69 Firebird street beast.

[Mark69bird]

Just a bit on the car, I found it locally knowing full well these type of projects take time and money. My plan is to build a pro turning type car while keeping the stock Firebird appearance. Minor body mods. Factory Pontiac block (455). Mini tub, wide tires and well you get it. Luckily I have a dad that’s a licensed retired body man and me being in the business for about 10 years before changing careers. So not worried about the cost of bodywork. I get to save a ton on this part. Here’s a few pics of the work after two years.
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So that was disassembly. Fun times!!

Here’s some cut and repair and weld back in.

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Here’s the firewall smoothing.
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Now I made a body jig. Needed to replace my frame rails and trunk floor.
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Car is on the jig. Just skinned the doors.
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Started cutting out the old rusty crap in the back.
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Here is some of the completed wheel wells and trunk floor etc.
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Fitting quarters deck lid and filler panel and tail panel. Man had hell with the passenger side.
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Now with epoxy primer.
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Now. Off the jig to fit the front end and see how all this goes.
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Well that the way she is right now. I also repaired a frame I had to get. Just the mounts. Next is blasting all the bumper pieces and get them painted so I can start to fit the bumper to the front. I also pulled the trigger on suspension with a big thanks to Rod at suspension geek. I can’t wait till all these parts start to come. It’ll keep me busy for sure.

[thumper877]

Wow come a long way. Looks great. Its nice to know how to do all that definitely saves u alot of money

[gto406]

Just a bit on the car, I found it locally knowing full well these type of projects take time and money. My plan is to build a pro turning type car while keeping the stock Firebird appearance. Minor body mods. Factory Pontiac block (455). Mini tub, wide tires and well you get it. Luckily I have a dad that’s a licensed retired body man and me being in the business for about 10 years before changing careers. So not worried about the cost of bodywork. I get to save a ton on this part. Here’s a few pics of the work after two years.


Car looks really great Mark! Notice you are going with a TA style hood, that style of hood really looks great!!

Will be keeping an eye out on this project as the 69 Bird is near/dear to me. Pic of my car attached. 182812

Cheers,
Brian.

[Mark69bird]

Car looks really great Mark! Notice you are going with a TA style hood, that style of hood really looks great!!

Will be keeping an eye out on this project as the 69 Bird is near/dear to me. Pic of my car attached. 182812

Cheers,
Brian.

Thanks. It’s a lot of work but knowing you build it makes it all worth it. Here’s the next one! Have to have one f each. 182817

[Mark69bird]

Car looks really great Mark! Notice you are going with a TA style hood, that style of hood really looks great!!

Will be keeping an eye out on this project as the 69 Bird is near/dear to me. Pic of my car attached. 182812

Cheers,
Brian.

Very nice bird!

[gto406]

Very nice bird!

Thanks - the drop top looks awesome too!

Can’t wait to see how they turn out. 🤟🏼

[srode]

Nice work!

[anguilla1980]

Wow, great start to a thread and I love seeing other 69 Firebirds! I'll look forward to the progress.

[stevehoj]

Thumbs up!

[Mark69bird]

Just a few updates. Blasted and painted all 22 pieces of the bumper parts. Crazy how many pieces puts this together. 183385183386183387

Received suspension stuff this week. Like Christmas time again. Thanks again to Rod at suspension geek.
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Made a quick axle stand. Nothing fancy. Will do the job.
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And last. Fitting all those pieces to the front end. Man what a pain lining everything up. Still have some work there but moving along.
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Installed the rear wing. And fitted the bumper. Don’t like how far the bumper ends stick out. So I’m working at tucking them in a bit.183395

[egoman]

That is definitely not the cleanest starting point I have ever seen.

[dhutton]

Nice work!

Don

[Motown 454]

You do some nice work! The car looks great and I see a lot of changes to the garage too. Nice job.

[viperman]

Man, I wish I had the talent, drive, patience , and time to do something like that. Bravo!

[Rod]

Car is coming together Mark! and thanks for the business brother!!

[Mark69bird]

Car is coming together Mark! and thanks for the business brother!!

Thank you Rod. I’ll be sure to pick your brain on more setup and parts to put on this bad boy.

[gto406]

Great progress!

Front end of this model year a pain in the a** to assemble for sure! 🤟🏼

Are those rear suspension pieces? Looks like your going coil-over.

