[Rack776]

Originally Posted by njsteve

If anyone needs a driver's side rear frame rail, PM me. Its free to someone who can use it. This was the leftover quarter section that we used to take the patch panel off of the outer skin.

See the posting here:

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...47#post4178847

PM sent on the framerail.
-Jason

[njsteve]

Jason, glad to help you out with that 1/4 panel and frame rail. Hope you can put it to good use.

The wife was overjoyed to see it leave the backyard today.

Good luck with your project

[Rack776]

Thanks for offering it it will come in handy when I start the welding on my car.
I noticed the front spring hanger mount is toast so the search continues for that part.

BUT...it was totally worth the drive for the complete unrusted inner wheel house,
the upper floor pan section with seat belt mount,
door striker mount plate,
and the rear quarter section under the spoiler end.
PLUS I got the very hard to find plastic clips that hold the wire harness in the trunk.
I may end up using sections of the bottom rail to patch mine instead of replacing the whole thing,
I'll see once I tear into the car.

Thanks again Steve for all the help and providing a good piece of my 75 Birds puzzle.
You know your getting old when you realise you have no digital photos of your car
I'll scan one and post a photo if the car you helped save with the sheet metal.

[Rack776]

Well here it is....the car you helped save,
its a 1975 Base Firebird originally a red 350 2bbl car
When I got it I was 17 it was my first car, and it was a junk yard mutt,
someone had painted it brown before I got it, I added the formula hood & badges
and I added the "custom" front end with 76 grills & 74 turn signals. It will be
repainted bucaneer red and as close to a stock looking 75 formula clone as possible.

Your spare sheet metal has found a good home and will help alot with the resto
of my first car.

[Rack776]

oops here's the photo.

[njsteve]

Very nice! Glad to help.

[njsteve]

Had to change out the muffler today. Recently noticed that I must have blown out the existing one from all that carb tuning and electrical bug-chasing a couple months ago. I guess if you get enough unburnt fuel downstream, it's eventually going to ignite! Never heard anything, and it wasn't leaking even with the double sized bulging.

I bought a new one from Gardner and installed it today. Went in with no issues whatsoever. Just had to borrow my buddy's exhaust pipe expander contraption to re-round the insides of the pipes so they would fit in nicely into the new muffler. Took her out for a drive while it was still sunny out. It was a nice ride...can't wait for Spring to come in a month or so.

[Formulabruce]

I guess you DID get under your car! wow!. Had that happen on my old 292 chevy trucks alot, surprised it didnt blow, shows quality..

[OVERULD]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

I Had that happen on my old 292 chevy trucks alot, surprised it didnt blow, shows quality..

Me too - with an old Ford F350 3/4 ton utility truck in our service department. When I was working for my dad back in high school, I would drive it occasionally after school. It had a 4 speed in it and I learned that I could leave it in gear and turn the key off, letting it coast for a short distance, then when I turned the key back on it would backfire like a dang civil war cannon. I used to pass this area where the girls track team practiced cross country runs on a sidewalk that ran for several miles down a fairly busy highway. I'd see a bunch of them running along, and got to where I could time it just perfect to backfire that old truck just as I came past them. I'm telling you, I got them every time. Finally - I blew a big hole in the end of the muffler and the truck sounded like it had glass packs after that.

Never saw a muffler do like yours did Steve - it does speak of the quality.

BJ

[Transamric]

Without unnecessarily stomping on anyone's toes, what brand of muffler was that old one?

How does the sound of the new muff compare to the old?

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Had to change out the muffler today. Recently noticed that I must have blown out the existing one from all that carb tuning and electrical bug-chasing a couple months ago. I guess if you get enough unburnt fuel downstream, it's eventually going to ignite! Never heard anything, and it wasn't leaking even with the double sized bulging.

I bought a new one from Gardner and installed it today. Went in with no issues whatsoever. Just had to borrow my buddy's exhaust pipe expander contraption to re-round the insides of the pipes so they would fit in nicely into the new muffler. Took her out for a drive while it was still sunny out. It was a nice ride...can't wait for Spring to come in a month or so.

Surprised that Eric Gardner would sell just the muffler - even in your circumstances!

[Transamric]

Originally Posted by Lloyd-TX

Surprised that Eric Gardner would sell just the muffler - even in your circumstances!

My thoughts exactly!

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by Transamric

My thoughts exactly!

As a matter of fact, Ric - instead of surprised I should have said "blown away", LOL!

[njsteve]

The muffler that bulged from the backfire was one of their mufflers but I think any muffler that was less well built would have ripped open at the seams. So I give them credit for having a well built part.

I've been completely happy with every transaction I've had with Gardner over the past few years. Yeah, the stuff can be expensive but it is the closest I've found to an NOS system. And the entire setup slips into place and fits perfectly without any hammering/bending/screaming/throwing things at the wall. Which is more than I can say for an NOS system if you could find the parts!

As for the muffler, they had no problem sending out a replacement, since it was replacing one of their mufflers, that I put on the car to begin with, when I bought the system a few years back.

I guess if you don't already have their system they might not sell you one.

[Judge273]

I have a Gardner system on my 71 Judge, and it is nice note. Especially as you get on it!

[njsteve]

The bodyman stopped by the house yesterday to rivet the shaker flange to the dome. It's a two-man job as one person has to hold the upside-down dome with the rivet inserted, tightly against the flanging "chisel" which has a cupped section that holds the rivet head in place. The cupped chisel is set in a vise, with the shaker and rivet placed on top. The bottom of the rivet is then peened over with a flat ended chisel to permanently set the rivet.

Worked out well, all thirteen rivets went in without any damage to the fibreglass. (NORWOOD, thanks for the rivets, BTW)












Now I have to find another car to set under the shaker. Hmmmmmm.

[Transamric]

Steve, I'm forgetting,....that's a thick top '71-72 style or the thin '70 design?

[njsteve]

Its the thick 71-72 style. The domes from 73 to 76 have the exact same part number. The only difference between the 71-72 and the 73-76 is the glued-in insert that either contains the flapper assembly (71-72) or the block off frame with the riveted-in block off plate, (73-76).

[njsteve]

Took her out for a drive yesterday. It was record-breaking 78 degree winter day here in Joysey. She ran very nicely. It is quite a kick to hear the secondaries on the Quadrajet kick in and simultaneously watch the shaker trap door open up, doubling the volume of the angry, engine noise.

Still tinkering. Found a near-NOS quality, interior rear view mirror on ebay to replace the de-silvering glass, original. I found it with an hour to spare on ebay and ended up paying only 34 bucks for it. Since it costs twice that amount to get one redone and you tend to break things when trying to take one of these apart, I think it worked out quite well.




Also, the alleged reproduction mirrors all the repro companies offer are completely wrong, as they have a chrome, not textured black, housing. No one correctly reproduces the black painted mirrors.

Here's a shot of the original one:

[bossbirdta]

when did the blacked out mirrior's replace the stainless ones?
was that a Jan 1st 1972 thing like the seat belt retractor's??