1968 firebird 461ci stroker project

[lucky13firebird]

The biggest single improvement was installing disc brakes on all 4 corners. The master cyl is a given because you can't use the drum master with disc brakes, so that doesn't count.

Going from 12" ls1 camaro brakes to 13" corvette brakes didnt change the feel any... maybe it's better but on regular tires you won't notice a difference. I did it mostly to move the caliper to the back and away from the sway bar... besides who can resist corvette brakes for that cheap...



But changing out the prop valve to an adjustable one let me dail out some of the rear brake so now it stops HARD when I get on it. I started with too much rear, went too far and got a little too much front, then adjusted to a good happy medium and it stops on a dime now.

Before the adjustable valve it would lock up my rears with and slide sideways while the fronts still had more I could've got out of them. Now I can use all wheels at maximum, and it was $76 so it was basically the single biggest difference in feel.

[Josue]

I'm finally gathering parts for my disc brake swap, came across some cheap stuff locally! This place is about 30 mins from me...

http://www.clevelandpap.com/

So I hit them up asking if they could sell me a LS1 rear "kit", and he said they do it all the time. E-brake cables, backing plates, 2 left side calipers, and rotors/pads that are in good shape still that I'll likely reuse...all for $100! And I'm not sure why I didn't ask them when I was inquiring about the LS brakes, but while I was picking them up it hit me that, "duh, I'm doing C5 brakes up front, I'm SURE they have those here too!" $150 for a pair of front calipers with brackets, and they even came with EBC redstuff ceramic pads with tons of life left. Looks like all the bearings, brackets, and brake lines from Kore3 will be $199, then a pair of rotors and I should be set for around $400-$420 like you said!

Few more questions came to mind since reviewing this thread again...

The master cyl is a given because you can't use the drum master with disc brakes, so that doesn't count.

Which disc brake master did you use? Stock replacement? I heard new MC's are a pain to bleed, and that you need to/should bench bleed them first. Otherwise, you might be fighting a losing battle trying to get a good pedal feel after bleeding at the wheels.

You mention in your Firebird corvette swap video that the stock drum hubs do NOT need machined to fit inside the C5 rotor hats....do I have that right? But by your rear brake video, rear axles WILL need to be machined to fit inside the LS rotor hat?

Also, what lug nuts are you using? I need to find new ones for the wheels I bought, they're similar to yours in that the fronts are "sunken in" like that....I can't even get a socket on the lugs that are on the car now, they're just on there hand tight for now to see how they look.

[Gil]

Hi Josh, I'm in the process of doing a budget swap from a low vacuum brake booster (due to my big cam) to manual brakes. Talked a lot with Tobin@Kore3 & did a lot of search to find the good 1" bore Corvette MC P/N we need to complete, same part from different brands :

So for a 1" bore M/C:
68-76 Corvette with manual brakes
CARDONE 101371
RAYBESTOS MC36367
DORMAN M36367
AC DELCO 18M27 (18030269)

Bench bleed seems not a big deal, a few process vids on youtb
Hope this will help
Gil

[lucky13firebird]

Yeah I dunno about that. That scoop Looks decent but I'm really thinking of plugging the hole and doing the flat hood sleeper thing. Eventually the bodywork will be done and the engine call outs and stripes won't be there after I finally paint it.

[AtomicFirebird]

A flat hood will not work for me. My carb is sitting 2 inches above normal pontiac engine height, which means I have to put a hood scoop on my car.

[lucky13firebird]

What manifold is that? I have the performer rpm manifold and a 3/8" thermal spacer from edelbrock and it clears a flat hood with 1" to spare when using a drop base 14x3"... The guy I bought the manifold from swore up and down it wouldn't clear even the ram air hood for a 69. I dunno, so far so good though.

[AtomicFirebird]

The Shop builder said it's a Torker II

[lucky13firebird]

you're gonna use stock manifolds and a torker II single plane intake? i dunno man... you might not like that so much.

[AtomicFirebird]

I'm not known for making great 1st time purchases. I find myself wanting something after reading a couple of articles, thinking that's the best thing for me.. I have had the car since 09 when it was a driver and bought stuff that was nice and cool at the time and later wishing I didn't. Justin my friend and engine builder, did a lot of work on the heads at my request. That's what I wanted at the time and I still want the original #16 heads on my motor. Will I be happy with the combo, maybe or maybe not. I can buy and change a manifold myself, I can't work heads or replace so easy. I plan on going to an EFI anyway. I want the engine for cruise nights, burnouts and maybe a Bandit Run or Power Tour.

[lucky13firebird]

Jealous of your heads. Mine have no work done to them

[68400BIRD]

From the video that I watched it seems that your car moves out just fine as is. They can always be made faster. LOL
I really appreciate how you have been able to keep your car on the road with all of the upgrades.
I have yet to drive mine down the road yet. I don't count the 20mph down my own street.
I hope to get the first drive in within a few weeks.

[AtomicFirebird]

I am jealous of you, at least you get to drive yours. Ever since I went to replace the throttle cable in 2010, it's been a nightmare of finding rust. It's like 1 step forward and four steps back. I believe if it weren't for this and other forums and the regular guys working in the garage and drivways, I would have given up a long time ago or paid someone. You my friend and all the other garage mechaincs give me motivation to get in there and work on it.

