Suspension & Brake Upgrades for 1967-1969 Firebird Camaro First Gen F-Body Cars

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00]No, I'm here. So, >> we can't see you.

[00:00:04]>> John, you must be in black face. Turn the lights on, John. There you go.

[00:00:09]>> They're on.

[00:00:10]>> Did you have the lens cover shut?

[00:00:12]>> No, my eyes are closed. [laughter] >> You can't see me. My eyes are closed.

[00:00:18]>> We're live.

[00:00:22]>> Louis is MIA.

[00:00:24]>> Well, he was up a little late. He'll be fine.

[00:00:28]>> So, that's that. We'll have to deal with that.

[00:00:31]Um, let's see who we have. Uh, Bill O'Brien is on with us.

[00:00:34]>> Nice.

[00:00:35]>> JP G Nick is on with us. Paul is with us. Uh, who else we have? Kelly. Um, I'm gonna butcher this name, so I'll just say Kelly 7844.

[00:00:47]>> Perfect.

[00:00:48]>> Otherwise, I will butcher that name.

[00:00:51]>> Robisha.

[00:00:52]>> Robishan.

[00:00:53]>> Robishaw.

[00:00:54]>> Robishaw. Yeah.

[00:00:56]So, I did those 3D printed parts for you, Kelly. They're sitting right here.

[00:01:00]I'm going to send them to you this week.

[00:01:03]>> Oh, are they fiber parts?

[00:01:05]>> Yes. Oh, show.

[00:01:07]>> Show us.

[00:01:10][snorts] >> Let me dig them out of my box of parts.

[00:01:13]>> John, I like the shirt.

[00:01:15]>> Yeah, I do too. I'm kind of partial to it.

[00:01:18]>> Is there a place where people can buy those at?

[00:01:21]>> Yeah, the store.

[00:01:23]So, these are the little headrest >> headrest latch covers.

[00:01:31]>> Kelly sent me a couple that were pretty stove up and and heat cracked and UV attacked a whole bit. So, I printed up four of these.

[00:01:41]>> Yeah, pretty cool. They come out nice. I think he just needs to do a light scuff on them. Uh, hit them with a with a good primer and they're ready to go.

[00:01:51]I'll leave them right there so I remember to strip them out this week.

[00:01:56]>> That goes on the top where the headrest goes down into. Right.

[00:01:59]>> Yep.

[00:02:00]>> Yep. There's a little metal spring affair that sits underneath that, but then there's a plastic cover that goes over it that is impossible to replace.

[00:02:08]>> Sweet. Okay.

[00:02:10]>> Well, boys, what do we do this week?

[00:02:12]Should we uh start off with that? Any uh progress on our projects roof or anything? Go ahead, John. You made more progress than [laughter] any of us.

[00:02:23]>> Well, okay, fine. I'll go. I can say it's no longer topless.

[00:02:27]>> Oh, [laughter] that's I've ever done. Does it still has some issues? Yes. But I'm feeling a little better about it. Do I want to do another one? No. [laughter] >> I started working on the seats. I got I think my second driver's seat my dad picked up. It looked okay, but I took it apart and the springs were rusted out in it. But the frame is good. So, I'm going to take the springs out of an extra passenger seat I have and then make them work for this driver's seat and Frankenstein seat together.

[00:02:58]>> Wow. Okay.

[00:02:59]>> I got seats to do and carpet and then like my the Mickey Mouse list, you know, like charge the AC, uh, put the suspension bolts all torqued down because I got the weight of the car on it and just fix that transmission leak I've had, finish the wheels. So, I'm It's this little little stuff now. I get those seats up.

[00:03:16]>> Yeah. Cool.

[00:03:19]>> You get your hood figured out or your fenders? I mean, sorry, fenders.

[00:03:23]>> Fenders and hood. Um, so yeah, I had to uh I ran into a little issue there with the new hood seemed to curl down under at a different angle than the fenders that were matching it on the truck. So, I ended up uh I put out a little query on Facebook to a few of the different um Tri five Chevy truck groups. Yeah, they put the Chevy sign up too, like on the video. So, yeah, >> I got some good feedback. Um, ultimately what I got to do is alter both the fenders and the hood to make it fit right. That's that's the only way it's going to work. But >> nice.

[00:03:58]>> It is what it is, but it was it was strange because I took a contour gauge and I measured a hood that I have that was stock >> and the new one matched it exactly.

[00:04:10]So, I'm like, well, that's really weird because the fenders are kind of hard to screw up in that area. But >> and both the same was the strange part.

[00:04:17]>> Yeah. And but then I start getting um I start getting pictures of all these trucks that are built with the exact same problem and they just never [laughter] So remember these trucks were basic transportation, man. They were >> Well, they were meant for what is it?

[00:04:35]Work, not for show.

[00:04:37]>> Exactly. Those were farm rigs. That was that. So >> toss them together. Send them down the line.

[00:04:43]>> Yep. That's it. How about you, Brian?

[00:04:45]>> I did absolutely abs positively nothing this week with my >> You overachiever.

[00:04:51]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:04:53]>> You exceed expectations.

[00:04:55]>> Yeah, [laughter] >> it was.

[00:04:58]>> So, I have a I have a great AI story. I don't know if this is a good time for >> I love AI stories. Tell me.

[00:05:04]>> So, I we're we're using this AI called Claude now at work and it's it's impressive. Very impressive.

[00:05:12]>> All right. What I'm learning about AI is it'll give you all kinds of advice very confidently, very very confidently. So I, you know, I told you that my truck left me on the side of the highway a week ago today. Got it towed home. It started. I got it up to the garage.

[00:05:31]Never started again. And so I get online with CL Claude and I put in all the symptoms. Died while it was running it.

[00:05:40]Well, it stalled in the parking garage real quick, but it restarted. No problem. Driving home, 80 miles an hour, and it just cut out. Got it home, pulled it off the flatbed, started back up.

[00:05:52]Okay. So, then it it was up and down, up and down. Um, so Claude comes back and says, "Your crank sensor is bad. Crank sensor is bad." Like, okay. Well, that's a thing with these. So, I go out, get a crank sensor, put it in. Nothing.

[00:06:10]>> Yeah, but you didn't have It wouldn't turn over. So, >> yeah, but it would it was You're right.

[00:06:14]The crank sensor would I guess about it.

[00:06:17]It would turn over if it was a bad crank sensor. It just wouldn't >> go. Yeah.

[00:06:21]>> Right.

[00:06:22]>> So, this thing, you turn the key and it bumps.

[00:06:26]The crank turns just a little bit and then it cuts out.

[00:06:29]>> I start debugging it more and it says, "Oh, well, how old's your battery? Give, you know, check your battery, check your voltages." And I had a weak cell in the battery and and it was legitimately it's an old battery, right? It's like seven years old, eight years old. So I replace the battery to the tune of $300.

[00:06:48]>> Yeah.

[00:06:49]>> Starts right up like it was never a problem. I'm like, "Well, that's great."

[00:06:54]Drove the thing from the garage down here into the driveway. [ __ ] shuts off. Darn it. [laughter] Son of a [ __ ] So So I get back. So now I'm I'm committed to this quad thing, right? I'm I'm I'm gonna figure this out using AI.

