The New Project: Part Deux!

[njsteve]

First one to guess what it is, with the least amount of clues provided, wins a prize. (the prize being more photos)
<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif


http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/datatag.jpg

[SS427]

A special order paint 72 Firebird Formula with bucket seats but with a 1971 style body series number?

[njsteve]

We have a winner!

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/broadcast1.jpg

And here is the recent GM of Canada record. Compare them to the ones from 20 years ago that actually show the black paint as the paint color on the W51 line.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/GMCanP1a.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/GMCanP2a.jpg

Here are the 1993 GM of Canada docs:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/gmc93P1a.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/gmc93P2a.jpg

[njsteve]

Here's some of the good stuff:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/engvin1.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/transvin1.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/carbnumber1.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/wheel.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/wheelback.jpg

[mockingbird812]

Wow and WOW!!!! What a combo! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/shocked.gif 455 HD, M22, a/c, honey combs, black paint.......!!!!!!!!! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif



I am guessing this is in your stable now?? <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif

[njsteve]

Yup, it's a one of one. You had to special order black in 1972, and a total of only ten 455HO Formulas were delivered in Canada. A total of 276 were produced in 1972. (no breakdown on automatic versus M22, though.)

Here’s the full story on the car: Last summer, a new member, Grant, posted about finding and buying this car, here on the Yenko.net site. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&amp;Number=464850&amp;page=1

When he originally posted about the Firebird, I PM'd Grant and asked if he ever wanted to sell the car, I'd be happy to give him what he wanted for it. Grant (a great guy, by the way) only recently revisited the site and saw the PM, and then responded to me.

In the original posting, Grant told the story about how his brother was out giving an estimate for a new roof for a lady’s home in British Columbia, Canada. When she opened the garage, Grant’s brother saw the car for the first time. The Firebird belonged to her late husband who passed away several years earlier from cancer at a far too early age. The woman and her daughter were very attached to the car as it was a special project that the husband/father put back together shortly before he passed on. After he died, they kept the car in the garage and would start it once in a while, trying to maintain it.

Grant’s brother, who didn’t really know much about Firebirds took a few fuzzy cellphone snapshots of the car and forwarded the info to Grant, who eventually contacted the woman and was able to purchase the car. After getting all the boxes and stuff out from around the car and getting it out into the daylight for the first time in years, the car pretty much started right up after a new battery was installed.

The car has more than an inch of original documents with it, including every repair work order for anything ever done with it. It was originally leased from London Motor Products in Ontario, Canada (a big GM dealer), to a law firm from 1972 to 1975. In February, 1975, the lease ended and the lawyer, who leased it, bought the car (with a partial trade of a 72 Vega). The lawyer owned the car until 1985 when he sold it to a broker who put a quickie repaint on it and sold it to the husband in British Columbia. He and his family owned it until Grant bought it in the summer of 2011.

Here's the original sale document when the lease ended:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/sale1.jpg

[mockingbird812]

Purdy please more pix!'!!!!!!!!!!!

[njsteve]

I am currently awaiting transport with TFX in Canada. A couple of you Great White North guys recommended them in past postings. The car is 3,000 miles away in B.C. It is just about the farthest you can get from New Jersey, going west, without hitting the Pacific Ocean.

[njsteve]

Here's what it looked like in 1987:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/oldphotoJuly1987.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/oldphotoJuly1987b.jpg

[njsteve]

Here are some engine shots:

The car had the prehistoric Pontiac unitized ignition system originally (along with five years of dealer repair work orders attempting to fix the &quot;no start&quot; problem related to these units). An HEI was swapped in its placed in the 1980s.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/engine2.jpg

I have started gathering A/C parts but will need some of the small A/C line brackets, a correct 054 POA valve and the correct housing-to-firewall bolts. At least the unique 455HO A/C brackets are still intact.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/engine3.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/engine.jpg

Unfortunately, there is a hole sawed into the top of the very rare, original 1972 radiator shroud. I'm glad I saved my old melted one from the other 72 so I have a donor plug to patch it with. The second owner put an electric fan in along with a fixed blade engine fan (I'll need a thermo clutch and fan, now...and a dual bleeder master cylinder)

[njsteve]

Here's the car now. Looks like the second owner added the rear spoiler in the late 1980s.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/front.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/rear-1.jpg

And the interior. It has a perfect dash pad and steering wheel. When I arrived it still had the 1977 bucket seats that were installed in 1987 when the car was broken into and the seats stolen. Once I arrived from my 3000 mile flight, Grant and I spent an hour or so, installing the new seats that he had located over the past year.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/interior.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/interiordash.jpg

Original mileage with every piece of paper to back it up.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/mileage.jpg

Funny thing I found from reviewing all the dealership paperwork is that they seemed to have changed the starter every time they did an oil change. Looks like they tossed the heat shield during the first starter repair in the early 70's and from that point on they just kept cooking solenoids and never bothered to repair the problem, instead of chasing the symptom.

[njsteve]

Here's the original, fiberglass ram air hood with the screens still intact:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/hood1.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/hood2.jpg

[njsteve]

And now for the bad stuff:

During the car's &quot;quickie&quot; paint job in 1985, there must have been some issue with the trunk drop offs, so the body shop boxed them in with an entire plate of sheet metal. Looks bizarre, since the quarters seem pretty solid at the bottoms:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/trunkdropR.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/trunkdropL.jpg

[njsteve]

The rear frame rails also have some soft spots by the tail pipe hanger, where the hanger cracked a section of the rail out, possibly due to the custom exhaust that is using only the rear hangers to support the entire weight of both pipes. Normally they should have a transverse muffler that is fully supported by two brackets above the rear differential, sharing the load.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/hanger.jpg

And the lower area in the normal Firebird frame rail bad spot:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/framerail.jpg

Here's a quality repair <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif - use spray foam in the rocker hole. It seems to be isolated to the passenger side inner/outer fender well seam: (By the way, look at the assembly line sticker still on the original brake drum!)

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/hole1.jpg

Once all the foam was picked out:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/hole2.jpg

[njsteve]

And the traditional rear sway bar mount cracks with the obligatory weld repairs.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/swaylinkweld.jpg

The funny thing is that while digging through all the repair orders I found the original one that has the welding repair done back when the car had 28,000 miles:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/repair.jpg

[njsteve]

The trunk floor actually doesnt look bad. (knock on wood)

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/trunkL.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/trunkr.jpg

It has the space saver spare tire option:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/trunkspare.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/trunkspeakerl.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/trunkmiddle.jpg

[SS427]

Wow. Black, a 455 and a Formula. What a neat car. What are your plans? You gonna see if you can start an even longer thread..... <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif

[njsteve]

Grant just sent me these better photos of &quot;our&quot; interior installation.


http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/TuesdayApril102012008.jpg

And the car sitting in the British Columbian sun. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/TuesdayApril102012009.jpg

[njsteve]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SS427</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> What are your plans? You gonna see if you can start an even longer thread..... <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif </div></div>

Them's fight'n words!

This better not take no freaken 7 years!!!
<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/no.gif

[Xplantdad]

Awesome Steve...congrats! I LOVE Formula Firebirds. It was my brothers first car and my first muscle car ride! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif

[njsteve]

Here's a Canadian Question for any of you guys up there:

On the top of the PHS it says:

&quot;Charge to: GENERAL MOTORS of CANADA, LTD, OSHAWA, ONTARIO&quot;

Is this the normal way a Canadian PHS looks? Or would the original dealer nomrally be in that spot on the form?

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/broadcast1.jpg

[grantprix]

Awesome Formula, congrats!

[StealthBird]

In talking to Steve, he suggested I add this to the thread.

I think I remember this car from London, Ontario. The LMP dealership on Richmond St. was pretty well known. I used to ride my bicycle by there, with my best friend, on the way to our favorite hobby shop, back around 1974-1975.

My dad was an exec at GM's Diesel Division in London Ontario from 1973-1977. He special ordered a new 1974 Trans Am 455 (Buccaneer Red) for his 3-month/3,000 mile company car. My oldest brother began street racing that brand new 74 Trans Am 455. While I was young at the time, I recall my brothers always talking about a black Formula (without spoiler) as they cruised the 74 Trans Am around London (Dundas Street being the center of the cruise scene). I remember them chatting abut various cars they would see every weekend, and they used to mention this black Formula they'd see now and then. I remember back then, as my brothers were teenagers, it was memorable when someone would give them a wave as they passed. That made them feel really cool. Anyway, I remember they said that one Sunday afternoon, the &quot;guy in the black Formula&quot; gave them a wave as he passed them on Richmond Street heading into the city.

As a sidenote, my brothers ended up getting busted at Airport Rd. in London one night, when about 30 cars were there watching street races. The London police broke them all up, but gave a written warning to my oldest brother. I guess seeing a teenager in a brand new red 1974 Trans Am was an easy target. That was the end of my dad bringing home &quot;cool cars&quot;. From then on it was Oldsmobiles and Buicks for his executive ordered drivers. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/frown.gif

I believe all the Pontiacs destined for Canada were billed to &quot;GM Of Canada&quot; (at least the invoices I've seen). I attached an invoice of a 1971 Judge 4-speed for reference.

Again, cool car Steve, and a great find! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[njsteve]

Mike, That had to be this car since it was from that exact neighborhood from 1972 to 1985 and the only black Formula up there at the time. Give your brothers a heads up about this thread. I'd love to have their opinions and stories, too.

Great info on the PHS adddress, too.

That's what I love about this site, people sharing their stories. It's really amazing what a small world it is. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif

If you are in Chicago in November, I may bring the car to MCACN if Mr. Ashton thinks it fits in the &quot;as found&quot; class. I'd love to have you and your brothers see it in person.

[Brewster]

Congrats Steve! Looks like a great car and I know you'll make it even better. Did you sell the TA? I'd still like to see that car someday.

[njsteve]

Yes, I sold the T/A to get money for this car. I was getting itchy and needed another project. I got tired of fixing up the house. That's just not as fun.

[napa68]

WOW Steve! just WOW!


Tim

[Brewster]

Congrats once again Steve! What state did the car go? Hope its at this years POCI in St Charles IL
Are you coming out for that show?

[njsteve]

And another vintage Ontario story of the car just surfaced on the sister thread to this one over at PerformanceYears.com: http://forums.performanceyears.com/forums/showthread.php?t=695444&amp;page=3

&quot;<span style="font-style: italic">If in London, I ran beside that car with my Older brothers White 74 455 Formula heading west to London from Mississauga on the 401 for all both cars were worth LOL....

We bought our 74 Formula from &quot;Milton Motors&quot; back in the day and they had a great mechanic at the dealership that was all about these cars (he had a 73SD TA himself)... He was a HP freak swore the White 74 was a factory screw up because it ran (in his words not mine) harder than his SD.... I know we ran a lot of cars that we should have had our asses handed to us,,,, and came out on top much to our own surprise,,, but that black Formula left a lasting impression on me....</span>&quot;

[njsteve]

It's starting to look like I picked up another &quot;Christine&quot;. I guess we'll name this one Rachel*


* after my recent biblical rant comparing my 7-year restoration of the T/A with the story of the Laban, Jacob, and Jacob's two 7-year deals to get his two wives: Leah and Rachel.

We shall all now turn to chapter #484968, on page 121 of my 72 T/A thread. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&amp;Number=99416&amp;page=121

[K code Mustang]

Nice Pontiac Steve...but I still favor &quot;our&quot; Charger. I had a plan to buy the Charger, but unfortunatly my mega-million ticket turned out to be worthless. Reguardless, I am looking foward to the restoration of this one.

[njsteve]

I won $4 in that megamillions lottery. I spent it all on the new project...plus a bit more.

So at least I can finally say I won the lottery and bought a car with the money! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

[SmallHurst]

Too cool!!!!
Don't forget my number for the F60-15's!!!

[tom406]

I picked up a sister car last month-another Norwood 12B car. I purchased it from the original owner, a lady who bought it new to go to nursing school and is now retired. I got you beat in miles, with just 87K on the clock. I think your Formula has this little lady covered in most other areas, though, being a 350/AT Esprit. Looking forward to your restoration and refinishing efforts once again, best of luck.

[KevinW]

Congrats Steve! Here's to another awesome build thread from Steve! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/laugh.gif

So you went from white to black, huh? <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif

[olredalert]

----That little Esprit is a set of wheels away from being very cool!!!......Bill S

[njsteve]

Hey, don't be dissin' dem dog dishes! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

[tom406]

I agree with...both of you. I refinished a set of 15x7 Rally II's and ordered up new PMD red centers and trim rings. Those giant Firebird wheelwells call out for more. It was the basic deal when new-never on the ground spare is an E78-14 blackwall and those trim rings were added later, of course.

