wow...looks like the home stretch!! I would love to see your and Tony's cars out at Puyallup Goodguys this summer

Todd, prior to I was not measuring at ride height, boner move:rolleyes: After installing my new crossmember and setting the car at ride height, I'm just under 2* working angle:thumbsup: I honestly believe I'll have it ready before spring gets here.

18/19's, thanks

fingers are crossed. thanks chris

Great news Lenie, Forgeline makes some sweet wheels. I'm glad your getten r done!

How anal does a guy have to be that he keeps a lawnmower on a shelf?!?!

:unibrow: :willy: :D

Looks great Lenie!

Great update. Keep up the great work.

Thanks Wayne, like I said, I've got a good motivated helper now.

Thanks, appreciate it

imagine that, who uses shelves and hangs things in their garages to clear space:lol: Thanks Greg, it's going together but it's been a pita. I'm learning quite a bit w/this being my first full build. Biggest lesson is sequence and pre assembly:censored:

Looking real good! Must feel great being in the home stretch! Been along time coming! BTW - Nice meeting you at SEMA!

Lenie,

The car looks great and I am very happy for you.

My only problem is how you have this car up on boards and a Floor Jack in the rear.. I am hoping it's only temporary and you don't actually get under the car. Accidents happen quickly and this is one that is waiting to happen.

Please tell me you own Jack Stands if not give your address and I will send you some.

Ps - I've already lost one friends because he thought he was safe under his car. Unfortunately for him he was not and his wife had to find him crushed under his car. He is now gone and she has to live with that memory for the rest of his life.

Hi Marty, thanks for your concern as getting under vehicles w/o being properly supported is something I constantly preach to my son. The picture is a little deceiving as we are just testing the stoke of the shockwaves. Other than the cribbing you see under each wheel, there are four jack stands and two jacks w/numerous jack stand available in the garage, thanks again as safety first is a priority.:thumbsup:

Thanks Brent, you know the way cars go, anything can happen so until I fire up the car for the first time and step on the pedal, I'm trying to stay grounded. Right now we're mocking up headers trying to get the best fit possible for ground clearance. Going 1 7/8'' tubes to a 3" collector. Had a set of Dougs Headers (D568) which actually fit really well EXCEPT one of the forward drivers side tubes interferred w/steering linkage. Was going to cut and re-route the tube, then have them re-coated. Decided to go a different route. Really wanted to have Tim of Bruning do them but sounded like he was really busy, also seriously tried to set up a way to have a forum member (Big-head) do them as his header/exhaust work speaks for itself, absolutely beautiful welds/work:hail: but had no way to get the car to him and back, definetly would have went that route if I owned an enclosed trailer. Ended up going this route http://www.stainlessheaders.com/customheaders and keeping my fingers crossed.
Thanks again and it was good meeting you also at SEMA. Hopefully see you all there again next year!

Car is looking great. Can't wait to see it finished. The blacked out look is really working well on this car.:hail:

Car is looking good Lenie. What Forgeline did you end up going with??

Lenie, your car has really inspired me to keep working on my '68 Firebird. What did the bumper fitment entail? I see you welded up the lower bumper mount holes. Did you weld studs to the inside for mounting?

Nuts:D

Moving forward
The rendering
Car is getting currently getting wired and headers built then installed w/exhaust.
http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/3898/foulr.jpg
Forgelines via PTS
http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/2236/wheels018.jpg
Powder coating
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2313/wheels011.jpg
Working on valve cover tops
http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/1580/wheels012.jpg
Airpod via PTS
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/5648/wheels014.jpg
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/6393/wheels015.jpg
Front seats
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/4316/wheels020.jpg
Misc trim painted, JL subs and amps, Hertz mille component speakers, Pioneer DEX-P99RS head unit.
http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/9000/wheels021.jpg

I can't wait to see this one done. Love all the black!

By far the coolest first gen bird ever! Those wheels are amazing looking!
What seats are those?

Took the words right out of my mouth. :hail: About the seats too!

The wheel combo is AWSOME!!! Hurry up!!:willy:Lookin good Lenie!!!

Great update Lenie! Glad to see the parts pile filling up...:thumbsup:

Nice update! You are well on your way now!! Love the wheels, seats, everything!!

Thanks John, liked the way your wheels turned out which helped me make the decision. Your project is looking great.

Really appreciate the comments, I like the wheels to. Seats are out of a Fiero, my wifes dad is a retired upholsterer. We cut the head rest off, designed them and off he went.

Thanks Wayne.

Thanks Mario, just trying to get done before you:unibrow:

Thanks Ron, although it took 5 years off my life I'm getting it done.:rolleyes:

Thanks Tony, good to see your back on yours:thumbsup:

Wow Lenie, the parts look awesome. But those wheels are just :wow:

Very, very nice. That is going to be one mean bird!

Very Nice :thumbsup:

I don't believe post #1
 

This bird is awesome. First PT build how am I supposed to believe that?

Lenie,

I just want to take a second to step back and take my hat off to you again. The car is turning out amazingly, but what I respect more is that you are sticking to your plan and executing to the plan without waiver. I find myself having a hard time doing that just because I want to get the car out on the road and moving.

You're sticking to your guns and building your car exactly how you envisioned it. Great job man...loving the build! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Dave

Thanks Dave, appreciate it.

[QUOTE=Lenie;400271]Moving forward

Forgelines via PTS
http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/2236/wheels018.jpg

I've now had the wheels to two different shops and they can't get the Michelin sports 345/30/19's on the wheels, keep in mind, the last shop puts tires on custom 3 piece wheels quite often for one of our car builders on this site. They now want to ship them to one of their other shops to use a different machine and tell me it won't be a problem. I watched 3 men and a mule standing on them yesterday trying to get the tire on w/no success and man was my stomach in knots.... still is. Anyone else run into this problem before? Forgeline said add more lube but they added a ton of lube and even heated the tires.....anyone. Man...I had no idea:willy: :_paranoid

Lenie,
That is VERY strange, I had a similar issue with my last set of Forgelines too. The 20x11.5 ZX3P's running a Pirelli 345/25R20 took the guys at Discount Tire in East Bremerton about 45 minutes to get on. I thought is was just because the tire was a 25 series, but maybe it was something else? My stomach was also in knots the entire time!

[QUOTE=Lenie;401225]how were they trying to mount it? Reverse mount? They should use euro paste. Thats what i use at my shop

[QUOTE=randy;403363]I don't know what they're using but they weren't able to get them on so they took them to a different shop in Renton so they could use a different machine. It's been over a week now and I haven't seen them. Yes, reverse mount and yes my stomach's in knots as the way things have been going lately, I know the wheels will not be returned in the same shape as they were delivered.:_paranoid

Well I met with the tire shop yesterday. Not only could they not get the 345's on the rear wheels but they did quite a bit of damage to both the black hoops finish and the polished spoke finishes. They were really easy to deal w/as they volunteered to ship the wheels and the michelin sports back to Forgeline for installation and to pay for Forgeline to re finish the wheels. Steve and Mark have been really good to deal w/through all this also and now are expecting delivery of the wheels to repair the damages. Now I just have to sit and wait again.

My stomach turned over when you said they damaged them. Atleast they're going to make it right. Still sorry to hear it though. Stay strong bud!

Did the mount them from the back side ?

It looks like you have a soft lip rim. Which has to be mounted from the back side only. And you can only take them off from the back side.

My stomach to Wayne, worried the whole day before I met up to talk w/them. Now it's only time again.