1967 Firebird "Bad Bird" Project

[fryer1979]

Ok, so I figured I would post this up here in the Alternate Tinkerings sections since it is the beginning of a new project for me. I have wanted a '67 F-body since I was a young kid, but never had one...even though I did have a pretty gnarly '68 RS Camaro shortly after high school. The story on this 'Bird is it was at a local recycling yard about to meet the crusher when the crusher broke down. When I found out about her, she was litterally sitting in front of the crusher, next in line to meet her doom once the machine was repaired. I got in touch with the owner of the yard (while I was at a car show of all things) and told him not to crush it, that I wanted it regardless of the condition. The show I was at was on a Saturday, and I was at the yard gate Monday morning when they opened. I was hoping to get a picture of her sitting in front of the crusher for the photo album, but they had already pulled her to safety for me.

I know she is rough, but her body is basically straight and that is what matters most to me. I have no insterest in letting her disappear into the crowd of stock restos, and pro touring resto-mods.....I am building a 50's and 60's style straight axle drag racer! And because I started with this old worn down hulk, no one can get in their feelings about me cutting up a pristene classic.....she doesn't eve have most of her floor! She will stand tall, she will have Poncho power, and she will shake the ground she rolls over! My buddy from my car club has a '67 Cougar that he wants to build the same way, so it is going to be a little friendly competition kind of thing...of course we will be working on each others cars as well. Our goal is to finish these cars the way a gearhead in the 60's may have done their race car. The goal is to have both cars on the road next spring, we'll see how this goes. Gonna be slow starting out due to the current show season and that our club is very active with the running and driving cars we have now. But we will be pounding out some real work once the shows start winding down. Man I'm so stoked!!!!!

When I first saw her, I couldn't stop shaking like a kid on Christmas morning:



Bringing her out of her tucked away safe corner to load on our trailer.





Off the trailer and sitting on a Dana 60 rear that we found in a friend's yard. The rear end is only held in place by a handful of rachet straps...