Project F...bird - suicidal Firebird 68 vert!

[geberhard]

So now on to the heart of the beast.... I knew the Chevy 307 would not cut it, so time to thing through a heart transplant on this puppy...

LS1 located, then started gathering a load of parts for the swap...



But remember my ADD, so working again on a few more projects, work and life, and then a buddy who built a 455 for his bird was selling his built GTO 400, so temptation gave in.... and a 400 followed me home.

I also located a 400 original hood in good shape, and in it went

So going back to the name of the project...suicidal... I had the bird back on enclosed storage, and postedan add on craigslist sellingthe current engine with everything very cheap. The engine was driving like a dream, so could find a new home with a new owner, plus was possible to have the buyer test drive the engine and check it out before I pulled it, what was great for him as well (I later found out that the engine was going on a Firebird he is building for his daughter who requested teh engine to be painted pink..more on this later).

I took my other bird in storage and left the vert outside as I went to work planing to pick her up at night. As I get to the storage place, teh manager mentions that she saw some individuals checking out the car (was parked outside on the street) and as she approached them they took off.... I was hping for teh worse (i.e. soft top ripped, parts missing etc, but got there and the bird was as I left, ugly as ever

I started her up, and started driving home... As I am coming home.. a thud thud sound starts and the engine dies... Duh! Feed me Feed me, I forgot that I had syphoned most of the gas out and left the gas container a the storage...smart... Call AAA, but the 2 hour window does not appeal so I wak to the gas station and get a rip off $20 gas container, and some gas and walk back to the car....good sign still there...



Pop some gas in, some on the carb and she starts up, as I close the hood I see lights behind the car and a cool CHP to the rescue asking if all is good talks a bit cars (he has a Camaro), asks if I need help or a push, etc I am good, he takes off I take off to the gas station, and see him over there. As I start driving that thud thud noise is still there (I was originally thinking fuel pump or something similar). I pull over pop the hood, check the tires all seem in good shape, and drive to the station. I should have stayed right there the run out of gas was the bird telling me something

As I am pulling over the CHP waves a hi, I wave back, then suddenly a louder thud thud, the car lifts the front in the air as if I drove over a manhole lid, and drops...the front wheel keeps going, rest of the car...not so much





SO whoever was at the storage place had plans to either steal my wheel(s) or at the last the lug nuts... Aside from a broken wheel stud, damaged fender and dirty underwear with a bruised ego, all else was good. We popped the car up, wheel back on and then for safety towed the car home. Things could have been much worse, so I am glad things happened as they happened. Lock nuts already bought and will locktite my nuts going forward...ok that did not come out well...


Ride of shame:

[geberhard]

I know this is getting long

On to some good stuff: Bird in the garage, future engine (still needs love)...working on a car at 3:30ish AM to yank an engine is perfectly acceptable:



unsuspecting 307:



F...bird!



and out she goes!

[geberhard]

So just got this picture on my phone today and was like Whatttttt??!! Then I remembered that the buyer was going to put the engine on his daughter's bird...

The color choice is debatable, but I gotta give him props, he actually did an excellent job on the 307 pimping it up...





I will keep the engine pic away from my wife before she gets any ideas, but will post up a pic of it on his daughter's car once he shoots it my way

[70rs]

What an adventure man! Too funny! (how you describe everything, not that you had to go through it all)
I'm glad the wheel incident was not worse. Cool car.

How about pics of the other birds?

[geberhard]

Eric, thanks! Yep, I gotta get off my butt, I just put one for sale to help fund the vert. The other one is a 67 400:



back from paint-jail 68 bird (in progress, lots to do

[Z06vette]

great story. I picked up a 68 firebird vert last year. Similar to you, its has an LS1 going in it and the plans call for my girlfriend to drive it so we can take both cars (my camaro) to local events and road trips- power tour, crusin the coast, etc. I am gathering parts all the time, and I sold the 400/400 to a friend with 69 firebird that needed a motor. Can't wait to see your progress. I thought of starting a build thread for mine, we'll see. Subscribing to yours..
Scott

[geberhard]

Scott, thanks yep, plans are still under...welll..planning stages

I will keep this updated