[7t4mula]

It rested for way too long! She sat on blocks in the garage for 22 years… waiting patiently for my attention.

I purchased in 1994, all original CA car. Had just been driven all the way from LA to Cedarburg WI, It was parked on the street with the for sale sign in the window! This was the day that I brought it home, couldn’t believe my luck!

I drove it and restored as an original survivor until 2001 when the motor finally let go. Oil pump failed, and spun a bearing! Yikes… life got busy, but I knew I would always get some time to resurrect it.

Here are some garage pictures as a final started, tearing into it. Very little rust, just done the corners of the front and rear windows and a little in the trunk.

[7t4mula]

More pictures of original cond. I even found a second build sheet strapped to the top of gas tank!

[7t4mula]

More pictures…

[7t4mula]

The interior was pretty toasted from all the Arizona and California sun. I had already decided that I was going to do a restomod, and I have a really nice black 73 deluxe interior out of my other Formula as a donor!

[Gator67]

Nice car! What type of modifications are you planning?

[Shiny]

Wow, nice starting point!

Was it triple green?

[johnta1]

Buildsheet says yes.

It must be nice to have a Van Nuys Bird.
Don't know of too many Norwood Birds having a buildsheet. (at least the early 70's)

[7t4mula]

Thanks, yes she’s a very clean palate to start a build for sure! I have a better build sheet at home, will have to attach a picture of that when we get back.

I have a 400 out of my 73 car that I had rebuilt back in 1981 that I pulled and refreshed. I will go onto more detail, but I’m also switching it over from an automatic column shift to M21-4 spd.

Deleted the vinyl top, was never a fan. Also took the rear spoiler from the 73 and adding front spoiler as well.

My plan is to try and add the updates here I’ve already done, as I have time. It’s been an excellent adventure, going headlong into this once I retired. I stripped and sent to body and paint in Jan of 24, so I’ve got a lot of catching you all up on the steps here soon!

[SD455DJ]

Great build and following along! Can't wait to see the build sheet too. Is the new paint VooDoo green?

Denins

[7t4mula]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

Great build and following along! Can't wait to see the build sheet too. Is the new paint VooDoo green?

Denins

Great, I’m glad you like it as well!

Actually, the paint color is Donnybrook Green, a one year color for 1970 Corvette! My very talented body and paint guy recommended it. He was going to paint his 66 Chevy C10 project he was building for his daughter that color, but changed his mind.

I’m so happy he pointed this color out! It just glows in the sun! When I saw this pic I was hooked!

[7t4mula]

You can see how tired and baked that ol Palisade green paint was, on the hood especially.

A couple more pics of how clean the underside was before restoration began. So nice working on disassembly without rusty crud falling on you!

Here you can see the one area of Jeff’s shop, getting set to start stripping paint of the front end components. Nose had its share of cracks and bruises, but he did a fine job of restoring as you’ll see in later pics.

[7t4mula]

Now starts the heavy lifting stuff! No more messing around! So nice to be easily rolling around on nice casters and then splitting subframe from chassis! He’s very well equipped obviously!

I took on the subframe, axle and suspension system while Jeff started the bodywork. Next its time to do some pressure washing to remove road grime and grease!

[7t4mula]

This was in Feb., very fortunate to have warm enough weather in WI to do pressure washing outside at my place!
Yeah, obvious signs of oil seepage from pass. side engine or trans under there… super clean for a 55 year old car though!
Nice to be spinning that body like a chicken on a rotisserie. The media-blasting went super also, more pics to follow soon!

[7t4mula]

Pic of the Earl Schieb paint job covered tag, soon to be restored as well!
I had two 12-bolt rears to choose from, I rebuilt the original and sold the one I bought that I had pulled from a 70 TA back in 1980. Paid $80 for that!

The two YS 400 motors resting comfortably in my garage for decades! Originally built that one on stand on the right in 1981 for my 73 formula. More details later… original 400 from this 70 on the crate on left.

The sled trailer worked great for driveline transport! Off to sandblast after some scraping & wire brush detailing.

Have the shifter opening and console mount transferred from 73 here.

[7t4mula]

Starting to clean up nicely after sand blast! Nice to reveal next to no bondo, other than sine dings on rear tail panel and pass front fender.

The nose looked pretty clean and he cleaned up the firewall with the filler panel there. Going with Vintage Air system so don’t need the big hole from original AC system.

[indymanjoe]

Definitely subscribed to this thread. Looks like a great start for sure. my untrained eye didn't see any previous repairs in the body which is a bonus!

Your color choice looks really nice as well.

[7t4mula]

Well, there was some previous body repairs… I mentioned the rust spots along the corners of windshield & rear window.
He did an excellent job with removing this cancer and filling with new metal. I couldn’t ask for quicker more efficient repair there! Wow!

[7t4mula]

This pass corner of windshield was probably the worst. Nice new, solid metal in there now!

There was some pitting from vinyl top rot, but he did a great job of cleaning up with media blast and spreading a rust preventative compound over it to smooth out nicely.

[7t4mula]

Next, it was my turn to get cracking on this subframe and cleaning up 12bolt rear axle. So glad that I picked up a new Dewalt impact gun, that thing rocks! Fringe benefits of big projects, new tools!

And then it was back on the trailer on to the sandblaster!

[7t4mula]

Couple pictures of spinning the rotisserie to try and get all the sand out of the body channels.

Then it was fitting the Vintage Air system under the dash. He welded a ¼” stud inside, so not to have to drill or have a bolt head protruding on the firewall.