My 67 Firebird

[T_Raven]

Well I figure I'll start a build thread. I'm home from Iraq for a month but I'll be staying over there for another year or two so I won't be doing much till I come back. But I'd like to at least show what I've got now.

Here is what I started with when I bought this car 10 years ago.

[T_Raven]

I bought this car for $1200 when I was 15. The straight six back fired through the number 6 intake valve. So I smashed the plug shut and drove it like that for about 6 months when the head gasket blew. So out came the L6

[T_Raven]

And in went a 400/t400 I pulled out of a 71 Grand Prix at the junk yard where I worked in high school. I think I had about $600 into the whole swap with gaskets, a timing chain, mounts, and a trans cross member. That engine ran fantastic.

[T_Raven]

A few years ago I came across this awesome 71 Bonneville with a 455 for $1,100 bucks. The heads on my 400 were #96 100cc heads. They have big valves, and screwed in rocker studs so they are pretty good heads. They also make about 9.0:1 compression on a 455 so I bought the Bonnie, swapped short blocks, and resold it for $1,000

The 455 started making some noise right before I first went to Iraq in '05 so it was parked and hasn't moved since. I'm pretty sure it's just a bad lifter so I ordered a cam, lifters and valve springs about a month ago.

[T_Raven]

So I finally got to my house last night and this is what was waiting for me. I have plenty of time to surf the web looking for deals while I'm in Iraq lol.

I bought the Fikses from David Sharpe on ebay. I don't know if he's a member on the board but he has a pretty sweet 69 camaro that went to SEMA a couple years ago. The wheels and tires only have about 1,000 miles on them and I got them for a hell of a deal. 18x9" and 18x11"

The Ron Davis radiator is one I bought from a member here, the fans aren't in the pic but I have them also.

I was originally going to use the LS1 in my sig but I'm not sure now. I came across that t56 in the pic over on ls1tech.com. It needs a rebuild but it was cheap. It's an LS1 t56 so it will work behind a Pontiac with the right bell housing/adaptor set up. It'll go behind one of my Pontiacs so I think I'll use the Mcleod modular bell housing to make a clean install. I think I'll stroke a 400 block, put the t56 behind it and put fuel injection on it. Then the ls1 will probably go in my 89 GTA and the 455 will go in my 79 TA.

I bought a tail panel, ram air hood, trunk floor and speaker panel but only the tail panel has shown up so far. I need some other panels too but I'll get those later on.

The cam is a lunati voodoo that is similar to a factory Pontiac 068 grind. I did some research and found out that the 455 had a 066 grind if I remember right. It was a 2 barrel carb 455 so that cam has got to go. From what I read online the 068 should be a good grind and the next more agressive factory grind was the ram air IV but from what I read I decided that it was probably too agressive for the heads and compression I have. This lunati cam has about the same duration, but a bit more lift and a bit more over lap than the 068. The springs are comp cam behive springs. They were a bit spendy but I love the theories of behive springs and wanted to try them out.

[T_Raven]

Now I just need to dig the 67 out. Why did I put it in first? lol

[f1shman]

Another firebird build thread! Consider me subscribed. I hope you have time to get things situated before you have to head back.

[78 Type-LT]

nice set of toys...i love 3rd gen T/A's...be be sofe over there fam..

[icebird84]

nice set of toys...i love 3rd gen T/A's

indeed

[CliffS]

Hey T., Good to see you started a build thread. Got some nice parts already.

[T_Raven]

Thanks Cliff. You know....I didn't even feel like coming home from Iraq because it's such a hassle to get here, and I actually like it over there. But now that I'm home I'm pissed I don't have more time lol. I've got so much to do.

I'm going to build a frame table to throw the shell on to fix the body damage. I've also got to go pick up one more thing today that I'll show you guys. The funny thing is I wanted some I beam to make a frame table out of and figured I'd have a hard time finding some, but a lady I know just happens to have a perfect piece laying in her back yard. You've gotta love when stuff works out like that lol.

