BRING IT ON!!!!:thumbsup:

That's awesome, Congrats, great spot! :cheers:

Perfect!! This just keeps getting better! Way to go guys!!:cheers:

Congrats! AC is good!

Sweet!! Congrats!! :thumbsup:

This project has turned into a "animal" with its own personality. I'll be calling on the power of Lateral G in the coming months. And remember financial donations are great but my shop is always open to fellow members who want to pick up a wrench or a piece of sandpaper and lend a hand. There will be some thing along the way I could for sure use help on and input.

Once again thanks from Fletchers for all the support and goodwill!! In 90 something days Ty will get the car he has always dreamed of!!

Unbelievable...
 

To think that this all started with me just wanting to give my old Firebird a facelift on a budget with upgraded brakes and nice wheels... then Chad started this build thread and the rest as they say is history! :lateral:

Awesome! What great news!:thumbsup:

Pt700r4sx!
 

Nice, beefy GM 5 pinion, hardened case planetaries, late design low sprag assembly and super duty reaction sun shell... trans also features a stronger input drum and reaction shell along with a modified reverse input drum and special performance band.

A nice pair of Billet servos, 2nd gear and 4th gear... their PT700R4SX is rated at 575 horsepower and 600 lbs. of torque in vehicles up to 3700 lbs... heavy duty reaction sun shell, 5 pinion rear planet and a host of other durability and performance modifications create the strongest 700R4 available!

9.5 inch 2800 stall lockup torque converter with anti balloon hub... the special clutch in this converter has more surface area than even thier larger 298MM converter and a special heavy duty dampener with hardened splines. The converter features Torrington bearings and a heavy duty sprag, full furnace brazing and tig reinforced fins, anti ballooning plate and hardened turbine splines. These are custom built to your specifications and fully computer balanced. A very strong and reliable converter that gives you incredible acceleration potential and still retains the converter clutch for easy, low heat highway cruising.

That is some nice stuff there Ty. Just one question though, where's the clutch?:lol: I thought all real cars had three pedals.....:rofl:

JUST KIDDING!!! I have to give you a hard time. After all that relaxing in Florida you need a good ribbing! Did you get a chance to visit Frank and the crew?
Good to have you back. Now where are the pics of the actual car all these cool parts are going on?:thumbsup:

WOW!!! NICE!!!

great progress Ty, car is looking fantastic.

Jody

Thanks Jody! Stayed tuned as there are a LOT of updates and pics coming soon!! Especially as we count down to SEMA in just a little over 10 weeks! :thumbsup:

Looks like many of the parts are at the shop now...that's a big pluss!! Can't wait to see it at SEMA!!

Parts are rolling in and the cars rolling over!! Boy do I hate 38 year old undercoat!!! Lots of pics coming tomorrow, some floor pan rust repair, shaved firewall metalwork done, and some other little goodies.

I leave you with
http://www.fletcherscustoms.com/copp...l_P7100060.JPG

It's really to see project coming together. I'm really excited for Ty.

Kudos to all the sponsors.

Ty, the idea that you serve to protect our freedom with your must valuable asset (Your Life) is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Al

Duty, Honor, Country
 

Thanks Al! I truly love what I do... I guess that's why I just re-enlisted again for the 7th time!! :thumbsup: Duty, Honor, Country :patriot:

Can't wait to see more pics of the car... never seen it on it's side before in the 25 years I've owned it! LOL :_paranoid

I just can't thank Chad and Fletcher's Customs enough!!!!!! :hail:

:lateral: has been a HUGE part of this project too!!
Thanks again to everyone involved! :bow:

V/R,
Ty

10 Weeks till SEMA:faint:

Just a little more work on the belly of the car. This undercoat is nasty, GM used some good stuff back then. Most of it is removed. Tonight I will be media blasting it. Also firewall is partially shaved, few more holes to weld up and a lot more welding on the filler pieces.
http://www.fletcherscustoms.com/copp...l_P8120001.JPG
http://www.fletcherscustoms.com/copp...l_P8120002.JPG
http://www.fletcherscustoms.com/copp...l_P8120003.JPG

finally....pictures of the good stuff :D :cheers:

yeah I know, I'm a slacker!!! lol

There will be constant daily updates from now till we leave for SEMA. ITs on!!!

