a V6 & 4 speed. These three cars had very distinct performance, economy, comfort, ride and handling characteristics. Even today, over 30 years since I sold my last, you could blindfold me, put me in any of the three (as they were) and I could tell you which I was riding or even merely sitting in. I also love these H-specials (Starfire, Skyhawk, Sunbird and Monza) because GM made so many variations of them which were, again, so VERY different from the others -- AND different from the H-bodies (Vega and Astre) they were based upon. Back in the day, I drove many other H-specials, some while car shopping, some were friends' cars, etc., and it was amazing how different they were from one another. Fours, sixes, eights, 4-speeds, 5-speeds, automatics, coupes, hatchbacks, wagons, econo-boxes, sports models, plushies, ...with different springs, shocks, bushings, anti-roll bars, sound deadeners, faces, hoods, tails, wheel trims, window trims, upholstery patterns, colors, dashboards, steering wheels, lights, lenses, options and graphics, and surely more I'm forgetting about. All that they had in common was that each excited people -- different kinds of people -- and that each was very affordable! Especially for the money, they were great little cars! The biggest reason we don't see them any more is few of us who owned them were rich enough to preserve, keep, and/or restore them!
Hi Don, Happy to read you've had 3 of them. Thanks for viewing and sharing your first hand knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Back when I was in the KyARNG ( KY National Guard), there was a guy in there at the same time ( mid 80's ) that had about a 77-78? Monza w/305 ci V8, I don't remember if his was a 4 speed or automatic but those 305's weren't about all that, I mean they did alright in those small cars but they still wasn't about all that. Unless you put other stuff in that engine, like maybe a little bigger cam, have the heads reworked, things like that. That's if you wanted to drag that thing or something.
Too bad they didn't use the hyper Olds 307... I still have my ultra rare '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari (kammback) Station Wagon, Iron Duke, A/C, 5 speed manual, posi...
Hi Mike, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Uncles car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Hi Sparky, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
The Vega spawned the Monza version. I still have my ultra rare '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari (kammback) Station Wagon, Iron Duke, A/C, 5 speed manual, posi...
Hi kramerolp, You have one! NICE! Happy to read you have one. This was not an easy one for me to find and I'm glad I was able to share this car with you, Lou
@@loucostabile yeah I’ve had it ever since 1984. I believe when I went to college I haven’t driven it in forever can I ask what you value yours at? I need to do some work probably 3000.00 to get it pretty nice again
Never seen one before but i can dig it. Sweet seeing the 305 with a 4 speed. Being a California guy, this seemed to be unavailable back then...often wondered if it was because of smog regulations. Probably was plus maybe we couldn't drive them safely (first car was a 3 speed,,,,i hit it pretty hard). That's a joke, son :) Nice trip back, Lou !!! Owner's got a nice car.
Yes, it was the smog regulations that made it not available in California. You couldn't even buy one out of state and bring it into California legally.
Hi Sabba_Dabba, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Sister teaching your Brother how to drive a manual :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Pontiac Sunbirds were big sellers in Chicago area. 'Sunfire' name wasn't used until 90's, the final version of the Pontiac J car. I liked these, but were really badge engineered Chavy Monza.
Had spiders, Vega's, I had a 75 with a small block 262, took that out and stuck in a Small Block Chevrolet 400 with a Holley 750 Double pumper, that car was real quick.
1978 Oldsmobile Starfire Firenza. The Oldsmobile Starfire produced from the Early 1960s until the Mid-1960s (1961-1966) was initially released as a full-size personal luxury car that had personal luxury features (that are now present on every car) such as Air Conditioning (A/C), Seatbelts, Power Steering, and luxury design features (Unique paint jobs, unique wheels, unique exterior design, and a luxury-designed friendly interior). The car cost around the same price as a regular luxury Oldsmobile, at just around the $4000 to $4500 range ($40,900 to $46,000 in today's cash). The car came with a 396 cubic inch (6.5 Litre) Oldsmobile V8 or a 425 Cubic Inch (6.9 Litre) Oldsmobile V8 making around 340 Horsepower to 375 Horsepower. For the design language, the 1961 Oldsmobile Starfire shared the design with the Oldsmobile 88 and its trim levels. The front end of the 1961 model featured quad headlights, a uniquely descending grille, a split metal line that had the Oldsmobile logo back in the day, and a front bumper that had rectangular turn signals or high beam headlights. It also had two metal trims at the front in the middle which point towards the "O L D S M O B I L E" badging at the middle front. It had a secondary paint job with a metal trim in the middle of the paint job, a "Starfire" badge on both sides, and a metal trim that ends the secondary paint job. The rear fascia of the Oldsmobile Starfire had two circular taillights, four rectangular metal vents, two reverse lights located at the rear bumper, and the same "O L D S M O B I L E" badging above the rear fascia. The 1962 would see a drastic redesign of the entire car. The front end of the car had a revised grille featuring the "Four-Corners" pattern with a bigger one in the middle, quad headlights inside the grille, reshaped/redesigned turn signals, and the same "O L D S M O B I L E" badging above the front end, and Oldsmobile's own metal trim in the middle. The rear fascia was redesigned