Overwhelmed in Ohio

[BL72]

Howdy all.

New to the forum. I've lurked here for quite a while however and registered recently. I've been somewhat apprehensive to post, I really don't know where to start and I am some time out for having a road worthy vehicle. Ill try not to be too long winded. I suppose we could say I'm in the beginning of the planning stage. I don't have an unlimited budget but I do make a good living. Id like to start accumulating parts etc. I think it may take 2 - to 3 yrs. though to get to the point where I am ready to assemble. I have some major purchases to do obviously and I'm not really sure how to go about it. If I wait parts will go up in price and I don't want to get something and then when I am ready to use it, it is no longer supported or the inside parts need work due to rust maybe form sitting.

I guess I can go in to detail about my ride? I'm not really sure on protocol.....

I bought a 1972 Pontiac Firebird in may of 1996. It took me 2 yrs to purchase it I was 19 when I finally bought it. I had 6 months and I got an exhaust put on it. On the way home from exhaust, it caught on fire and that was that. engine bay burnt fairly bad, wiring plastics hood but fortunately that was it. Glass was fine and interior. It happened literally next door to the fire department. About 6 months later, I had a house a wife and a pregnant wife with one just being born. So as they say, life happened and the car was put on the back burner. thru the years I've always kept the car and held on to "the dream" lol What I have wanted as the end product has changed thru the years but for awhile I now I think I have settled on a pro-touring rebuild. I have lots of questions and not sure if I should post them all thru out or start here. too early to call manufactures of things? I don't want to be a pain in the ass to anyone.

So on my hit list thus far:
I really want a full frame. I really like the Schwartz frames. I also like the Heidts IRS. I could but the Heidts front clip and rear IRS separately when I can, the Schwartz is 1 huge buy for me and ~4k more probably. I know Schwartz is on here and I've been debating calling them... I'm sure the full frame is stronger, but how well would the heidts front and rear with the ties work compared to it?

I want a Pontiac engine. No ifs ands or buts about it. I have a 68 400 block casting 9790071 tho I'm not sure this is the right forum for that. I want to deal with Kauffman and Tin Indian on that end, both are north from me and really are premier Pontiac guys. Id love to buy everything I need for the engine over the next couple years and then have it all when I'm ready to put it all together. Any issues with that? I will be stroking it to ~490ci

Im up in the air with the trans yet. I enjoy manuals, Paddle shifters would be neat but I definitely want more than 3 gears. id love to have a 6 speed of some sort

It will need some body work tho it really isn't bad I don't think lol. I will want some fabrication done

I want A/C and power windows, updated dash and gauges and interior that still pays homage to firebird. There is a lot of influence in this Camaro:
http://www.superchevy.com/features/1607-this-1971-camaro-just-raised-the-pro-touring-bar/ they are relatively close to me and I am debating when I get to the body work, taking it up there. I love what they did with the fender flaring. I just don't want that engine set up at all. Color is up in the air too.

I will be doing as much work as I can. I will hope to strip the body this year and start disassembly. Currently it is a literal 20 year barn car.
So what are the recommendations with a 3 to 5 year plan? school me all! Ill post a picture as it was from my phone after this

Sorry if I was too long winded
Phil

[andrewb70]

Welcome!

Andrew

[BL72]

Thank you. Here is my firebird circa 1996 and the 400 power plant 136188136190

[OLDFLM]

Phil, my advice would be to figure out what you will REALLY use the car for. Figure that out first, talk with your wife, and then plan from there...

Do you want the look or do you want to autocross? Sticking with Pontiac power tells me you may only do an occasional autocross.

Will this be a sunny day only driver? Take the kids for ice cream or to local cruise-ins/car shows etc? Or a full tilt OUSCI competitor?

I went with a 440-stroker because I wanted the car to be streetable but still make good power... you may not need or want a 490-stroker... depends on your goals and what you'll actually use the car for.

All the best pro-touring suspensions, shocks, wheels, brakes, bells and whistles etc. are great and we have incredible options from our supporting vendors!

I think you're doing the right thing by planning first... otherwise your project will snowball and go 100 different directions and the car may never get finished.

I'm sure others will chime in... but here's my .02 cents. No change needed.

[TomsResto]

Sounds like a fun project with significant sentimental value ... given your title and what appears to be a sense of "analysis paralysis" I'd set the end goal, and work things backward to today from there.

More specifically, start with a goal of when you want to have it running & driving. Could be a birthday (yourself, wife, kids), an event (PowerTour 2019, class reunion, a wedding), etc. and then work out a schedule/task list backwards from that. You'll need to decide what parts of the build are you doing yourself vs what are you going to hire out. From there then work backwards on the side of the list from the pieces that you decide you are hiring out as those become things your schedule is at the mercy of the schedule of others. So then call those shops (sounds like you already have a few in mind) and share your timeline/goal and when they would need the car in what stage to do their piece (and then add some percentage of time for their under-estimating since that is pretty consistently the case), etc.

In my experience most reputable shops are going to have some type of backlog for anything more than basic brake jobs, etc. and they'll probably work you in timelines rounded to the nearest 2-3 months (i.e. "I could probably set your body on the new frame later this summer" or something like "I generally have a backlog of at least 6 engines on the bench, so I need 4 months heads up from when you intend to drop off that block", etc)

So with those major schedule items defined you can fill in tasks from your "I'll do" side of the build in an order that makes sense (i.e. not doing the interior before the transmission decision is made to know if you have to cut into floor boards)

Good luck, create a progress/build thread to show status and ask folks here questions along the way!

[Peter Mc Mahon]

Set a maximum budget and work backwards from there.

[BL72]

Thank you all!!

As for my uses.... i suppose it will be a jack of many trades. I want it to be streetable and cruise comfortable number 1. It wont be a trailer queen by any means. Ill take it to local cruise ins and i want it to be nice enough to enter at something like cavalcade of customes even if it wouldnt win. But i would love to go on road course racing as a hobby for fun. I remember a race i saw on TV yrs ago called Pony express. It was a long road and it was a timed event with a period of time between cars starting. I remember thinking how cool that would be to run in regardless of result. Ive googled it and i cant find it tho, not sure if it is still around. I bet i saw it 10 plus yrs ago... so who knows. But yes occasionally road tracks would be great!

A time line is a great idea. And i def have analysis paralysis. And yes it definitely got a huge sentimental value to me. I should get a better idea of what i need perhaps and start a thread for the build. I just hate to have a thread with little activity...

Budget is a big issue cause ive literally got no clue at this point but you're right i need one..

Thanks again. Hope to talk yo everyone often!
Phil

[Shawn01754]

I absolutely love Jeff Kauffman. The guy is great with the Pontiacs. I can't say enough about his knowledge and skill. Anything about a Pontiac motor, the most important thing to remember is he knows how to get there from here. If you want a 540CI all Pontiac at 1500hp or 350hp stock motor, he will explain everything and he cncs his own parts from a block of aluminum.

Just one rule of thumb is carefully select what year block you chose.