Relocated to www.firebird67.com

Please head over to http://www.firebird67.com (and bookmark it!), to see the new, fully updated site.

This site will not be updated, all the current posts and pages, plus more, are on http://www.firebird67.com.

Thanks!

Not Dead Yet

Finally… an update! Only, a year in waiting… The engine has been fully rebuilt, and is back in the car. Video below!

 

 

The electronics were lashed up to prove the engine. The current coil and points will be replaced soon with a Pertronix FlameThrower II coil and Ignitor II module. The intake and carb will be replaced with an Edelbrock manifold and Holley carb. The radiator replaced with a new shiny one. And a few hoses and the plug wires replaced with coloured ones to jazz things up a bit. A new battery is needed and am thinking about an Optima RedTop, also possibly replace the starter motor with a small high torque one. Fund permitting of course.

 

Next on the agenda is to fit the exhaust and run the engine through that, to get a better idea of how it sounds. I have a MagnaFlow system ready to be installed, but need to drill a few holes to mount the pipes. The Doug’s headers come with a reducer flange that must be welded to the exhaust pipes, which first need to be cut to size.

 

Now… a few pictures… showing the engine, and also the front wheelhouses and fenders mocked up. Starting to look good. A little bit excited.

AutoTwirler for sale!!

AutoTwirler Car Rotisserie — SOLD!

 

Click Here
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110421069621

 

♫ Back on the floor again.

Well OK it’s still not on 4 wheels… but it’s getting there.

 

Will update with details later, but for now, a picture…

Undersealed

All the welds and joins have been sealed with a brush-on sealer. I started off neat, but ended up just slathering it on.

 

Then I used Dinitrol 4941 underseal applied with a shutz gun. I’ve just done the one thick coat.

 

Tomorrow I’ll give the coating a look-over once it’s dry and hopefully (if everything is fine) mount the body back to the rear axle and subframe.

Finally… an update!

So, where the car stands… 2 noise complaints from the council down the line, all the grinding of welds is done. The body and panels have been shotblasted again and not by a cowboy with an air compressor and a bucket of sand, this time hopefully by a professional. Everything is primered in Eastwood epoxy.

 

Before:

During:

Now:

 

The subframe has been fully rebuilt with new nut-end-style control arm shafts. Also had the lower ball joints pushed in. I have a few old bolts to replace, and a couple parts to touch up with paint, but this is now pretty much done. The axle has had new bearings, I am currently waiting on new studs for the wheels, and once these arrive the wheels can be put on, and this too will be done.

 

So from here, the underbody of the car is going to have all the welds sealed and then the whole thing sprayed with underseal. Then, back onto the subframe and axle… i.e. 4 wheels!

Passenger side door skin (almost) on

First was to get the door off the car, and then remove the existing remnants of skin. The easiest way to do that was to just grind away at the folded edges… So, the left, right and bottom edges of the skin need to be ground down.

… but no need to do the top edge, as the whole support rail on the top side of the skin is replaced with the new skin… for the top all that is needed to do is to drill out the spot welds on the two tabs (I cut through them to seperate the skin, then drilled later). Also, there will be a spot weld on the side face of the shell where an L-shaped bracket near the door handle is spot-welded to.

Once the edges are ground away and the top edge sorted the skin will just lift off.

Back to the shell, there will still be some grinding to do to remove the lip of the door skin that was folded over. Grind away at the few spot welds along the circumference and the remaining lip will peel off.

 

Now for the new skin… this just sits on top like the old one. The edges will need to be folded over and I am waiting to get a decent hammer and proper dolly before attempting this.

… and the left rear quarter panel. (And door skin, sort of)

So today the driver side quarter was finished, cut to size and shape, and tacked into position.

 

First was to cut away some more of the old quarter. I cut an inch below the top edge and about two inches from the door. A centimetre above the lower contour line. And at the back end there’s about an inch of wrap around. I also painted (with POR-15) some bare metal that will be hidden when the quarter is on.

Then the replacement is put on the car and aligned. From the inside of the car trace on the quarter panel where the existing quarter has been cut away.

Cut a centimetre larger than this outline all round (the initial alignment is critical, so take care and most importantly ensure the middle contour line properly follows the original). Then offer it back up to the car and clamp in place. Outline onto the car.

On this new outline use a flange tool to recess the existing metal, allowing the new replacement to sit flush. Only flange the existing metal along the top. The door edge and rear edge of the existing metal will not be able to be flanged as various bits of metal are in the way to prevent this. Instead, flange the replacement skin on these edges. This means, that the door and rear edges of the replacement tuck under, and the top sits on top of the existing metal, so everything is flush. For the lower contour line of the replacement cut on the line and flange a centimetre above this.

 

Now it’s time to weld…

 

Also I completely removed the original door skin and mocked up the replacement… things are starting to look quite exciting…

Right rear quarter is in place, looking good…

Today got the right hand rear quarter tacked in place. With the quarter on it’s starting to feel like a car again!

 

Also started cutting the left hand quarter to shape, and that should be tacked in place tomorrow. I’ve taken some in-progress pictures for the left hand side so I’ll post them soonish.

Left side rear end rebuilt

Since the last post… New sheet metal for the shock mount, trunk pan extension, quarter filler panel, and inner and outer wheelhouses… and rebuilt structural shock mount area.

I’ll add some more detailed step-by-step pictures shortly.

 

Still a lot of grinding, welding and more grinding and welding to do…