to feature four ovular taillights with two on each side. There was also a metal trim connecting them together. The Oldsmobile badge was also removed with just the "Starfire" badge remaining. For 1963, the front end was minorly changed except for the grille, which still had the same "four-corners" pattern of the grille that appeared on most cars. However, the secondary paint job was changed to only have the Oldsmobile "Rocket" logo, was made smaller, and bent down to hit the front bumper. The "Starfire" badge was also moved to be below the secondary paint job. The rear end of the car was redesigned for the second time, featuring square-shaped tail lights with circular tail lights above it, horizontal-vertical pattern-like vents, an emblem above it, and a new font/new location for the "Starfire" badge. In 1964, the entire car was changed for the third time. The front end of the car was more circular-shaped, with an entirely new "four-corners" grille, a three-pointed star logo on the right headlight similar to the Mercedes-Benz logo, and repositioned amber turn signals with dents. It also featured vertical vents on the bottom sides of the car along with an indent-type of vent on both sides of the car along with a relocated "Starfire" badge. The rear fascia of the car featured rectangular tail lights with the same "four-corners" pattern from the grille enclosed in the taillights, reshaped and relocated reverse lights, and repositioned Oldsmobile / Starfire badges. In 1965, the front end was once again redesigned to have the quad headlights enclosed while removing the turn bumpers on the bottom of the car. A hood ornament was added as well. The sides were mostly unchanged except for the placement of the badges. The "Starfire" badge was relocated to be above the side vents with the Oldsmobile "Rocket" logo next to it. The rear fascia was redesigned again to give more faith to the 1963 Oldsmobile. The tail lights were rectangular and contained another taillight inside it with the iconic Oldsmobile "Rocket" logo. There was also a metal line with vertical lines connecting it to the other taillight with the "O L D S M O B I L E" badging in the middle of the rear end. The rear bumpers contained a new set of reverse lights as well. The second generation 1975-1980 Oldsmobile Starfire was released as the upscale luxury version of the Chevrolet Monza as a subcompact luxury car, with engine options ranging from a 2.3 Litre Inline-4 to a 5.0 Litre Chevrolet V8. It introduced two new trim options, the Starfire SX, and the Starfire GT. V8 versions of the Starfire are incredibly rare, not as successful as the Monza even it's other engines on the Oldsmobile Starfire.
Hi Steve, I'm not aware of this car being for sale. Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
So how much was the original sticker price, you looked right at it? Don't get carried away because it's a V8. That engine had a max output of 145 horsepower. My 2013 Hyundai Elantra 1.8L 4 cylinder had more power than that.
Hi NICK, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
@@loucostabile yep bought it new , stole in 82 out of the barn. 945 miles on it . odd 69 cutlass S with rally sport pak option sitting right next to it. 1 of 311 made untouched. 3 yrs later car was found painted black and of course beat to hell. ended up my neighbor stole it. kinda dumb the cutlass was the machine. guess the bench seat through them off
Yes, and I still have my ultra rare '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari (kammback) Station Wagon, Iron Duke, A/C, 5 speed manual, posi... it became a Sunbird in '78... or '79...
Hi, If you like this video, please click on SUPER THANKS ❤ with the $ in the middle which is the SUPER THANKS button under the video. Thank you! Lou
Literally cooler than anything else, I totally remember these....man what a beauty.
Hi Chris, Happy to read you remember this car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
New York Times Jan 10th, 1975 article on replacing the spark plugs, still available in the archive; great car. Thanks to you both.
Hi Steve, Thank you for sharing the details in that article. You're welcome, Lou
@@loucostabile I cut a 3 inch hole in the inner fender so I didn;t have to jack the motor half outta the car to change plugs. Much better.
What a fun car Lou!
My first car was a 1977 Buick Skyhawk with V6 and a 5 speed. This Starfire with a V8 is indeed a rare car.
Surprising slick looking car for the period.
Thanks for bringing this one and the trip down memory lane to us Lou.
Hi Jeff, Looking for a Monza & a Skyhawk. Very hard to find today. My pleasure taking for a ride down memory lane :-) You're welcome, Lou
My first car was a 1976 Buick Skyhawk. It's so interesting to see these things still being talked about!
I had one too, with the 3.8 and that thing would fly on the highway..
My first car was 1988 Toyota Camry V6 zippy little car
I still have my ultra rare '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari (kammback) Station Wagon, Iron Duke, A/C, 5 speed manual, posi...
I had a 1978 Monza Spider back in the 90's. It was a factory 305 4speed but it had a 400 small block.......was a fun car.
Hi The Bearded Guy Jeff Lawless, I've been looking for a Monza Spider, so when I see one with a Caretaker willing to share, you'll see one too, Lou
DID NOT KNOW THAT CAR EXSISTED GOOD FIND LOU
Hi Kenneth, A rare sight today. Happy to share this one with you, Lou
Another rare one: I still have my ultra rare '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari (kammback) Station Wagon, Iron Duke, A/C, 5 speed manual, posi...
Nice little car. I had a 77 Olds Starfire. I bought it used in '86. It was white with a V6..don't remember what size. The only issue I had with it was the water pump. Other than that it was just ok. I do remember that if you got one of these with a V8 I'm pretty sure you had to jack up the engine to change the spark plugs. Thanks for posting Lou!! have a blessed day!
