1969 Firebird TA clone track car build

[T/A Addict]

Great to see that she is still alive! I've read through this thread a couple times and plan on using some of your ideas and work on the build of my '69 Bird. Hope you don't mind. Great car and thread btw.

[jlwdvm]

Teaching myself how to TIG weld aluminum. The spoiler started off life as a 6'x6"x1/8" piece from McMaster Carr that I cut in half to get the slight point in the center. The bracing is 1/8" bent flat stock bolted to the lower valence and the rad support.147503147502

[jlwdvm]

Pretty cool right up...but I think we need to edit out the part about getting married!

https://www.hotrodhotline.com/joes-road-course-ready-69-firebird-ta-clone#.WmXzXDRG2M9

...and TIG welding aluminum looks a lot easier in YouTube videos.

[jlwdvm]

The bulk of the welding and fab is done on the front spoiler. The rad support brackets and center brace aren't bolted up yet and it is already super stiff. A new addition to the garage is waiting to be shipped up from Dallas!148174148175148176148179

[jlwdvm]

A new addition to the garage arrived from Dallas on Monday.148707148708

[jlwdvm]

I cut down some aluminum and filled in the gaps on each side of the spoiler. Also getting ready to finally mate the front sub frame to the connectors.149223149224

[jlwdvm]

150595150596150597
I made a close out panel to help direct air flow into the radiator and also stiffen up the center of the spoiler to help keep the weld from cracking. Not sure if it was necessary on either count, but I did it anyway! The Spectra door panels fit excellent.

[Mr Nick]

How do you like the 4 post Direct Lift? I'll be purchasing a drive on lift in the near future, can't decide between Direct Lift or the more expensive BendPak lifts.

[jlwdvm]

I've set it up, taken it down, and set it up again (by myself) since I moved last summer. I went with Direct Lift because they are owned by Rotary Lift. No problems. If I had to choose, I would go with a 2-post for more versatility.

[jlwdvm]

Trying to get a bunch of little projects done before paint. Mounted the Control Cables E-brake handle after making sure I wouldn't have any interference from the driveshaft on the cable mount. I ended up spraying the handle with bed liner to match the shifter nob. I'll measure for custom cables after I mount the rear bracket in the tunnel over the rear axle yoke.150821

[jlwdvm]

Nobody makes a good tow hook for a 69 Firebird, so I had to do some engineering. I already have ZL1addons hooks for my GT350 and Z/28, so that was my starting point. I'm not building a concourse Trans Am here, so I'm not afraid to cut a small hole in the front valance (especially since the car isn't painted yet). I took a small pie cut out of the 1 1/4"x 1/8" square tubing because the sub frame actually angles out where he tube will be welded. This aligns the tow hook with the center line of the car so the pull will be linear. Need to paint it and get it welded to the sub. The white line indicates the bottom of the square tube. It will be welded in 3 spots to the sub. Trying to figure out how to accurately cut the hole in the valence.151065151066

[Buryingthesun]

Nobody makes a good tow hook for a 69 Firebird, so I had to do some engineering. I already have ZL1addons hooks for my GT350 and Z/28, so that was my starting point. I'm not building a concourse Trans Am here, so I'm not afraid to cut a small hole in the front valance (especially since the car isn't painted yet). I took a small pie cut out of the 1 1/4"x 1/8" square tubing because the sub frame actually angles out where he tube will be welded. This aligns the tow hook with the center line of the car so the pull will be linear. Need to paint it and get it welded to the sub. The white line indicates the bottom of the square tube. It will be welded in 3 spots to the sub. Trying to figure out how to accurately cut the hole in the valence.151065151066

Looks great! I like the style and durability of those hooks!

[jlwdvm]

I'm going to reinforce the bumper attachment bracket area on the rear bumper where it bolts to the frame bracket for the rear. I'll have to drill a hole through the bumper and weld a couple of grade 8 nuts for the rear tow hook to attach. I figure the area is already fairly strong if the factory designed the area to support the weight of the car while jacking the car up for a flat change! Tow Hooks: better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them!

[JayinMI]

Just found this one and read through it. Nice to see getting rid of that "tumor" didn't cost you the cars/lift/etc.
I only know 2 guys who didn't get thoroughly F'd in their divorces.

Car is coming along great. Did the ZL1 replace the GT350?

Jay

[jlwdvm]

I'm lucky I didn't have to pay twice for the GT350...if you know what I mean. The divorce involved a lot of biting my tongue and keeping a cool head, keeping the end goal in mind, and negotiating with someone that always thought she was smarter than she actually is. She is gone, but the cars are still here. I had been watching prices on Z/28's for a while and it looked like it was the right time to buy a low-milage car. Now I have a pony car collection: '13 Boss 302, '15 Z/28, '16 GT350, and a '69 TA clone.

Welded in the tow hook attachment. Somehow I was able to get a hole drilled in the valence that is in nearly the perfect location! On to the rear.151221

[jlwdvm]

The basic idea for the rear. I'm going to weld the grade 8 nuts to the bracket and then box it in. The bumper is a repro that is ok quality, but I am either going to give it a brushed look, or paint it body color, so I'm not worried about drilling a hole in it.151258

[rickpaw]

Nice work on the front tow hook. Mind if I copy the ideas for my 67 Firebird?

