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View Full Version : Billet Alum cap install (not Larry's)


J68Bird
09-19-2006, 08:19 AM
I made some progress on my Firebird that I wanted to share. I wanted to have a billet cap, but the ones that I saw for sale were too big to fit in the space between the trunk lid and bumper. I picked up a damaged gas tank from a local motorcycle salvage yard. I cleaned it out and filled it to the top with water. Then I cut the top off using a hole saw and shears. (no sparks) I trimmed up the piece, centered it in the tail panel and used it to scribe my lines. Final fitting was done with a drum sander in a 1/4" right angle air tool. After a couple of hours work I've got things pretty flat. I've got it close, but I still need to work on the lower edge a bit.

J. Clear
68 Firebird Conv.
455/4spd (under construction)
HWY Nova
09-19-2006, 08:34 AM
Very Clean!
Mr.VENGEANCE
09-19-2006, 09:24 AM
thats real nice!
68 SuperRam
09-19-2006, 09:35 AM
Looks great!!!
ProTouring442
09-19-2006, 10:18 AM
Very Cool!!

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
'72 442 "Inamorata"
JoshStratton
09-19-2006, 10:24 AM
So THATS how you do that. I had one of those filler things in the For Sale section a long time ago but couldnt really describe how to graft it. I might have to add a little link to this post. Thanks and good job!!
Whistler
09-19-2006, 08:45 PM
Good job!
69muscle
09-19-2006, 08:56 PM
damn......just one more thing to add to list
Happyfunballs
09-20-2006, 04:09 AM
JBird, I notice that you have an aftermarket tail pan and I was curious about the metal thickness difference. I would imagine that both are quite thin, but the cycle tank has got to be paper thin. Any issues welding? Did you mig or tig?
19topless69
09-20-2006, 07:06 AM
Looks good, just the right size!
J68Bird
09-20-2006, 07:22 AM
JBird, I notice that you have an aftermarket tail pan and I was curious about the metal thickness difference. I would imagine that both are quite thin, but the cycle tank has got to be paper thin. Any issues welding? Did you mig or tig?

You're right about the cycle tank being thin. The tailpanel wasn't bad though. I did use a TIG welder, but even that was difficult until I tried a thinner filler wire (.025). Unfortunately I was almost done by then.