"After the Fire" 1968 Firebird

[Tom Welch]

Scott I really appreciate your offer and I accept your terms. Let me know when, thanks again.

[2manybirds]

Nice ride. I've got three 1st gens plus extra engines and i'm still thinking about going chevy in one of them. You gotta have fun and getting a good deal on a motor is FUN

[dlrepmn]

My seats arrived by truck today. They look brand new. Not a bad deal for $230.00 and freight. Everyone else wanted $600-$900. Maybe you can get a deal on E-bay? They recline, fold forward, and are very comfortable and supportive. I am contemplating putting them in just the way they are since they are in such great shape. Power on the driver and manual on the passenger.

They are 2000 Firebird seats. Firebird seats for a firebird.

I am going to remove the headrests and install black Katzkin leather covers with dark graphite inserts and dark graphite double stitching as an accent.

They were supposed to install the Billet Specialties Tru-Trax today. The tank is in (on the floor not in the car) and all the fittings to run the fuel and brake lines. Holley fuel pump as well.

I sold the GTO wheels and Goodyear GT+4's for $500.00. I got at a swap meet years ago and the tires were from 1996, but they had very little wear. You have to love Craigslist!

Have a great day!

Not only did I figure out photobucket, but now smiles!

[dlrepmn]

[1971CHEVELLE]

Sweet project

[Steve Firebird]

The project looks to be moving a long great. Keep at it. It is going to be a great car. I have to say I just picked up the 400 Pontiac engine I had rebulid. I did it right used good parts and cut no corners and I have to say I am not sure if I want to go that route next time. If (when) I tear up the 455 in my 68 I may go with a LS engine. I can pick up a nice LS2 with trans for less then it cost me to build my 400. I quess the only question would be the cost to put it in the firebird. Anyway good luck with the bird and keep us posted.

[dlrepmn]

Boy, it wasn't my intention to tweak people with the chevy motor when I started this project. I am just using a motor that I just so happened to have from my own stupidity. I was trying to save a buck on the project by using the one from my abandoned street rod project.

I did go back and forth, but I kept coming back to "there is a perfectly good 400HP/450ftlb motor sitting right there on the floor". I guess it was laziness since I was exited to get started on it. I didn't want to wait to sell this one and have to pay even more for a new one. Specifically the LS2 GTO donor deal from e-bay which wasn't that bad really. My dad was ready to buy the chevy (with a little coaxing) to install in his '34 Ford.

Now I see the anti Pontiac wearing a bow-tie t-shirts. And I ended up getting everyone fired up very unintentionally. Honest. Even though being a car guy for so many years, I should have known better. I ran the classic car show at an NADA college for god sakes.

I didn't expect all this attention and am humbled by the kind words and you folks that spoke out for me. This motor was to be a stop gap measure. I have the ability to change the mounts on the CA Chassisworks for an LS3 setup. The future is planned.

But honestly, it will probably be in there for a while. The costs of a project like this are severe and if I do any work on the car it will be new paint in a couple years after a break. Chill the wife out for a while. Buy some Coach purses, maybe a bracelet.

New paint will come before new motor. But trust me. I see the numbers you guys are getting with the LS7. I am dreaming and drooling!

Now I am already dreading that this will be hard to sell and will have to hang on to it when I pull it out since now I have more than a little coin in the Tru-trak system. I am sure Craigslist will make everything just fine.

Oh, well. I am still having a lot of fun and meeting some really good people along the way. No regrets! I just can't wait until it is done. 400HP is twice what I had in the car. That means I won't be satisfied until I hit at least 600HP on the next step.

I am waiting on new pics with more stuff installed. Next week they are thrashing on just my car to get it running. They finished a couple other projects that they have been working on well before this one. This was kind of a filler for them.

Have a great day!

[dlrepmn]

Here are some more pics from this morning.

The new wheel lip moldings are installed. Tom, the old ones are in the back of the wife's truck and I will send them out this week. I need to find a bigger box and some bubble wrap. We have ordered two of the rectangular mirrors instead of the round ones. Much more modern.

I dropped the hood off this morning even though it was -26 below zero. That is not wind chill folks that is actual temperature. I wasn't wearing gloves and my shop is not heated. Cold, cold, cold hood!

They needed to test fit the hood to tighten up the bolts on the fenders and the newly rechromed front bumper. They will touch up the spot from when I got really mad and slammed the hood when the starter on the 4.1 overheated again and wouldn't start. No more tow trucks! Again, it seemed much worse in my mind. Not that bad when you look at it two years later.

Tru-Trac is installed and it looks so good I ordered the Billet Specialties ball milled valve covers, triangular air cleaner, and matching breathers. Even though the Edelbrock valve covers are new they are from 2003 and looking dated. More stuff for Craigslist!

The radiator is in, but the fan shroud with dual fans was about an inch too big. Had to send it back for another.

The infamous QA1 coilovers are in and installed. They are going to start plumbing the brakes. The emergency brake cable is in.

The fuel tank is in and plumbed. I am going to polish the rest of the chrome on the car as good as possible considering it is still on the car.

We started talking about electrical. A complete new harness is going in. Why stop now? No shortcuts on electrical. The classic instruments gauge set is going to be ordered soon. Time to think stereo. Decided to leather the trunk with panels and carpet on the floor.

