1971 Firebird

[BlackTopKing]

yeah this is turning out great- love the year its a fav of mine so i am excited to see the TA front on actually!

[usp55]

Another small update. Everything got 2 layers of SPI epoxy. Its just nice to see it in white. Picked up a harbor freight HVLP and was happy with how it turned out.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/IMG_20110807_130758.jpg

[mc73nova]

That is looking great. Glad to see you're still going at it strong!

[BonzoHansen]

Nice

[Kat]

Looks awesome so far.. I'd love to do a car like that again.. From nothing to something. :)

[usp55]

just trying to stay busy with the car, hopefully lots of updates coming soon. interior got a layer of RAAMmat and tomorrow ill see if i can get the next layer of Ensolite on.

Still dealing with a broken water pump bolt so i moved on to something else today.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/DSCN5674.jpg

[mc73nova]

Is that vehicle specific or did you have to cut it yourself?

[PolarBear]

Is that vehicle specific or did you have to cut it yourself?

There is no way that is vehicle specific, as that isnt how vibration dampner was intended to be installed. Rarely does anyone install it as intended, they go way overboard like shown here

[usp55]

no its cut to fit from 14x14 sheets. i guess you can call it overboard but its certainly not hurting anything by using it all over, with the exhaust close to my floor its nice to know im not gonna have to worry about the heat. I tend to follow all the builds on nastyz28 and pro-touring.com so no its not how the factory would have done it with a few small pieces here and there but it seems to work for them.
Also I have ridden in my neighbors 71 Chevelle fully restored about 2 years ago to factory specs. It was loud and had to ton of rattles but after he did the same thing i just did it was night and day. Car sounds solid when you close the doors, exhaust sounds like its actually coming from the rear of the car, and no more rattles. more importantly he can drive an hour to the beach and not have a hot cabin and a carpet thats hot to the touch.

[usp55]

exhaust cut and clamped down this morning. pypes 2.5" with x-pipe with their violator mufflers. when its running ill take it to a shop and have it welded up. polished tips out back also.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/DSCN5689.jpg

[PolarBear]

I tend to follow all the builds on nastyz28 and pro-touring.com so no its not how the factory would have done it with a few small pieces here and there but it seems to work for them.

It is just unnecessary weight is all, but if you are not concerned about it I guess it doesnt matter. You can get the same effect by only using smaller pieces inn the right spots and not spend as much money.

Also the "Dynamat" is only a vibration dampner, for large flat areas of metal. On top of that should go a lighter sound absorbing covering that covers everything

[usp55]

It is just unnecessary weight is all, but if you are not concerned about it I guess it doesnt matter. You can get the same effect by only using smaller pieces inn the right spots and not spend as much money.

Also the "Dynamat" is only a vibration dampner, for large flat areas of metal. On top of that should go a lighter sound absorbing covering that covers everything

well im no drag racer so weight is no concern. This is just the heat/vibration damper layer and on top of this will go a lighter closed cell foam (Ensolite) for sound that covers everything. maybe tomorrow i will get a chance to get that on.

[usp55]

more baby steps today - got the rest of the parts in spi epoxy, blasted and sprayed the pedals, and mocked them up so i didn't lose the holes while laying down the Ensolite. Should be able to finish the cabin off with the mat tomorrow.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/DSCF4283.jpg
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/DSCF4279.jpg

Thanks for following - helps keep me motivated

[BonzoHansen]

it's coming out great. You're doing good, it is so much harder to put a car together than to take it apart!

[PolarBear]

laying down the Ensolite. Should be able to finish the

How thick is that stuff? How much do you get of it per what ever you buy?

[usp55]

i talked with Rick over there at raamaudio and he has restored several cars of this era so he sent me what he though would be just enough to get the job done and so far he has been spot on.
maybe an 1/8th of an inch thick.
http://www.raamaudio.com/products/Ensolite-IUO.html

[usp55]

I opened up the motor and i wasn’t happy with what i found, marks on the inside of the timing cover bad lifters so going to rebuild it. Could go stock or might beef it up, we’ll see.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/DSCF4296.jpg
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/DSCF4287.jpg

Just to keep busy i cleaned and painted the dash. That SEM landau black is amazing. The dash insert was that ****** fake wood so i just covered it up. Looks 10x better in person. Polished the scratches off the plastic lens too.
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/DSCF4302.jpg

Mocking up some parts to make space in the garage and i haven’t had the doors, trunk lid, or spoiler on the car for over a year so it’s just nice to have it looking like a car again.
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/DSCF4300.jpg

[Kat]

Yet again, awesome work. :)

[usp55]

Found an extra can of dye from doing the dash so I scrubbed the rear seats nice and good and let them have it. Little supprised at how well they turned out. One of these days I'll have an update worth reading about.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/IMG_4025.jpg
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/764eab17.jpg
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/11f82a68.jpg

[sweetbmxrider]

I liked them better before :-P

[usp55]

Sneak peek of what the 4hr round trip trek in tonights monsoon yielded. Door panels repaired and painted and it's nice to see how similar the seats and door panel are being that they are 30years apart.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/eb6d0b37.jpg

[usp55]

Interior is coming along. 1971 brackets on 4th gen seats. The carpet from rockauto fit like a glove and fixed up the steering column.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/ac9c6b37.jpg
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/5a54d4ac.jpg

[sweetbmxrider]

Wow, the 4th gen seats look awesome in there. Real good match to the rear seat too, nice!

