Aryan's 1979 Firebird ~ The Fire Chicken

The more I drove it the better it ran. Still ran like crap but was at least moving. I was planning on new plugs, cap ect ect to tune it up to see if it would help but then I smelled rotten eggs. The Cat/ converter! Could it be that simple??? I put my hand on the right floor and it was HOT! I put it on the left floor board and it was cold. I thought it could have a clogged converter. I putted over to Butches and had Jimmy and Butch worked their magic. It was a pain but Butch had the converter on the ground in a short time.

It had no pipes on it now so no back preasure at all. Thanks again Butch!!!! Aryan and myself fired the Smoking Chicken up and took off to Newport with no pipes on her. The car ran ALOT better but it still wasn't right. All day it's ran better and better but I could tell something just wasn't right. I thought for sure a set of plugs would do it.

We parked the car for about an hour and then ask Amy if she wanted to go grab a oil filter for it. We jumped in it and took off. We cruised around a bit and it was trouble to just get the Bird to go up I-275 with traffic. I mashed the gas pedal down and away we went. Then it happened. The car lost power then it then it cought juice and kept going. It stalled again but jumped right back to life. I just kept my foot down trying to get enough power to make the exit ramp then BOOOMM! It back fired through the exhaust. Amy said she could feel it through the floor boards. It made a pow and then the motor clears hear throat and poured like a kitten. The motor sounded like it was on all 8 and you could tell the difference in just the sound. I pushed the gas pedal down a little and the speedo starts climbing. We drove on out to the county and back. The car still has a slight bump like it needs a tune up but whatever the problem was is now fixed. I have no idea what it was. Gunk in the carb sucked through? Rats nest in the exhaust manifolds? I got to thinking about it and what I think it may have been was several things. Bad gas, converter clogged and the heat riser on the manifold rusted shut. So I guess the Smoking Chicken is now back to breathing fire. Well at least as much as any 301 could shoot fire

Exciting stuff! Glad it's rolling.

I think thats just a 301 thing i member when i had the 301 in mine it acted the same way one day all of a sudden it just revived itself, remember the tranny with the shift kit that was in it it would grab sec with the 301 its under the porch in the back yard if he ever need one

I need a cheap spoiler

Kyle wrote:I need a cheap spoiler

I think I have you one son...

I have the spoiler ends for it

Kyle wrote:I need a cheap spoiler

I know someone selling this one real cheap...

there ya go kyle you have your spoiler ends you will find the middle piece soon,,

Looking to upgrade the Firebirds 1" sway bar with a Trans Am WS6 solid 1.25" sway bar. If anyone has one laying around let me know.

I took Sami's Bird to the other house and put Aryan's in the back garage. It needs some TLC so between the daily heat waves I will spend some time on it. I have the front end up in the air to do some work.



I have told a few people about how I change front springs. They look at me goofy but to me it's a lot easier going through the back than it is to bust loose the ball joint. It seems like it give you more room too. You don't have to fight to get the spring back in the pocket.

Yank off the shock and cut through the sway bar bushing. Sway bar bushings are cheap so change 'em. You can even upgrade to the poly for around 20 bucks. Chain the spring to the jack and the A arm just in case it goes flying. If you skip this step you may end up with a busted head or worse. Jack up the A arm to take the preasure off of it and take the two bolts out of the lower A arm and drop it down. The spring will fall on the floor.



Jack the A arm back in place and bolt it up. Nothing to it. Took about 10 minutes on this side.

I will tackle the other side tomorrow night if it isn't too hot.

The oil is NASTY! Maybe the worse I have ever seen. I drained it and it was getting late so I left the oil plug out for tonight to try to get as much of it out as I can. I even tilted the body of the car so it would drain better.

I traded a set of 77 spoiler end caps to my nephew, Duke for a set of 79 end caps. Jerry has a guy in Ohio that may have a rear spoiler but Heath down in Carter County has a center section he said I could have when I come to their cruise in on the 4th. If it's rough I may take Jerry up on his offer and head north. At least we have the right end caps. I tried to talk Aryan out of putting a rear spoiler on it but he has made up his mind.

Tonight was a slow night. I got the other spring in and the shocks back on. Randy Turner stopped down and jumped under the car with me to help get the bolts in the A arm. Thanks Randy! New filter and synthetic oil was tossed in. I found a pin hole in the gas line right where I needed to weld a piece of exhaust pipe. After that I called it a night. Hopefully I can get what I need from Advance in the morning and get the gas line, sway bar links and some exhaust on the car tomorrow night.

She got a new pair of shoes the other day. I'm wondering what they will look like on her. If it doesn't get too late tomorrow night I may put them on.

I got a set of 16" billet wheels and some nice tires for Aryan's 'Bird. I put two on the front and it turned my guts inside out. The car sits hi with the new front springs. I always liked the nose up look as long as it wasn't too hi. I like the ground clearance it has now too. Anyone that has ever drove one of these f bodies knows they will decapitate any rodent over 3 inches tall. Speed bumps and chug hole are a pain. Problem is with these new rims and tires it looks really bad. So bad I didn't bother putting the back ones on. I don't know what to do. Cut the front springs down or yank off the billet 16" yuppy wheels and put some tires on it that has some sidewall. The low profiles look like crap on it. The plan was to run these 16's and lower the car. I'm just worried that even sitting the car in the weeds that it still won't look right. These cars have LARGE wheel well openings.
Amy wants to go on the run down to the CCC Cruise In so that means I have to take this car and not mine. I'm out of time and need to figure something out. As it stands I have these 16's and nothing else. I will have to buy something today to put on it or run these funny looking things down and figure it all out when I get back from the CCC run.

Why don't you take the wheels/tires off of your 'Bird and put them on this for now..at least for the trip.

I thought about that but I guess I will leave the small ones on it for now. I have the other Bird out in the county and too much of a hassle to mess with it before we leave.

think you johnny for buffing my firebird

buted not on the porch...

Tossed some window tint on today. Anyone better than me at tinting that may want to try that crazy back window?

They are VERY dark. lol

New plugs, wires, cap and rotor were put on tonight. It made a noticable difference in the idle and running. I'm sure gas milage will be better now too.

RebStew wrote:

Kyle wrote: I like the color on 70 gto oringe

Aryan's favorite color is orange. He wants to paint it orange. I'm not much on Hugger Orange but I showed him a picture of a car that was 70 GTO Orbit Orange. He went nuts over it. It may end up that color. Not as bright as Hugger.

U AINT GOIN TO PAINT THT THING UNTILL U PAINT MINE !!