My Firebird build

[thunderzy]

WOW!! Sean, you just picked out the wheels for my 79 firebird project!! Thanks alot!! I was having trouble trying to decide what to get! Cant wait for more progress!!

[dstryr]

Did you have to run spacers for those rims?

Seems 20mm and 30mm is too small of a backspacing for a firebird.

i need 4.5" backspacing on the front and 5.5' backspacing in the rear.

[Jimmy Sean]

Did you have to run spacers for those rims?

Seems 20mm and 30mm is too small of a backspacing for a firebird.

i need 4.5" backspacing on the front and 5.5' backspacing in the rear.

They come in two widths 8" or 9.5" and two different offsets, 20 and 35. Which works out to be.....

18x8 20 offset = 5.29" backspace
18x8 35 offset = 5.88" backspace
18x9.5 20 offset = 6.04" backspace
18x9.5 35 offset = 6.63" backspace

I'm in the process of mini tubbing right now so for the rear I have not mounted them yet. The pictures of the wheel and tire on the front is without a spacer. The front hubs that I used changed the track width buy a 1/2" each side.

[Jimmy Sean]

Do you guys think I should grind the welds down on the back wheels that were widened or leave them?

[dstryr]

They come in two widths 8" or 9.5" and two different offsets, 20 and 35. Which works out to be.....

18x8 20 offset = 5.29" backspace
18x8 35 offset = 5.88" backspace
18x9.5 20 offset = 6.04" backspace
18x9.5 35 offset = 6.63" backspace

I'm in the process of mini tubbing right now so for the rear I have not mounted them yet. The pictures of the wheel and tire on the front is without a spacer. The front hubs that I used changed the track width buy a 1/2" each side.

Thanks a lot dude. I emailed Motorsport Technology last night for a quote on 1/2" wheel adapters and depending on what they give me as a quote I might be going with these rims. Something different from the TTII ya know?

Might as well just leave the welds...you wont see them after the tires are on ...

[Motown 454]

Wheels look awesome, How long did it take toget the wheels widened they look good?
Wayne

[Jimmy Sean]

Wheels look awesome, How long did it take toget the wheels widened they look good?
Wayne

Three weeks.

[69Bbird]

What is the hub you are using off?

[Jimmy Sean]

What is the hub you are using off?

Camaro, Firebird and Chevelle 2 peice disk brake rotor with the rotor removed. The factory rotor bolts onto the backside of the hub.

[69Bbird]

What year would that be? did'nt know they went to a two piece rotor?

[Jimmy Sean]

What year would that be? did'nt know they went to a two piece rotor?

I know 67 and 68 camaros with four piston calipers had them. My firebird (single piston calipers) had them and my 1971 chevelle had one that was. I thought that early 69 camaros may have had them. Hopefully someone that knows for sure will chime in.

[andrewb70]

Do you guys think I should grind the welds down on the back wheels that were widened or leave them?

Leave them alone.

Nice project!

Andrew

[Jimmy Sean]

Small update, I continued to work on the mini-tub. Here are a few pictures of the progress.

[Hammered]

I know 67 and 68 camaros with four piston calipers had them. My firebird (single piston calipers) had them and my 1971 chevelle had one that was. I thought that early 69 camaros may have had them. Hopefully someone that knows for sure will chime in.

GM used them up through mid-1970 model year. The later one piece rotors were not backwards compatible with the 4-piston brakes.

[T_Raven]

hey Jimmy! any update on this thing?

[Motown 454]

Any new updates We need pictures.

[Jimmy Sean]

Noting much, I had to resurrect my daily driver.

I let my son take my driver (1994 Miata) to the Home coming football game and he wrecked it that night screwing around. Anyway I woke up that Saturday and the drivers rear wheel was toed out and there was grass wedged between the wheel and tire. To add insult to injury I had to go ask him what happened. His story was that he turned off from a paved road onto gravel and didn't realize it was gravel and slid off in the ditch and hit a bolder. I don't believe him and he hasn't drove any of our vehicles since.

Had to replace the lower control arm bolts, lower control arm and the knuckle. So while I was in there I replaced the wheel bearings on both sides.

This past week I was busy with our church's vacation bible school, I ran the sound equipment, so no work this past week.

I think I have some pictures of the boom tubes I made, I will try and post those tonight. I finished up the drivers side minitube fab, still need to seam seal.

I hope to start working on it in the next week or so.

Thanks for the interest,
Sean

[Motown 454]

Sean as much as we'd like to shoot them for their Sci-fi account of what happened we're still glad they came home safe. I remember a few corker's I used ,they sounded believable to me back then. I hope you get to work on your project soon.

[T_Raven]

can't wait to see more. if i ever leave iraq i'll rip my 67 apart and start a thread. i've got an ls1/t56, and some c5/ls1 brakes i got off ebay. gotta stay here a while to get the money for the build though lol.....why couldn't i be addicted to something cheaper....like crack

[novanutcase]

Sean as much as we'd like to shoot them for their Sci-fi account of what happened we're still glad they came home safe. I remember a few corker's I used ,they sounded believable to me back then. I hope you get to work on your project soon.

LOL!!!!! Ahhhh yes!!!

I remember coming home, drunk out of my skull, and throwing up in the front yard. I grabbed the garden hose and tried to hose off the evidence. My dad came out and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was thirsty and wanted a drink of water!

BTW this was at 3 a.m.!

John