1969 Firebird TA clone track car build

[jlwdvm]

That's my version of the Barret-Jackson chassis cam.

[jlwdvm]

Started finishing the dash. Interior, trunk, and roll cage paint will be next. i can't decide if I want to pain the roll cage white or black. I'm still thinking the exterior will be 69 Trans Am theme.

[jlwdvm]

Baby steps...baby steps. The car has been on the back burner for a while now, but I managed to get the cage and dash prepped and sprayed with SPI white epoxy. What a PITA! I bought a $13.00 Harbor Freight detail gun and it actually worked great...for the most part. The finish is great and for that price, the gun is practically disposable!

[Motown 454]

Joe it came out great. Nice job.

[Peter Mc Mahon]

Any updates on this or the mustang? I love both cars!

[jlwdvm]

The only thing I have done to the GT350 is add PCV catch cans and a Schroth 4-point harness. I had it to Autobahn in June for a HPDE on their 3.6 mile course. I am no expert, but I think it is all it is cracked up to be. I have been on that track 6 times in my '13 Boss, but the GT350 already feels like a completely different animal!

[jlwdvm]

I got the dash put back in the car and the Racepak dash tach adjusted. I added a fuse at the (+) terminal at the battery to prevent any electrical fires. I also have a master kill switch in the center of the dash that can be reached by me or safety crew from either side of the car. It has been a slow summer with the project...I've had it for 7 years now, but the direction has changed a few times! I'll try to get some pictures up soon.

I was able to get the GT350 to the track earlier this month. I was bumped up to the intermediate group. I was passed twice all day by 2 Z06 C6 vettes. I let them pass, but then was able to keep up with them all the way around the track. It still takes some getting used to shifting at over 8000rpm!

[jlwdvm]

All business. I went with white for the Nascar/Trans Am look.

[Oregon]

The dash looks great! I'm digging the white.

[Josh@Ridetech]

Nice job! The Firebird is beautiful...but so is your GT350, lol. I'm a little biased towards Mustangs. The S550 platform is phenomenal.

[jlwdvm]

I actually thought about putting a coyote or roadrunner 5.0 crate motor in it to really make it different! I had it out of the garage this weekend to check tire-rim clearance. I have a finger's width between the tire and inner fender on each side when the wheels are straight, but at full lock the inside of the tire hits the subframe and comes very close to hitting the muscle bar end link arm where it bolts to the bar...even after grinding off the corner.

[jlwdvm]

At full lock on either side I have a little over 3/8" clearance to the tire from the fender....not sure if this will be enough with body roll figured in. The GT350 isn't a garage queen!

[jlwdvm]

The front parking light-turn signal area will be used for a brake cooling duct inlet, so I was able to find a headlight with a built in LED turn signal that fit with little modification to the tabs on the backside of the light. I had to change out the 2 flashers on the fuse panel to no-load grounded flashers to work with the LEDs. I drilled and tapped a small hole in the front of the lower A-arm to act as an adjustable steering stop.

[Peter Mc Mahon]

What kind of on off switch is that? What's the plans for the rest of the interior? Never mind the switch, I read earlier that it's a Joes

[jlwdvm]

I have more of the Eastwood sound & heat barrier to install, then carpet, head liner, and a few interior panels to fab up. Interior will be mostly all business. I have a Sparco Pro2000 Plus for the passenger/instructor seat. I took measurements tonight to get Wedge slider seat brackets ordered to use in conjunction with the Sparco mounts.

[jlwdvm]

I started to dial in the toe so I could then get the steering stops adjusted correctly. With the wheel centered, I ran a line across the rear tire to the front, then measured from the line to the rim to get 1/8" toe in on each side....I hope this means that each side is now even. I figured I can now use the toe plates to adjust each side equally to get the toe to around 1/8". Any thoughts?

[Centerforce]

Nice job on the cage! It looks like it fits nice and tight against the chassis. Do those rear bars comply with your sanctioning body?

[jlwdvm]

What sanctioning body?) I won't be racing door-to-door. Originally I used them because I thought I was going to have a rear seat. Most of the cage is made by Chassis Works, but the roof halo and a-pillar bars are made by Jegs.

[Josh@Ridetech]

At full lock on either side I have a little over 3/8" clearance to the tire from the fender....not sure if this will be enough with body roll figured in. The GT350 isn't a garage queen!

Awesome! That's what it was built for!

[LERM]

Both your toys are awesome sir. Your pre oiling system has my attention too. I'm getting ready to fire an LS motor that has been dormant for a couple years.