1970 Firebird suggestions - Page 3 - Lateral-g Forums

NOT A TA · #21 05-13-2008, 11:34 PM

70 Firebird You'd probably do what I did. Since they left the cars in the garage I fired up the 67 RS SS Conv and went for a drive! LOL Lifes short so I just keep plugging along and don't get all depressed. Gonna have to sell a couple cars to fix the house and buy new stuff though since ins not gonna cover very much of the loss. Selling the 74 Camaro, 67 Nova, 88 Cutlass, Porsche, Dually, and already sold one of my enclosed trailers.

7 Thou ought to give ya a serious foundation for suspension stuff or get the body and interior looking pretty!

72 blackbird Funny you mention squaring up the chassis. I just went to a shop the other day to find out about checking mine. My car has a little of what I call the "Detroit lean" and I'd like to get the chassis checked. I replaced everything that could have caused problems over the past 15 years while building the car and it still has the same "lean". Figured I should make sure everythings square before the cage builder goes to town. Normally I do everything on my cars but this is two things I think I should have "experts" do.

72blackbird · #22 05-14-2008, 12:22 AM

John,
I read a thread on PY or PZ about checking your front subframe for squareness- one of the posters who rebuilds G2 'Birds posted a pic of an F-body subframe w/ dimensions to check. That pic should be very helpful in telling if your subframe is still good or needs to be replaced- will look for it if you need it.

Geno

NOT A TA · #23 05-16-2008, 11:16 PM

Geno,
I would think the body shop guys have access to that info but if you have it I'd like to see it myself. Maybe I can do some checking before I bring the car over and get it up on the table.

If you want to do top end blasts in your bird keep the gearing so you use the torque of the Pontiac engine instead of spinning it to the moon like the Chevys can. Over the winter I finished a new 2.41 rear for high speed stuff (Moser tapered bearing axles etc.) and will get to "high Speed" test it pretty soon on track. I've had it out on the street at highway speeds but nothing fast yet.

The next road track day I have planned is Aug 20 with The New York Motor Club http://www.newyorkmotorclub.com/index_s.html at a new track in NJ. http://www.njmotorsportspark.com/

The cars there will probably be a bit outta my league and I'll be like the little brother tagging along but I'll have fun learning the line on a new track!

72blackbird · #24 05-17-2008, 09:49 AM

John,
I will look for that specific thread and PM you with it.

I love top end- used to peg the stock 160 mph speedo all the time after I built my first 406 back in '91. My 'Bird had the stock 2.41 peg-leg back then, and would let me bury the needle (I'm guessing it wasn't accurate and I really wasn't going 160-170 mph). I had enough common sense to at least run V-rated tires, but my little voice was telling me that making top end blasts without a roll cage, saftey gear, and bigger brakes would catch up with me (and my luck not getting nailed by the CHP would eventually run out as well). So I cut down on the freeway blasts and persued 'safer' activities- street and canyon racing.

I'm really glad that there are safe legal events like the NHP- sponsored Silver State classic now- not cheap, but compared to gettting fined $2500 for going over 100mph, being charged with a felony and having your car impounded it's a deal. I'm far from being ready to run in that event but at least it's still being run.

What kind of trans are you running? The TKO 600 seems like a good choice and easier to install, but enough guys here are doing the T-56. It's said to be stronger than the TKO 600, but I wonder how much more.

Geno

TwinTurboMach1 · #25 05-17-2008, 07:17 PM

Beautiful Bird!

I saw it the other day in wallingford absolutely gorgeous!

NOT A TA · #26 05-17-2008, 10:06 PM

TwinTurboMach1 Thanks! Where were ya? You weren't the guy 'bout breaking his neck driving a dark pickup through a traffic light were ya?

I was up in Wallingford to go to H&L Performance which is in a little industrial complex right off of the Meritt Pky.

They're doing a beautifull job polishing aircraft grade aluminum parts I designed after they're made on CNC machines at JV Precision over in Seymour. As soon as the web guy finishes up the site so you guys can view the products and orders can be taken I'll announce the 1st available products here. It's killing me not to spill the beans but I gotta wait till the sites finished.

72Blackbird You were wise to listen to the little voices and slow the top speed blasts without equipment. But Safety stuff is expensive! I'd like to do the Silver State in '09. Till then I'm on a safety kick first. Then tuning for performance, then testing high speed stuff at ECTA, open track days, and wind tunnel.

I'm currently running a T 350 W/shift kit & B&M Supercooler, B&M Quicksilver. I'll be installing one of the Keisler 5 speed kits that comes with everything. I've only heard good things about the fit and ease of installation. I've been waiting to see if they come out with a 6 speed kit but I think there's trans tunnel mods required for them so they may not do a kit for them. Haven't heard any complaints about the setup for Firebirds switching from automatics W/Pontiac engines so they must be holding the torque!

72blackbird · #27 05-18-2008, 02:48 AM

John,
A built TH-350 behind a 400-hp 406 Pontiac should be fine- 450 ft.lbs. is alot of torque but not enough to grenade a strong TH-350 (at least not for a while

). I don't think I want to run more than 600-650 hp, since that seems to be enough power to run 200 mph, as well as the limit of the TKO 600. Running any more than that is useless if you cant get the power to the ground, or burn it up. I thought 18 x 12's w/ 335/30R18's were overkill, but if you think about it that size rubber should hook up well (with the right tire).

If you jump over to the Pontiac forums there are plenty of Pontiac builders who have built 600-650 hp pump gas 462/468s, alot more hp with 541 IA2- based motors. The majority of those use CNC-ported e-heads, solid roller cam, forged internals, single plane manifold and a big carb, but that's a 600 hp motor for about $10k- not bad if you compare that hp/price to BBC packages available.

Geno

TwinTurboMach1 · #28 05-18-2008, 09:25 AM

haha yea driving the Grey toyota pickup. I had to check it out, and try not to crash

My shop is acutally just around the corner so im always in that area.

70Firbird · #29 05-26-2008, 02:14 PM

In the process of blasting out my rear trunk pan. Just picked up some new tools too. I'm planning on building some sort of bracing for my rear subframes. After looking at my rear subframe for about 8 hours, I noticed taht it is pretty thin and week especially for something mounting rear suspension. I am planning an x-brace for the section of subrame angling upwards and another bar mounting the very end where the rear leaf springs end. What do you guys think?

72blackbird · #30 05-27-2008, 11:02 AM

70Firbird,
The second gen. F-body frame rails are basically stamped sheetmetal units- I've had to weld reinforcement plates where the rear sway bar drop links attach to keep the sway bar from ripping them out. They've held up fine since then.You could tie in to the frame rails from up top if you're considering a roll cage- a fuel cell frame would also act as bracing and tie the two rails together.

Geno