Project Frankenbird - 1968 Pontiac Firebird - Lateral-g Forums

bdahlg68 · #1 05-09-2010, 09:14 PM

Here is my project car. It's a 1968 Pontiac Firebird 350 car. No engine came with it, which is OK with me. It has a 3-speed toploader transmission, which is not going back in it. Here are my plans:

Lots-o-metalwork - new floor pan, fenders, inner fenders, fender extensions, valence, outer rear wheelhouses, mini tubs, and at least one rear quarter. Worst case, also the roof, trunk pan, and other rear quarter. Still debating to put a 69 T/A hood on it. We'll see.

New floor pan is the first thing I want to get done. After that, I'm tempted to have the car acid dipped and epoxy primed. There is a company right nearby that does this, albeit a bit pricy at $2600. This will tell me exactly what else I need to replace. I figure this will allow me to make a full judgment on what metal needs replacing.

After that, I'm hoping for an Art Morrison front clip and DSE Quadralink rear for chassis.

As for drivetrain, somewhere between an LS3 and LS9 (depending on funds left at that point), attached to a T56 Magnum 6-speed. Rear end is TBD, but I plan to mount black-chrome ZR1 wheels on the end of it!

The interior is still unplanned, but I plan to keep the dash with only the 2 5" gages set in an Anvil carbon fiber dash. 4 more gages set in the console.

Still a lot of details to be ironed out, but I expect this to take 2-3 years as a minimum as I want to do as much work on my own as I can.

First priority is to get 230V to my garage, buy a welder, and get a bigger compressor.

bdahlg68 · #2 05-09-2010, 09:26 PM

By the way, lots of parts for sale!

Seats (driver, passenger, and rear)
Hood
Front Subframe with everything you see attached in the latest pictures
Rear End
Transmission (3-speed top loader)
Dash and gages

.... just ask.

67rstbkt · #3 05-09-2010, 09:27 PM

Pure awesomness...

ProdigyCustoms · #4 05-09-2010, 11:34 PM

Looks like a good start.

Tuske427 · #5 05-10-2010, 12:19 AM

Awesome! Your project and mine have a lot in common. Almost too much, ha ha I look forward to seeing your progress

T_Raven · #6 05-10-2010, 01:29 AM

Sweet another firebird for me to watch. I'll be interested to see what you decide about dipping the car. I've read a lot of mixed feelings about it.

bdahlg68 · #7 05-25-2010, 08:23 PM

I've nearly finished taking the car apart. Everything is off the firewall, front subframe is off, and interior is taken apart. I need to take out the passenger rear glass, take off the doors, and pull a few more interior bits out. Then, it's just the rear end and glass.

I'm still debating next steps. Obviously it needs a floor pan. It also needs inner and outer wheel wells and some portion of quarter panels, amongst other repairs or replacements. Even so, I'm leaning towards doing a chemical dip and e-coat dip before starting in on the metal.

**Ron in SoCal** · #8 05-26-2010, 01:30 AM

I looked into that chemical dip, eCoat place in Michigan. yep - 2500 for the bare body. I believe - and I could be wrong - they said do all the metal work before bringing them the car. Just a thought...

67rstbkt · #9 05-26-2010, 10:16 AM

I'm not so sure it's worth paying for the chemical dip. Have you read this project thread:
https://lateral-g.net/forums/show...t=26338&page=3

Tuske427 · #10 05-27-2010, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 67rstbkt

I'm not so sure it's worth paying for the chemical dip. Have you read this project thread:
https://lateral-g.net/forums/show...t=26338&page=3

Hopefully him not being in California will allow him access to shops with stronger chemicals.