But I'm no dog dish hater, as can be seen by my original paint Comet Caliente behind it. That car actually had Torque Thrust II's on it when I bought it, and I put the original wheels and caps BACK on.

Thus, I swing both ways:)

[njsteve]

Here's some nice and greasy underside shots taken last week. The car is set for pickup tomorrow.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/Formulaunderneath008.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/Formulaunderneath010.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/Formulaunderneath011.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/Formulaunderneath012.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/Formulaunderneath014.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/Formulaunderneath018.jpg

[mockingbird812]

Pretty underside!!!!!!!! Seeing some red oxide peeking out there!

[njsteve]

And to think just 7 years and 37 days ago I was pressure washing the last project that looked just like this underneath! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

[Xplantdad]

I remember that like it was yesterday...

[njsteve]

The car got picked up in Vancouver this morning by TFX Transport. http://www.tfxinternational.com/

Now the clock starts ticking...3000 miles to go! The car is starting at the farthest point west, from New Jersey that you can possibly get!

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/April162012loading001.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/April162012loading005.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/April162012loading007.jpg

[njsteve]

BTW, Grant said it was raining all day and then stopped for the 15 minutes it took to load up the car. Once the car was in the trailer, it started raining again. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

[Xplantdad]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">BTW, Grant said it was raining all day and then stopped for the 15 minutes it took to load up the car. Once the car was in the trailer, it started raining again. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif </div></div>

That shouldn't surprise anyone... <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif

[SS427]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">BTW, Grant said it was raining all day and then stopped for the 15 minutes it took to load up the car. Once the car was in the trailer, it started raining again. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif </div></div>

Thats a sign....... <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[bashton]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mike, That had to be this car since it was from that exact neighborhood from 1972 to 1985 and the only black Formula up there at the time. Give your brothers a heads up about this thread. I'd love to have their opinions and stories, too.

Great info on the PHS adddress, too.

That's what I love about this site, people sharing their stories. It's really amazing what a small world it is. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif

If you are in Chicago in November, I may bring the car to MCACN if Mr. Ashton thinks it fits in the &quot;as found&quot; class. I'd love to have you and your brothers see it in person. </div></div>

An absolute MUST for MCACN 2012! And I can pretty much assure you...there will not be another black 455 Formula in the show! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif

Bashton
MCACN Managing Member

[njsteve]

Well, I don't know???? They did make a second black one for the US market and I think it's in Kansas.

I wouldn't want to be that person who ends up wearing the same prom dress as another attendee. You know how truly embarassing that would be? <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/shocked.gif

Never again! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/no.gif

[Grant Didmon]

I guess I can't take part eh Steve?
Grant

[Grant Didmon]

Steve
It sure is a small world ,when we have a person on the site that remembers the exact car cruising the streets of London Ontario.I emailed the widow of the formula that I bought it from,and she will not give me the time of day,too bad.
Grant

[njsteve]

Grant, you are required to participate in this restoration process. It's the law. Didn't you read the fine print on the bill of sale? <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

In regards to the previous owner, I do feel for her loss and understand her sensitivity on the subject of the car. Maybe once the car is done we can reintroduce her and her family to it.

Did you have any luck running out that lead on the engine builder?

[Grant Didmon]

Steve
I have had no time yet to do anything like that,it is about 1 1/2 hour return drive and a toll bridge both ways,so I will tie in seeing my brother one day at the same time,as he is about only 15 minutes away from Port Moody where the shop/shops are.I will &quot;get er done&quot; though,and see what transpires.
Grant

[njsteve]

The car is slowly making its way to the East Coast. While waiting I needed something to do so I started tinkering with the extra set of grills I have for a 72. I used my tried and true plastic paint stripping method of soaking the parts in &quot;purple stuff&quot; degreaser. It is the best thing I have found for removing paint from plastic without harming the plastic.

Here is one of the grills outside the vat while the other one is soaking:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10370.jpg

And the results after about a day of soaking, scrubbing gently with a plastic bristle brush and fine scotchbrite pad and then resoaking. Kind of like the &quot;Lather, Rinse, Repeat&quot; directions on your shampoo bottle.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10371.jpg

[njsteve]

And here is the reason for using the other grills. It seems that the second owner, in an effort to stop the car thieves in his area, used fiberglass to seal the hood latch access opening in the driver's side grill. He then installed an inside-the-car hood release cable. It requires two people to open the hood, one pulling and holding the release cable and the other lifting the hood. I think this is where the Strategic Air Command got the idea for the &quot;two key&quot; missle launch system.
<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/P1000502.jpg

He was not paranoid, as the car was victimized twice while he owned it. Once in the late 1980s when the seats (and sadly, the broadcast sheet along with them) were stolen, and another time in the 1990s when the ignition was popped and they tried to take the car.

[njsteve]

Got the spare grills refinished. It took a while to mask off the black grates and then paint the argent without getting any on the grates. Very tedious process, indeed. I need to find some better chrome trim rings. Hopefully the ones on the car are better than these.

The car made it through customs fine and the delivery truck is supposedly coming here tonight. I will update you all as soon as I have the car.....

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10411.jpg

[Xplantdad]

Nice!

[njsteve]

She arrived at 9:30 tonight!

Great job by TFX International in Canada. Very professional people. They kept me updated whenever I asked what the status was. They never promised the impossible - they gave me an accurate assessment of how long it takes to get from one end of the continent to the other, and through two countries.

And she arrived a day early, (Though, of course I would have preferred it arriving 10 minutes after I purchased it but without a Star Trek transporter, that was a bit impossible at this point in time). It was picked up on 04/16 and arrived on 04/29 which is around 2 weeks for the 3,500 mile trip.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/S7007814.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/S7007812.jpg

[Xplantdad]

Looks great Steve...congrats! Are you gonna sleep in the garage tonight? <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif

[njsteve]

LOL. I dragged the wife out to the garage to see the car a few minutes ago. She was sleeping at the time. While she didn't appreciate the wake up call, she actually loves the car, especially the color.

[Xplantdad]

Cool!!! Congrats again <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif

[njsteve]

Photo glitch, sorry.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/S7007812-1.jpg

[StealthBird]

Steve, I know it wasn't built with one, but please keep the rear spoiler on. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif

[Grant Didmon]

Hi Steve
Nice to see the car in it's new home.No surprises from the shipping Company like you have had happen to you before?
I still have not found a replacement for the Formula yet,but I am looking at a double black 77 Trans Am,with the Hurst hatches that sold new in West Vancouver,with every option except air.It probably was one of the last to be built as GM of Canada documentation shows it was shipped from Norwood on June the 28th 1977.It only has 78,000 documented miles on it,with receipts going back to 1982.Some rust on the pass side body,but tomorrow I get it up on the hoist and see if the owner is correct at saying the trunk/floors and frame rails are perfect.It is not an SE,but a factory dble black order is the next best thing.Enjoy the ride Steve.
Grant

[njsteve]

Hey Grant, keep looking, you'll find something out there. With your luck it will be near me in New Jersey and you'll have to fly 3000 miles back here! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

Thanks for the original advertisement you sent. It arrived yesterday.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/formula1.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/formula2.jpg

[njsteve]

I brought the car to my buddy's garage last night and we put it up on the lift. Lots of loose bolts in the front end, including the subframe to body bolts! At least the oil pan plug was tight. (Grant warned me about how many bolts he had to put back in this thing when he found it).

Looks like its going to need some portions of the rear frame rail on the passenger side replaced. The bottoms of the rails near the front spring perches are notorious weak spots on these cars. Unfortunately, the trucking company used the factory hold down spot in that location when shipping it here and it pulled the metal out of place a bit. This spot is a place where three different pieces of metal are sandwiched together to form the end of the frame rail. It holds moisture and here is the result:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10421.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10423.jpg

And the broken-out section of the pass side rear frame rail from the tail pipe hanger holding the entire weight of the exhaust due to the broken universal rubber hanger that was carriage bolted to the floor pan above the rusty aftermarket muffler. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/P1000545.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/P1000546.jpg

I won't be able to make an accurate assessment of the underside until I can get this thing steam cleaned. I checked with the local equipment rental place near me (the only one that rents the hot water pressure washers) and they quoted me $275 a day to rent the thing. JEEZ! Are the hot water sprayers really that much better than the regular cold water ones? You could almost buy a cold water pressure washer for that price.

[njsteve]

And here is the dirty bottom half of the car. The floor pans looks nice, with some red oxide showing through the grime in places.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10453.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10452.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10451-1.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10450.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10449.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10447.jpg


http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10445.jpg

[Xplantdad]

And so it begins....again <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif

[njsteve]

Isn't it nice how the only clean thing on the underside is the white painted driveshaft! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

[Xplantdad]

You did that, huh? LOL

[njsteve]

I went crawling around the car some more. At least there is some good news: it has two NOS GM quarters, NOS drivers side outer wheelwell and NOS tail panel installed. The labels are still there. That's about $6k worth of GM sheetmetal I don't have to search for. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10530.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10526.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10528.jpg

And some bad news: the end of the passenger side frame rail is missing the flange that mounts up with the inner tail panel.

Here is the drivers side:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10426.jpg

and here is the passenger side:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC10427.jpg


So far it needs a passenger side frame rail for donor sections, left and right trunk drop offs to replace the home made ones. (I just ordered the new reproduction units that just came out), a passenger side outer wheel house and portions of the inner wheel house.

[Grant Didmon]

Hi Steve
I actually have checked out cars for sale in New Jersey lately,I figure if I find one there by fluke,at least I know someone that I could have a beer with before driving it home.I drove from Toronto to Vancouver before and Vancouver to Montreal along time ago.
Grant

[njsteve]

Started working on the car today after being away on a trip. Attempted to get her registered since the forms from Customs finally showed up. Of course once I got there, the DMV lady said I have to contact their headquarters on Monday, since the car is coming from a foreign country. (Of course that advice was completely different from what they told me the last time I was there a couple weeks ago when they said I needed the Customs form to complete the paperwork package.) <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

I replaced the leaky valve cover gasket and got the horns working (it was a disconnected wire at the relay - solved that one pretty easily). Click on the photo to hear how she sounds at the moment.

http://i1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/njsteve-engines/th_SDC11122.jpg (http://s1087.photobucket.com/albums/j467/njsteve-engines/?action=view&amp;current=SDC11122.mp4)

[Xplantdad]

Nice...I love the Pontiac exhaust!

[njsteve]

In today's &quot;Give A Mouse A Cookie&quot; update, it all started this morning with me taking the rear seat out to fix some of the wrinkles in the seat cover. I pulled the back seat and set it in the 80 degree sun for an hour to soften up. Since I wasn't just going to sit around for the hour, I pulled the other seats out...and then the carpet...etc.

Anyway, I had a bag of hog rings so I adjusted and pulled and remounted all the new seat covers till 90% of the wrinkles were gone. They must have been installed in the Canadian winter and ended up being too loose on the seat foams. It worked out very well in the end.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11123.jpg

The upright cushions are done, the ones lieing flat are warming up.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11130.jpg

[njsteve]

And while all the seats were warming up I pulled the carpet out to see what the floors looked like. All the original tar paper insulation was in place and actually very pliable and sticky (a real mess actually). Sitting in the sun the stuff was just as tacky as the day it was installed 40 years ago.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11139.jpg

I wanted to examine the floorboards so I started carefully pealing with a plastic putty knife and got all of the tar paper insulation up. The car was originally rust proofed when it was new and it looks like they lifted the carpet and slathered the tar paper with extra cosmoline or some other goop and it pretty much saved the floors but it left a black tar mess in places. Here is what it looked like after a few hours of peeling:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11143.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11142.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11144.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11145.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11146.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11147.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11148.jpg

[njsteve]

And look what arrived yesterday:

I ordered a reproduction of the original owner's license plate from these guys: http://www.licenseplates.tv/

It turns out that the CWT-160 plate number that was listed on all of the car's dealership repair orders was in a unique 3-letter/3-number sequence that started in 1973 in Ontario. So it looks like that is as close as the original day-one plate as I am going to get.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11151.jpg

[njsteve]

So, 7 years and 3 days after this:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/140229-sprayday1a.jpg

It's cleaning time again!

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11190.jpg

I set the car on some truck jackstands to get it in the air as high as possible and then soaked the underside with purple stuff cleaner diluted with 2/3 water.

It then donned the Tyvex suit and face shield (much better then the raincoat I wore back in 2005). I then spent the next 8 hours pressure washing the underside. I think the key to getting the undercoating off this time was using hot water. I ran a heavy duty garden hose through the window and hooked it to the washing machine hot water feed. It worked great!

