Introducing Ms. Firebird

[MARBIL]

I have been a member for a short while and have bought some things from other members. I bought my firebird in 1982, I flew to Wisconsin and drove it home to St. Louis, I drove it for a year and decided to fix some minor rust and a few other things. I then got married, had three kids, built a house, sent our kids through private schools, our youngest graduated college in 2013 and I told my wife, I’m going to finish the firebird so I can drive it before I’m dead (LOL). I worked on it very little off and on over the years, buying things like weather stripping, a 455, 400 hood, hotchkis TVS, tubular uppers etc….
So in 2014 I tore the 455 down after it sat in my garage for years, wish the guy I got it from would have told me it sat outside, it still had standing water in 3 of the cylinders. Took the block to an awesome machine shop, about a month and a half later had the block and heads back ready to assemble.
Here is some info on the engine and drive train, forged pistons, forged rods, mild cam, mild head work, HEI ignition, port matched stock intake with a Q-jet built to Jeff Ruggles specs for the engine, a T56 out of an 01 ws6, a strange S60, C-5 brakes all around.
At this point the floors are welded in and I am trying to decide how to clean all the nooks and crannies prior to painting the underside, once that’s done it can go back on its wheels, and that is the short version of it.
She will be the factory colors Liberty blue with a pearl interior.
So! everything above this I wrote several weeks or months ago, HAHA!
I had the bottom of the car dustless blasted, holy crap the s#@t gets everywhere, in hind sight I would have had it dipped, bottom of the car is done ( I’m in St.Louis if anyone wants to buy a rotisserie cheap).
Here are some pictures.
https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109026&stc=1https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109038&stc=1https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109039&stc=1https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109040&stc=1https://www.pro-touring.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109030&stc=1

[MARBIL]

I don't know why some pics duplicated?

[68400BIRD]

Looks like a great start. Love the long branch manifolds. I was so tired of leaking headers on past cars. Keep the updates coming.

[Justin@EntropyRad]

sweet setup

[Gil]

Very nice !
Did you relocate the oil filter with an adapter ?
May I ask a picture from the other side with oil filter & manifold, please ? I'll have to do the mod's myself soon when rebuilding the whole exhaust.
Thanks a lot
Gil

[MARBIL]

109147Yes it is an adapter, got the headers and adapter from ram air restorations, they are larger inside diameter than factory, not cheap but they are awesome, I'm thinking of coating them with eastwood's high temp header coating.

[Gil]

Thank you very much for the picture ! Now I see how the adapter relocates the filter clockwise to clear the manifold.
I have the same manifolds from RamAir & the adapter too. Same 6X heads also, Dports right ? I hope as my manifolds are Dports...

I also see the starting exhaust tube will have a different elbow driver/passenger side... exhaust mock-up will be a fun part.

I think coating them is a good idea, I also bought them uncoated...

Gil

[MARBIL]

Yes the down tubes are different, I went with Pypes all stainless 2 1/2" mandrel bent with mufflers they were pretty reasonable. As I'm writing this I am thinking, do you guys think welding in my subframe connectors with the car on cribbing blocks is OK or should I take it somewhere where they would have a platform lift??

[MARBIL]

See if this link works, its a video of the motor running.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=613782905422115&pnref=story

[chickn]

What kind of mess did the dustless blasting make? I want to have my car blasted but I was always concerned about the mess.

[MARBIL]

Chikn there was Media everywhere, in every nook and cranny I spent an entire day vacuuming, brushing and that crap still appears when I rotate the car or beat around on it. And I just had the bottom and trunk blasted. It leaves an awesome finish (tooth) for paint.

[MARBIL]

Good day in the garage today, got the rear end in, moved the subframe out of mothballs, my son spent the day helping me we had a few beers and a great time, wish he had a place with a garage I would give him our 70 Bonneville conv.
I should have the engine and trans in the subframe this week, still trying to make up my mind on wheels I really want these.

109374

If the aftermarket rally II wheels would clear the brakes I would go that route

[MARBIL]

Pics

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[MARBIL]

Good progress, all the brakes and associated plumbing is done, Eastwoods flaring tool is awesome, just have to pull the master back off because I forgot the pedal carrier studs hold the master on, haven't ordered the wheels yet but I'm pulling the trigger on them this week, hopefully I will have a day or two over the next week to shoot the jambs, interior and trunk with primer.

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[MARBIL]

Things have been slow going, as usual, swamped at work (is good) but the outdrive went south in the boat and now my truck is making oil, time for fuel injectors, I did get a few things done on the car, got the new fuel tank in and plumbed, the shell is in epoxy, I now wish I would not have drilled the trunk lid years ago for a Camaro spoiler, I would rather have the TA spoiler or none at all. Still trying to justify billet rally II wheels but after dropping several thou for injectors its not going to happen anytime soon. I may end up selling our 70 Bonne vert for wheel $$, I would love to keep it but I don't have room in the garage for it much less if I were try to build it, trying to store parts everywhere, seems like everything on the car is eight feet long. Here are some recent pics of the firebird.

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[MARBIL]

Wheels came Saturday they are sweet, local tire shop is getting a set of BFG Gforce rivals, should have them in a few days, she has not rolled on her own since the early 90's, I was freaking at first with wheel fitment in the front but soon came to my senses and realized the suspension is topped out without and engine and tranny. I took a few pics.

[MARBIL]

pictures not uploading???

[Josh@Ridetech]

Looking good!

