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rollinsmoke65

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So I have been working on a 78 Firebird for awhile, and decided I wanted something that I could drive while working on the other car. My wife said that's fine, but I want a Mustang Fastback then (she saw a few at the Wildwood Car show last year). I said fine, but it will have to be a 65 or 66. She we started watching Craigslist and found this.
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The car was pretty solid to start with. However the suspension is pretty soft on the car and will need to be replaced at some point. We got this car in October of last year and brought it home and put it in the garage for the winter. My first project was to clean up the interior and put some fatmat down.
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While I had the interior out I also redyed all the panels with the SEM in the factory color red for 65. I did discover while working the car, that this car wasn't originally a white car with red interior. I am pretty sure it was originally green with a black interior. I am not to worried about this though, since we don't really plan to keep it original anyways. I will need to get some updated pictures of the interior now. I did clean up the outside some, and the car does photograph well now, however is a 20 footer.
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Last week I had the transmission checked, because it was slipping when I bought it. Luckily it was the vacume modulator, and the trans didn't need rebuilt. They did do a service on it and adjusted the bands. So the car is running pretty good now, but I noticed that the water pump was making a noise. So I started to clean up the engine compartment this weekend and also change the water pump. I ordered a new air cleaner and valve covers, and plan on painting the engine gloss black. I am also cleaning down the rest of the engine compartment and painting that a semi gloss black.
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Seems to be a unmolested car.( or how do they say this ) :confu
You're doing a great job !! :thu :thu
 
"rollinsmoke65" said:
Luckily it was the vacume modulator, and the trans didn't need rebuilt.
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Nice find, that looks like a real solid car! I'm guessing that the omission of "to be" in the above sentance means that you are from PA?
 
Are those shadows or something funky on the passenger side headlight bucket, top?
 
"65-408" said:
Nice find, that looks like a real solid car! I'm guessing that the omission of "to be" in the above sentance means that you are from PA?
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Yeah I am from Pa, about 15-20 min from Hershey.

As for the for the question regarding the paint above the headlight, the paint is coming off. The car if very solid with little rust, (that can be seen atleast). I guess I will probably find out this winter when I strip it down to respray it with a temporary paint job. The car definately photographs well, but the paint on the car is pretty rough and is showing its age. I was told that it was done in the 80's, however I am not sure about that.
 
Wow, Nice!

As a man working on a white and red fastback, those pictures are inspiring.
What plant was it built at and what is the build date? I'd love to see some pictures of the underside as I'm trying to figure out what color the bottom of mine should be.

Mine when i started:
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Mine now:


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While I was removing the water pump 2 of the bolts had snapped. So over the weekend I removed the timing cover to replace that as well. So while I had stuff apart I looked at some of the casting number on the motor. It turns out that the motor was replaced at some time I guess with a 302. I really didn't give it much thought until I started looking at timing covers and the one I removed had the bolt on timing pointer. The more I am working on the this car the more things I am finding that have been changed. So I guess I don't need to feel bad changing stuff and doing a restomod eventually.
 
Over the last few weeks I have been working on the engine compartment on and off when I had time. Between spring sports with my son and deal with a herniated disc in my back, work has been somewhat slow. I finally managed to get stuff back together last night, however the radiator is now leaking. I just ordered a new one today. I will have to have my father install it however, since I had back surgery today and will be unable to do any work for 6-8 weeks probably. So here is a before and after picture of the engine compartment.

before
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after
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Not a bad change at all. I have 2 herniated disc also....I know the pain. Good luck with recovery.
 
very nice. It seems most people don't like the red interiors but it looks good. Mine was originally red on red and that's about the only thing that I didn't change. Anyway I like it. What are your plans for the car?
 
Well for right now we really aren't' gonna do very much to it, other then clean it up and drive it. Over the winter I am hoping to do a grab a trak suspension kit with mid eyes on the rear and 620 springs in the front. I might possibly give it a temp paint job this winter also if I get around to it to last a few years till we have the money to do a full blown top notch paint job. This is going to serve as a driver for a few years as I finish my firebird. Once the firebird get put back together this car will receive a good resto. The intentions are to paint it a metallic white with red pearl, and do a two tone red and white interior with TMI Standard sport seats.
 
sounds cool. I've got stock seats and have been dreaming of TMI seats. Maybe red with black inserts for my car.
any pics of the Firebird?
 
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