First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List Re: New Topic-Coolest color combos for 2001 by "John Moore" <sirsaber@mcn.net> axel bearings by "Todd Chynoweth" <pinec@pitnet.net> Right Inner Fender by "John Moore" <sirsaber@mcn.net> RE: Hot? Yea it's hot, ok? not ok? by "danny" <dannyboylll@qwest.net> baking soda stripper... by "danny" <dannyboylll@qwest.net> Re: New Topic-Coolest color combos for 2001 by <Studderin@aol.com> Re: Pontiac and BOP motor songs by "Kevin Young" <kyoung@sagelink.net> Re: baking soda stripper... by <PStonebrak@aol.com> Re: electrical question by "Andy" <fbird68@ix.netcom.com> Re: Stripping Paint by "Charlie Mellone" <cmellone@bellsouth.net>
(back) Subject: Re: New Topic-Coolest color combos for 2001 From: "John Moore" <sirsaber@mcn.net> Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 12:43:03 -0600 Ken, Here's what I am in the process of doing to my 68. Before=3D mayfair maize, black vinyl top, black interior After=3D inferno red medium pearl base, no vinyl top, parchment interior Take a day and go visit the auto dearlerships in your area. I picked a Chrysler color because it is the hottest red out there. I chose the parchment because a lighter interior looks more classy with a bolder paint color. John/68 OBABY/CarID=3D127
(back) Subject: axel bearings From: "Todd Chynoweth" <pinec@pitnet.net> Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 14:36:24 -0500 I replaced the bearings on my axels this weekend and I am concerned about it. What I did was press the old ones off, one side came off easily the other side required heating, I reused the inner retaining ring on one side, It was narrower than the replacement one, And used a new one on the other side. I pressed the new bearing and inner retaining ring on in one step, after I got home from work I looked in my service manual and it said to press = the bearing and retaining ring on seaparately. I am unsure why this is recommended,(any Ideas?) And after I had it pressed together I thought perhaps some green or red loctite may have been good to use on the application, because after = looking at the design in front of me I realized the only action that holds the = axel in the housing is the press fit of the bearing and retaining ring on the axel shaft, are there any other experiences out there? I guess I am concerned that some day driving down the road out an axel = comes because I pressed the bearing and retaining ring on at the same time and did not use any loctite although there was no evidence of it on the = original instalation nor did the service manual recomend any, any recomendations out there, should I buy new bearings and retainers and = do it over? or will it be ok as I explained it? Thanks for any advice, or reccomendations. Todd C pinec@pitnet.net
(back) Subject: Right Inner Fender From: "John Moore" <sirsaber@mcn.net> Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 13:41:51 -0600 Anyone have for sale or know a good source for a right inner fender? John/68 OBABY/CarID=3D127
(back) Subject: RE: Hot? Yea it's hot, ok? not ok? From: "danny" <dannyboylll@qwest.net> Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 18:10:50 -0600 hey john, my local parts store said that the stock temp for the thermostat on a firebird 400 from 1968 is 195 that would lead me to believe that the actual engine temp should be a little lower than that temp. but i would think that anything within 10 degrees (above or below) of the thermostat temp would be ok. i think something ealse to look at would be the engine oil that you use. see if it has a max teperature rating. i am a helicopter mechanic for the airforce and i know that if our engine and transmission oils exceed a certain temperature that they must be replaced because the chemical compounds of the oils Will break down making them less... slippery... and thinner. that is jsut a thought i am not sure = what temp normal engine oils break down. i know our helicopters are operating around 600 degrees so it could be that normal engine oil has a LONG ways = to go heat wise before it has these problems.... just a thought. like i = said before i don;t know if normal engine oil has a temperature where this can happen or not. -dan 68 400 newmexico
(back) Subject: baking soda stripper... From: "danny" <dannyboylll@qwest.net> Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 18:10:52 -0600 could you use a regular sandblaster gun hooked ou to an aircompressor = filled with baking soda to do this???? or would it be to small?? -dan 68 400 new mexico
(back) Subject: Re: New Topic-Coolest color combos for 2001 From: <Studderin@aol.com> Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 22:29:06 EDT Ken, My 67' has #260 deluxe parchment intior, so it's a mix of parchment = and black, At first I wasn't sure if id keep the color, because some friend I know changed the cars (69chevell,70nova) to black. Black repo parts are normally about $10 US cheaper the a dyed or colored piece, and you can buy almost any part in any color used, and dye of paint = it black. But as of now I think parchment is a cool intior color. And as for the body my car came with good paint, it's a 2000 GM truck color. A dark red with a little bit of metallic flakes. I would have to recommend getting a NEW paint color. I say "new" because If you get lets = say "67 firebird vendor green" it's going to be a LOT more $$ than a very = similar color that is (new), something like maybe a dark green for a 1998 buick regal, that paint may look the same but be cheaper. And I don't know much about the new paint and how basecoat/clearcoat, = lacquer and enamel paint.Are prepped or applied. I've always liked the really dark colors that look black at night. Mainly = the blue, red and green's. But to paint your car a dark glossy color the body = has to be very strait.