For the rear tow hook, I'm also thinking about doing similar to the rear bumper bracket.

[jlwdvm]

Sure, you might have an easier time with the '67 because of the different valence.

[jlwdvm]

No wife and no girlfriend at the moment=LOTS of projects getting done! I finished up the rear tow hook-bumper mount and got it painted and installed. It is probably the definition of "over built", but I like to weld. I even went as far as tacking on grade 8 nuts to the stock nuts that the bracket mounts to the frame with. The hook itself threads into 2 grade 8 nuts, and I boxed everything it to stiffen it.

I mounted the emergency brake and cables I received from ControlCables.com....everything works great. Even with driveshaft movement, everything has plenty of space. Installed the Spectra door panels today and started working on templates for the rear package tray/firewall. I will probably use 18g steel for those.

I had been thinking that my Optima Red Top was toast. The 3 year warranty ran out last week...of course. The thing has hardly left the garage, and had been on a battery tender most of the time. I did some research on YouTube and saw that there was still hope for it. I bought a Harbor Freight battery charger capable of restoring batteries and it was able to bring it back to life after 24 hours on the charger. Evidently the charger is capable of reversing sulfation...whatever that is.
"151432151433151434151431151435151437151438

[jlwdvm]

Running brake cooling tubing could get tricky. It actually seems similar to running it on my Boss 302. The entrance of the duct is where the fog lights-turn signals used to be.151709151710151711151712

[jlwdvm]

Making patterns for the panel work that needs to be done. I decided to take out the factory bracing that was behind the rear seat because it was curved. The panel will have a raised area in it to add stiffness and to match the Spectra front door panels, so it wouldn't be able to follow that bend. I have 3/4" square tubing that will be welded to the original sheet metal that I can then weld the panel to.152824152825

[76TA]

Congrats on getting through the lady problems and keeping YOUR stuff.

The T/A build is coming along nicely. Keep at it.

[Gmc427]

looks like vins been removed ,non factory rivets upside down?

[jlwdvm]

The dash had to be replaced.

[jlwdvm]

Bead rolling looks much easier on YouTube...and the z/28 is no joke!153196153197

[jlwdvm]

there is a little more trimming on the last piece of tin before it gets welded in. I have sprayable Boom Mat to use on the underside of the package tray and back side of firewall. Then I plan on putting a top coat of Dulicolor spray on bed liner to finish everything off. Once the interior metal work is done, final paint prep begins. I'm only 7 years behind schedule at this point, but in my defense, the project has morphed from a stock restoration to what it currently is!154017154018154019

[jlwdvm]

Coating all of the interior panels front and back with Boom Mat to help with vibration and noise. Cling wrap works great to mask off the cage bars. I had a short section of bend laying around, so I tried to fab up a pair of turn-downs for the exhaust. Once the interior sheet metal is done, sanding the body in preparation for paint begins!154882154883154884

[jlwdvm]

Finally buttoned up the rear close out panels. they are coated with a layer of Boom Mat and then Duplicolor bed liner. Time to start sanding tte body!155908

[Motown 454]

Nice work! This is coming out Great I love what your doing.

[jlwdvm]

Bodywork continues, starts again....or whatever. I'm not sure why gm made the front end so complicated, and there are a few things that I just don't like about it, The center piece of the nose is an aftermarket solid fiberglass piece and the original rubber gasket is too short to run the complete length. Not sure if it shrunk, or just wasn't made right. I didn't like the look anyway, so I decided to fill the gap with short-strand fiberglass filler. I used windshield trim 156353156354156355156356screws anchored into the nose piece to help bind the filler to the parent piece.

[chickn]

I feel your pain! I am trying to align my front bumper assy on my firebird and I just don't have enough hands. It a three person job

[jlwdvm]

I have original front fenders with aftermarket headlight surrounds. I also have a bunch of pix from a barn find '69 TA that was unmolested. Nothing was as perfect from the factory as we may think it was! I placed a floor jack and 2x4 under the beak and jacked it into place, and then tightened the frame bolts. I'm working by myself 95% of the time too.

[Zspoiler]

What a nice build,A friend of mine while in the Marine Corps around 1977-9 time period .Had a real 69 T/A.He blew the original 400 engine and put a built 408 big block chevy in it.

