Had to be a contortionist to get the sheet metal riveted in behind the cross bar.
The Gray Ghost is coming along slowly.

something tells me you aren't driving to the sunday picnic are you?

So Far So Good !

Somethings missing... more gauges and switches.

"fix the cigarette lighter. "

Better glue that glove box shut or it will rattle.

What'cha goin to use that '10' on the tach for?

Ok, ok. So it needs a little more work. Jeez, tough crowd.

Driving to the picnic, but as fast as possible, I keep missing out on the chicken.
I'll add an oil temp and amp gauge. And Wash, rinse, spin, etc..
Glove box gets latched with a fuse panel on the back of it.
I'll try to install the shift light in the lighter hole.
10 on the tach is teats on a boar hog.

Suprised no one has mentioned my lack of shifter hole. You guys are slipping.

... figured you had just one speed... FAST!

FIRE IT UP!!!! Let's go.............

I was curious about the battery. I know NHRA has all kinds of rules about batteries mounted in the pass comp or trunk. Special box, vented outside, firewalls. I can't even remember it all.

Robert

You got it.

Box mounted to floor, and vented to outside of vehicle.
Think cables can be run inside, but better make sure.

No box or vent needed in trunk(i prefer) cause easier to charge or replace.

VERY IMPORTANT!
You will have to have a master cut off switch visible behind car for track officals to be able to get to in case of emergency.
See where mine is in pic's
Think it's on last page.

I don't know if I've ever seen a road race car like mine with the battery in the trunk. All similar cars I've seen lately at the track have it where I do. Helps balance out the driver wt. Not sure about the venting though, I'll check the rule book. They require and in some cars prefer marine non conductive cases. My wiring goes direct to the cut off which is on the PS main hoop on a plate.
Wiring is all inside the car. Similar to my buddies car. (pics)

Ahh, road race, didnt know that.
Saw the NHRA comment.
Now the cage style makes muchmore sense

LOL, I get that all the time. For some reason the first racing people think of is drag racing, second around here is dirt track, third is Late model asphalt.

Road Racing? In a 68 Firebird? I thought only Porches and BMW's did that. Welcome to world of Vintage auto racing.
I cannot wait to get on track. Should be a blast.

http://www.hsrrace.com/

Vintage road racing would be a blast!

Got a question if anyone here has done it. I need to cut the rear fender lip back for tire clearence. I have an air saw, I can cut it to about 1/4-1/8" and tack weld the seams back together but I've seen some that cut the lip in sections and bend them up and in.
Or are there any other ways?

road racing is my favorite...I have not done it in a Firebird...I did rallying in a VW (Porsche engine and sandbags up front) and my Mini Cooper in the early 60`s though

It's great to see vintage racing, and having a pit pass is even better. When I worked at Mid-Ohio in security, I had track access everywhere.

In two weeks, the vintage racing will be the venue at Mid-Ohio. http://www.midohio.com/

The guys at the track are talking some smack to me already. Saying I won't even be able to keep up with the 289 Mustangs with a Pontiac.
Sadly, for now they're probably right. I have a good suspension, and while the brakes are 11" slotted-vented rotors they are single piston calipers for now, can you say "brake fade" And a .060 over Pontiac 350 with iron heads is not a quick revving or heavy breathing engine. Luckily they run 6500 rev limiter chips to keep the high dollar high revving engines out of my class but my upgrade to a roller cam and better heads will have to wait.

Plan is to just get on track with what I have and upgrade from there, I'll be able to compete eventually, but not right away.
In all honesty, they may have talked smack, but they tell me they can't wait to have a Bird back out there. No one has run one in HSR in this area in years. Who knows maybe I'll get a little HPP press out of it.
Hmmm, Hey Geoff, I need a sponser

Thanks for the link.
Almost went there a couple years ago. Still want to.
Sure would like to do it in the FB. Hmmm...

Not the same, but years ago my buddies and i road raced each other late nights.
We had alot of fun till one night one of them decided to have us chase him on his motorcycle.
He wiped out try'n to make a fast turn in a 4 way...and another buddy barely missed run'n him over.
Then another wrecked one night. Not bad, but bad enough for us to find something else to do.
Like camping and fishing. I miss those days.

Yea you need to shave some weight with some aluminum engine parts. With go, ya need whoa. Hope more brake upgrades are slated for your racer.

Mid-Ohio is a great course. Lots of great corners with elevation changes. It makes for some spectacular racing, especially with motorcycles on the track.

