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um, you wouldn't need to pull the cam to get specs, just take a valve cover off and cam degree it so you can get your max lift and other numbers. you will need the cam degree wheel, and a dial indicator.

That's a lot of work that needs to be done. Here's hoping to seeing its completion! Oh, and ditch those pizza cutters on the Firebird's rear.

Aye, when I get the cash, I'm selling the knock-off wheels and slapping some Snowflake Classics on there, and do them in a flat black, or a flat silver. Eventually, I think I'll get the firebird done in a dark metallic green. This will not be some damn Smokey & the Bandit wannabee. XD

Like these, but in black -





Nah. I've always been a big fan of resto-modding. The Duster will be "like factory" until I get more cash coming in to change some things around. Right now, I want to make it a good daily driver before I start planning out too much costly stuff, but eventually, I'll be putting new rims, tires, brakes, suspension, etc. After that, I may sell it, or I may save up and do a swap to a 340/360.

But for now, just getting it street legal is priority #1. smile

Heh. The *really* annoying bit is, all that I need for it to be street-legal again is an exhaust pipe, muffler, and.. a windshield wiper motor, which is a pain in the a** to get a hold of. sad

I'm thinking of doing a side-exit exhaust, as well. drivers side, in front of the rear tire. I'll prolly go with a rectangular tip, low profile. No fart cannons/coffee cans on my classic, thanks.

Heh. I'm luckier. I've got a shop locally that I've been to several times before. THey'll weld me up an exhaust pipe however I'd like it. This is the shop that did the straightpipes on the Mustang and rebuilt the exhaust on the Granada I used to have. For a i6, they charegd me about 140$, which isn't bad at all. smile

New write-up of the resto is in my journal, as it's basically my car-blog at this point.

However, to save the trip, I'm just copy-pasta-ing the whole sad, sordid tale in here.

----

No phone, no pool, no pets.
I ain't got no cigarettes..

After much delay, work on Project Duster resumes.

As with most people these days, job sucks, finances suck, and things look generally grim and gray and crap in the world. So, for months now, I've been collecting bits and bobs and parts for the interior of the car, and a few weeks ago, I started doing the only sane thing to do with the car this moment.. Gutting it like a big, rusty fish.



The seats were a might tricky to pull. The bench seat bolts were found *under* the car, and the rear bench was an absolute bear to unhook from a very badly-designed retention system. However, as you see above, they all got pulled and dumped uncerimoniously onto the ground. This left me with a clean floor to work from. And by clean, I mean..


"OH dear god, it's like something died in here."

Mmm.. 30 year old black rubber mats and padding and fiberfill. Joy. So, that all had to be ripped out. The deconstruction was actually kind of fun. Grabbing handfulls of flooring and just tearing it out with wild aplomb. What a way to vent frustrations. Feeling pent up? Go tear up some carpet. wink (For those who get that joke, shame on you, for making that joke, shame on me. But I digress.)

After that I was left with, well, a hollow car.



However, at that point, it began to rain, and I was forced to load it all back into the car (Just toss it in, not re-bolt it or anything), and wait for more suitable weather.

Well, because this deranged mountan state has the equivalent of a constantly binging drunk weather-god, it's basically rained every day for 5 months. Which keeps somone from painting, or working on fabrics and porous things when outdoors, which is where I have to work. (This lack of a garage is really starting to bug me. I want a hosue at this point, not because I want a house, but I actually just want a garage.)

So, weeks went by as I stared out the window, watching it rain. Madness and depression set in. I began to eat live chickens, and put on puppet shows for the amusement of my Geek memorobilia. I played far more Fallout 3 than is reasonably healthy.

Then, the sky broke, and the clouds.. remained exactly where they were. I just got sick of waiting and decided to try and sneak some painting and more interior destruction work in this weekend.

First, I went to continue removing the interior trim. I removed a single piece of interior trim when my world was beset by foul spawn from hell.


WASPS

Yes, that is a wasp nest in my driver-side doorjamb.



And what's this? Is it another wasp nest in my passenger-side doorjamb? Why, yes, it is! Awww, and I didn't get you anything, Satan. How sweet.

So, after committing wasp genocide with large amounts of insect killer, and some running around, screaming "They're in my hair, they're in my hair!", the vile beasts were dead.. Mostly. A few wandered round and attempted to trap me inside the car. They soon learned the penalty for crossing me.

That penalty being.. I sprayed bug killer randomly at them while running away and squealing like a little girl.

I really don't like wasps.

Anyways, I was finally able to get the interior pulled.. again..


Quite thoroughly pulled.


Once all the trim was yanked out with wild and reckless abandon, each piece was carefully washed and set aside on convienently placed newspapers and tarps. Then, coated with rich, decadent, single-shot coats of spray on Vinyl stain from a rattlecan. I spare no expense in being cheap.

It actually worked pretty well.


And more trim being painted.


It looked really good when dry, actually. However, by then, it was getting late, and threatening rain again. So, it all went into the trunk for another weekend. Hopefully, this next weekend, when I can tackle the dash, steering column/wheel, door panels, and headliner. No more grungy, ugly, faded, 70's yellow!

Oh, and while tearing apart the seats, I found TWO buildsheets. Which is awesome.



One is worse for wear, and the other is damn near immaculate. I'll get some better pictures of those later.

Now, let's hope the weather doesn't completely suck next weekend, so I can do it all again.

(And yes, I checked the firebird for wasps, too. Apparently, these are MOPAR wasps, and will have nothing to do with GM products.)

I'm a Man of Means by no means,
...King of the Road.

Oh my God... that s**t was scary. Those nests look really creepy and gross as ********. I ******** hate bugs.