[chickn]

I have original front fenders with aftermarket headlight surrounds. I also have a bunch of pix from a barn find '69 TA that was unmolested. Nothing was as perfect from the factory as we may think it was! I placed a floor jack and 2x4 under the beak and jacked it into place, and then tightened the frame bolts. I'm working by myself 95% of the time too.

good idea

[jlwdvm]

Chasing gaps and started sanding....again! Also thought it would be a good time to see how the OEM lower windshield trim fit with the fenders and cowel. 156963156962

[chickn]

I am also working on a 69 Firebird and I am having issues with the hood to the fender gap. My gap at the hood/fender gap at the front of the hood is a little more than 1/4" . Does this compare to the hood/fender gap on your Firebird? I have aftermarket fenders and a glass hood so i am not sure if the is correct. Could you measure the hood opening (front tip of fender to front tip of fender) My measurement s 49-1/8" which i assume should be 49"

[Flying Dutchman]

Just finished reading thread from start to finish. Really good thanks, given me many ideas and solutions for a 69 Camaro build I'm doing, cheers

[jlwdvm]

I'm using a steel Parts Place hood I purchased with their TA kit several years ago....along with OEM fenders, cowl, and lower valence, reskinned doors,and repop quarters. As you can read in my thread from another site (I like to pick the Camaro boys' brains sometimes) I was able to figure out a few things yesterday. In my case, I needed to square up my rad support and I also trimmed my solid bushings down from 13/16" to 1/2" to help with severe binding that was taking place in the lower fender when trying to get thee fender-rocker gap to 1/16" Gaps look much better now!

https://www.camaros.net/forums/12-body-shop/457985-solid-sub-bushings-causing-problem.html

[jlwdvm]

The car is in bodywork jail again. At least it is house arrest! I'm in the process of blocking the SPI 2K and will need to recoat and block again before paint. It's a slow 1-man job, but I guess you eat an elephant 1 bite at a time.157755157756

[Motown 454]

It’s a long process but will be one of the biggest paybacks. Looking good.

[Buryingthesun]

Finally buttoned up the rear close out panels. they are coated with a layer of Boom Mat and then Duplicolor bed liner. Time to start sanding tte body!155908

That close out looks great!

[c4racer2]

Great build! I will follow the progress. I just picked up a 71 Camaro that has the same V40 wheels in 17" size - having trouble finding the right tire sizes - currently at 255/295 but may have to go 255/285 this time around. Way more options in 18" - at some point I may move the rear 17x9.5" to the front if the BS is right and run a 265/40 tire and then go to a 18x11 in the rear to get a 315 in there. Seems the only way to get 315's these days.

Boy - back in the day we ran 315's all the time on 4th and 5th gen vettes on 17" wheels. I guess those days have passed.

Anyway - my car is complete and a driver but I will be making many of the changes you are incorporating such as the T56 and DSE rear suspension.

[jlwdvm]

Turning the car to dust. We have a tentative date for drop off at the painter for final prime, block, and paint of December 15th. Only 7.5 years behind schedule.158497158498

[jlwdvm]

The driver's side fender lip roll had been bothering me. The ends of the roll tore the metal and had to be repaired on the inside and outside. I ended up hammering the roll flatter nad welding in a small metal patch on each end. You can get a good look at how the inner fender was trimmed and raised as well.158616158617

[jlwdvm]

I am also working on a 69 Firebird and I am having issues with the hood to the fender gap. My gap at the hood/fender gap at the front of the hood is a little more than 1/4" . Does this compare to the hood/fender gap on your Firebird? I have aftermarket fenders and a glass hood so i am not sure if the is correct. Could you measure the hood opening (front tip of fender to front tip of fender) My measurement s 49-1/8" which i assume should be 49"
I have original fenders and an aftermarket steel hood. I was able to achieve 3/16" gaps on each side. I would start by measuring the width of your hood front and rear and then add 3/16"x2 for your gaps (or whatever you want for gaps) and then pull the fenders together to get the total gap set front and rear. I had to use a ratchet strap on the front to pull the fenders together so I could measure and then tighten down the front fender bolts.

[BlackHD]

Hi Joe, which brand is your hood? Are you happy with the fit?

[jlwdvm]

It's been so long I can't remember. I drove to Chicago to pick up the Trans Am kit. It is either Tamaraz or Parts Place. The fit to OEM fenders is good. it sits a little low in each front corner by the cowl, but that will be an easy fix. I did some fitting of the scoops, but they weren't bad either.

[BlackHD]

It's been so long I can't remember. I drove to Chicago to pick up the Trans Am kit. It is either Tamaraz or Parts Place. The fit to OEM fenders is good. it sits a little low in each front corner by the cowl, but that will be an easy fix. I did some fitting of the scoops, but they weren't bad either.

Thanks!

[jlwdvm]

The beak...minus the OEM rubber filler.158701158702

[jlwdvm]

Getting as much done on the body as I can before it goes to the paint shop. Gaps are pretty much set and a couple layers of high build 2K should fill in any remaining low spots. The wheel wells on the front fenders had to be worked because I had to roll the inner lip for tire clearance. There was a little cutting, hammering, and rewelding involved. The hood corners where they meet the cowl were a little low and required a thin layer of filler...otherwise, the TA hood is a decent reproduction. Lower windshield trim tab placement was finalized. The dash was replaced, so I didn't have the original holes to use.159137159136

[jlwdvm]

A moment 3415 days in the making....off to the paint shop!159271159272

[Peter Mc Mahon]

Nice !

[jlwdvm]

I doubt the guys in the Trans Am series took the time to body work their front spoilers.159320

[frojoe]

Man the sharp edges of those wheel spokes REALLY complement the lines on the car.. looking great, can't wait to see what color it gets!

