Jim Suva and The Suva Files Blog

Rockford Files 1977 Firebird Formula Tribute For Sale

Rockford Files 1977 Firebird Formula Tribute, For Sale

   

A friend of mine named Dean, is selling this beautiful 1977 Rockford Files Tribute Firebird. It was born a Firebird Formula, Dean purchased it in April of 2017 and restored it to an Esprit Rockford Files Tribute Model in 2018, with a new hood, trunk lid and badging. He bought the car from the original owner in Northern Minnesota, who was storing it in his parent's barn. It was originally Brentwood Brown. It had literally no rust on it making restoration very easy. 

An Appraisal was done by Ron Pittman-Certified IAAA in 2019, scored 100%. See Attachment below.

In total, Dean has $36,222 invested in the Car, but he would consider any reasonable offer.

The Tan Leather interior is original and was in beautiful condition, except a 3" separation at the beading of the driver's seat which was repaired by Rigg's Brothers Auto Interiors. Dean replaced the Doe Skin carpeting.  Need to replace A/C Fan Resistor (Have new Part). Has 2 slow oil leaks from sitting, will fix or deduct repair cost off sale price.

   

   

1977 Pontiac Firebird Formula Rockford Files Tribute

Vin# 2487P7N109026

Mileage: 86,799 miles, Purchased with 86,655 miles.

   

 

Drivetrain, Interior, Engine:

- Engine: 350 Cubic inch 4 barrel Carb

- Transmission: 3 Speed Automatic

- New Tires Coker 15" whitewall radials

- Original Buckskin Upholstery

- New Buckskin Carpeting

- New Pontiac Floor Mats

- New Weather-Stripping

- New Master Cylinder

- A/C converted to R134a

- New Brake Lines

- New Radiator/Hoses

- New Belts

- New Battery Cables

- New Front Headlight Bezels

- New front Suspension Components

- New Rear Leaf Springs & Components

- New Shocks

- New Holly 650cfm 4 barrel (have original Rochester)

- Edelbrock Performance Manifold

- New Edelbrock Air Cleaner

- New Black Edelbrock Valve Covers

- New Plugs and Plug Wires 

- New interior Door Handles Bezels

- New Map Pocket

- New Sun Visor Support Bracket (1)

- New Beige Body side Moldings

- New Chrome rain Gutters

- New "Fisher" Door Jam Sill Plates 

- New Marker Lights

- New Headlights (4)

- New Badging

- More, but would have to look at paperwork.

Paint:

- Painted Body (Door Off Restoration) 1965 "Pontiac GTO Tiger Gold" in 2018 ($11,000)

- Engine Block painted Pontiac Blue in 2018

- Painted Rear Axel- New Differential Cover

This is really a beautiful complete Rockford Files tribute Firebird. This Firebird starts and runs strong and the clock is not currently hooked up. Dean wanted to offer this Firebird to a fellow Rockford Files fan first, before he takes it to an upcoming auction.

This vehicle has been sold.

 

 

1970 - 1977 Replacement AM/FM Radio for Pontiac Firebird's.

1970 - 1977 Replacement AM/FM Radio for Pontiac Firebird's

 

I replaced my stock AM/FM radio with this MAX performance, model RFZ184 radio. It sounds so much better and it looks stock. It has 2 sets of RCA out jacks, a built in extension cable for you I-Pod or MP3 player and a built in USB extension to use a thumb drive or charge your cell phone.  Plus it has a remote control to help operate the AM/FM radio.

 

This is the stock AM?/M Radio.

Here are 2 pictures of the replacement AM/FM radio.

 

1974 Firebird Esprit For Sale on ebay

Over the years people have asked me if I know of any Firebird's for sale, to make into Rockford Firebird's.  Well a friend of mine has this 1974 Firebird Esprit 400 on ebay.  I have not seen it in person, but you should check it out.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304133493934?_trksid=p2471758.m4704

 

 

 

  

  

The original Rockford Files Firebird was an 1974 Esprit with a 400 engine. The only real difference between this car and the on from the series is the black interior.

 

 

Steven Phillips Interviews Jim Suva

On Friday April 30,2021 I was interviewed live on the radio, by Steven Phillips.  Steven is a big Rockford Files Fan.  Here is the link to the interview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdFPe-i1J_U

I hope you enjoy it.

 

Jim Suva

Rockford files Firebird in Hemmings Classic Cars

My friend Bill Nawrot and I have stories about our Pontiacs in the February issue of Hemmings Classic Car magazine.





