Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

Tried mowing the lawn today but the mower belt ripped halfway through the backyard from the weight of the still-wet grass from the full week of rain we had. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]

So I went ahead with installing the engine. Connected the tranny to the motor. Here's a shot of the original overspray on the flexplate as compared to the Bill Hirsch paint mix. Very good match for this hard-to-find paint color.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/S7006643.jpg

Everything hooked togather and ready for lifting:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/S7006653.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/S7006655.jpg

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

We have liftoff!

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2.../motorin-1.jpg

Had the wife and kids assisting with the maneauvering. Quite an entertaining time had by all. Much yelling - mostly on safety issues like keeping hands out from underneath the whole contraption just in case the chain breaks, etc...

Got the engine in place rather quickly. The biggest P.I.T.A. were the damn motor mount bolts. They were new motor mounts, that I prefit and made sure the bolt ran through the bracketry beforehand. The '75 Firebirds used a weird mounting system where bracket attaches to the block but the actual rubber mount is bolted to the subframe. Very hard to get the exact angle right to get the bolt to find the threaded end on the other side. That part took two hours!

Touchdown!

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/S7006728.jpg

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

Done for the night.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/S7006730.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/S7006732.jpg

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

Got the car all together today, added the last of the fluids, rechecked everything and got ready for the longwinded start up process...You know the drill, crank it over, stand back for the inevitable backfing and loss of eyebrows...pull the distributor and reinstall it 180 degrees out from where it was, find out where the leaking oil/gas/water/beer is coming from...try again...yada, yada, yada. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/S7006739.jpg

I can tell you that in 35 years of playing with cars and building engines I have never run into something like this:

I had the boy outside with me holding the fire extinguisher (from prior experience, just in case). All I was trying to do was bump the starter in order to move the timing mark on the balancer to the &quot;0&quot; spot on the timing mark. I turn the key for half a second and the car is running. No cranking, no backfiring, I mean running like I had just shut it off a minute ago. Instant 60 pounds of oil pressure, no weird noises, no leaks, no running out of gas.

So I end up sitting there with a stop watch and running the rpms up and down around 1500 to 2000 pm for 15 minutes. After that, I shut her off and drained the oil - looked clean, the magnetic drain plug was perfectly clean - not even a speck of metal anywhere. Refilled the oil and added another can of break-in additive and turned the key again, and she starts up on the first crank again. Set the timing and we both hopped in.

So we took Grammas Rose's car out for a victory lap and went to Rita's Ice for some Italian ice to celebrate. Got home and here's how she sounds after our victory ride: (click on the photo)

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/l...h_S7006742.jpg


So, between the 455HO my daughter built in 3rd grade and this 350 my son built in 4th grade, the moral of the story is that from now on I will only have my kids build my engines for me.

Sounds like an idea for a new TV show:

Can You Build An Engine Better Than a 4th Grader? [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

Boy Steve, she spins like a top! Nice project - you and your son did good! Betcha he's proud as a peacock. I can here him on the playground at school with his buds,&quot;so there I was walkin' my old man through the rebuild procedure for a small block poncho....&quot;

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

That is SO cool!

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

Had to wait for the wife and daughter to get home this evening to put the hood back on. Then I washed all the dust off and fixed a broken A/C compressor wire. Now everything works at the moment but the high speed on the blower fan, which didn't work before the rebuild, anyway. I think the relay has gone bad.

Here's some shots after the bath.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/S7006749.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/S7006748.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8/S7006746.jpg

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Verne_Frantz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Steve, You are a very fortunate man to have your kids involved like this. That makes it more than a project; it makes it a really good memory.

Verne [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] </div></div>

I agree Verne! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

Gramma's car looks great! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif[/img]

BTW Steve... While I was reading your last couple posts, I heard &quot;It's Not Unusual&quot; [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/shocked.gif[/img] ...Tom Jones was on American Idol! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

You know the old saying: Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img]

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

Yep! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

Figured out the high speed fan problem.

I checked the relay connection and it is the melted wire syndrome. 20 years ago I put an inline fuse in the power feed for the high speed circuit, where it enters the relay. You can actually see the orange wired, white plastic inline fuse holder in the upper left corner by the passenger side hood hinge, in the first photo above. I think I did this because the original wire melted, so I thought a fuse would protect the wire in the future.

In actuality, all it does is heat up the inline fuse carrier enough that it softens the plastic and then the metal connectors no longer contact the inline fuse, cutting off the 12 volts feed.

I jumped the two ends of the melted fuse holder and high speed then functioned perfectly.

I guess I forgot that the relay is the thing that is supposed to be protecting the circuit from heat damage but it doesn't do too good of a job at it.

I guess I will go back to the original 12 gauge wire and forget the fuse.

This seems to be a common problem on the F-bodies.

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

I rechecked the wiring diagram and it is supposed to have the fuse up there. Most other F-bodies have the fuse right behind the alternator. Since this car has the optional 80-amp alternator, the fuse is in a different location. I bought a modern fuse holder and replaced the inline fuse holder with it. The wires are long enough to allow the non-stock looking fuse holder to be hidden. It worked great - I have high speed back again and the fuse holder no longer heats up and loses contact.