[stevehoj]

Thumbs up. Nice prep.

[Motown 454]

Nice!

[jlwdvm]

Day #3418...these guys aren't wasting any time! They concentrate on high end ShelbyGT350 restorations, but do little bit of everything. I called in a few favors from the owner and they are getting after it! It might be in color by next week. I shosed up at the shop yesterday and ended up helping with some odds and ends for a half day: wheel lip spot welds smoothed out, smoothed the front fender lips. hood edges, etc.159366

[chiva]

As a fellow 69 Firebird owner work in progress and former West Des Moines resident for 10 years its awesome to see how great your car is! Gives me some inspiration to keep plugging away. I’m guessing you’re near IA City being in Scott county?

[jlwdvm]

I'm about 50 minutes east of Iowa City. Hopefully the car is white by the end of the week and we are laying the stripes!

[Interceptor5588]

What a great looking ride

[jlwdvm]

159694159695Tomorrow’s the day...paint!

[chiva]

I'm about 50 minutes east of Iowa City. Hopefully the car is white by the end of the week and we are laying the stripes!

The stripes I want to see are black ones on the pavement behind your rear tires! Git R Dun!

[jlwdvm]

159740159741So this happened last night.

[jlwdvm]

159742Meanwhile...back at home.

[jlwdvm]

....if you want to run inner fenders with TruTurn and 275’s, along with rolling the fender lip.159746

[chiva]

Progress is looking really good! I’m excited to see this TA with the blue stripes! This is going to be one bad ride!

[jlwdvm]

159805159806Getting closer!

[jlwdvm]

159865159866159867Putting it back together for sand and buff...then stripes.

[Motown 454]

Sweet! I love it.

[jlwdvm]

159927[ATTACH=CONFIG]159928[/ATTACHGetting closer to stripes.

[jlwdvm]

159970Hoping to unwrap this soon!

[Motown 454]

Nice progress!!

[T/A Addict]

That has to be so exciting!! Looking forward to the reveal!

[c4racer2]

What brakes are you running in front? Is that the Aero6 w/ 14x1.25" kit? Wildwood 140-14544-N

Do those clear the V40 wheels OK? What size front wheels and tires - is that a 18x9.5" w/ 6" bs and a 275-35 tire?
Looks like a small spacer - .25"?

[jlwdvm]

159988159989159990

[jlwdvm]

They are Aerolite 6 with the 14.25" rotors, and they clear the Wheel Vintique V40's just fine. If I remember right, the front rims are 18x9 with 5.75 BS. I added the 1/4" spacer to get them to RideTech specs for the TruTurn setup (needed to prevent rubbing on the sway bar and the subframe). My inner fenders and fender lip have been significantly modified as well. I think I could go wider on the front tire with a different rim, but sizes and backspacing options were limited when I purchased my rims several years ago.

[c4racer2]

They are Aerolite 6 with the 14.25" rotors, and they clear the Wheel Vintique V40's just fine. If I remember right, the front rims are 18x9 with 5.75 BS. I added the 1/4" spacer to get them to RideTech specs for the TruTurn setup (needed to prevent rubbing on the sway bar and the subframe). My inner fenders and fender lip have been significantly modified as well. I think I could go wider on the front tire with a different rim, but sizes and backspacing options were limited when I purchased my rims several years ago.

Thanks - so they clear even without the spacer?

[jlwdvm]

Yes

[c4racer2]

good to know - I was looking at using a Kore3 race hub and bracket which converts it to a C5/6 brake set-up and running the equivalent caliper / rotor kit.
But in looking over the details seems that kit uses a much thinner hat - 0.3" vs. 1.75" which makes caliper to wheel clearance more of a challenge.
It's unclear how strong those Wildwood hubs are as they were not originally designed for this heavy of a car.
Also I notice the kit you are using with the Wildwood hubs and big hat offset pushes the wheels out .38" - so it increases track width .75" overall.
Probably not a big deal when using 6" bs wheels and in my case that would eliminate any need for a spacer for sure.
Was Ron concerned about that hub when you were working on the brake specs for your car?

[jlwdvm]

We did discuss eventually going to the larger spindle-hub assembly. I can't remember why we went with the Wilwood hub for the time being. As far as the offset, I did all of the calculations and everything was compatible to run with what RideTech recommends with the TruTurn setup. I did have to clearance the corners of the TruTurn link to clear my Holley oil pan....just a little grinding. The TruTurn system wasn't exactly bolt-on like they advertise. Especially when it comes to fender clearance when the wheels area at full lock.

[dhutton]

Car looks great.

Don

[jlwdvm]

good to know - I was looking at using a Kore3 race hub and bracket which converts it to a C5/6 brake set-up and running the equivalent caliper / rotor kit.
But in looking over the details seems that kit uses a much thinner hat - 0.3" vs. 1.75" which makes caliper to wheel clearance more of a challenge.
It's unclear how strong those Wildwood hubs are as they were not originally designed for this heavy of a car.
Also I notice the kit you are using with the Wildwood hubs and big hat offset pushes the wheels out .38" - so it increases track width .75" overall.
Probably not a big deal when using 6" bs wheels and in my case that would eliminate any need for a spacer for sure.
Was Ron concerned about that hub when you were working on the brake specs for your car?

