mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

yeah, i think that'd look great too! we'll see how the money thing looks towards the end of the project though.

any thoughts on what i should do with the steering wheel? i haven't given it much thought at all, but that wheel is in rough shape under the cover. the cover has kinda grown on me some, even though it kinda dates the car, lol! steering wheel selection seems almost as crucial to the interior of the car as regular wheels do to the outward appearance of the exterior of the car. i think that the factory wheel definitely is the best looking wheel for this car, but factory wheels in good shape are hard to come by, and getting mine redone is outta my price range...is there something i can do at the house as far as refurbrishing goes?

80schild

iTrader: (5)

I have seen some steering wheel kits that are supposed to look more like a factory leather wrapped steering wheel, I think you actually have to sew it on. A good upholstery shop might could wrap it for you too fairly cheaply if they have some leather remnants layin around.
http://www.autobarn.net/wheelgenleat.html

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

hmmm...those are kinda interesting. anyone got any hands on experience?

hourang

iTrader: (1)

nice project! my interior is the same color and im debating changing it too. im thinking black.

HFK

Those grilles from your old front end really look good on my car, thank you. Your car is looking sweet, I gotta get some pics of mine up some day. Once again, thank you for the grilles.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

hey man, i'm glad you got them! i was starting to wonder if they got there, i hadn't heard anything out of you. i'm glad they are up to your standards!

HFK

They could use a good cleaning and some old paint removed but other then that are great. I didn't bother polishing them all up though because right now my car is about a 10-footer and from 10 feet they look great.

ssean92

iTrader: (10)

I am going to have to bring the camaro over and check out the bird, once i get back in town

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

come on over!

not too much to report on other than i'm out of cutoff wheels for my grinder so my fabrication will likely slow momentarily till i get some money from some ebay auctions i'm doing. as a last hitch before my last cutoff wheel was completely gone, i made a Strut Tower Brace. let me tell you something! this was the best thing i've done suspension wise other than sfc's. this car has doesn't have sfc's yet, but it will once i get more cutoff wheels!



i'll paint it black when i get around to it.

Rva

it looks good

ssean92

iTrader: (10)

hey have a offer for ya, I get you some cut off wheels, you make me one of those STB's.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

been seriously considering doing a batch and seeing if anyone wants one. i thought you had an edlebrock one though. i'm building one for my bro right now (inside, taking a breather...it's f'in hot outside!) not sure what kinda asking price i'll need for these, seems average for the aftermarket is about $120. mine would obviously be less than that. i can't see how to make a universal one right at this moment though, cause the tpi and carb/tbi stuff is laid out so differently. your's'd be easy, i could do a tbi/carb one for your car since you got the lt1 though...

ssean92

iTrader: (10)

I had the 3 point on till the new hood, it hit on the hood so I sold it. So I do need one as soon as you can come up with a price.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

i'm thinking in the $80 range, and you could bring the car over and i could do it custom to the car.

ssean92

iTrader: (10)

sounds like a idea, that include painting

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

well yeah, but it's not like super nice powder coating though, just some quality engine enamel plus clear coat in the color of your choice. i need to find a source for some more square tubing though...the shed out back is about out now, lol!

ssean92

iTrader: (10)

sounds like a deal, will need to hook up once I get back in town.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

cool deal. ideally, it'll have a WalterRacecraft.com sticker on it as well, if i can get all my ducks in a row.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

worked on cleaning the engine bay up more. i took all the accessories off and painted the front of the engine, accessories and bracketry. also painted the stb. i went ahead and re-routed the spark plug wires to underneath the headers. today i replaced my two-week-old-already-blown-out-paper collector gaskets with some aluminum ones. car is quiet again! i'm wanting to get my new muffler ordered soon...maybe this week?

ssean92

iTrader: (10)

looking good bro, I really need to get over there

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

ok guys, i'm in a relatively serious quandry that needs to be addressed before paint.

1: the car is an 84
2: the car now has an 87 front clip
3: the car still has the 84 rear bumper and tails

so, here's the dilema part:
-should i leave the car like it is and paint it all one color?

-should i put the appropriate rear bumper cover and leave the rest alone and paint it?

-if putting the another rear bumper cover on it, should i then replace the taillights and put 85-90 tails on it?

then there comes the idea that if i have 85-90 front and rear bumper covers and tails, would it look ok without a spoiler? if a spoiler was added...well...what about that flat hood? and then...the car is no longer an 84, but rather just another cobbled together thirdgen fireturd that's not what i was trying to accomplish.

ugh...maybe i need to locate another 82-84 bumper cover. too bad i already sold the old grilles.

any ideas, thoughts, etc.?

billsfirebird

iTrader: (1)

Go all 84 bumpers or 85+ bumpers. Don't do both on the same car.

I prefer the 84 style over the 85+.


If you go 85+ bumpers, replacing the taillights can be done later. You wouldn't have to do it before paint.



84 with flat hood and no spoiler would look good.

85 with flat hood and no spoiler would look bad.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

my thoughts exactly. anyone else?

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

couple of updates. i stripped my wheels and painted the inserts "graphite". they turned out really good actually.

stripped wheel next to the factory painted wheel:


wheels done and back on the car. i've already bought new centercaps, they should be here this week or next.




new magnaflow muffler showed up yesterday!


installed:


video clip cause i know ya'll would want one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iI_pfaeUBc

ezysk

Nice looking project, good job.
Reminds me that I have to start working on my project more and stop goofing around as much.

Agent13

iTrader: (6)

Agreed.

You can keep the current taillights and it will looks like a 1985 base Firebird. The newer style taillights came out on the base 'bird in '86.

ssean92

iTrader: (10)

sounds good matt

Quasi-Traction

I'd leave everything the way it is, and respray the car in a dark blue or black.

I love the 82-84 bird taillights.

Great progress so far Matt!

rwdtech

any updates?

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

no real updates. i've been working with my quadrajet some trying to get it working correctly. i know that thing will work great once i get it squared around. i put in a new fuel pump today and it seems that my upper rpm lean condition has nearly gone away. i also got my new center caps painted and on the car today. that's pretty much it though for now. i'm working on my camaro and my truck right now more than anything and i need my firebird to just be reliable, lol!

intex1982

iTrader: (2)

what cleaner did u use on ur wheels?

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

i stripped them with "Aircraft Stripper"...it was a process...

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

i'm resurrecting this thread! i've sold this car to my parents, almost 2 years ago actually. so i haven't done much on the car. my folks obviously didn't have the same exact idea for the car than i did, but they do want me to finish it. they'v funded everything, and my little bro and i are pulling all the stops. we've done a serp swap and re-installed all the AC stuff. we're also going to get the car painted.

here's a couple of pics. here it's getting brakes all the way around, and a new centerlink/idler arm.


v-belt setup stripped:


mostly put back together:


body work to start this weekend? i need some front bumper-ettes if anyone has a set laying around in good shape. also, still looking for a matching rear bumper...

Orinackra

thats cool that it stayed in the family. Can't wait to see it after paint!

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

getting the majority of the body work hammered out yesterday:


and now primed:


block this week, color next weekend?

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

back together! i couldn't show pics right after we got it back together cause i didn't want my folks to run across any before they got back into town.

Brisk

iTrader: (25)

looks good