OLDFLM's (Ty) 71 Firebird comes to Fletcher's Customs!! Giving back for my Freedom!!

[70rs]

Kind of like an early christmas huh? Nice!!

[fletcherscustoms]

It's been a crazy week. Bodywork is done!!!!!! We are playing the waiting game right now. Waiting on the few parts to come in from Anvil and then full assembly of car with glass and trim. Make sure everything is perfect and then in color the weekend of October 2nd! WE will be building exhaust, nut and bolting the car, and remainder of the wiring and plumbing this week. Then tear down for the big spray weekend shortly.

I know where the "light at the end of tunnel" saying comes from now. As I can finally start to see a glimpse!!!
A few snags this week, but nothing that scares me. All interior panels are at the interior shop being covered this next week also. SO after paint, it's together and hopefully a few days of street terror before SEMA!!!!

I can't think my team enough!! Jerry, Josh and Wayne have been knocking things out this last week!

[GregWeld]

Ty ---

LOL

It's like a Rolex for your car!!!

Love it!!

[DOOM]

Chad check your PM box!!!

[OLDFLM]

I know it's early for a Saturday... 0600 EST here... but I get to go see the car for the first time in nearly a year today!!

[awr68]

Originally Posted by OLDFLM

I know it's early for a Saturday... 0600 EST here... but I get to go see the car for the first time in nearly a year today!!

That is more than AWESOME, Ty!! I am so excited for you...enjoy and take lots of pics!!

Chad, you are a gem!!
How did the week go? Get all the Anvil parts and get the final mock up done? This is the big weekend for color isn't it?

Keep on keeping on guys....you're gettin her done!!

[waynieZ]

Sweet You'll be wound up tighter than a spring after you see it from being so excited. Like Toyota says Oh What A Feeling! Have a great time.

[fletcherscustoms]

We didn't make it to paint this weekend!!! We had front fender issues!! Ty's originals were trashed and had a ton of mud and dent and dings in them. So we searched the country over and found a set of "scuff and shoot" as the guy described 71 fenders with the vents like Ty's originals. Well after 10 days they finally showed Tuesday of this week. Off to the media blaster they go!! That when my nightmare starts. The "scuff and shoot" fenders are are trashed also. Driver has basketball size rust hole behind wheel, that had a piece of sheetmetal riveted in it with a half gallon of mud covering. The other side was almost as bad also. So some phone calls later we found a set of 72-73 without vent up in Warner Robins, one of Ty's friends had them. So I drove up and picked them up. All in all they were pretty good. Couple of small patches and pull a few dents and they were good to go. We lost 10 days waiting on them, $525 for the junkers, and then another two days secureing and fixing the new ones.

All the anvil parts are installed and lined up pretty decent. A few of them needed a little bit of work, but for prototypes straight out of the mold they are really good.

All mechanical aspects are done, lines, motor, tranny , etc. Still waiting on driveshaft this week.

Interior is pretty much done and seats will be arriving from Arizen this week.

Paint will be flying this Friday!!! Once paint is on car should go together quickly as everything else is basically done.

It was nice to have Ty down and let him witness how fun and hellacious building a car can be!! I think he was amazed that one little problem can turn into a huge 5-6 hour fix, that then requires fixing everything else behind it!!

[awr68]

Thanks for the update, Chad! As you know that's car building and used parts buying at it's best! Keep the positive attitude it's the only way to fly!!

[JohnC]

Was an aluminum block ever a consideration? Just looking for opinions...