I spoke with Ron about the hubs and Ridetech spindles I am using. He new exactly what my set up was when we were deciding on parts. Since I will be using a 275 tire, there is nothing to worry about. Spindle flex has been a problem with larger front tires.

[jlwdvm]

160082160083160084Not looking forward to putting the front end back together. I’m sure the guys on the assembly line did it in 5 minutes! The cockpit needs a good cleaning too.

[rickpaw]

The Firebird and garage look great. The other cars are cool too.

[chiva]

Wow! Car looks great! I’m sure you’ll get that front end on faster than a lot of us would with your skills! Excited for your first run!

[jlwdvm]

160200Started assembling the rear in an attempt to avoid the front!

[chiva]

You are going to have so much fun with that car!

[Motown 454]

The car came out great!

[jlwdvm]

160230....and then there is this. Maybe the most dreaded front end assembly in all of muscle car restoration!

[jlwdvm]

160231

[1965gp]

That is one hard front end to put together. Took me forever on my 69. It looks cool but I have no idea deal what the engineers were thinking!

[chiva]

So will your front bumper be fiberglass or did you have yours painted?

[jlwdvm]

The front bumper is painted.

[jlwdvm]

160313Much better than chrome...I think.

[c4racer2]

nicely done. I started to pull my front grill / radiator support assembly on my 71 and gave up after an hour after making almost no progress.
Just getting the headlights out was a major undertaking. I decided I would just go up and over with the engine and trans assembly even if it meant ultimately separating the two and installing trans from under the car.

I did get the motor / TH350 combo out of the car that way with my HF 2 ton lift using only half the boom height available.
T56 magnum going back in - understand it's bigger and heavier, but the lift can handle it. Only question really is can we angle the trans enough with the front nose on. Pretty long engine bay in the second gens. I'm thinking it's possible. I'm going to try it if I can get 2 helpers.

[jlwdvm]

I would have pulled the front clip off as one piece: fenders, hood, nose, lower valence. Then pull the radiator and support and you are in business.

[chiva]

Nice job on the reassembly of the front end. That looks very straight. The gaps look good. That is super tough to get it just right like you did. I’m really excited to see this car on the road! Hopefully I’ll get my 69 Firebird back from the sandblasters in a few weeks.

[Bennsb]

Looks outstanding! I’m with you on the chrome, it always looked weird to me with the endura wrapped headlights. I think they kept the chrome to distinguish it from the monochromatic GTO front end?

I loved the Trans Am because the white didn’t make the small chrome mini bumper stand out so much. I’ve always been partial to 67/68 for silly reasons, the full length front chrome bumper and the ignition key placement on the dash instead of the steering column.

Your car is a beauty.

[jlwdvm]

I thought about going in the direction the Trans Am Series teams went with the early '69 Firebirds. I'm pretty sure the 67-68 fromt bumper would bolt up, but the style lines of the front fender would not match. It seems like a lot of the high end '69 builds fab up a front bumper that looks more like the 67-68. I like the look of the early '70's GTO better than that...That's why I painted the bumper.160425

[68Formula]

I thought about going in the direction the Trans Am Series teams went with the early '69 Firebirds. I'm pretty sure the 67-68 fromt bumper would bolt up, but the style lines of the front fender would not match. It seems like a lot of the high end '69 builds fab up a front bumper that looks more like the 67-68. I like the look of the early '70's GTO better than that...That's why I painted the bumper.160425

I remember reading a long time ago, instead of building new cars for the 1969 season, they modified the earlier bodies to look more like the newer models. Hence the "hybrid" appearance with 1968 front bumpers and lower valence, with squared off 1969-isque quarters still sporting the 1968 vents.

[jlwdvm]

160654160655160656160657160658There probably isn’t any restoration project I can’t handle...since I was able to figure out the 69 Firebird front end! If cooling is ever a problem at the track, I can pull the grills. Probably won’t be a problem with the C&R radiator though. Trim is on and carpet is going in. The painter wants it in his booth at an indoor show this weekend.

[Motown 454]

Looking good!

[Buryingthesun]

160654160655160656160657160658There probably isn’t any restoration project I can’t handle...since I was able to figure out the 69 Firebird front end! If cooling is ever a problem at the track, I can pull the grills. Probably won’t be a problem with the C&R radiator though. Trim is on and carpet is going in. The painter wants it in his booth at an indoor show this weekend.

Car looks great!

[jlwdvm]

160783160784160785Paint door panels, door sills, plumb Accusump and oil cooler and I might be done....for now!

[chiva]

That is one awesome looking race car!

[chickn]

Not sure why more people don't build 67-69 Firebirds. looks great!

[jlwdvm]

160863A little plug for the painter.

[chiva]

Not sure why more people don't build 67-69 Firebirds. looks great!

Once they run out of Camaros they will start.