[00:07:12]So I'm I'm fighting my way through it and I'm like I put in the other symptoms and it goes, "Well, now your cam sensor must be bad." And I'm like, "Wait a minute. If my cam sensor was bad, the motor would roll over, >> right?" And then it just wouldn't catch.

[00:07:27]So then it says, "Yeah, you're right."

[00:07:29]And then it So I I did a bunch of other tests and this is what I I found. And it's still sitting out here dead, by the way.

[00:07:37]>> But what happens is when I turn the key, it starts to roll over. And it looks like as soon as I do that, the ECU cuts out. It just goes down.

[00:07:49]>> Goes down to a point where it doesn't even throw a code because it's down.

[00:07:52]>> It shuts off, right?

[00:07:53]>> Just shuts off.

[00:07:55]>> Dropping 9 volts for some reason.

[00:07:58]>> Well, yeah. Here's the weird part, though. When I look at it with the um with the sensor, I mean with the scanner.

[00:08:06]>> Yeah.

[00:08:06]>> And I check battery voltage in the ECU, it shows 10 volts.

[00:08:12]So I'm like that I've got a bad ground.

[00:08:15]It has to be a bad ground, right? So I chased a bunch of grounds. I've I and I think I missed the one that's actually tied to the ECU. I think on this rig, that one's tied to the engine block. So I got to check that tomorrow if it ever stops running.

[00:08:30]But yeah, it was uh it was pain. But confident. Oh my god, was that thing confident? It's like it's definitely the battery. That's your problem. Go fix the battery.

[00:08:40]>> Did you look at the fine print in the bottom corner on the screen? Says powered by AutoZone because they're trying to sell you parts. [laughter] >> Yeah.

[00:08:49]>> Even if it's wrong, they got the parts at. But it it [clears throat] was funny though because I'm like it's a hell of a tool, but you got to really watch it because it's confident, but it doesn't always >> give me the whole story.

[00:09:04]>> And I'm If it was a bad crank sensor, it would turn over but not start. And [snorts] and it goes, you're right. You have two problems.

[00:09:13]>> No, no, no.

[00:09:15]>> Powered by AutoZone drinking on the job.

[00:09:19]>> And I especially like the part where it's like, well, your starter's bad. I'm like, why would a bad starter leave me on the, you know, cut out while I'm doing 80 miles an hour.

[00:09:26]>> It wouldn't have stalled.

[00:09:27]>> Oh, that won't that won't do it.

[00:09:29][laughter] >> Your ECM's dropping off. It sounds like either a power or a ground.

[00:09:34]>> Yeah, I got a >> relay with high resistance or ground.

[00:09:37]you're dropping off under circumstances and that it says I'm >> and I and I did swap the relay for the the east the um ignition relay with another one just because I thought >> I might have burned a contact but it it seems to be because when I got it running after the battery started it right up and the only thing I can think of then is the battery was so high because it was brand new it >> overcame the nine >> it overcame that intermittent ground.

[00:10:05]>> Yeah. Do you have a pin breakout of the ECM power and grounds?

[00:10:10]>> I do. I have the whole I have the whole schematic for the truck. I looked that up this week and I I literally just got back late last night, so I haven't had time to do much with it yet.

[00:10:18]>> You'll be able to figure it out, though.

[00:10:20]So, >> I think it I believe it is a bad ground, but it was I was just I was like so committed to make that AI find my problem. It was it was amazing.

[00:10:30][laughter] >> So far, they love it. selling parts left and right.

[00:10:36]>> Yeah. Yeah. O'Reilly's was making out.

[00:10:41]>> Okay. Powered by O'Reilly. Fine.

[00:10:42]>> Powered by O'Reilly.

[00:10:43]>> Exactly.

[00:10:45]>> It was a learning experience because I, you know, I use it all the time for work now. I really do. It's like make a spreadsheet to figure out a n particular number or frequency that no, just put it in the AI and it spits out the answer.

[00:10:58]But when it when it came down to really truly troubleshooting a problem, you got to watch it because it jumps to conclusions.

[00:11:07]>> Uhhuh.

[00:11:08]>> So use it for suggestions, not solution.

[00:11:11]>> Yes.

[00:11:11]>> Yeah. Yeah. But but always double check it by throwing in, you know, questions.

[00:11:18]>> That I can tell you. Now, if it's a computer thing, it's probably right 90% of the time. But it's not related.

[00:11:25]>> Yeah.

[00:11:26]>> It's pity pity.

[00:11:28]>> Yeah. Because all it all it really is is a fancy search engine.

[00:11:31]>> Yes.

[00:11:33]>> Someone's putting the data in. It's not smart. Someone's putting the data in, >> right? It goes out and looks at a bunch of different websites and says, "Oh, this guy did this. This guy did this.

[00:11:43]Those guys could be idiots."

[00:11:45]Oh, no. [laughter] >> I'm not a mechanic. I just play one on YouTube. So, >> whatever. So anyway, I thought you guys would appreciate that. It was uh >> So I'm $400 into this so far and I'm gonna find a bad connector on the ground wire being the cold cause. [laughter] >> Like that's what a 2023.

[00:12:06]>> No, 2019.

[00:12:08]>> Oh, 2019. Still bad ground.

[00:12:11]>> I can't remember what years they had water a problem with water intrusion in the cab and rotting out connectors, but I can't remember what years were affected. So about a year ago, I got in it one day, went to start it up. It started up fine. I started seeing these errors popping up on the digital dash, right?

[00:12:30]>> And then I went to turn it. Wouldn't turn. Would not >> power. Yeah.

[00:12:35]>> I'm like, well, through a belt. So I get under the hood and there's no belt.

[00:12:39]There's no power steering.

[00:12:40]>> Power steering. Yeah.

[00:12:41]>> I'm like, what the hell? So, what I had found on that was there was a ground wire, a braided wire that went from the frame from the body to the frame right behind the the passenger side front tire and it just rotted right the I just touched it. It disintegrated and I'm like, "Oh, that's nice."

[00:13:03]>> Yep. [laughter] >> But it was a dollar fix and I'm like, "I'll I'll take it."

[00:13:08]>> Lovely. So lovely. Yeah.

[00:13:12]>> So, anyway, that was my drama for the the last weekend. So, I didn't get much done on the find out my hood didn't fit.

[00:13:19]I really sucked last weekend. [laughter] >> Do over.

[00:13:23]>> Everything I touched turned to [ __ ] last weekend, that's for sure.

[00:13:26]>> Just throw your hands up, walk away.

[00:13:28]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:13:30]>> Fight another day.

[00:13:32]>> All right, let's do our first trivia question here.

[00:13:35]>> Can I use AI?

[00:13:37]>> No. [laughter] It'll confidently lead you astray.

[00:13:44]>> Here it goes. What was the internal GM code name for the Camaro during its development to make sure that Ford didn't catch wind and what they were doing?

[00:13:55]>> Uh, Pinto [laughter] >> I don't think that's right. Um, all right. You folks over in the comments, tell us what you think.

[00:14:10]>> I can't see him because I still have a glitch in my my program. So, I just >> Someone says patuna.

[00:14:17]Bow tie class says panther. Dead cougar garage says panther.

[00:14:22]>> The hell is patuna?

