71 Firebird Project

[js292]

thanks Marc! I've seen that one, and by the time you buy the flat mount and clamp it gets a little spendy for what it is. If I don't find an alternative in the next couple weeks I'll probably drop the hammer on that style just for the cool factor.:thumbs:

 

[js292]

Carpet is almost done, and got the back seat re-upholstered and installed for a test fit, I'll get the plastic panels re-dyed next week and install them.





Had to make the rear package tray as the other was water warped and faded. I made it from tile board and painted it flat black, and re-installed the padded vinyl from the original.



I know the holes for the speakers are not perfect but they are hidden by the speaker bezel.

 

[clutchdust]

Would love an old Poncho like that. Very nice find. I would be partial to the big Poncho 455 too, but the Rocket 455 is nothing to sneeze at.
Since you're looking for the Pontiac block, I assume you're not too worried about all the numbers(?).
Also, as far as your dash is concerned, a Datsun forum I'm in has some tips on restoring original dashes. I was blown away to see some of the results. If you can't find a replacement and want to give restoring yours a stab, let me know and I'll link you to the site.

 

[js292]

Would love an old Poncho like that. Very nice find. I would be partial to the big Poncho 455 too, but the Rocket 455 is nothing to sneeze at.
Since you're looking for the Pontiac block, I assume you're not too worried about all the numbers(?).
Also, as far as your dash is concerned, a Datsun forum I'm in has some tips on restoring original dashes. I was blown away to see some of the results. If you can't find a replacement and want to give restoring yours a stab, let me know and I'll link you to the site.

Thanks for the offer, but I have another dash now. Pick one up locale for $120, after I found the used one a couple months later the repops were finally available:smash:

I've looked up the numbers on the Olds motor and it's nothing special, 74-75 smog motor with small valves but it does move pretty good. I've got the poncho 455 now and will start building it once I finish up all teh other little projects I have planned for the car.

 

[clutchdust]

Brief (for me) story. Back when I was in high school some kid I knew was selling a Bonneville 455 for his dad, it had been totaled in the back end. Anyway, I bought the 455 and TH350(?) tranny for about $100. I ended up swapping the slushbox for a T-10 and when I worked for Comp Cams I bought all top of the line stuff and had RHS do all the machine work. Even found a decent set of 6x heads. I had all this stuff together and just needed a couple minor parts to put it all back together when I went into the service. So the engine sat in a storage for a couple years and I made the biggest mistake of my life, got married. I ended up selling this really nice combination for about $500 to pay for a move.
Two weeks later I found, and bought, an '81 TA complete with shaker scoop and big chicken on the hood. It had a 305.

 

[js292]

Got the carpet installed, and re-dyed all the plastic panels Landua black. The seats are also installed although I'm going to redo them as I'm not happy with them. The current project is to redo the arm rest section to complete the door panel installation.

 

[js292]

Ok I've been slacking lately on getting anything down since i got the car on the road. I guess it's more fun to drive it than work on it.

The original armrest are in pretty bad shape, but the aftermarket ones are about $90 each so I'm making an attempt to repair them. I've got one done for now.

Here's what they look like before;



Here you can see how warped they are



I cut a piece of 1/8" aluminum and used a flush mounted bolt through the original mounting hole to pull the plate down to flatten out the warpage.



Here are the plates installed, I guess I didn't get a good side shot afterwords.



Here it is with the vinyl installed, I got a few wrinkles and I had to cut and splice one corner but I think it looks a hell alot better than before.



It pic looks like there are air bubble under the vinyl but those are just 40+ years of dents.

 

[Twin_Turbo]

Sure does look a lot better. Maybe if you have a very thin needle and poke through where a bubble is you can get the air bubbles out?

 

[js292]

Thanks! I know it looks like air bubbles, but that's just the dents in the panel. The panel looks basically like it was pressed board and it's been wet so they are in pretty bad shape.

 

[Twin_Turbo]

Oh ok, well it certainly looks a whole lot better now an d I bet you wouldn't even notice it once installed.

 

[js292]

Thanks! That's what I'm betting on, with all the black in the car it should just blend in.

 

[Ozzy]

Back in the early 70's the W30 455 Olds ruled D/S and D/SA or/or E/S and E/SA racing .

If my memory is correct, 1970 W30's in E/SA ran 11.1's in NHRA legal trim.

I wish I still had mine .

 

[js292]

Back in the early 70's the W30 455 Olds ruled D/S and D/SA or/or E/S and E/SA racing .

If my memory is correct, 1970 W30's in E/SA ran 11.1's in NHRA legal trim.

I wish I still had mine .

I doubt the 455 in mine will do 11's (yet), but even with 12" wide rubber out back it dosn't hook up for sh&t.

 

[Arthur Brown]

you did a great job on these arm rests :thumbs:

 

[mrvette]

Back in the early 70's the W30 455 Olds ruled D/S and D/SA or/or E/S and E/SA racing .

If my memory is correct, 1970 W30's in E/SA ran 11.1's in NHRA legal trim.

I wish I still had mine .

Back around '90 for a year there, a guy with a '79 Hurst Olds, visited junkyards looki8ng for aluminum body parts, found a ton of them, hoods, fenders? bumpers? and so put it on that '79....I think they came from the diesel cars....anyway he had a Olds 455 in that, all set up nice, and he got me to putting FI on my cars, because he had a aftermarket FI setup on the Olds....ran smooth as hell....so I junkyarded a caddy system for my Lemans/GTO convertible....got it welded up and ran like a charm for years....
He rented the end door on my 3 car garage, so he could work indoors in winter....:sos:
:smash::clap::thumbs:

 

[js292]

you did a great job on these arm rests :thumbs:

Thanks! just need to get them hung now.

 

[js292]

Been slowly colecting parts for my 473+ build;

Got these valve covers of the Bay for for $139



Power steering and altenator brackets for $120



Torker II of the Bay for $50 (the tape is cause I'm getting ready to blast it)



Eagle 4.25 stroker crank, cost me $35 thanks to all the Summit gift cards my family gave me for Christmas



Valley pan $40 of craigslist



Main studs $70 the Bay



Edelbrock quite gear drive $125 on th eBay



Eagle H beam BB Chevy rods (don't tell anyone) $360

 

[MYBAD79]

wow, sweet deals..... on da Bay

 

[js292]

I'm not in a hurry so I troll waitong for good deals.