[dugeman]

Amazing what results that you can get from cleaning, painting and some hard work ! the car is really turning out great.

[BonzoHansen]

Looks great. Yeah, 4th gen camaro seats look right at home in 2nd gens.

[fbirdfreak]

This is coming along awesome man!! Wish I could do it too!

[donnj]

very nice! what dye did you use?

[usp55]

Thanks

It's SEM Paint
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SMM-15013/

Found it to be somewhat fragile on hard plastic unless you use the primer first. Even still a good whack with a tool will chip it but its very easy to touch up. The seats take it great though. Been sitting in them with no issue.

[usp55]

Finally found rear bumper brackets on eBay. They were all bent to hell but nothing a BFH and some heat couldn’t fix. Tried electrolysis for the first time to remove rust and it worked better than I could have hoped.

Electrolysis:
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/06987a26.jpg
After the bath overnight:
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/00bacdf7.jpg
The worst pair:
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/a0376831.jpg
All fixed with a coat of por15:
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/3c62a864.jpg
New bumper is finally on:
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/67d61c6d.jpg

[WildBillyT]

I can't tell from the pics but DO NOT DO ELECTROLYSIS INDOORS!

[usp55]

I can't tell from the pics but DO NOT DO ELECTROLYSIS INDOORS!

Nah that was just outside my garage with the doors closed. Isn’t it hydrogen gas that’s produced? (Flammable)

[WildBillyT]

Nah that was just outside my garage with the doors closed. Isn’t it hydrogen gas that’s produced? (Flammable)

Yup. Hydrogen is #1 on the periodic table. Goes BANG really well.

[Jloshotz]

This is one of my bottom line favorite fbodies of all time! Looks great!

[usp55]

More to come... But I'm tired and job #2 in a few hours so you'll have to wait

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/fe3bff8e.jpg

[usp55]

I'm in the middle of an unexpected move so things are happening quicker around here. Almost sold her and still is a possibility.

Ended up picking up a running 455 in anticipation of the move. I had plans to rebuild my 400 but time wasn't permitting. All the sheet metal is on and after the new door hinges came in. Nice to not have saggin doors.

Really all that needs to get done is the wiring for the engine and dash. Which I'm completely lost with. New engine harness even. not sure where to even start with that.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/83eded6d.jpg

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/0223e861.jpg

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/17156fbb.jpg

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/21601c0e.jpg

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/cfdc96da.jpg

[maroman88]

wow uve come a long ass way!

[usp55]

wow uve come a long ass way!

Yeah man, still a ways to go though

Here is the engine when pulled. Solid oil pressure, not a stock cam from the sound of it, but nothing crazy.
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/8bb89863.jpg





And after a very long scrub and some paint
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/84bbe298.jpg

[sweetbmxrider]

It looks fantastic, you are doing some great work even if you are a bit rushed.

[mc73nova]

That is looking great!

[usp55]

Thanks guys! Truly a 20ft car and the pics make this look better but here is a poorly fitting aftermarket tail panel and crudely painted pitted tail lights. i like it though, everyday it looks more and more like a car and cant wait to get it running again.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/c76361c0.jpg

[Lt1_8U]

looks great man!

[Tru2Chevy]

Looks great! Hopefully you will be able to keep it and enjoy it. Do you still plan to keep the 400 and rebuild it?

- Justin

[usp55]

In a perfect world I'd keep it but with the move I lost a ton of space. It's a nice block too: 1970 original bore and I already had it to the shop to be mag'd and tanked. I know I should find a way to keep it and build a 462

[usp55]

still lurking around from time to time. Its been slow going since i moved and wasnt near my car. Finnally trailered it to my new place and picked up a cali cover which has worked out great.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/16A997D3-C5DA-4288-84C2-0EADB7DB5B35-3630-000002831730130B.jpg


new tank and sending unit w/return line. New return line coming in tomorrow so ill pop that on. prob have to pull the front end and lift up the engine but i hope not. long shot.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z267/usp55/804BCE8C-D407-4299-B651-BAC61ED584FB-3630-000002830B78E88D.jpg