I have been working for about 8 months now to restore my 89 Firebird my dad bought me for my tech school graduation (WyoTech). He picked up the Firebird from a friend of one of my cousins for $300. The body was in really rough shape but the underneath of it was very well kept. One of the previous owners had sprayed on under coating very generously and had preserved most of the undercarriage. The only soft spots to be found was behind the fenders and the radiator support is pretty soft.

I recently purchased a GTA GFX kit from a member of the site and have all I need EXCEPT the side skirt brackets and the pass side fender GFX. My dad was a body man for many of his years so he is guiding me in the right direction with the build.

SO my plans for the car is a T/A clone. Red and silver 2 toned with the hood bird. I want to get the wrap around spoiler but it is currently a little out of my budget. I am also converting the gray interior to a black interior and doing a 305 TBI swap/build and T5 swap from a donor car.

Some things I could use help with. Anyone got any clue on where/how to get a lower radiator support for the car. Construct or acquire side skirt brackets and where to drill and how large to drill the mounting holes for my GFX.

There are pictures of when I got her I will post the progress pictures tonight between jobs.

Keep up the good work!

I am also one of those sick guy's, that takes on a big project that not a lot of people can understand. They have a hard time seeing what the final result will be.
If you love it that is all it takes- that and some patience.
Money does help too.

Good job seeing past the mangled fenders and rusty doors to the solid underside of the car. Fenders and doors are easy to replace... floor pans less so.

Can't wait to see updates. I'll hopefully be taking on a project myself very soon too.

Money does help, but I'm having more problems finding time haha between maintenance on my house and working 2 jobs to pay student loans and a morgage

It was something i was a bit questionable about taking on until my dad took a look at it and pointed out how the only real damage was sheet metal which can be picked up pretty cheap and the interior is kinda sketchy too. Slowly but surly im getting there though

subscribing... i love project threads. Now are you gonna swap the engine for something bigger to make it a true Trans Am?

in good time i need to save up for a while i am swapping a ZZ4 and T56 when my financial situation gets better

Looks good so far. I love the homemade jack stands. lol.

haha thanks my jack stands got borrowed by a friend in December and still have not returned so I improvised haha

I found a set of rims for my T/A project today. I was looking on a local classifieds site. They are the GTA style but they are both 0 offsets. Can I still run them with out rubbing?? or do i need the 16mm on the rear

Only got one center cap....need to find 3 more of them





They all have clear coat missing where the wheel weights have been in the past.



Previous owner seems to have attempted a polished look. One of the wheels has been sanded down and the finish taken off.



I need to re-do all the wheels. Any one done it to these before I want to do the black with polished look. Any advice?!?

My girlfriend claimed the hood as her project haha so it will take a little bit



got the little **** wet sanded tonight



got some of the stuff I am doing black sprayed



the dash pad i picked up at the junk yard last weekend



hatch pulled and sanded just needs sand blasted to get the pits out

Went and got the parts car yesterday....frame is through but K-member seems solid. It is an 88 with a 305 TBI. It was a 5 speed but he took all the stuff out for another vehical so I still need to get pedals and all that stuff. I am swapping the drive train into my firebird. Is it best to pull the engine first or take out the whole K-member with the engine??

[QUOTE=ncmail;4488296]Went and got the parts car yesterday....frame is through but K-member seems solid. It is an 88 with a 305 TBI. It was a 5 speed but he took all the stuff out for another vehical so I still need to get pedals and all that stuff. I am swapping the drive train into my firebird. Is it best to pull the engine first or take out the whole K-member with the engine??

how much did you pick it up for?

$325 and about $50 in gas

thats a pretty good deal. hope everything works out good

Where did you get the fender flares??? Those are sweet!
Willing to let em go?

came on it. it was a limited production GFX kit I have the duck tail spoiler too but its in pretty sad shape...im gonna go around and try to find someone to restore it. I want to buy a formula and put these GFX on it.

