1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby RedFiveKBS » Tue Mar 01, 2016 6:41 pm

It was beautiful over the weekend in NE Ohio so I went for a cruise. Moves good for a 40 year old all stock V6 at 70mph.

sunbird 2-28-16.jpg
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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby RedFiveKBS » Tue Mar 01, 2016 6:49 pm

I had a very retro thought today. This is pretty much the exact car I had in high school; both 1976's, both formal window cars, both V6 cars, etc. I had swapped in a 327 chevy in the HS car and I was planning an LS3 swap for this one. My thought was....I actually still have the 327 out of the HS car. It spun a bearing which resulted in me parking the HS car and later selling it. Maybe I'll do an inexpensive rebuild on the 327 and put it back in the car. :shock:
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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby rm617 » Tue Mar 01, 2016 9:17 pm

RedFiveKBS wrote:I had a very retro thought today. This is pretty much the exact car I had in high school; both 1976's, both formal window cars, both V6 cars, etc. I had swapped in a 327 chevy in the HS car and I was planning an LS3 swap for this one. My thought was....I actually still have the 327 out of the HS car. It spun a bearing which resulted in me parking the HS car and later selling it. Maybe I'll do an inexpensive rebuild on the 327 and put it back in the car. :shock:


Old School! :th:
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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby RedFiveKBS » Thu Mar 03, 2016 7:05 pm

Collecting parts to transition to manual steering. The HS car had manual steering because the cylinder heads I used didn't have any accessory mounting holes. Back then it was easier and cheaper to just swap it to manual. I have the gear, I will get the centerlink/drag link from AutoZone, and I am hunting the steering shaft/rod. Anyone have one laying about?
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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby RedFiveKBS » Sun Mar 13, 2016 9:25 am

So ready for Spring. It was mid sixties again this weekend so I had to go drive around.

Sunbird 3.jpg
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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby SOLSAKS » Mon Mar 14, 2016 12:16 am

pontiac has always had
more interesting body lines
this sunbird front end is a good example
pontiacs had better designed interiors too in my opinion.

NICE CAR - NICE PHOTO
love the amber lamps

I want to steal your tires :evil:

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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby RedFiveKBS » Mon Mar 14, 2016 8:09 am

SOLSAKS wrote:pontiac has always had
more interesting body lines
this sunbird front end is a good example
pontiacs had better designed interiors too in my opinion.

NICE CAR - NICE PHOTO
love the amber lamps

I want to steal your tires :evil:

dave in NC


Ha! Thanks, Dave!

I am biased as my first car was a 1980 Sunbird quickly followed by a 1976 Sunbird. Had both in High School. I am so grateful to have another.
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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby RedFiveKBS » Mon Mar 14, 2016 8:55 pm

Found a like new emblem on eBay. Makes it look so much better. Not bad for $7.50. :th:

new emblem.jpg
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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby RedFiveKBS » Thu Mar 17, 2016 3:51 pm

I am bummed out by this latest finding. I read a post about build sheets so I pulled off the backs of my seats. Nothing there. Then pulled off my kick panels. Nothing there but I could reach inside and pull out some dirt. Vacuumed them out and thought I'd look under the carpet on the driver's side.

Ugh....
floor1.jpg
floor2.jpg

I figured I would find surprises as I starting pulling stuff off but I didn't think the floor was that bad. :bang:

The only plus is that I am now committed to getting this project fully underway. No point in doing little things here and there if the whole car will be coming apart. I will drive it through June 11th at the H-Body meet in Quaker City. Then on Sunday, June 12th, 2016 the project will officially begin.

Pulling all major assemblies; engine/transmission, interior, rear axle, etc. Cut out and replace all bad spots. Pull doors and fenders. Really want to do a rotisserie and make the bottom side nice and clean with all new fuel and brake lines. Completely new rear end and now thinking that I might as well upgrade the 7.5 to at least an 8.5. I don't think I want a nine inch. I may consider a new ladder bar setup with rails. Obviously adding full length frame connectors.

I am at a point in my life where I make a good living. I have wanted to build this car since I lost my high school car about 20 years ago. Might as well build what I want.

Final build in my head is a very stock looking Sunbird on the outside and interior with a factory "looking" LS3 under the hood. Nothing that screams "look at me". Well, except for maybe the rumble of the exhaust.

Just don't tell my wife what I spend on it... :wink:
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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby Badsunbird » Thu Mar 17, 2016 4:16 pm

Yep! That's what my car kind of looked like to at first, but turned out to be alot worse!
79 Pontiac Sunbird
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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby NVEGAR8D » Thu Mar 17, 2016 7:46 pm

Hi , Unfortunately i know all too well what you're going to go through. My build thread shows a lot of the way the cars are assembled since i had to rebuild the same sections. Don't get discouraged.
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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby RedFiveKBS » Thu Mar 17, 2016 8:04 pm

Badsunbird wrote:Yep! That's what my car kind of looked like to at first, but turned out to be alot worse!


I read your entire thread one night. Very impressive project you have!
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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby RedFiveKBS » Thu Mar 17, 2016 8:06 pm

NVEGAR8D wrote:Hi , Unfortunately i know all too well what you're going to go through. My build thread shows a lot of the way the cars are assembled since i had to rebuild the same sections. Don't get discouraged.
nick75vega

What is funny to me is I am REALLY looking forward to tearing it down and rebuilding it from the ground up. I want the project to be done but I know I will have fun (and certain aggravation) during the process. I hope to finish it in 2 years. Ugh...

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time... That's gonna be a lot of bites.
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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby RedFiveKBS » Sun Mar 20, 2016 8:55 am

In doing my research on my car, I obtained a copy of the original invoice. It was originally shipped to Sedars Pontiac, Cadillac, GMC in Mason City, IA.

I happened to stumble on to an original dealer emblem from Sedars on eBay. I thought it was a cool piece of history for the car.

invoice2.jpg
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Re: 1976 Pontiac Sunbird TC

Postby zeke » Sun Mar 20, 2016 9:15 am

I like the original dealer emblem idea - very cool! (and lucky) :th:
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