Here is what I've been working on for the past two years or so. I bought it sans the drivetrain. Its an 88 Vert that I dropped a LB9/5 spd from a 91 z28 into. Still have some odds and ends to do like AC, CC, etc, but it runs and drives like it should.

http://firebirdandcamaro.net/jason/Vert_project/

I just never imagined it would take two years! LOL

-jason

 

Imagine for a moment that the show "Overhaulin" takes 30 guys 7 days straight of work. THats a total of 168 hours per week, and with 30 guys its 5040 hours worth of labor. If you break that down its 210 DAYS of work (without sleep) If you were to work on the car 6 hours a day it works out to be about 1260 Days, without breaks or weekends.

There is a ton of work to be done on a restoration or a conversion job. It took me about 6 weeks to install TPI in my carb car, Add KYB shocks, powdercoat the suspension, install Baer 12 Brakes and add the SLP exhaust... That was 8 hours a day and not working weekends, but the job is done right. The only thing I wish I would have done was to paint the inner fenders, and firewall while I had it apart the first time... now I have to disassemble the whole thing again, to do that...

Its a HUGE job, Definately. BUt worth it in the end...

 

Must be nice to have such time and money. I bought my Formula at a budget lot for my daughter's first car. Figured out it was a Formula hiding under cheap aftermarket hood and fenders while I was putting OEM brakes and shocks on it. At least I sprang for Performance Friction and Sensa-Tracs all around! That was 1996.

When she couldn't pay to feed and insure it anymore, I took it back. Gladly. Took me 9 months to build the original 305 to get into the 12's. Then scrapped it when I got a killer chance at a 400. It had been rebuilt, but I spent 3 months re-rebuilding it to my specs.

3 months to put on side pipes. Looked and sounded fantastic, but then I went back to single 3" cat-back 'cuz I couldn't get the side pipes not to rattle. A month having a set of Fiero seats reupholstered for it (I like the solid headrest design). Month after month after month working out the budget to buy new carpet, headliner, seals, and other goodies. And month after month of salvage digging and E-Bay bidding to get a high-end OEM radio, a rare overhead console, an original bulge hood, OEM fenders, and other miscellaneous parts it needs.

10 years later, I'm just now finishing the interior (just got the new headliner last week), and hoping this spring to strip the three layers of paint, re-paint it, and replace the rear aero wing. Oh... And then there's the plan to convert from 5-speed to automatic. Oh... And the suspension needs all new bushings. Polygraphite, of course.

And yeah. It's worth every minute of every hour of working and waiting and working. One day, it'll all be done, and done right. Patience....

 

To be honest 95% of it was before I got married, only the Wheels and tires are technically new.
May 1997 Purchased the car
INcidently I also purchased a 1995 Formula Convertible for $10,500 at the same time, and sold it for $15,000, that money went into my car.
1997 I invested $2500 into rebuilding the Trans, Engine etc back to an LG4
1998 Paint & Interior $2000
1999 Purchased a parts car, swapped in the rear disks and installed a 3.73 - $1000
2000 Installed Leather interior & purchased donor car fro the TPI. - $3000
2001 Installed TPI, Baer Brakes, KYB shocks, SLP exhaust, Power antenna, Misc Stuff for the conversion - $5600
2002 - Got married in March - Got undrdrive pulleys, new alt - $213.00
2003 - one last Hurah! - Wheels, Tires, Torque Convertor, Fiberglass Spoiler, 91-92 TA Tailights - $3300
Dec 7, 2003 Son born
2004 - Wonderbar, O2 sensor, touch up paint etc - $190.00
Built new home & moved in 2004
2005 - Fuel Pump & Filter - $94.00
2006- New Battery, Rebuilt Trans, AC charge - $1,105.00

It still ain't done it still ain't perfect, and I do not have the time any more. Fortunately I purchased an 87 Formula 350 for $800 in 2005, invested another $500, and used some older parts that I did not want to use on my car and sold it almost one year later for $2200. That basically offset the new battery & Trans in 2006, otherwise my car would have not been repaired.

John

 

I did this little side project while converting my sisters 91 Z28 to an LT1/T56, working and going to school full time. I was used to store a lot of left over parts and I had intentions of selling this when finished. I don't think that is going to happen now. Too much work into it.

 

ill hand it too ya jay, that vert does look very very good!