Half way through the day I ended up pulling the aftermarket exhaust to get a better angle on the floor boards.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11160.jpg

[njsteve]

Here are some preliminary shots while the car was still wet. That hot water worked well on the 40 year old undercoating. I definitely was a smart idea to get a full face shield. When the 3000 psi hot water hits the undercoating it tends to blow it off in chunks that fly back at you. The black you see on the frame rails is the original black overspray, though it looks kind of grey when wet.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11168.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11167.jpg

The undercoating came off the tank nicely to reveal the original date stencil.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11175.jpg

Original vapor cannister hoses in place (unclamped as originally installed at the factory)

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11177.jpg

[njsteve]

The floorpan. Gotta get rid of that white paint on the driveshaft!

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11179.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11189.jpg

[mockingbird812]

Very nice Steve. Good ideas!

[napa68]

Looks great Steve. I've got a friend who purchased a steam cleaner a few years ago. The heat makes ALL the difference.

Tim

[njsteve]

I tried renting a steam cleaner: they wanted $275 for a day rental. Thats cazy! So a friend loaned me his pressure washer and the wife loaned me the washing machne hot water line for the day if I promised to do my own laundry after I hooked the hot water back up. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

[markinnaples]

Nice work, as usual. What is your plan once you get it all cleaned?

[njsteve]

Going back together. The first repairs on the horizon will be the frame rail sections that need to be attended to, then once the repro trunk dropoffs arrive I will have the inner quarter rear portion sectioned in to replace the homemade boxed dropoffs that were installed on the car in the 1980s, so it looks correct. Paint is much farther down the road. I will be driving this one for the summer. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

Of course while everything was out of the car, i noticed the heater core was leaking on to the pass floor, today. I ordered a new one this morning and the interior will wait til that gets done. Glad it happened now and not after i put it all back together.

[njsteve]

Today I tackled the trunk area. This car was Ziebart rustproofed back when it was new and that stuff is nearly impossible to remove. Solvents just smear it. It's almost like roofing tar and it's about 1/8&quot; thick. A different, and thicker, but equally adhesive version was over-applied later, on the GM replacement quarters and tail panel that were replaced in the 1980s. The hot water seemed to work but VERY slowly. Like around 5 seconds of close up blasting to remove one square inch. It was mind-numbing and carpel tunnel initiating to say the least.

Here's the before shots:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/P1000460.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/P1000461.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/P1000462.jpg

[njsteve]

And after about 6 hours of blasting.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11231.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11230.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11254.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11236.jpg

I tried to save as much of the original splatter paint but in some spots it came off very eaily while in other areas, it was hard as rock. The Ziebart stuff worked as the only rust I found in the trunk floor were the four tiny pinholes in the lower right of this photo to the left of the drain plug. The rest of the dark areas are due to the surface not being completely dried off yet.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11235.jpg

[njsteve]

When I was done with the trunk I spent an hour or so with a rag soaked in a little diesel fuel to clean off the underside of the floor pans. Here's what they looked like with a little elbow grease appled:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11261.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11260.jpg

[njsteve]

In looking at the frame rail damage/rust it doesn't appear to be as bad as I initially thought. (I hope).

The undersides of the lowest portion of the rear rails by the front leaf spring pocket both have the outer layer corroded on the bottom and sides. It is also evident on both inner and outer sides of that area, next to the E-brake cable. There are three separate panels that sandwich together at that point and it looks like just the outer one held the crud and rusted, as this is the lowest point on the rail (lower than the drainage hole unfortunately). It also didn't help matters that the delivery truck driver used that spot as the hold down for his cargo chains. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

Pass side:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11211.jpg

Driver's side:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11224.jpg

[njsteve]

The other rail problem was in the rear where the aftermarket exhaust had all it's weight on the tailpipe hangers after the crummy, universal hangers that were sheetmetal screwed into the rear bulkhead, ripped out. It appears that the reinforcement section of both rails were not properly tack welded in originally, as the pass side area pulled away and cracked the frame under the panel.

Pass side:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11203.jpg

Driver's side:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11215.jpg

[njsteve]

And the solution:

I bought a pair of the new reproduction frame rails to use for donor sections.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11197.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11201.jpg

I also bought a set of the repro sway bar mounting brackets as the ones on the car have been welded so many times, they actually welded a bolt across one of them to keep it together.


http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11199.jpg

[Dave Rifkin]

and so it begins...........again. Can't wait to see how nice this one turns out. I am amazed at the knowledge and skills that so many people on this site possess.

[SS427]

Perseverance and tenacity at their finest! Good job once again Steve.

[njsteve]

Thank you for your morale support. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

Today's project was getting the heater core out. It actually went rather well. You have to remove the pass side inner fender to do it properly in order to access the lower studs and the heater hoses. Otherwise you will spend hours with extensions, lost sockets and scraped hands. It took me ten minutes to pull the inner fender and then another ten minutes to get the nuts off the studs. Once inside the car you have to pull the glove box door, glove box and the A/C ducts from one side to the other. That way the heater assembly comes out easier. In total it took about an hour to get everything out of the car. Now I have to wait for the new core to arrive....

While the heater was out I was able to see the VIN stamped in the firewall which was a reassuring thing. I then wiped the giant black seam sealer waterfall away from the area and was able to do a pencil tracing of it. Remember it is upside down and backwards since it was stamped from the engine side - so don't have a heart attack if you try this on your car and it at first doesn't match. Take your tracing and hold it up to mirror and it will magically transpose. Or you can always just flip the photo in your photo editing program.
<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/scholar.gif

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11275.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11273.jpg

[njsteve]

After the heater core removal was accomplished I crawled back under the car and started scrubbing some more with the diesel fuel and a rag. That took the rest of the day.

Here's a shot of one of the sway bar mounting brackets. Looks like a junior high school shop project on &quot;Learn How To Weld Day.&quot; They acually tried so many times that they burned through the rail under the bracket.


http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11281.jpg

[njsteve]

And here is the final result. After these photos were taken I snaked the old exhaust back over the axles and reattached it so at least I can drive the thing again. I will probably be getting the Gardner Exhaust for this car like I did with the 72 T/A. I'll have to wait til after the frame repairs get done, though. Though they go together very easily, that is one system that you want to install once and not take apart again. (looks too pretty to risk scratching it up).

You can see the original black overspray nicely, in these shots...and the spots I missed under the fuel/brake lines. I'll wait til its time for the frame repairs to remove those lines and clean underneath.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11297.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11296.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11295.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11292.jpg

[SS427]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">........Gardner Exhaust for this car like I did with the 72 T/A. I'll have to wait til after the frame repairs get done, though. </div></div>

Might want to order it now as the last few times I have ordered a system they are about 6-8 weeks out. Not an issue with me as I have the time to wait but you might not.

[njsteve]

And the final item of the day was adjusting the clutch, which was grabbing way too high. On a hunch, I pulled the actuating rod and noticed the same wear that was on my other car. This groove was cut halfway through, eventually it would have snapped off. I will be replacing both rods: the bellcrank to fork rod, as well as the pedal to bellcrank rod as they both tend to exhibit the same wear patterns.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11283.jpg

[njsteve]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SS427</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">........Gardner Exhaust for this car like I did with the 72 T/A. I'll have to wait til after the frame repairs get done, though. </div></div>

Might want to order it now as the last few times I have ordered a system they are about 6-8 weeks out. Not an issue with me as I have the time to wait but you might not. </div></div>

Good point. Makes for a great Father's Day gift. I will start dropping hints now. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

[old5.0]

I wonder if this one'll get to a million views? <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif

[njsteve]

I got the new heater core installed and the box is back in the dash again. I can never understand how something can drop out so easily but take so much finagling and manhandling to get the darn thing back into the car. It took over an hour to figure out the exact angle and turns to get the heater box back under the dashboard. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/no.gif

[KevinW]

Steve, You taking your new ride to Flemington on Sat? I am going to take the ride up with Jinx since the weather will be nice.

[njsteve]

Still waiting for DMV to do get me my title. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif At least they started the process since I got a letter yesterday asking for the original MSO or Canadian title and the prior owner's registration.

I called the DMV foreign title unit this morning and reminded them that cars in BC dont have titles (she agreed I was right). They still wanted the prior ower's reg, which luckily I had and sent it to them today, certified mail.

BTW, the original list of docs they requested never mentioned the prior registration. We will see what next week brings...

Maybe I'll take Gramma's Firebird to the cruise.

[KevinW]

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif gotta love DMV! NOW the weather is saying some chance of T-storms on sat. Which means I am going to make my decision on sat right before I leave <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/frown.gif

[njsteve]

Found some more stuff I need:

1) The little bracket/tab/guide plate that holds the hood release pull bar in position.

Here is the shot of what is on my Gramma's 75 Firebird:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11343.jpg

And the spot where one should be on my 72 (I removed the bracket he had installed for the inside hood release as it doesnt line up with the original location for the metal pull bar).

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11342.jpg



2) I also need a clutch fan blade for the 72 since the prior owner had installed an electric fan and a solid mounted fan blade on the engine.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11344.jpg

[njsteve]

And here is something for the archives: an original rear package tray. Looks like I was the first person to ever remove this thing from the car. Very interesting cutout for the single rear speaker with the center bar between the cutouts. The other funny thing is that the factory punched speaker mounting holes were all 1/2&quot; too narrow. The factory speaker grill studs had to slot out the carboard holes 1/2&quot; farther than the outer holes in order to line up with the factory stamped holes in the rear deck.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11333.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11340.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11334.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11337.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11339.jpg

[olredalert]

----So the question is; Do you do the new package tray the same way???......Bill S

[njsteve]

Yup. I placed them on top of each other and traced the outline of the opening and the mounting holes with a pencil. I also placed the new package tray on the rear deck and traced the outline of the stamped holes in the rear deck. They all lined up nicely.

Interestingly enough, the four factory stamped stud holes in the rear deck are a circular stamp with a slot that lines up with the slots in the cardboard package tray. Looks like a little lack of communication from the engineers and the manufacturers back in the day. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

[njsteve]

Started putting the interior back in the car today. Lots of tugging and maneauvering to get the new carpet in the right spot and locked down in place. Running from one side to the other constantly to make sure I didn't pull too far and have the other side short of the sill plates (one bitten, twice shy). I tossed out the old carpet because it reeked of the ziebart/cosmoline rust proofing goo that was all over the floorboards and trunk. Now the car no longer smells like a refinery inside. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/sick.gif

After one of the pulling sessions I get out of the car and there is this little critter sitting right outside the driver's door. He wandered around the driveway for 10 minutes until the dogs annoyed him enough to walk back to his herd out in woods.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/IMG00055-20120609-1128.jpg

Here is the current progress:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11365.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11367.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11366.jpg

[Grant Didmon]

Hi Steve
Do you need anything else from me that will make your DMV work faster?Do you need a copy of the top portion of the BC car reg,that the buyers portion is temoved from?
I just bought a car in the Seattle area,and I followed all the Border rules to a tee,and I had it home in four days after I purchased it,and got it Provincially inspected one hour after crossing the border,and an hour later had plates on it and insurance until October when it comes off the road for the winter.
Grant

[njsteve]

Nice. Gotta love how smooth the BC system is. The Peoples Republic of New Jersey doesn't trust its own people at the local offices to do the paperwork on asylum-seeking automobiles. Hopefully they have everything now. Otherwise I'll have to return the car back to you. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

So what did you buy???

[ktownkid]

New project name.......Bambi....???

ktownkid <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif

[njsteve]

More like The Raven, for all the black crows that keep pooping on the car while I'm working on it outside. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[njsteve]

Well, the interior is finally finished and back in place. I also pulled the door panels and greased and readjusted the power windows, so they go up and down nicely now. One of the power door lock solenoids doesnt work so I pulled that one and need to hunt down a replacement.

I also pulled the front dash speaker since it wasnt working. The radio had never been out of this car before, amazingly all the wires were intact including the single green wire that runs from the radio to the front speaker.

Here is a shot of the passenger door which still had the factory watershield in place, and the Norwood Assembly Plant parts sticker.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11368.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11370.jpg

[njsteve]

And here is the finished interior. Other than the carpet and the package tray, everything that came out, went back in (though a lot cleaner and tighter, especially the seat covers). Even the 40 year old original floor mats are back in place. I will probably redye to steering wheel next week. That SEM Landau black interior spray dye is awesome. I misted most of the interior plastic parts and the stuff rejuvenates black interior pieces like magic. Just a light dusting evens it all out. And it dries in seconds.

