Another Firebird project

[Clutch93]

You do really great (and fast) work! this thing looks great! i had a question about the rear end. Is that lower arm on there to prevent axle wrap/wheel hop since it's a mono leaf car?

[rickpaw]

Well just looked thru the whole post and I have to say great job on not only the work but I am very glad to see the great job of task management. You should be a example to all of how to start a job and finish it before moving on to something esle to often this is what happens to these great cars to many small jobs not finished turns a project to a basket case. Again great Job and thanks for taking the extra time to share it with us.

Thanks. I like to start on small jobs on the car. That way I can easily finish it and move on to the next one. The body work on the car took a long time, and I've had to take a break from it. Glad that portion was over.

[67speedfreak]

Tu,
Just read thru the whole thread, car looks great ! Post some pics of the kicks installed when you get a chance.

Thanks,
Brian

[Tuske427]

Awesome progress! It's looking great! I can't wait until I'm that far along...

[rickpaw]

You do really great (and fast) work! this thing looks great! i had a question about the rear end. Is that lower arm on there to prevent axle wrap/wheel hop since it's a mono leaf car?

Clutch93,
Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. The lower arm on the rear end is to prevent axle wrap. Automatic cars have one, whereas manual equipped cars have 2.

[rickpaw]

Some update. Been working steadily for the last few months.

Test fitted the front speakers and Screamin Performance kick panels. The panels are high quality and they fit great.







Picture of ds closeout panel



Driver side kick panel with speakers


Pass side

[rickpaw]

Installation of Vintage Air A/C

System as delivered.


Evaporator unit


Cut the dash for center vent


Center vent installed


Side vents




Evaporator installed


Compressor installed. I brought the lines to the local A/C shop and had them crimp the fittings


Modified the stock HVAC controls for V/A controls






I tried to install the radio, but the evaporator is in the way. Since radio is just a dummy and not working, I decided to do some surgery on the radio housing. After 5 mins with the cut off wheel, I have this.


Then everything got mounted up in the center dash. Just have to get a trim plate for the radio.

[rickpaw]

My first attempt at installing headliner. I measured the centerline on the window frame (front/rear) and lined it up with the centerline marked on the headliner, then stretch the headliner out and clipped it in place.






Headliner glued in place. There are still some wrinkles toward the center, despite my attempts to get it smooth. Hopefully it will tighten up overtime, otherwise I may have to redo it.


I started hooking up the transmission linkage. I bought the outer shift lever from CI for a 67 and they sent one labeled 67/68. However, 67 cars have round holes for the linkage rod, whereas 68 cars use cables.

So I went from this...


to this, after some welding, grinding and drilling.

[68400BIRD]

Wow you have been busy. It looks like it is coming along very nicely. If it's not to late can you take some pictures of how you routed any and all wiring that is still showing. Mine was pretty gutted when I tore my old wiring out. Also any tips on the vintage air. I'm a couple of years out from buying and installing but any tips would be great.
Thanks for any help Tu.

[rickpaw]

Wow you have been busy. It looks like it is coming along very nicely. If it's not to late can you take some pictures of how you routed any and all wiring that is still showing. Mine was pretty gutted when I tore my old wiring out. Also any tips on the vintage air. I'm a couple of years out from buying and installing but any tips would be great.
Thanks for any help Tu.

I have pictures of the original wiring inside the car before I took them out, and some of the new wiring before I installed the carpet. I can post those up on your project thread. I don't have anything from the firewall forward, since I bought the car without the front end. I'm rewiring the car with Classic Update kit from American Autowire, and they made some changes to the engine and front light harnesses so the wire routing will be different anyways.

As for the V/A set up. It's very complete. I actually enjoyed working on it since I did not have to hunt down little parts. They provided everything, right down to the little screws. One thing I don't like about the kit is the crappy supplied block off plate for the heater box opening. It looks really tacky when installed. If I were to do it again, I'll go with DSE firewall closeout panel for a better looking install.

[68400BIRD]

Thanks Tu, I also bought the AAW update kit. I welded up my firewall so it is all flat already. But I was worried about how I was going to hang the unit under the dash. I don't really want to drill any holes in my clean flat firewall.

[rickpaw]

You may want to check with DSE. I think they make a bracket for the V/A unit that allows you to mount the evaporator without drilling holes in the firewall.

[68400BIRD]

Tu, here are a few pictures of my exhaust. It's not complete and I am still not happy with the fit.
This first picture is where I think it is best to start since none of the back pipes get cut. Get the mufflers positioned in the xpipe to just hold them in place. Slide the pipe in that goes over the rear end and then push the whole assembly back until the prefabbed brackets touch the rear floor.

[68400BIRD]

Check out this link it might help some also.
http://forums.performanceyears.com/f...d.php?t=625549

[rickpaw]

Thanks Rob, I found the same thread while searching on PY. I still have the original hangers on the car, so I may try and use those. There are some installation pics of a 69 FB on Pypes web site showing the original hangers being used. I did the mock up on one side and looks like I have to trim the legs of the x-pipes and down pipes quite a bit.

[Lycan]

Nice work and the car looks awesome!!!

[68400BIRD]

Keep me updates as to how your install goes. I plan on starting on mine again this week. Like I mentioned on the phone I think I might need to cut the pipes coming out of the mufflers and going over the axle. In order to get enough clearance so the pipes do not hit the rear frame rails I need to have my mufflers hanging down to low.

[rickpaw]

I had the rear tail sections mocked up tonight. Took me awhile to figure out the pipes. They (Pypes) need to redo the angles on the bends of the pipes as the mufflers are hanging a bit too low, not below the differential though. My camera battery died so I'll have some pictures this weekend.

Tu

[geberhard]

Tu, looking great keepit coming! Cool to see the VA and headliner install, will be going through the same soon!

Gui

[rickpaw]

Tu, looking great keepit coming! Cool to see the VA and headliner install, will be going through the same soon!

Gui

Gui, check out post 179 in this thread at team camaros.net for a youtube video of a headliner install. Very informative.
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showth...install&page=2