[jlwdvm]

162205162206162207162208Drivers’s side of my interior is done....down to the sill plate. I’m happy with how well the carpet fits, consider the subframe connectors and roll cage. Got my mom involved. She made the emergency brake boot to match the shifter boot. I covered the aftermarket sail panels with leftover headliner. After I get the interior done, it’s on to the Accusump.

[jlwdvm]

162809162810162811Signed up for my first track day with the car in May, so it’s time to get all the loose ends buttoned up! I ended up buying new valve covers and a PCV catch can from Motion Raceworks. It helps that they are only 10 minutes away! Accusump has been plumbed and wired up with a switch on the dash. The oil cooler located in the radiator will be controlled by an Improved Racing thermostat located above the filter. I used 2000 degree hose protector in all of the areas that were in areas remotely close to header pipes.

[Ddkeeler]

162205162206162207162208Drivers’s side of my interior is done....down to the sill plate. I’m happy with how well the carpet fits, consider the subframe connectors and roll cage. Got my mom involved. She made the emergency brake boot to match the shifter boot. I covered the aftermarket sail panels with leftover headliner. After I get the interior done, it’s on to the Accusump.

That looks great. Love the dash. Have you had much time to mess around with the race pak? I think I want to run that for my project too. It looks like it will be a blast to drive.
Where is your track day? I saw you have an Iowa plate. I’m over in Omaha. Even if I had a car, our local track is under 10ft of water.

[jlwdvm]

I heard that about your track. I'm on Iowa's east coast (Quad Cities area). I'll be going to Autobahn in May. It's a 3.6 mile course in Joliet, Il. I've been there several times with my other cars, but I think I'll be pretty nervous getting this thing on the track for the first time. I should be able to get plenty of road miles in before then. I have the RacePak hooked into the OBD port. I currently use it to monitor engine parameters, and need to get the speedo working.

I filled the oil cooler and primed the system yesterday. Fired it up and ran the Accusump through a few cycles...no leaks and everything seems to be working well. With cool 15W50 break in Joe Gibbs oil, the Accusump takes a while to prime/discharge.

[jlwdvm]

162924I guess making all of my own fuel and oil lines has made me a little paranoid! Now I’m looking for a fire suit.

[jlwdvm]

163196163197163198163199163200Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it! I had to mount the bottle pull so I could reach it while strapped in to my 5-point.

[DWC]

Car came out very nice.

What shifter knob is that?

Daniel

[jlwdvm]

It was a 4 speed knob that I had no use for, so i sprayed it with Duplicolor bed liner left over form the trunk, interior, wheel wells, etc.

[DWC]

Smart idea, it looks good.

Daniel

[jlwdvm]

163915Picked up the next project last week. My painter had a rust free coup sitting in his shed that he was looking to move. He also had a fastback parts car sitting behind the shop. We used the inner roof structure from it along with a bunch of new parts from Kentucky Mustang to do a conversion. It’s gonna have a Ford Performance 500 horse 363 along with a complete coil over system and Watts link from Shaun at Street or Track.

[Motown 454]

Nice project.

[jlwdvm]

To recap: 3200# 69 firebird with 6 piston Aerolites front and 4 piston rears with BP-10 pads and Spec 37 rotors and a manual 7/8" Wilwood MC, stock pedal set up in manual rod hole. Design and part selection by RSRT.

On the street: it seems like I have to think ahead to stop and have no bite until I get a little heat into the brakes. I can lock up the fronts, but lot of effort with the pedal pressed a long way.

First track day last Monday: I made sure I had heat in the brakes before I thought about entering a corner with any speed. Granted, I was basically there to test, tune, and break in....completely new car, new LS3, new T56, new rear end, etc. The longest straights are 1/4 mile long on the 3.6 mile track and I have 570 horses on tap. I experienced some fade, but I expected that with the pads I am running at the moment (BP-10). I wasn't out to set a new track record by any means. Car handled great.....much better than expected actually. I've spent a lot of time on the same track with my '16 GT350, '13 Boss 302, and '15 Z/28. I couldn't believe how well the car handled. If I had to sum it up in one word: composed! The one disappointment was the brake feel. I guess I am looking for more "bite or instant response"....that instant wham that my other cars have (granted they are power brake cars). My DSE booster/MC combo should be here tomorrow.

[BlackHD]

Hi Joe, what’s the firebird color (paint) name?

[jlwdvm]

Cameo white and tyrol blue....stock '69 TA colors.

[BlackHD]

Cameo white and tyrol blue....stock '69 TA colors.

Thanks!

[jlwdvm]

Day #3557....done...well, almost. The day ended without having to use the fire suppression system, tool box, track safety crew, tow hooks, or trailer winch. I'm calling that a success. I should have the power brake booster and new master finished up this weekend.164355

[anguilla1980]

Right on, I would for sure call that a success! Major congrats!

[jlwdvm]

164405164404164403164402The Wilwood proportioning valve is a bitch to plumb (fabbed lines up with it in the bench) and then get the lines installed with it in the car. It took about 2 hours to install the 5 lines into it and get the master lines tightened, but it is done and there are no leaks. Brakes are bled, but I haven’t driven it yet. Pedal is high and hard!

