68Firebird
 

I can't think of a cool name for my project so I will just post the progress and see if a name comes to mind.
I bought the car around two years ago. I made the mistake of looking at the car in sub zero temps with one flashlight.:( I was told that it was indoors in a shop. What that actually meant was that it was in the back of a pole shed with one 60 watt light bulb.
Frank, helped me come up with a project name "Project SnowBird"

Here it is on the trailer waiting to find a new home.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m.../firebird2.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m.../firebird3.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m.../firebird6.jpg

At the time this was going to be a second project so my main goal was to find all of the missing parts. The car did not come with a motor or tranny and the mouse hotel inside the car was very busy. I started with the intentions of bringing the car back to 100% stock or as close as I could.

I started with finding the correct date coded motor and 400 tranny.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC05339.jpg
The transmision was not the correct year but close enough.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06335.jpg
The car had drum brakes up front so I swapped over the front brakes off of 69 GTO.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06331.jpg

I had a little mishap with my 1977RS camaro and the insurance was not very good to me so I had to start over. Make sure your bodyshop has insurance.:mad:

So, this put me into another direction with the car. I wanted to still stay with the original drivetrain but I wanted a very good handling and braking car. So I tore everything apart and started over.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06758.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06759.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06764.jpg

First I took the front clip off.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06765.jpg
Then the sub frame had to come out.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06770.jpg
Next was the rear end. I noticed that the rear end was not in coorect and everything was lose. Later I ran the numbers on the rear and found out it was out of a 1973 Firebird. The perches were not moved and it was to wide.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06772.jpg
I then put the car up on jack stands for the removal of the whole floor.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06771.jpg

The car is from California but sat in Wisconsin with the windows cracked for a few winters. It was not very kind to the floor. How ever the rockers were very solid.
Heres what I started with.:censored: #$%@#$
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06780.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06782.jpg
I don't even want to add up the hours it took me to get here.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06786.jpg

http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06787.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06788.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06790.jpg
The floor is finally all out and the toe boards are getting a rough trial fit.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06792.jpg

Heres the complete floor getting prepped to be welded in.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06793.jpg
Installed and the welding begins.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06795.jpg

Looks good so far Rob, keep up the good work! It was a pleasure to meet up again and show you my bird this weekend, looking forward to the day when we can park them at the drive-in together! I have a fondness for '67-68 birds so I'm excited to see this one come to life locally.

:lateral:

Very nice, keep the pics coming....:thumbsup:

Nice project going there. Did you have a thread going on another site? This looks really familiar for some reason.

Yes, LOL it's on PT and NastyZ28.com. I started out on Nasty when I had my Camaro. Now that I don't have my Camaro any more I started to look around for a site that would interest me more. And I think I finally found it.:lateral:

Thanks Josh, I can't wait to get this on the road again. I'll post more progress tomorow. That's all I could fit in while printing off MSDS sheets at work.

Thanks, I have a lot more pics to load. I need to figure out how to do more than one quote at a time:question:

I knew I had seen it before. It was on NastyZ28. I am 70 splitbumper over there. I tell ya, I like this site better than ANY OTHER site out there. The CAMARO site is brand new and shaping up to be a lot like this one with the members bing so cool. You should go check it out. It is good for any and all years and styles of camaros and I imagne they would even let a 'bird owner in there too. :lol: (theCAMAROsite.com)

I read about the issue with the other car and insurance co. Major bummer. But now this one is getting the attention it needed and is much more unique.
:cheers:

This car does need a lot of attention. For the most part it has been fun. I'm ready to be done with all of the welding,grinding, and sandblasting. Time to bolt on parts real soon. I'm che77vy over on Nasty. I'll check out the new site, is that the one that Pete started?

No, Scott (the administrator here) and Jody and Charlie (both mods here too) started it just a few days ago. It is just getting off the ground but is great so far. It's good to have you over here, I really think you will like it better than the "other" sites. :_paranoid It's just a different group of guys and everyone gets along and is respectful of each other, much more than elsewhere. Plus the sheer amount of knowledge here is just amazing. And everyone is more than willing to answer questions and offer help. The camaro site is heading in the same direction.:cheers:

Here in Florida we call the norhteners that come down for winter "snow birds"

based on the amount of snow in those intro pics, and the fact you are buiding it during the winter, I think Project Snow Bird is fitting

Frank, I think you nailed it. I'll see if it will let me rename the thread.

Thanks.

