Restoring my 1995 Bird..
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From: Fort Worth, Texas
Hahahaha! Now all I need is a big ole John Deere sticker in my back window!
Oh, BTW, I have some damage on my dash that I still need to get fixed (thanks to those kids with cinder blocks)..
While I looking at my dash, I decided to purchase a double din radio opening from KEE AUDIO (here on LS1TECH). I will be purchasing my car stereo stuff in roughly 45-60 days.
I also just purchased (4) brand new rotors and all of my new brake pads.. I drove down to Mansfield, Texas and picked up all (4) brake calipers for my car as well as the entire front spindle assembly.. I took them down to Kennedale, Texas to the powder coater.. I got them back and now they gloss black.. They look really good (pictures soon to follow, later on this evening). I also took my outside door handles and T-Top bar to the powder coater and had those done gloss black as well.. I have to pick those up tomorrow.
I picked up some GM approved factory type carpeting and some carpet backing from YearOne.com. The new carpet will go in as soon as I am satisfied with the Fatmat. I contacted Tyler at Pavlock Performance.. I sent all (4) of my side marker lights, my 3rd brake light and my entire rear tail light assembly to him to have all of the lights sprayed / tinted. I received the lights back and they look great.. However, one of the lights incurred some shipping damage so I had to go on to eBay to buy another tail light.. I ultimately sent that tail light to him (and I should get it back sometime this week):
Oh, BTW, I have some damage on my dash that I still need to get fixed (thanks to those kids with cinder blocks)..
While I looking at my dash, I decided to purchase a double din radio opening from KEE AUDIO (here on LS1TECH). I will be purchasing my car stereo stuff in roughly 45-60 days.
I also just purchased (4) brand new rotors and all of my new brake pads.. I drove down to Mansfield, Texas and picked up all (4) brake calipers for my car as well as the entire front spindle assembly.. I took them down to Kennedale, Texas to the powder coater.. I got them back and now they gloss black.. They look really good (pictures soon to follow, later on this evening). I also took my outside door handles and T-Top bar to the powder coater and had those done gloss black as well.. I have to pick those up tomorrow.
I picked up some GM approved factory type carpeting and some carpet backing from YearOne.com. The new carpet will go in as soon as I am satisfied with the Fatmat. I contacted Tyler at Pavlock Performance.. I sent all (4) of my side marker lights, my 3rd brake light and my entire rear tail light assembly to him to have all of the lights sprayed / tinted. I received the lights back and they look great.. However, one of the lights incurred some shipping damage so I had to go on to eBay to buy another tail light.. I ultimately sent that tail light to him (and I should get it back sometime this week):
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From: Fort Worth, Texas
I began removing parts off of my car, to prep it for the upcoming body work and paint job..
I also began searching high and low for LT1 Trans Am body parts.. (front bumper, rear bumper, side skirts, raised rear hatch / spoiler, new hatch shocks, etc). OMG, people are proud of their busted up parts.. LMAO! It took a lot of work (especially the front bumper cover) to bring everything up to par.. Also, the dents in the hood ended up being a major pain in the butt so I picked up another hood. Both of my mirrors were bad so I also picked up a set of the electronic controlled side mirrors as well.
One of my headlight motors is bad so I found one of those on eBay as well as TWO new window motors. Ughhhhhhh, when it rains, it pours.. I also took this opportunity to take off my hood and rear hatch hinges.. They were badly rusted. I took them over to the powder coater as well. A week later, viola.. new hinges!
I also began searching high and low for LT1 Trans Am body parts.. (front bumper, rear bumper, side skirts, raised rear hatch / spoiler, new hatch shocks, etc). OMG, people are proud of their busted up parts.. LMAO! It took a lot of work (especially the front bumper cover) to bring everything up to par.. Also, the dents in the hood ended up being a major pain in the butt so I picked up another hood. Both of my mirrors were bad so I also picked up a set of the electronic controlled side mirrors as well.
One of my headlight motors is bad so I found one of those on eBay as well as TWO new window motors. Ughhhhhhh, when it rains, it pours.. I also took this opportunity to take off my hood and rear hatch hinges.. They were badly rusted. I took them over to the powder coater as well. A week later, viola.. new hinges!
Last edited by officermartinez; May 3, 2009 at 06:35 AM.