[00:14:24]>> Yeah, patuna. Is that how you Mike? Is that right? Patuna.

[00:14:28]>> Yeah, patuna. I don't even know what that means.

[00:14:32]>> Release. [laughter] >> Liberty Mutual. Liberty Libby.

[00:14:38]>> Yep.

[00:14:41]>> Those commercials are annoying, by the way.

[00:14:44]>> But we don't forget them.

[00:14:45]>> Exactly. Yeah, >> they work.

[00:14:48]>> But do do you have Liberty Mutual?

[00:14:50]Anyone?

[00:14:50]>> Nope.

[00:14:51]>> Nope.

[00:14:52]>> Nope.

[00:14:54]Flower. Patunia. Oh, Patunia. Like the flower. Okay. Very soft and subtle.

[00:14:59]>> Oh, it was just missing an I, that's all.

[00:15:02]>> Oh, okay. [laughter] It's just a instead of AI.

[00:15:06]>> AI.

[00:15:10]>> Uh, where was I? I think Yeah, your dad says, "Can you send the solution back to AI source?" You can. And here's the funny thing. I've been when I ask questions about the Firebird, I'll refer back to say John's channel or my channel, Louis channel or Mike's channel going, "Oh, in this video by this person, they say this is the correct answer."

[00:15:35]And what's happening now is that like chat GGP is recognizing us as experts.

[00:15:41][laughter] >> Well, of course, >> and using our videos as reference for future chats. That's why I'm wearing this shirt. So, >> exactly. That's why I'm wearing the big 400 shirt.

[00:15:53]>> All right. I'm an expert then. So, >> all right. So, who's the first one to get that?

[00:16:00]>> It was It was Panther.

[00:16:03]>> Panther.

[00:16:06]>> Is that like Cougar? Cougar. Panther.

[00:16:09]>> I don't know.

[00:16:12]>> Dan Cougar says, "When's the Lord'stown doc coming out?" [laughter] I think he's talking about documentary.

[00:16:20]>> Is there one being produced?

[00:16:22]>> I don't know.

[00:16:24]>> Um >> I mean, >> so the Camaro is flower power.

[00:16:29]>> All right, Dad. Pops.

[00:16:34]>> Oh boy.

[00:16:35]>> What are we gonna do, Dad? All right. I was thinking when you were putting that top on, I was watching all those videos and then I'm like, you know, I think about all the time I put into my top and I never have it up. [clears throat] [laughter] >> Well, that's the truth of it. So, I don't worry about it not being perfect because >> I don't care if it's cold out. I'll I'll turn the heat on high and just send it.

[00:16:59][laughter] Mike James resting up says, "Uh, Mike, you snickered when you learned I was beating the shiite out of my bumper on modifying the grill holes. I watched your grill grill fitting video today and sniffered, too." Haha. But hey, it works. [laughter] >> Yep, I've been there.

[00:17:25]Yeah, I got an aftermarket 57 grill for that truck and whoever put all the uh so welded all the features on it ought to have their legs sewed together because they're not even close.

[00:17:38]>> So far off it was crazy.

[00:17:40]>> On a Friday afternoon >> or Monday morning?

[00:17:44]>> Monday morning probably. Hung over.

[00:17:46]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:17:49]>> All right. So, what is tonight's big topic? I believe it's um wheel bearings.

[00:17:54]I don't know. Muffler bearings. No. Um windshield washer bearings. What are those?

[00:18:01]>> Yeah. Headlight fluid.

[00:18:03]>> Oh yeah. Yeah. Headlight fluid.

[00:18:06][laughter] Suspension and brake upgrades.

[00:18:09]>> That must.

[00:18:10]>> Now Louis was supposed to lead us in this crusade tonight.

[00:18:16]>> John, you have to pick up the sword and run with it.

[00:18:19]>> Yeah. But, uh, let's start with disc brakes. What disc brake kits have you had luck with, John? And, and what do you what are your feelings there?

[00:18:27]Because I know somebody in the market for front disc brakes.

[00:18:30]>> Yeah. Here's the first first piece of the puzzle I put in there. Are you running the factory 14inch wheels or bigger? If you're going to go 14inch, you need to find the one with the right brackets and hope your factory 14inch wheels are for disc brake. But if you're not running 14, they're all basically about the same. on the kits just a few bucks different.

[00:18:50]They're all using the same stuff as for a factory style replacement. Now 69 was truly only the only single piston factory disc brake caliper. You buy that kit for 6768 it bolts on and it's going to be a single piston but factory motor say four piston fixed caliper. Um but those aren't practical. They aren't cheap and uh why bother at that point.

[00:19:14]So, I think I would probably upgrade to the single piston because parts are less expensive and it's easy to go with. But kitwise, I've used the one I think from uh Right Stuff on two of my cars. Uh my both my 69 Birds, my high school car, my Trans Marado, I really liked them. Then I used that one. I think it was like CPP or CCP, I don't remember. Um and then one of the cars I pieced the kit together because I had spindles. I had most the parts. You can buy the pieces now individually at a pretty reasonable price. Um, Louis found the uh uh what the heck they are the some it was the 14inch brake caliper bracket on T-U for like 20 bucks for both of them. So I I know it's Teu, but he ordered some. He says they look great. They actually look like 14inch brake caliper brackets. So >> interesting.

[00:20:07]>> Yeah. So that's that's my two cents on that. But as for stopping power, I've drove four-wheel manual anti-lock drum on my car, and you can grab the steering wheel, both hands, both feet on that brake pedal, downshifting on automatic, and you'll still pass your driveway. Um, [laughter] as a youngster, I I passed the driveway many times. I live on a long straightaway. It was a 90 degree turn at the end of the road. Fortunately, it was my buddy's gravel driveway. That was my runoff when I didn't make the corner.

[00:20:34][laughter] Many times I did that. So, yes, you can tune uh drum brakes up and yes, you can get them to stop better, but for the effort, I just I think driving on today's streets, the cost involved, disc brakes.

[00:20:50]>> I'm a fanboy now.

[00:20:52]>> Yeah.

[00:20:54]>> So, I actually on my first my 56 Chevy, my first car, I had um drum brakes and the uh and they worked. They worked okay. I mean, I remember one night locking up all four tires just to avoid a train.

[00:21:12]>> Um, and and they worked even with the little death pot, you know, the little single pot of death there for the master caliper master cylinder. But >> the problem with those brakes were you drive it for a day and you'd work on it for a day. You'd drive it for a day and work on it for a day. Constantly having to adjust them to keep them right and not pulling one way or another. So, >> y >> um on my Firebird, I use the uh this kind of into the suspension conversation, too, but I use the Heights um front end, the whole the whole front clip, um is what I did, and I I built my own frame from there back, but the Heights system with the uh the Willwood spindles and calipers and >> uh that worked really well for me, But I use 17inch rims.

[00:22:07]Didn't really have a a clearance problem with that. So I doing the 17s trying to find a wheel and tire combo that had the right offsets and the right sizes and everything else. It's a total pain in the ass. But I use the uh the Willwood setup.

[00:22:30]>> Oh, Mike, we lost your audio.

[00:22:33]Oh, really?

[00:22:33]>> Yeah.

[00:22:34]>> No, >> you're back.