Hi Gerry, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing, and for the blessings. You're welcome. God bless you today too, Lou
Thanks, oddly I remember something like that also! Interestingly, I ordered my 1977 TA/ Special ED/Hurst Hatch, end of Oct 1976: haD TO OPTION CRUISE/ Auto ( grudgingly) over 4 SPD: as Cruise *NA for Manuel ( yet, from GM), Family Use, **&” the 6.6L /400 engine @180 bhp( ???, an appalling weak engine, though EASY TO IMPROVE!) as the GASOLINE CRISIS was REAL….in 1975-77….😢🙏 Did hear & see some if these ….Firenze, etc ….. really interesting, esp Optioned right……
@@opera93 were you in California by chance? California Emissions restricted many choices on vehicles, including stick shift availability, engine availability and other things.
@@maxheadroom8857 pardon… NO, lived in N. Indiana (WARSAW)….hard decision to NOT opt fOR TA 6.6::: & Four Speed. .. Actually the 6.6 //400 , regular Engine , appeared to be better built, & was easy , to make, improvement :::::& of course the aftermarket’s had a good CRUISE fir a 4 SPEED, , LATER IN. …. &=ACTUALLY 20:years later we bought a 1997 INTREPID SPORT Dodge new……( good handling ,etc),
I know I've seen one of these in person years ago glad to have another look!
Hi RD Enduro, It's been awhile the last time I've seen one, so I was glad to be able to capture this one on video, Lou
Hi, Lou! Yep, this one definitely falls into the "and now for something completely different" category! You'd be pretty hard-pressed to find a Starfire of any kind, let alone a Firenza! Heck, I can't even recall the last time I saw a Monza!
The Monza, Starfire and Skyhawk were all introduced for 1975. All came as hatchbacks, and the Monza also came as a notchback coupe. The Sunbird (not Sunfire until 1995) came along in 1976. It came only as a notchback that year, but added the hatchback for '77. All were made until 1980. GM design chief Bill Mitchell took Ferrari as the inspiration for the sleek styling of these hatchbacks.
Kurt is so fortunate to have found this little Rocket Olds! There's so much satisfaction in being able to show off something the showgoers rarely get to see! Thanks you both for this extra-special maiden voyage presentation!
Hi iswc27, This one is so rare to see today. I've been looking for a Monza or Monza Spyder however seems they've gone away. I'll keep an eye out. Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
@@loucostabile I'd bet that having three pedals is way rarer than the automatics!
Wow!! Haven’t seen one of these in years!!! Cool, old GM, one of a kind. Great find!
Hi Vincent, You're right. A rare sight to see today. My pleasure sharing this car with you, Lou
I remember those when I was a teenager. You never see even the Chevy Monza these days. I think they all turned into rust and disappeared! Nice to see someone took care of that one! I always liked the styling on these vehicles. Thanks for sharing, Lou!
Hi Carroll, Happy to read this car brings back memories when you were a teenager :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome, Lou
All of the Monzas I see here in Texas are full blast Drag cars at the strip.
Nice! It has been a while since I've actually seen one of these, and boy does Mr. Karch's look great. It must be fun to drive with its V-8 and 4 spd., too. Thanks, Lou!
Hi TheGunfighter45acp, You're right, a rare sight to see one today. I agree, the V8 & 4 Speed would bring a fun experience driving this car. You're welcome, Lou
Even more fun if the engine was bumped up to the twice the HP it should have had...
@@BuzzLOLOL Yeah that 140 hp wasn't too impressive but beat the hell out of the massive 70 hp of the four banger!
I remember these around 1973 -1974. Consumer Reports did a review on its twin, the Chevrolet Monza. These cars introduced the rectangular sealed beam headlights to the public. Consumer Reports was not happy about this; they argued it was a serious mistake that the NHTSA made, permitting GM to produce these cars with rectangular headlights. They said the lights were no brighter than the round sealed beams, the lamps cost double than the price of a round headlight, and that it would be hard to find a replacement when a headlamp failed. They argued that GM executives' point saying that the hoodline would be lower to allow more visibility to the driver was a bad excuse to permit GM to introduce the rectangular lamps to the public. On a side note, the company that supplied headlights to GM at the time was General Electric. GE was the biggest supplier of OEM headlights to the domestic automakers at that time, supplying more than Wagner, Westinghouse (now Phillips) and Sylvania.
Hi Max, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the Consumer Reports review :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Thanks, for mentioning::*I had forgotten:: Wagner, sylvania, & squares, etc.)
@@loucostabile in 1978, I was 15. My dad encouraged the 3 of us (my big sister, older brother & me) to read Consumer Reports very early, so that we wouldn't get taken by advertisers for a ride. In the 80s, during my college years, I became friends with a gal from across the state of California whose dad had bought her a Cadillac Cimmaron for her high school graduation. I remember reading about that car when the 2nd generation of those 4 GM cars came out with Cadillac joining the platform as another badge engineered dressed up Chevy Monza as the rest of the cars were. Unlike the others, it didn't sell as well, as the Consumer Reports review was not very good for it. My friend made it through her college undergraduate years with that car; it was one of the few Cadillac Cimarron subcompacts I've ever seen. That model, if I remember correctly, got dropped by GM quickly after maybe 5 years at the most. If you come across a stick shift California Emissions model Cadillac Cimmaron in the future, that will be a very rare survivor of all models. I'm thinking that the California model stick shift version Cadillac Cimmarons have all landed in junk yards and gotten crushed.
