1971 Firebird - Page 2 - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

JL8Jeff · 12-30-2008, 09:24 PM

I wouldn't worry about registering it as a normal car, 3000 miles is a lot. Are you 25 or older? I think most collector insurance companies will only give a policy if you're 25 or older, you might want to research that. If you register the car as a classic then there is no inspection or emission's testing. I drive my 70 SS396 a lot and I've only put 4600 miles on it in the last 2-1/2 years.

usp55 · 12-30-2008, 09:28 PM

yea your prob right, 25 in October.

79T/A · 12-30-2008, 11:22 PM

Nice find! Congrats on the project! I'll be watching this one as I'm building my '79.

rscamaro73 · 12-31-2008, 02:47 AM

One of the sponsors over at NastyZ-28 - www.Fbodywarehouse.com

This guy deals with 'birds as well, and prolly likes them more than Camaros, so he has access to many more parts than some people will know of, plus he sells the same thing Classic has (at a cheaper price too). Gotten donor metal for my 73LT from him and couldn't be happier for the cost, and quality (other than still needing to install it).

Good luck with it....looks like a very good start....

usp55 · 12-31-2008, 05:32 PM

12-31-08

pulled the top end today. Water pump had a leak and when i pulled it the bottom had a quarter size hole in it. The valve train looks fresh and i have new parts coming in the next week, water pump, gaskets, thermostat, hoses, etc.

Trying to decide on an intake/carb setup. When i pulled the carb and spacer today both gaskets were soaked with gas all the way through. The Holley carb doesn't fit on the 1975 intake without the spacer.

Also by tonight or tomorrow my pop is going to show me how to replaced and repacked the inner and outer bearings on the front since there were shot.

BonzoHansen · 12-31-2008, 05:44 PM

Nice. Kyrlon semi-gloss black is good underhood (firewall, inner fenders, etc).

If the bearings are beat double check the spindles & races for wear. Putting on new rotors?

usp55 · 12-31-2008, 06:04 PM

yea new rotors. had to drill out a stud to get the drivers side wheel off. gota love cobalt drill bits, like butta.

The bearing actually looks good, no grooves but the inner bearing was loose and not seated right. When i spun the rotor i could hear something wasn't right. The driver side looks great and i might not replace anything over there as it spins great no noise and outer bearing look nice.

BonzoHansen · 12-31-2008, 06:06 PM

Bearsing & seals are cheap. Change them all. Get good parts not cheapest. Quality of machined parts is relaly bad sometimes.

What, no air gun? They tear pesky stripped lugs off ASAP.

usp55 · 12-31-2008, 06:13 PM

yea that came out wrong, i dont have to replace them but for a few bucks im just gona do it. Plus id like to learn to pack them too.

My brother has one but I think my compressor is a piece of **** and under powers it. So i just use my hand tools.

through rockauto about 220 for everything not bad at all
2 rotors
inner/outer bearing
2 new dust caps
brake pads
reman. calipers

BonzoHansen · 12-31-2008, 06:57 PM

do calipers local - cores and such are a pita by mail. Don't give back the cores until you know you are good (ie on the road). get good stuff, bca bearings, wagner rotors, etc.

I just got wear-ever (china crap) rear rotors for my DD from advance auto (that is all they had) and I had to return one because it was poorly casts and had voids in the braking surface!

usp55 · 12-31-2008, 07:02 PM

3$ core on the calipers. just gona keep the originals, no shipping

yep BCA/NATIONAL Part # A6 bearings $7

not cheapin out, Ever head or RAYBESTOS for rotors? Prob just get acdelco or ill look into wagner like u suggested

BonzoHansen · 12-31-2008, 07:40 PM

RayB isn't bad. Did you order seals?!

usp55 · 12-31-2008, 07:48 PM

well i didn't order anything yet but yea i have seals in my shopping cart, prob place the order on Friday (payday)

JL8Jeff · 01-01-2009, 10:29 AM

If you have a chance to stop by your local NAPA, see what they have for rotors. They usually have 3 different levels of quality and it's great to compare the differences in person if you can.

camaro2you · 01-01-2009, 11:21 AM

Good luck on the project, if you ever need help shoot me a pm im local.

