|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Here's the brief article on the designer of the Pontiac Formula wheel:
http://www.highperformancepontiac.co...tory_survives/ |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
What's not shown or mentioned in the article (I met Ben Harrison in Dayton a couple years ago) is that the wheel he's holding in the photo has a "1" (in a circle) on the bottom spoke. I mentioned to him that this was the Momo F1 wheel (in his seminar, he could not recall the manufacturer) which was used extensively on F1 cars in the 60's, then popular on European cars. Then as we were talking, I noticed that the other two spokes had extra material that extended from the rim onto the spokes about 1.5 inches, but the bottom spoke did not, so that Momo could display the "1" down there. He then remembered that the interior department covered up that "1" to match the the other two spokes. They wanted Momo to supply the wheel, but there was no way they could rely on a low volume European company to supply potentially tens of thousands of steering wheels for a GM assembly line, so they copied the wheel.
What Ben Harrison brought to the table was the idea to use this wheel (which he loved) on an American car, and it turned out to be an iconic steering wheel. As for Pontiac nameplates, anything after Lynn Myers arrived in 1999 as president of Pontiac didn't quite work out. She loved the Aztek, and it was her first major product release. Soon the old nameplates that had been around for decades began to fall away, like Firebird, Trans Am, Grand Am, Grand Prix, Bonneville, to be replaced with names like Vibe, Torrent, G3, G5, G6, and G8. |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Awesome Steve as usual!
|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
3 Attachment(s)
A couple more Formula SD455 cars...
|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
On the Performance Years website where I have the sister thread to this, a NJ guy chimed in that he went to the Konner Chevrolet Show in West Caldwell, NJ over the weekend and a 73 SD455 Formula was there. Original owner, a retired airline pilot, still has it and it has around 100k miles on it. Florentine red with burgundy interior and burgundy vinyl top. They made 3 autos and 4 four speeds in that color, out of the 43 total.
Very cool! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...ula20sd201.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...ula20sd202.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Ohhhhh....I am in love [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img]
|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Steve,
Really cool car. Thanks for all of the posting you do. I really enjoy reading them. Why are you making a new front valance? For a better fit? Thanks, Tom |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
The vast majority of the 1972's and 1973's came with the polyethylene valance but they broke very early in the ownership timespan. Some of them even broke while the cars were being driven onto the trailers at the assembly plant. It was a bad design, made out of never before used material, compounded by the mounting holes molded in the wrong place.
The original owner Rick, said the he had replaced the original poly valance with the earlier steel valance early on, when it cracked and shattered. The poly valance has an upper cross bar that mounts against the underside of the nose and looks much more streamlined than the "gap-tooth" look of the replacement steel valance. |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I want to give a shout out to members "KevinW" in NJ, who found the Milwaukee craigslist ad for two NOS tires, and "67442" (Paul) in Wisconsin who then proceeded to play the middleman and run down to the seller's shop and pick up the tires for me and then wrapped and shipped them to me. I now have a full display set of 1973 date coded Firestone 500 Radials. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]
The original spare (in the middle) and the two original tires (on the left) from the car are date coded the 18th week (late April) of 1973. The two NOS tires on the right were produced during the 25th week (mid June) of 1973, which makes them all perfect for the late July built car. And best of all they all have the unique, early 1973 white Firestone shield logo which was discontinued in late 1973. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...4-p1010403.jpg I also got a tip from Paul on how to get rid of that white waxy stuff on the tire surface that no solvent would remove. Paul said it was the original mold release material that outgasses from the rubber over time. He recommended using a hair dryer to melt it and to let it soak back in. I used a heat gun set on low and whodathought but it worked great! I would heat the stuff and it would instantly melt into a glossy liquid which could be wiped away. Then another application of heat and the remainder would soak back into the tire! Here is the original spare before: https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...6-p1010037.jpg And after using the heat. (disregard the white in the treads, that is tire dressing that hasn't soaked in yet) https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...5-p1010407.jpg </div></div> I just found out who you bought those from. I was telling the story about your car to a customer of mine and WHAM....................the world got a little smaller. |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
I just found another NOS early 1973 Firestone 500 so now I have three and need one more for the display set. (Not counting the trunk mounted spare that has never been bolted on the car).