Oh, by the way, that gal I became friends with lives in Florida and became a news anchor on TV.
interesting tidbit thanks
@@maxheadroom8857 - Uh... Max... you're confused here... the car in this video is a variant of the kewl RWD H-body platform: Vega, Astre, Monza, etc... the Cadillac Cimarron was a variant of the crap FWD subsized J-body Cavalier platform...
The '95 Pontiac Grand Prix 2 door cars had a low profile version of the rectangular headlights and those cost 5 times what the regular size rectangular headlights cost... still readily available... but costly...
Someone preserved one This is fantastic. 145 HP, like my 82 Trans Am with the 305. These were detuned by now. The 85 mph speedo, that brings back memories.
Man, I can't wait one of these days to show you my 1988 Mazda MX-6 GT Turbo stick, original paint in ticket red. I have been told my Mazda is very rare, now. It, too, had 145 HP, but with a Turbo Charged 2.2 Liter 12V 4.
Hi Kevin, Happy to read you have a fun Mazda :-) Lou
What a beauty. I do see a lot of shrinkage with the rubber/ plastic exterior trim parts and I have to wonder how that issue might be affecting other GM products from that era.
Can't wait for the next video, thanks Lou!
Hi Swilko Barfington III, Thank you for sharing what you notice. You're welcome. Glad you're along for the ride, Lou
The later C3 corvettes had issues like this on the bumper covers so someone started making fiberglass parts that looked 100% better.
A wayyyy long time ago I had the V8 Monza. It had the factory body kit and sport suspension. I shocked a lot of Camaros and Mustangs with that little car 😎
Thanks for another great one Lou 👍👍
Hi Pat, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome, Lou
What an awesome, and rare, sporty Olds. Great car, kudos for keeping it clean and original. Thanks!
Hi Bruce H., You're right, a rare sight to see one of these today. You're welcome, Lou
Thanks!
Hi Ray, SUPER THANK YOU FOR THE SUPER THANKS :-) I appreciate the support. You're welcome, Lou
Awesome trip down memory lane! I had a '77 Monza Spyder with the 305 V8, 4 speed manual, bought new. The '78s were out, I really wanted a new Starfire but got a great deal on the year-end Monza. No AC, had the kick vents. The hatchback was practical, could hold a lot of cargo or serve as a 6-foot bed for camping or drive-ins 😊 the car was a blast to drive but guzzled gas.
Hi David, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Monza Spyder :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
They didn't do good on gas in town cuz they had a 2:29 rear end ratio. Out on the highway they did much better,the V8 could stretch its legs!
Love the malaise- era cars.I was 20 when this came out.Nice job,Lou!
Hi Keith, Happy to read "Love the malaise- era cars" :-) Lou
Oh wow, you don't see those around anymore!
You're right. A rare sight today.
@@loucostabile 👍👍
Pretty sweet, so nice to see such a survivor!
Hi Christian, Happy to read "Pretty sweet" :-) Lou
Cool to see one of these overlooked cars. I see some other nifty 70s decal warriors in the background too.
Hi Matt, Happy to see you think this one is "Cool" car :-) Stay tuned there will be more cars coming from the show, Lou
I love these little cars! They were not the most attractive cars, but I still loved them! I like seeing someone cover these different cars, Lou! Tired of the same ol Mustangs, Camaros, Chevelle, Novas and 55,56, and 57 Chavy's....keep these comin Lou!!
Hi 21nix onme, Happy to read you "love these little cars!" :-) My pleasure sharing this one with you, Lou
Amazing how many of those cars there were, on the road, in 1980, when you consider how few you see today.
Hi Dan, You're right, a rare sight today, Lou
I can't remember the last time I saw one of these, let alone a regular Starfire - or ANY H-body car! Mr. Karch has what appears to be one of the very last Starfires left anywhere in America. (I should point out that Pontiac's version of the H-body was the Sunbird - the Sunfire didn't come along until 1995. My sister had an '80 Sunbird for all of three months in 1983 before it was totalled in an accident.) And it has a 5.0 liter V-8? That's even rare, and I wonder how the GM engineers were able to stuff a V-8 under the hood of such a little car. And it must have put a hell of a strain on that front suspension! The name "Firenza" had been used once before, on a Vauxhall (GM's British branch - now owned by Stellantis, which also now owns all of Fiat Chrysler) in the early seventies, and also later, from 1982 to '88 on Oldsmobile's version of GM's J-cars. The other J-cars were the Chevy Cavalier, Pontiac J2000 (it later changed back to Sunbird), Buick Skyhawk, and - oh yes, one of the biggest flops of all time, the "Cadillac" Cimarron.
Thanks again, Lou, for another great video. Maybe sometime I'll see you do a video on a Dodge Omni GLH! I wouldn't be surprised! _(3/28/2023)_
Hi Know Bodies Full, You're right, a rare sighting with this one today. Happy to read this one brings back memories. I'll keep an eye out for the GLH :-) Lou
I just did a double check - the owner's last name really _is_ Karch! (That auto-correct kicked in while I was typing my comment from earlier today.) _(3/28/2023)_
Well I still have my ultra rare '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari (kammback) Station Wagon, Iron Duke, A/C, 5 speed manual, posi...