[lucky13firebird]

well, i stripped part of my left fender with a 40 grit flap wheel. found some bondo filling small dents. Wasn't too happy about that, some time in the near future I'll strip all the bondo off and hammer out all the dents using a body hammer and dolly. For now i primered it in black and did the hood and right fender too. I also painted the offset stripe back on it and the "13" and the cards on the fenders. All this while going to a cruise in, then going to do laundry, and while my wife shopped at target. I finaly finished the cards when i got home around 11 pm.

Funny story though, while i was outside doing the cards, some random black guy asked if i had jumper cables. I said sure, and we proceeded to jump start his 89 chevy celeberty. Well it was also out of gas, so while he walked to the nearest gas station with his jug, I finished up the ace of spades on my fenders. He came back and asked me how i did that, after showing him the basic stencils i had just drawn up and cut from a file folder, i asked if he wanted some on his $500 car. He was super thrilled about it and said he did. So while i waited on my wife to finish shopping i did him up a set of cards on his quarters. he wanted pocket aces so thats what i painted. Came out pretty cool actually. I'm posted pics so you'll see. I also made a video for my you tube channel i'll post in a minute. It's kinda long but definately worth watching if you have a beater rod or are just curios as to how i go about painting the ace of spades and two of hearts on my fenders.

[lucky13firebird]

[Gil]

More roots DIY you die mate, I like your style....
Red nail polish, So cool ! Heart ace pops.
Very nice
Gil

[lucky13firebird]

I understood "I like your style" but not the first part of your sentence. ;-) thanks though, I'm glad you like it. No worries, there will be LOTS more D I Y videos and such, I bought a ton of rusty projects that I'm in the middle of. You know, just deals i couldn't pass up. The Tempest is getting some love while the bird is being worked on, but I have a 1967 mustang fastback body stashed away that I welded together from two different cars, as well as another 68 mustang fastback (this one is real, not a clone)... and a 64 1/2 mustang coupe that was made in the first three weeks of production. Yeah, splitting my resources like that kinda slowed some of the builds down, but when you find a 64 mustang for $1,400 or a 68 fastback for $1,500 or a running 67 Tempest GTO clone for $3,000, or a 68 mustang coupe with a blown head gasket for $1,000... you don't ask questions, you just buy...

I have this $90 pile-of-crap welder and let me tell you, I've put that little sucker through hell over the last 4 years i've had it. But aside from really ugly and really splattered welds (its flux core, so messy messy messy) I've literaly welded two half cars together with it and saved countless people tons of money by welding up odds and ends they needed for their clunkers.

here's some pics of the different projects I have going on right now to give you an idea...

that little bug I upgraded to 4 wheel disc brakes and drove across the country last winter with the wife and kids and dog it was a WILD 3 days and 3,000 miles, then left it at my old mans place, it shorted out, caught fire and I had to sell it at a huge loss for $500. and that red 66 mustang I gave to my friend for helping me work on the firebird every single free weekend he had.

but the other rust buckets i still have and I'm slowly tinkering with, just not fast enough to start a seperate thread yet... but as soon as the headliner and tail light panel goes in the firebird, I'll start working on the 67 tempest again and the 67 fastback clone i made. trying to turn the 67 fastback into a GT500 shelby... and someday it will be so.

the story on that $1,000 black mustang coupe is I swapped it over to an explorer 8.8 with 3.73 gears and posi, a used 302 and a T5 5 speed, lightweight racing flywheel, aluminum driveshaft and 4 wheel disc brakes and heavy ass well springs. I'll be cutting it up and using the floor, suspension and trunk and taillight panel to try and save that blue 68 fastback thats almost completely destroyed. The fastback is so bad I'll still need full quarters and a trunk lid and the panel in front of the trunk lid. About all i CAN use from that 68 fastback is the interior panels, so of the roof skeleton (after i sledgehammer it back into shape) and the glass. AMAZINGLY the back glass and unique door glass is intact on both sides.... so for $1,500 i got a VIN, interior panels, and $1,500 worth of original fastback glass....

[Gil]

Very nice! You're such a dark horse!
A lot of good things waiting... You're luky.
Would love to rebuild a 67 Fastback
Keep up the good work
Gil

[lucky13firebird]

went to the track with the kids and wife, had a blast but had a huge problem shifting and hooking up. eventualy the shift linkage actually fell off, i was able to retrieve it but not the nut that attached it to my transmission. threw a rubber grommet on it, and went home. best run was a crappy 14 second run but at 103 miles an hour after fighting the trans into second gear and losing any momentum. best 60ft was a horrible 2.4. basically spinning through first gear with the 350 threadwear street tires and then fighting the trans, sometimes back into frist (yeah i know) and then eventualy to second, then third and then going through the traps either just above 100 or below depending on how long i fought with the shifter.

[Gil]

Nice sunset in your video !
Would love to do trackday week-ends with all the familly
Gil

[lucky13firebird]

thanks, they have 1/4 mile tracks in france? here its really cheap. $10 and you can do however many runs you can fit in.