AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:
Well, the hard work's done. The real question is, do you know what you've got?
🤘🏻
No. The hard work is NOT Done lol.
There is another car (packed with parts, with 400 or 455 engine th400 trans), another hipo 455, assembled, and an attic full of NOS / repo parts. Probably a small uhaul's worth. Seriously
Multiple sets of seats front and rear , dashboards, new door panels, plastic panels, new firewall insulation, seat upholstery, carpet and on and on...
Don't get me wrong, Im not complaining... but the hard part is not over by a mile. :)
a_florida_man said:
10 hrs round trip
Yikes! That is a hike!
on a surprise note. Dothan ain't as far from you as Ida thought.
to busy to help till after the spring work season, but I'll follow along, and offer any help I can!
Catching up on all the posts in here from the weekend. Absolutely incredible.
-Yeah, that Formula is in tough shape. Someone could probably save it, but it looks like it needs a roof and a whole lot more. That's a tall order. But being a '71, you could still flip it for a decent amount.
-I didn't realize these were both 1971 models. Those have the one-year-only fender vents, not to be confused with the air extractor vents on the Trans Am models. They are really hard to come by, and you seem to have snagged a backup set! It's been 20 years since I've seen a '71 in any condition up here; guy I got my 400 from had one as a parts car.
-The "spare" 455 with the #96 heads... Those are the same heads I have on my 400. They are found originally on the 4bbl 1971 GTO 400. GREAT heads for a 455, as they magically bump compression to the perfect streetable ratio (I achieved that with forged domed Speed Pro pistons because 455 blocks are hard to find up here). Like you said, they are some of the best D-Port heads Pontiac ever made, with screw-in studs and the big 2.11/1.77 valves.
-I don't know about you guys, but I'm digging the patina on that yellow/gold '71. To me, it just has a cool look as it sits. I'd do a satin clearcoat over it and send it. If the Formula hood makes its way onto the car, hose it down with some satin black and go!
-All the "period" mods are cool to see. It's all stuff any serious Pontiac fan would've done back in the day. LOVE it.
I went digging back into boxes of notes, receipts and catalogs and identified things.
I know what was ordered, from where, when, how much and who if anyone was paid to install them.
The suspension mods are all Rancho (except the kyb gas adjusts), specifically the Ranch Challenger GT3 package.
The proportioning valve was Kelsey.
The solid mounts on the sub frame are from Herb Adams and actually lower the front end by rotating the sub frame.
I have a 1988 Reciept for the Delco Freedom Battery in the picture of the wheels and stuff.
I
Have
Every
Thing.
The 3rd (loose) engine under the two dog houses is a 1971 455 with #96 400 heads.
That bumps the compression up.
I found the ad for that and it is here:
That's the one that was cast the day I was born.
B101
Feb 10 1971
The universe can relax now. I get it. I'm building the car.
If you haven't been over to the Second Gen Graveyard yet, you should check them out. John (owner) is a true enthusiast and I consider him a friend. I'm positive he will understand your passion and engage you.
In reply to Tony Sestito :
Although no firebird could be in a rat rod category, that's a bit too far (from my personal opinion) hon to be called "patina".
clear coating it, would be something the rat rod cross would try.
if you have clear coat over rust, it's no longer patina, to me.
'Couse, this one is gonna be AWESOME, no matter what!
The rust is too far from patina for me.
To me patina should suggest more long term care than the long term neglect this car has been subjected to.
So I also agree about clear over patina. It's not my style.
What I haven't talked about is how structurally sound this car is.
A pillar, C pillar, door hinges, frame rails, wheel wells, etc ... are all pretty nice.
A new decklid, new front clip (have all of this) and a 1/4 panel will go a long way... and the roof... well it was a vinyl roof car.
Since its so far gone I also feel a little free with colors... but there is a lot of work between those choices and now.
In reply to a_florida_man :
Totally get it. I'd probably rather have a shiny one too, especially since this one will essentially be a tribute to your dad. It's going to be cool no matter what.
The Second Gen Graveyard guy (John)... I've tried a few times to order things from him, and have never been able to. He's either way too expensive or he doesn't get back to me for a few days after I needed the part and ordered it elsewhere. That said, his business is cranking and he can pretty much get anything these days. I've had better luck over the years with Ames Performance up in NH, which is a lot closer to me, but since Second Gen Graveyard is down in TN, you might be able to roadtrip there for some big stuff if you need it. Judging by the stuff you've been posting, you might have enough inventory to start your own 2nd Gen resto business!
Such a cool story. I'm definitely following along and looking forward to seeing what you do with the cars!
a_florida_man said:
The rust is too far from patina for me.
To me patina should suggest more long term care than the long term neglect this car has been subjected to.
in various "patina" discussions here through the years, that's about the best description I've read!
Now, I've been a fan of Flat Black (primer, in our days) since before it became a fad!
Speaking of Second Gen Graveyard...
He just posted that. It's almost the right color!
a_florida_man said:
That's the one that was cast the day I was born.
B101
Feb 10 1971
The universe can relax now. I get it. I'm building the car.
Whoa that's incredible. Definitely a sign!
Also, happy belated birthday!
In reply to maschinenbau :
Thanks!
So it is sort of funny...this is the engine casting.
I assume that this is the assembly date of the brown formula written on the underside of the hood. Two unrelated cars gave up the engine and the hood.