Someone thought that a big hammer and tin snips were the best way to put speakers in the rear deck. A friend on mine and myself spent a few hours and cut in a new one. I didn't know that you could buy the whole panel. It was just more pratice for welding and grinding.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06803.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06817.jpg
All cleaned up and painted
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06961.jpg

I poked around on the rear quarters and figured that I could have just done the lower patches but I didn't want to spend all that time to just have something bubble up on me at a later date. I also didn't want to do full quaters. That was a little out of my price range and skill level.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06858.jpg
Heres the third hole that I have cut in my car.:lol:
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06859.jpg
Off with the inner wheel well and trunk drop off.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06860.jpg
New skin tacked in place.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06861.jpg

That wasn't so bad lets do the other side.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06868.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06869.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06871.jpg
Tacked in place.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06872.jpg

I had a good friend who offered to sandblast my subframe for me. I wasn't about to turn that down so I started stripping the frame down.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06843.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06844.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06846.jpg
Almost there.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06847.jpg
Bare frame, I drilled out the G-Mod and welded the entire frame up solid top and bottom.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06903.jpg

Again, cutting more metal off of the car. The car started life with a vinyle top which was not so nice to the tulip panel and window channels.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06904.jpg
New panel.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06906.jpg

I rolled the car outside for the first time in over a year. Time to rough in some body work and shoot some primer.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06910.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06912.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06914.jpg
Back in the garage after a days worth of sandblasting,bodywork, and primer.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06916.jpg

The dash looked to be in great condition untill I took the window out. Right under the ribbon seal was more rust:(
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06924.jpg
All cleaned up and welded in.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06972.jpg

I decided that I wanted air in this car so the custom made firewall panel had to be cut out.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06954.jpg
Cutting holes once again:D
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06955.jpg
All welded up.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06960.jpg
A little more grinding.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06963.jpg

Body work on the smoothed firewall.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06965.jpg
A little DP90 primer sealer.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06974.jpg
Scuffed down and some high build primer.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06973.jpg
Painted in DCC PPG gloss black.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06995.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06994.jpg

The car is now on the bird spinner. Time to paint the floor.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06968.jpg
I did not get a chance to get paint sprayed on the floor so I had to scuff it all down again and respray primer. Went out the following day and shot the bottom of the car in gloss black.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06985.jpg

This is pretty much where the car is at right now. The whole shell is in primer and has the body work close to just needing high build primer to finish.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06996.jpg
I have secondskin sound deadner on the floor and roof.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06986.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06987.jpg

How did you apply the second skin stuff; shutz gun? How do you like it? I was planning on epoxy priming my Firebird and going over that with Dynamat Xtreme. Would I be better off with this stuff?
Thanks:thumbsup:

This stuff is great in my opinion. I used a brush and foam roller. It's all water clean up so it's pretty easy to work with. It's amazing when you would tap the panels before appling the product it would have a tinny sound. After applying numerous coats (I was shooting for 1/16-1/8 thick) it had a thud instead. The following day it seemed to even be better. I still plan on putting down a heat barrier I'm just not sure what to go with yet.

Thanks for the info. :cheers:

Looking Good
 

Your progress is great!!:thumbsup:

Spent most of last weekend running around getting things lined up for more work on the car. I finally removed the car from the rottisserie and put it on jack stands. Returned the rottisserie (4 hour round trip) worth every mile of the trip.:yes:
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC07000.jpg
Picked up my subframe from a friends house.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06999.jpg
Started installing the control arms and sway bar.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06997.jpg
I have more to do on the lower mounting plate for the sway bar. The bar and bracket are much bigger than the stock one so I have to drill out new holes and make a threaded plate for the inside of the frame.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC06998.jpg
The brake and fuel line have to go in before the engine is bolted in. They run in between the engine brackets. I still need to bolt those on.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC07001.jpg
I tacked the lower perches in place on the 12 bolt rearend. If the pinion angle works out correct, I will weld it in place and clean it up for paint.

Just noticed I have the rear in backwards I will have to fix that.:lol:

Got some work done. Sandblasted the motor mount brackets and tranny crossmember. Bolted onto the car with new hardware.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC07002.jpg
Installed the QA1's and spindles everything is a little dirty from sitting in storage for so long.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC07003.jpg
Tackled the motor and tranny by myself. Just had to be a little more careful.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC07004.jpg
All bolted in and ready to go into the car.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC07005.jpg

Nice progress it all looks great. Nice work.

Thanks.

Had a chance to get a little more done. I used four jack stands,4 car dollies, and two jacks and wrestled this in by myself.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC07008.jpg
For a little motivation I grabbed one of my old wheels to see how it would look.
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC07009.jpg
http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/DSC07007.jpg

Wow
 

Man

you had fun wrestling all that yourself...AND IT LOOKS GREAT :thumbsup:

THE YELLOW PLUG WIRES ARE WAY TO BRIGHT IN CONTRAST TO YOUR ENGINE WHICH LOOKS GREAT ..:lol:
IM just trying to help....KEEP THE PICS COMING !!

Tom

I'm not a fan of the yellow wires either. But, it was part of a package deal. I bought a set of heads,cam,lifters,and the wires from a member on this board. I figured since they were 8.8's I would keep them for a while. When I get some extra money:lol: I will get a set of black Taylor wires.