Coppins Pontiac, come on Bruce!!

[Bruce302]

......Dam!!I thought I was having a Bob Jane Camaro 'Flash-Back' when I suddenly realised my workshop was never that clean!!!....the T/A looks tough,Bruce, Im probably one of a crazy few that would fully understand how much work you guys have done and still how much has to be done...on my 'wish list' would be to park the #7 Camaro alongside your Firebird when completed,two o'l American 'War Horses',now there is a plan, Dale!!!..............regards thunder427/Myles...and Bruce where did you get that picture of my wife on your wall !!!!!!!!!!

Myles, there is wall to wall race car and your eyes home in on the wall crumpet.

This pic shows the swiss cheesed door hinges, and the trimmed pinch weld around the outer firewall, another T/G trick, said to help evacuate air out of the engine bay. It would also make moving the firewall back a bit easier, not that I have measured it yet.

We didn't do as much panel changing as you did Myles, I wanted to retain as much as possible. Every part has a story to tell, and to be honest it was not molested at all, having been in dry garages for the last 35+ years.



Bruce.

[Bruce302]

Still more sanding and shaping getting it back to its old self again. Not always easy as these old cars were pretty much thrown together, very rough around the edges.
Todays shot even has a pic of Thunder's girlfriend on the wall.

[thunder427]

Still more sanding and shaping getting it back to its old self again. Not always easy as these old cars were pretty much thrown together, very rough around the edges.
Todays shot even has a pic of Thunder's girlfriend on the wall.

...Bruce, since that relationship has been over all these years, you I know, I just cant Bear to look at her !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Steve Holmes]

Bruce, I believe thats how she looked every time Myles explained why his DIY jobs around the house were taking so long.

[Bruce302]

That's her happy face.................

[Bruce302]

Ok, a little more sanding by Ray and Maurice and we're about ready to blow some pretty white paint in this old Firebird.


coming up will be the fresh paint version.

[Bruce302]

I chose GM / Holden clear over base white as used on the Commodores etc. It is a nice finish and easy to touch up in the event of any scrapes.
At last we have some colour on the panels. This is the front fenders and doors.

[Bruce302]

a few more colour shots. this really is where it starts to get exciting.

[Bruce302]

This great Jack Inwood shot (copywrite Bruce McLaren Trust) is from the International meeting January Pukekohe 1973. One of the many iterations, and looking pretty darned good, Rod was on his way to winning the NZ Saloon Car Championship . This is how the car will be again. Check out the crowd in the hill stands. I'm in there somewhere.

[thunder427]

a few more colour shots. this really is where it starts to get exciting.

...Bruce,congrates on that 'nose panel' I've never seen one look that good,nice line and profile detail,I'm guessing it maybe a 'Glass' unit,I've got a 70 Firebird stashed away thats had the 'Nose Nudge' which has enlargened its 'front to fender profile,may post it to you guys for 'surgery'...........your right when you said "now the Fun Begins"!!!!.............looking great!.....regards thunder427/Myles from Alaska!

[Bruce302]

...Bruce,congrates on that 'nose panel' I've never seen one look that good,nice line and profile detail,I'm guessing it maybe a 'Glass' unit,I've got a 70 Firebird stashed away thats had the 'Nose Nudge' which has enlargened its 'front to fender profile,may post it to you guys for 'surgery'...........your right when you said "now the Fun Begins"!!!!.............looking great!.....regards thunder427/Myles from Alaska!

As you may know Myles, the front grill and headlight surround on the 69 Firebird is an absolute nightmare at best. And it's HEAVY. I made a mold of the entire assembled front, grilles and headlight bezels, but blanks for the headlights. I will also have a stock front end, you never know, I may have to comply with some pesky race class regulations, which it doesn't now.

Here is the car loaded and about to leave Tony's the week before Christmas, in fact the last work day of the year. Coming back to my home (too small) garage.

[Bruce302]

Now it's painted, we need to get all the decal details correct. The sizes and colours have to be right if the is to have any credibility.
I was given some great help by Graeme Phillips who had so original items from his father's (Barry Phillips) racing days. This enabled me to make exact copies of the stickers and decals (it all depends where they originated)
For example, the SHELL logo has changed several times over the years, the red especially has been changed, along with the obvious changes to the shell shape. We needed the 1971 version.