I also pulled the gauges and tried rebuilding the clock but it wasn't the points, the clock's electrical windings are bad. So I'll add a clock to the shopping list.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11376.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11378.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11379.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11371.jpg

Those white circles are dust specs on my hand-me-down garage camera. Sorry about that.


http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11383.jpg

[njsteve]

Here are some photos of the power door lock solenoid I need for the driver's side, in case anyone has one or knows someone that does:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11398.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11397.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11399.jpg

[njsteve]

I was able to locate a replacement power door lock actuator down in Florida, along with a rebuilt clock, so those items should be coming soon. That door lock solenoid is one bizarre piece and rather hard to find, it seems.

Yesterday I did a quick mask and respray with the SEM Landau Black on the original Formula wheel. This wheel is the best one I've seen in years. I guess the lack of sun in the Great White North, never got a chance to roast the foam. I came out really nice.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11413.jpg

Today, I stopped by the local locksmith to see if they could get me an original GM ignition key cylinder. The owner walked into the basement and came up five minutes later with an NOS GM piece. The ignition key/cylinder in the car was an aftermarket replacement put in in the 1980s when the car was broken into and they tried to steal it, but only succeeded in breaking the ignition switch. The aftermarket key switch didn't have an accessory position - a common problem I have encountered over the years with the crappy knockoff parts. While I had the wheel off I swapped out the ignition key cylinder in the column. It went rather smoothly. (other than reassembling it twice since I first reassembled it without the horn ring under the lockplate) <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

After that I bolted on the original rear bumper guards that the car was ordered with when new. The prior owner had them rechromed years ago and never got a chance to reinstall them.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11409.jpg

[Xplantdad]

looks great Steve <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif

[SS427]

You never sleep......

[napa68]

I love it when you have a new project. I don't need to start one myself then!

[njsteve]

It's an addiction, I tell ya!

This evening I cleaned the rear tail light harness. It was completely embedded in that rustproofing goop, like a fossilized bug in amber. I ended up having to soak it in diesel fuel to loosen the stuff. It finally came out clean and I stripped off all the old wrapping and rewrapped it in the new harness tape. I'm glad it stripped it out as I found an entire section of five wires that had been cut and hand twisted back together, all in the same spot. An electrical fire waiting to happen. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

The tailights are now all working again. Even the reverse lights!

The new engine harness should arrrive tomorrow. The existing one had a whole bunch of bad splices and burnt sections. It was also missing the a/c compressor power wire and the TCS harness section was left hanging on the exhaust and melted away.

With all this work, I'm only trying to make the car safe and dependable.

I wouldn't want to jeopardize its &quot;As Found&quot; status for this Year's MCACN. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

[njsteve]

Still no title or registration. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/mad.gif UGH!

So I am still keeping busy with the car. Through the fellow members of my wonderful support group here and at the Performance Years forum, I have managed to pick up all the A/C parts needed for the car. So I spent the day cleaning and installing everything. I had to pull the front valance and the radiator to get the existing wrong condensor out. It's a shame since it looks brand new but has the wrong upper hose fitting that is pointing downward in front of the condensor. I have no idea what application it is supposed to be for?

I'm glad I pulled the radiator as it had several areas where I could see it had been seaping. Another sad story since it was a relatively new CU477 four core brass/copper unit with no miles on it. Went bad from sitting all those years, I guess. I ordered a new CU477 that should be here next week. I also ripped out all the fan wiring as well as the crazy electric fan that was installed behind the radiator.

Here's an original late 1971 condensor with the correct ends for the rubber A/C pressure lines. This was the before shot, prior to removing the brackets, combing out all the fins, repainting it and installing nicer brackets...

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11418.jpg

[njsteve]

And here is the semi-final result. I installed an old receiver/dryer so as not to ruin the new Delco unit I purchased. Once you open the block offs on a new receiver/dryer you have 15 minutes to get it installed and evacuated or the desicant material soaks up all the moisture and is ruined. So I will vacuum test the system in a week or two to see if it holds a vacuum and then replace the R/D and fill up the system with freon.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11425.jpg

[njsteve]

And while I had everything half-way apart I pulled out the original, fried engine compartment harness and installed the new American Autowire harness. (FYI, you can buy the harnesses at Rockauto.com at a hulluva discount. American Autowire lists the harness for $185. Rockauto had it for $120, and it shipped directly from American Autowire here in NJ).

I pulled the driver's side inner fender and that cut out about 4 hours of knucklegouging and blood donations by giving me direct access to the bulkhead area under the booster, where the harness bolts in. You do not want to wrestle with all the power brake lines and booster trying to find the bulkhead by feel. Just no fun. (Something I found out when replacing the defective harness in the 72 T/A).

The hardest part was getting the starter back in while holding it up with one hand, attaching the wires to it with the other hand, tightening the wires with a 1/4&quot; drive ratchet with another hand and keeping it from falling on my head with my other, other hand. And then noticing I forgot the shim. And then the phone sitting on the trunk lid of the Charger rang.... <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11424.jpg

[njsteve]

Here is what taking the inner fender allows you to access the bulkhead area directly. Imagine trying to get that central reatining bolt out of the bulkhead terminal by feel. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11430.jpg

[njsteve]

Here is the condensor that I removed from the car. Still had the caps on the fitting ends. If anyone can identify it, they can have it!

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11434.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11435.jpg

And the crazy electric fan and the resulting fixed blade fan that it required when it took up too much room behind the radiator. Can anyone use this electric fan setup?

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11432.jpg

[njsteve]

And the newly repainted, late 1971 fan that one of my Pontiac friends at Perf Years sent me. All ready to go back in once the new radiator arrives.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11433.jpg

[napa68]

SCORE!

[njsteve]

LOL. I ran the part number on the four bladed fan that was in the car: 3462185.

It comes back as: &quot;Four Bladed Cooling fan 6 cyl &amp; Hemi SS&quot;

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/haha.gif

[olredalert]

----No matter how hard you try you just cant escape your Mopar roots,,,Huh Steve!!!.....Bill S

[njsteve]

I figured it had to some type of obscure rare part given that lucky horseshoe that is still securely lodged you-know-where.

I initially thought it was going to be one of those bazillion dollar ZL1 or L89 fan blades. So Iguess I will have to settle for a 1968 Super Stock Hemi Dart/Barracuda fan blade.

[njsteve]

Got the rebuilt clock, door solenoid and new front speaker back in the car this evening. And everything actually works now! Even the high speed position on the heater box, now that the new engine harness is in place. Now i just need the new radiator and I can bolt the front back together.

[Grant Didmon]

Awesome job Steve you are doing on the 72,I am so glad that we met and both pulled the trigger with selling /buying the Formula.
You will remember that I told you I had had a 64 1/2 Mustang convert,and then a 65 convert,before I bought the Formula.When I was a kid,I worked part time at A Safeway food store,during 1965.My Assistant Manager at the time,bought a triple black 65 Mustang GT convertible,with the A code 289 and top loader 4 speed and Pony interior.From 65 to 67 ,every Saturday,he let me take the car to my house on my lunch break,and wash it for him.You actually could here me smile on the way home and back going through the gears.Unfortunately in 67 a RCMP officer broadsided the car in pursuit of someone and the car was written off.I have always had a soft spot for triple black 65/66 Mustang converts,but they are really quite rare,even back then.
Well I found one,and so many similarities to the Formula story.The original owner died in 1999 of cancer,and his widow had his best friend buy the car.Ther 2nd owner,finally got tired of the car and I saw the ad.The one repaint is 30 years old,it has been garaged since new,bought in LA,taken to the Seattle area till this month when I got it.It has the most options of any Mustang convert I have ever found,it is an A code also,with a very rare $24.10 optional bench seat with fold down arm rest.Even the factory ordered air blows cold.The car went 3500 miles the last 24 years,and has 4000 miles more than the Formula has on it.The spare is original,and a log back to 1988 is sitting in the glove box.I do not know how to send pictures on the site,so I will send a couple to your email.
thanks, Grant

[njsteve]

I saw the photos you sent me, Grant. Awesome car. I'm so glad you found what you were looking for. You should start a new thread in the Ford section here, so everyone can see it.

Here's a link to the photo posting tutorial: http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/179667/1

[njsteve]

Spent the weekend getting the car ready for the frame repairs. A lot of loosening of nuts and bolts. I got the new set of rear springs (which the company of course guaranteed would sit the car at the correct ride height -NOT). Anyway I put them in and the ride height did come down an inch from the 30+ inches at the wheel well arches. Now it's 29-1/2&quot; tall.

I measured the ride height of my prior 72 T/A with its original front and rear springs and F60x15 Polyglasses installed and it was at 28-1/4&quot; rear, 27-7/8&quot; front. That is what I am shooting for. The company said they can de-arch the springs if I want. I will be calling them tomorrow. Luckily they are close by in PA.

So, I got everything disconnected and then reconnected for the trailer ride to my bodyguy who will be doing the frame work.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11450.jpg

And the generic 5-leaf Nova springs that were in the car, next to the new 4-leaf replacements that I labeled with the stencil I made from my T/A's spring numbers a few years back.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11451.jpg

And here are the old generic springs in case anyone can use them, I'll give you a great deal! Part # 21-339 comes back to a 70-79 Chevy Nova V8 &quot;Heavy&quot;. http://www.stengelbros.net/21-339_p_2847.html

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11489.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11490.jpg

[njsteve]

I also pulled the fuel tank and was pleasantly surprised at how nice the trunk floor was from the bottom side. Of course, I didn't find any magical broadcast sheet under there, unfortunately. The Norwood Assembly Plant was not too keen on putting them there back in the day.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11479.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11478.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11466.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11465.jpg

[njsteve]

Original vent line hoses still in place. Nice and pliable, too.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11468.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11469.jpg

And the fuel tank straps that are covered in the black overspray on the top and bottom sides of the straps, from the assembly plant.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11463.jpg

And the original fuel tank. The US Steel stencil on the other side has a date of 12/30/1970, which is rather interesting. I believe the explanation is that the stencil date is the actual date of the steel being stamped by US Steel, into a roll and not the date of the fuel tank being created.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11462.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11514.jpg

[njsteve]

I just got back from dropping the car off for the frame rail repairs. I brought the rear end back with me, along with the springs to be de-arched.

Spent an hour carefully cleaning the rear differential and found some paint marks. Rather interesting in that there is an orange &quot;G&quot; or maybe a &quot;6&quot; or a &quot;9&quot; depending on which way it was intended to be looked at. The G/6/9 is on both the top and the bottom of the center section. Also, some green paint at the bottom edge of the center section (just like on my 72 T/A, which had a giant orange &quot;E&quot; on the bottom and nothing on the top). The rear is a 3.42 posi, just like my old T/A (and built around a week after it in late December 1971).

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/bottomdif1.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/topdif1.jpg

And the yellow paint on the yoke nut.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/yoke1.jpg

[mockingbird812]

Nice archaeology MacGuyver! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[njsteve]

I brought the new springs back to Stengel Bros in Allentown, PA and they de-arched them an inch. We'll see how it goes when they go back in the car next week.

Pulled the cover off the 10-bolt rear differential. Looks like it has been rebuilt recently (or at least prior to the last couple decades that it was put into storage). New clutches in the posi and the original 11/1971 dated 3.42 gears are thankfully, still there. Factory &quot;CM&quot; code stamping on the front of the passenger side tube was intact as well, dated 351st day of 1971. That's three weeks prior to the January 11, 1972 ship date.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11516.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11520.jpg

BTW, here is the spec page for the part #80-335 1970-73 T/A and Z/28 leaf springs:

http://www.stengelbros.net/80-335_p_2927.html

[njsteve]

I forgot to post these last week when I got all the A/C hardware back in place.

I also spent some time plastic welding the ABS plastic radiator shroud. The original equipment shrouds from these cars are extremely rare to find intact. The GM replacement part has a large circular notch cut in the bottom and a bracket hole in the top for an overflow tank bracket that the 70-72 cars do not have. I have seen mint shrouds go for some big bucks recently.

Here's the shroud as is, when I bought the car. It had a 1-1/2&quot; circular hole cut in the top and three 3/4 holes in the side and bottom, all for mounting of the aftermarket electric fan:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/P1000452.jpg

And here is how it looks after the welding (and inhaling of melting ABS fumes)

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11447.jpg

and the finished A/C reinstall (minus the R12).

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11446.jpg

[napa68]

What entertainment! Looks great Steve <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[njsteve]

I got the rear end all cleaned up and back together with the de-arched springs. Lets hope it sits nicely now. Thanks to FormulaBruce from the Performanceyears website for all the parts he supplied, including a T-bolt for the spring perch, the nicer set of front spring buckets and the rear shackles (I did have to use my original shackle through-bolts as the ones that came with his set were about 1&quot; shorter and didn't have enough thread to clear the rubber bushings. I still have a bunch of correct bolts and brackets and thingies that he has sent that are awaiting the car's return.