[00:22:36]>> They're back now.

[00:22:37]>> So, the only thing I was going to mention is with the heights front end, they had a very unique upper A-frame adjustment process. Um, the way the lock cuts worked on it was super clever. Uh, the guy that lined it up on the at the uh alignment shop was like, "This is the easiest alignment I've ever done."

[00:22:58]>> Oh, >> there's no shims. It was all just do like a dual dual threaded nut arrangement. It worked really really slick. Um, and that front end is tight.

[00:23:08]It feels really really good. So, I I can't complain about that at all.

[00:23:14]>> What's the cost, would you say, for one of these setups, these front disc brake setups?

[00:23:20]>> Like single piston or some real nice stuff like Willwood?

[00:23:24]>> Um, let's let's go single piston first.

[00:23:26]Ballpark.

[00:23:27]>> I'm shooting from you buy the kit. Let's say you're a drum brake feller and you buy the kit. So, it comes with spindles and pretty much everything you need 8 900 bucks. They've come down in price where you buy them from, but that's kind of a safe number.

[00:23:39]>> Okay, >> that's master cylinder, booster, uh proportioning valve, basic brake lines to get it plumbed back up, spindles, backing plate, rotors, calipers, brake hoses. So, that's pretty comprehensive to change over power disc brake.

[00:23:56]>> Okay. And then what if we went with a multi-piston setup?

[00:24:00]>> So like a Willwood Dino Pro um big brake front end hub kit. That's like 1,300 bucks.

[00:24:08]>> Okay.

[00:24:09]>> That's everything.

[00:24:09]>> And you have to have big wheels though.

[00:24:11]So >> you have to have big wheels.

[00:24:14]>> It says well it says 15inch minimum wheel diameter, >> right? Yeah.

[00:24:18]>> So bigger wheel the better for that.

[00:24:20]>> Yeah. But that's a six piston caliper.

[00:24:23]That's kind of the the higher end of that spectrum. Holy moly. Six piston.

[00:24:28]>> Yep.

[00:24:29]>> Okay. Sounds like single piston works just fine though, John.

[00:24:33]>> No, that's what I've been using with my cars for quite a while now. I guess as I've gotten older, I don't drive quite as fast as I used to. So, it seems [laughter] fine for me.

[00:24:42]>> But the days of 130, 140 mph, I you may do something more than that. But your typical 65 70 mph speed limit work pretty good. Yeah, there's nothing nothing wrong with the sing the single piston GM calipers. They're they're a nice design.

[00:24:59]>> Yeah, low low cost maintenance, everything. So, >> why not do the backs and disc as well?

[00:25:07]>> I do that two of my cars and I think it needs a different master cylinder. The brake pedal travel is atrocious.

[00:25:15]>> They use the same uh master cylinders, front disc, rear drum, but the calipers, I think, displace so much fluid. I mean, it sounds great, but the pedal always just feels a little mushy. So, >> yeah, you have to they they do have a uh disc disc or disc drum master cylinders, and they do make a difference.

[00:25:35]>> Yeah. Well, I bought the kit with a four-wheel disc brake.

[00:25:39]>> You think it came with the master cylinder, but I checked the board. It's the same as a single piston front, nothing rear.

[00:25:46]>> So, I need to just change the master cylinder. So, that's my only hesitation.

[00:25:50]So, I don't like the brake pedal travel.

[00:25:52]>> Yeah. Too mushy.

[00:25:54]>> Yep.

[00:25:55]>> Okay.

[00:25:57]So, basically have a stock single piston or you could go to a performance ultra performance six piston caliper from Woodward.

[00:26:05]>> Yeah.

[00:26:06]>> Yep.

[00:26:07]>> And there's other kits in between. You don't need to go quite to this extent. I mean, there's a I think there's like $800 setup as well that's um one piece rotors and and a more traditional type approach. But >> well, Louis gave me a list of stuff to go to AutoZone and buy. Basically, he was telling me you can buy everything at AutoZone.

[00:26:29]>> Yeah.

[00:26:31]>> I'm like, yeah, I don't know about that.

[00:26:32]That's, you know, I have to look into that.

[00:26:36]I mean, the one thing that's nice about but the about the only real benefit if you really think about it with multi- piston or dual piston or quad piston or six piston, the only thing really different is the fact that a single piston caliper has to float on those pins >> to have that motion where a multi- piston doesn't have motion. It does it all with the fluid.

[00:27:03]>> Gotcha. Yeah, it's it's but that's that's such a minor thing. Most people would never notice it.

[00:27:11]>> Not for just daily not weekend driving or whatever.

[00:27:14]>> Not for your grocery getting no >> taking it to Cars and Coffee.

[00:27:19]>> That's right.

[00:27:20]>> You went to some really cool cars and coffee, didn't you?

[00:27:22]>> Yeah. So, our guy on here, Paul Keyzer, who's on the show tonight, listening in, uh, he did a cars and coffee at his place with the he's the one with the, uh, the mystery machine.

[00:27:33]>> Scooby-Doo machine. All right. Mystery machine.

[00:27:35]>> It's a group of guys in the area called the call themselves the regulars and they get together Monday morning at somebody's garage or another. And, uh, it was it was actually a lot of fun.

[00:27:46]Some cool cars. It was a 56 Cadillac there. That was just really cool to check out. Um, lot of iron in that baby.

[00:27:55]Lot of iron.

[00:27:56]>> Now, see, I would rather do something like that at an individual's house than say, you know, five, six, 10 guys.

[00:28:04]>> Yeah.

[00:28:04]>> Some of these big cars and coffees that have like 75 and 80 cars and >> Yeah. And it's it's only and a couple hours in the morning for coffee and donut, right?

[00:28:14]>> Yeah.

[00:28:14]>> So, it wasn't like um you know, it wasn't like a an all day affair either. So, it was kind of nice that you do that, you go home, you can get back to work.

[00:28:25]>> Yep. Continue on with your day and have a good weekend.

[00:28:29]>> Yeah, exactly.

[00:28:30]>> And James says, "Brian, if you want single piston upgrade, then change brake pads to a semi- metallic pad. Just note it will wear rotors faster."

[00:28:41]Okay. Yeah.

[00:28:43]>> Noted.

[00:28:45]Oh, it's time for another trivia question.

[00:28:47]>> All right.

[00:28:50]What physical hidden restriction did Pontiac engineers add to the 67 and 68 Firebird 400s to intentionally keep the engines from reaching its true horsepower rating from the factory?

[00:29:04]>> Yeah. So, it had to be less than a GTO because it hurt their fings, >> right? [laughter] Feings.

[00:29:09]>> Y butt hurt. Yeah. Fiber cannot lighter weight. So, it outperform us. So, we can't do this. We did this to make it less goodter.

[00:29:19]But it's an easy.

[00:29:21]>> Didn't we have this question once before?

[00:29:24]>> Did we?

[00:29:24]>> We didn't do the question, but I shared what the answer was once.

[00:29:27]>> Ah, let's see who paid attention. That's what we're going to do.

[00:29:33]>> This is a test.

[00:29:34]>> Waffle Stop. Nailed it. So did uh JP dead's carburetor jetting Jetson carb. Mike Jacobs and that was only for those two years.