I found this one on a Corvette forum. They guy had it for the past 20+ years. This size (GR70x15) was the same size used on the Corvettes in the 1970's. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-p1010464a.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
I just got the original master cylinder back from Whitepost Restorations who installed a brass sleeve and rebuilt the internals. If you notify them beforehand that your master cylinder is from a survivor car and that you don't want it repainted, they will honor your request and leave the finish as they found it. I was very happy with their service. Got everything hooked back up this morning and I then bled the system. Looks good as old. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...5-p1010460.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...6-p1010459.jpg And some close up shots of the stamped part number "CS3190" and the various paint markings and stickers. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...7-p1010458.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...8-p1010462.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...9-p1010463.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
I can't wait to see this car at MCACN.
I may have missed it earlier, but is it being certified for survivor status? Ryan |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
I am looking forward to the show. No, the car is not there for any certifcations or awards. Just there to have fun and hang out.
|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Good plan,
Ryan |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
I took the white car out today and did a 100 mile round trip. I had to go to PA to run an errand. She sure does cruise nicely at 75 with the 3.08 gears. When I got back, I pulled one of the spark plugs. It looked perfect: nice off-white insulator with a little hint of tan on the electrode.
After two weeks of sanding, priming, and repeating the process, numerous times, I should be painting the polyethylene valance on Monday. So stay tuned for the install. |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
After the three hour Votech class last night both sides of the valance are painted and ready to go. I got to wield the paint gun myself for this, so it was rather satisfying to see it go from broken pieces, to primer, and on to paint all by my own hands. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...7084-photo.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...085-photo2.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Looks great, your a one man band now.
Ryan |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Got the finished polyethylene valance installed today. It was reasonably uneventful. I made sure that all the lower mounting bolts have the large flat washers in place and are finger tight so the valance can move and flex with the nose. The upper mounts use #14 screws with attached washers. These, I wrapped in Teflon tape and finger tightened as well. The Teflon tape allows the screws to remain in their position even though they are not fully tightened to spec.
The front end sure looks a lot more streamlined with the polyethylene valance than it did with the warranty replacement steel valance that was installed by the dealer when the original poly valance shattered. Before, with the steel valance: https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...1-p1010284.jpg And after: https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...4-p1010628.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...5-p1010629.jpg In this shot you can really see the difference in the hue of original paint on the bumper as compared to the front fenders. The flexible nose/bumpers were painted by the manufacturers and installed on the cars in their prepainted configuration, while the body sheetmetal was painted on the Norwood/Fisher Body assembly line. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...7-p1010625.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...6-p1010624.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Beautiful car man,keep up the good work.
|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Just a suggestion in the spring I would take the valance off and leave it i the sun every once in a while and let it weather up a bit to match the fenders. The valance look a touch whiter than the fenders but that could be my monitor. Excellent job on making it fit so well and the paint looks real good.
|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
The new/proper/original valance looks so much better than the steel/proper/warranty unit.
Ryan |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 67 442</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just a suggestion in the spring I would take the valance off and leave it i the sun every once in a while and let it weather up a bit to match the fenders. The valance look a touch whiter than the fenders but that could be my monitor. Excellent job on making it fit so well and the paint looks real good. </div></div>
It's probably your monitor. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img] The valance paint is much closer than the photos indicate. There are so many off angles and curves that a photo of the two panels at the same angle is almost impossible. The nose/bumper itself, is a noticeably different color than the fenders, hood, and valance, but that is the way they built them, so I don't want to mess with the patina. Keep in mnd, also, that the polyethylene valances not painted when installed at the factory. They were molded in a variety of colors and were way off from the actual car color. So a bad mismatch would actually be more correct then a perfect paint match. |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
"Keep in mnd, also, that the polyethylene valances not painted when installed at the factory. They were molded in a variety of colors and were way off from the actual car color. So a bad mismatch would actually be more correct then a perfect paint match."
I did not know that, great info to have tucked away. When can we expect a book on all of the info you have on theses birds? |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
When I retire!
