Lateral-g Forums - Project Haircut

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Lateral-g Forums (https://www.lateral-g.net/forums/index.php)

- Project Updates (https://www.lateral-g.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=16)

- - Project Haircut - Third Gen (https://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php?t=56753)

RT_66_Pro_Touring

01-25-2020 06:29 PM

RT_66_Pro_Touring

01-25-2020 06:38 PM

A few pics from the paint shop:

https://i.postimg.cc/9z7sqfVk/20200112-101550.jpg
Last weekend I went to the shop for primer inspection. Not many shops will let you go over the primered car with marking tape

https://i.postimg.cc/nsrPVF00/20200119-181457.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/PNTFNQ3C/20200119-181424.jpg
A couple of pics after color and clear. I hesitate to show these since it hasn't been cut and buffed.

Gmachine1911

01-26-2020 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RT_66_Pro_Touring (Post 700128)

Looks great, love that color blue on a Third Gen! Keep the updates and pics coming!

RT_66_Pro_Touring

01-26-2020 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gmachine1911 (Post 700138)

Looks great, love that color blue on a Third Gen! Keep the updates and pics coming!

Thanks!

Another pic from the paint shop today.

https://i.postimg.cc/GH57gFqp/20200126-144638.jpg
You can't see it in the pics, but they masked off spots for the subframe connectors to weld in once the chassis has weight on it.

Some bad news from today: when bolting on the k-member to get the car off the rotisserie, they found 5 of 6 bolts lined up and the 6th didn't. He hadn't thought of 4-cornering the k-member and the subframe horns. I had him check and it turns out the subframe is either tweaked 1/8", which I doubt because there absolutely no signs of any previous repairs OR 90's GM quality. I bet it's the latter. :( The stock k-member bolted up fine. Two of the stock bolts were ~110mm, two were ~90mm. Lots of play there. The aftermarket k-member bolts flush to the frame with 6 - 30mm long bolts.

So now the has to go to a frame shop post-paint. :_paranoid

My hope is that with the tweak being only 1/8", subframe connectors, a front steering brace, a solid k-member flange on both sides and the strut tower brace that this won't be a big deal in terms of chassis flex.

Any opinions on this?

garage_engineer

01-26-2020 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RT_66_Pro_Touring (Post 700025)

In the case of a Camaro, the difference between a Camaro steel impact bar and the Firebird aluminum bar modified to work on a Camaro is just over 8 lbs. Not huge, but it's on the extreme end of the car and polar moment is as important as unsprung weight. Also, I only paid a Jackson for it and the challenge of making it fit the Camaro bumper cover was entertaining, although probably not the best use of an entire evening.

I mounted the Camaro support bar and egg crate plastics and used a plumb bob and tape measure to mark the location of multiple points:
https://i.postimg.cc/0MN1djnx/20160426-111404.jpg

Then I mounted the Firebird bar with the Camaro plastics and cut to fit:
https://i.postimg.cc/3ytxHPb8/20160429-151315.jpg

It fit great!

Interesting... where did you get the Aluminum one? Are they hard to find or did all Firebirds come with them? Never heard of this before but definitely a great place to lose 8lbs.

RT_66_Pro_Touring

01-26-2020 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garage_engineer (Post 700158)

Interesting... where did you get the Aluminum one? Are they hard to find or did all Firebirds come with them? Never heard of this before but definitely a great place to lose 8lbs.

I pulled it out of junk yard. Honestly, I'm not sure if I got lucky or if they are plentiful.

WSSix

01-31-2020 03:13 PM

Great color choice! I'm sorry to hear about the frame being tweaked. I hope it's easily fixed.

RT_66_Pro_Touring

02-03-2020 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RT_66_Pro_Touring (Post 700157)

Some bad news from today: when bolting on the k-member to get the car off the rotisserie, they found 5 of 6 bolts lined up and the 6th didn't. He hadn't thought of 4-cornering the k-member and the subframe horns. I had him check and it turns out the subframe is either tweaked 1/8", which I doubt because there absolutely no signs of any previous repairs OR 90's GM quality.

I determined yesterday that the issue is definitely just manufacturer quality. The locating pins fit perfect, also when properly 4-cornered the measurement is less than 1/16" off. It's the center DS bolt that isn't quite lining up, but not by much. These are captured nuts and there's some play in the adjustment, the locating pins being straight is the critical issue.

Still working on cutting and buffing, so no complete car pics yet.
https://i.postimg.cc/WtDJvwyn/20200202-153034.jpg
Those 15" mags are looking sweet! j/k

Here's a pic of the k-member installed, with 5 bolts lol
https://i.postimg.cc/1fdSZDLp/20200202-152730.jpg

UPS delivered these today:ups:
https://i.postimg.cc/jnjppjcg/20200203-175708.jpg
Pretty!!

rixtrix1

02-06-2020 04:52 PM

Any particular reason why you had it painted before building it, or will it be primarily just bolt on stuff? Scary having to straighten a unibody, weld on it, etc with all that pretty paint on it. I did it once with a customer's '67 Nova with subframe connectors, mini tubs and a frame tweak of 3/8". Luckily none of the body panels moved from pulling the frame. You shouldn't have any problem making the CAM-T minimum weight with your setup.

RT_66_Pro_Touring

02-07-2020 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rixtrix1 (Post 700425)

It's primarily bolt on. I should have bolted the aftermarket k-member on before paint though. Luckily, as it turns out, we won't have to straighten it.

As for the subframe connectors, with a unibody, you need all of the weight on the car plus ballast in the driver's seat before welding up the subframe connectors.

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