Here is the rear and the driveshaft (that I repainted using the same ID stripe pattern that was on my 72 T/A's driveshaft)

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11524.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11522.jpg

[Norwood]

This car is moving along at SUPERSONIC speed compared to the T/A

[njsteve]

It's the Reader's Digest version. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

Right now the frame repairs are being done. I am trying to get the car safe and road-worthy once I get the title paperwork in order and actually get some plates. Also, I want the underside finished once and for all. I have a Gardner exhaust on order for the car and it should arrive in a week or so. I do not want to be pulling that system out to do other repairs at a later date.

It was supposed to be a week but looks like it will be at least two weeks...or more.

The passenger side lower area of the three panel sandwich was as we thought: the outer piece was rusty and the inners were pretty good. The problem was that the inner sections were rather mangled from the tie downs used during the transport so the inside section had to be cut out and redone to make it flat again. Here's some photos from earlier in the week.

Here's the bad area prior to trimming:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s-726-27-12001.jpg

Here's the section after the outer piece was cut away:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s-726-27-12036.jpg

And the mangled bottom of the inner rail/spring bucket that has the tie down holes. They were pulled and ripped out of shape.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s-726-27-12035.jpg

He ended up cutting the section out and remaking it so it looks correct once the new section of rail gets welded back over it.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s-726-27-12049.jpg

And the portion of the replacement rail that will be used:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s-726-27-12047.jpg


He is starting on the rear of the passenger frame rail next (where the tailpipe area was cracked and the rail was thin).

[njsteve]

The guy at the NJ DMV Foreign Title Unit left me a phone message this afternoon saying that the title was &quot;processed&quot; today. Hopefully that means it is being mailed out and not that all my documents were thrown into the &quot;processor&quot; (shredder). We will see in the next day or so. Of course the 4th of July will delay that another couple days... <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

[Grant Didmon]

Happy 4th of July Steve,and it is nice to hear that you might be getting it licensed very Quickly.Here on the &quot;wet&quot; coast,we have just had the 4th dullest June on record,but on Canada day on the first,it was warm and sunny,and Ellen and I got to cruise in the new black convert for a couple of hours.I see you found my first initial on the Formula's rear end,who knew?
Grant

[njsteve]

It's another sign! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

I guess the &quot;E&quot; on my old 72 T/A's rear was for Elvis.

Thank you, Thank you very much! http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/lvis.jpg

[njsteve]

I finished cleaning up the fuel lines that were removed for the frame repairs. Lots of wire brushing to get the dirt out of the coils.

I got the new tank ready today. It is a Spectra 42B tank that I got via rockauto.com at a helluva discount. I put the old sending unit in with a new O-ring and redid the USSteel date stamp with the stencil that InlineTube sells. Their decal is close to accurate but it is missing the day section. It only has the month and year, whereas the original date stamp had month/day/year. So I had to carfully pick away at the stencil after I painted the main portion, and then had to reuse a couple numbers to get the &quot;30&quot; in the 12-30-70 date sequence. (yes, the steel used in the tank was over a year old when they made the tank!).

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11545.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11546.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11547.jpg

[njsteve]

And the rear is staged and ready to go back in the trailer for when the frame repairs are done and it's time to pick the car up. I did notice that the front pinion seal is seeping so I guess I will have to do that this weekend. At least its easy to get to at the moment!

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11548.jpg

[njsteve]

Time to celebrate! I actually received the title today and went directly to the local DMV where I finally got the car officially registered.

I had wanted to transfer the historic vanity plates that I had from the T/A but when the lady behind the counter said I'd have to mail the old plates and my documents to the DMV in Trenton in order to do that, I almost had a seizure right there. It had already taken 8 weeks to get a title, and it has been 12 weeks since I actually bought the car in British Columbia.

I said just give me the plain old historic plates. She also indicated that it would have been $96 to transfer the old plates...compare that to $44 for a brand new set.

So I could literally apply for the same vanity plate for less money than it would be to transfer my old ones. Go figure? Only in Joysey could this happen.

The entire titling process for a vehicle coming from a “foreign” country to NJ is insane. You cannot get a title for a car coming from a foreign country at the local DMV. You have to send all of your paperwork to the special “Foreign Title Unit” in Trenton, after calling them, of course, and getting an exact list of what they need. Then when they get the package, it takes them at least 2 weeks before they look at it. When they do look at it, they only go as far as the first problem they see with the first document, immediately stop all work and send a letter telling you there is an issue with that document. For example, I have a letter that says the Canadian Title and registration are missing from the package. I call them back and tell them that British Columbia does not issue titles; they only issue a combination registration and insurance form on their cars. The clerk then has to research that issue. Several days pass and the clerk then says &quot;You're right about the title&quot; but we need that British Columbia registration form. I asked them why they didn’t request that in the first place? No real answer. I then tell them that in Canada the seller is required by law to retain the upper half of the form. She says they need the entire form. Luckily the seller in this case gave me both halves of the form. (Thank you Grant!) The clerk said I have to send in the original to them, by certified mail. She tells me that NJ DMV can only take original documents or original carbon copies. No copies are permitted.

So another week passes and I call them back. I am then told that since I had not included a check for the sales tax on the car, they could not proceed any further. I tell them that I included the $80 they requested for the titling process and that no other funds were requested by the DMV at the time. The clerk says, “Well, we need the check to proceed.” I asked what the amount was. She wouldn’t tell me, only that it was 7% of the sale price. So I had to get a calculator out and figure the amount out while I had her on the phone and then ask her if that was the right amount she needed? She said yes. I then sent her the check... by certified mail.

Another week passes and I call them back, the package has now been transferred to another clerk who tells me that they need the Customs Brokers paperwork. I tell them they have it. She tells me that need the original not the certified copy that is in the file. She says that the certified copy that is in the file appears to have been a fax that was notarized by the Customs Broker. I tell her that is how US Customs sends the finished forms back to the brokerage company. She then recites that the DMV can only take original documents or carbon copies. I asked her how am I supposed to get the original document which is in the custody of the United States Customs Service? She simply recites again, that the DMV can only take original documents or carbon copies. New Jersey DMV does not recognize certified copies. The DMV says it has to be the original document or a carbon copy from the original form made at the time of the transaction. So, even if the original form was a computer generated print out, it has to be from the original computer, printed out from the original printer at that location!!!!!!!!! I kid you not. It's like they haven't even entered the 20th century, let alone the 21st.

So, after several days of attempting contact with the Customs broker, I get through and I get another certified copy of the exact same document, only this one is larger and doesn’t have a fax header at the top. I send it certified mail to the DMV.

After several more days I call the DMV again. By now I am on a first name basis with all the clerks in the unit. I hear them sigh heavily whenever they pick up the phone and realize it’s me. The clerk now says she received the Customs Broker form but that wasn’t the form that they actually needed. They actually needed the original carbon copy of the Bill of Lading to prove that the car is in the United States. Once again I ask why they didn’t request that document from me four weeks ago? I didn’t get an answer. So I send them the original pink “carbon copy” of the Bill of Lading...this time by FedEx, since the clerk assured me that this was the final key to unlocking the puzzle of my title. (Silly me for believing her).

So, another week passes and I call the DMV and ask if the title has been issued. They said no. I ask why? They say it is because the US Customs Form 7501 did not have a US Customs official raised stamp on it. I told them it does: it has the notary stamp from the customs broker and under the business records exception of the rules of evidence used by every court of law in the United States of America; that is considered to be an officially recognized original document... And in perfect Abbott and Costello “Who’s on First” tone of voice, she then recites that the DMV can only take original documents or carbon copies as New Jersey DMV does not recognize certified copies. That is when the whole insanity started with the fact that Broker notarized the copy of the form that he received from US Customs for the transaction. According to NJ DMV, that is considered a forgery of another person’s signature, so now the title process is dead in the water until I can provide them with THE ORIGINAL UNITED STATES CUSTOMS FORM 7501 for this car’s entry in to the United States.

So I then contact the broker in Canada to get them to get an official US Customs stamp on the document. They tell me that the document has to be hand carried to the Niagara Falls Customs station where the car entered the US and that it would take at least 48 hours once US Customs has the document, before the broker would get it back. So I wait...a week goes by and now the customs broker is ignoring my calls. (As it turned out the brokerage was sold to a new company, who was not retaining the old staff, so no one really cared any more, about getting me my document). So I get the shipping company owner at TFX International involved (as I previously described a page or two ago) and he raises Holy Hell with the broker on a Sunday night and within 3 days I have the official stamped document in hand. Of course it is not a raised, embossed stamp, but a red ink stamp on the form. I then send it via FedEx to the DMV. I also call the clerk at the DMV and tell him it is on its way. It arrives on Friday. I call the clerk handling my “package” to tell him that the FedEx tracking indicates it has been delivered. Of course he is out on leave that day. I am asked to call back Monday.

I call back Monday and the clerk says the mail has not been delivered from the front office yet but he will call when it gets to his desk, if there are any problems.

On Tuesday, the clerk leaves me the message that the title was processed. I call him back and ask him to define exactly what “processed” actually means. He laughs and says that it means I have a title now and that it was being mailed out that day...by regular mail.

I also asked him if I now hold the record for the longest time to issue a NJ title for an American vehicle entering the state from a “foreign” country.

He says “No, not even in the top five.”

[olredalert]

----Steve,,,How many times did it occur to you to use an address in another state, get a title in another state and then transfer that to N.J. I had an easier time getting one of those Alabama titles for an old truck I had that I didnt have a title for at all. Perseverence triumphs. Good for you!!!!!!!.....Bill S

[njsteve]

I was considering that as well but I realized that the NJ DMV would never have returned all of my original documents once they had their hands on them.

They probably would have required proof that the car was now on the other side of the Canadian border before they gave them back. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

[njsteve]

Here's some updated photos on the frame rail repair and trial fitting of the replacement outer section on the passenger front of the rear rail.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72f007.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72f010.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72f011.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72f012.jpg

[njsteve]

Hey, MCACN has my car featured in their email today:

http://www.mcacn.com/71712.htm

[77Z28]

Steve, your recount of the entire car title fiasco is just incredible! What a relief this must be.

Todd

[njsteve]

Frame progress.

Front replacement section held in place for trial fit prior to welding:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72f032.jpg

Sway bar hanger removed. Showing the burned through spots from unsuccessful attempts at stick welding the broken mounts back in the 1970s.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72036.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72051.jpg

[njsteve]

The bad section of rear rail getting trimmed for removal. The trunk floor was actually rather nice above the rail.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72f041.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72f046.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72012.jpg

Inner brace being fitted in place:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72016.jpg

[njsteve]

The replacement section trimmed and fitted:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72001.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72017.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72019a.jpg

[njsteve]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 77Z28</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Steve, your recount of the entire car title fiasco is just incredible! What a relief this must be.

Todd </div></div>

Sort of. Now that I have the title and plates to drive it, it's sitting on jack stands getting the frame done. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

It's a conspiracy I tell ya!

[napa68]

Any updates Steve?

[njsteve]

I have been collecting a bunch of parts since the car IS STILL getting the frame rail repairs done. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/mad.gif

I have the Gardner exhaust system, new fuel tank, front coil and rear leaf springs, shocks, etc., waiting to go in. I cleaned the original fuel and brake lines.

I did recently speak with a guy out in British Columbia who remembers the car when it came to the area in the mid-1980's. He has photos of the car from that time and is trying to get them scanned and sent to me. He was friends with the mechanic who was doing all the work on the car at the time. He witnessed a lot of the original parts getting tossed in favor of brand new &quot;correct&quot; stuff from the Classic Industries catalog UGH! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

The original rear leafs and front coil springs, the front disc rotors, the bleeder master cylinder, A/C lines, radiator, clutch fan, 1101015 80 amp alternator, unitized distributor, etc... All the things I am hunting down and getting ready to reinstall once I get it back. (except for the 1101015 alternator and 1112133 unitized distributor which I haven't found yet).

[njsteve]

After a whole lotta research I was able to locate some Canadian documentation and pricing. Canadian window stickers are the rarest pieces of paper in the universe. They were completely different than the US counterpart. The form is different, the prices were higher and most dealers removed them from the cars beofre the sales since there was no Monroney Law in Canada like there was in the US.