[jlwdvm]

165366165367Happy to say that the feel of the brakes is 1000% better. I guess my short legs just like the instant feel of power brakes better. I’m gonna change to track pads for my next track day in August, but other that than, she is nearly sorted out. I think I may have a weak battery (Optima), or a slow drain somewhere in the electrical system. The battery seems to go low quite frequently, even though I am driving the car more now.

[anguilla1980]

Looks great, she really turned out fantastic!

[rickpaw]

Car is looking great. Glad the new m/c worked out for you.

[gscherer78ta]

Love seeing this car on track! Great work that I hope you enjoy for years to come!

[c4racer2]

The manual brake setup seems to be a lot more finicky than power - everything has to be right - balance bar adjustment, MC sizes, pads, and air in lines.

I have a similar set-up on my car - also designed by Ron. I am using his brake package made in collaboration with StopTech which uses ST60/ST40 calipers and his own compound pads which are a combo street and track pad. They also need a bit of heat to really work well - but also the even the bedding is very critical to getting them functioning correctly. I spent a lot more time tweaking things to get it all working right. And even after two bedding sessions ended up with a bit more air in the lines (just a few bubbles) that I could really feel in the pedal. Spent a lot of time getting the balance bar adjusted correctly so that the masters were even at full braking force. that is a lot more critical than I realized - you need to make sure you know where the pushrods are at full brake force and they need to be close to even - I had to skew the rear with a much longer pushrod adjustment to get even master push at full braking. Before that was set-up correctly the braking was terrible because the fronts were not fully activating into that "bite zone"

The end result is very good. But it is different from a power set-up. The travel is a lot longer - almost double. But the bite zone as I call it is very consistent and easy to modulate. But you have to push further into the travel to get to that bite zone. The pedal pressure is actually not super firm on my set-up - takes less effort than my 2016 SS for example. But you have to push a few inches into the travel to get to the sweet spot. So it's a bit unnerving at first - but as you learn the pedal profile you gain confidence in it and can rely on it. But I swear any tiny bit of air in the lines or any tiny bit off on that balance bar adjustment throws it all out of whack. Power is way more forgiving. But it's pretty good with a good manual set-up once you get through all the teething and set-up pains.
My set-up uses 15/16" masters, but the ST calipers have a bit more PA than the Wildwood Aero.

Anyway - just wanted to add in my experience for others that are considering both approaches on brakes. In my case the motor doesn't make enough vacuum to consistently operate power brakes so manual was the easy choice. Sure could go hydroboost but I don't think that would give the feel I was looking for.
If I had a motor with better vacuum I would have gone the easier route with power boost. Even more so knowing what I know now on what it takes to set up manual brakes correctly. But that said - once set-up, they work very well and I really do like the feel and am getting used to the pedal travel quickly on the street - so I'm very happy with the brake package on my car right now.

[jlwdvm]

I have short legs, and the main issue I had with the manual set up was pedal travel on the street. Before I went to power, I had to think ahead all the time, and yes, it felt like I had air in the lines (when compared to my Boss 302, z/28, or GT350R). The feel of the power system is much more to my liking!

[Larry Callahan]

Awesome job!!!!!! I hope to get to see it in person some day.

[c4racer2]

I have short legs, and the main issue I had with the manual set up was pedal travel on the street. Before I went to power, I had to think ahead all the time, and yes, it felt like I had air in the lines (when compared to my Boss 302, z/28, or GT350R). The feel of the power system is much more to my liking!

I had to bleed mine about 5 times with hard drive cycles in between to get all the air out. Finally did and the pedal feel is great. Travel still longer than a power set-up for sure. I am neutral which I like better - I can drive either just as effectively. But I have long legs and I am 6' so I have lots of mechanical leverage there!

[jlwdvm]

Track day #2 in the books. The only issue I am having is a trans fluid leak. I suspect it is coming from my Bowler Quick Shifter...it only shows up during track driving. There is quite a bit of oil on the underside of the car. I should have an autopsy done by the end of the week. I’ll probably be giving Bowler a call. I installed BP-30 pads and they made a world of difference...along with the DSE power booster install! I’m getting some noise from the rear brakes during slow speed driving. Wonders if it is a bedding issue.

- - - Updated - - -

166396166397

[jlwdvm]

I got around to checking some video and lap times via Harry's Lap Timer ap.....I'm running identical lap times to my 2015 Z/28, and I'm still getting used to the 69 and tweaking a few things!

[jlwdvm]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]167783[/ATTACH

]I was having a brake dragging/rubbing sound coming from the rears, so I decided to investigate. Initially, I wrote it off as having switched to the BP30 pads. I also had the feeling the rear brakes were dragging as I got going from a complete stop. I ended up finding a crushed section of the copper line on my rear. I have a feeling that I bottomed out in a section of Autobahn called "The Jump". I assume I had pressure building up in that caliper. I don't currently have bump stops on the rear because I didn't think I would need them with the 4-link and RideTech shocks. There is a witness mark on the frame rail on the passenger side where the tab-line hit. There was a faint mark on the drivers side where the tab hit, but didn't damage the brake line. I ended up dropping the rear to move and re-weld tabs on for the rear lines as well as bending up a new line for the passenger side. The rear had a weird chalky film on it that wouldn't clean off and the paint didn't look good, so I cleaned it up and repainted while it was down. I also took the opportunity to loose the u-bolts that held the lower are brackets on and welded them to the rear. I also installed new 4-link bars that have the new RideTech R-Joints.