[T_Raven]

To those who like my 89, I think I'll put my LS1 in it, so I'll start a thread for that. But that'll be a while still. I got a good deal on an 01 WS6 a couple months ago too and finally got to see it when I got home. It' in worse shape than I had hoped but the body and interior are pretty good, and it was cheap. I'd rather buy a car that is good cosmetically and needs mechanical work then use the money saved to modify the mechanical parts that need work and still be money ahead. There's a link in my sig if anyone wants to check that one out.

[CliffS]

Thanks Cliff. You know....I didn't even feel like coming home from Iraq because it's such a hassle to get here, and I actually like it over there. But now that I'm home I'm pissed I don't have more time lol. I've got so much to do.

I'm going to build a frame table to throw the shell on to fix the body damage. I've also got to go pick up one more thing today that I'll show you guys. The funny thing is I wanted some I beam to make a frame table out of and figured I'd have a hard time finding some, but a lady I know just happens to have a perfect piece laying in her back yard. You've gotta love when stuff works out like that lol.

Must be a big hassle to get home. Prob. not a direct flight to the US, any connecting flights in Europe?

But don't spend to much time on the net, time is running out get back to the garage LOL...

[T_Raven]

Yeah I usually connect in Amsterdamn, I was just there on Friday. I knew you were over there somewhere but never realized that it was Amsterdamn lol. My lay overs usually aren't very long but maybe my next trip home in August I could stay a day and come check out your car.

[T_Raven]

A couple more pics to post.
I originally wanted to fab my own front sub and rear 4 link, but I later decided to buy a C5 based sub and a G-bar....but I changed my mind again. I picked up this C5 suspension off ebay

I've got this 9" housing that I'm going to narrow and make a triangulated 4 link

I've got some fabrication experience and I took the chassis fab course at Wyotech. So I figure it would be a waste of my money to have taken that course if I don't fab a chassis lol. The frame itself will be easy it's just getting the geometry right that will be tough, but I think I can do it. Worst case scenario if I can't fab a descent sub and 4 link, I'll resell the C5 stuff and only be out a few hundred bucks for metal, then I'll buy the professionally made stuff.

This is another reason I'll be building the frame bench I mentioned above.

[T_Raven]

Well now that I've got all that posted I'll list my plans for this

Wheels: Fikse profile 5s, 18"x9" and 18"x11"
Suspension: front sub with C5 components, triangulated rear 4 link, air ride level pro kit
Brakes: Manual master, C5 front, ls1 rear (I already have a full rear setup)
Engine: Plans are to build a stroked 400 Pontiac with aluminum heads and EFI
Transmission: T56, Mcleod modular bell housing, MGW shifter
Rear axle: 9" posi, probably 3.50:1 gears
Body: Fix collision and rust damage, mini tub, 400 hood, and I'll probably keep it white.
Interior: Mostly stock but after market gauges and seats. Tilt column and after market wheel, power windows and locks

That's a pretty general run down anyway.

[CliffS]

Yeah I usually connect in Amsterdamn, I was just there on Friday. I knew you were over there somewhere but never realized that it was Amsterdamn lol. My lay overs usually aren't very long but maybe my next trip home in August I could stay a day and come check out your car.

Let me know upfront T., you're more than welcome!!

[T_Raven]

Thanks Cliff I'll definitely try to do that on my next trip. It should be around August sometime but I'll give you a heads up.

[cityofthesouth]

awesome. Sounds to me like you've got lots of fun ahead of you with all those toys.

[T_Raven]

Free shirt!!



Test fitting my wheels to make sure they'd clear the calipers since the C5 calipers are so far outward, but it cleared fine



I also put my new MGW shifter in my 01 TA last night. I haven't seen them mentioned on here really, but on ls1tech.com everyone who has bought one so far loves it and prefers it over the B&M or hurst. I can't compare it to anything but the stock one but it's pretty nice. I'll use one on the 67 also