1969 FIREBIRD project.

[zingercustoms]

Hello, great forum. My name is Josh, I am 30 years old and run a small restoration/custom shop in Indiana. I have restored several cars such as the 67 fastback in the pics. That was a concourse restoration, nothing custom. I am doing this firebird for my brother. He drove it for a few years and we finally decided to redo it. I bit off a BIG chunk! I used the Fisher body manual to build a jig for the build of the new underbody. Started with rear frame rails and went up from there. The only original sheet metal is the roof and interior pieces, pillars and such, and cowl. I wanted to do something different so I had a design in my head and started working. I have some ways to go but so far, I have reshaped the bumper, extended the rear roll pan out to be flush with bumper. shaved it and cut off the drip rails. I am having some custom pieces lazer cut for the rear tail panel between the tailights and one for under the bumper that attaches on the lip I added to the center of the bumper and goes down over the exhaust opening in the roll pan. It adds a honey comb matrix with the word FIREBIRD in a modern font, on top and the lower peice will have a newer pontiac emblem in the center. The exhaust will come out the center behind the lower honeycomb panel. There will be a flush mounted gas cap welded in the center behind the pontiac emblem. (actuall a chopper gas tank filler cap, weld in flush mount that you push in and it pops out and you unscrew it.) I plan to change the nose of the hood so its "beak" isn't so pronounced. I will do away with the ugly rubber gaskets around the headlight covers and do a little something something on the front valance. I also am going to make the window openings smaller and bring the glass up level and use modern window molding for a cleaner look. I am planning on using the TA wing, slightly modified and the TA fender scoops, again tweeked a little. anyway, I just put up a new shop, the pics show my home shop that I started out of. I will be moving to my new shop in a few weeks, just have to epoxy the floors and move my lift. Got a "real" booth and mix room now, can't wait to open up to the public and have a go at it! The only problem I have with this build is my brother wants it to stay YELLOW!!!! I could use some ideas as far as color schemes involving yellows of all kinds. anyway good to be on the forum, here are the pics.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/2414000-2414999/2414935_194_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/2414000-2414999/2414935_195_full.jpg
Before
http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii283/zingercustoms/fire7.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii283/zingercustoms/100_3475.jpg
http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii283/zingercustoms/69firebird002.jpg

[zingercustoms]

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii283/zingercustoms/4.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii283/zingercustoms/6.jpg
The Bumper bolts on, isn't welded and has a 1/8 inch gap all the way around.
http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii283/zingercustoms/1.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii283/zingercustoms/100_1928.jpg
http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii283/zingercustoms/5.jpg
I will post progress pics as i work.

[Vince@Meanstreets]

Nice work Josh, and welcome to the site....The yellow isn't too bad. Lucky it wasn't bronze.

[DOOM]

:wow: Awsome Im tired just looking at all that work!!! Where are you in Indiana??

[XcYZ]

Welcome aboard. :cheers:

That's a hell of a project, amazing work. :thumbsup:

[zingercustoms]

i live in angola, but my new shop is in kendallville.

[GHOSTDANCER]

:thumbsup: :cheers:

[BLACKJACK]

GOOD LOOKIN BIRD:thumbsup:

[kagtech]

Josh,

It has been a while since you placed some updates. How is the project coming along???

[zingercustoms]

I will post further progress pics in update forum, coming next week.

[ProdigyCustoms]

I am digging the bumper, license plate and exhaust idea.

[zingercustoms]

We finally decided on the wheels for the Firebird. They are 09 corvette spyder wheels, chrome, 9.5x 18 in front and 12x19 in back.

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii283/zingercustoms/DSC00852.jpg
http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii283/zingercustoms/Firebird.jpg


The tires are the new Generals 325/35 rear 275/30 front. I wanted to go with something way nicer and more custom on the wheels but we have a budget problem now that the economy went to the toilet. They will fill the car out well. We had a ford 8.8 rear laying around out of an explorer and the width is doable with minor spacers, It has 373 gears, and had disk brakes too. I plan on welding on some support tubes and making it look pretty with a new cover. NOT what we planned before! We are also deciding on the front clip. We will most likely go with a speedtech since we bought the wheels with their dimensions in mind. We have to get the spindles and hubs.
What would be the cheapest price wise to get the spindles, should I go with 2" drop or regular, and the hubs to fit up with the corvette bolt pattern? We plan on using stock corvette brakes up front.
This is getting out of my area of knowledge as I am a body guy. So I appreciate the help.

Anyway, I have the last coats of primer on the doors and fenders. I may have color on them next week, Also the body is ready to get its last coat on monday.
I am on it full time now so I will be posting updates more frequently.
Later