The New, Newer Project: Part Tres... - Page 12

**napa68** · #**111** 09-21-2013, 04:59 PM

The power of cheese [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

**njsteve** · #**112** 09-22-2013, 01:26 AM

I rebuilt the original 7043270 carb last night. All of the jets and metering rods were the factory installed pieces. No one had messed with the internals. I installed one of Cliff's accelerator pumps, and high flow .135 needle and seat assemblies. Threw on some new gaskets and replaced the float which swelled and was wedged in the down position. So I was rather glad I opened the carb up to check how things were inside, after all. Also all the screws were barely tightened - I guess the gaskets shrunk after 40 years.

She runs great! It's hard to keep any traction when hitting the gas from a standing start!

**Xplantdad** · #**113** 09-22-2013, 03:24 AM

Cool!

**firstgenaddict** · #**114** 09-22-2013, 05:33 PM

So are you leaving air pressure inside the spare tire?

**njsteve** · #**115** 09-23-2013, 12:24 AM

I aired it up just to see if it would hold air. But it would be a good idea to deflate it. BTW, the exploding 500s in the Vettes were original spares with no air in them: the steel belts just seemed to violently unravel on their own.

**njsteve** · #**116** 09-24-2013, 11:32 PM

Looky what the FedEx man delivered today: The original three spoke steering wheel that Rick took off the car in 1975 and replaced with a Formula wheel.

For those who are not in the know, the "Formula Wheel" was the official name of the foam-rimmed, aluminum three spoke wheel that came standard on the Trans Am but was optional on all other Firebirds. Don't ask me why they didn't call it the "Trans Am" wheel...that would have only made sense. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Rick even shipped it in the original box (packaged inside another box so the original wouldn't be harmed) that the Formula wheel came from the dealership in:

Shipped March 3, 1975 from PONTIAC, Michigan!!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Rick even labeled it for posterity back in 1975:

Check out the grain texture in the rim. I bought several used rims off ebay recently before I learned that Rick had the original. All of them were worn smooth from use. This one is amazing.

And back on the car where it should be. Looks nice and classy and matches the interior and the saddle colored steering column, too. (Cars that originally came with the Formula wheel also came with a black steering column to match the black, crinkle finish, wheel hub on the Formula wheel.

**Ryan1969Chevelle** · #**117** 09-24-2013, 11:43 PM

Time capsule X100,000,000.

Unbelievable.

I am excited to see your car at MCACN, this car will stand out in the crowd.

Ryan

StealthBird · #**118** 09-25-2013, 12:08 AM

Steve, they called it the Formula steering wheel because it was patterned after the 1960's Momo F1 steering wheel. That steering wheel was very popular back then, so when Pontiac copied the design, they called it the Formula wheel, as in Formula 1.

As for the car, Pontiac used the name Formula in the same vein as Trans Am. They were both racing series (F1 and SCCA Trans Am). Pontiac had a knack for naming their high perf cars after a racing series, or a track, such as Bonneville, Formula 1, Trans Am, Le Mans, Grand Prix, Can-Am, and Grand Am.

And your new steering wheel looks awesome. What a great find! You're very lucky to have found an original owner that not only remembers the car very well, but still has an interest in its well being.

**njsteve** · #**119** 09-25-2013, 12:10 AM

And since the Polytech Autobody class started up again this week I started working on the polyethylene front valance that will be going back on this car. If you recall, I repaired a blue valance back in 2006 for the 1972 Trans Am. it ended up being a spare when I repaired the original white valance from the T/A. Here is the link from the original thread where I plastic welded the valance back together:

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbt...opics/99647/23
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbt...opics/99647/24

Since I had to recreate the outer edges of the valance with polyethylene welding rod, it was about 1/2" too short to match up with the fender edges and the lower portion of the nose.

Similar to the process of making a fiberglass mold off of an original, I used masking tape to cover the mating areas on the car, installed the valance (after redrilling the mounting holes in the valance to match the location of the mounting points on the radiator support). I then used a liberal slathering of rubber bumper repair compound and let it cure.

I then pulled the polyethylene valance back off and started hand sanding to get the contours. I also added the bumper repair material to the back side to mate up with the new flange areas. I reinstalled the steel valance and I brought the polyethylene valance to the Polytech class last night and started prepping the rest of the valance for primer and paint.

**njsteve** · #**120** 09-25-2013, 12:14 AM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: StealthBird</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Steve, they called it the Formula steering wheel because it was patterned after the 1960's Momo F1 steering wheel. That steering wheel was very popular back then, so when Pontiac copied the design, they called it the Formula wheel, as in Formula 1.

As for the car, Pontiac used the name Formula in the same vein as Trans Am. They were both racing series (F1 and SCCA Trans Am). Pontiac had a knack for naming their high perf cars after a racing series, or a track, such as Bonneville, Formula 1, Trans Am, Le Mans, Grand Prix, Can-Am, and Grand Am.
</div></div>

I remembered about them naming it after another wheel but couldn't recall the exact trivia. Thanks for that.

So how do you explain the Pontiac Aztek?

Let's name a car after a group that tears the still-beating hearts out of their supporters and eventually goes extinct from its excesses...Oh, I guess they got that one right, too..... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]