[00:29:56]What? So what happened in 69, John? Did they just remove that device or the whole >> It was still in 69. They still did it. I thought I guess I don't know. I just thought it was all of them.

[00:30:10]Well, they just said the hell >> my Firebird Bible, so I can't tell you anymore. So, >> Oh, well, shoot.

[00:30:19]>> Yeah. Cool book with all kinds of stuff in it, and I' I've misplaced it somewhere.

[00:30:25]>> It's gone missing, though.

[00:30:29]>> The Firebird Fairies came and got it.

[00:30:31]>> I think Louis came and stole it.

[00:30:33]>> Aha.

[00:30:35]>> It's an LNL Pontiac now. [laughter] >> Yeah. So the correct answer for this trivia is indeed the uh a throttle um linkage restriction plate on it.

[00:30:46]>> Yeah, the secondaries were prop or set where they wouldn't open all the way.

[00:30:50]Only about 80%.

[00:30:52]>> Wow.

[00:30:53]>> It was easy thing. You bent a little tab and you're ready to rock.

[00:30:56]>> How did How long did it take the public to figure that out?

[00:30:59]>> Not very [laughter] long.

[00:31:02]They were on it.

[00:31:04]Right on. All right. Before we get into suspension upgrades, we've covered Brinks. Um, we do have a sponsor this week.

[00:31:12]>> Oh, Autozone.

[00:31:14]>> No, not AutoZone.

[00:31:15][laughter] >> Hey, Lou has joined us. Louie, >> what's up, buddy?

[00:31:22]>> Never. Better late than never.

[00:31:24]>> Better late than never.

[00:31:25]>> You know, from my view, you look like you're naked.

[00:31:29][laughter] >> He's naked.

[00:31:32]>> Nah, his back's way heavier than that.

[00:31:34]>> [laughter] >> Oh my goodness.

[00:31:41]>> Let's see. Why can't I get this to add the stage?

[00:31:45]>> That's funny.

[00:31:47]>> I can't see John.

[00:31:48]>> You can't You can't see John.

[00:31:50]>> He looks dark. The screen is black.

[00:31:53]>> I think he froze up.

[00:31:55]>> Wait, I can see him.

[00:31:57]>> You can't see me.

[00:32:00]news.

[00:32:01][laughter] >> So, this week's sponsor, >> Bagel Johnny, >> is Traon.

[00:32:09]>> Oh, nice.

[00:32:09]>> Oh, nice.

[00:32:10]>> And um I had a chance to use this at my dad's house about a month ago, working on his uh Ram 2500.

[00:32:18]And this thing, game changer >> as far as I'm concerned, >> especially on his big truck jacked up 4x4.

[00:32:27]I mean, I was impressed.

[00:32:32]>> So, I have one of these and I use it to work on my pickups because it's insane trying to get in there nowadays. These things are so tall.

[00:32:41]>> And half under the windshield, so you got to reach far back, >> right? I had to replace all the coil packs on my plow truck a couple years back and I used one of these and I'm like, "Wow, amazing."

[00:32:54]definitely worth having, especially if you have taller vehicles. It It's crazy.

[00:33:00]>> And they're on sale right now for uh people that watch our uh live every week, so you'll save 100 bucks or thereabouts.

[00:33:07]>> And free shipping.

[00:33:10]>> Wow.

[00:33:11]>> I'm telling you, I want to be using it a lot more on the videos coming out in the next few weeks or months. This thing is awesome. And uh yeah, just uh Tai's big sponsor, so make sure you cruise over there to their website and check them out.

[00:33:26]>> Cool.

[00:33:27]>> Now, Louie, >> since you're joining us late, we just got done talking about uh disc brake conversions.

[00:33:33]>> Yeah.

[00:33:34]>> Yeah. Circle back to that.

[00:33:36]>> Yeah. Would you like to add anything to that, sir?

[00:33:39]>> Um yes, absolutely.

[00:33:42]It is really important for the guys out there that are doing the first gen um Fbody stuff to watch the videos because I have bought some that in the description does say will fit a 14inch wheel and it didn't.

[00:33:58]>> Nope.

[00:33:58]>> So, um I recently put one on the neighbor that I have to do nothing and you know it fit beautiful. I tried it with a 14-inch wheel and it worked.

[00:34:12]So, when I share the parts on my video, that's why I have videos that I just do that. I just share parts and parts numbers and where did I get it, blah blah blah, even price. And um it's important because I'm going to I'm going to tell you the truth. If it worked or it didn't work or if I had to modify it a little to make it work, >> then it worked.

[00:34:34]>> But it worked. This one worked.

[00:34:37]That's why I'm saving those 15inch rims just in case.

[00:34:40]>> Yep. And it's 199 bucks free shipping on eBay.

[00:34:45]>> And And what is this?

[00:34:47]>> It's on It's on eBay. I I don't know.

[00:34:49]You got to look at the video. I know I put the video I think you put the link on for me.

[00:34:54]>> I think that video >> that's like caliper brackets, calipers, and rotors, but it wasn't the spindles or master cylinder brake booster. Right.

[00:35:03]>> This This was the right original height.

[00:35:06]Um, spindles.

[00:35:07]>> It came with spindles. Okay.

[00:35:09]>> Yeah. Um, I think the bracket for the caliper, the backing plate, stuff like that, the the brake booster and things. No, that was separate.

[00:35:21]>> Yeah.

[00:35:23]>> And the rotors, we got them on AutoZone.

[00:35:28][snorts] >> Question tonight from Travis. He says, "1969 Camaro for weekend cruising.

[00:35:35]What's a good caster and chamber C camber setting for standard 15inch wheels?

[00:35:40]>> Radial tires, of course.

[00:35:43]>> What's that, John?

[00:35:44]>> Radial tires, I assume.

[00:35:46]>> Let's assume.

[00:35:48]>> Pretty safe bet. I was going with bias ply.

[00:35:51]>> Then he said, >> I think you have to do a different alignment spec than the original because the original set for bias ply.

[00:35:58]>> Now he's asking the numbers. I don't remember. Um, but there are some websites that actually list it out for a radial you're going to radial tune your suspension. Um, and you need a laminate shop that will do that. It's no different. It's just different specs, but I can't recall. How about you, Mike?

[00:36:15]Any any clue on the numbers?

[00:36:17]>> Um, I know this the the one I had was uh the height setup was very different. It had a lot of caster in it. Enough so that my my dad was freaking out.

[00:36:27]>> Like three degrees kind of crap.

[00:36:29]>> Yeah. No. Five.

[00:36:31]>> Five. Oh, good lord. Yeah.

[00:36:33]>> And uh but that was not the standard number.

[00:36:39]>> Let's see what Claude says.

[00:36:41]>> Oh, dang. [laughter] >> Factory specs for biasly. Caster. Now if you believe this guy was 0 to one.

[00:36:52]>> Uhhuh.

[00:36:53]>> Inch desired. Camber was >> quarter minus a/4 to three to plus 3/4 desired a half. For radials as much. It says as much positive caster as possible up to five for power steering cars.

[00:37:10]>> Yeah.

[00:37:12]>> And an additional [laughter] >> camber. It wanted minus.25. 25 for radials.

[00:37:20]>> Can we just call it Glenn instead?

[00:37:22]>> Yeah.