I have a friend who had one it was sweet and fun to drive thanks Lou hadn't seen any since
Hi Allen, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Friends car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome, Lou
Congratulations to the owner - I've never seen one as nice. They are usually beat to hell, the flares are history, soft plastic cracked, etc. So unusual for not having AC - squeeze every bit out of those 140 ponies. Still, with lb/hp ratio and decent enough gearing it probably more than kept up with the Mustang 'King Corbra' lurking nearby.
Hi Joe, Thank you for viewing and sharing your thoughts. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
¡Qué belleza de Oldsmobile Starfire Firenza 1978 plateado! Me gusta mucho su facia delantera, ya que me recuerda a la del Camaro 1982 con sus faros rectangulares dobles. El interior es también muy bello, con esa combinación de tapizado en vino y marrón junto a su tablero de instrumentos en madera. Por poco y te olvidas de los pedales y la palanca de cuatro velocidades, jeje. ¡Por allí se alcanzan a contemplar otras joyas de esta impresionante exhibición! ¡Un cordial saludo, Lou!
Hi Jaime, Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this car :-) Thanks for viewing and sharing, Lou
I LOVED These cars...and I was around when they came out. They were very cheap looking then...though I'd love to have one now. Look how the plastic discolored front end clip doesn't line up with the hood. This one looks great, but the tail lights on a lot of these cars didn't quite match up and looked a bit crooked on some cars. You can see what I mean a bit on this car on the right hands side tail light where the gap is not even. The V8 Sounded EXCELLENT!!!
Hi Brian, Happy to read "I LOVED cars" :-) Lou
I was around also and I still have my ultra rare '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari (kammback) Station Wagon, Iron Duke, A/C, 5 speed manual, posi...
@@BuzzLOLOL WOW, Buzz. I remember those cars too! Loved them. It was a Pontiac Front clip and interior and a Vega wagon rear. Did I get that right? My sister had a Saturn Astre years later. I loved that car too! Enjoy your Astre.
Pretty dang neat!
:-)
Thanks for this one. Loved seeing all the details... this car is in incredible condition! I had two Monzas- a four cylinder coupe, and a fastback with a 305 small block. The V8 car had tall gearing, and would cruise at a rapid clip at low RPM. If you want to seek out a Monza, a Mirage would be interesting. There was also the Cosworth Vega- not sure if you've filmed one yet.
Hi Josh, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your two Monza's :-) I've been looking for a Monza or Monza Spyder....when I see one with a Caretaker willing to share, you will see one too. Thank you for viewing, sharing, and you're welcome, Lou
Very Nice !!!.
Hi Gaylon, Happy to read you appreciate this car :-) Thank you for viewing, sharing and I believe you're going to see many more cars on this Channel you'll enjoy. Hope you Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Great video, interesting car. Pontiacs version was the Sunbird. It came in a Formula version. Thanks Lou!
Hi Mikey B., Happy to read you enjoy this video :-) Rare to see this one today. You're welcome, Lou
Pontiac also put the Formula name on the earlier Astre H-body cars. I still have my ultra rare '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari (kammback) Station Wagon, Iron Duke, A/C, 5 speed manual, posi...
Nice! Always loved these hatchbacks. 👍
:-)
:-)
My first car was my stepmother's 1975 Chevrolet Monza Town Coupe with the 4.3L (262 ci) V-8, 2 bbl carb, 110 hp (the weakest V8 ever made by Chevrolet) backed by 3 speed TH350 automatic. To do a tune up, the motor mount bolts were extra long. You had to back them out and lift the motor out to get to the back two spark plugs.
Hi Bobby, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 1st car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
For emissions reasons, California required the 350" instead of 305, weakest 350 ever at 125 HP...
wow you do not see many of those! I had a 1978 Monza, it had the 5.0 liter - was a cool car but falling apart by 1988 - amazing they were able to preserve this one so well for so long.
You're right, a rare sight to see one today.
HI Lou, what a great looking car that Olds Starfire is i would like that one.👍👍.
Hi Philip, Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this car :-) Lou
There was a silver Monza Spyder in my neighborhood when I was a kid with the giant spider decal on the hood. A couple of members of my extended family owned more commonplace Monzas but I can't think of anyone I knew who had a Firenza. I do remember them being around on the streets though. Actually saw a hot rodded one at Lebanon Valley a few years back.
Hi AMCmachine, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the Monza Spyder in your neighborhood :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Kool car! I seem to remember these cars needed one of the motor mounts to be disconnected, so you could jack up the engine a few inches to replace the rear spark plugs. 😀
Hi drippinglass, Happy to share this "Kool car!" with you :-) Thanks for viewing and sharing, Lou
True for this car and the Monza.
What a treat! My first car was a 76 V6 5 speed Sunbird I liked enough to buy a 79 Starfire GT. Still looking for another one.
Hi Carmudgeon, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your 1st car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Had a 1977 Oldsmobile Starfire GT with the V6 engine 231 cubic inches but a hydromatic transmission ( about 105 HP ). Firethorn Red metalic paint ( copper color ) with the white stripes & white vinyl interior. GM had quality problems back then & I found out the engine mounts were missing on my car. The fan ate the plastic shroud & lucky it didn't hit the hood on hard acceleration the 1st few days I had it. The hatch also had a paint bubble that rusted in the 1st months of ownership. The rear seats folded down & the hatch area was actually pretty big.
