69 Firebird Build

[pchdrive]

Wow how time flies! This weekend marks the 3-year anniversary of when I picked up the '69 project.

I am on vacation alone this week (kids are at summer camp and the wife is working), so I hope to make lots of progress on the Bird! My body shop is getting the fenders in primer and the inners/core support in final paint. I hope to have the front end on by the end of this week!

Here's some progress I made in the engine bay:






I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend!

Phil

Hey Phil,
Wow! Time has really flown. I look forward to seeing some progress pics for this week......Hope it has been productive.
Rich

[69TAPoser]

Hey Rich! Nice to hear from you. How is the truck project coming along?

As expected, I am waiting on the bodyshop for my radiator support and additional parts so that I can mount the radiator. They are also painting the door hinges so that I can get the doors mounted. I hope to have them today or tomorrow. Most likely tomorrow.

I have been working out a few small things including re-adjusting my front seats (they were too close to the dash) and fixing a power steering fluid leak.

Also, I have started to address some of the issues that have popped up along the way...

I installed my steering shaft for the rack and it hits not 1 header tube, but 3 (just my luck). So I am now having custom stainless headers made. Anyone ever use: http://www.stainlessheaders.com/customheaders ? I spoke with them yesterday and they are sending me their mock-up kit.

Here is what the mock-up kit looks like:


And here is the finished product of the above mock-up:


Another issue that I have is due to the big bearing Ford 9" rear end I am using, my Moser axles have a large 3" diameter flange and the hub bore on my wheels is about 1/8" smaller in diameter. This results in the wheel not sitting all the way down on the Wilwood rotor hats. I spoke with Bonspeed and their wheels don't use the axle flange for centering the wheel, so they recommend having the axle flange machined down to clear the wheels. I just need to see if the machine shop that I use can turn the axles. Just a heads up, let your wheel company know if you are using a Ford 9" rearend. This somehow got missed in the ordering process.

If a have any good pics to post of progress, I will post them later this week.

Phil

[SamHatco]

Man, Phil those headers are a work of art. They will really pop with the engine. Great progress. It seems like just when you have everything worked out on a project plan something throws you a curve ball. Keep it up. I bet you can't wait to see some doors and fenders on the car.

Sam

[pchdrive]

Hey Rich! Nice to hear from you. How is the truck project coming along?

As expected, I am waiting on the bodyshop for my radiator support and additional parts so that I can mount the radiator. They are also painting the door hinges so that I can get the doors mounted. I hope to have them today or tomorrow. Most likely tomorrow.

I have been working out a few small things including re-adjusting my front seats (they were too close to the dash) and fixing a power steering fluid leak.

Also, I have started to address some of the issues that have popped up along the way...

I installed my steering shaft for the rack and it hits not 1 header tube, but 3 (just my luck). So I am now having custom stainless headers made. Anyone ever use: http://www.stainlessheaders.com/customheaders ? I spoke with them yesterday and they are sending me their mock-up kit.

Here is what the mock-up kit looks like:


And here is the finished product of the above mock-up:


Another issue that I have is due to the big bearing Ford 9" rear end I am using, my Moser axles have a large 3" diameter flange and the hub bore on my wheels is about 1/8" smaller in diameter. This results in the wheel not sitting all the way down on the Wilwood rotor hats. I spoke with Bonspeed and their wheels don't use the axle flange for centering the wheel, so they recommend having the axle flange machined down to clear the wheels. I just need to see if the machine shop that I use can turn the axles. Just a heads up, let your wheel company know if you are using a Ford 9" rearend. This somehow got missed in the ordering process.

If a have any good pics to post of progress, I will post them later this week.

Phil

Hey Phil,
The truck (aka tow vehicle/parts hauler) is coming along nice. Here is pic of it.

Here is link to build thread. It is going home soon (in primer) for install of LQ9 6.0/4L80E.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...252364&page=12

Those headers look awesome man.
Please be careful when you start up/break in that nice engine. Be sure to use EOS. The 462 in our bird is running like crap now backfiring through the carb. Timing seems OK so I have this pit in my stomach that the flat tappet cam has gone flat. Need to get it to my engine guy to confirm but have been dreading it. If that's the case it will need a complete tear down after only 5,500 miles.
Oh well......
Take care,
Rich