(back) Subject: Re: Pontiac and BOP motor songs From: "Kevin Young" <kyoung@sagelink.net> Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 22:22:02 -0500 There was so much talk on kewl songs I put a few together for the folks on the list. I did them in real audio format to make them smaller. http://www.n-link.com/~kyoung/bird/bird.htm toward the bottom..... Here I have placed some Real Audio files for the Bird Lovers. Bad To The Bone Trans Am 455 Rocket Tulsa Time Magic Carpet Ride Born to be wild Rock Me Baby Going up the Country Indian Lake With a little Help From My Friends Enjoy Kevin kyoung@sagelink.net http://www.n-link.com/~kyoung ICQ# 1841210 As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.-- Albert Einstein ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Larson" <nordic@nycap.rr.com> To: <Firebird-L@oakmediacreations.com> Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2001 8:55 PM Subject: Pontiac and BOP motor songs > First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List > = ......................................................................... > I found these 2 songs by luck. I'm trying to find a few to burn onto a = CD > and play them when I'm in the car... if anyone has other good ones let = me > know.
(back) Subject: Re: baking soda stripper... From: <PStonebrak@aol.com> Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2001 00:58:59 EDT Dan, I do not know. It is all about time. I know that the large deisel powered compressor worked pretty quick. Don't think a little air = compressor will have the same effect. Trial and error who knows maybe it will. pete
(back) Subject: Re: electrical question From: "Andy" <fbird68@ix.netcom.com> Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2001 01:02:02 -0700 Landis, I had this happen, and it turned out to be the parking brake plunger. On my '68, there is a plunger on the parking brake ratchet mechanism, close to the fuse box. When the parking brake is released, a metal tab depresses the plunger, opening the circuit and extinguishing the dash lamp. When the parking brake is applied, this tab is moved away, the plunger is released, and the line is grounded, turning on the lamp. I found that the tab had broken, so the circuit was always complete. I removed what was left of the tab, and made my own out of some metal stock. I have not seen this piece in any catalog. Another possibility is that at some point all pressure was lost in the hydraulic system, activating the switch below the master cylinder. I recall that this can be reset by a very firm press of the brake pedal. Andy > Subject: electrical question > From: "Landis Rogers" <rogers_landis@hotmail.com> > Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2001 13:07:50 -0400 > > The brake warning light on my dash is always illuminated. I've looked = at > everything that I can thinks of. All the brakes are new with new wheel > cylinders and a rebuilt master cylinder. The brakes work fine and the > emergency brake is hooked up and works well enough to stall out the 400 = when > I let the clutch out. I've checked all the brake light and insured no > leaks. I'm not sure where else to look. any hints would be = appreciated. > My passengers are always a little wary when I tell them to ignore the = light. > Landis > 67 400 coupe
(back) Subject: Re: Stripping Paint From: "Charlie Mellone" <cmellone@bellsouth.net> Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2001 08:05:02 -0400 I used the same method as Brady to strip the 7 layers of paint off my 400 = convertible. The Aircraft stripper is nasty stuff but is best at doing the = job. Mechanical methods took too long with that much paint. Just remember to = have adequate ventilation. Unfortunately taking the part outdoors works = against you because the stripper needs to sit for a while to work and the wind speeds = up evaporation and kills the process. I finally ended up stripping in my = partially closed garage, using a forced air respirator. Great tool that saves years = on your life. Canister masks are fairly good as well but have a very short = useful life for the $35 cost. They never remove all the contaminants from the air like = the forced air respirator can. Don't forget to stock up on a box of those = blue chemical resistant latex gloves. You'll know it when you get stripper on your skin. The one point I don't agree with Brady on is the stripping of old body = filler. Once you take striper to filler it is best to remove all the = filler. The stripper soaks into the old filler and will stop any new paint or filler from = adhering. It's really not possible to tell how much of the old filler = absorbed the stripper. I also found that aircraft quality stripper was very effective at removing = old filler if you let it sit a while. Beats the dust caused by sanding, = big time. My car had also looked great before I started. You'd be surprised how much = filler can be hiding under all that paint. Re-doing all that bodywork can = take a really long time but it's worth it. In my case the old bodywork was done using a = dent puller and their were holes in all the side panels and doors, many as = big as your pinkie. Leaving theses holes gives moisture a path behind your paint = (through the porous filler) and can easily rust. It's best to get a small = Mig and weld the holes shut. Charlie 68 400 Convertible > Marty, > > I have been taking an autobody class one weeknight a week just for fun. = On > my last project, the paint had microcracks all over, so it had to come = off. > The instructor recommended Aircraft Stripper as follows: > > 1) Work on one panel at a time. > 2) Tape off all body seams (3M masking tape and newspaper) so the = stripper > cannot go anywhere other than your panel, leaving at least a 1/4" border > covering all edges of the panel. > 3) Brush on the stripper, and let it set just a few minutes. > 4) Scrape off the loose layer (with a 2-3" flat scraper). > 5) Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you are down to bare metal/bondo. > 6) Wash panel with soapy water. > 7) Start on next panel. > > This took me a couple hours per panel, and the entire front end was = stripped > clean to metal/bondo in a weekend. A DA sander can be used, but the = paper > should be changed frequently. Worn sandpaper will create heat that can = warp > a large panel. In class, both methods were used, but for large areas = the > stripping method worked much faster (comparing other people's projects). > > I think bondo can be left on as long as the surface part that may have > soaked up stripper is sanded/ground away. I chose to remove all bondo, > repair the previous bodywork, and level it out myself. At any rate, = don't > waste time trying to strip the bondo, it should be ground/sanded off. > > By the way, the car was beautifully smooth when I bought it, but there = was > significant bondo lurking in areas I did not realize. I had to do a lot = of > bodywork to repair what appeared to be a straight front end. > > Brady Esch > 1968 Convertible 400