1969 Firebird TA clone track car build

[Ddkeeler]

Attachment 162205Attachment 162206Attachment 162207Attachment 162208Drivers’s side of my interior is done....down to the sill plate. I’m happy with how well the carpet fits, consider the subframe connectors and roll cage. Got my mom involved. She made the emergency brake boot to match the shifter boot. I covered the aftermarket sail panels with leftover headliner. After I get the interior done, it’s on to the Accusump.

That looks great. Love the dash. Have you had much time to mess around with the race pak? I think I want to run that for my project too. It looks like it will be a blast to drive.
Where is your track day? I saw you have an Iowa plate. I’m over in Omaha. Even if I had a car, our local track is under 10ft of water.

[jlwdvm]

I heard that about your track. I'm on Iowa's east coast (Quad Cities area). I'll be going to Autobahn in May. It's a 3.6 mile course in Joliet, Il. I've been there several times with my other cars, but I think I'll be pretty nervous getting this thing on the track for the first time. I should be able to get plenty of road miles in before then. I have the RacePak hooked into the OBD port. I currently use it to monitor engine parameters, and need to get the speedo working.

I filled the oil cooler and primed the system yesterday. Fired it up and ran the Accusump through a few cycles...no leaks and everything seems to be working well. With cool 15W50 break in Joe Gibbs oil, the Accusump takes a while to prime/discharge.

[jlwdvm]

I guess making all of my own fuel and oil lines has made me a little paranoid! Now I’m looking for a fire suit.

[jlwdvm]

Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it! I had to mount the bottle pull so I could reach it while strapped in to my 5-point.

[DWC]

Car came out very nice.

What shifter knob is that?

Daniel

[jlwdvm]

It was a 4 speed knob that I had no use for, so i sprayed it with Duplicolor bed liner left over form the trunk, interior, wheel wells, etc.

[DWC]

Smart idea, it looks good.

Daniel

[jlwdvm]

Picked up the next project last week. My painter had a rust free coup sitting in his shed that he was looking to move. He also had a fastback parts car sitting behind the shop. We used the inner roof structure from it along with a bunch of new parts from Kentucky Mustang to do a conversion. It’s gonna have a Ford Performance 500 horse 363 along with a complete coil over system and Watts link from Shaun at Street or Track.

[Motown 454]

Nice project.

[jlwdvm]

To recap: 3200# 69 firebird with 6 piston Aerolites front and 4 piston rears with BP-10 pads and Spec 37 rotors and a manual 7/8" Wilwood MC, stock pedal set up in manual rod hole. Design and part selection by RSRT.

On the street: it seems like I have to think ahead to stop and have no bite until I get a little heat into the brakes. I can lock up the fronts, but lot of effort with the pedal pressed a long way.

First track day last Monday: I made sure I had heat in the brakes before I thought about entering a corner with any speed. Granted, I was basically there to test, tune, and break in....completely new car, new LS3, new T56, new rear end, etc. The longest straights are 1/4 mile long on the 3.6 mile track and I have 570 horses on tap. I experienced some fade, but I expected that with the pads I am running at the moment (BP-10). I wasn't out to set a new track record by any means. Car handled great.....much better than expected actually. I've spent a lot of time on the same track with my '16 GT350, '13 Boss 302, and '15 Z/28. I couldn't believe how well the car handled. If I had to sum it up in one word: composed! The one disappointment was the brake feel. I guess I am looking for more "bite or instant response"....that instant wham that my other cars have (granted they are power brake cars). My DSE booster/MC combo should be here tomorrow.

[BlackHD]

Hi Joe, what’s the firebird color (paint) name?

[jlwdvm]

Cameo white and tyrol blue....stock '69 TA colors.

[BlackHD]

Cameo white and tyrol blue....stock '69 TA colors.

Thanks!

[jlwdvm]

Day #3557....done...well, almost. The day ended without having to use the fire suppression system, tool box, track safety crew, tow hooks, or trailer winch. I'm calling that a success. I should have the power brake booster and new master finished up this weekend.

[anguilla1980]

Right on, I would for sure call that a success! Major congrats!

[jlwdvm]

The Wilwood proportioning valve is a bitch to plumb (fabbed lines up with it in the bench) and then get the lines installed with it in the car. It took about 2 hours to install the 5 lines into it and get the master lines tightened, but it is done and there are no leaks. Brakes are bled, but I haven’t driven it yet. Pedal is high and hard!

[jlwdvm]

Happy to say that the feel of the brakes is 1000% better. I guess my short legs just like the instant feel of power brakes better. I’m gonna change to track pads for my next track day in August, but other that than, she is nearly sorted out. I think I may have a weak battery (optima), or a slow drain somewhere in the electrical system. The battery seems to go low quite frequently, even though I am driving the car more now.

[anguilla1980]

Looks great, she really turned out fantastic!

[rickpaw]

Car is looking great. Glad the new m/c worked out for you.

[gscherer78ta]

Love seeing this car on track! Great work that I hope you enjoy for years to come!