[78 TA KID]

Originally Posted by dreamn69

A lot of the vacuum hoses were color coded, I didn't notice them on your car. I figured with your level of detail you would be replacing them with correct color striped hoses. Just wondered if you had sourced them yet or what your plan is? Many sites I see reference the color stripes as being incorrect sizes and widths.

Dreamn69 do you know where to get these correct stripe vacuum hoses.

[dreamn69]

No, that was the reason for my question. I wasn't sure if anyone could share some insight on what they are doing. Here are some good detail pics I took at the Nats a few years back. Alvin, This one does have the insulated fuel line.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by dreamn69

No, that was the reason for my question. I wasn't sure if anyone could share some insight on what they are doing. Here are some good detail pics I took at the Nats a few years back. Alvin, This one does have the insulated fuel line.

Sweet! Thxs for the mention

FWIW - our '78 W72 had that same yellow paint "splooge" mark but closer to the (as shown above) "OK-3" inspection stamp...and ours was a "OK-2" Van Nuys '78 W72 4-spd. And IIRC the stamp FONT size was smaller and angled more horizontal to the head mounting to the block...

Was this a photo of a '79 TATA W72 4-spd engine bay @ the TA Nat's?

[dreamn69]

Yes it was, I believe restored by Muscle Car Alley. Many places sell the red, white, green and yellow striped hoses, but as you can see in the photo's above, there is also a magenta dotted striped hose and also a blue striped hose. I would assume they were made but not sure. The red, white and blue tape is also interesting and I still have the original remnants of those on my Formula as well, but only two red and white. I wonder if Blue indicated A/C or one band just fell off?

[Bentwheelbob]

Well, it's starting to look more like a car. It sure does feel good to be reconstructing as opposed to deconstructing. The paint on the core support is now finished and it looks really good. I also spayed the front bumper brackets and everything else I could reach while I had the car wrapped. I wasn't comfortable spraying the sub-frame since I couldn't get the car outside, so I brush painted it like a typical hillbilly. I need to get one more coat on it, but it looks great. MPD got the wipers back on the car after they got refinished with some SEM trim black, so the cowl is all back together now. He also got the horns reinstalled after they too got hit with the SEM, and the shaker got a new weatherstrip. Lastly, all the clear coat is finely sanded off the radiator shroud and there's one coat of flexible primer on it. Anyone who sprays gloss clear into an engine bay should be shot. I have fought this crap on the core support, radiator shroud and still have the air cleaner ducts remaining.

I am looking for a few bolts if anyone can help out...I need the bolts that fasten the upper fender to the cowl and core support. There is one bolt on each side of the cowl and two on each side of the core support. The existing bolts are original, but I am going to be Parkerizing a bunch of fasteners and would like to have replacements so that I can replace them one at a time to hold everything in alignment and parkerize the originals. I also need the four bolts that hold the shroud to the core support on top. If anyone can help, please shoot me a PM.

Here's a few pictures...

[dreamn69]

Looks great!

[Bentwheelbob]

Originally Posted by dreamn69

No, that was the reason for my question. I wasn't sure if anyone could share some insight on what they are doing. Here are some good detail pics I took at the Nats a few years back. Alvin, This one does have the insulated fuel line.

I meant to thank you sooner for posting these pictures. These are very helpful as I am planning to try to get the vacuum hoses as correct as possible. If anyone else has pictures showing correct engine hose and wire routing I would be appreciative if you could post pictures. I'm surprised as sweet as this engine bay looks that they didn't track down a correct thermal vacuum switch. At least they painted it blue.

[roundportponchos]

Where do you get the insulation for fuel line?

QUOTE=dreamn69;5351665]No, that was the reason for my question. I wasn't sure if anyone could share some insight on what they are doing. Here are some good detail pics I took at the Nats a few years back. Alvin, This one does have the insulated fuel line.





[/QUOTE]

[dreamn69]

Your welcome. This is the only other one I have of that car:

[dreamn69]

There was a guy on 301 garage reproducing them but apparently they aren't available from him anymore. Not sure where to source them now

[Formulabruce]

Quote > BentwheelBob"< >"Anyone who sprays gloss clear into an engine bay should be shot." End Quote"
This is just right on, so many, and some recently posted ebay auctions just turn my stomach with the amount of work they would require.
I dislike a product called "Engine shine" as well, and ALL used car dealers should be BANNED from using it !
Love the work on the '78, Grats to you and MPD Bob... Summer will come.. sometime.. well maybe.. in a few months if Im lucky.. Still have a few Tons of Coal though

[The Boss]

You guys do nice work!

[Bentwheelbob]

Originally Posted by roundportponchos

Where do you get the insulation for fuel line?

Almost all vendors sell the insulated fuel line for '78 - '79 cars.

[78 TA KID]

Originally Posted by Bentwheelbob

Almost all vendors sell the insulated fuel line for '78 - '79 cars.

The foam insulation on these are to thin. The original ones the foam are fatter.

[Bentwheelbob]

Originally Posted by 78 TA KID

The foam insulation on these are to thin. The original ones the foam are fatter.

I know, but is there a better alternative?

[roundportponchos]

Does anyone do correct foam

[78 TA KID]

I got mine from the trans am depot guys before they started building 5th gen trans am. Their lines had the thick foam on them.

[roundportponchos]

Do they still make correct type?

[78 TA KID]

I don't think so. All the Trans Am Depot have on their website are the 5th gen trans am they built and sell. Before that they were all about restoring 2nd gen T/A'S and selling low mileage survivor 2nd gen T/A'S.

[68ragtop]

I would liked to have seen what the foam looked like in 1978. I doubt many really paid attention to it at the time, but I don't think it had a "skin" on it like all the repop stuff does. My 79 T/A is a low mile survivor, & like very one else's car the foam has just broke down from time alone. Its all there, just looks porous & frail. But I love seeing that original foam on cars. Its like an originality measuring stick thats hard, if not impossible to fake.