[Justin@EntropyRad]

So far, so good!

[MARBIL]

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Holy crap I hope this works, it took like 15 tries and too much time.

[MARBIL]

YEAH! here is another.

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[lucky13firebird]

Nice, really liking the progress and especially those wheels...

[MARBIL]

I had a few more parts dustless blasted, don't be fooled there is F*#@*#G dust everywhere! just not a huge cloud through the neighborhood LOL! doors, fenders, inner fender wells and core support, had am open schedule today so I got some epoxy on them, got the wheels and tires mounted it has been since the mid 90's since she has rolled on her own tires, I just sat and stared at her, here are some pics.

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[Gil]

Awesome progress !
I love the wheels
Gil

[mc84_zz4]

Great job! There's a ton of work to get to this point!
The next steps are the cool ones: working on a clean car! much more fun than grease & grime.
Looking forward to future updates.
X3 on the wheels, they're bitchin!
:bananna2:

[MARBIL]

A verbal teaser, the engine and tranny go in this weekend SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!!!!!!
Beer and BBQ will be had.
Pictures next week.

[MARBIL]

The engine and trans are in, I had to remove the heater/ac box during the install for clearance, Im hoping it fits back in with the tall valve covers. It looks like the transmission mount is too tall, not sure what to do about that yet, tonight I will get under her again and check pinion angles to confirm mount height. Here are some pics.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/09/firebird20002_1-1.jpg (http://s33.photobucket.com/user/marbil_one/media/firebird%20002_1.jpg.html)

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/09/firebird20040-1.jpg (http://s33.photobucket.com/user/marbil_one/media/firebird%20040.jpg.html)

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/09/firebird20050-1.jpg (http://s33.photobucket.com/user/marbil_one/media/firebird%20050.jpg.html)

Thank you Hay's for not taping 4 of the 6 pressure plate mount holes, must have been Friday beer thirty at the factory when this one was made, LOL!

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/09/firebird20015-1.jpg (http://s33.photobucket.com/user/marbil_one/media/firebird%20015.jpg.html)

Anyone near St. Louis looking for a nice break in stand this one is for sale, less engine and radiator of course.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2015/09/firebird20009_1-1.jpg (http://s33.photobucket.com/user/marbil_one/media/firebird%20009_1.jpg.html)

[MARBIL]

The wife and I are thinking about downsizing since all the kids are out of the house now, I told her we are looking for a garage with a house not a house with a garage, if that happens I may keep this one and start on it when the firebird is done.

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[MARBIL]

https://youtu.be/6sWQM0ryAwc
I am not the best for updates and pics but here is a short video of the engine in the car running, remote battery at this point, still working on the wiring harness, got a box of goodies from Mark at madelctrical, if you ever have talked to Mark he is a walking encyclopedia of auto electric knowledge, made my head spin just listening to him.

[NOT A TA]

Nice looking wheels!

[AtomicFirebird]

Sweet Ride! Can't wait to see more.

[MARBIL]

So I have been busy got the battery in the trunk all wired and can actually start the car with the key, SWEEEEET!!
As soon as I figure out why photobucket keeps stopping at 90% upload I will add pics, sorry!

[MARBIL]

OK here are some pics, photobucket makes me want to bang my head on the wall any other photo host recommendations are welcome.

Here is the trunk battery set up
1/0 with solenoid and disconnect in the trunk

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Put distribution blocks on the fire wall and radiator support with relays for the HEI and headlights

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Got some of the brackets on the front of the car, almost ready to mount the front end sheet metal.

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[JHunter]

What size wheels and tires did you go with. I'm looking seriously at the same E/Ts for my 68 Camaro.
Great progress!

[MARBIL]

Hey jhunter,
they are 17x9 w/ 5.5 BS 245/40 tire, looks like everything is going to clear but I need to get more weight on the car to determine if my GW control arms are going to clear

[JHunter]

Great, thank you. I'll be following along.

[MARBIL]

Just remembered this link, check it out.

http://www.chevyasylum.com/tech/backspace.html

[MARBIL]

Been awhile but here are some pics of recent progress, I got the brakes bled and moved on to the slave and found the bleeder hitting the bellhousing with no way to get a socket on it, I decided to install a remote bleeder and when I dropped the trans found the slave was leaking. I went ahead and bought a new slave rather than trying a new o-ring on the supply line, the drive train is all back in and went to fit my sub frame connectors only to find that they cover the rear bolt on the forward leaf spring mount, I had to modify them just in case I ever want to remove the rear leafs, FYI for everyone they are from protouring F-body.

Here are a few pics.

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I forgot to take a pic of the modification, I will get one next time I'm in the garage.

I have been installing the sheet metal, I would rather drop the tranny three more times than install and adjust sheetmetal, holy crap its a pain!

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Modified the glove box, fabricated a mount for a head unit and made a shelf to over it.

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[813Demon340]

Love the Firebird, especially the wheels. Keep up the great progress!

[rreichert82]

Car looks great. I am building a 79 TA and also located in the St Louis area.

[MARBIL]

Awesome rreichert82
I am in Webster Groves, where are you?

[rreichert82]

I am on the IL side between Dupo and Millstadt

[SPDMETL]

Looking good! Unless I missed it, you haven't mentioned what kind of wheels those are...

[MARBIL]

Been awhile since I have posted, sorry for not putting regular updates, here she sits almost done, just a few things to finish like charge the AC and some other minor stuff
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[PonchoJohn]

Gorgeous!