Another 69 TransAm clone

[dhutton]

I've been working on this car for over a year now but thought I'd post it now since these seem to be getting popular. I bought the car as a parts car but then decided I'd use it to learn bodywork. Replaced floor pans, outer rockers, quarters, rear filler, roof, outer wheel housings, trunk dropoffs and sectioned the tail panel with a Camaro tail panel. I also have new fenders and the fiberglass T/A hood. The car currently sits on an AME subframe and G-Bar. I have installed a stock LS1 and 4L60E. If the car turns out well I hope to upgrade the engine. Most of the body work is done and now I plan to get all the mechanicals installed before paint. With a little luck it will be running by Christmas and I plan to paint it myself in the spring. Plan is for a white car with black T/A stripes and interior instead of blue. The goal is a nice clean driver that handles well and still gets decent mileage so I can drive it daily in good weather.

I'm not even sure if this qualifies as "pro-touring" but since this site is the one where I did a lot of research I thought it was worth posting here. Maybe once I upgrade the engine it'll be a little closer...

Don

[dhutton]

One more shot that didn't upload. Wheels are spares off new GTO's that I'm using for rollers until the car is complete.

Don

[BA.]

I think it qualifies as PT but none the less, we love musclecars here so I'm sure many will be glad you posted up. It sounds like it will be a beautiful driver!

The 69 Pontiac deserves more spotlight.....actually, I think 1st and 2nd gen Firebird/TA's need it. Love seeing them.


Keep us updated!

[curly]

All these '69's are making me jealous! This is another great looking Firebird project!

[MZ 500]

And I thought I was doing a lot of body work you have basicly rebuilt the hole car body wise that is nice work looks like you have all the hard work done.

[ProdigyCustoms]

This is going to be a very cool car. It certainly has the proper parts DNA to be Pro Touring.

[dhutton]

This is going to be a very cool car. It certainly has the proper parts DNA to be Pro Touring.

Given that most of that DNA was purchased from you Frank I've nicknamed this project "Empty Wallet" in recognition of your awesome Empty Nest car. :hail:

Don

[nbecker]

Keep the pics and progress coming! I would say pro-touring, your upgrading in all the right areas.

[Rebird]

ha ha.... Empty Wallet is perfect!

[zman1969]

Given that most of that DNA was purchased from you Frank I've nicknamed this project "Empty Wallet" in recognition of your awesome Empty Nest car. :hail:

Don
I second that! Welcome here also cool to see ine in my backyard-im in Lewisville, think that qualifys us a neighbors! heres the thread link to my project https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14992 and i guarantee yours is moving faster than mine , looking good id like to come out some weekend to see it upclose. Keep the fire(bird) lit brother!

[GM_muscle]

the car is lookin great. why out of the blue people are now starting to build up 69 firebirds? for along time it was the camaro.

[conVerted]

Nice project!

[dhutton]

the car is lookin great. why out of the blue people are now starting to build up 69 firebirds? for along time it was the camaro.

When I started looking for a project car I wanted a Camaro. Sticker shock from the price of rusted out Camaros sent me to the Firebirds. Since this was my first project I thought I'd start with something less expensive than a Camaro. Now that I'm into it I'm happy I chose the Firebird. I'm already thinking my next project might be a 2nd gen Firebird.

Don

[SixSpeed454SS]

I love early Fbirds...Especially '69s

Keep the pics coming.

[restomodbird69]

glad you converted to the bird.i think the fanbase is growing fast.

[steve g]

Nice project. Count me among the legions of Firebird fans. My 69 vert is coming along slowly with a little help from Frank and Michael. I'm in the "empty wallets" club or my car would be in Frank's shop already.

I've been trying to get this thing done for a couple of years and even talked some concepts with Kevin King at Year One who wanted to do a modern version of the 69 TA convertible, but I just didn't have the budget to do it. I'm glad to see that Frank, Michael and Lisa got Empty Nest completed first.

[feuervogel]

I think the '69s are so different looking from the '67-'68s. The nose looks like the '70 GTO but on a smaller, more nimble car. I'd like to see a custom treatment Pro-Touring stance with shaved door handles, wipers, and maybe body-color no-chrome everything...like Venomous only a BIRD!

[LS69TA]

Looks good. I'm going to build up another one before too long.

[muthstryker]

looks good, i wonder if you could widen the spare gto wheels you are using, they look sweet.

[Vegas69]

Given that most of that DNA was purchased from you Frank I've nicknamed this project "Empty Wallet" in recognition of your awesome Empty Nest car. :hail:

Don

Ya join the club!

[dhutton]

It's been a year since I posted this and I've made some progress. The car is running and painted. Painting your own car is a very humbling experience. It still needs some wet sanding and buffing but it's not going to be much more than a nice ten footer. Some assembly and the interior to go but hopefully we will be on the road this spring. Just did a test fit on the used HRE wheels that I bought on ebay. Looks like the backspacing was right on. Still have to dial in the stance a little once I get some tires installed in a week or so. Looks like I need the back up a little and the front down a little. Might need to go to 450 pound springs on the front coilovers but I still need to install the Firebird front bumper and grill assembly which is heavier that the Camaro one. The hood is fiberglass so that's not helping much. Here's a picture of where it is today.