Hi Alan, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
THANKS LOU AND CURT or KURT ,I had a 👨🔧 friend who collected a couple of them in the 1990’s with the same paint scheme …so I had no idea 🤷♂️ that they were rare 💚💚💚
Hi Budget Audiophile Life-long, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Friends cars :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
@@loucostabile AS ALWAYS,LOU ,YOU ARE VERY WELCOME 🤗
I worked at a Buick/Oldsmobile dealership in 1976. One of the salesmen had a Starfire demo. It wasn’t his favorite as a daily driver, but it was free.
Free is nice.
Ever see one of these? I still have my ultra rare '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari (kammback) Station Wagon, Iron Duke, A/C, 5 speed manual, posi...
Great looking sporty Oldsmobile from the late 1970s. A rare thing. I recall these weren’t blazing performers as stock, but a great cruising experience with the V8 and manual transmission- certainly better than the V6 or four cylinder.
HI Brad Dietz Music, Happy to read you enjoy the looks & V8 in this car :-) Lou
I put a 61 Corvette 283 in one of these cars,it was FAST and loved to shred tires!
NICE!
A friend of mine had one. But it was a V6. Can't remember the year but it was a cool car.
Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Friends car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing.
I owned a 78 with a 305. Mine was automatic with a black interior and I tore out the radio to put in a tape player. Not only were the plugs a pain but I went through motor mounts like they were going out of style.
Hi Ldastro, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Malaise and badge-engineered my butt. I love these cars because my wife and I owned three Starfire SX Hatchback Coupes and loved every one of them. Unlike the Starfire Hatchback Coupes (VIN code T07,) The Starfire SX Hatchback Coupes (VIN code DO7) featured the tuck and roll style upholstery, fancier interior trim and four spoke steering wheel seen in this Firenza. (If this Firenza is indeed all original, I'm 99.999% sure it's "built upon" a Starfire SX.) Some will recall SX models (which were not also GTs or Firenzas) having chrome edged black body side stripes, but those stripes were not always, if ever, standard on the SX. I owned a '76 SX with V6 & 5 speed, an '80 (SX) GT with V6 & 4 speed, and my wife owned a '79 SX with a V6 & 4 speed. These three cars had very distinct performance, economy, comfort, ride and handling characteristics. Even today, over 30 years since I sold my last, you could blindfold me, put me in any of the three (as they were) and I could tell you which I was riding or even merely sitting in.
I also love these H-specials (Starfire, Skyhawk, Sunbird and Monza) because GM made so many variations of them which were, again, so VERY different from the others -- AND different from the H-bodies (Vega and Astre) they were based upon. Back in the day, I drove many other H-specials, some while car shopping, some were friends' cars, etc., and it was amazing how different they were from one another. Fours, sixes, eights, 4-speeds, 5-speeds, automatics, coupes, hatchbacks, wagons, econo-boxes, sports models, plushies, ...with different springs, shocks, bushings, anti-roll bars, sound deadeners, faces, hoods, tails, wheel trims, window trims, upholstery patterns, colors, dashboards, steering wheels, lights, lenses, options and graphics, and surely more I'm forgetting about. All that they had in common was that each excited people -- different kinds of people -- and that each was very affordable! Especially for the money, they were great little cars! The biggest reason we don't see them any more is few of us who owned them were rich enough to preserve, keep, and/or restore them!
Hi Don, Happy to read you've had 3 of them. Thanks for viewing and sharing your first hand knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Back when I was in the KyARNG ( KY National Guard), there was a guy in there at the same time ( mid 80's ) that had about a 77-78? Monza w/305 ci V8, I don't remember if his was a 4 speed or automatic but those 305's weren't about all that, I mean they did alright in those small cars but they still wasn't about all that. Unless you put other stuff in that engine, like maybe a little bigger cam, have the heads reworked, things like that. That's if you wanted to drag that thing or something.
Hi Doug, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the guy in the National Guards car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Looks like a small block Chevy under the hood. Beautiful car! 😍😍😍😍😍 Thanks Lou!
Hi motorTranz, Happy to read you enjoy the looks of this car :-) You're welcome, Lou
Basically its a Chevy 305
Too bad they didn't use the hyper Olds 307... I still have my ultra rare '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari (kammback) Station Wagon, Iron Duke, A/C, 5 speed manual, posi...
That piece of billsheet sticker on the window is the only advertisement... Sorry, I had to say it. 😅
Thank you for sharing what you notice.
My uncle bought one exactly like this brand new. Always thought it was a cool car.
Hi Mike, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Uncles car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Cool. It should be noted, that this car evolved from the Chevy Vega. This is what the original Vega should have been!
Hi Sparky, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
The Vega spawned the Monza version. I still have my ultra rare '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari (kammback) Station Wagon, Iron Duke, A/C, 5 speed manual, posi...
That is one sweet car. The only one at the car show.