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

I was going throught the pile of original paperwork the other day and found the old Midas Muffler paperwork. Gramma bought the lifetime warranty shocks way back when. My brother got them replaced under the lifetime warranty back in 1984 and again in 1991. I figured after 20 years it was time again so I paid a little visit to the local Midas shop that is run by a friend of my mechanic buddy. The owner had a good laugh and ordered the shocks up for me.

The kids working there (who were not born when the original set...or the second...or third set was put on) could not figure out how to read the original paper warranty certficate and do the paperwork. All they kept saying was, &quot;It's not on my computer. I don't know how to do this?&quot;

The kid tried to convince me that I owed $198 for installation, and I referred him back to the certificate that states, &quot;free parts and free labor.&quot; He couldn't believe they used to have that deal (it's only free parts nowadays).

The owner got a kick out of watching the young'ens squirm under this incrediblely arduous paperwork task, so he assigned his &quot;old timer&quot; to put the shocks on. (He had a 73 T/A way back when and enjoyed working on Gramma's car).

Lucky for them I replaced the original Midas single exhaust and transverse muffler years ago with my own dual setup, otherwise I would have gone the full exhaust route, too.

I didn't even start on the lifetime brake warranty, - as she only has 5000 miles since the work was done in '91. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img]

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

Great stuff Steve!

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/haha.gif[/img] beautimus!!

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

I remember their commercial with an old guy bringing in a Model T.
At the end of the ad, the tag line was &quot;See ya again, boys&quot;.
That old man had a wicked grin, too. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img]

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9zta...yer_detailpage

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

I got some NOS seat material from SMS Upholstery and had my upholstery guy replace the center section on the driver's seat bottom. The center seam ripped a couple winters ago when I made the idiotic move of kneeling on the center of the seat to get something in the car. NEVER DO THAT ON A COLD VINYL SEAT! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/no.gif[/img]

The NOS material was dated 1975 and matched perfectly.

I have around 600 miles on the rebuilt engine now. Still runs a bit warmer than it used to, but eventually it should cool down (by winter time, I guess).

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...5268c/seat.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...5268c/rear.jpg

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

Nice job on the seat repair! The car looks great.

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

Steve,

Install a Milodon 160 deg thermostat! They make the engine a cooler place.

Dan

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MosportGreen66</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Steve,

Install a Milodon 160 deg thermostat! They make the engine a cooler place.

Dan </div></div>

Dan,
I replaced the existing 160 Stant unit with another 160 Stant unit with no difference. I even drilled a tiny bleed hole in it to get rid of trapped air.

Have you had any better results with the Milodon unit? Better flow maybe?

Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

Talk about a shock! I got a call this afternoon from Year One telling me that I won the contest give-away set of 17&quot; Ralley Wheels for my Gramma's Firebird. I initially thought it was somebody trying to sell me something, so I almost hung up on him. Turns out I haven't been answering my Facebook notifications so they had to track me down from an old purchase invoice that matched by name.

Now I have to buy some rubber for these rims. Any suggestions?

https://www.facebook.com/yearonemusclecars

Here's a shot of one of the rims from someone who recently bought a set:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...8c/17rally.jpg

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

Congratulations! Throw those babies on the Trans Am to give it a different look.

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

<span style="font-size: 14pt"> <span style="font-weight: bold"> <span style="color: #3366FF">CONGRATULATIONS Steve!!! </span></span> [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img] </span> ...and Gramma Rose [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/wink.gif[/img]

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

Cool stuff! I agree...put them on the TA! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

When they called I thought it was a practical joke since it was my birthday a couple days ago. I figured the wife put them up to it. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

https://www.yenko.net/attachments/435994-happybday.gif <span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="color: #3333FF"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'"> Steve!</span> </span> </span>

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

...or maybe it was Rita? [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

Look what arrived today! :-)

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...15268c/026.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...15268c/028.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...15268c/021.jpg

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

<span style="font-size: 11pt">BEAUTIFUL!</span> [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

I like 'em!

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

Nice! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

Those are beautiful wheels!

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

Great project, fun to follow. I hadn't seen those wheels before, very cool!

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

Year one just came out with them and had the contest to win a set and get the word out on the new rims. They recently came out with 17&quot; version of the honeycomb, as well, which is the other wheel I lusted after, but beggers cant be choosers I guess. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

They also have the 70 and up Z28 wheel in 17&quot; aluminum, too.

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

Congrats! Those wheels are stunning...

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

Got the tires delivered over the weekend. BFG had a $50 rebate that ended Friday. Discount Tire had an additional $50 discount (which just conveniently happened to cover their &quot;free shipping&quot; which just so happened to boost the price of each tire to match The Tire Rack's price with shipping) [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]. I got the BFG 275/40x17 sports.

The car rides nicely, handles great and there is no rubbing whatsoever. Year One definitely got the offset just right to fit the second gen F-body cars.

If I had it to do all over again, I'd probably get a taller tire like a 45 series, just to fill the wheelwells a bit more. The 275/40s are 25&quot; tall, a 235/60x15 is 25.5&quot; tall and a stock Polyglas F60x15 is 26&quot;.


http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...c/S7007530.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...c/S7007535.jpg

Re: Gramma's Car won the Year One 17" Ralley Wheels
 

And the &quot;before&quot; shot:

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t.../S7006746a.jpg

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

Man that's a REALLY nice car there!!! I wish you good luck on that project. Dont forget to upload some new pictures of your progress!

Re: Gramma's Car: the new project!
 

Looks great Steve!