Don

[BossaNova]

_That_ is a beautiful car!
Great work.

[Gearhead Dude]

Looks great...keep up the good work! 1st Gen T/As are very cool.

[rlplive]

incredible, keep us posted

[Josh69]

When I put the nose on my car, it went from being 1" higher in the front, to 1" lower in the front. I have Hotchkis BBC springs in mine with iron heads. So you can pretty much count on at least 1.5-2" drop with just the nose. It doesn't weigh that much, but it's way out there, so lots of leverage. My battery is in the trunk. I don't have my hood on yet so that didn't affect it either.

[dhutton]

I've been doing some more assembly. The fiberglass Trans Am hood continues to be a huge POS. The shape of the beak is wrong and I am going to have to give it a nose job. I should have test fit the bumper before I painted it. I went looking at the pics of Empty Nest and found a progress pic where they were doing the same thing to the hood.

I like the look of the wheels. The front is still a little high, might have to go with 450 pound springs on the coilovers.

Decided to go with factory deluxe interior door panels to keep the budget under control. I like the look of them in black.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/11/firebirdassembly001-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/11/firebirdassembly004-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/11/firebirdassembly006-1.jpg

Don

[Rybar]

OMG Don that thing looks soooooo Badass!!! Sweet I love it! :cheers:

[Motown 454]

Hey Don The car looks nice !

[69TAPoser]

:yum: Very nice!

More pics?

Phil

[BMF Machine]

Man, that is Smok'N!

[dhutton]

Thanks guys. Phil, I don't really have too many more pics but I see the original photos were lost in the hack. Here are some before and during shots. No underhood shots yet. It's just a stock LS1 and it's a little dusty. My build is a home shop budget build so there is not much bling under the hood. The most there will probably be is some coil covers. I plan to start on the interior soon.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/11/69firebirdbeforeshotmay302006-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/11/69firebirdproject006-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/11/69Firebirdbodywork003-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/11/progressphotos004-1.jpg

Don

[zman1969]

man! talk about rags to riches- looking great! any pics of your nose job? im interested in this myself - keep up the good work :twothumbs

[cdoggy81]

Nice :) Love them Pontiacs!!!!!

[BA.]

I'm glad you posted up some recent pic's man. It's looking good!

..and those 'before shots'.... wow!

sweet looking car man!

[dhutton]

Had the car out of the shop today. Still a bunch of small things to do but I should have it on the road this fall. I also need to do the front end alignment and install the KRC power steering pump. The front end is a little high so I am going to install some 450 pound springs on the front coilovers before I do the alignment.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/08/firebird809013-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/08/firebird809033-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/08/firebird809053-1.jpg

[1971CHEVELLE]

awesome car:1st:

[BossaNova]

Dayum. That's hawt!

[SamHatco]

Looks awsome, Don. :twothumbs I just wish I was that far along. Have you had it out on the road yet?

Sam

[dhutton]

Looks awsome, Don. :twothumbs I just wish I was that far along. Have you had it out on the road yet?

Sam

Thanks Sam. I've been following your build and I just wish mine was as nice. Not out on the road yet, just a few short burnouts in the driveway. Hopefully soon, within the next month or so.

[cdoggy81]

Yes Don, it looks real sharp. Wheels look great!!!
What are your current spring rates now? What coilovers are you using?

[Ralph LoGrasso]

The car looks fantastic, Don! I really like the paint scheme.

[Motown 454]

The car looks great Don. It must feel great to see it outside in the sun..

[wellis77]

Great looking car. It has come together real nice...

[steve g]

Looks great! Always glad to see another 69 bird on here.

[vsefiream]

Another 69 TransAm clone?? I was expecting another cookie cutter 69 TA clone. The simple change from blue to black stripes and nice wheels/stance makes this sooooo much better than all the 69 TA's, real or cloned I saw at the TA nats this past weekend. Nice mod of a classic theme!!

[classiccardude69]

Where did you order your t/a hood from?

[dhutton]

Where did you order your t/a hood from?

I got it from Classic Industries when they were having one of their 20% off sales. The quality was disappointing. There is a new metal version available from The Parts Place on ebay.

There is one for sale on this forum:


https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59510

[HalfAssWhiteTrash]

That is outstanding! I love everything about that car, well except the fact that it isnt mine.

[gto406]

Don, gorgeous TA!

Very well done, indeed! Enjoy your hard work.

[WS6]

Completely missed the outside pictures some how. Car looks great. Good job Don.

[classiccardude69]

I got it from Classic Industries when they were having one of their 20% off sales. The quality was disappointing. There is a new metal version available from The Parts Place on ebay.

There is one for sale on this forum:


https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59510



I ended up ordering mine from glasstek in Illinois. Its a full fiberglass but is really great quality(or at least I think).With shipping it only cost around $620. Thanks!

[69restomod]

I just purhased this car and am very pleased with it !

[LeighP]

Congratulations...Nice car!

[toyzruskid]

pro touring or not ,i would kill to have a 69 firebird/trans am,five stars for you.