To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Above 1200 Sq/FT Blackbyrds Basement

Wokspaces above 1200 squarefeet.
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

bj383ss

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 29, 2011
Messages
3,166
Location
TX
So I busted *** and hit it every night from Friday last week to Monday night this week. Took 2 nights off and got back at it tonight.

The full length has had its final pass, I decided to do a little more up the firewall, and the areas under the leaf springs. Which meant removing the leaf springs...... got to the last bolt on the front mounts and broke the clip.... tried for 45 MI uses to wedge it with a prybar

Ultimately gave up and cut the head of the bolt off. So ran a little short tonight got the firewall the way I want it and got the passenger side mount pocket stripped. Tomorrow I'll get the other spots I want and get my weld through primer on the rails.

Then mount the rear axle back under it to get her mobile. Plan is to primer it mid morning sunday.Sunday.

When this is done...... there will be a celebration!!!
I remember this stage all too well on the C10. It is so awesome when it all becomes one color! Can't wait to see it done!

14507805418_cb8d52a71f_b.jpgDSCN8404 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

14691268631_7005986f86_b.jpgDSCN8418 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

14575028509_ce82dda542_b.jpgDSCN8466 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

14761334092_db2d6694d1_b.jpgDSCN8473 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

Bret
 
Last edited:
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
She is ready for priming tomorrow.

Got the last of it stripped today and the holes that were left welded up also. The rails where the 4 link go in are weld thru primered although someone played a mean joke on me. They put a black cap on the gray primer and since I didn't read my rails are gray now.... damn it.

I'll get the axle back under it tonight so it's mobile and around 10 we are gonna spray it. Wish me luck!
 
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
The nightmares....... they've over.... for now.


So the dolly I made finally served it's purpose and man did it work like a champ. We effortlessly pulled the car from the back of the garage to the doorway. It was pouring the rain so we made the best of it and had 4 fans going pushing air.

We were able to slide the axle out effortlessly to spray it. This is a big hurdle that I'm so glad to have under my belt!
 

Attachments

  • 20240728_145430.jpg
    20240728_145430.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 84
  • 20240728_155401.jpg
    20240728_155401.jpg
    1 MB · Views: 59
  • 20240728_155339.jpg
    20240728_155339.jpg
    969 KB · Views: 51
  • 20240728_141743.jpg
    20240728_141743.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 50
  • 20240728_141736.jpg
    20240728_141736.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 70
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
Congrats on getting it done. That rain hit here just a lil while ago. Couldnt even hear the .usic in the shop it was raining so hard.
It was raining so hard, cooled off atleast. Thanks I'm glad this is crossed off the list
Looks awesome B!

Bret
Thank you! And thanks for following a long
Awesome! Glad you got that part done!
me too!!! The tetanus tent has been fumigated!!!!!
Looks sharp in the photos! What did you spray it with?
Thank you! It was spray with epoxy primer.
 
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
So I'd been saving a wedding gift from earlier thisnyear for a good occasion. Couldn't think of a better one than wrapping up the underside. Don't mind my ash tray and for those curious the glass was the last of a bottle of Bulleit.

In my excitement I forgot to share a few pics one of the empty spot and a few purchases that came in handy.

Empty spot I had cleaned as I went but before the next steps and while the cars still mobile I'm gonna mop and clean the shop really well.

Dolly in action, I know I talked about it but man it was such a good tool haha.

Don't laugh.... Instagram constantly throws car stuff ads into.my feed... I'm not sure if it was the same brand or not but these rolls over microfiber shop towels with perforated edges,?!?!?! We used these to wiped own the underside with acetone right before paint and I'm sold on keeping these over paper towels. Best part they were at autozone so I got to handle them before hand or I probably never would have used them.

So next steps I have a few paths forward obviously my main goal is to work on getting the rest of the car in primer. On that topic next thing I'd like to get ready to prime is everything behind the doors. So what's needed to get there, or get the suspension fully welded in underneath and get the axle setup. It maybe a nice change of pace to stay above the floor haha.

I'll clear me head as I get everything clean again. Thanks all for following along.
 

Attachments

  • 20240729_232326.jpg
    20240729_232326.jpg
    921.6 KB · Views: 65
  • 20240728_145430.jpg
    20240728_145430.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 60
  • 20240728_143007.jpg
    20240728_143007.jpg
    992.4 KB · Views: 54
  • 20240728_213625.jpg
    20240728_213625.jpg
    944.2 KB · Views: 54
  • 20240728_143247.jpg
    20240728_143247.jpg
    974.6 KB · Views: 55
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
1st bath, and I changed the headlights. Only took a week to start modding it...... man I have problems.

Needs a good buff and wax, but I'm a bit hesitant due to the paint job. I see flaking around the door windows, so I have a fear of putting a buffer to it. Ultimately it needs a wax job 1 way or the other. Just may have to take it slow.

Headlights really brought it back to life though, need to repaint the bowtie... I wanna see if I can reuse the Tahoe ones I have...

Goal for this week is to get the studs on the bird so I can get those ccw wheels on finally!
 

