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

[geberhard]

All right, "bird flu" aside everyone has been inspiring me lately on their projects with birds coming out of their cages to play as the weather is getting warmer

I have been working on Lolla and made some progress recently, basically full front, sub frame etc. all removed and getting prepared to put the new setup in.

Sleep has become overrated and any time I can squeeze in on the project when I am not at work or around the kiddos and wife (she has been very supportive - meaning clean up that messy garage or I am calling 1800-got junk...seriously . With support and motivation like that I got to get things done, no excuses

Last week I removed and stripped the sub-frame, painting some stuff, and a lot of other stuff started happening in parallel


Some pics form latteeee last night (sleep is overrated anyways):

stripped and took the rest of front clip apart, harness inner fender, etc removing the old undercarriage stuff was just nasty, and am thankful there are no rust spots underneath the stuff. I was pretty amazed but whoever did the undercoating did an incredible job, the paint was looking pretty fresh underneath all that stuff.

Before:





compressing the springs had me sweating bullets:


After:




Mocking up the front tire riding height.



So quick specs on what will be going in the car:

-upgraded subframe - modified sub, re-welded factory welds, strengthened, powdercoated and then painted
-Ridetech air-ride front and rear - I am building a custom setup with a wireless controller so wish me luck lol
-GW control arms and other goodies
-Body mounts, am debating solid or poly, have both but likely solid on this car.
-LS1, manual 6 speed. Appreciate everyone's input here, need top figure out color scheme for the engine, leaning towards the Pontiac metallic blue or gunmetal, etc, let me know your thoughts, engine bay is black and pearl white so pearl blue\Pontiac metallic blue may be semi pimpalicious??
-18" whels 275 rears non tubed
-4th gen Pntiac\Camaro\Vette brakes,
and the list goes on and on

Gui

[Richio1]

Looking good G!

Glad to see you are back on it. I know the family can make it hard to find the time.

You're getting there.

I like the pimpalicious

[captainofiron]

Originally Posted by geberhard

All right, "bird flu" aside everyone has been inspiring me lately on their projects with birds coming out of their cages to play as the weather is getting warmer

I have been working on Lolla and made some progress recently, basically full front, sub frame etc. all removed and getting prepared to put the new setup in.

Sleep has become overrated and any time I can squeeze in on the project when I am not at work or around the kiddos and wife (she has been very supportive - meaning clean up that messy garage or I am calling 1800-got junk...seriously . With support and motivation like that I got to get things done, no excuses

Last week I removed and stripped the sub-frame, painting some stuff, and a lot of other stuff started happening in parallel


Some pics form latteeee last night (sleep is overrated anyways):

stripped and took the rest of front clip apart, harness inner fender, etc removing the old undercarriage stuff was just nasty, and am thankful there are no rust spots underneath the stuff. I was pretty amazed but whoever did the undercoating did an incredible job, the paint was looking pretty fresh underneath all that stuff.

Before:

After:

Mocking up the front tire riding height.

So quick specs on what will be going in the car:

-upgraded subframe - modified sub, re-welded factory welds, strengthened, powdercoated and then painted
-Ridetech air-ride front and rear - I am building a custom setup with a wireless controller so wish me luck lol
-GW control arms and other goodies
-Body mounts, am debating solid or poly, have both but likely solid on this car.
-LS1, manual 6 speed. Appreciate everyone's input here, need top figure out color scheme for the engine, leaning towards the Pontiac metallic blue or gunmetal, etc, let me know your thoughts, engine bay is black and pearl white so pearl blue\Pontiac metallic blue may be semi pimpalicious??
-18" whels 275 rears non tubed
-4th gen Pntiac\Camaro\Vette brakes,
and the list goes on and on

Gui

Looking pretty good man.

There was a green 2nd gen Trans Am built by Detroit speed that had an LSx transplant and they modified it to look like a Pontiac engine, looked really sharp, thats what I would do if I was you.

found some pictures:



http://www.detroitspeed.com/projects...en-73-pg1.html

[geberhard]

Jeff pimpalicious it is lol

Captain thanks, great shot and I dig it!! Very clean! I will experiment with teh engine and colors tomorrow, thanks again!

Gui

[captainofiron]

Originally Posted by geberhard

Jeff pimpalicious it is lol

Captain thanks, great shot and I dig it!! Very clean! I will experiment with teh engine and colors tomorrow, thanks again!

Gui

cool, good luck

[geberhard]

so updates have been slow since I have been working my butt off and working on three other projects :0

Great therapy this week getting to drive a Tesla roadster.. I heard these puppies can fly...yep that is what I heard...yep... I will stick with that One tip, disable trac control



Ok on to updates:

I experimented with different motor mounts and the Hooker mounts worked very well, I was having crossmember to oil pan issues previously and wanted to keep the engine as low as possible without tearing into the X member..yet.

mocking things up:



Lots of great clearance (I have removed the 1/4 thick washers later):



messy garage. playing with engine colors and setup still. I think the LS engine is one of the ugliest out there, specially with the coils on the valve covers. I may relocate them, but for the time being played with GTO covers I wil modify. They shoudl also be good for an extra 100 HP

[geberhard]

While i watch for paint to dry or so to speak, I was playing with a few mirror options. I picked up some old rallye bullet style ones recently and may g in that direction. I am not feeling it for the painted to match second gen mirrors on this car:


Alternatively I may stick to the stock round 67 ones.

Mocked up the bullets:

[geberhard]

And more clean up on the bay. I was back and forth on smoothing the firewall, but am just not digging the smooth look too much lately, too outdone on many car shows I guess, so will stick with the stock look and airbox etc for now.

Subframe is ready to go back in

[qnitro]

Looking good.. Now come over and help me finish my 68

Originally Posted by geberhard

And more clean up on the bay. I was back and forth on smoothing the firewall, but am just not digging the smooth look too much lately, too outdone on many car shows I guess, so will stick with the stock look and airbox etc for now.

Subframe is ready to go back in

[geberhard]

Kevin, lol I so want to check that puppy out Lots on the to do list for this week, so hoping to get the subframe in, engine painted and tranny in Ls7 swapped clutch in, and start on the front suspension build. Goal is to have the car on air within two weeks.

So much to do so little time, but heck sleep is overrated