72 TA : New Project - Page 48

**mockingbird812** · #**471** 09-01-2007, 11:29 PM

Better not be T3's then!!!

Or those bad boys will be training wheels down around the ankles!

**njsteve** · #**472** 09-01-2007, 11:32 PM

Just for giggles I tried a little experiment on the Parts Place reproduction fat wheel I bought last year off of ebay. While it is dimensionally correct version of the early "fat wheel," the makers used a hard plastic-like, urethane with an incorrect heavy grain and fake mold seams on it.

I used the orbital sandle with 220 grit and sanded the edges more round where they meet the spokes and partially sanded down/smoothed the entire rim and especially the fake seam they had molded into the outer circumference of the wheel. I then sprayed it with several layers of the Plasti Dip spray. I think that is the trick for the repro wheel if you wanted to use one of these for your GTO or T/A. It really got rid of the plastic repro look and now looks like the original black foam.

I might install this wheel as my primary wheel and use the original one for shows (in the event I ever finish this confounded, eternal project)

southernfriedcj · #**473** 09-03-2007, 04:45 PM

Steve, your skill and imagination on this restoration continues to impress and amaze me!

**njsteve** · #**474** 09-03-2007, 05:14 PM

Southernfriedcj, how's your old NJ T/A doin? any photos? I could use the incentive/moral support.

**BARN FIND** · #**475** 09-05-2007, 05:16 AM

Steve I was reading "Fabulous Firebirds" last night and it says in there that all 70 Firebirds came with a 12 bolt rear end no matter what model. Is that true?

**njsteve** · #**476** 09-05-2007, 05:36 AM

Dont know about 1970. (71 and up had the 10 bolt) Here is the place for all Pontiac questions to be answered: www.performanceyears.com and then go to the 70 to 73 Firebird/Trans Am section. I know they will have the answer.

68 Vert · #**477** 09-06-2007, 01:05 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Steve I was reading "Fabulous Firebirds" last night and it says in there that all 70 Firebirds came with a 12 bolt rear end no matter what model. Is that true?

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe only the Trans Am and Formula's received the 12 bolt rears in '70. The 'regular' Firebird came with the 10 bolt.

Mike

**njsteve** · #**478** 09-07-2007, 02:42 AM

More helpful hints from the toolbox: I was deciding whether to replace the carpet in the car due to it's overabundance of fuzz and pilz sticking up, when an idea lightbulb went off over my head. We have had this dog trimmer sitting in the cabinet for about 15 years now and no more long haired dogs to use it on.

I just spread the carpet out and gave it a crew cut! The trimmer worked amazingly well. No snags or pulls, it just buzzed all the extraneous fuzz that accumulated from years of using those floormats with the little rubber nubs and from normal foot wear. After that I used what remained of the vinyl spray dye and misted both the front and rear sections to blacken the sunfaded spots. So now I guess I'll keep this carpet set.

The next episode will be "1001 Uses for a Flowbee."

**mockingbird812** · #**479** 09-07-2007, 03:29 AM

Ah yes, the crew cut is back. But wait a minute....didn't MacGyver have a mullet?! Not sure he would approve. Surprised "he" got so close to the shears with all of those posteriorly positioned locks of hair.

**njsteve** · #**480** 09-07-2007, 03:47 AM

I made sure I had all of my protective gear on at the time: gold chains and a lot of duct tape!

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