Progress on 1968 Pontiac Firebird

It'll be a part time thing for me to do, to keep me into things whilst my Monte Carlo takes so long to complete.
I'll put progress in here tomorrow it's too dark to take photos at the moment, but please if you read this post some suggestions for colours, I'm thinking just black because it's the only paint I have alot of, also wheel choices. I know alot of you don't like how I put modern wheels on old cars, so I am asking what yo uthink would be good for theFirebird,I have a few sets of Cragars lying around, but also have some sets of modern wheels.
Well sorry for no pictures at the moment but help me decide what to do: Coupe or Convertible, paint colour, interior colour, style of wheels, engine mods etc.
I have already shaved the badges and handles off, I am thinking about opening the doors and boot, but not looking forward to hinging them, please keep in mind I have limited musclecar parts noe because I have given most of them to a friend.

At the moment I am leaning in favour of a cowl induction hood, convertible, black, opening doors(maybe) and a warm tuned 400 SB or a 454 BB.
If your not so mindful of the classic Musclecars, here is what a 1968 Firebird looks like:

Convertible
http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclecars/pontiac-firebird/images/pontiac-firebird-1968e.jpg

Coupe
http://www.rmgconstruction.com/myfirebird.jpg

I got one of these myself. I say, do the one in the second picture, but in black! Other than that, the convertible does sound like a good idea.. the only part you need is a convertible boot. I say stick with the 400 with some mods to it.. maybe a sleeper?

Sounds a cool project :smokin:

My uncle had Firebird almost exactly like that black one.. So I say, Go with that one :smokin:

Sounds like a really good project. Good luck with it. I personally think that the 69 Firebird looks better though.

My uncle has a 68 400, but it's a drag car, 18pt custom cage, 6spd, 3?? cubic inch big block pontiac, the car moves, has 18'' wide, 33'' tall rear slicks.

The beautiful thing about the 68 Firebird or for that matter, any of the 1st gen Firebirds, is that you can do so much with them. Personally, I'm a guy who loves stock looking cars. Just me.
Anyway, I have a few pictures of some first gens and thought I would throw this one out at you:
http://www.hickorytech.net/~batsonx5/67BIRD.jpg
Although this is a 67, the only real difference is the side marker lights on the 68.
This 67 is a prime example of a stock awesome car. If you need more 1st gen photos let me know and I can hook you up.
Or you could check out this site for all generations:
http://www.firebirdgallery.com/
Chris

Thanks for that site man I will check it out now, I'll upload some photos within the hour or so.
I'll include photos of what wheels I have to put on and what engine setups I am thinking of doing, so that you can all decide which looks best.

Nice idea, if it ends up with a 6/71 paint it blue, but if it remains Black, leave the bonnet unmolested. I'll say a coupe, because it looks better when modified, or a red vert might look good. I also say go for the 454, so you can sell the 400 block to me :eek: :naughty:

Haha I got two of those 400s I say you buy the whole kit, it comes with alot of cool add on parts and you can just make the firebird stock anyway, score! I got 3 photos:

http://www.neprap.com/uploads/Mvc-445f.jpg
http://www.neprap.com/uploads/Mvc-446f.jpg
http://www.neprap.com/uploads/Mvc-448f.jpg

score! I got 3 photos:
http://www.neprap.com/uploads/Mvc-448f.jpg
Excuse the laguage, but that looks fucking cool. What color you planning, I say go for mica red.

I would say modern wheels and satin black for the colour !

Excuse the laguage, but that looks fucking cool. What color you planning, I say go for mica red.
Language is only offensive when it is directed at a person ;)
Well that's how I do it anyway.

Well I was actually going to use those wheels on it, keep the blue interior, make a cowl induction hood to clear the high rise manifold and paint it gloss black with a massive rake, I've already removed the cross member and transmission brace from the chassis and I've glued them higher into the frame, to give the engine lift and so I can slam the front. I want the slicks on the back to just clear the guards by about 1mm though.

I say use them rims, put a 6'' outlaw cowl inductuion and go for them rims, and you'll have a nice ride, btw what kinda tranny are you using, i.e.: does the underside have a oil pan or not? If so it's auto, if not, it's manual.

looks like your high rise intake manifold is a little off... But other then that it looks good.

Thanks, yeah I know what a manual and automatic trans looks like ;)
I've worked on quite a few of them in a mechanics garage.
I know the high rise is a little off, but it is only blue tacked on ;) I'm thinking about painting the engine blue, to match the interior. I want to make this a simple coloured car. Well I'm off for awhile to see if I can whip up a cowl Induction hood!!

Here is my first Outlaw style hood, what does it look like to you? I just glued it together.

http://www.neprap.com/uploads/Mvc-449f.jpg
http://www.neprap.com/uploads/Mvc-450f.jpg
http://www.neprap.com/uploads/Mvc-451f.jpg

I think I was thinking about maiking it for a 1/24 scale car when I was constructing it..opps..

lil shorter, and little less wide and it'll be just fine, very good start tho, I like it.

