[Nacs Fab]

I posted a build thread on my 68 a while back, but have shifted gears so to speak and bought a running and driving car to build rather than remaining in Garage Jail. Let me premise it with this, I had all of the drivetrain for the 68 and was well on my way to building that car, so naturally when I sold the Body and its parts, I kept all of the drivetrain for my new purchase.

We bought a 69 Firebird that had been recently painted and the previous owner dropped in a Hod Rod Company 383 SBC that was supposedly 500hp+. Well, we drove it for a full spring/summer with the pooch of a 383, it wouldn't get out of its own way without a converter and I wasn't spending the money on it till my Poncho Plant would be installed. The car had AC that I got working and i tinkered it as long as I could stand the 383.



Car was super clean with 3.73 posi 10 Bolt and NO RUST

We sold our house in the middle of pulling the 383 and starting on the swap, so it took me a few months to get a new 30'x48' garage built at the new house. I finally brought it home. Before It left my old garage, I cut out the tubs to mini tub the car, I cut down a Rhodes Fabricated 9" ford housing and stuffed it with 35 spline strange axles, Yukon locker and 3.25 Gears. Rotor to Rotor it is 57" Wide.



The engine started out as a '70 400 Block which was 4-bolt drilled but came with 2-bolt caps. I bought a billet set of caps off marketplace and sent the block off to a machine shop and had it align bored, thrust surface cut, bored to 4.155" and torque plate honed and had them o-ring it. Block is hardblocked to bottom of freeze plugs



Kauffman did my Rotating assembly after I sent them an old pair of NEW 6.800" Superods and we built the combo around them. I wish I would have just went with steel rods, but oh well. Its an Eagle 4.12" Stroke for 3" mains and standard Pontiac journal. Ross 4.155" Pistons dished for a 9.5:1 static.



My machinist assembled the Engine and milled in clearance for the rods.



I'm getting ready to clearance my Stefs 1240 Pan to fit the Titan Oil Pump. Dropping it off this week to have a friend Tig Weld it. Ill post up more as we progress. Hope to get this car running before winter sets in so Ill be updating as I go.

[Nacs Fab]

Here is pics I got from Facebook, where another guy with same pan and Titan had to clearance his pan.



Getting ready to cut a $1000 pan to clear a $900 pump! When we weld the new patch on, Ill install a small bung over the pressure adjustment on the Titan to make on the fly adjustments without pulling the pan.

I'm waiting for S&W Racecars to ship my rack mount as I'll be installing a manual pinto rack up front. Once this kit comes in, Ill jump in and cut the old crossmember out and install the kit. I at one time had a Chromoly stub for the car, but sold it recently because I don't want to take the car any further apart!

Plan is to get the long block together so I can mock up a few things, including a 4" charge pipe with BOV and 52mm wastegate. Im going to try the wastegate thing to build boost even faster as people find its worth 60 ft lbs so why not complicate things. I am installing a TorqStorm 84mm Supercharger and I'll run my C&S 900 Aerosol Carb with mega-bowls converted to e85.



Heads are Kauffman Hi-Ports as cast 80cc and Northwind Intake.

[JLMounce]

Looks like a cool project. I love the limelight green!

[turbo69bird]

Car looks great and happy to see it getting a Pontiac engine and turbos

[OCMDGTO]

Really cool build and fab work

[grivera]

Very cool - looking forward to updates

[kyle_blake]

very cool

[73LeMans]

There is no way I'm NOT following this thread. Car and the work looks top notch.

[GOAT8U2]

Torqstorm 84mm, that's what I'm eyeing after I work out more bugs and suspension. I'll check back for your updates.

HR Parts N Stuff Rear Swaybay, highly recommend, Paul is making me one now and for a buddy. It'll keep the rear end level and plant the power evenly, unreal launching after install on my GN, you'll need something like this if you're gonna go 84mm, it's not a normal swaybar.

[Nacs Fab]

I have a Funkhouser Anti Roll Bar kit.





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[GOAT8U2]

Damn that's next level up even from the HR bar. There's some people doing thicker factory like swaybars with factory mounting locations or even ditching them but that Funkhouser is legit racecar. You'll be wheels up if you get some thick and wide stickies under there for sure.

[Nacs Fab]

Progress on the oil pan. I had my engine builder weld a plate on the hole I made to clear the pump.

We added a 1/2” bung so I can make pressure adjustments with pan in the car. Still not sure if I can do this with a trans if the car, but forward thinking was the hope with this addition. I think he did a Fantastic job on the patch. I didn’t take a picture of the pan cut to clear the pump because it looked Exactly like Mysticmissles pan. He gave me the idea to add the bung.

I’ve been slacking but I promise I’ll get rolling soon. I just got my lights for the shop today so I’ll install them this weekend and then it’s ON!


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[R 70 Judge]

Super cool build! Love the color!

Everything Funkhouser's makes is very high quality and he's a super nice guy. I have all of his trick leaf spring stuff in my TA. He did my EFI conversion among many other things

[Tom Pugh]

I don't understand the need for adjustable oil pump pressure, please explain. thanks .

[72projectbird]

This build is awesome! I'm enjoying following along, and can't wait to see it ripping down the track/street!

[Nacs Fab]

Originally Posted by Tom Pugh

I don't understand the need for adjustable oil pump pressure, please explain. thanks .

I ordered the Titan pump pre-set at 100psi and their pump is adjustable pressure. If I have to lower or raise it based on bearing clearance, hydraulic roller lifter issues and so on. Just nice to have the capability if it’s needed.


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[Nacs Fab]

Better photo of the pan from top down.


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[Nacs Fab]

Just realized we put the bung in wrong location. What I thought was the adjustment screw was a set screw the adjuster is a blue locknut. Oh well I’ll just keep that plugged. Geez I need lighting in my shop before I do any more work!


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[Nacs Fab]

After spending many hours getting this pan to Fit, i have it installed with a working dipstick.



I rolled the assembly over and made sure i had no clearance issues, then flipped everything over on the stand and started working on top end stuff.



I'm using an .040" set of Flatout Copper Gaskets 9012, I found that the felpro gasket is also .040" thick, so it would work for checking valve clearance. I used play dough and mocked up #1, went through several cycles and checked thickness. It had plenty of clearance since I am .023" down the cylinder due to the rods at TDC. The pic above is before testing.



I pulled the head, cleaned everything and installed all head studs and Flatout Copper Gaskets. Butler recommended that I spray them with a VHT copper sealant, so I did this as well.



Installed the heads and torqued 65, 75, 80 and 100. I then installed all of the valvetrain and set zero lash. Installed the stud girdles.

[Nacs Fab]

I need some AN Bungs welded to my Timing Cover, I'm going 12AN on the heater hoses and 20AN on suction side of Pump, since this car will be driven. The Upper hose will be 16AN. Mocked up timing cover and Meziere HD Pump. Installed my 84MM Torqstorm and was able to trim my 4" Charge Pipe for fitment of their big BOV. All of the welding is getting done and Ill catch up on a full installation of the Torqstorm.







My next update will be mounting my front plate, fitting my Tin Indian alternator mount, C&S Belt Driven Pump off a Tin Indian Mandrel (gilmer) and mounting the Innovators West damper and mag pickup. I want to make sure this all fits before dropping it into the car.