We just picked up a '68 Firebird 400. It is original and complete with just 38,000 miles on it. It needs all new body panels - it was left outside for who knows how many years. Bigger concern is the floor, it's rusted out even back into the trunk and the springs are pushed up behind the back seat. Is there a bracket back there? Just starting to dig into this so not sure. Where are the best places to get the panels-we are in NW Pennsylvania? Also, the engine block has "WQ" stamped on it and if I am reading the info on this great website correctly that means it was one of only like 1400 of these made?

Welcome to the site and good luck with your resto! You will not nor can not find a better site for info regarding FGF. Please share pics and your resto plans with us and we can all help you if you'd like.

Prepare for a long journey, ups and downs but hang in there and in the end you will be pleased with your end result!

Welcome aboard! The floor panels for the most part can be obtained, some pics to view would be great. Not sure if you mean the front of the leaf springs, but yes there is a bracket that has 3 bolts in to j-nuts slipped on to the rear frame rail.

I believe WQ is the code for a manual (4 spd) HO 400 engine..if so good find. Others may elaborate...I'm at the office.

Post some pics (you will need a photo host site for that)..love to see em.

As for pics, I would highly recommend a site like the one I use. www.photobucket.com it is FREE and easy to use! If you'd like, click on my photobucket link below and you will see my site.

Welcome....best of luck with the work ahead...There are three main companies that supply parts for these cars. Year One, National Parts Depot, and Classic Industries. They all have some form of downloadable or online catalog. These are good for reading, you see alot of pictures of parts and can compare to what you have or dont have on your car. (Yes my wife reads Debbie Macomber novels, and I read catalogs!)

You can find parts from other suppliers, but these three really help when you are just trying to track down info on the different years and different parts.

IF...for some reason you find the car is to far gone to work on...I'll buy that engine!...I need a 68 WQ to make my car period correct.

Seriously though, good luck and have fun!

Thanks for the warm welcome.....I've put some pictures of it on photobucket; here is the link:

http://s671.photobucket.com/albums/vv75/MuzziV/

Now we are going to check out the companies BZs68bird recommended for parts.

Also www.amesperformance.com another excellent source!

Welcome to the site. I used the full floor pan,trunk pan and frame rails from Classic Industries they fit pretty well with very little tweaking. Here are some pics to let you see what you are in for

Man, I hate to say this - but that car appears to be beyond the casual, garage-type restorers abilities. It's going to need way more than just the body panels. The entire main stucture is probably questionable.

If it was a real rare Ram Air Bird, then... maybe.

If you tackle this yourself, you have much more courage than I do

Wow. A semi-unitized car with no unitized structure left intact.

It will be a big undertaking, but pretty much everything is available as reproduction parts if you have the shop and the equipment and the time and the money to do it right. You may also want to check with Dynacorn on full body shells.

If you are on a budget, do the math first. Once apart there is little or no value as a "car" anymore and eBay is full of orphaned projects.

No offense, but you may want to sit and think about this one for a bit.

It looks like that car is going to need some serious work and a pocket FULL of money (soon to be empty). It may not be worth it unless it is a rare car. There are many other candidates out there that will start you out a lot further along and save you a lot of money in the long run.

My $0.02

Thanks!

We ordered some catalogs and browsed on-line a bit. Another question, what type of oil and filter would this engine take? And how many quarts?

I was thinking last night that this car would be a great candidate for a Dynacorn body transplant - if they ever get around to modding the Camaro bodies they are producing for Firebirds.

Ill agree with most of the others here...wow... thats a lot of rust, and being from the rust belt, Ive seen plenty.

Its been my experience and many others will attest, that its always easier to start with a solid rust free, or fairly rust free uni body, frame rails, floor, trunk, etc...and then go from there.

One of my prior birds wasnt as bad as that one you have, and I passed on it knowing how much time, effort and money would be spent on just the structural integrity for safety reasons. Then to add in the other interior, electrical, brakes, fuel, lines, drivetrain, and never ending body work...wow.. you really have your hands full there.

But hey, if you're up for the challenge, then go for it! All the parts are obtainable if you have the funds, and judging by the looks of things, you'll need deep pockets. But you'll learn a lot in the process. And even if you decide not to venture on this one, you might have a decent donor car on your hands or a frame/goodmark candidate as mentioned.

Since you're already asking about the routine maintenace stuff, Id suggest you order the pontiac service manual for your year as it will come in very handy...

Good luck!...and have fun...thats the whole reason we work on cars...right?

i agree there is alot of hidden problems the roof and the ususal rust areas are also to be concerened. its rare an the low miles makes it more desireable; however, that cost might be clsoe to 20k when done if you dont include he man hours for yourself. a shop would break the bank. rebody the car is a good idea but the value would be hindered in my opinion. i did mine and have close to 12k with no paint snd some small parts still needed. good luck.

68 #matching 400 h.o 4 spd to go.

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