[00:37:24]>> According to Glenn, [laughter] >> powered by >> just ask Glenn.

[00:37:31]>> Yeah, Glenn knows everything.

[00:37:33]>> So, yeah, with radios, you can get away with a lot more caster.

[00:37:37]>> Yep.

[00:37:37]>> And remember, caster is what causes the wheel to straighten out when you let go.

[00:37:42]>> Yeah. A stability angle. It's not for tire wear whatsoever. Stability.

[00:37:45]>> That's right. It's it's really the the ability of that wheel to turn back on its own so you're not turning it to straighten.

[00:37:53]>> Yeah.

[00:37:55]>> Well, then that probably should lead us into suspension upgrades.

[00:38:03]>> Sure. Lou opinions. Anyone?

[00:38:07][laughter] >> Come on, Lou.

[00:38:11]Yeah, believe it or not, um there was a spring for convertibles that's supposed to be like uh more rigid and I have put it on coups. And the reason I have is because it give you like a little bit more height, a little bit. And then if you're going to put headers and stuff like that, it clears it, you know, like hooker headers. I got hooker headers in the 67 and those suckers they long. I mean, if you're going to ask my advice about headers, I would not put hooker headers on a first gen Firebird.

[00:38:50]My experience, they get all dinged up.

[00:38:52]You hear loud bangs. [laughter] Uh, Heman's Hitman headers are the best.

[00:38:58]So, I like that spring and it takes longer for it to um go down, like, you know, actually sag down. I have I have mine I think for like at least 12 years and still rides beautiful.

[00:39:13]>> Yeah. So, one thing you do have to consider is if you mini tub your first gen Fbody, you have to go with a coilover.

[00:39:25]So, mini tubbing with a with a leaf spring doesn't do you any good because you can't. [clears throat] So, if you if you're getting into Mini Tubs, then you're probably into a coil over anyway. Um, I like coilovers. They work good for me.

[00:39:43]Um, that's actually one of the things I got to do this weekend is I got to change the I went to a longer shock in the rear end of the Firebird. It's as it's settled and kind of found its place. The rear end's a little too low.

[00:39:56]I've got to get a little more rake into it. Um, and uh, I' I'd like to get the back of it up a little bit. So, I went with a two-inch longer shock spring. And I also went to a lighter spring because it's a little stiff right now. It's like riding in a Corvette, which isn't all.

[00:40:12][clears throat] >> So, I went to a uh I think I had a 350 is what came when I bought the the Heights rear end kit, which I use very little of, but mostly bought it for the brackets and the shocks. But, it came with a 350. I went to a 200 spring in the round.

[00:40:31]>> So, it should be softer.

[00:40:34][laughter] >> Of course, that's for the rear end, right, Mike?

[00:40:38]>> Yeah, that's the rear end. Uh the front end is I remember what the spring rate was on the front. Been a while.

[00:40:45]>> Yep.

[00:40:46]>> John, what's your take on suspension?

[00:40:49]>> I did tubular control arms and coilovers and all my transm. It handles fantastic.

[00:40:55]It drives great. 17inch wheels, but it does drive a little firmer kind of like Mike's talking about. Uh, back still leaf spring frame. But, uh, when I drive the transa versus driving like the pumpkin or the mocking bird or probably my dad's car with the stock suspension, I again, I guess I've got a few more years on me. I kind of like the ride of the stock suspension. I I'd rather have more comfort than uh cornering abilities. That's just personal preference. So, >> um, the other problem was I bought tubular control arms with the urethane bushings.

[00:41:30]>> Um, they weren't the most expensive thing. They were an eBay special like West some West. I don't remember now what brand they were. But when I hit the brake going forward after I back out of the garage, clunk, go forward the first brake, clunk, the control arm shifts just a little bit. It's so minute you can't really measure it, but they hammer and make noise and they annoise the crap out of me.

[00:41:53]>> Really? The bumps is quiet. This is only when I shift the weight forward, go in reverse, and going back forward. First time I hit the brake, something just is moving a little bit. And I >> Wow. I've heard a lot of people complain about polyurethane bushings with squeaking, too.

[00:42:09]>> Um, >> they've not made any noises. Now, they're greasable. I like that part.

[00:42:13]I've greased them, but I've not had any squeaky noise out of them. Just a clunk that drives me nuts.

[00:42:19]>> They weren't the most expensive tubular controller mount. They were they were probably in the cheap ones, you know, >> Global West or something like that. I don't >> You do have to pay attention to the instructions on those on those bushings because they they come with this it looks like Vaseline, like a clear grease, and you really got to pay attention to where to grease those because it's not like a stock bushing where you're expecting the rubber to twist, >> right? Which is why there's teeth on the inside of the stock bushing because the bolt bottoms that out and then it it literally twists that rubber as it goes.

[00:42:54]>> That's why loaded. Right.

[00:42:57]>> Right. Right. We used to grind those teeth out and grease the hell out of everything when we were building race cars. But >> you know, but you know with the polyurethane ones, they're made to twist. The bushing's made to twist inside that polyurethane. So you got to you got to grease that well or it will squeak. Mhm.

[00:43:15]>> Don't you're going to hear it.

[00:43:19]>> So, it sounds like uh stock suspension, stock springs, uh stock shocks.

[00:43:24]>> Yeah, I like stock.

[00:43:25]>> All personal preference. What do you want to do with the car?

[00:43:29]>> Yeah, >> it goes by how deep your pockets are also.

[00:43:33]>> Yeah. [laughter] >> What about rear sway bars?

[00:43:42]>> That all that weight is slowing my car down. I'm not interested.

[00:43:46][laughter] >> I I have a rear sway bar in the Firebird and I love it. Like I can put that thing through a corner and it just stays so flat. I It does not get any body roll at all.

[00:44:01]>> Yeah.

[00:44:01]>> So, pretty pretty happy with that. We'll see how it does with 200 lb springs, but it with the 350s, it's like it's like a rock.

[00:44:10]Did uh Pontiac ever put a rear swear by from the factory onto the first?

[00:44:17]>> No didn't have one factory. Were they developing it? I think so, but they never installed a factory. They did put a bigger front sway bar on the trans.

[00:44:26]>> Yes.

[00:44:26]>> But the rear they didn't actually create one for it.

[00:44:31]>> Gotcha. All right.

[00:44:32]>> That I remember again. I've lost my Firebird Bible. So, >> oh, Lou, you have any know where the Firebird Bible would be?

[00:44:40]>> Any any idea?

[00:44:42]>> Have you seen >> buy one?

[00:44:44]>> Remember Firebird book through? I blamed you for >> Oh, yeah. John John had a book that actually I don't have.

[00:44:52]>> Um, he promised to buy me one, but it was too expensive. I think he told me.

[00:44:55]>> Well, he come and sold it. So, [laughter] >> Louis.

[00:45:01]>> Yeah.

[00:45:03]>> All right, let's grab a question here.

[00:45:05]We're at 15 till >> Oh, wow.

[00:45:09]>> We did this one already.

[00:45:12]>> I know the answer. [laughter] >> What unique suspension hardware did Pontiac add to the rear axle of high performance 67 Firebirds to eliminate wheel hop?

[00:45:28]bags of concrete.

