1969 Firebird Convertible
I was bidding on a car last night. From what I can tell from the photos and talking to the owner, it needs the following in body parts:
Quarter panels
Tail panel
Rear bumper
Complete Trunk pan
Complete Floor pan
Fenders
Possibly a firewall
Front valance panel
Door skins
New convertible top
The owner stated it needs a complete restoration. It runs but it will not stop. (Brakes are bad). The convertible top works. The gauges and speedometer work, headlights work, radio has no sound.
The next morning, I got an email telling me that I won! What am I going to tell my wife? Should I send flowers? I will have to get the car shipped to me.
I hired Get-Ur-Dun Trucking Company to deliver the Firebird. The driver, who was president and CEO of the company, loved the car. He said he has hauled other cars in worst shape.
Four sets of neighbors came out of their houses to see the one-ton pickup with a long trailer parked in front of my house. All the men neighbors loved the car. All the women neighbors hated the car. One man wanted to buy my car on the spot. Another one wanted to buy one like it but his wife told him that he could not. He offered to help me work on the car. The six-year-old neighbor twins were fascinated with the manual window handles. They never had seen a car that did not have electric windows.
The driver was an interesting character. It is a shame he lives in another state. He talked about splurging that night and getting a hotel with a shower because he slept in his truck for two days. He had many stories. One of his previous customers refused to pay him because he did not like the used car he bought sight unseen. Another one only viewed one side of the car on eBay. Later, when his car arrived, he found out it was wrecked on the other side. We talked maybe for two hours and drank some homemade beer on the patio with a few of the men neighbors. My wife was inside with the women neighbors. She kept staring at us through the kitchen window and talking on the phone. I think she called everyone she knew to tell them about our new car. Later, I found out she hid her jewels and money in the house because she thought I was going to ask the driver to spend the night at our house. He got a call from the dispatcher, his wife, and left to pick up a car on the other side of Houston.
The convertible top flew off during transit. It was old and dry rotted. You need a screwdriver to open the trunk. It needs many body panels replaced because of rust. The engine runs good and the transmission works. The points and plugs are new, the oil was new and the radiator coolant was green. There is no telling the last time the engine was started before the tune up. The engine was pressure washed possibly to hide an oil leak. I drove it 200 feet and the wheels did not fall off.
I think that I have a combination of mismatched engine parts. The car should have a 350 CID engine. I checked the engine block number. It is 22927YT. It does not match the VIN serial number. The motor mounts are the 1969 and older two bolt version. The block could be a 400 CID. The heads are for a 350 engine and it has a 2-barrel carburetor. Talk about sucking air through a tiny straw!! It does run and does not make any abnormal noises.
[/url]FBBD 6 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
All the mounting hardware bolts are rusted. The inner fender has a rust hole.
[/url]FBBD 7 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
[/url]FB
BD 9 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
I added brake fluid to the master cylinder. It leaked out as you can see on the vacuum reservoir. The master cylinder piston walls were scoured from rust so the O rings could not seal. I bought a rebuilt master cylinder and put it on the car. Now the brake fluid leaks out the brake line that goes to the rear brakes. The brake line was rusted. One front brake works. I could not get the hub off of the other front brake to see what was the mater. The lug bolts were rusted to the brake drum.
[/url]FBBD 12 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
The power steering pumps worked!!?? No leaks no whine.
[/url]FBBD 14 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
I have never seen a hood rust along the edges. This must be an exclusive phenomenon that happens only to cars from up north.
[/url]FBBD 17 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
The front end looks ok. I need a new lower valance. The chrome headlight moldings are pitted. The chrome bumper looks ok. All the headlights work. They are the original T3 type.
[/url]FBBD 19 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
The driver fender is rusted out. I need a new one. The driver rearview mirror just flops around. The mirror is pitted. The driver door is rusted along the bottom.
[/url]FBBD 22 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
[/url]FBB
D 23 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
The driver quarter panel need to be replaced.
[/url]FB
BD 25 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
The rear bumper needs to be rechromed. :wink2:The deck lid lock is missing. Someone applied Bondo over the two mounting holes that hold the lock in place and then repainted the car. The deck lid has rust holes in the corner. Some creature packed this area with rock wool? The nest must have gotten wet. The strap that is touching the concrete is one of the gas tank straps. The strap mounting bracket on the trunk pan is rusted out. A coat hanger helped hold the tank in place.
[/url]FBBD 26 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
The passenger quarter panel has some rust bubbles. A few months in the future, I was joking with my neighbor about my rusty car. I kicked this area with my boot and my foot went through the metal.
[/url]FBBD 27 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
The passenger fender and door are in the same shape as the driver side.
[/url]FBBD 29 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
The interior is in surprisingly undamaged shape. None of the upholstery is torn. There is some mold on the headrests.
[/url]FBBD 31 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
[/url]FBBD 40 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
[/url]FBBD 59 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
The convertible top mechanism is rusty and the paint is peeling. The header bow has rust holes in it. The windshield header molding that touches the convertible top header bow has rust holes. The top’s hydraulic pump and pistons work. The neighbor twins tested it for me many times.
