knight123

iTrader: (4)

Guys,

I'd like to get some opinions on the look of my formula. I'm really curious on what ya all think and if I've gone too far with the tribal look. I didn't want the std firebird stickers but I wanted to keep the color scheme similiar but also try and update it's look a little.

Car has been almost 100% rebuilt from the bottm up. I've done all the work myself over the last 2 years. This is the first spring where the car is at a point where I drive it to work on nice days to enjoy the labor I've put into it.

Some backround:

Bought the car off off ebay (rescued it really) for $800 not running and sitting for at least 2 years. Had the car shipped out to me with the transport driver laughing that I was going to restore this car - it had 1 flat, no keys and we had to push it off the street into my garage with my lawn tractor lol.

I put a battery into it and tried to start - no fire, pump and tank were shot. Replaced those and then it fired right up - except it would stumble on accel - realized the pump I got was tbi and so dropped the tank etc. Got that right and it ran good.

Motor was rebuilt by PO at a local engine shop and had about 1000 miles on it and then a divorce caused it to to sit until the ex sold it for him to me :-)

I checked that it moved and shifted and so I started the full rebuild - at that point it it needed more work it was going to get sold.

Jacked the car up on stands and it stayed that way for a year in the garage while rebuilt and replaced everything under there - except the tranny. New WS6 cut springs, GM performace struts and shocks, moog everythingin the front etc etc etc.

Once the bottom was done, all the body panels came off for a rebuild, the hood, driver fender and door were replaced off my donor car I have. (same exact car but tbi was for sale about a block from my house for $400 so I snapped it up)

Got all the body done, new tires and got it registered, past emissions etc. Started shaking out the bugs while I rebuilt the interior and the tranny started to slip. Back on the jackstands for a tranny replacement bought off here from a member with a new in wrap Jasper 700r4 never used. I swapped my valve body with my shift kit and good to go.

Paint is Duplicolor GM lite blue rattle can with Duplicolor metallic clear over that from a gun.

Major interior pieces were also bought from a member, headliner, weatherstriping, visors. Seats / carpet were already done by PO as well as the dashpad. Parts car donated the door panels. Ebay, Rockauto, Classic Industries and a bunch of other companies for everything else.

An so here is the car. 1 firebird resurrected, fun to drive & cruise. Comments please, all are welcome!

knight123

iTrader: (4)

some close ups as well...

Side view of the car closer to show some of the gaphics


Door flames


Hood flames

Rhett86IROC

Beautiful car man!

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

Wow - I can't believe you shot the paint from a can!
Looks good!

knight123

iTrader: (4)

Thanks!

knight123

iTrader: (4)

Yup, it took about 15 cans. I think the clear overtop made all the difference once rubbed out.

lb9 GTA

I'm impressed with the paint too. Can't see any tiger stripes. Digging the sail panle bird. I'd stretch the door grafics a little further back tho.

knight123

iTrader: (4)

Thanks, when I painted the car I did 1 coat around 8 -10 inches and then the final coat I backed off to about 15 inches. It made the paint dry a little too fast but since I was going over it with clear I thought it might be ok. The hood was hard because I painted it on the car with it closed and the paint can had to be full or it would sputter and make a mess.

I agree on the making them longer, this is actually the second set I ordered, they are 12x36" and probably could have been 16x48" or so.

knight123

iTrader: (4)

just had the rear window tinted today, will add the pic soon but it makes the back window decal show better.

stealthroc89

The quality of the spray paint plays a huge role in the finish, you really get what you pay for with them. The car looks awesome, good job!!

knight123

iTrader: (4)

I agree. I spent a fair amount of time making sure the tiger stripes were not there before I moved on to the clear/metallic over the top.

Thanks for the feedback!

onthedownlow

iTrader: (4)

very nice clean Formula! I love it that you rescued her, stripped her down and built her back up even better! Amazing job on the car Knight...just mint looking! Heck one could even say the difference between before and after is like......"Day and Knight" ayo! Again sweet ride. (:
onthedownlow

NufNuffZ28

iTrader: (10)

Very nice restoration. I do think I would take off the tribal part altogether though and leave it blue. Maybe do the Formula on the door in tribal if you have to have some tribal on there?

knight123

iTrader: (4)

Hey thanks lol I like the Day and Knight!

knight123

iTrader: (4)

Thanks for the comments, yeah a tribal formula may look cool, I was worried it would look like I was trying to copy a firehawk 4th gen. I think they had the formula / firebird scrawl on the door.

I had it all blue and it needed some accent and I liked the silver with the blue and came across this graphics on ebay, so i thought i would try.

Only could find a few on TGO that had that look although most were over the top for me.

Since the paint is not show perfect in the next go round I can try a new look. All the garphics were about $100 so not a lot of $$ to try a look.