1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby Monza Harry » Sun May 07, 2017 11:29 am

Kevin instead of bed liner maybe you could think about the "Lizard Skin" type of products, still offers protection but a 2 or 3 for 1 idea, protection, heat and sound. This tends to be lighter as a bonus. Harry
I'm not a hoarder I'm a preservationist 78 Monza Spyder (~Soon(ish +/- I guess) To Be 2+2 with Spoilers)
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby RedFiveKBS » Sun May 07, 2017 9:31 pm

Monza Harry wrote:Kevin instead of bed liner maybe you could think about the "Lizard Skin" type of products, still offers protection but a 2 or 3 for 1 idea, protection, heat and sound. This tends to be lighter as a bonus. Harry


I'll have to look into that, Harry! Thanks!

We always have to grab parts we'll need as they become available on these cars. It is getting harder and harder to find good, usable parts. Fortunately, Ken Mahoy was stripping down a car and had a good number of parts I will need when it is time to start reassembling the Formula. I think I will have MOST of my interior sorted now. I'll still need some stuff but the big items should be nailed down now; door panels, dash pads, vents, duct work, AC assy., B-pillar panels, jack assy., console, tilt column, door pulls, hatch trim, transmission crossmember, torque arm, kick panels, and some other bits.

haul.jpg

He also had a set of rear louvers. Since I just bought a brand new set of side louvers I couldn't pass up the rear one.

louver.jpg

Next on the to-do list is getting the car mounted to the rotisserie. I have decided I'll use the provided mounts but shorten them and weld on plates that will bolt to the car. Seems the easiest way to get it mounted. Hopefully that can be done next weekend.
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby RedFiveKBS » Mon May 15, 2017 9:46 pm

Back at it! After travelling ALL last week for work I finally got to work on the car this afternoon. I needed to pick up some steel to make the mounts but the steel place is only open M-F. Stopped in there this morning to get some 2x2 tube. First the lady said it would be $70 for 8 ft and I'd have to come back on Wednesday. I decided to look elsewhere but they're the only option. Went back after lunch and there was a different guy there. I told him what I wanted and he said, "well, we have a 10ft piece of 2x2x1/4". That is a lot heavier than I needed but it was half the price and I could take it with me. Sold.

My brother made some plates for me while I was out of town. They are 1/4" plate and he punched some 5/8" holes in them with his "Iron worker" machine. It is ancient and is great for punching holes and shearing steel plate.

ironworker.jpg
plate.jpg

I cut some of the new 2x2x1/4" tube to about 8-1/2 inches long, beveled the edges, cranked the MIG to its highest setting, and welded them together. I made a couple slow passes over each side to make sure I had good, solid weld penetration. The mounts are bolted with four 1/2" x 3" long bolts to the bumper mounting area on the rear of the body.

rear mount.jpg

After the first mount was installed I pulled the other bumper mount. The rail was full of dirt and debris. The shop vac got most of it and I blew the rest out with the compressor. I'm planning on spraying in some Eastwood internal frame coating in all of these rails that cannot be accessed without cutting them open.

rear bumper mount.jpg

Once both mounts were secured to the body shell the rotisserie was attached.

rear rotisserie mounted.jpg

I hope to have the front mounts finished tomorrow and the car fully installed on the rotisserie.
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby RedFiveKBS » Tue May 16, 2017 9:57 pm

Fount mounts are done! Wooooooo.... These will bolt into the sides of the "frame" where the front bumper mounts attach.

Now I need to clean the garage and reorganize it a bit. The car on the rotisserie will be a touch long for the garage.

front mounts.jpg
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby johnk » Wed May 17, 2017 12:10 am

:th:
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby RedFiveKBS » Thu May 18, 2017 7:20 am

Finally on the rotisserie! I still need to attach the beam that ties the two ends together and balance the car.

Mounted.jpg

Surprisingly, it fit in the garage where it was sitting. I have a whole 1-1/4 inches to spare! :lol:

Inches.jpg

I plan to reorganize a bit by the weekend and move the car so I have more room to actually work.
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby monzaaddict » Fri May 19, 2017 12:54 am

Were you able to get the car on the rotisserie by yourself or did you need help?
What did the overall length of the car and rotisserie end being?
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby RedFiveKBS » Fri May 19, 2017 9:33 am

monzaaddict wrote:Were you able to get the car on the rotisserie by yourself or did you need help?
What did the overall length of the car and rotisserie end being?


