[hojs69]

Very nice Lenie. I assume you know all about Lateral-G.net and Protouring.com?

Did you keep the rear seat ("snip" the corners) with what I gather is a DSE mini tub set up? I kept the seat just for looks.

[MikeNoun]

All beautiful cars! Love the black 68, and all the 69's posted in the last couple weeks look great. The dark green 6 in the garage is cool.

Loved this shot!

[The Boss]

Originally Posted by Lenie

Project Foulplay getting there, small hit list to fix then time to fabricate my interior. Finally started it up for the first time about 2 weeks ago.

That thing's got a sinister look to it!

[muscle_collector]

Originally Posted by 1PROGTO

The short story on the car: It appears it was built in the late 70's and early 80's to run SCCA events. The only evidence left is the 1987 SCCA plaque that was left in the console for a race in July, 1987 at Boeing lot that was used for SCCA/ SOLO II NW events.



It was based out of Seattle (Ballard) area and had work done on it by a local garage there called Spirit Service. The old FEARWAGON personalized WA license plates were last tabbed in 1993 and story goes that the car was being worked on at the station and the owner couldn't pay the bill. So, eventually the owner of the shop took the car on a mechanics lein. It stayed there in Ballard through the 90's before being sold to an employee. Somehow it ended up in Tonasket, WA where it was discovered under a carport with a car cover/tarp half blow off in 2006. Previous owner got the car running and drove the car occasionally.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/VKP1gYxOKVk

Day 1 - was uncovering all the little tricks this car had under it's sleeves to make it run like it did. The car featured a well messaged '69 400, stroked with a 455 crank, forged rods, pistons, full windage tray & baffled pan. High compression heads (62's), along with 1.65 Gold race roller rockers & a genuine '70 Ram Air IV intake & worked Quadrajet sat up top the mill. The car also features twin remote filter setup, oil cooler, and a full race oil accumulator to keep the engine pressurized with oil under hard cornering. As I was trying to get to the distributor, discovered that the engine had been setback almost 4". That accounted for the '67 GTO Ram Air exhaust manifolds fitting, as well as the tight fit to the modified firewall. The Herb Adams support bars were an indication this car was built to handle. And, it does - like a new Corvette. Quick ratio power steering, 4 wheel disc brakes, lowered suspension and race springs do the job perfect. Subframe connectors have been added along with solid body mounts to keep things tight. Suspension is all bushed for grease fittings. The trans turns out to be an iron case Saginaw (1968 Camaro), a great choice for road racing as it gives alot of gear ratio variations. The crossmember has been modified for the engine setback and flipped/reversed. The rear end is a 1967 Camaro 12 bolt, multi-leaf with '79-'81 Firebird discs. The Ram Air manifolds flow nicely into 3" flowmasters that dump at the rear for a great tone.





Inside the interior is nice with full deluxe comfort weave seating. The seats, which at first appear stock, are actually a race seats (1980's GTI Recarro) with full bolsters to keep you firmly planted in the seats during hard exercise. The back seat is a rare option fold down. Other features include tilt wood wheel & console with ITM shifter with a cool arm configuration I had never seen before. Outside the car was built as cool '69 Trans Am clone racer with glass hood, front & rear spoilers and side scoops. (It also came with a mint steel T/A hood as well) The car has alot of cool and functional "swiss cheese" alterations to both the core support and front bumper to lighten some weight off the front end. The fender lips have all been nicely rolled for maximum clearance with the wide and lowered suspension. Rear fenders have also been slightly flared for extra clearance - almost like Smokey Yunick had done them. Wheels are Enkei 92 mesh wheels, 16x8 rolling on performance treads, 245-50-16. Studs are upgraded long 1/2" wheels studs on all 4 corners with open end lug nuts. I recently added 16x8 Vintage Wheel Works V40 with flat caps for the vintage Trans Am Racer look.
Over the next month or so I drove out to Speedsville and friend Mike and I removed the engine, trans, and emptied the engine compartment for full detailing.









