Build Thread: The Roaring Season Firebird

[Steve Holmes]

Dale Mathers:

Last but not least, my old mate Dale Mathers. The main reason for my deciding to build this car, was because now I finally have somewhere suitable in New Zealand to race it. Dale, Tony Roberts and myself started the Historic Muscle Cars class back in 2010, with the focus being on building and racing period correct big-bore sedans.

Although it was the three of us who started this thing, its Dale who has taken on most of the workload, and really carried it on his back. We got a bit of grief in the first few years, because people thought it would never work, and most of that was aimed at Dale. But he dug his toes in and hung on, and today, combined with the small-bore Historic Saloon Cars class we’ve also taken on, and which is headed by Bruce Dyer, we’re getting really great support.

Actually having somewhere suitable to race a car is an incredible motivating factor. I used to be involved with Central Muscle Cars, but never really had the urge to race my own car in that group. They’re much faster, and much more competitive, with the cars themselves much more heavily modified and modernised for my liking.

Although my car will actually be a lot more period correct than many of the cars in HMC, and be a lot slower than most, the class provides me the perfect place to race. Not only will it look right in amongst the HMC/HSC cars, those taking part in HMC/HSC are genuine enthusiasts who race for fun, not all-out racers, and have respect the each others machinery. For example, everyone gets a trophy for finishing second, and they get their trophy when the weekend is only half finished! Added to that, its also just a really fun place to go racing, with a really great bunch of people.

[Steve Holmes]

The Car:

OK, so lets talk about the car we’ll be building, and how it’ll be built to fit both the HMC and FIA Appendix K regulations. The car I purchased is a 1967 Pontiac Firebird, with 1968 front sheet-metal. The fact it features this funky mix appeals to me, because the car I’m replicating started life as a 1967 Camaro, and was updated to become a 1968 Firebird.

The way the FIA regulations work is quite simple; the car must be exactly as raced in period. To confuse matters slightly, the Appendix K rules are broken into date classifications, which allows the use of parts from within those date classifications, even if not strictly correct for the year the vehicle first raced. I’ll explain this in more detail when I get to the engine chapter.

There are a couple of small areas where I’ll be able to pick and choose parts to suit, such as some of the engine internals, and rear end internals, but overall this car will need to accurately represent the cars that were actually raced in period. So I can’t just go fitting an aftermarket engine block, aftermarket heads, Willwood brakes, Tex Racing or Jerico gearbox etc as the HMC rules allow. I have to use the parts that were used in period.

What I’m building is a replica of what raced in the Trans-Am series in 1968. However, I can’t just collect a set of 1968 Trans-Am regulations and build a car to them. The way the FIA rules work is that I need to work off the vehicles Homologation Sheet, and not the period class regulations. So too, just because the rules in period allowed certain modifications, doesn’t mean I can apply them to my car. I can only do what was done on the Pontiac Firebirds that raced in period. For example, in 1971, the SCCA allowed for the first time dry-sump systems to be used. But I can’t just apply the logic that by 1971 there might have still been 1968 Firebirds racing in the Trans-Am series, and that they might have been converted to dry-sump, and therefore I can fit my car with a dry-sump. No way. I have to actually prove that in 1971, someone fit a 1968 Firebird with a dry-sump system. As I can’t prove this, I need to therefore fit my car with a set-sump.

The Trans-Am rules were strict. They required the basic silhouette of the car to remain standard, with only light flaring of the wheel arches allowed. The bodywork had to be factory standard, and retain the standard material. So too, only factory homologated front and rear spoilers were allowed. For the Firebird, that means the same spoilers as fitted to the Camaro.

For the most part, factory or manufacturer homologated parts had to be used throughout, including engine block, heads, intake manifold, gearbox, brakes, rear-end. There were freedoms in areas such as the wheels and tyres, although there was a strict 8 inch width rule in place. Shocks and springs were free, but all other suspension and chassis parts had to be factory or manufacturer homologated.

For the anoraks among us, the following is the FIA Homologation Sheet for 1968 Pontiac Firebird under Group 2 classification That The Roaring Season Firebird will be built to. It makes for fascinating reading:

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

End

[khyndart in CA]

Steve,
That is fantastic information for you to have. I have not seen such detailed paperwork from that period before.
I bet John McKechnie is envious and look what he managed to recreate.
I think you are out of my league as far as being of any help from here. (I just don't want you putting any "Flaming Chicken" on the hood / bonnet !..ok )
Sorry I can not be of better help.



(Ken Hyndman )

[John McKechnie]

John McKechnie heard what Neil Tollich had to do to make his Mustang aceptable.......end of story

[Kiwiboss]

John McKechnie heard what Neil Tollich had to do to make his Mustang aceptable.......end of story

and they think I'm tuff and picky, geez...................LOL

[Kiwiboss]

Dale Mathers:

Last but not least, my old mate Dale Mathers. The main reason for my deciding to build this car, was because now I finally have somewhere suitable in New Zealand to race it. Dale, Tony Roberts and myself started the Historic Muscle Cars class back in 2010, with the focus being on building and racing period correct big-bore sedans.

Although it was the three of us who started this thing, its Dale who has taken on most of the workload, and really carried it on his back. We got a bit of grief in the first few years, because people thought it would never work, and most of that was aimed at Dale. But he dug his toes in and hung on, and today, combined with the small-bore Historic Saloon Cars class we’ve also taken on, and which is headed by Bruce Dyer, we’re getting really great support.

Actually having somewhere suitable to race a car is an incredible motivating factor. I used to be involved with Central Muscle Cars, but never really had the urge to race my own car in that group. They’re much faster, and much more competitive, with the cars themselves much more heavily modified and modernised for my liking.

Although my car will actually be a lot more period correct than many of the cars in HMC, and be a lot slower than most, the class provides me the perfect place to race. Not only will it look right in amongst the HMC/HSC cars, those taking part in HMC/HSC are genuine enthusiasts who race for fun, not all-out racers, and have respect the each others machinery. For example, everyone gets a trophy for finishing second, and they get their trophy when the weekend is only half finished! Added to that, its also just a really fun place to go racing, with a really great bunch of people.

At least I know I have ONE mate........

[Jac Mac]

At least I know I have ONE mate........

Soooo, you gunna put a 3" crank and a 4" bore block in your Boss 302 so you can play fair with your mate...

[Steve Holmes]

I think he'd need to do a lot more than bring it back to 302ci to be going as slow as me Jac. He might need to be towing a caravan as well.

[Spgeti]

I think he'd need to do a lot more than bring it back to 302ci to be going as slow as me Jac. He might need to be towing a caravan as well.

The caravan will have to be pre 78......

[khyndart in CA]

Speaking of tow vehicles.
Steve on my way to work this morning I saw this 1979 Pontiac Firebird at the local car lot and I thought it would make a good tow vehicle for you. ( See, I am looking out for you.) You can appreciate how much better your car looks at the front end instead of these terrible looking "safety bumpers" !





( Ken Hyndman photos. Jan. 31. 2017 )

[John McKechnie]

Earlier convertible in the forest would be better tow car....order 2 of everything Transam
one lot for he race car, one for the road car, use experience gained.

[Kiwiboss]

I think he'd need to do a lot more than bring it back to 302ci to be going as slow as me Jac. He might need to be towing a caravan as well.

According to the latest Classic Car Magazine my engine is way bigger than I even thought........

[928]

According to the latest Classic Car Magazine my engine is way bigger than I even thought........

has your engine builder mixed up C.I and C.C. again?