Yep. It wasn't as hard as I expected it would be. Bolted the rear on, bolted the front on, and raised it off of the jack stands.

Its about 18 ft long end to end.
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby Chris402 » Fri May 19, 2017 12:27 pm

Can you get an exact length on the car and rotiserrie. Like you I am going to be very tight and 1" may make the difference.
thanks Chris
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby RedFiveKBS » Fri May 19, 2017 9:32 pm

Chris402 wrote:Can you get an exact length on the car and rotiserrie. Like you I am going to be very tight and 1" may make the difference.
thanks Chris


Chris, Mine is just shy of 18 ft. It would depend on how you build your mounts and attach it to the rotisserie. My rear mounts are 8" long and bolt to the bumper mounting holes on the rear of the shell. The front mounts are 8 inches long from where the plate bends. They are about 10" long off of the front edge of the body. I probably could have shortened it a bit but I didn't want the rotisserie too close to the body.
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby RedFiveKBS » Fri May 19, 2017 9:35 pm

Working on balancing the car on the rotisserie this evening.

r1.jpg
r2.jpg

Finally got it pretty close but still needed to remove the front suspension.

Those lower a-arm bolts are a pain!

b1.jpg
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby monzaaddict » Mon May 22, 2017 6:53 am

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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby RedFiveKBS » Sun May 28, 2017 8:53 am

Productive weekend so far. Finished getting the other a-arm off and stripped out a whole mess of undercoating.

Also picked up a hood finally and found an intact rear tail panel! Virtually every Sunbird hatchback is missing the tail panel because they all disintegrated. This one is still pliable but needs a lot of work. Still hoping my one buddy makes me a fiberglass one.

hood.jpg
tail panel.jpg

The lower control arm bolts were toast. Two of them broke and the other two were beat to hell getting them out. If you search for new ones on Google you'll see they are available from Rare Parts, RP15889. You will also see them range from $105 and down for a set of two! Crazy! O'Reilly's was the MOST expensive at $105 a set, Jegs was $78 a set, and Advance Auto Parts was $40. I found mine on Amazon for $33 a set.

bolt.jpg

Surprisingly, most of the undercoating came off pretty easily.

rr.jpg
rf.jpg

Next up, blasting the entire car! Should have this done this week!
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby RedFiveKBS » Thu Jun 01, 2017 7:59 am

Blasting day has finally arrived! Wooooooooooooo!!!

blasting day.jpg

The Dustless Blasting guy arrived at 8am Wednesday and set up all of his equipment. He started blasting the doors, fenders, hood, hatch, and header panel by 9am. These took him about 3 hours to complete.

The parts all came out fantastic. Only down side is it certainly reveals all the spots that need work. I guess better to know now than later.

part.jpg

After all the parts were blasted, he started on the bottom of the shell.

before.jpg
during.jpg

after.jpg
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Sunbird Formula: Project Phoenix

Postby RedFiveKBS » Thu Jun 01, 2017 8:10 am

The top was a little worrisome as it was pretty pitted up. He was gentle on the top sheet metal and it cleaned up well.

top.jpg

Finished sides of the car. The driver side was pretty good with just the one quarter patch needed and a whole lot of cowl work. The passenger side wheel lip area was worse that I thought and will need a lot of patches. I'll look at the Donor Monza to see if the wheel lip is good for transplant.

side.jpg
side2.jpg

The driver side door is pretty good but the passenger door is going to need a lot of work. I'm really debating whether I can fix it or if I should take it to a shop to be fixed. I'd just have them leave it in primer after fixing the damaged part so I'd hope the cost would not be too prohibitive. Both fenders have holes riddled in the bottom where they attach below the cowl. No surprise there. The engineer that designed the cowl drains needs a beating.

door2.jpg
fender holes.jpg

It cost $1,000 to have all the parts and the shell blasted. It may seem like a lot but it would have taken me MONTHS to get remotely close to this level. It was worth every penny in my opinion. Next up is getting some epoxy primer on it so it doesn't flash rust and getting to work on patching away.
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