Mike has some great resources and we had parts tanked, then I beadblasted, before sending out for powdercoating. His shop is setup perfect with heat, two post lift, compressor, beadblast cabinet, and every tool you could imagine. He's even got TV and laptop with internet so we could search for parts, watch NASCAR, and listen to tunes. Meanwhile, I cleaned and prepped the engine bay for a fresh coating of satin black.





New parts were ordered, small stuff refinished and engine was partially disassembled for inspection. New water pump, carb, gaskets, mini starter, radiator recored, and alot of cleaning and detailing. Mike buttoned up the engine, and I applied fresh coats of primer and Pontiac metallic blue paint really made it come to life again.





















Mike fabbed up alot of stuff along the way such as a brace for the Lakewood scattershield which featured an open access bottom end to make clutch changes at the track easier.



Brakes came next and had rotors turned, we replaced the two fronts and replaced the front calipers with ones I had on the shelf that were new. Rebuilt the one rear caliper that was leaking.









The new restored carb was dialed in, brakes bled, and we were ready for fire up! The beast roared to life again but the road test would have to wait for mother nature to cooperate. Another day and we finalized tuning and took it for a couple drives. YeeHaw....what a fun car this should be.













A little Road testing........

http://www.youtube.com/embed/KWOH8ZQz480

http://www.youtube.com/embed/PYsjgO7G6lc

I've been scheming on wheels for the car for quite awhile and kept coming back to the look as I remember seeing these early Trans Am racers - The Torq Thrust with flat caps. I was tempted to go 15 inchers but know what works on this car as far as width and backspace so went with a great wheel - Vintage Wheel Works V40, sharp spoke in 16x8, that fit perfect and I can use the nearly new rubber that was on the car to boot.

wow, cool car but what really got my attention is that sticker on the valve cover. it is the only other one i have ever seen in over 35 years of dealing with pontiacs. the other one, was on a air cleaner lid that i found in a salvage back in the 70's and i asked the owner what it came off of and he said a ra 4 formula (which they never made). any idea of anything behind it???? i still have that chrome lid with it on it. no one that has seen it knows anything about it.

[1PROGTO]

I agree...cool decal that was on the valve cover when I got the car. I've seen them on E-bay and looks like here on NPD:
http://www.npdlink.com/store/product...0964-2093.html

[mrjestro]

Here is a photo of my 1967 Firebird 400 convertible. 462, Eagle H-beam rods, Forged Pistons, SD prepped cast iron 4X heads, Hydraulic Roller, Cliff prepped Q-jet, MSD, Dougs, Muncie M-20, Moser 3:55 12 bolt. This is my sunny day car....unfortunately in Seattle that means it spends plenty of time in the garage.

[mario65]

Pro tour 67 400
Nunzi 467, built TH400, Continental TC, 12 bolt, 13" Wilwoods 6/4 piston, Hellwig protour sway bars, GW front springs and GW front lowers, Ridetech spindles, GW CAT 5 rear leafs, Bilsteins, CCW LM20 Nitto NT05/05R 245/40/18, 285/40/18(no tub), Frame off 10k miles ago.

[Captainofiron]

Those wheels look really good, the rear wheel fitment is very nice

[hobi]

Originally Posted by pmdclassics

I kind of went through the popular threads under the 67-69 Tech forum and didn't see a member photo thread. Lets start one.

Aegena Blue/Teal
4 speed
disc brakes
rally II's
Console

I guess I will have to post some pictures of my 69 Crystal Turquoise RAM IV Bird Rag 4 speed that I just bought from HURSTCOLLECTOR before I RESTOMOD it.

[keith k]

Originally Posted by mario65

Pro tour 67 400
Nunzi 467, built TH400, Continental TC, 12 bolt, 13" Wilwoods 6/4 piston, Hellwig protour sway bars, GW front springs and GW front lowers, Ridetech spindles, GW CAT 5 rear leafs, Bilsteins, CCW LM20 Nitto NT05/05R 245/40/18, 285/40/18(no tub), Frame off 10k miles ago.

Love it! What a great stance...

My first Pontiac was a Signet Gold '67 Firebird 400 hardtop with black interior...

[mario65]

Originally Posted by keith k

Love it! What a great stance...

My first Pontiac was a Signet Gold '67 Firebird 400 hardtop with black interior...

Thanks I now the feeling. Everytime I see a 70 Formula in silver I look to see if it has red interior always thinking its my first bird someone restored. I dont know what Id do for a silver Formula with red interior.

[firstyearta]

This is not my car but...
This COOL picture taken by my mother in apx April, 1971 in Anaconda, Montana.
The '68 Firebird in the picture would have only been 3 years old at the time. BUT... the most interesting thing about this car... notice how it's a 400 Firebird AND has the H.O. stripe. I understand the H.O. stripe could be ordered as an option, and to my knowledge, the 400 H.O. never came with the stripe (the stripe was for the 350 H.O.). I have never seen another 400 car that originally had this, have you?

[RAFO9A]

That pic is UBER-COOL!

[67GP428]

My '68 Firebird. Almost ready for the paint shop. Scott

[frankyboy455]

Originally Posted by firstyearta

This is not my car but...
This COOL picture taken by my mother in apx April, 1971 in Anaconda, Montana.
The '68 Firebird in the picture would have only been 3 years old at the time. BUT... the most interesting thing about this car... notice how it's a 400 Firebird AND has the H.O. stripe. I understand the H.O. stripe could be ordered as an option, and to my knowledge, the 400 H.O. never came with the stripe (the stripe was for the 350 H.O.). I have never seen another 400 car that originally had this, have you?

I own a #s matching 68 convertible 400 TH400 car that I could see once had that stripe when I stripped it. There were remainings in the stripes inside the doors, where the stripe "turned around". I never ordered the PHS for that car since I knew it was numbers matching (vin on block and vin on tranny) and I have the build sheet as well. Is there something on the build sheet that would show the stripe ?

Did you ask your mother why she took that picture ? Was it someone she knew ? Was she into sport cars ?

[67blackcherry]

Originally Posted by frankyboy455

I own a #s matching 68 convertible 400 TH400 car that I could see once had that stripe when I stripped it. There were remainings in the stripes inside the doors, where the stripe "turned around". I never ordered the PHS for that car since I knew it was numbers matching (vin on block and vin on tranny) and I have the build sheet as well. Is there something on the build sheet that would show the stripe ?

Did you ask your mother why she took that picture ? Was it someone she knew ? Was she into sport cars ?

PHS docs would definitely show the stripe option - but I don't think the build sheet will.

[The Boss]

Originally Posted by 67blackcherry

PHS docs would definitely show the stripe option - but I don't think the build sheet will.

I think you have that reversed.

[67blackcherry]

Originally Posted by The Boss

I think you have that reversed.

It's early and I haven't had my caffeine...leave me alone.

[firstyearta]

Originally Posted by frankyboy455

Did you ask your mother why she took that picture ? Was it someone she knew ? Was she into sport cars ?

I just asked her about it yesterday. The passing Firebird was just a fluke and she was really not shooting it. My Grandpa had just passed away and her and my dad were in the area taking care of his things. She said she was just taking some pictures of the surrounding area by his house. The Firebird just happened by.

Oddly, I have another shot taken at the same time that shows the back end of a 1965 GTO parked along side the road.

[keith k]

Originally Posted by firstyearta

This is not my car but...
This COOL picture taken by my mother in apx April, 1971 in Anaconda, Montana.
The '68 Firebird in the picture would have only been 3 years old at the time. BUT... the most interesting thing about this car... notice how it's a 400 Firebird AND has the H.O. stripe. I understand the H.O. stripe could be ordered as an option, and to my knowledge, the 400 H.O. never came with the stripe (the stripe was for the 350 H.O.). I have never seen another 400 car that originally had this, have you?

The 350 HO came standard with that stripe. All other birds could be ordered with a stripe that was similar but would not have the HO on it. Lots of ways that car could have ended up with the stripe, though. Maybe it was a dealer installation, or maybe the car originally had the correct stripe and it got replaced with the HO stripe in a collision repair. Or maybe it was just a factory misbuild....

Neat picture, BTW.