Camera Gremlins
 

In Chad's defense... he's had crazy camera problems! Two that died, one lost, another damaged... and then when he finally got a good camera the download cord was lost and he had to order another... :(

What I've learned is women cannot be trusted with cameras!! $1300 DSLR canon got buried at the beach, little Sony lost in never never land, buy one of the new Olympus wateproof shock proof for the family and within two days of buying it she loses the box which contains the download cord and charger!!

You are going to be busy! Looks like a prodigy thrash.

yeah we will if any southern guys want to donate some time let me know!!!

You know I'll be down there as often as possible!! :thumbsup:

Don't know how useful/helpful I'll be though... :brix:

You guys have plenty of time...heck, I would take a few days and head to the beach for a little r&r!! :cool:

Looking good Ty! Hats off to the crew at Fletchers!:thumbsup:

Engine Update!
 

Just heard from Kevin Swaney at TIN INDIAN PERFORMANCE!

"Crank is in block with seal installed. Mains torque'd up. Rods have
bearings installed and all clearances checked. Crank endplay checked
and good. All rings cut. Need to get photographer on site to do pics
of cam install / degree. I could have the bottom end together by the
end of the week but that will not happen as I have to get pics of this
stuff. Hopefully next week.

Jeff (Kauffman @ KRE) is working on the heads and they will be done
soon. I want to have this thing on the dyno by the end of the month.
Prototype KRE North Wind Intake is machined... it is the Norwalk display we
had there. Hope to get some pics soon."

Another piece of the puzzle!
 

AFCO Racing
 

Parts are rolling in!!
 

We are plugging along. Just about have the bottom of the car done and ready for bedliner. Had some issues with both frame rails after blasting. The northern salt had taken its toll on them in a few places and thinned them out a little. With no budget left, I decided to just take a little time and fabricate new rails. New rails are 10 gauge material formed identical to the stockers, each rail is 6 separate pieces that were pieced together to form a rail that look almost identical to factory. You can also see in the pics a lot of spot welds on the rockers and so fourth shaving the not needed trim holes and misc holes that were drilled in this thing. Apparently it had been through a LOT of exhaust systems in its life time , and no body could figure how to use an existing hole. 14 holes in drivers side and 17 holes in passenger side, where the stock hangers were. You can also see were both front half pans were removed and are being replaced with Goodmark halfs...

We'll be finishing the floor and starting on suspension this week.

http://www.fletcherscustoms.com/copp...l_DSC00368.JPG
http://www.fletcherscustoms.com/copp...1/DSC00367.JPG

Little shop decoration from our sponsors at NOS/Holley

LOOKS like you boys won't be gettin much sleep in the next few weeks:_paranoid :_paranoid
no time for postin here.................. now get to work!!!:cheers:

I'm working my butt off!! My guys are still finishing another project for a customer. So I'm on the Firebird "solo"!!! The underside is done with the fab work!! Frame rails are done, front floors are in and welded and two patch panels in trunk are also done!!! Got about a hour of grinding to do, then I'll be spraying the bedliner tomorrow night if all goes well. Then off the rotisserie and back on the lift to get busy with suspension mock up.

We had a communication mistake with BMR and got a few day wait on the proper piece we need for the 10-bolt rear under it, they thought we had a
12-bolt. Which we would love but I've already come out of my pocket as we have already blown all of Ty's budget on parts. So no money for a 12 bolt rear. Should be starting final bodywork mid next week!!

Things are going pretty smooth in my opnion. Luckily theres no crazy fab work to be done. This car will be a classic "any guy" pro touring car that can be driven hard and put up wet , but still make every man in wish they had!!