Fast 'N Loud lied about 2 Firebird prototypes

Finally some reality to the reality shows. From Hot Rod Magazine:

What would you call the stories Fast ‘n Loud made up about those two “Barn Find” Firebirds? Fibs? Lies? BS? Or Something Else?

HOT ROD likes to take people at their word. Last week we posted a story about Fast 'N Loud finding the first two Firebird prototypes in a barn. See it HERE. The hot rod community is like a tribe, and you don’t jive your brother, right? So we are more than a little peeved that the hype the cable show Fast ‘N Loud fed everyone about the two “barn find” #1 and #2 ’67 Firebirds was not, shall we say, correct information. The problem comes from the show identifying things related to the two cars that could have only come from them, once you get the whole enchilada. So here’s what we really know about the two Firebirds:

1) The two cars weren't 'found in a barn' as the shows producers state, they have been stored.

2) They weren't prototypes or pilot cars, they were just the first two cars down the line, unlike what the producers state.

3) They weren't built in order to decide whether Pontiac wanted to build the Firebird, as the producers state. They are production line cars.

4) They aren't "worth" $325K as the producers state, they sold for $30K a couple years ago, that's probably close to their current value.

5) They're basic, bread and butter Birds, nothing unique about them except their VIN. No rare one-off parts, no super-rare Ram Air stuff, no hard to find trans or rear axle. Just a ’67 Firebird ragtop and hardtop, and a very expensive VIN and trim tag.

6) They were sold as a pair for $30K a couple years ago on E-Bay. The new owner was contacted by Fast N' Loud, and they decided to publicize the cars around their rather sensationalist blatherings.

If anyone from the show would like to contact HOT ROD to correct us or otherwise set the record straight, we will be more than happy to communicate your responses. As for now, it would seem that the show has lost what little cred they may have had up to this time, sorry to say. At least from HOT ROD’s perspective, we are disappointed that one of the public faces for the rewards of modifying cars would stoop this low just to hype a build that done legit would have been an honest portrayal of the joy and pride we all take in building our cars.


http://www.hotrod.com/news/did_fast_n_loud_make_this_up/