Not a big fan of the spoiler but I love the GFX. if you ever want to let em go let me know! BTW sweet project!

I think the spoiler really makes it pop and stand out on how unique the GFX are. And I dont plan on it but if I ever decide to I will let ya know. And thank you.

Easter weekend I am going to be pulling the 305 out and starting a basic rebuild on it. Any cheap easy stuff to add performance while I have it apart? Cams help the 305 TBI much? I dont wanna go to a 350 just yet, but I want to beef up this 305 a little bit. I am also trying to find a 5 speed with bell housing for this engine. Let me know what you guys got! looking for in the PA area.

So I think I have decieded what all I am gonna do to the 305. I wanna put the LT1 cam in it (and comp cams springs). But I think burning a chip is over my head and out of my price range. Anyone in the PA area with the capabilities that would be willing to help me out when the time comes??

god i wish i could, ive only begun to learn about chip modding, your making some real progress there

duck tail spoiler looks good, unique on birds

I actually kinda like the 2nd gen style gfx and spoiler on that 88. And speaking of that car, its got a rotted frame? Body seems decent.

Don't know how much it will help you, as I have a carbed 305 and you've got a TBI, but I just got through really hopping up the factory short block in mine, as well as swapping in a T56.

The build thread is here:
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/memb...engineers.html

If you've got any questions, feel free to fire away.

-Levi

yeah the frame is horrable I will take pictures the next time I go out to work on it. Dont know how long that will be i feel kinda shitty right now

here is some of the underside of the car I got as a donor





wheels are all spottless



got the radiator and hood pulled...not much but i have a cold so i feel accomplished haha

hope i feel better by friday i was really looking forward to trying to get the engine of the donor car pulled but if i am still this sick i really dont see it happening

I have read alot about it and just feel it is a bit over my head. and thank you

i personally love it. I need to try to find a body shop that will take on the task of trying to restore the spoiler. it has most definatly seen better days haha

I love it I have heard a handful of ppl refer to this car as a "Bandit II" anyone know anything about the truth in it? and yes the frame is shot I posted pics of some of the damage earlier in the evening

???

got the engine pulled out tonight

Engine is out and ripped down to the bottom end. My cylinders are getting pretty ridged. can I bore out a 305 TBI and how much and still be safe with water jackets ext.?

your 88 parts car has the rare special appearance package

allot of people refer to it as bandit II package.

I think this parts car is gonna become a whole other project.
I've never seen these ground effects on a thirdgen, let alone from the factory. How rare are these?

I have been told 600. And it is going to be another project once I get this done. I plan on getting a formula and putting these GFX on it since the car is pretty much shot (floor pans, frame, trunk pan, rockers...)

600 sounds about rite not sure on the exact number but that is a common estimate

Scrapping the 305 TBI build now. Got a call from the machine shop. My block is out of spec. With machine work and new pistions I am at $350. I am going to get a 350 TPI w. harness and ECM friday for $400.

I want to put the ZZ4 cam in it. How hard are the TPI engines to tune for mild mods. I plan on doing the ZZ4 cam, porting and possibly milling the heads, port matching intake, shorty headers into 3" full exhaust, and an open element filter

I know the TBI engines are pretty easy (send and get chip made) are these like that too?

That's more like it! I was about to ask why bother going through the hassle of an engine swap when you'll be throwing in a 305, let alone TBI.

I was gonna do the 305 TBI cuz thats what I got in my parts car and it wouldnt have cost me more then a rebuild kit and a few hours. Where as a 350 is gonna cost me $500-600 do get done

good luck on the swap..lookin good so far..yeah you'll be happier with the 350

hey man this looks like an interesting project. i think i might rebuild mine this summer. let me know how things are going with yours and keep posting pics of it.

good luck!!

A little pissed right now. I got up to the junk yard today (2 hour drive) and they sold the engine I was going after this afternoon!! Some one let me know if they have a 350 TPI for a reasonable price in PA!!

what happened look like you were getting **** done then i dont see anymore posts whats up with it man

updates?