[/url]FBBD 38 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
[/url]FBBD 42 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
The steering wheel leaks oil. Old plastic does that. After it leaks out, it becomes sticky. The center console has a rectangular hole cut into it. I don’t know why. The dash is cracked in many places. Speedometer and idiot lights work.
[/url]FBBD 43 by Patrick Smith, on Flickr[/IMG]
I was bidding on a car last night. From what I can tell from the photos and talking to the owner, it needs the following in body parts:
Quarter panels
Tail panel
Rear bumper
Complete Trunk pan
Complete Floor pan
Fenders
Possibly a firewall
Front valance panel
Door skins
New convertible top
The owner stated it needs a complete restoration. It runs but it will not stop. (Brakes are bad). The convertible top works. The gauges and speedometer work, headlights work, radio has no sound.
The next morning, I got an email telling me that I won! What am I going to tell my wife? Should I send flowers? I will have to get the car shipped to me.
I hired Get-Ur-Dun Trucking Company to deliver the Firebird. The driver, who was president and CEO of the company, loved the car. He said he has hauled other cars in worst shape.
Four sets of neighbors came out of their houses to see the one-ton pickup with a long trailer parked in front of my house. All the men neighbors loved the car. All the women neighbors hated the car. One man wanted to buy my car on the spot. Another one wanted to buy one like it but his wife told him that he could not. He offered to help me work on the car. The six-year-old neighbor twins were fascinated with the manual window handles. They never had seen a car that did not have electric windows.
The driver was an interesting character. It is a shame he lives in another state. He talked about splurging that night and getting a hotel with a shower because he slept in his truck for two days. He had many stories. One of his previous customers refused to pay him because he did not like the used car he bought sight unseen. Another one only viewed one side of the car on eBay. Later, when his car arrived, he found out it was wrecked on the other side. We talked maybe for two hours and drank some homemade beer on the patio with a few of the men neighbors. My wife was inside with the women neighbors. She kept staring at us through the kitchen window and talking on the phone. I think she called everyone she knew to tell them about our new car. Later, I found out she hid her jewels and money in the house because she thought I was going to ask the driver to spend the night at our house. He got a call from the dispatcher, his wife, and left to pick up a car on the other side of Houston.
The convertible top flew off during transit. It was old and dry rotted. You need a screwdriver to open the trunk. It needs many body panels replaced because of rust. The engine runs good and the transmission works. The points and plugs are new, the oil was new and the radiator coolant was green. There is no telling the last time the engine was started before the tune up. The engine was pressure washed possibly to hide an oil leak. I drove it 200 feet and the wheels did not fall off.
I think that I have a combination of mismatched engine parts. The car should have a 350 CID engine. I checked the engine block number. It is 22927YT. It does not match the VIN serial number. The motor mounts are the 1969 and older two bolt version. The block could be a 400 CID. The heads are for a 350 engine and it has a 2-barrel carburetor. Talk about sucking air through a tiny straw!! It does run and does not make any abnormal noises.
All the mounting hardware bolts are rusted. The inner fender has a rust hole.
I added brake fluid to the master cylinder. It leaked out as you can see on the vacuum reservoir. The master cylinder piston walls were scoured from rust so the O rings could not seal. I bought a rebuilt master cylinder and put it on the car. Now the brake fluid leaks out the brake line that goes to the rear brakes. The brake line was rusted. One front brake works. I could not get the hub off of the other front brake to see what was the mater. The lug bolts were rusted to the brake drum.
The power steering pumps worked!!?? No leaks no whine.
I have never seen a hood rust along the edges. This must be an exclusive phenomenon that happens only to cars from up north.
The front end looks ok. I need a new lower valance. The chrome headlight moldings are pitted. The chrome bumper looks ok. All the headlights work. They are the original T3 type.
The driver fender is rusted out. I need a new one. The driver rearview mirror just flops around. The mirror is pitted. The driver door is rusted along the bottom.
The driver quarter panel need to be replaced.
The rear bumper needs to be rechromed. :wink2:The deck lid lock is missing. Someone applied Bondo over the two mounting holes that hold the lock in place and then repainted the car. The deck lid has rust holes in the corner. Some creature packed this area with rock wool? The nest must have gotten wet. The strap that is touching the concrete is one of the gas tank straps. The strap mounting bracket on the trunk pan is rusted out. A coat hanger helped hold the tank in place.
The passenger quarter panel has some rust bubbles. A few months in the future, I was joking with my neighbor about my rusty car. I kicked this area with my boot and my foot went through the metal.
The passenger fender and door are in the same shape as the driver side.
The interior is in surprisingly undamaged shape. None of the upholstery is torn. There is some mold on the headrests.
The convertible top mechanism is rusty and the paint is peeling. The header bow has rust holes in it. The windshield header molding that touches the convertible top header bow has rust holes. The top’s hydraulic pump and pistons work. The neighbor twins tested it for me many times.
The steering wheel leaks oil. Old plastic does that. After it leaks out, it becomes sticky. The center console has a rectangular hole cut into it. I don’t know why. The dash is cracked in many places. Speedometer and idiot lights work.