Attachments

  • 20240804_155429.jpg
    20240804_155429.jpg
    2 MB · Views: 64
  • 20240804_155438.jpg
    20240804_155438.jpg
    1.9 MB · Views: 71
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
Took a good break from the 2nd gen. Did a little side project on the burd which unfortunately is at a stand still. Trying to sell my old rims to justify buying tires..... couldn't swap em over.

After kicking myself for stranding the bird on jackstands.

So I got back at the 2nd gen starting with the small patches on the driver side quarters....... and more rust. Luckily its easy to tale care of the front side and I got a good look at the inside and seen no other issues. The rear is a different story, the trunk drop down panel has some clear issues. Once I cut the bad section out from the quarter, the backside if it shows a lot surface rust. To do this proper I'm need to cut out or replace the drop down panel. Nit sure a complete replacement is doable with the quarter installed. So for now patches are roughly shaped, I've got the passenger ger side drop down so I'll learn more as I replace that quarter skin.
 

Attachments

  • 20240814_152816.jpg
    20240814_152816.jpg
    722.2 KB · Views: 46
  • 20240814_152825.jpg
    20240814_152825.jpg
    773.3 KB · Views: 29
  • 20240815_195835.jpg
    20240815_195835.jpg
    841.2 KB · Views: 30
  • 20240815_203707.jpg
    20240815_203707.jpg
    729 KB · Views: 60
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
I really just wanted the center console, but the doors and bezels came with. My door panels aren't awful but I got all of it for 200 bucks and he threw in the vents for the passenger dash to replace my busted ones and the rear door speaker grill I was missing.

So I got 9 interior panels in total.

So today I hope to get them cleaned and pick up some leds for the door courtesy lights and try and swap it all over.
 
Last edited:
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
This was not a bad job, but I cleaned parts as I went and it took a few hours.

End result feels like a different truck, but to get there a majority of the dash had to come off first. I had forgotten how simple it is to work on these though so overall it wasn't a stressful task. Only thing I didn't like was the glove box felt sticky? Like it came out of a smokers vehicle. My interior cleaner didn't get rid of it.

I didn't wire in the rear controls or bose sub (probably not worth it) I'll probably get the duct to make the rear vents work at some point though.

Still have the door panels to go, but I want a few things before I go there.

Much happy.
 

Attachments

  • 20240825_150333.jpg
    20240825_150333.jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 53
  • 20240825_134027.jpg
    20240825_134027.jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 48
  • 20240825_132908.jpg
    20240825_132908.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 46
  • 20240825_131906.jpg
    20240825_131906.jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 48
  • 20240825_131849.jpg
    20240825_131849.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 62
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
Well I was working on the driver side got the front side patched going great ...... until I convince myself I need to look inside the trunk drop down... make sure the rust isn't worse...... as you can see pitting was pretty serious.

So this side is done until parts come in, ordered a new drop down and a lower quarter patch.
 

Attachments

  • 20240830_150124.jpg
    20240830_150124.jpg
    887.5 KB · Views: 38
  • 20240831_104324.jpg
    20240831_104324.jpg
    994.5 KB · Views: 40
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
So I swapped to the passenger side. quarter skin cut out, and drop down panel removed...... deep down I suspected I wouldn't get lucky here. I expected the wheel house would give me issues and it did. Nearly every portion of the inner lip was rotted... all the way down to the rocker. So bonus, if I replace it all that's less work on the underside left to do, when I put my minitubs in all the old wheel sheet metal will be gone.

Still, found some more issues at the edge of the trunk panel. It's simple stuff I could make quite easily, but this is another spot in a similar area with visible problems... I'm getting an opinion from a buddy that's a body guy to see if I can just patch it as needed or do I need to take it further....

So enjoy the chaos, pretty crazy I knocked this out in a few hrs. But my goal of having everything in primer by the end of the year may have just become un realistic there's some significant hrs ahead of me to get just this side finished, and it's likely the other side is in a similar state. Marathon not a sprint.

Thanks for following along, not very exciting stuff.
 

Attachments

  • 20240902_151744.jpg
    20240902_151744.jpg
    1 MB · Views: 35
  • 20240902_214432.jpg
    20240902_214432.jpg
    986.4 KB · Views: 27
  • 20240902_120940.jpg
    20240902_120940.jpg
    1 MB · Views: 24
  • 20240902_095450.jpg
    20240902_095450.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 44

madison069

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 5, 2010
Messages
4,144
Location
Monroeville, PA
That’s how it is with these old machines. Some just requires more body work then others and a lot of time it requires cutting off some layers to get to the bad parts. But it will be worth fixing now instead of later!
 
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
Been a while thought I'd share some updates

The truck gave me my first major issue since purchase. I was hauling my rims to get tires mounted and on the way home (30 minutes one way) transmission cooler line popped and left me on the side of the highway. Luckily I was about a mile away from my parents, so dear old dad came to the rescue haha. Brought me some tools and and a change of clothes. Apparently a repair was made once before, and rather than do it right they cut all the cooler lines and replaced them with rubber hoses and worm clamps. 3 gallons kf ATF and a funnel andbshe was back on the road..... although I left a mess haha. Little gun shy after that so I parked it for a few days it was pretty anyway. Looking to replace the cooler and lines over winter break.