WildBillyT · 01-01-2009, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JL8Jeff

If you have a chance to stop by your local NAPA, see what they have for rotors. They usually have 3 different levels of quality and it's great to compare the differences in person if you can.

Yep. Hit up NAPA and check them out. Raybestos rotors are pretty good, and I think they stock SKF bearings which are also good.

1QWIKBIRD · 01-01-2009, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by usp55

12-31-08

pulled the top end today. Water pump had a leak and when i pulled it the bottom had a quarter size hole in it. The valve train looks fresh and i have new parts coming in the next week, water pump, gaskets, thermostat, hoses, etc.

Trying to decide on an intake/carb setup. When i pulled the carb and spacer today both gaskets were soaked with gas all the way through. The Holley carb doesn't fit on the 1975 intake without the spacer.

Also by tonight or tomorrow my pop is going to show me how to replaced and repacked the inner and outer bearings on the front since there were shot.

I don't know if its my eyes, but in the last picture (driver side valve train) it looks like the very first rocker arm has its adjusting nut cranked down really far compared to the rest of the rocker arms on that side and those on the passenger side. Is it my eyes or did you pull that rocker to inspect something? Of did you loosen all the others for inspection?

Chris

usp55 · 01-01-2009, 05:09 PM

i didnt touch anything but the covers

BonzoHansen · 01-01-2009, 05:53 PM

Good eye Chris, that one looks strange.

1QWIKBIRD · 01-01-2009, 05:56 PM

Could just be a different style/make/manufacturer of adjustment nut. Does the adjustment nut look the same as all the others or is it physically different? Does the top of the rocker arm stud look to be at the same height as all the others?

Not trying to scare you, but that looks out of place at first glance. All the other rocker arms have maybe 2, 3, or 4 threads sticking out past the top of the adjustment nut, but that one rocker looks to be sticking well beyond the top of the adjustment nut.

Now that I look more closely, it appears that the top of that rocker stud is not threaded all the way to the top, so it could just be a different type rocker stud/adjustment nut combo on that one cylinder compared to the others.

It might be worth checking the adjustment on that cylinder once its up and running again.

Good luck and like other have said, pictures, baggies and an assembly manual go a long way. Another tip from personal experience, the fewer hands involved in disassembly the better. Chances are if you take it apart yourself, you'll have a better shot of knowing how it goes back together and will know which fasteners go where.

And don't throw anything out, no matter how bad a shape it is in. Often times the orginal part will fit waaaay better then the reproduction ever could. Case in point, on my 70 Nova I mistakenly got rid of my bumpers, because they were i poor shape (not bent, just really bad chrome and some serious digs) Turns out I would have been $$$ ahead and a whole lot less frustrated had I kept them and got them restored versus buying reproduction bumpers. I had to buy 3 front (yes 3 different front bumpers) before I found 1 that fit the car half way decent (and its still not perfect). Just because someone offers a repro part is no guarantee that it will fit, much less look good.

Chris

usp55 · 01-01-2009, 06:23 PM

Haven't thrown anything away and labeled things as best as possible and i have taken every bolt off and it was pretty straight forward and i feel i have a really good idea of how to get it all back together

that is the only nut that is different, here is a better pic

BonzoHansen · 01-01-2009, 06:30 PM

..and that explains that...

mc73nova · 01-01-2009, 08:39 PM

wow, a lot has changed since I last saw it. looking good so far, if you need anything just shoot me or camaroAL a pm. glad I could help.

rscamaro73 · 01-02-2009, 12:44 AM

Timken are good for bearings as well. Autozone had those for my truck.
inner/outer, both races (new), seals, waterproof, hi-temp bearing grease (hand packing is a skill you just HAVE to learn, and its easy (just don't blow dry bearings with air and spin them).

Also, as far as 'details'.....while I too had one of those gas filters....once I dumped it for a FRAM $3 clear plastic filter, I lost some hard starting issues.

Can't imagine why someone would run poly locks and one stock nut/ball unless they lost the other one....lol. Think I got a set here that I could let go cheap (since they don't fit the BBC's

).

Good to see you tearing into the engine like that (simple stuff)....saves you more in the long run, plus YOU know what's done with it.

usp55 · 01-04-2009, 03:09 PM

Well got the engine out today. First time ever pulling an engine and it wasn't that bad. If anyone needs a hoist in south Jersey I got one now, broke down and bought one.