Here is the link to the article: https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/pontiac-people/amp?fbclid=IwAR3J-FkzTi4FnmmeYDNwnZ1ewdHCyOFAodzdDqfyJskE1Tc4_v2kcYbUP6g

45 Years of The Rockford Files

45 Years of The Rockford Files

Written by Jim Suva

Black Pawn Press recently released Ed Robertson’s new book, 45 Years of The Rockford Files. This is the 3rd edition of his Rockford Files book. I have always said that the previous edition, 30 Years of The Rockford Files, is my bible on the show. This new book gave me the opportunity to talk with Ed to find out how he started out as a writer and host of his radio show, TV Confidential.

According to Ed’s mom, he learned how to read and write when he was five years old by devouring TV Guide cover to cover. He would make up his own shows and then make up loglines. (A logline is a sentence-long summary or description of a movie/TV show.) In school Ed became an English major; many of his teachers recognized his talent and encouraged him to write. Within a few years after graduation, Ed published his first work.

In 1993, Ed published his first book, The Fugitive Recaptured, a behind-the-scenes history of The Fugitive, the classic TV series starring David Janssen. The success of that book led to the publication of Ed’s two books on the career of James Garner, Maverick: Legend of the West (originally released in 1994) and This is Jim Rockford: The Rockford Files (first released in 1995, for the 20^th anniversary of the show). In 2005, Ed updated his Rockford book as a second edition, called Thirty Years of The Rockford Files, and again as a third edition in 2020, under the title 45 Years of The Rockford Files. Both 45 Years of The Rockford Files and the revised third edition of Maverick: Legend of the West are available through Black Pawn Press.

 

Ed Robertson is also host of TV Confidential, a radio show about television featuring interviews with the stars, writers, and producers of some of America’s most popular TV shows, including many of the shows that originally aired when we were growing up. Ed did a two-hour tribute to James Garner in 2014, while his previous guests have included Rockford writer/producer Juanita Bartlett plus many actors who appeared as guest stars on The Rockford Files. Here is a link: https://www.televisionconfidential.com/.

Ed not only admired James Garner, he actually met and talked with him. Ed shares some of his remembrances of Jim for the first time in 45 Years of The Rockford Files, including the thrill he felt watching Jim work one day during a visit to the set of First Monday. The revised third edition also includes about 60 pages of never before published information about Rockford, including a production memo from Stephen J. Cannell and Roy Huggins from 1975 that really sets the stage for the infamous “Glen Larson incident.” There’s also 20 new interviews, 6 new appendices, some new photographs, and a beautifully written foreword by Gigi Garner, James Garner’s daughter. The 3rd edition still has the wonderful drawings by Darin James Bristow, plus more information on the 1990s Rockford movies.

The reason Ed updated this book was to include more information about Rockford and to pay tribute to those who have passed away in recent years, such as James Garner, Stephen J. Cannell, Jack Garner, Luis Delgado, Roy Huggins, and Adele Mara, just to name a few.

James Garner passed away on July 19^th 2014, and per his request, he had no memorial service. His daughter Gigi started the James Garner Animal Rescue Fund in his honor. It is a 501c3 charity with its donations going to help animals all around the world. Twenty-five percent of proceeds from the sale of 45 Years of The Rockford Files will be going to JGARF. For more information about this charity go to www.jgarf.org.

As a bonus, if you purchase 45 Years of The Rockford Files directly from Black Pawn Press, you will receive an MP3 recording of a conversation between Ed and Roy Huggins from February 1995. On this recording, Roy not only reads his original 26-page first-draft story “The Rockford Files” (which he later developed into the script for the Rockford pilot), but provides a running commentary about certain aspects of his original story that were later developed for the Rockford series. To order directly from Black Pawn Press, go to Rockford45.com.

Photo below from the collection of Ed Robertson.Ed with Roy Huggins.

If you would like an autographed edition of 45 Years of The Rockford Files, you can order that directly from Ed himself at https://edrobertson.com/rockford-45. (Ed told me that if you order the book directly from him, you will receive the bonus recording as well as a signed copy.)

In my opinion, this is a “must-have” book for any Rockford Files fan. I consider it the most detailed and best book available on The Rockford Files. Also, it is a nice way to honor James Garner by helping support the James Garner Animal Rescue Fund.

For more information about the award-winning author, go to https://edrobertson.com/

I would like to personally thank Ed Robertson for all the time and energy that he has put into all his books. He is keeping some truly wonderful TV shows alive for years to come.

James Garner's Personnal Rockford Files Firebird on Jay Leno's Garage

From the Pontiac-Oakland International Car Club magazine, the Smoke Signals.  Here is the story about James Garner's Rockford Files Firebird on Jay Leno's Garage.  Guest and Rockford fan Mike Rowe takes Jim's Firebird out for a ride in Malibu. Click on thumbnails below to see larger version.