[BlackHD]

What is the new position of the re-welded tabs?

[jlwdvm]

I ended up moving both sides down to the 3:00 and 9:00 position on the axle tubes (as you are looking at the axle) to get them out of harm's way. Looking into placing a bump stop on eaah side as well.

[BlackHD]

Did you ever talk to ridetech regarding the rear springs and wanting to go lower? I’m in the same position where I’d like to go lower but the coilover is set where I cant go any lower or the spring will become loose. I have the 12” springs. Any insight would be appreciated, thanks!

[egoman]

All the coilover manufacturers make a take up spring for just this purpose.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&id=698339C235E14BADA54037F94E543BAD8197BBA4&thid=OIP.bsGyuh0dXAq2Hny-wkwnfgAAAA&mediaurl=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F_NWBurkU fM0E%2FS3VexGu1mZI%2FAAAAAAAAAEQ%2FSkGXkouRe3o%2Fs 400%2Fspring%2Bseat%2Brings.JPG&exph=400&expw=300&q=coilover+helper+springs&selectedindex=4&qpvt=coilover+helper+springs&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=1,6

[jlwdvm]

My rear springs only unload when I jack the body up and the rear axle drops. It's not a big deal. I just have to crawl under the car and check that the springs are seated after weight is placed on the suspension.172416 I haven't posted in a while...this 66 has kept me busy!

[68400BIRD]

Now we really need some updates.

[Darrylta]

The project is looking great! Kinda wished you would have stayed with Pontiac powered, but I understand the advantages of the LS motors.
Your choice of parts is great too! Love the DSE stuff!
Darryl

[Darrylta]

Nice car, What paint system did you use on the white, single stage or 2 stage?
Darryl

[jlwdvm]

Tracked the care once this summer at Autobahn. There had been a 2" rain the night before, so there was water on the track in numerous spots. Another uneventful day.
The car has a full Ridetech suspension system from front to back. Everything is overbuilt. That's probably why I don't have problems at the track. I checked some lap times and this thing gets the identical times that my '15 Z/28 did.
I did all of the body work up to final primer and color. I used SPI primers and we used a single stage paint. It sitill looks as good today as it did when it rolled out of the paint shop 3 years ago!194905194904
I have a 510 horse injected 363 with a TKX waiting on the shelf to go into this thing!

[TANKMASTERJ]

Never head anyone say oh, I wish I HADNT put the LS or LT in my car. I'm sure you will be glad you did.
Your build is coming along nicely considering you got married and moved, those are big life changes. Keep it up I love the TA.
Always loved the rear deck spoiler actually thought of putting one on my 67 Camaro I liked it so much!
Keep it up Joe
Jason

[68Formula]

Never head anyone say oh, I wish I HADNT put the LS or LT in my car.
Ta-da! :) Post #39: https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=712051&page=2

[jlwdvm]

Changes to come: I decided to install windows and have everything I need to get that done. The roll cage is going to be painted black. This could get a little tricky due to the proximity to the windshields...any tips would be appreciated. And I just made an order to Speedhut for 7 gauges that will be replacing my Racepak (will be for sale) for a more period correct look. The Racepak system works great, but it just doesn't go with the theme of the car.213217

[Josh@Ridetech]

I love this build. Good job with it man!

[PT Pontiac]

Nice build. Good choice on swapping the gauges. Speedboat gauges are very nice.

[ricerscott]

Those speedhut gauges will look great in that car!

[jlwdvm]

Dash mock up in cardboard. I’ll make an insert out of 16 gauge to bolt to the existing dash to hold the new gauges. Gauge placement is somewhat asymmetrical, but I can see them all when seated. My first mock up had my right hand and steering wheel covering up 2 gauges.213534213535

[Liams69RS]

Wow! Car looks great! Good progress…You are going to have so much fun with that car!

[jlwdvm]

The car has been on the street for about 6 years now and has had several days at the track with no drama. I have a few loos ends to tie up and a few changes to make. I decided to get glass for it and will probably put that in this winter. I want to get the roll cage painted black and new dash installed this summer. I have a couple of other projects that have been sucking up most of my free time!213656
https://youtu.be/Tqa4iit5qVQ213657

[jlwdvm]

Baby steps.213831213832213833

[jlwdvm]

Lets change to retro gauges I thought....it would be easy I thought...It will only take a couple of weekends I thought. I replaced the kill switch with the proper Moroso unit that actually kills everything, even if the motor was running. The switch I had before was more of a disconnect used near the battery for drag applications that aren;t running an alternator. Amazingly, everything works! I just need to take the car for a drive to program the speedo.214551214552214553214554