Broken Wing Project. The 'Bird

I think the whole "rat rot" trophy has really gotten to Steve! Just kidding. They are nice. Will look good on the bird!

To tell you the truth it did. I'm not much on big rim cars unless they are done right. Pro Touring or if it has some muscle to it it needs some rubber on the sidewalls. The rims will have some beefy tires. Not low profile stuff.

Here's a quote from the SLP owner's manual for my Camaro SS that haas 275/40/17s on all corners: "Trough wander is an inherent characteristic of wider wheels and tires. On worn road surfaces ruts develop due to heavy or extreme traffic. These "ruts" distribute an uneven load across the surface of the tire. In such cases, the load is usually concentrated toward the outer edges of the tread. Load concentration in this manner can lead to the sensation of vehicle wander. This condition is magnified due to the positive road feel of the Camaro SS and should not be cause for concern."

It doesn't take much surface variation for me to feel it pulling the Camaro around. The tires have a width of about 10" and have a fairly short sidewall. If I had a tire that had a tall sidewall on the front with the same width it would be hard to handle at times.

What I'm getting at is I'd be carefull putting a real wide tire with a tall sidewall on the car. When I first got the Camaro I thought there was something wrong with the front end because on the interstate where the trucks run and on ramps and stop lights the car felt like it was stuck in a rut pulling it all over the place. Can't imagine what it'd do to the Bird & I know you want the Bird to be a car that you take out on the highway and travel in.

Just my experience/$0.02. Hope it helps.

I get what you are talking about but if you look at a wheel well in a 2nd gen, it's huge. I had a set of 30" tall slicks on the back one time. I loved the looks. When the tires swelled it rubbed the front flare. So I went with 29 and they were fine. I like the old look of the big and littles on an older car. On anything newer than 82 I like the lower profile. Seems to fit the car more. The back tires are not huge that I want. I think the overall is 27.9 if I remember right. I also get bored on long trips in a car unless I have some road feel. I've run tall 50's back in the day and it was nothing to run well over 100 + mph with the then 241 airplane gears. I'm use to it.

that is why i liked the17s on mine the height was the same but a lil wider steve it wont look like a brother car lol

lol. I think the Monte looks good. I didn't care for the pictures but when I seen it in person I understood. It's just my caveman mentality. I need do get into the decade.

lol i feel you thats the way i feel .we are just old school hot rodders. who doesn't like change (with anything )

If you drove my '02 Camaro & didn't feel the road you'd have to have nerve damage. If you drove the Z06 & didn't feel the road and feel connected to it, you'd need to check yourself for a pulse.

I like old school.

Just kind of thinking out load because I know you've studied it thoroughly Steve. You're going to need some healthy rubber under the rear with the output you're going to have with the twin turbos, so maximum tire width on the rear & a fairly soft tread rating is going to be critical. What you don't want is to be traveling down the road at 70, trounce on it, & get a sidewall bounce and sway from all of the power the tires are trying to transfer to the pavement.

For comparison, the Camaro has a 3" sidewall & the Z06 has about a 2.75" sidewall. The Z06 does have old school sizing oem with 24" height on the front and 25.5" height on the rear.

I have some wheels/tires that were on the Z06 when I got it that are 17"-24.5" tall, 18"-25.5"tall. The backspacing is all wrong for the Bird but if you want to use them for a mock-up to get a firm idea where you want to go with tire height/width, let me know & I'll bring 'em down.

I have needed these grilles for over 10 years. They are now making them but with a price of $205.00 each it will be another 10 years before I get them. That over 400 bucks for two little plastic grilles.
http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/fbshopmain2.asp?cat=4

Is this the same parts for $149 delivered Rt & Lt?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Pontiac-Firebird-Trans-Am-Grille-Grills-grill-79-80-81-/360333406815?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item53e58b725f

oh this is mia just like the 58 both are at vickers house rotting away like the 34......