Cheers
Brian.

[Mark69bird]

Great progress!

Front end of this model year a pain in the a** to assemble for sure! 🤟🏼

Are those rear suspension pieces? Looks like your going coil-over.

Cheers
Brian.

Thanks Brian. Yes I bought ridetech front and rear kits with coil-overs.

[chickn]

"....And last. Fitting all those pieces to the front end. Man what a pain lining everything up. Still have some work there but moving along." I feel your pain, lining up the front is next to impossible. I been working on getting my 69 firebird front end aligned for a while. It basically stalled my project. Your car is looking good!

[Kenova]

Where did you get your new body panels from? Are you happy with the fit of them?

Ken

[Mark69bird]

Where did you get your new body panels from? Are you happy with the fit of them?

Ken

The quarters were from Dynacorn and the passenger side was poor. Around the tail panel. The fenders are from Goodmark and the passenger side needs massaging. Again. It’s all aftermarket stuff and the quality isn’t were it needs to be but because the cars are old and rusty your kind of stuck getting what you can get.
Lots of on and off grinding and welding. It’s sure not going to be no trailer queen or on the floor of SEMA! But as long as I can get the gaps nice and do minimal bodywork that will be my goal. It’s a driver!! Cheers.

[Mark69bird]

Just a bit of an update. Been awhile since I was able to post. Been a very busy year so no to much has happened but making some progress. My biggest issues has been the 4 link install. Still have a lot more to do but getting there. These are from this weekend. First time on wheels in over 2 years. Bodywork is about 60-70% done. This is the second coating after 180 blocking. The rear pockets for the bumper turned out well. It looks pretty cool with them tucked in to the body. We took the stock spoiler and I didn’t like the way it sat on top of the quarters so we cut them down and molded them into the body and trunk. Like the look much better. Still have to work on the front end and get the rid of the rubbers you see behind the light bezels. Have some moulding to do there yet. She still has to be blown apart again and put back on the rotisserie to finish the under body. But seeing it like this gets you motivated for sure. 190128190129190130

[Steve68]

Thats a lot of metal work right there,

Car looks great, always was a Firebird fan,

[Mark69bird]

Just an update. I know I haven’t posted in a bit but like all projects they get pushed aside when life gets in the way. I have managed to do odds and ends. So I finally got around to finishing the underside of the car, epoxy, under guard and paint. Got the frame painted, the 12 bolt built. Also have the brake lines and fuel lines. Just placed an order with summit for some brake stuff.


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[Mark69bird]

More pics
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[Mark69bird]

So for the brake master I went with the C5 corvette. I modified the bracket to the degree that the Detroit speed one uses.
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[Mark69bird]

Next was tackling the clutch master.
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[Mark69bird]

Next was running the lines.
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[Mark69bird]

Put the rear end in. Installed the front hubs with new bearings.
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[AtomicFirebird]

Yum!! Keep feeding

[Pedigry]

Wow, you got deep into that build. Really well done. Wish I had those metal skills.

[Josh@Ridetech]

Car looks great man, keep it up!

[Mark69bird]

Just a few more updates since the last time I was able to post. Got the motor in along with the Camaro 6 speed. Found a set of hooker mid length headers. Able to keep the exhaust up so it doesn’t hang too low. Bought myself the aces jackpot system. Just toting with a few places to put the computer. One was inside the drivers fender. Made this panel just to see how it would look. If anybody has an other places please feel free to give some ideas. Also been doing some wiring. Got the tail lights wired, headlights, turning lights along with high beams and horn. Working my way along. Very tedious. Also bought a magnaflow exhaust system. Only went with 2-1/2. Should do the trick. Price was right too. Still lots to do. But was able to push it outside to clean up the garage before winter and that’s the update. Hoping to get paint on her in 2025. But we’ll see. The cost of things just makes it hard sometimes and our weak dollar doesn’t help. Oh well. Keep motoring.

[Mark69bird]

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[Mark69bird]

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[Kenova]

. The cost of things just makes it hard sometimes and our weak dollar doesn’t help. Oh well. Keep motoring.

AHHH! A fellow Canadian.
I share your misery :hammer:. Maybe things will get better in '25.

With so many first gen Camaros kicking around it's nice to see an early 'Bird. You are doing a fine job resurrecting this one. Looking forward to the finished product.

Ken