Yes definately check the rule book. I'm sure vintage races would be a kick in the pants. Last time I went out with NASA I had more than one person come by and make the comment, Nice car. I can't believe you would want to do that to it. I just smile and say if it breaks I'm the one that gets to fix it.
I thought I remembered that if the battery's in the trunk you need a solid firewall in between the pass comp. Also(may be only drag racing but) they gave me some flack for not having a battery shut off accessable from the outside. Obviously I'm not cutting my tailpanel for it and the guy said he'd let me slide. If you end up on your side how are they going to work the shutoff? They are just starting to impliment the neck restaint rules too. It always something.
Thinking about the consequences of road racing on the street gives me the shivers. I'm either getting older...or smarter...or both.

Robert

I always thought that you wanted the battery over the passenger side rear wheel to help counter the torque of the engine/drivetrain. But that's on a drag car. Maybe it would counter the steering column weight on a road race car? I noticed when I had my 69 on the rotisserie the steering column threw off the balance slightly until it got removed.

Jim
It could also be that with a 22 gallon fuel cell there isn't that much room left in the trunk. I'd have a tough time getting one in and servicing it.
Here's mine and also the Penske Camaro trunk. You could possibly squeeze it between the cell and quarter, but being that road racing sometime involves multi car wrecks it exposes it to impact.
I have a lot of questions for the Tech inpsector once I get to the track. I've already called him many times and sent pictures of the build. These guys are there for you that's for sure, they want you at the track.
I plan on about a year of Track Days and HPDE before getting a competition license so I hope to have a good learning curve there.
If this weekend goes well I'll have the engine and tranny in. Then it's time to start hooking up systems. I was shooting for running in June, I set that date 6 months ago, I can't believe I'm actually fairly close but I have a feeling it'll be sometime in July.

It's good that you have helpful tech inspectors. All they have at the drag strip is your basic 'wink and a nod' types. I saw a Canadian first gen Firebird totally fly apart going down the track. I think one of the front fenders got as high as 100 feet off the ground! The ugly part was the radiator support dragging by the transmission lines for 100 feet and then all the trans fluid on the track.

Check out my pic link.
On last page you'll see i have a 20g cell with the same rear down bar as you.
The battery fits nicely over the rear rail. Probly wont with your bat box though.

Then look at the fuel filler door.
Open for track, closed "steath mode" for street

Looks good.
Trying to figure out where your down tubes hit though. You have them inside the frame rails? Or is the frame narrowed, or what?
Mine land right on top of the stock spring perches since I can't narrow anything.
Here's an older pic during fabrication.

Don't know how close you are to the track but round here there are local shops that tech for NASA for free. There is usually a list of them on their website. They get $50 at the track on race day if you haven't teched at one of them beforehand.

Robert

Speaking of racing, I'm taking a break from workin' on the convertible. Turned the TV on to Speed Channel to see what was on. Turns out Grand Am racing at Mid-Ohio is on, live. It had just rained up there as well as here. Lots of drivers finding the beach to bring out the caution flag. It's great to see Pontiac goin' up against Porsche, BMW and Lexus.

Alex Gurney (99) just won the race in a Pontiac!

Nothing like a little progress. Got a lot done this weekend.
Fuel Cells back in, car was back on the ground and got the engine-tranny installed.

I finally cut the shifter hole out. I was waiting until I knew exactly where to put it since I'm using a Hurst Comp Plus GTO shifter. It moves it about 1-2" closer to the seat, I'll be strapped in and can't reach very far so it seems to help.
I might have old timers but I seem to recall a racer telling me that trick 20+ years ago and I just happen to have a GTO shifter and mounting bracket.

Not sure anyone has posted this before but since I installed the 1/2" lower body bushings the stock cross member would not go in. I didn't think it would but saved modifying it until I knew what I had to do.
I cut about 1/2" off the DS hump and welded in a filler. Ran it through the blast cabinet, a little paint and it slid right in.

The down bars are above the stock frame rails, and end just before the tail lamps(basic 8 pt).
Shocks are moved inside on a cross bar welded between the rails for more tire clearence.

I just figured you were going for the slap-stick 3 on the tree.

Good job.
I use and like a 70-73 TA 4 spd Hurst shifter in my 67 better.

Gona have to mod my crossmember next time it's out also.
Cant get the trans shield bolts in on drivers side.
It and the trans are wedged against the tunnel.

You've been busy...hardly wait for the race vid's

It's taken months of patience to finally land a used Torker II for a decent price. I kept getting beat on e-pay, not sure why people would pay so much for a used intake that only cost $200 new.
I ran it through the blast cabinet and mocked it up last night.
For some reason I can't get the oil filter to work with my old headman headers. I used them on another engine, but using a straight or angled adapter the filter lacks about 1/4" of clearence to spin on. So I'm making a block adapter and going with a remote, which I'd planned on anyway but wanted to fire it up first.

Sorry, the 1st comment is my 67 4 spd.
2nd one is my 68 th400.

Didnt see a post on engine build.
Figure you'll be run'n average rpm's from 3500-6500?