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JLM
05-10-2005, 08:05 PM
OK this is the first update I've posted up to this site. here goes nothing.

To give a little history on this car, it's known as "The 7 Year Project" Likely because i will have had it that long before It ever gets driven.

I purchased this car in the spring of 1999 has a Sophmore in high school. Driving home after the purchase the passenger front outter wheel bearing seized up and snapped the spindle clean off the car. After getting the car home and the previous owner tracking down a new spindle it becamse decidedly obvious to my father and I that the car needed some work before it could be safely driven.

I didn't really care as I always knew I purchased an engine and got a car with it.

Slowly, ever so slowly the car had the front end torn down reworked and now the focus is getting the body work done.

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As you can see from the photo's I've got a bit of a mess on my hands currently. it is however reaching the point where paint prison is in the near future.

If the weather holds out this weekend I will have the passenger side inner wheel well and 1/4 panel replaced. This leaves me with putting the front end back on the car. The only minor hurtle there is the passenger fender needs to have some patch work done on it from corrosion. That will likely cover a weekend or two worth of work. I've also got a new forward light, engine and dash harness waiting to be installed in the car. That will likely be put in after paint. The interior on theis car (although it is trash bag green) is in very good condition with only one small tear in the headliner.

What that leaves me with then is body work and paint and the car is once again drivable. It won't have the new suspension goodies, new wheels or most importantly my hair dryer, but I will finally be able to enjoy the car for a bit.

OLDFLM
05-11-2005, 08:53 AM
I've always loved the 69 birds!
Look forward to seeing your progress!
V/R,
Ty

I'm in Colorado Springs...

CAMAROBOY69
05-11-2005, 09:05 AM
I also love the 69 Birds.
Great write up and thats going to be a great car. Its in a lot better shape than most of them out there. How is the floor? You said the interior is nice but I have seen vehicles with perfect interior but I lift the carpet and I can see the ground underneath.
Its kind hard to tell by the truck pic but is that trunk cut out or are my eyes playing tricks on me. I can tell the quarter is cut but something looks cut up on the truck too.
If you get a chance can you post some interior pics. :pics2:
Do you do all the work yourself?

JLM
05-11-2005, 09:51 AM
That's for the comments guys.

OLDFLM, I'm up inthe springs every now and then visiting friends. Next time I'm up that direction we should try to meet up. I'd like to see your 72.

CamaroBoy, the floor is in good shape. The trunk pan is starting to show signs of corrosion, and the previous owner cut a big hole in it to get at the sending unit in the tank. Eventually at least that portion of the floor will need replacing. The trunk however is not cut up. I think what you might be seeing is all the parts and crap that are in the trunk right now. It kind of makes it look like there's a whole in the trunk floor.

I do all the work myself with my limited time (work, school, the fact that the car is at my parents place not mine). I really wish I had the time and money right now to get the entire body off the car and do a frame off. I don't have the time, money or space to undertake that project at this time. Perhaps a couple years down the road.

I'll try and get some interior pics this weekend and post them up.

I'm hoping to have the body work done so that I can get the car into the paint shop by months end. I'm shooting for a "drivable" date in late June. Of course it will be a while before the car is actually "done." I'm sure many here know all too well how that goes.

There is a fellow from up in Colorado SPrings looking at purchasing my Cobra, so that will free up a great deal of money if that goes through. There may be end in sight after all :)

CAMAROBOY69
05-11-2005, 10:03 AM
Thats really great to hear you do everything yourself too. Its soo much easier to respect an owner of a car that does everything themself, or at least the majority of the car. I personally love metal fabrication like welding and it looks like you do too.
Thats nice to set an objective point and approximate deadline. It really helps the motivation. There are quite a few in here that know exactly what your going thru especially when you have a job, school and the car isnt with you. Its even harder if your lacking money. I can easily relate to that especially with multiple muscle car projects at once. Good luck with the Cobra sell. That will get you lots of goodies for the bird.

JLM
05-11-2005, 11:34 AM
Well, it's not all me. My father has been an instrumental help in the progress that has been made on the car. Without his structural knowledge (owns an aircraft repair facility) I probably would have compelted the car very half-assed in haste.

It is however getting there and soon enough will be resting in my garage where it truely belongs.

JLM
06-13-2005, 04:55 AM
Quick update.

After some very poor weather lately I finally got some more work done on the car. I completely rebuilt the inner wheel well on the passenger rear. I had to cut about half of the well off and replace it with new metal. Also went thrugh the 1/4 window wells with a vacuum to get all the dirt and crap that had gotten up there. Went through the entire area with a large tube of sealant to solve that problem.

I'm now ready to get the 1/4 panel bonded in place. I'm hoping to have filler on the car and the high build primer layed in about 3 weeks time.

Drewhelm
06-15-2005, 07:34 AM
Glad to see antoher 69 Bird. Looks to be in better shape than mine started in when I got it in 2000! I had to redo EVERYTHING including motor, trans, and rear end.

Here are some updated pics and details....

http://firstgenfirebird.org/show/closeup.mv?CarID=642

Drew

JLM
06-15-2005, 08:35 AM
Glad to see antoher 69 Bird. Looks to be in better shape than mine started in when I got it in 2000! I had to redo EVERYTHING including motor, trans, and rear end.

Here are some updated pics and details....

http://firstgenfirebird.org/show/closeup.mv?CarID=642

Drew

Thanks, that's a good looking bird you have Drew.

My bird really isn't all that bad of condition. Just your normal problem areas with these cars. I should be able to finish the body work up and start paint prep the last weekend in June (will me out of state this weeked).

I've sold my other toy so funds look pretty good right now. I'm hoping to have the car compelted aside from interior by about mid July.

The car will be painted two tone black and dark cherry with polished CCW Classics at the corners.

steve g
06-17-2005, 06:50 PM
I'm also glad to see another bird! One of these days I hope I have some photos worth posting.

JLM, keep us updated.

Drew, I like that stinger scoop. Is it functional? I've been debating buying a TA hood, but now that I've seen yours I might have to think about copying. Afterall imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. How cool would it look to have one of the funny car type injector air scoops with the butterfly valves just slightly visible underneath?