Thanks, yeah might actually save this one instead of chopping it up, just make a new one, then i get double the experience I have now, plus I get a spare hood!

:eek2: I just an idea of putting this scoop on my Superbird!

i agree with 85 sr5 the scoop is tall and wide but it looks good r u gonna run the ridge down the center of the hood

I think he's gona make a new one, I'd suggest doing that, seeing as you can do a little better than before. Go for it man.

Here is the new one, it is glued and half puttied..

http://www.neprap.com/uploads/Hoodoncar.jpg
http://www.neprap.com/uploads/Hoodoncarfront.jpg
http://www.neprap.com/uploads/Newhoodcloseup.jpg

that hood lo0oks awesome!
:evillol:

much better than the previous one, so what huge engine are you putting in their to back up them sweet looks?

Well first It was the original 400ci Pontiac with a high rise with dual carbs and twin, uh, I dunno what they are called. Those bell looking things? On top.
But I've decided to go agaisnt that and put the engine from a 1967 Impala SS in it, with the same manifold setup, it'll either be a 396 or 427.

you mean velocity stacks?

Dunno, but I'll chuck em on anyway...
I'm thinking about nitrous too, but I want to get some photos of a 1968 Firebirds boot before I do that ;) I want to do twin nitrous tanks in the boot, with the battery relocated there too.

sounds like a good plan, nitrous and relocated battery, just don't tell me your going to put in a sound system, and you've gotta do a cage in this car to set it off.

Yep I'm doing a roll cage, I'm not doing a stereo but I was giving it thought of making this more like a street car with soem subs in the boot, but I couldnt be bothered. Anyway I'm going to go finish some of the interior, since I have no engine to do.

Awesome project! The hood looks great. :thumbsup:

Bee-yoo-dee-ful. I'd love to see the engine when it's finished, so be sure to show it to us.

More pictures:

http://www.neprap.com/uploads/bastard.jpg
http://www.neprap.com/uploads/hood.jpg
http://www.neprap.com/uploads/interiorbucket.jpg
http://www.neprap.com/uploads/seats.jpg
http://www.neprap.com/uploads/shallow.jpg

I've opened the boot but the actual boot itself seems too shallow to fit anything into :( I need to find some reference pictures of 68 Firebirds boots.

I did a 69 Firebird with a blue interior roughly a year or two ago. Looks good don't it? :iceslolan

Looks very nice for this far :naughty: . :smokin:

purpura, they don't have very large trunks. My uncle's 400 drag car barely had room for the fuel cell with the rear cage supports.

Ok, well I hope I can fit the Nitrous bottles in there at least, I have to remember the fuel pipe between the back lights, too. Then there is the battery :eek:

I hope I can get this shit to fall through.

Hey, you can always mount the battery under the car if it's a 6pack optima, I've seen that done before, you scratchbuilding a cage or not?

Probably. I'm only going to put 25% into the Firedbird for now, I'm going to build a`67 Corvette whilst building this.

Cage's are pretty easy to make. If you could get some of the wire I used on the HOW TO: Scratchbuild headers, it could work, bends easy, superglues together nicely.

looks good im not usually into muscle cars but that one is nice

Just painted it but am not happy with the finish, I might clearcoat it in a week or two, because a few places didn't come out well.

http://www.neprap.com/uploads/newfront.jpg

http://www.neprap.com/uploads/newside.jpg

New engine: 427 Chevy, will add high rise manifold, twin carbies and twin velocity stacks later on.
http://www.neprap.com/uploads/newengine.jpg

http://www.neprap.com/uploads/newstance.jpg

well, from what's in your sig, it looks pretty damn badass

Dude, that thing looks so awesome I can't bear to look at it. The black suits it so well, especially with those rims. And that scoop. And them big'n'littles. That thing... just looks so wicked sinister. It's the kind of car that makes me want to put down my H and start looking into a grumbling, gurgling, ground stomping V-8. Just fantastic.

That said, even though your car looks just incredible, there's just something about the red car with bondo-sports in this picture
http://www.neprap.com/uploads/Mvc-448f.jpg
that looks wicked cool. There it has that awesome slapped together for a night at the track look. Just wicked. That might just be the southern boy in me talking... I try to stifle it but it's hard....

But seriously, looks great! Can't wait to see that motor tossed in there. I'm already afraid of it, and it's only a model!

Thanks for the props!
I knew it would look good in black, and I knew a outlaw type of hood would set the black off well. I did a blue interior because it's something different.
It will be slow sailing for the Firebird now though, check out my new thread.

This looks VERY nice!

That looks pretty sweet man

Very nice outcome, looks outrageously fast. Good idea with the 427, high rise carbs, etc, will go nicely.

The black looks really good, here are some links to some trunk pics for a 69' Camaro (their pretty similar.)

Camaro Trunk 01 (http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=503/3551603_1.jpg)

Camaro Trunk 02 (http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=503/355161065194523144_69_Camaro022-med.jpg)

Thanks Malcolm, and thanks people who have continued to post.

:bananasmi

Beautiful!!

looks pretty good.