Firebird, the ccw wheels on, when with a set of nittos (same as the zl1) 295/40/18. Only ended up doing studs and spacers on the back, I'm pretty happy with how the fronts set. Need to take her for a ride and see how she feels with new rubbers, and hopefully no rubbing.

The 2nd gen...... oh the 2nd gen. I feel like I'm conducting a rectal exam through a hip..... I completely removed the wheel house got new steel delivered working on getting everything cleaned and installed. Came up with a plan to address the rest of the issues I found doing the underside and an issue with the tail panel. It's all dented in, so I'm gonna get a lower repair for it and replace the whole inner drop down. More welding work but less stripping and patching. So work in progress as always.

Fall inbound which means yard work and evenings on the deck!
 

Attachments

  • 363847a8-5261-4424-a135-cc7dc3a9eac1.jpg
    363847a8-5261-4424-a135-cc7dc3a9eac1.jpg
    730.8 KB · Views: 31
  • 20240914_165833.jpg
    20240914_165833.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 32
  • 20240914_165859.jpg
    20240914_165859.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 36
  • 20240914_143054.jpg
    20240914_143054.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 33
  • 20240908_123421.jpg
    20240908_123421.jpg
    875.4 KB · Views: 33
  • 20240908_153541.jpg
    20240908_153541.jpg
    881.9 KB · Views: 30
  • 20240909_155956.jpg
    20240909_155956.jpg
    1 MB · Views: 26
  • 20240907_145525.jpg
    20240907_145525.jpg
    983.9 KB · Views: 44
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
You know if you just move the rear subframe in a bit you could slap some mini tubs in there...
Guess I haven't mentioned it, I have Detroit speeds minitub kit. Don't have to move the frame, but do have to cut everything next to it out. Wanted to get the outside squared away before installing them. I'll gain another 2.5 inches of wheel size on each side.
 
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
I got mad and redid half the plumbing in the basement...... copper just kept corrosion and dripping even through the paint. So I knocked out all I could that was one size and replaced an outside spigot while I was at it.

Got my wheel house and drop down mocked in, followed up with welding the wheel house in. Finally putting things back in the car as opposed to taking them off!!

Continuing to strip the trunk...... this stuff *****... it doesn't want to come up it just smears. So it's burning through all my batteries and pads.

I'll keep at it
 

Attachments

  • 20240928_125607.jpg
    20240928_125607.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 52
  • 20240928_152253.jpg
    20240928_152253.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 31
  • 20240920_172339.jpg
    20240920_172339.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 34

madison069

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 5, 2010
Messages
4,144
Location
Monroeville, PA
A little late, but if that trunk coating is like a rubber coating, you can get it off easier with heat and a putty knife. Just heat it with a propane torch and then scrap it off when it dries to a crumb mess. Then wire wheeling the rest will be easier. At least that was my experience with my 79 camaro.

I say that windshield damage *****, but sure is better than the a-pillar like Marc said.
 
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
Let's be honest if it had hit the roof or a pillar insurance would probably total it at this point.

Working on insurance at the moment, but my guess is the windshield replacement is probably less than my deductible.

This same tree tried to put a stick through my roof 2 months ago so I'm working on getting it taken down also.

@madison069 thanks for the tip! I'd been considering it seeing how the stuff behaves it gets hot and smears. I was wondering if I'd have better luck with the propane torch for the last of it.
 
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
Man.... I actually think this area was more difficult than doing the underside. Between all the tight spaces and the coating not wanting to come off.

All thats left is the shock towers and a little bit of the top shelf where the cabin meets the trunk pan. I don't have to get too picky cause the factory tubs will be cut out and some of the meat near them to accommodate the minitubs. That maybe be my final sheet metal project though.

Got a patch panel made for a rough spot. Need to make one more where the drop down welds on, but it's easy and small. Wife and kiddo are home for fall break and we aren't going anywhere so maybe I'll get it welded up and primed this week.

Truck window got fixed still need to give it a bath and assess the damage...
 

Attachments

  • 20241006_223909.jpg
    20241006_223909.jpg
    822.2 KB · Views: 26
  • 20241006_223921.jpg
    20241006_223921.jpg
    838.2 KB · Views: 19
Last edited:
OP
B

Blackbyrd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
1,147
Location
TN
An actual garage update for once..... Friday last week my wife and I celebrated 16 years of marriage. While she got a lovely necklace she's "subtly" been showing me. I got a new pressure washer for my detailing kit, I'd had it on my list for a while but kept putting it off.

I got it hooked up but havnt used it yet, so I'm excited to see how much of an improvement the active 2.0 is over my Harborfreight cheapo.

I initially thought I'd be hanging it on the wall, but at the moment this is pretty clean. We will see? I've debated moving all the cleaning stuff to the adjacent wall so that would free up some space if I wanted to hang it, but it's pretty compact as is.20241014_174914.jpg
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom