[jamesfreddys]

Been searching for a week and finally figured out Performance Years forum looks like the best place to start this 1968 Firebird thread. This isn't my first F-body but it has been a while since I've messed around with a Firebird. I am gonna need a little help from time to time.

A couple weeks back I got started on Chuy's 1968 Pontiac Firebird, he is a close friend and I always say a project makes a close friend for life. General plans for the car is to strip it down, a bit of repair to do, paint, fresh aluminum headed 400 at the machine shop right now. Automatic trans, hotchkiss suspension upgrades... Not too big a task, hahaha. Then he says lets get it done by December before he's deployed to Germany, Damn that's ambitious, why not?

I don't take much pictures(gonna try and change that) but I do put video's on youtube so we'll give that a try...


Floor Section Replaced and Cut Quarter Off.
In this episode we are getting into a 1968 Pontiac Firebird this is going to be a fun project for a great guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy51TrwtQDo


Other Quarter Off and Wheel Tubs Set in Place
On this episode we continue on with more metalwork.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucZ2U...eature=related


Hammer and Dollie work on Fenders
On this episode we do a little informative metalwork with hammer and dollie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_prOb...eature=related


Body Filler
Just a couple body filler techniques, but a lot of work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAMP4...eature=related


Rust Repair Patch in Door
Handmade rust panel repairs done on the passenger door.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5FmgMIYqow

[pmdclassics]

Good stuff here, I would move this thread to the Firebird Tech Forum.

[Rustie]

or the Best Pontiac Stories... that's where my restoration process is, but I am not detailig it quiet as much as you are...

[webfoot]

I really appreciate the episode on the filler, as I am at that stage and really had no idea what I was doing.

I gotta get an air file!

[jamesfreddys]

Lets Get These Quarter Panels Set On.

In this episode we get the Firebird Quarters sitting on the car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IslMAHu_A6o

[hilton8r]

I've watched these videos several times Jeff. I appreciate the fact that it's clear exactly what products and techniques are being used. Unfortunately, I'm spending most of my time and money on my 4x4 lately, but should be done with it by the end of September. My Firebird is waiting patiently in the garage for a little TLC!

[jamesfreddys]

Quarters Get Welded, Gotta Love That.
Quarters are welded on and that marks a big turning point in our 1968 Pontiac restoration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssz_yIFx7go

[jamesfreddys]

Thanks for the comments I like the feedback.

[hilton8r]

Jeff,

I've definitely gone about my resto in the wrong way thus far. Maybe it's not too late though. I've already stripped the car down to the tub. I've removed the doors, fenders, hood, deck lid, sub-frame, and suspension. I don't have a body cart either. I will reinstall the doors and deck lid before cutting to make sure I have a guidline for the positioning of the new panels. However, do I need to worry about the fact that the car is not sitting on it's own suspension? Will this cause panel fit issues? Thanks,

John

[jamesfreddys]

Originally Posted by hiltman

Jeff,
However, do I need to worry about the fact that the car is not sitting on it's own suspension? Will this cause panel fit issues? Thanks,

John

I wouldn't think so, in fact having a bad spring or uneven suspension would have a negative effect, IMO. If it where me I'd level up the car on some stands and go at it from there. Now we know the same cannot be said for fitting the front end, the weight of the car sitting on the sub-frame along with the weight of the drive train sitting in the car all have an effect on the way the rad. core and fenders... sit on the car. We compensate for this by putting a bottle jack under the front of the sub-frame until it is positioned correctly.

[jamesfreddys]

Time to Finish Up the Bodywork, Thank God.
Just like I was saying now that the quarters are on they are the last thing to bodywork. Time to get it done and see if we can't start surfacing this baby.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgkqO7w-fdQ

[RicksGTO]

great videos, very informative! Thanks for taking the time to post them.

[2002Z4CSS]

Great videos from the ones I have seen so far. Keep them comming. Best way to learn some of this stuff.

[jamesfreddys]

The Bodywork is Primed and Now We Begin to Block Sand.


So we begin block sanding out our primed bodywork taking care of the fine details to make the 1968 Bird stand out. Thanks for taking part in our thread of the rebuild of Chuy's 1968 Firebird 400 clone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz8Im_pWL_I

[jamesfreddys]

In the Prep Station Ready for Some Primer/ With Three Coats of Primer.



The red is just some base coat applied for guide coat.

[jamesfreddys]

Using the Trisk Lamp.

The short-wave infra-red lamp can save days in the curing process of urethane primers. It is this tool that makes it more conceivable to achieve our ten week body and paint goals minimizing solvent shrinkage issues. Lets keep the quality of our refinish high even though we are packing the process into such a short time frame.

[jamesfreddys]

Block the Body, Prime it, Jamb Paint the Firewall---And The Color Is?

So I continue on with the 150 blocking found something's to fix, fixed them and primed the body. Then I painted the fire wall, hinge pillar, and upper door jamb.

[jamesfreddys]

Jamb Painting this Car a Beautiful Color

In this episode we get after some of the preliminary painting as we try to crunch this project of ours in such a small window. I am happy to see everything we've planned coming together and I hope you all like the project as it nears final paint.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4uA_c2Iz5I

[2002Z4CSS]

Nice work Jeff. My son has a 1979 Camaro that he wants to paint the 2001-2002 Camaro Sunset Orange Metallic color. Would he need to also spray a white base coat to make that color pop?

[jamesfreddys]

Originally Posted by 2002Z4CSS

Nice work Jeff. My son has a 1979 Camaro that he wants to paint the 2001-2002 Camaro Sunset Orange Metallic color. Would he need to also spray a white base coat to make that color pop?

I'll bet it would help. I'm not sure that it makes the color pop but I think it helps with proper coverage. Well that's not what I mean because it does have an effect on the final look.

Color saturation is color saturation but the eye sees all the way to the ground coat and the color reflects back into it creating your perception. If you were to spray yellow base over grey primer the yellow would appear green even with five coats of base. Does that explain anything.

If you have blue eyes you see blue more vividly brown eyes see reds. Men don't see color as clearly as women because of testosterone. Different lights bring out changes in color in a parking lot at night the metal halides and high pressure sodiums produce different effects in the color of your car than when at home parked in the garage under the florescents.

Give it a try let me know if it works for you.