 Luxurious seats provide the...  Luxurious seats provide the perfect vantage point to gaze over the Billet Specialties tilt column and steering wheel, along with six strategically placed Millennium VDO gauges that include a tach and speedometer. Camel leather covers all surfaces, even the custom-crafted wood dashboard and center console. A Panasonic touch-screen AM/FM/CD/DVD/MP3 player takes center stage and is the brain behind the 5,400 watts of audio power in this ride. |
 Dual Air Ride Technologies...  Dual Air Ride Technologies gauges monitor the pressure in the Shockwave system and are controlled by switches mounted in the center console. A custom billet shift handle and faceplate cover a modified Hurst Quarter-Stick shifter and performance-built 700-R4 transmission. |
 Its level of detail in the...  Its level of detail in the engine compartment is phenomenal, and beyond the chrome is a smoothed and filled firewall and strut towers. The electric pump for the Air Ride suspension and three Optima yellow-top batteries are mounted near the driver- and passenger-side front framerails, respectively. Twin 140-amp Powermaster alternators provide the juice for the engine and audio, while a polished Master Power vacuum tank is mounted behind the strut tower on the passenger side to provide extra vacuum for the power brakes. |
 The rear deck now carries...  The rear deck now carries an arsenal of Orion audio components including two 2,500-watt amps and a smaller 400-watt unit. Four 10-inch H2 subwoofers along with two each 6-1/2- and 5-1/4-inch H2 component speakers provide competition level audio in the cabin. Hidden in almost every nook and cranny is Dynamat sound insulation, while the rear compartment effectively conceals the air tank for this bagged Bird. |
Stopping power was upgraded with the addition of an '89 GTA rear disc system and master cylinder. A set of Power Slot rotors were added front and rear, as were Hawk HPS brake pads for shorter stops.
To provide the proper stance for this lowered beauty, it rolls on Giovanna billet wheels and mile-wide, super-sticky Nitto 555s.
Engine And Drivetrain
After removing the stock 2.8-liter V-6, the engine compartment received the full street rod treatment, with the firewall, fenders, and seams getting smoothed and filled. A nasty small-block 400 was punched out to 406 ci and reveals its intentions with a high-strung 12.5:1 compression ratio. It uses forged TRW pistons and Sealed Power rings, while GM Pink connecting rods swing on a reconditioned stock crank, secured by four-bolt main caps, utilizing Clevite bearings and ARP bolts.
A Melling oil pump works in concert with a Moroso 7-quart oil pan and pickup to provide the critical oiling. A set of Dart Pro aluminum heads with 208/165cc intake and exhaust runners were ported to flow 300 cfm on the intake. In the 72cc combustion chambers are Manley 2.08/1.60 valves, held in check by 1.550-inch-diameter Manley double springs. They are actuated by a lumpy Lunati solid roller cam with 304/304 degrees advertised duration and a 0.526/0.526 lift with Crower 1.5:1 roller rockers.
Barry Grant's Mighty Demon 750-cfm carburetor sits atop a Power Plus single-plane manifold and receives 104-octane nectar courtesy of 1/2-inch braided stainless lines and a Holley electric Blue fuel pump. A DUI distributor and coil send power through Taylor Spiro-Pro wires to AC No. 7 plugs. Total timing is set at 38 degrees, all in by 2,000 rpm.
Power is applied through a Drasco Auto center 700-R4 transmission that features a full B&M manual valvebody and a B&M deep transmission pan to keep the fluid temps in check. A TCI 10-inch lockup torque converter with 2,500 stall connects the crank to the input shaft, and an Empire Island 3-inch-diameter aluminum driveshaft transmits the power from the output shaft to an '89 GTA 10-bolt, packing an upgraded Eaton positraction unit and 3.73 gears.
The custom exhaust system is a work of art with gasses expelled through a set of Hooker Super Competition headers featuring 1.875-inch primaries and 3-inch collectors. They dump into a custom-built Drasco Auto Center exhaust with a 4-inch Y-pipe that feeds a single 4-inch Series 80 Flowmaster muffler. This single exhaust exits at the rear into massive, dual 4-inch tips.
Interior
Extensive customization of the Bird continues in the cockpit. After stripping the interior, Superior Interiors of Conway designed a futuristic suite that would impress any jet fighter pilot. The centerpiece of the design is the handformed wood dash and center console-over 100 hours of labor went into both. Stock front and rear seats were removed; in their place are custom front seats and the rear compartment harnesses the high-end audio components. The interior features luxurious camel leather on all surfaces and a handmade, one-piece carpet that covers the custom-formed floorboards.
Conclusion
Work on the Firebird was completed with only a few minutes to spare before its debut at the '05 S.T.A.R.S. show in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The interior wasn't quite done, so Todd Teague of Superior Interiors rented a storage facility in Destin, Florida, and sewed through the night.
After the S.T.A.R.S. Best of Show award, Ron followed up his success with the Pontiac Southern Nationals accolades. Although some may be taken aback by the over-the-top rear spoiler or the wild paint scheme, in total, the impression you are left with is how well everything flows together and the staggering attention to detail.
When Ron and his son Cory aren't showing the Pontiac, they cruise it around the Little Rock, Arkansas, area and enjoy the attention it receives. "The Bird is a wonderful way to relieve stress," Ron says. "Just floating into the luxurious cabin, cranking the stereo, and seeing if I can make the high-strung motor overpower the 5,400 watts of audio is a thrill. By the way, nobody walks by the Firebird anymore to get to my wife's Vette. Hey, honey-how about me swooping in and collecting the trophies at the presentation ceremonies?"
Enough said. Mission Accomplished in our book.