I picked out some tailights. Digi-tails. Check out the video. You may have to select your car, but you can see it from the rear real well.

http://www.spaghettiengineering.com/...ore/videos.asp

I am torn on headlights. Which ones? I know they will be halogens to replace my 4 different kinds of headlights. The grills were in much better shape than I remember and we can make them work for sure.

Which lights do you prefer?

http://www.mustangmonthly.com/howto/.../photo_02.html

http://www.karmustang.com/halogen_headlight_kit.php

Tri-bars or Classic yet functional. Yes, Mustang parts on the Firebird. Again, I have sinned against you Oh lord!. Hey they will work great and will look good. I am torn on the logos on the Reen Machine ones. I am sure they offer them plain without the Delta logos.

You have to think outside the box right?

Have a great day!

Scott in Minnesota

[Steve Firebird]

Looking Good!

[dlrepmn]

Tom the wheel lip moldings are on the way.

PM'd you tracking number.

[Donovan]

Good stuff... Any luck with the horn button? That's an excellent accent.

[Tom Welch]

Thanks, Scott. I am waiting anxiously, Tom.

[dlrepmn]

I am glad you mentioned it!

I was ready to get this one

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1967-...#ht_581wt_1442

But it just seemed silly to pay $60.00 (is that the real price?) for this horn button, but I just checked and found a used button from a 69 on e-bay for $7.00. It came with a 400 emblem too.

This one wasn't in as good of shape, but I can find out if I can take it apart and have my buddy machine an aluminum Grant horn button to try and duplicate the "Lady Bird" horn button. It is a Grant 1020 wheel and both should be ordered today. Worst case I could use the aluminum.

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...5&autoview=sku

I wish Year One would just sell me one, but it obviously involved some custom work. If it works I will break down and spend the $60.00 on the one in better shape. Who knows, this one may be perfect. If not, I spent more on car magazines today than I am spending on this button. No harm, No foul.

Thanks for the mention Donovan! I would not have checked E-Bay again without it.

I have changed the column to polished instead of black. That was the only billet in the car.

Ordered the Classic Instruments gauge cluster. Black with white needles.

Found someone to do the upholstery work on the seats, headliner, and ordered the Alpine head unit.

I am also going to order the Modo Innovations aluminum cover kit. That's it though. The rest will be stock interior. Not counting the seats of course.

Having a hell of a time getting the Falken tires. I found them in PA (Vulkan Tire Sales) and Rich should be ordering them today as well. 315-30-18 must not be a popular size. His tire distributor keeps having the date pushed back 4-6 weeks every time he checks his vendor.

Have a great day!

[dlrepmn]

New pictures hit the Hot Rod Factory Website. Sorry, all I have is the link and no pictures of my own. I am heading to Florida for a couple weeks, so I will post new ones on the thread when I get back.

http://hotrodfactory.net/groups/list_images.php?aid=58

The Wilwood brake master cylinder is in and plumbed, the brake lines are plumbed, the fuel lines and tank are installed, the dynamat has been ordered. We have ordered interior parts (sailpan, black console insert kit, center stack insert with A/C control),

Wiring harness, carpet, headliner, sail panels, package tray, visors, battery tray, mirrors, wiper motor kit all ordered. New gauge cluster has been ordered. Power window kits. Steering wheel ordered.

I decided to change from the burlwood console and center stack to black ones to keep from conflicting with the gray seat inserts.

Checks have been mailed with reckless abandon. Wife is clueless (Dear God in heaven if you want me to survive, let's keep it this way.)

The Coach purse shipped today.

Now to work on the stereo components.

Oh, I am having a hell of a time finding Falken RT615 315-30-18's. Anybody got any ideas? They keep pushing the date back 4-6 weeks. I am going to have the Intro Wheels and no rear tires.

Excitement installed and ready!

Have a great day!

[dlrepmn]

Thanks for double checking my order Dustin!

I think they turned out wonderful. Killer actually!

Oh, I might have changed a couple things on the motor.

What do you think?

Got a little carried away, but in a good way. I know shiny is show-touring, but I just have too much brightwork on this car not to go this route. We put some silver on the hood latch, hood hinges, just to mix it up a bit.

Oh, we finally got the Falkens obviously.



















You can just barely see the MSD6AL peeking out. I don't know why you would put it anywhere else. You will never see it. Yes, I know the reservoir is under the fender brace, but really how often to you have to get to it?







Two mirrors now, both sides should be better than one. Rectangular should be better. Like the looks better.

New ones on the HRF site too!

http://hotrodfactory.net/groups/list_images.php?aid=58

It still says it's a 6. Stealth perhaps? Maybe?

Have a great day!

[ed1le]

Wow, looks great!

[dlrepmn]

Throttle linkage a go



Plumbing done



Dynamat done except for the doors



Vintage air in and plumbed



Headliner and sail panels going in. The 2000 front seat brackets bolt right in! Making a bracket for the rears. Dropped off the rear seat for fabrication around the mini-tubs.

Stereo order going in tomorrow. The trunk is going to have black/dark graphite leather to match the seats.

Flowmasters are on order.

[Hammered]

Nice wheels...

[dlrepmn]

Thanks!

Intro Vistas that are fully polished. I looked and looked and settled on these since they have a remote similarity to RallyII's.

Dustin from Intro Wheels is on this site and he even double checked my order that came from the builder to make sure they were exactly what I wanted.

He was very helpful with sizes and prices and I highly recommend them. There are other wheel manufacturer's on this site that are great too! Big names, beautiful products. Awesome!