Here is an example of a 1972 Corvette window sticker that was photographed along with a bunch of Corvettes at a Canadian dealer lot in 1972:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/GorriesCorvettes1972-5Custom.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/GorriesCorvettes1972-6Custom.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/GorriesCorvettes1972-1Custom.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/GorriesCorvettes1972-2Custom.jpg

[njsteve]

And here is my final reproduction version. In Canadian dollars, too.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/AFINALWindowSticker1edited.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/AFINALWindowSticker2edited.jpg

[njsteve]

PHS tried valiantly to create a window sticker but after the third attempt I had them just send me what they had. The problem was that cars destined for Canada had a different pricing structure and verbiage format. And PHS's template must be from a different date than this car's build time frame. Templates changed as the calendar year progressed.

In 1972, to boost sales, the Firebird base price dropped in the US, but in Canada it remained at its prior level (several hundred dollars higher), so I had to edit and redo the sticker to fit that.

Also, there didn't seem any way that their template format would create the two page sticker that the car should have. As you can see, the standard equipment paragraph is missing. So here is my best attempt at a corrected US version of the sticker for the car, in US dollars.

As far as I can determine, when the cars went down the Norwood, Ohio assembly line, the US version of the sticker would be attached to the car. When it arrived across the border, GM of Canada would remove that sticker and replace it with their version, in their format, in Canadian dollars.


http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/phssticker72newpriceedited.jpg

[njsteve]

Finally got the car back today after the rear frame rail repairs which took a lot longer than expected. (surprise!). So at least the structural fix is done. I'll save the trunk drop offs and rear outer wheel house repairs for the winter when I pull the motor to regasket it.

Here are some shots of the frame repairs taken by the bodyman:

The underside of the trunk floor once the driver's side frame section was removed. Looks very clean.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72js63072.jpg

And the replacement driver's side rail section being trial fitted:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72js63083.jpg

He used leftover sections of the new rail to form inner braces to weld through the rails, to. This way the rails arent just butt welded end to end. He did this for all the frame sections.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72js63094.jpg

The pass front rail with the welds all ground down:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72js63103.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72js63101.jpg

And after some body filler was applied:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72js63114.jpg

Masking off for painting (actually the red oxide primer).

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/s72js63160.jpg

[njsteve]

Here are the finished frame repairs in red primer. Now it's back to the garage to install all my parts. After these baseline photos were taken I got out the black spray can and duplicated the original black overspray on the frame rails. I did it just as sloppy as the Norwood assembly plant guys did. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11598.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11600.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11603.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11606.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11601.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11602.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11599.jpg

[L89DRMR]

Steve,

It's looking great-they did nice work.

Dave

[njsteve]

And in case you'r wondering what the old rail pieces looked like, here you go. Both sides were swollen and corroded where the two panels were welded together by the exhaust hangers. A real moisture trap, just like the lower sections of the rails by the front leaf spring perches.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11626.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11625.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11624.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11627.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11616.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11628.jpg

I'm glad I got the full rails. Here's what's left, and some of the rusty, mangled front lower rail remnants:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11615.jpg

[napa68]

You are a fine complement to the restoration hobby Steve!

[njsteve]

Thank you, Sir. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif

[njsteve]

Got the Gardner exhaust in today, changed the oil and took her out for a 60 mile road test. She ran great and rides beautifully. Of course the rear main seal started dripping from all those years of sitting. Typical... <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

I would love to know what is inside the engine when it comes to pistons and head work since preignition was rearing its ugly head at part throttle even with good gas. I guess this winter I will find out when I pull the engine to reseal everything.

Here are a couple shots of the exhaust and the repainted frame rails. The new KYB shocks came in a nice GM shade of vintage GM silver grey.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11640a.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11635a.jpg

Oh, and the rear springs that I had de-arched one inch sit very nicely now on the 235/60x15s (the radial equivilent of the F60x15). They now match the ride height of the original springs in my T/A. The next project is installing the special front coil springs I had made with a one-inch drop from the stock spec. Right now the front is higher than the rear by about 3/4&quot;.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11646.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11644.jpg

[njsteve]

Ran into a dilemma yesterday. I was installing the new repro bleeder master cylinder and couldn't get the combination valve to reset in order to get fluid to the back brake circuit. Driving the car onto the trailer with the rear brake line unhooked (though plugged) set off the BRAKE indicator light.

I tried everything: cracking a front bleeder and keeping the rears shut, then stepping on the brakes only resulted in the dash light turning out, indicating that the valve reset, but it must be internally blocked since the reset pin was still sticking out and no fluid was moving the the rear. I then put a plug into the rear circuit port of the valve to provide something for the fluid to press against and build internal pressure - once again the ligh would reset but no valve movement. Finally I just said the heck with it and removed the valve and put in a spare that I luckily had sitting on the shelf.

Anyone have any idea how to reset the valve? I tried removing the indicator plug with the electrical lead from the top, and manually moving the slider valve in the tiny port it engages with, but no luck there either - the slider wouldn't move. Pushing on the metal indicator stem doesn't budge it either.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11648.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11651.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11652.jpg

[njsteve]

I finally repaired that original set of silver grills from the Formula (the ones with the hood latch hole fiberglassed over as a theft deterrent).

Actually it wasn't that bad. I went to drill a starter hole in the fiberglass patch from the inside, out. I applied some pressure with the drill...and the plug just popped off! I guess he made a square plug out of fiberglass and then used some type of epoxy that didn't bond very well with the plastic. So, all I had to do was some light sanding and then reshot both grills with a light dusting of argent.

Even though I do like the blacked out Trans Am grills better, I figured I'd make the purists happy by putting the original silver Formula grills from this car, back in.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11660.jpg

[Xplantdad]

I love Firebird Formulas!! Looks great Steve....

[Lynn]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Xplantdad</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I love Firebird Formulas!! Looks great Steve.... </div></div>

X2 on that. I spend much more time checking out a formula than a comparable t/a. Something about that dual snorkel hood.

[njsteve]

The dual snorkle scoop was originally intended to be the second gen T/A's hood but the gimic guys at Pontiac overruled the stylists and demanded a flapper-equipped, shaker contraption to rival the Mustang's shaker.

[Dave Rifkin]

So now that you've had the Formula for a little while and it's really coming together, how do you compare it to the Trans Am? You put so much blood, sweat and effort into making that T/A one of the nicest I have seen in a while. I was very shocked to see you sell it and, when you did sell it, I thought it was to purchase an SD F-Body.

Do you think you'll be hanging onto this car for a while?

[njsteve]

Hopefully it is a keeper! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

I just couldn't pass up a car this unique, with all the documentation, in a color that technically wasn't available, with its entire original drivetrain intact, and with more options than anyone has ever seen on a Firebird: 34 total. I think that is the new option record for one of these things.

I believe it has more options than the Starlight Black 72 automatic that the F-body team built for the Pontiac General Manager Jim McDonald who was thinking of killing off the Firebird in 1972. They built him a special order black (because he only drove black cars) option-loaded, Formula 455HO automatic. He drove it as his personal car and loved it. That car saved the Firebird line. (for at least for another 30 years, that is). <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/frown.gif

Here is the Jim McDonald car back in 2004 at the Volo Museum:


http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/72blackexeccar.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/72Pontiacexeccarr.jpg

[njsteve]

With a little carb tuning, it will be as fast or faster than the T/A. Normally a Formula is lighter than a T/A, but this one probably weighs the same as the T/A, with all the extra luxury pieces it has.

Maybe one of these days I'll find a nice 73 SD. But I'd probably prefer an SD Formula since you could get them in colors other than white, red or green.

But I imagine there is probably somebody waiting in the wings for me to finish this one so they can get it. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/wink.gif

If I could sell the Hemi Charger I could get this baby painted a lot sooner. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif

[njsteve]

Took her out for another spin today. I have been noticing oil drips under the car lately, after recent test drives. Couldn't tell if it was gear lube leaking on the clutch or engine oil. I pulled the bellhousing inspection cover (very oily inside) and soaked the inside of the bellhousing with brake clean, while the wife pressed the clutch pedal. Oil had soaked into the clutch disc and it was chattering badly yesterday. I also drained and refilled the M22. I thought maybe it was overfilled and was pushing fluid out the front bearing retainer after I topped it off a few months ago. It was a bit overfilled.

So, after cleaning everything, I took her for another ride. The clutch worked much better. I got back home and climbed under again. Doesn't appear to be from the trans as the front bearing retainer was still relatively dry. It looks like it is engine oil. It seems to be dripping and then getting flung off the flywheel, inside the bellhousing and onto the clutch. It looks to be the rear main, (very common with the modern non asbestos rope seals), rear rubber oil pan seal, or a leaking galley plug.

So after the MCACN show this fall, I will be pullng the engine to regasket everythng.

[njsteve]

Check this out: One of the guys on the PerformanceYears website found the original Hemming ad for my car from back in the day:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/197220Formula20455HO20Black-Black20Ad20in2006-8620HMN20NJSteve20cropped.jpg

[njsteve]

I just got back from installing the new front coil springs and some assorted other parts. The hardest part was installing the new repro upper control arm rubber bumpers. We had to trim the damn things three times to get them to pull through the slots in the control arm. Doesnt anyone make a correct part any more?

I got the new front coils from Coil Spring Specialties. http://www.coilsprings.com/ They have all the original specs for the cars. I actually had them make my set for a one inch drop in ride height. They do this by altering the wire diameter used in the spring and not by just lopping off a coil. I am glad I got the one inch drop becuase after installation, the front end only dropped about 3/8&quot;. We will see how much more the car settles after I put some miles on it.

Here is the generic Classic Industries replacement next to the new coil spring. Slight difference of about an inch and a half uninstalled height. Anyone need the old pair of springs? The car sat at 28-1/2&quot; at the front fender with the old springs on 235/60x15 tires.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11753.jpg

And during the process:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11757.jpg

[njsteve]

I took some underside photos while I had the car on the lift. You can see that we had the inspection cover off the bellhousing chasing that oil leak which looks more like a leaky oil galley or camshaft freeze plug since the oil seems to be coming from above the rear main seal. We put some leak detector dye in the oil a couple days ago and used the black light to find it. All it did was put a nice mist of dyed oil on the underside as part of the original Canadian self-rust proofing option.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11747.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11748.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11749.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11750.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11751.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11752.jpg

[njsteve]

Went to my mechanic buddy again this morning and we used his A/C vacuum pump to leak check the system. Rather tedious process as you have to pull it down to 28&quot; of vacuum for 30 minutes and then let it sit for 30 minutes and watch the gauges to see if there are any leaks.

It leaked, so I tightened every hose. Redid the process and it leaked again, only faster. Replaced the rear O-rings in the compressor flange. Redid the test and it leaked. Then retightened everything again. Redid the process and it leaked.

We both then got really frustrated and attached the R134 conversion flanges to the access ports so we could put in some R134 with leak detection dye. Before adding any R134 we redid the test and there were no leaks! It held for an hour with no movement on the gauge.

So, that meant that his 40 year old O-ring in the hose flange nut for his R12 gauge set was leaking and not my A/C system. We both had to laugh after spending around 8 hours repeating the process over and over again. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/no.gif

I didn't want to add my precious R12 at this time, because this winter I will be pulling the engine. I just wanted to know that the system was set up properly with no leaks.

[njsteve]

I got home after driving around and took some more photos and measurements.

So here is the car.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/afterspringfrontquarter.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/afterspringsside.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/afterspringsrearquarter.jpg

On 235/60x15 BFGs set at 32 PSI, with a spare tire in the trunk and a full tank of gas, she sits about 27-3/4&quot; tall at the wheel well in the front and 28-3/8&quot; tall in the rear.

So the new coils dropped the front exactly an inch from the generic coils original measurements. The 1&quot; de-arched leafs dropped the rear two inches from the 30-1/2&quot; 4x4 look with the generic leaf springs, to 28-3/8&quot; tall with the de-arched Stengal Bros springs.

For comparison, the measurements on my 114,000 mile, 72 T/A with its original 3988100 AX code, front coils, and PL481612 rear leafs sitting on F60x15 Polyglas GTs with 32 PSI, was measured at 27-1/4&quot; tall front and 28-1/4&quot; in the rear. (My Formula was ordered with the T/A suspension option which would have been these exact springs.)

So, I am happy with the way she sits now. Maybe after a thousand miles or two, she will settle another 1/4&quot; or so. I will definitely say that she does ride beautifully on the new springs and the KYB Gas-Adjust shocks.

[njsteve]

BTW, I know I may be just a little compulsive about the ride height on this car but if you think about this analogy:

Ford &quot;Caution Fan&quot; stickers are to First Generation Camaros, as too-tall ride height are to Second Generation Trans Ams. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/no.gif

Incorrect ride height is the ultimate pet peeve of every T/A afficionado - seeing a 4x4 looking Trans Am when it should be sitting low is an immediate tell tale of an incorrect restoration.
<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/scholar.gif

[napa68]

Your attention to detail just nailed the stance! Nice work Steve. Cannot wait to see it at MCACN

[njsteve]

Sometimes, my obsessive compulsive disorder comes in handy. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

[mockingbird812]

Stance looks great McGyver!

