1971 Firebird455 - Project

[LeighP]

Yeah, when I got the car, the factory bows and headliner were gone, and this late 73 board was with it. I checked that the later style front/rear and side supports for the board will work (looks like it will) ...so I thought it was a better idea to run the solid board...a little more headroom maybe .

[LeighP]

Got the headlining board in today, and the other trims that hold it up....started working on the parcel tray this afternoon.
Man, holding up the board while you stuff about trying to get a screw started is fun....lol.

You can see the upper replacement seatbelt mounts that I guy I know makes...lets you bolt modern single point mount belts into one of these older style roof mounts.






Heres how the eye level centre brake light sits.....should attract people's attention.

[geberhard]

loving the build! I so want to do a second gen build! keep it coming mate!

[LeighP]

Pushing on with the parcel tray project....I want to get this finished so I can have the auto trimmer cover it before the seats are done.

So, I had the board cut to shape, I took a page out of the audio guys book and used some polartec fleece stapled over the seatbelt bulges to form the "humps" to clear the belts.
I used silicon spray on the metal covers I'd previously made.
I soaked the fleece with fibreglass resin, which set up nicely to give me the basic shape.




Once it had hardened, I popped the board off the tray and trimmed the fleece to shape.




Next, I laminated some chopped strand mat over the fleece to make it more rigid and give it a little more strength.




I trimmed the edges after it had cured a little....tomorrow, I'll sand, smooth and use some polyester body filler to smooth the whole thing out. Doesn't have to be perfect as the tray will be foamed and covered in vinyl....which should hide small imperfections.

[LeighP]

OK...spent today finishing this off so I can get it to the trimmer asap.

Filled and sanded the two cover areas, cut out the slots for the belts to run through. Clearanced the rear inner corners of he covers for the speaker covers, so they'll sit flat.

[CruizinKev]

cool good work Leigh!

[Greg from Aus]

Nice work Leigh.

Greg

[LeighP]

Thanks for the kind words, guys....appreciated.

[LeighP]

Back into it this afternoon...after putting together a netball pole/hoop for my daughter to practice...then, of course, it immediately started to rain so she can't use it...lol.

Started sticking the dynamat all over the parcel tray and side walls in the back. Doubled it up a bit over the wheels arches.

I picked up the trimmed parcel tray the other day...nice job, just how I was hoping it'd turn out. After I got the belts bolted in, the tray fits in very nicely and the belt covers work just as I'd intended. Speakers and the rear demist blower tomorrow.....then I'm ready for the seat.

Received my optima battery mount from Summit the other day, together with a HD negative cable disconnect. I like the idea of being able to quickly unhook the battery with the flip of a lever.....I'll be fitting a 20 Amp run around circuit across the contacts so the stereo will maintain it's pre-sets if I turn the main disconnect off.

[ryeguy2006a]

Leigh, looks like it was made that way. Nice work.

[aronhk_md]

Leigh, its been a while since I stopped in to your thread as I've been quite busy, but all I can say is wow...your car is incredible. I love all the detail you have put into it. Regarding the car stereo...I doubt you need a 20 amp line for it. The only wire that needs direct juice is the memory wire, and it has an infinitesimal drawin amps. No more than a clock. Everything else can be wired with the disconnect.

[LeighP]

Yeah, thanks...someone else pointed that out...I think I'll try a 5 amp fuse in the holder rather than 20.....a bit of overkill, eh?
.
.

Thanks Ryan.

[LeighP]

So, heres the finished product....all came together OK....thought I'd dislocate my shoulder putting the speakers in. Once the seat is in, it'll all be neat and tidy.

[aronhk_md]

it looks factory.....nice!

[LeighP]

Picked up my set of Rally IIs today....I sent them down to a local shop that's restored a few wheels for me before (thats all they do)....painted in high gloss, high metallic, silver and charcoal...they look great.
Added my 255/60x15 Firehawks and a 225/70x15 for the spare.
These will be the "other" set of wheels for my 71 - for when I want a change of look (stock).

[Takid455]

Like the rear belts. Did you reinforce the underside/ structure?

[LeighP]

Has a heavy gauge mounting box for the reel seam welded into each corner of the parcel tray where the structure adds some stiffness. I fitted a doubler under the mounting bolt for the reel.
I was going to brace down to the inner fender, but since the load is basically in shear, I really don't think its necessary.

[LeighP]

Finally got a chance this afternoon to do a bit. I worked out where/how to mount the battery cut-off switch and I got the Summit optima battery mount bolted in.
Of course, the mount doesn't fit in the bottom of he battery tray, a little too big....so I made some standoffs to sandwich between the mount and the tray.
Seemed to work out pretty nicely.
I'm using a 34/78 series red top Optima battery....I like having the second set of contacts on the side for the accessories and body ground etc.




You might be able to see the small bracket for the cut-off down the RH bottom of the tray....I won't mount the cut-off till I've got the battery cables made up.

[Olav]

Love this car !

[LeighP]

Still plodding along....have got the auto electrical guy making up the battery cables for me...be ready in a couple of days.

Finally got to finish the trunk....wired the speaker cables (man, I hate leaning into the trunk to work....bad back....) and the rear demist fan.
Worked out my spare wouldn't sit where I'd hoped it would.....speakers too deep and the the spare is a 225/70...bit too wide. So I made a retainer for the spare hold down further to the rear and mounted the spare there. Worked out OK in the end.



If you look through the slot in the wheel, you can see the mount fitted to the trunk where the floor raises up from the pan.