While it was originally designed as a wire insulating material in WWII, polyethylene was such a new "Space Age" material in 1972-3, that they couldn't find a paint that would stick to it. So they molded them in body color as an alternative. It is still a very difficult process. For example, try spray painting a red or blue Solo beer cup and see if the paint sticks for long. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img] |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
It just occurred to me while looking out in the garage that I have seen this car's face somewhere before:
Is this one of those "separated at birth" photos? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...ool_snoopy.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
OK, here is today's conundrum: I was looking at the hood latch assembly and it appears that the grommet that the hood cable goes through is partially broken (lower locating tab is broken off) and has been for a long while. The cable is actually sawing its way through the bracket. It also appears that the grommet that the pull handle passes through has a broken piece as well. Does anyone have the grommets? It appears that they may be the same grommet for both the upper cable guide and the lower handle guide.
http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t.../P1010666a.jpg http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/P1010650.jpg http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t.../P1010650a.jpg http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/P1010661.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
I believe the GM part number is 488442, in case anyone has a couple of them sitting around. Knowing Gm there have to be other applications for this grommet.
|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Through the graciousness of PerformanceYears member 70Steve from down-under in Australia, a mint copy of the Sept/Oct 1990 issue of MUSCLECARS of the 60's/70's arrived today.
(BTW, the yellow hemicuda ragtop on the cover was my old car that I sold to Otis Chandler in 1987 - very weird coincidence that they are in the same magazine!) Here it is: http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t.../SDarticle.jpg http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...ticle_0001.jpg http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...ticle_0002.jpg http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...ticle_0003.jpg http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...ticle_0004.jpg http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/t...ticle_0005.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Cool!
|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
That is so cool, your old car and your new car in the same magazine....
Ryan |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
I located an NOS Delco Remy distributor cap for the car. The second owner gave it a "tune-up" in the late 1980's and must have tossed the original AC spark plugs and cap. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]
The correct cap should have the "Delco Remy Patent 2769047 R" embossed in a circle around the coil terminal. All the modern replacements (including the brand new AC Delco cap I bought), are blank on top. There is also a noticeable difference in the weight of the original caps versus a modern Delco cap. The old ones are glossy, heavy, and thick. The new ones feel almost like ABS plastic and are very flat and cheap looking. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...2-p1010667.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...1-p1010679.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
I was talking to the third owner, Mike, the other day. He mentioned that there is evidence of the exploding recalled Firestone 500 tires on the car. I recalled that the front of the driver's side rocker panel had a wire brushed look to it and that must have been where the separated tread flapped against it during the blow-out when the second owner bought it and drove it from AZ to CA. But he mentioned that on the driver's side of the hood there is a "cat-o'-nine tails" mark across it. And wouldn't you know it, I looked closely and there is a series of small chips in a flail pattern on the hood from the direction of the driver's side wheel well.
Here is the wide angle and the closeup of the battle damage: https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...3-p1010684.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-p1010684a.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
The next item on the To-Do list is replacing the heater core. The car has had its heater core bypassed since before the third owner bought it, which in car-guy language means it must have been leaking at some point, early on just from sitting. So stay tuned for that funfest. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]
|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Remembering back to my schooling days as a mechanic going to Dunwoody Industrial Institute and if I remember the exact car (it was 1981 after all) we got a late 70's Firebird in for a leaking heater core with air conditioning. I about fell off my stool when I looked at the flat rate book and it was listed as 11 hours to replace a heater core! Had to remove dash, passenger seat, console and A/C box to get heater core out. I think we did it in something like 8 hours but there were two of us. I think the early years are MUCH easier.
|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Yup. You got the time estimate right. Dash pad doesn't have to come out but passenger seat, console, all dash ductwork, and inner pass side fender does, to get to last couple of bolts.
|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Changing a heater core on 1970-1981 Firebird:
1) Remove body from chassis. 2) Remove interior. 3) Remove and replace heater core. 4) Reinstall body. 5) Reinstall interior. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/haha.gif[/img] |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
----Steve,,,Have you considered moving south as an alternative??? Almost seems easier!........Bill S
|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
The car spent most of its life in the hot southwest. I have to call Rick, the original owner and ask him if he disconnected it since they don't need heaters in Arizona. Otherwise it was disconnected by the second owner who was the collector in California. The third owner said when he bought the car it was unhooked.
|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
<span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 11pt">Alright, let's just put this myth to bed. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/scholar.gif[/img] Yes, it is the "hot southwest" for 4.5 mos/yr, <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">BUT</span></span> we do have winters out here and the nights can and do get cold (relative term, sure) and yes we do (I mean, I used to...) turn our heaters on in the winter on many occasions to warm our tootsies. That and you can use your heater in the warmer months to dissipate some of that BB heat in stop and go traffic!</span>There - I feel better. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/blush.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/whistle.gif[/img]</span>
|
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
LOL. Now go back inside and turn up your A/C. You'll feel much better. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]
|
| All times are GMT. The time now is 10:18 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions Inc.