[njsteve]

I drove the Formula to Newark today to have a friend at a local bodyshop try to remove the acid rain waterspots from the 25 year old enamel paint. He was able to reduce the waterspots a great deal. In the end he had to gently colorsand and buff to get most of them out. You can still see a lot of them but they are not nearly as prominant as they were before. I am not really that concerned since I am eventually going to strip the car and get it repainted but it looks a lot nicer now.

And what do you know, I go to get on the on ramp to I-78 East at my exit this morning and what enters the highway a couple cars ahead of me?

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/IMG00081-20120912-0824.jpg

I pulled along side and yes, it was a 1973 Cardinal Red SD455. I wasn't close enough to read the VIN but it sounded nice. We cruised alongside each other for about 4 miles, saluted each other, and then he went south on I-287.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/IMG00077-20120912-0821.jpg


Just when you think you have something unique on the road, someone has to immediately burst your bubble <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

[Xplantdad]

That's cool Steve~!

[njsteve]

To save some $$$ I signed up for the intro to bodywork course at the local poly-tech located at our high school. It's a night course and its filled with old guys who want to hang out and work on their cars in a nice shop environment. I am having quite the fun time. The teacher is a local body shop foreman and is happy to give advice, and supply extra dented fenders to practice on.

He said if you have a project, by all means bring it in. So last Tuesday evening I worked on the scale on the trunk floor. The poly-tech supplies all the materials and air tools to work with. They have a state of the art paint booth and even have a nice sandblasting cabinet.

It is well worth the $400 tuition fee for 12 weeks, every Tuesday night. The only rule is that you have to be able to get whatever you are working on, home at the end of the three hour class. So I drove the Firebird there, worked on it for three hours and headed home at the end of the night (covered in dust, of course).

So here is the trunk. As you may recall, I had previously derusted it and then painted POR15 on the now cleaned scaley spots. Here it is in mid sanding.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11872.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11873.jpg

[njsteve]

Here's a neat piece of historical evidence I found:

There has been all sorts of arguments over the years that only GTOs got the &quot;455HO&quot; air cleaner decal in 1972.

Since my original owner photo shows the unrestored engine compartment with the decal plainly visible on the air cleaner, that of course caused the doubters to say that the owner must have put it on there.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/72formulapics007a.jpg

That was until this Holy Grail/Smoking Gun document was uncovered in a recently found 1972 Assembly Manual. (1972 was the impossible year for locating assembly manuals as the UAW struck the Norwood Assembly Plant and killed the 1972 model year from April to September 1972. Very little assembly line info survived the strike).

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/EngineDecalplacement72.jpg

Since the assembly line instruction sheet plainly states: &quot;Engine Designation Label: 455HO Except Trans Am&quot;, that would clearly indicate that the Formula 455HOs definitely came with the decal, since that was the only other F-Body to have that engine and use the Ram Air air cleaner assembly.

[firstgenaddict]

So are you going to body work and paint it black?

[njsteve]

As Clint Eastwood said: &quot;A man's gotta know his limitations.&quot; <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/cool.gif

I think I'll just settle for the behind the scenes stuff like the trunk and maybe the trunk floor dropoffs.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11877.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11879.jpg

I purposely left the original caulking mess around the rear drain plates to keep the factory made look.

[njsteve]

And after sandblasting the original aircleaner lid, I repainted it and applied the correct decal.

This decal is made by a Pontiac guy who specializes in 455HO stuff: http://www.455-ho.com/ It is an exact replica of the original in font, color and material. It's nothing like the cheapo sticker sold by the repro venders.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11880.jpg

Maybe next week I'll sandblast the rest of the air cleaner. It's a much more involved process due to the complex snorkle assemblies.

You know what's gonna happen eventually:

Give a mouse a cookie.....

[njsteve]

BTW, the rear main seal leak stopped leaking!

After running the car for 400 miles since it hit the road, and using up an entire quart of oil in the process, I went out and bought a quart of the Lucas Engine Stop Leak last week.

http://www.lucasoil.com/products/display_products.sd?iid=83&amp;catid=7&amp;loc=show

I put the Lucas stuff in and then spent an entire day with 0000 steel wool and lacquer thinner removing all the baked on oil residue from the new Gardner exhaust system. I had made the mistake of removing the bellhousing inspection plate and driving the car with it off for several weeks. I figured that would help me find the leak....not really. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif All that did was create a giant tornadic vortex effect that coated the entire underside of the car with oil (and anyone traveling behind me). It also directed a bunch of oil onto the right manifold pipe, creating what looked like a burnt hamburger of carbon on the pipe.

Imagine trying to clean a lasagna pan after overcooking it in the oven for a couple weeks. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/no.gif

Anyway, I reinstalled the inspection cover and have been driving it for a week and there are no more drips under the car. So either the entire bellhousing is filled with oil and hasn't breached an internal levy yet, or the leak stopped. Only time will tell.

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

(Oh, and yes it does still have oil in the crankcase. I just went out and checked the dipstick)

[napa68]

Every once and again........................snake oil can save the day!!! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif

[njsteve]

I ended up ordering a new windshield from Pilkington Glass with the same date code as my original which got a rock bullseye that was not fixable. My collector car policy through MK Insurance via this site covers it without a deductible.

Before the windshield arrived, I had the old one removed so I could do the inevitable repair/paint work in the lower corners that every second gen Camaro and Firebird requires. The areas in both lower corners are always corroded from the low spot where water can collect with no way to escape. Sometimes there are big holes rusted through on what appears to be an otherwise rust-free car.

If you are looking at a second gen F-body, always look at the lower front edges of the windshield. If you can see crud and corrosion above the window/dash line, the car is already in bad shape there.

To my utter astonishment, once the orginal glass was removed, the surface was absolutely perfect. Even the original butyl sealer was still pliable. The glass guy confirmed that the windshield had never been out prior to this week's removal.

Here's a shot of the original backwards date code on the passenger side. What I thought was corrosion in the corner was just dirt collecting there.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/Correct72Firebirdwindshield.jpg

And once the windshield was out, I did reshoot the dash and mounting areas since the removal process nicked up a couple spots. So, here it is after a quick misting with flat black from a foot away, to maintain the grainy texture:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11912.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/dash1.jpg

[njsteve]

I got the original carb back from Cliff's High Performance http://www.cliffshighperformance.com/ yesterday and immediately bolted it back on. Now I can put the 1972 donor carb that Cliff did a month ago, back on Gramma's Firebird where it belongs.

The car runs awesomely now (if that is an actual descriptive term). It promptly breaks the tires loose just by hitting the gas pedal hard. You can't even tell when the secondaries kick in, it's that smooth of a transition. Between the HEI distributor that Rocky Rottella set up for the car and Cliff's carb work - WHOA NELLY!

She still pings under hard throttle, though. I can't wait to pull the engine over Thanksgiving weekend and swap the cam out for the new 068 Melling cam I have sitting in the box.

I figured out that the rear main seal only leaks oil when you do a hard throttle run. So maybe it's a combination of a crappy rope seal and too high a pressure oil pump. I bought a nice melling M54DS oil pump which is also sitting on the shelf waiting for holiday engine pull time.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11935.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11938.jpg

[njsteve]

Ok, I just warmed the car up and did a compression check. (Throttle propped at WOT, all plugs out, cranked 7 revolutions for each cylinder- gauge stopped climbing at 6 revolutions)

WHOA! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/eek.gif

I would say the cylinder pressure is just a little bit high?

Cyl 1: 230 psi
Cyl 2: 220 psi
Cyl 3: 225 psi
Cyl 4: 230 psi
Cyl 5: 227 psi
Cyl 6: 230 psi
Cyl 7: 220 psi
Cyl 8: 235 psi

For you engine gurus out there, would that confirm that the camshaft in this thing is WAY WRONG for this application? It does have stock looking flat top pistons, as I can see the valve reliefs through the spark plug hole (no dome).

I guess this could also be the cause of the oil leaking past the main seal under full throttle. A whole lot of overpressure down there.

[njsteve]

Since a low compression 455HO is supposed to have around 165 psi per cylinder in stock configuration, the consensus seems to be that the cam in there now is REALLY wrong in terms of centerline and lobe seperation and is also either advanced or retarded incorrectly, as well. So, no full throttling until after I put a new cam in...and rear main seal. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

[njsteve]

I have gotten a couple requests for photos of the super rare, Formula 455HO Ram Air, air cleaner, so here you go:

One interesting thing I noticed is that these were dip painted originally. You can see the paint line inside the two snorkels, where the air pocket kept the paint out. (The Formula 455HO air cleaner had two heat risers and the Formula 400 had only one.)

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11962.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11963.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11961.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11964.jpg

[njsteve]

Got the windshield in for the second time...

The first date coded windshield that arrived from Pilkington Glass had some issues. The date code was supposed to be flipped but it was readable from the outside, and there were a couple scratches in the glass that looked to be from the rack they must have been stored on. Pilkington was very attentive and immediately shipped out a second one.

I can't say enough about Bob at Finishline Auto Glass in Hackettstown, NJ (908) 399-6461. He came out to the house three times - first to remove the original glass so I could clean up any possible rust issues (none found), then several days later to install the first windshield. (The scratches weren't visible until after it was installed), and then a thrd time to carefully remove the first new windshield so it could be shipped back, and then to install the second one. Extremely nerve-wracking to watch, but he is a professional and made it look easy.

FYI: if you order date coded glass make sure you give them a photo of your existing code if possible. The date codes were put on in a variety of ways and positions - the most important of which is where are you standing when you are reading the date code: is it read from the outside of the car, or read from the inside like mine.

Here's the original date code:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/Correct72Firebirdwindshield.jpg

And the date code on the second windshield:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11967.jpg

And the finsh installation photos:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11966.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11969.jpg

[njsteve]

Now that the windshield is so clear, I got tired of looking at the degraded mirror glass on the rear view mirror and decided to do something about. After reading a variety of threads, I found that he best way to remove the glass was to soak the mirror in very hot water for 15 minutes. By then, the plastic/rubber gasket is semi-pliable.

I used my thumb and was able to work my way around the gasket several times, each time prying a little further so as not to crack the glass since it is glued to the backing of the gasket. Eventually, I was able to get the edge of a plastic decal applicator squeegee under the lip and gradually moved it around the perimeter, each time pushing a little farther in. Every few minutes I would soak it back in the hot water. This worked great. The glass just popped out.

I was checking on prices for resilvering the existing glass but found that Paragon Corvettes sells the new mirror glass for 67-73 GM cars for $40 which is comparable to resilvering the old one. It is due to arrive tomorrow and we will see how it fits. https://www.paragoncorvette.com/p-351712-interior-day-night-mirror-glass.aspx

Here is the original 1972 black pebble grained mirror.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11979.jpg

After the glass was removed. The white is the residue where the glue pulled off the silvering from the rear of the mirror:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11981.jpg

The only logo I could find on the mirror was a &quot;GM&quot; at the top of the gasket:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11976.jpg

Nothing at the bottom:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC11977.jpg

[njsteve]

Well, the new mirror glass arrived and it turns out I ordered the wrong one. The 2300 is the correct part number for the 10&quot; mirror that wasn't used in the Corvettes until 1974, I just learned. The one I ordered was for the smaller mirror glass used from '67 to '73.

Here's the corrected link:

https://www.paragoncorvette.com/p-348716-interior-day-night-mirror-glass.aspx

[RPOLS3]

Steve-

Another option for those who do not want to risk removing and/or breaking the glass on their own is to send the whole thing to the &quot;Mirror Lady&quot; Joyce Borell. I know others on this site have used her as well.

Her e-mail is: mirrorlady25@ (remove me first) yahoo.com

She is in PA and charges $85 plus the ride. I had her do two mirrors for me last summer and they came back perfect. Turnaround was about a week and half.

Jake

[KevinW]

Steve, If you still have that smaller mirror (8&quot;?)I would be interested in it. Was on my list to get anyways for my vert. Kevin

[njsteve]

I sent it back already, sorry.

[KevinW]

No biggie, Will just have to put an order in (need two anyways) Let us know how they install <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif

[njsteve]

Got the the correct 10&quot; tapered, day/night, mirror glass insert today from Paragon Corvettes. It went in very easily. The key is very hot water. Soak the mirror housing in the hot water for 15 minutes or so and the grommet becomes nice and pliable. I then placed a couple of dabs of silicone sealer in the center of the gasket in place of any type of glue that might affect the mirror coating. The mirror pretty much slips in as you gently peel back the edge of the grommet around it. When I got to the corner I used the plastic squeegy and it was easy.