I even got a credit on the show.

I really like the picture of the Firebird at the Paradise Cove Pier.

Special thank you to the current owner of this Rockford Firebird as well Steve Reich, Jay Leno and the Crew of Jay Leno's Garage.

Rockford Files Firebird on Jay Leno's Garage

Be sure to check out next week’s episode of Jay Leno’s Garage! Mike Rowe and Jay take James Garner’s Rockford Files Firebird out for a spin! Wednesday July 8th on CNBC, 10 pm Eastern.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2020/07/02/former-dirty-jobs-host-mike-rowe-and-jay-leno-admire-the-1978-pontiac-firebird.html?fbclid=IwAR2yX9wNUwoYwgr339su8H1ewLO0Zj4RtK0_TrZYgouEjs-rr4X7OoWH868

1977 Pontiac Firebird Tribute to Rockford Files

 

 

Terminator 3 Hearse

The Terminator 3 Hearse

Reported by Jim Suva

One of the most memorably roles for Arnold Schwarzenegger is that of the Terminator. He has starred in the first three Terminator movies as well as the latest Terminator: Dark Fate. This is a story about the Cadillac Hearse used in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, which was released by Warner Brothers in 2003. The Hearse was featured in a big action chase scene, filmed in Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California.

Terminator Hearse comes to Volo

One of the longest standing movie car displays at the Volo Auto Museum is the Terminator 3 Hearse. At the time the movie came out, Brian Grams, Director of the Volo Auto Museum was buying a lot of cars from Cinema Vehicle Services. Cinema Vehicle Services is the largest supplier of TV/Movie vehicles in the Los Angeles area. An early 1980’s hearse used in the action-packed graveyard chase scene of Terminator 3 was one of the cars offered in a package deal. At that time Volo was very involved with buying and selling movie cars. At the same time Arnold Schwarzenegger was governor of California and his last film was Terminator 3. The Volo Museum needed to keep this one for their collection.

Investigating the Terminator Hearse

According to Brian, it was a cool car with a lot of “behind the scenes”, “how was it done” items left in the car. Such as a washer bottle filled with a smoke fluid with lines running into the exhaust instead of the wipers, which would allow smoke to bellow out of the exhaust pipes. This gave the illusion of a car in trouble. The hearse also had several bullet holes, many of which were rigged to explode, but were never detonated, showing how they gave the car the illusion of being shot up. Holes were strategically placed and punched into the car, then filled with a plastic explosive and painted over for a seemingly smooth finish. Behind the sheet metal was an interstate of wires leading to each explosive. The explosives were detonated on command giving the illusion of being shot up. Volo built a life-sized Arnold Schwarzenegger replica, shown carrying a coffin to enhance the display and depicting the scene. The museum had a customer approach them, wishing to buy the car. They were only willing to sell if it could be replaced. Volo had reached out to CVS who had an additional hearse they were willing to part with, and described it as being a nicer car than their current one. Volo made the deal selling their hearse and replacing it with the new and improved one.

Volo Museum gets a surprise

After a long journey from California the enclosed semi from CVS arrived, the door began to lower and Brian’s stomach dropped. The hearse was not better than the one they had just sold, in fact it was incredibly worse! The roof was smashed in, the glass was broken, there were holes cut into it, the vinyl top was destroyed. It was missing hubcaps, just a mess of a car. In the movie the evil Terminator, played by Kristanna Loken, is chasing the hearse, jumps on and crushes the roof and sawed into it trying to get in. It was screen used, but not the car they wanted for display. Brian called CVS upset after receiving such a misrepresented car. They apologized and quickly discovered their mistake of giving the transporter the wrong car! That was an immediate relief for Brian! Because the car was in rough shape and the cost to transport a car from California is so expensive, they allowed Volo to keep the car for the cost of transportation. That way, CVS would not have to pay to have the car sent back. Volo sold the collapsed car and CVS sent Volo the correct hearse.

The Volo Terminator 3 Hearse

The 1981 Terminator 3 Cadillac Hearse is still on display at the museum after approximately 20 years. This car is nicer than the original one they had purchased. It has a 368 V8 engine with a 140 horsepower. That must be enough power to get anyone to their finally rest place! But it was not very fast. It was also equipped with the bullet holes and explosives, but it also had a hand brake installed to lock up the rear wheels for power slides. Inside the hearse Volo also found two cardboard sheets of paper with the car hand drawn with a layout of the bullet holes, each numbered. Brian assumes this is for the firing sequence, a bullet hole build sheet so to speak.

The Volo Museum Terminator Hearse display is one of their best. It is a must see at their museum.

                                    www.volocars.com