Hi Jim, Happy to read you think this car is "sweet" :-) You're right. A rare sight today, Lou
Back in the 1990s I owned a 1978 Buick Skyhawk with a Road Hawk option . Engine was a 3.8 V6 2 Bbl
Hi Allen, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
I love these cars. I love them because if you get one with some nice options, especially yhe Buick or Oldsmobile versions, they drove like a gocart
Happy to read "I love these cars" :-)
I love the monza/starfire liftbacks, especially the butt! Would love to see thrse being tuned up, on a track, show car, and drifting too!
Hmmm, drifting late 1970's style...interesting.
Rember the mid 80s version of the Firenza, which was front wheel drive.But first late 70s with rear wheel drive and v8 I have seen.
Hi Tim C, Happy to read this car brings back memories of the mid 80's version :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Lou
There’s not many around, but I have one sitting in my garage. It’s got the black interior a few upgrades on the engine exact same Firenza color
Hi kramerolp, You have one! NICE! Happy to read you have one. This was not an easy one for me to find and I'm glad I was able to share this car with you, Lou
@@loucostabile yeah I’ve had it ever since 1984. I believe when I went to college I haven’t driven it in forever can I ask what you value yours at? I need to do some work probably 3000.00 to get it pretty nice again
Wouldn't want to mess with that survivor, but finding a roller and dropping in a Chevy 383 stroker would make one heck of a sleeper car.
That would increase the HP :-)
Hi Patriot Sloth, Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Lou
Cool 🥰
Hi Michael, Happy to read "Cool" :-) Lou
Never seen one before but i can dig it.
Sweet seeing the 305 with a 4 speed.
Being a California guy, this seemed to be unavailable back then...often wondered if it was because of smog regulations. Probably was plus maybe we couldn't drive them safely (first car was a 3 speed,,,,i hit it pretty hard). That's a joke, son :)
Nice trip back, Lou !!! Owner's got a nice car.
Hi Glen, Happy to share you "dig it" :-) My pleasure sharing you enjoy this trip back, Lou
Yes, it was the smog regulations that made it not available in California. You couldn't even buy one out of state and bring it into California legally.
@@maxheadroom8857 Thanx for the reply,
California required the 350" instead of the 305" for emissions reasons... weakest 350 ever at 125 HP...
@@BuzzLOLOL Had one. '78 Malibu.
Nice at times...
Ove been years since I've seen one and its sister from Chevy they went loved or hated but not it's cool to see ones you see anymore
Hi Larry, You're right, you don't see this model today, Lou
I sat in the back of a Monza, not the liftback like this, while my sister taught my brother to drive a MT. It had the 305. Frustrated my brother lol.
Hi Sabba_Dabba, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your Sister teaching your Brother how to drive a manual :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
lovley car
:-)
Pontiac Sunbirds were big sellers in Chicago area. 'Sunfire' name wasn't used until 90's, the final version of the Pontiac J car. I liked these, but were really badge engineered Chavy Monza.
Hi tomcat630, Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Lou
Had spiders, Vega's, I had a 75 with a small block 262, took that out and stuck in a Small Block Chevrolet 400 with a Holley 750 Double pumper, that car was real quick.
That sounds fast!
Дякую! Цікаве авто!
Hi Сергій Шамін, Thank you for sharing you think this is an interesting car. You're welcome, Lou
1978 Oldsmobile Starfire Firenza.
The Oldsmobile Starfire produced from the Early 1960s until the Mid-1960s (1961-1966) was initially released as a full-size personal luxury car that had personal luxury features (that are now present on every car) such as Air Conditioning (A/C), Seatbelts, Power Steering, and luxury design features (Unique paint jobs, unique wheels, unique exterior design, and a luxury-designed friendly interior). The car cost around the same price as a regular luxury Oldsmobile, at just around the $4000 to $4500 range ($40,900 to $46,000 in today's cash). The car came with a 396 cubic inch (6.5 Litre) Oldsmobile V8 or a 425 Cubic Inch (6.9 Litre) Oldsmobile V8 making around 340 Horsepower to 375 Horsepower.
For the design language, the 1961 Oldsmobile Starfire shared the design with the Oldsmobile 88 and its trim levels. The front end of the 1961 model featured quad headlights, a uniquely descending grille, a split metal line that had the Oldsmobile logo back in the day, and a front bumper that had rectangular turn signals or high beam headlights. It also had two metal trims at the front in the middle which point towards the "O L D S M O B I L E" badging at the middle front. It had a secondary paint job with a metal trim in the middle of the paint job, a "Starfire" badge on both sides, and a metal trim that ends the secondary paint job. The rear fascia of the Oldsmobile Starfire had two circular taillights, four rectangular metal vents, two reverse lights located at the rear bumper, and the same "O L D S M O B I L E" badging above the rear fascia.
The 1962 would see a drastic redesign of the entire car. The front end of the car had a revised grille featuring the "Four-Corners" pattern with a bigger one in the middle, quad headlights inside the grille, reshaped/redesigned turn signals, and the same "O L D S M O B I L E" badging above the front end, and Oldsmobile's own metal trim in the middle. The rear fascia was redesigned to feature four ovular taillights with two on each side. There was also a metal trim connecting them together. The Oldsmobile badge was also removed with just the "Starfire" badge remaining.