[00:45:32]>> I'm with you, J. Answer.

[00:45:35]>> Yeah, you can't answer. The people have to answer, Louie.

[00:45:38]>> Oh, come on now.

[00:45:40]>> You don't. [laughter] >> Well, Lou, we have no doubt you know the answer.

[00:45:47]>> You probably know the production number.

[00:45:52]>> Uh Dan Cooper says pinion snubber.

[00:45:56]Traction bar.

[00:46:02]>> Traction bar.

[00:46:03]>> Yeah.

[00:46:05]>> Yeah. Because Yeah. Yeah. Both are technically correct, I guess.

[00:46:10]>> Yeah.

[00:46:11]>> Is it bar or bars >> depending on the setup? [laughter] >> How'd that go down? Bars.

[00:46:24]James says traction bars.

[00:46:29]>> It's interesting. The Camaro never adapted that though.

[00:46:33]>> Not >> I got I got questions about this when the when we get the consensus here.

[00:46:42]>> I've seen it called a torsion bar, but it doesn't resemble a torsion bar that I'm familiar with. So, or not to bar.

[00:46:49]They called a radius arm I think was the term.

[00:46:53]H.

[00:46:57]>> All right, >> Lou, what's the answer?

[00:47:00]>> Traction bars.

[00:47:01]>> And how many >> Was it just one or did they put two?

[00:47:03]>> Well, that depends if you had a six-cylinder or eight cylinder.

[00:47:08]>> Manual, trans.

[00:47:09]>> Manual or automatic? Yep.

[00:47:11]>> Yep. Manual, trans, all that stuff.

[00:47:15]>> Yep.

[00:47:15]>> My 67 with the 400 and the TH400 had a single passenger side traction bar.

[00:47:22]Okay. And my 67 fiber originally was a three-speed on the floor and a sixcylinder and it came with two.

[00:47:32]>> Really?

[00:47:32]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:47:34]>> So, I had on mine when I first got it, there was like this little trap door piece of metal thing, and I've seen this in a few videos recently under the rear seats.

[00:47:44]>> Yes. Only 67, >> right? What was that for? Was that for that traction bar?

[00:47:49]>> Correct. That was a reinforcement metal for that. Yes.

[00:47:53]>> Okay. Cuz I remember asking Jonathan about it at the time going, "What the hell is this?"

[00:47:58]>> Yeah.

[00:47:58]>> And and and I think that's what he told me.

[00:48:02]>> Um >> Okay. So anyway, um >> yeah. So real hot. Yep.

[00:48:11]>> Right. And uh another good uh comment here was the Firebird had shocks in front and back of the axle.

[00:48:20]>> 68. Whitney [laughter] >> in 68 >> in 68 they changed the shock arrangement too to combat that torque.

[00:48:31]>> Yeah. Stagger.

[00:48:33]>> Yeah.

[00:48:34]>> Yeah.

[00:48:36]>> Whitty. How's that coffee kettle working?

[00:48:38]>> Perfect.

[00:48:40][laughter] >> What >> sets the AI? That's the signal for >> this is AI.

[00:48:46]>> That tells us [laughter] come over to me now. says it'll track me. So, >> you stop it.

[00:48:58]>> See you guys.

[00:48:59]>> Yeah, you too.

[00:49:03]>> Oh, boy.

[00:49:05]>> Mike, um, yours didn't come with no traction bars.

[00:49:09]>> Oh, dude. Mine was in such a basket when I got it. Who knows what it came with, but it did have the plates on the floor.

[00:49:15]>> Okay.

[00:49:17]But it it did have the 67 rear end that you could tell because it had the eyelets for the uh for the top control arms that were never there.

[00:49:26]>> Yeah, that was for the GTO and the other big cars.

[00:49:29]>> They just they just reused the the cast.

[00:49:32]>> Yep.

[00:49:33]>> And another thing Jonathan taught me back in my early days.

[00:49:39]>> That guy.

[00:49:41]>> That guy.

[00:49:42]>> Yeah, that guy. So, I didn't have any of those torque arms on mine, but but I did have the multileaf spring, though. I didn't have the mono leaf.

[00:49:52]>> I had the mono.

[00:49:53]>> Yeah, >> I got multi.

[00:49:57]>> And for as much as I drive, I'm probably just fine with just keeping that and >> putting disc.

[00:50:05]>> Yeah, >> disc we're gonna definitely a must have at this point. Now, [laughter] >> the dark side. going to the dark side.

[00:50:14]>> Yeah, disc brakes are a necessary evil.

[00:50:18]>> That that >> nothing wrong with those.

[00:50:20]>> Um, rubber bushings or uh poly bushings.

[00:50:25]>> Rubber.

[00:50:26]>> Rubber.

[00:50:28]>> I like poly.

[00:50:30]>> This is a great debate question. Great debate question.

[00:50:33]>> Yeah.

[00:50:33]>> Yeah.

[00:50:35]>> I I just remember all those years taking and grinding out to the middle of those other things to get them to travel.

[00:50:41]Well, >> cuz when the rubber bush when the rubber bushings on the race cars, right, when we were using stock frames, if you tighten that right up and you lock that inner collar, you were literally counting on that rubber to be part of your suspension. That was like a torsion arm built into every every pivot point.

[00:51:02]So, [clears throat] we didn't want that.

[00:51:04]We wanted the springs to do the work and the jack bolts to do the work. So, we ground them out. Now, I'm not sure if that was cheating or not, but I don't really care.

[00:51:15]>> Until they tell you it's cheating, it's not cheating.

[00:51:18][laughter] >> But, you know, little things like that make a difference when you're trying to tune a chassis, right?

[00:51:25]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:51:26]>> Little by little. All right, here is our poll question of the night.

[00:51:32]>> No, that's not >> You know, I'm gonna fire myself.

[00:51:39]Just myself. Just gonna have to put myself out in the garbage can.

[00:51:42][laughter] >> Let's see here. Let me try this again.

[00:51:51]There we go.

[00:51:53]If Gia Brass had never forced John Delorean to build the Firebird, what would be sitting in your dream garage instead?

[00:52:03]I expect everyone to comment on this one.

[00:52:07]>> Oh. Wow.

[00:52:08]>> I know.

[00:52:10]>> Fiber. So, I can still have a GTO.

[00:52:12]>> Yeah, I'd probably be a GTO guy.

[00:52:14]>> GTO guy.

[00:52:16]>> Yeah, >> I'm I'm a Pontiac guy, so I guess we'll call that fair. Um, GTO's a maybe. I was definitely a Firebird guy more.

[00:52:26]>> Yep. Waffle Stomp says GTO. Louie, what would you own besides Firebirds?

[00:52:32]>> 87 Ferrari Tessterosa.

[00:52:34]>> Uh, I don't know. I like the Bonavvilles, believe it or not. [laughter] >> Tell me a twodoor Catalina convertible.

[00:52:47]>> Yeah, I won't mind a convertible.

[00:52:49]Bonavville is out all the bells and whistles. It was nice.

[00:52:52]>> Yeah, >> I like the Chevel's. I like the olds, the 442s. Those are nice.

[00:52:59]Yeah, [laughter] >> there's a lot of been a Pontiac. There's there's a lot of cars out there I'd be into.