The Dunlop decal is still available in the UK though pricey when only buying 4 and shipping them. But they are 'correct'


The Bank Wales for the rear fender was made from dimension taken from on that Graeme and Barry Phillips have on a display board.


The large number roundel and PDL lettering had to be calculated from a photo and some verniers then scaling.

Bruce.

[Bruce302]

Here is another very neat shot taken by Jack Inwood, (copy-write Bruce McLaren Trust) showing Tony Hill hand lettering the car at Bay Park. Right now I have used cut vinyl for this but we will be getting the lettering hand painted later for authenticity.
I believe Tony Hill is still working, though with less brush work these days. I would love to have him re do the same letters again. This shot also help us find the exact version of the Jones Motrola tach, (there are numerous styles available) the original was said to have been kept by a previous owner.

[GD66]

Nice one! Tony Hill was talented, quick and relaxed, and his orange-and-black Commercial Signs Thames pickup can be seen in the background of many pics in the Bay Park thread.

Camaro is looking sensational, congrats !

[Greg Stokes]

I have admired this car at the NZ Festivals of Motor Racing and its so neat to see the history come alive on here. Neat photos and thanks for taking the time to post it on here for all to enjoy....

[Bruce302]

GD, I must have a look for Tony Hill's Thames now you mention it.
Greg, I love the detail of the small parts

Here is one of the many details that I really enjoy when putting the car together. The window runners and regulators are all drilled, or swiss cheesed as we say. All but one. it was acid dipped. The drilling is a time consuming job, and seems effective, until it's put up against the acid dipped item.

Here is one of the drilled window runners.


and another of the front drilled items.


and this is a drilled and dipped item side by side, sorry not a good shot.


we weighed both, the drilled one is 454 grams, the acid dipped one is 330 grams. A very good saving if they were all dipped.

[Steve Holmes]

GD, I must have a look for Tony Hill's Thames now you mention it.
Greg, I love the detail of the small parts

Here is one of the many details that I really enjoy when putting the car together. The window runners and regulators are all drilled, or swiss cheesed as we say. All but one. it was acid dipped. The drilling is a time consuming job, and seems effective, until it's put up against the acid dipped item.

Here is one of the drilled window runners.


and another of the front drilled items.


and this is a drilled and dipped item side by side, sorry not a good shot.


we weighed both, the drilled one is 454 grams, the acid dipped one is 330 grams. A very good saving if they were all dipped.

Wow, I'm really shocked by the massive difference acid dipping makes. I knew it was good for weight saving, but not to that extent. Imagine how much must be saved by dipping an entire bodyshell!

This is an awesome thread Bruce, I'm really enjoying it.

[Bruce302]

Glad you like it Steve,
The whole bodes were acid dipped, but it was not strictly legal at the time. It often went under the guise of cleaning seam sealer and sound deadener off.
One of the neat things in rebuilding these old cars is referring to period magazine articles, and seeing the detail of the build.
This is part of a 1969 article showing some of the cars features.



You can see the reversed front spring eye on the rear leaf noted. In talking with a couple of the guys who were on the team at the time, who quite independently told me:

• I used to go to an old spring shop in downtown Los Angeles to get spring work done on TA cars. It had a dirt floor and pictures of the cars he’d worked on from the twenties. This guy had done Indy cars Ascot cars Midgets etc. for every west coast racer that was important. What an interesting shop – it’s the first time I’d seen Teflon used between spring leaves to reduce friction.

Anyway, i'm cleaning up the springs on the Firebird, and find them stamped HS.
The HS is for Hollywood Springs, or Hollywood Spring & Axle as it was also known.

http://hollywoodspringandaxle.com/history.htm

See also the NZ connection to with the Offy midget of John Stanley.

So the rear springs are the same ones that went through Hollywood Spring 40+ years ago. Not startling, but original parts are so neat.

Bruce.

[Oldfart]

I have an unused Shell/steering wheel sticker here if you want to copy?

[Bruce302]

Thanks oldfart, we actually had some new ones made. As is usually the case, they are impossible to find, until after the new ones arrive.
we had to get the correct one as I think there were 3 or so different styles. This being '72 onwards.
But thank you very much for the kind gesture. I would be very interested in buying it for my collection though, I can/will make copies for those restoring historic cars
Bruce.