Here's the finished result being inspected by Mr. Noseprint himself...

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12000.jpg

[Grant Didmon]

Hi Steve
It is amazing how much you have accomplished in so little time with the Formula,I stand in awe of you,as by now if I still owned the car,I probably would have figured out how to put the key in the ignition the right side up.
Can you possibly send me some pictures to my e-mail when you get back from MCACN show?
I was having coffee with a couple of guys today that I used to work with,and the conversation got around to older cars,and The one guy tells me he has a friend that has a 73 Formula 400 that he bought new,so I am hoping to get to see it,just to see a honest to God car that someone has kept for 40 years and never got tired of it.
I have driven the new black 66 Mustang convert 1300 miles since I got it,and it included going 400 miles round trip to a Goodguys meet in Puyallup Washington,and when I got home I was reading through all the bills that came with the car again,and found one that I had missed.The Michelins on the convert where purchased in 1988,and I had just spent three hours doing 70 miles an hour on 24 year old tires.So new tires for next spring is on the agenda.
Take care,
Grant

[njsteve]

Hey Grant!
Great to hear from you.
You definitely have to dump those old tires. Anything over 7 years is beyond its life expectency and subject to failure. Thankfully I am no math whiz and can't figure out what 2012-1988 is. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

Hey, we should meet up for lunch. How abut we meet in the middle somewhere between your house and mine?...say Chicago in a three weeks from today? <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif

[Grant Didmon]

Hi Steve
I wish I could meet you in Chicago this year,but just not enough time this year to make it happen.Thanks for the invite for lunch though,I will take a rain check for another time.
Grant

[njsteve]

Still without power- 5 days and counting after Hurricane Sandy.

One of the guys on the Performance Years website posted these photos of the Formula from back in 2000 when it was all apart awating the engine rebuild that finally went back together in 2004 shortly before the second owner passed away. He was the one that ran the GM of Canada docs back in 1993 when he saw the car in a parking lot and took down the ViN info.

Without any internet of my own, I am not able to post the photos at the moment.

Here is the link:

http://forums.performanceyears.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4770501#post4770501

[njsteve]

Still no power...11 days and no end in sight. Doesnt look like I will be attending MCACN next week.

[Xplantdad]

That sucks Steve. I heard that NY fired their director of emergency services...seems he had the folks cleaning up his house first? <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/bs.gif

[VintageMusclecar]

&quot;Interesting&quot; report, sounds eerily familiar (?) Link (http://www.app.com/viewart/20121109/NJNEWS/311090027/Oceanport-sandy-shelter)

[njsteve]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Xplantdad</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That sucks Steve. I heard that NY fired their director of emergency services...seems he had the folks cleaning up his house first? <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/bs.gif </div></div>

We still do not have any power, cable or internet in our town. And no realistic restoration date from the idiots at JCPL. It was so nice to see a crew of three trucks working on the lines going to some vacant million dollar vacation farm/home on our road earlier this week. The estate is unoccupied and up for sale, so it must have REALLY been critical that the millionaire politician/developer had his lines fixed before any crews worked on the actual power lines that were down 300 yards up the road. The trucks had to actually drive over those downed lines to get to his property. When we asked why the werent working on the actual downed lines, the crew from Ohio said that until they get a workorder from JCPL, they cant move on to the next repair job. So they have to sit idle waiting on the paperwork logjam to move.

My son's school just got power this morning after being closed for two weeks. My daughter happily returned to school a couple days ago just to get some heat and social interaction.

[njsteve]

We finally got power back last night. It then it went out again. It came back on an hour later. We'll see how long it lasts now.

I wont be able to atend the MCACN next week. Just too crazy around here still. I figured out that we spent $600 on fuel to run the generator for 12 days. That was just about my diesel fuel budget for last years trip to MCACN.

Last night while everyone's power was still out, the league decided to have the semi final bowl game for my son's Jr Peewee football league. Despite the fact that everyone was exhausted (parents) from no power for a week and a half, and the kids had all been sitting idle with no school during that time, and the location was 30 miles away (but a 90 minute drive due to closed roads), it was a great game. It was tied 12-12 til the last five minutes when my son's team scored another 6. The game ended at 18-12.

We were all elated...until they told us that the kids now have another semi final in 4 days...on a Monday night. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

[njsteve]

Here are those photos I referred to earlier. These were taken in 1993 by a Pontiac fan up in British Columbia who saw the car in a parking lot, ran the VIN through PHS and met the owner.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/img04420LS20mall.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/img04520LR20mall.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/img04620RS20mall.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/img04720RR20mall.jpg

[njsteve]

And here are the photos he took of the car as it sat in storage from 1995 to 2004, when the motor finally got put back together, shortly before the owner passed away.

He knows the owner of the shop who did the work and will be contacting him in the near future to get some more details on the engine rebuild.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/kurtshop20RF20kurt.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/img05220kurtshop20LF.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/img05320kurtshop20RF.jpg

[njsteve]

Bigger version of middle photo:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/img05220kurtshop20LFa.jpg

[njsteve]

Got the engine out today.

Here it is at 9:30 AM

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12050.jpg

And around 2:00 PM

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12055.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12071.jpg

Got the M22 off and you can see it is engine oil leaking as the front seal is nice and clean.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12077.jpg

You can see the oil sling pattern from the rear main seal leakage:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12090.jpg

[njsteve]

Gee, one of these things is not like the other: <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12093.jpg

I was very careful not to disturb the oily mess back here so I could get a good forensic view of where it's leaking from. Doesn't look like the oil galley plugs were the problem as they were tight and the ripples in the oily mess above and below the plug area are the same.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12103.jpg

And here we are at 4:30 PM

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12105.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12101.jpg



That's all for today. Tomorrow I will open her up to see what's inside.

[njsteve]

Tore down the engine this morning. Found some very interesting stuff.

We'll start from the top: Original 7F6 heads with the factory oil deflectors and the cast scallops between the intake runners.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12107.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12112.jpg

[njsteve]

And the real surprise: domed TRW L2394N pistons. That explains the 230 psi compression test results and the detonation on anything less than racing fuel. So what do we have 10.5 to 1 ratio with the 111cc 7F6 heads?

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12125.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12135.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12127.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12133.jpg


In googling the part number I found this:

&quot;L2394NF .030 TRW pistons for Pontiac 455, )
.476 dome aluminum forged for high compression.

Unmachined Compression Ratios:
89cc = 12.54:1
96cc = 11.83:1
111cc = 10.25:1
114cc = 9.98:1

These pistons are generally used for racing applications, and may require
machining for proper fit and clearance of smaller chamber heads.&quot;

[njsteve]

And the camshaft looks to be a Crane #283941

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12171.jpg

And here is the info on that camshaft:

Crane Cams 283941 H-272-2 Hydraulic Flat Tappet Camshaft Pontiac 265-455 V8 55-81 Good low and mid range torque, Good idle, daily usage, towing, performance and fuel efficiency, 2600 - 3000 cruise RPM, 8.75 to 10.5 compression ratio advised.
Part Number: 283941
Grind Number: H-272-2
RPM Power Range: 1800-5400
Duration Intake @.050&quot;: 216
Duration Exhaust @.050&quot;: 228
Advertised Duration Intake : 272
Advertised Duration Exhaust: 284
Lobe Separation: 112
Valve Lash Intake: 0
Valve Lash Exhaust: 0
Gross Valve Lift Intake: 0.454
Gross Valve Lift Exhaust: 0.48

[njsteve]

Looks like some aftermarket forged, pressed pin, connecting rods. Do these look familiar to anyone?

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12145.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12141.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12152.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12164.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12165.jpg

[njsteve]

The crank is std on both the rods and the mains.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12150.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12181.jpg

The wear on the rod bearings looks like detonation was taking its toll.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12170.jpg

[njsteve]

Some interesting clearancing on the piston skirts:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12157.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12160.jpg

[njsteve]

And the cause of the oil leak. The rear main had spun and compacted itself so there was a one inch gap in the rope seal, in the cap area.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12177.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12183.jpg

I used Plastigage and checked the oil clearances on the rods and mains and they were .002. I also checked end play and side clearances and they were in spec as well.

[njsteve]

After comparing with some stock rods I had in the garage, it turns out those are stock cast rods with the side beams polished.

Here's the underside of the heads:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12190.jpg

The crank:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12184.jpg

The soon to be replaced rods and pistons:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12192.jpg

and the empty block:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12188.jpg

[Dave Rifkin]

Damn, you don't waste any time.

[njsteve]

I needed to do something after being stuck in the dark for 12 days!

[L89DRMR]

Steve,

I thought when you captioned the photo &quot;The Crank&quot;, we would see you.

Seriously, I hope your power stays on for good.

Dave

[njsteve]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Got the engine out today.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12090.jpg </div></div>

BTW, Here is today's challenge:

Does anyone know what else is wrong in this photo??? <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

[RPOLS3]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">[quote=njsteve]
BTW, Here is today's challenge:

Does anyone know what else is wrong in this photo??? <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif </div></div>

Clutch fork rubber boot installed inside rather than outside ??

[njsteve]

Very good!

[mockingbird812]

<span style="font-size: 20pt"><span style="font-style: italic">Yikes!!!!! </span></span><<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/shocked.gif

[njsteve]

I ordered some TRW/Speed Pro/Federal Mogul L2359 forged flat top pistons and some 4340 forged steel H-beam rods. They should be here by next week, along with the bearing sets. The block is already at the machine shop getting tanked, honed and new cam bearings. The bores measured out at exactly .030 over so I am staying at that size. The Heads are getting disassembled, cleaned, and a nice valve job (if needed) by the same shop. The crank will get polished and then everything balanced together, along with the harmonic balancer and flywheel/clutch plate. I already have the new Melling 068 cam and oil pump.

Once everything is back I will let my 12 year old put it all together, just like he did last year with the 350 Pontiac from Gramma's Firebird. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/449019/Gramma_s_Car_the_new_project#Post449019

So, who needs some low mileage, domed pistons and cast rods? Or that Crane camshaft? They only have around 5000 miles on them.

[njsteve]

Got the engine block back today! It only took two days for the hot tank, hone and cam bearings! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif

Rod and main bearings arrived today. Pistons should be here tomorrow and rods on Monday. Heads should be done tuesday, then the reciprocating assembly can be balanced which should take around a week....

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12212.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12208.jpg

[njsteve]

The forged pistons and rings arrived today!

http://www.yenko.net/attachments/usergals/2012/11/full-1359-1428-sdc12214.jpg

[njsteve]

The forged H-heam rods arrived today! Everything gets dropped off tomorrow for balancing.

http://www.yenko.net/attachments/usergals/2012/11/full-1359-1446-sdc12215.jpg

[njsteve]

Picked up the 7F6 cylinder heads today. Nice and shiny on the bottoms. I had them measure the chamber volume and it turns out it is 107cc versus the original 111 cc advertised volume. So it looks like it was resurfaced/milled at the last rebuild 20 years ago. Hopefully this gives me a bit more than the 8.4 to 1 that the original style flat tops give. Maybe 9 to 1?

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12218.jpg

I also dropped off all the rotating parts and they should be balanced by next week sometime. Then comes the fun part: assembly.

[njsteve]

This evening at the local votech school where I spend my Tuesday nights in the &quot;Intro to Body Work&quot; class, I welded up a bracket to retain the oil pump pickup from falling out of the oil pump. It was easier to do this than brazing the steel pickup to the cast iron body.

Here's what it looked like after I unwrapped it from its protective plastic and masking tape wrapping. (To keep the welding debris out of the screen).

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/SDC12222.jpg

[KevinW]

Looking good Steve! As to the heads, are you going to use a thicker composite gasket or factory steel shim? The composite should give you close to the factory cc volume, while the shim would give you the smaller amount. I have a bad experience with shaved heads and intake fitment, so I am not a fan, but good luck!

[njsteve]

I'm using the Felpro blue head gaskets. The intake fit fine with no vacuum leaks so it was probably shaved at the same time back then.

[njsteve]

Spent some time glass glass beading the exhaust manifolds. I sprayed them with some high temp, cast iron grey, header paint. It won't last too long after the engine runs, but that paint at least leaves a residue that doesn't rust.

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/P1000647.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/P1000648.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/P1000649.jpg

[njsteve]

I also glass beaded the intake. Even though it will be painted the correct 1972 Pontiac egg-shell blue, I still had to get the old clear coat residue off.

I also washed out out the oil pan. It was remarkably non-dented on the bottom. (Running out of things to clean...)

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt77/nk15268c/P1000650.jpg