[00:53:07]>> Looks like GTO's are the the one that's winning.

[00:53:12]>> Tempest. Those are cool.

[00:53:13]>> Yeah, >> are cool.

[00:53:16]>> It would have to be a >> That's all I can say at this point.

[00:53:20]>> I remember my dad telling me one time that you know the 50 Mercuries that the 50s 51 Mercuries that everybody dropped down and made hot rods out of.

[00:53:32]Apparently the temp chassis to that >> Tempest frame and you'd have all modern running gear running you know brakes and all that stuff. You could do a frame swap and a lot of those guys in the 50s 50 Mercs use Tempest.

[00:53:50]>> Really?

[00:53:51]>> Just some random trivia for you. But [laughter] >> yeah, >> O2 frame for that car.

[00:54:00]You know the >> find a two-door Bonavville convertible.

[00:54:04]Let me know.

[00:54:05]>> All right.

[00:54:07][laughter] That's a good point, Bill.

[00:54:09]Because if it wasn't for the if if they allowed them to build the Banshee, they wouldn't have made the Firebird.

[00:54:15]>> They wouldn't have made the Corvette, the later one.

[00:54:19]>> That's right. That was a a design concept design.

[00:54:22]>> Yeah.

[00:54:23]67 or 68 Corvette sold the design.

[00:54:28]>> Yeah.

[00:54:30]>> 68 started the new body style.

[00:54:32]>> Yeah.

[00:54:34]>> I have way too much Corvette history from my past.

[00:54:39]your mis [laughter] square body Chevys belly brew >> reverbs >> I don't know what that means >> yeah [laughter] you got to fill us on that one I'm lost on that one as well >> oh no he's talking about speakers >> we we're talking about speakers instead of >> Yeah >> we got way off topic on that one.

[00:55:09]>> He said, "Remember the reverbs and the big ponchos?"

[00:55:15]>> Okay. Well, speakers, Mike, [laughter] >> I'm freaking clueless on that one, dude.

[00:55:23]>> There's a switch on the dash. You can mess with it. So, >> what did the dash switch do?

[00:55:30]>> I never had a car with a reverb, but I I remember seeing the switches available in the catalog.

[00:55:35]>> [laughter] >> James is into the gummies tonight.

[00:55:39]>> More gummies. More gummies.

[00:55:44]>> Well, anything planned for the weekend, gentlemen? What are we wrenching on?

[00:55:48]>> I'm hoping to get some C3 upholster. Get all the mice out of them and then put some carpet in.

[00:55:54]>> Evict the mice. [laughter] >> Yeah. If I get the carpet in, the seats in. I mean, I'm >> My mouse my list is like Mickey Mouse.

[00:56:02]Like in center console, seat, carpets.

[00:56:05]uh alignment, eyeball it. You know, we're going to do that. Tighten the suspension bolts, fix the exhaust. I got to weld it together and clean up the wheels. And I got oil leak and trans leak and then charge AC and I'm done.

[00:56:16]So, until I drive it and find issues, but I'm close.

[00:56:21]>> Are you going to do some big reveal for dad or >> I'll have to do something? Yeah.

[00:56:27]I haven't figured it out yet.

[00:56:31]>> Yeah, I'd like to see that. That'd be a cool video to watch.

[00:56:33]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:56:36]They can like back up to it and then slowly turn around to look at it.

[00:56:40][laughter] >> It is like It isn't like he hasn't seen it like every day.

[00:56:46]>> Yeah, that's the hard part. I've been hiding it from my YouTube fans, but I haven't really been hiding it from him.

[00:56:51]So, [laughter] >> dang it.

[00:56:54]>> He knows already. [ __ ] >> Lou, what are you doing?

[00:56:59]>> Um, I did a lot to the car. I did a pinion seal. I put exhaust. I plumbed the fuel system. I just got to install the tank. And I paint everything in the engine bay that goes back on the engine, including the radiator, the pulleys, power steering pump. I have everything to rock and roll.

[00:57:23]>> And that's on the neighbor.

[00:57:24]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:57:26]>> Yep.

[00:57:26]>> So, when's it flying the coupe?

[00:57:28]>> Uh, one of next month, the middle of next month, I could get the hell out of here. Yeah. Out the door she goes.

[00:57:35]>> Yeah.

[00:57:36]>> Mike, what are you up to?

[00:57:38]>> Well, I got to change those shocks on the Firebird. That won't take me very long. Then I got to uh then I'm going to try to address my hood body line issue on the truck. I'm into a a weird body line issue. I posted a video on it, but something weird going on between the hood and the fenders.

[00:57:57]They just don't match. So >> Oh, I got a question from Mike. gonna alter both until they do. [laughter] >> What's the question, Louie?

[00:58:07]>> Mike, uh, this guy don't answer his comments on YouTube. That's number one.

[00:58:11]Number two, [laughter] I I always got to text Brian. Brian, did this guy get back to you on the comments, right? And Brian be like, "Nope, [laughter] that's part of the game." Yeah. Okay.

[00:58:24]>> Between the fiber and the truck, even though I know you're not done with the truck, which one you think is going to be more expensive to build?

[00:58:32]>> And I did answer that comment. Um the the fire is way more expensive to do.

[00:58:38]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:58:39]>> And I did it different. Yeah, it it's I I remember this truck was supposed to be my budget build. So much for that. But I I bet I will have about half of what I have into the Firebird in the truck.

[00:58:54]>> Really? Wow.

[00:58:58]>> There's There's fewer parts. And I of course I I went with the Corvette suspension, right, which is $1,500 all in. I couldn't put the rear end gears in the Firebird for $1,500.

[00:59:11]>> Nope.

[00:59:11]>> Wow.

[00:59:12]>> So, you know, you gota kind of pick your battles. It's It's a lot cheaper >> than those fire chicken.

[00:59:24]>> Sweet.

[00:59:24]>> But, you know, I went I went overboard on the Firebird, no doubt. But I spent more than I probably would have to, but I got what I wanted.

[00:59:34]>> Exactly.

[00:59:35]>> Mike, [laughter] >> definitely. [snorts] Well, gentlemen, we have reached that magical hour.

[00:59:43]So, we're going to let everyone go and enjoy your weekend. and have some fun.

[00:59:46]Get out there and do some wrenching or in my case cleaning the garage to prepare for the next chapter.

[00:59:55]>> Mhm.

[00:59:55]>> Because I have overspray on everything.

[00:59:58]>> Everything's red.

[01:00:00]>> Yep.

[01:00:01]>> Looks like a murder scene on the floor.

[01:00:03]But you know, [laughter] >> it happens.

[01:00:05]>> No big deal.

[01:00:06]>> It happens. I went through the same thing when I painted my 69. Same [ __ ] >> It'll scuff off eventually.

[01:00:13]>> Yeah. You know, just, you know, cover your point.

[01:00:16]Yeah. Put some dog pee on it. Scrub it.

[01:00:18]You know, be fine. Be fine.

[01:00:21]>> Fine.

[01:00:22]>> All right, gentlemen. Enjoy your weekend.

[01:00:24]>> Yep.

[01:00:25]>> And we'll see you again next Friday.

[01:00:27]>> All right, guys. Good night.

[01:00:28]>> All right. I will see it.