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From: Fort Worth, Texas
I picked up the parts and had a wrecker tow my car to the paint and body shop.. Here she is, at the paint and body shop.. I decided to stay with the factory dark green color (used PPG primer, paint and clear):
I began removing parts off of my car, to prep it for the upcoming body work and paint job..
I also began searching high and low for LT1 Trans Am body parts.. (front bumper, rear bumper, side skirts, raised rear hatch / spoiler, new hatch shocks, etc). OMG, people are proud of their busted up parts.. LMAO! It took a lot of work (especially the front bumper cover) to bring everything up to par.. Also, the dents in the hood ended up being a major pain in the butt so I picked up another hood. Both of my mirrors were bad so I also picked up a set of the electronic controlled side mirrors.
One of my headlight motors is bad so I found one of those on eBay as well as TWO new window motors. Ughhhhhhh, when it rains, it pours.. I also took this opportunity to take off my hood and rear hatch hinges.. They were badly rusted. I took them over to the powder coater as well. A week later, viola.. new hinges!
I also began searching high and low for LT1 Trans Am body parts.. (front bumper, rear bumper, side skirts, raised rear hatch / spoiler, new hatch shocks, etc). OMG, people are proud of their busted up parts.. LMAO! It took a lot of work (especially the front bumper cover) to bring everything up to par.. Also, the dents in the hood ended up being a major pain in the butt so I picked up another hood. Both of my mirrors were bad so I also picked up a set of the electronic controlled side mirrors.
One of my headlight motors is bad so I found one of those on eBay as well as TWO new window motors. Ughhhhhhh, when it rains, it pours.. I also took this opportunity to take off my hood and rear hatch hinges.. They were badly rusted. I took them over to the powder coater as well. A week later, viola.. new hinges!
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TECH Apprentice
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From: Fort Worth, Texas
Good job dude. That hard work is rewarding. On a side note, did you ever consider the factory ground effects for the firebirds and formulas? I always thought those looked cool and are VERY rare. You can always flip the T/A stuff, as you know people are proud their used parts. In any case, keep it up.
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TECH Apprentice
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From: Fort Worth, Texas
Good job dude. That hard work is rewarding. On a side note, did you ever consider the factory ground effects for the firebirds and formulas? I always thought those looked cool and are VERY rare. You can always flip the T/A stuff, as you know people are proud their used parts. In any case, keep it up.
I'm supposed to run down to the powder coater in a couple of hours and pick up my door handles and T-Top bar.. BTW, the car was shot with the factory dark green. When I bought the car, the roof was dark green as well (painted from the factory). Back then (and still today), I saw the Camaro's offered a black roof (regardless of the rest of the paint). I have always liked the black roof look so I had mine painted gloss black..
I think photobucket is down. Thread Starter
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From: Fort Worth, Texas
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
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From: Fort Worth, Texas
Here are a few more pics of the car at the paint and body shop:
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From: Fort Worth, Texas
I worked on the door some (cleaning out the dirt dobbers nest and laying another layer of fatmat)..
Then, I finished out of the remaining bare spots of metal..
Next, I cut off my rear seat mounts and applied a few layers of sound dampening material..
I purchased some VERY thick floorboard covering (also good for its additional sound dampening characteristics). I measured and cut the material, as needed..
Like I mentioned above, I am still in the middle of laying my carpet. As soon as that's done, I will mount my seatbelts and headliner. I also plan to purchase a single 4-AWG in and (4) 8-AWG out distribution block. Since I laid all of that Fatmat, grounding something against bare metal inside my car will be at a premium (ie.. my nitrous install which requires a few ground wires).
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From: Fort Worth, Texas
Ahhhhh.. I guess I'm gonna call it a day and start fresh tomorrow morning. Here are a few shots of the carpet being installed.. (By the way, the carpet came with some of that carpet padding glued in place.. talk about THICK. I had one hell of a time trying to get my seatbelt star bolts mounted up. I probably spent 45 minutes trying to mount two stupid seatbelt bolts up.. hahahaha).
Last edited by officermartinez; May 4, 2009 at 06:56 AM.
what did you use to paint down in the valleys around the t-top whether stripping? it looks a LOT better than the bare stock look
car is looking amazing man, can't wait to see it all come together. your definately going to have a beautiful car that will actually be VERY enjoyable to drive
car is looking amazing man, can't wait to see it all come together. your definately going to have a beautiful car that will actually be VERY enjoyable to drive