Z-YOU wrote:Is this the same parts for $149 delivered Rt & Lt?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Pontiac-Firebird-Trans-Am-Grille-Grills-grill-79-80-81-/360333406815?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item53e58b725f

Thanks Ken. Both of them cheaper than one from Year One. I looked around on Ebay a while back and didn't see any. Sad part is that I'd bet a buck it's the same company making them and Year One is boosting the price. These were discontinued for a long time and no one was making repops.

JRiggs wrote:oh this is mia just like the 58 both are at vickers house rotting away like the 34......

Nope. I don't drive that car in the winter. It's sitting next to the Rustang.

I had big plans for the Bird this year but looks like those are squashed. I was wanting to put twin turbos on her but with the drop in annual income there's no way. I thought your guys President was going to fix this problem?

He fixed it for the banks and Wall Street and his pal George Soros. You mean you expected more? I mean, the price of everything you consume is up, taxes are higher, unemployment/underemployment is staggering and health care costs more, and if you have a few dollars saved, you can't make any interest on it, but corporate profits are way up and they're devaluing the dollar by printing money as fast as they can.

Can't you just be happy with all of the PROGRESS?

RebStew wrote: Thanks Ken. Both of them cheaper than one from Year One. I looked around on Ebay a while back and didn't see any. Sad part is that I'd bet a buck it's the same company making them and Year One is boosting the price. These were discontinued for a long time and no one was making repops.

There are no bargains at Year One, that's for sure.

Z-YOU wrote:He fixed it for the banks and Wall Street and his pal George Soros. You mean you expected more? I mean, the price of everything you consume is up, taxes are higher, unemployment/underemployment is staggering and health care costs more, and if you have a few dollars saved, you can't make any interest on it, but corporate profits are way up and they're devaluing the dollar by printing money as fast as they can.

Can't you just be happy with all of the PROGRESS?

I was talking to someone about this today. If you are really poor or really rich you have it made. Middle class people are getting screwed. Too rich for the poor peoples benifits and to poor for the rich mans benifits.

well for u flamo's with firebirdo's they are haven a ballet named the firebird.
heres a link.....
http://www.cballet.org/

lol, dont get ur panteo's in a bunch im just kidden i drive by a billboard with an advertisement of this ballet and think of that old bird everytime.

I made it out to the barn today to get the Fire Chicken out. There was a grove cut into the drive from all the rain and the good part of the driveway was still a mud pit. The posi pushed through the muck and over the trench. The traction bars speared through the mud but it made it out. With more rain coming I figured I should at least try to get her out. I made it to the gas station and gassed up and headed to Newport. It felt good to be back behind the wheel. I have no idea why I like this junker so much. Only car I have ever kept. Late 86 or early 87 is when I got it. I'd have to look again to figure out the correct date. I have the body panels hanging on by a few bolts from where I had it blown apart doing some work on the body. Every bump I hit I thought the dog house was going to fall off it and me drive over it.

Big thanks to Corey and Tony!
Tony Stewart was doing some side work at the garage so I took my 8" rims I had slicks on to him to break the tires off the rims. He dropped them off tonight and hung out for a while. After Tony split I swapped in some new valves stems and a set of used 60's by hand that I had out at the property. I been wanting to hit some back roads and the skinny front runners with the 90/10 shocks won't hold the road. The 90/10 shocks are for sale cheap if anyone wants a set. After I got the tires aired up Corey was nice enough to yank off the 3 1/2 inch rallies and put on the wider rims. I will be changing the rims over to the big ones I bought last summer after it gets some body work done. I'm in no hurry though.

looks good you still selling me that, told taylor about it, he loved the idea he was gonna have mine painted so it would all be done and cruise, every time i started mine he would say damn love the smell of those old cars,,,,,,,,

I spent some time adjusting one of the fenders. What a pain. Still have the nose to replace and adjust the other fender gaps. Johnny was nice enough to go grab my other hood today. Thanks again Johnny. I bought some primer today too. When it warms up a little I'll be block sanding.

get it done your wife says u need to get off the porch ,

jbs10 wrote:get it done your wife says u need to get off the porch ,

I'm getting old. I need a rocking chair for the porch and just stay there. HAhAHah