For 1963, the front end was minorly changed except for the grille, which still had the same "four-corners" pattern of the grille that appeared on most cars. However, the secondary paint job was changed to only have the Oldsmobile "Rocket" logo, was made smaller, and bent down to hit the front bumper. The "Starfire" badge was also moved to be below the secondary paint job. The rear end of the car was redesigned for the second time, featuring square-shaped tail lights with circular tail lights above it, horizontal-vertical pattern-like vents, an emblem above it, and a new font/new location for the "Starfire" badge.
In 1964, the entire car was changed for the third time. The front end of the car was more circular-shaped, with an entirely new "four-corners" grille, a three-pointed star logo on the right headlight similar to the Mercedes-Benz logo, and repositioned amber turn signals with dents. It also featured vertical vents on the bottom sides of the car along with an indent-type of vent on both sides of the car along with a relocated "Starfire" badge. The rear fascia of the car featured rectangular tail lights with the same "four-corners" pattern from the grille enclosed in the taillights, reshaped and relocated reverse lights, and repositioned Oldsmobile / Starfire badges.
In 1965, the front end was once again redesigned to have the quad headlights enclosed while removing the turn bumpers on the bottom of the car. A hood ornament was added as well. The sides were mostly unchanged except for the placement of the badges. The "Starfire" badge was relocated to be above the side vents with the Oldsmobile "Rocket" logo next to it. The rear fascia was redesigned again to give more faith to the 1963 Oldsmobile. The tail lights were rectangular and contained another taillight inside it with the iconic Oldsmobile "Rocket" logo. There was also a metal line with vertical lines connecting it to the other taillight with the "O L D S M O B I L E" badging in the middle of the rear end. The rear bumpers contained a new set of reverse lights as well.
The second generation 1975-1980 Oldsmobile Starfire was released as the upscale luxury version of the Chevrolet Monza as a subcompact luxury car, with engine options ranging from a 2.3 Litre Inline-4 to a 5.0 Litre Chevrolet V8. It introduced two new trim options, the Starfire SX, and the Starfire GT. V8 versions of the Starfire are incredibly rare, not as successful as the Monza even it's other engines on the Oldsmobile Starfire.
Hi Matthew, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge, Lou
I have a Buick Skyhawk sitting out in front of my house right now
Nice!
This car was so rare they had them wheel flairs, how many other body's had them?
You rarely see this car today. I'll guess the Chevy Monza Spyder.
This might be my old car!!! It's identical!! IS IT FOR SALE? I used to race this beauty with the neighborhood boys. Lots of memories!!
Hi Steve, I'm not aware of this car being for sale. Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing. Hope you see many cars on this Channel you enjoy! Please Subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
This body style is very nice and with a V8. It’s too bad the HP didn’t match the sporty look.
HP would have been nice, however in 1978 there was not much HP around.
California required an emissions 350" with only 125 HP!
💕👍 schööön !
:-)
It's rarer than Ruth's Chris rib eye
:-)
So how much was the original sticker price, you looked right at it?
Don't get carried away because it's a V8. That engine had a max output of 145 horsepower. My 2013 Hyundai Elantra 1.8L 4 cylinder had more power than that.
Hmmm, I'm not sure. Hoping a Viewer wit knowledge can share.
Torture, pop the hood already! My buddies and I built a V8 Vega in 1975. 283 power glide, tons of fun.
.....wait for it :-)
👍🔥😎🔥👍
:-)
Kurt Karch, how much? Serious offer
Hi Jim, Not aware of this one being for sale, Lou
pontiac sunbird the sunfire came later
Hi NICK, Thank you for viewing and sharing your knowledge. Hope you see many more cars on this TH-cam Channel you enjoy. Please subscribe, and hit the "bell" so you can see all the cars when they are uploaded on this TH-cam Channel, Lou
Not Sunfire, Sunbird
Thank you for sharing.
I had one of these, good car, but it got stolen
Hi Michael, Happy to read you had one :-) Sorry to read the end result :-( Lou
@@loucostabile yep bought it new , stole in 82 out of the barn. 945 miles on it . odd 69 cutlass S with rally sport pak option sitting right next to it. 1 of 311 made untouched. 3 yrs later car was found painted black and of course beat to hell. ended up my neighbor stole it. kinda dumb the cutlass was the machine. guess the bench seat through them off
Lordstown Ohio finest! Not!!
:-)
I'm in Ohio and I still have my ultra rare '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari (kammback) Station Wagon, Iron Duke, A/C, 5 speed manual, posi...
Not fun to look at but I'm sure is fun to drive ....4 SPEED!!!!!!!
I think you're right :-)
It looks like a Honda CRX stretched
Thank you for sharing what you see.
LS Swap
That would bring up the HP :-)
Why doesn't the hood even remotely fit?
Hmmm, seems ok to me.
I had a Pontiac Sunbird, it was not Sunfire! The Sunfire came in the late 80's early 90's.
Hi George, Happy to read this car brings back memories of your car :-) Thank you for viewing and sharing, Lou
Yes, and I still have my ultra rare '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari (kammback) Station Wagon, Iron Duke, A/C, 5 speed manual, posi... it became a Sunbird in '78... or '79...
@@BuzzLOLOL I also still have a '75 Astre hatchback with a sb Chevy and auto trans. My Sunbird was a 1977, v6 4speed.