New Guy from across the pond!

[WarShrike]

Howdy! Visiting the forum as I've found some great information over here and some nice parts that aren't normally available to us Sixxers in the states.

I own a 2000 Pontiac Firebird, had 120K miles before I tore it down for a rebuild in June. Been down since then as parts are starting to get scarce so it has taken awhile for some of them to ship.

Before the rebuild the car had:
Stock 3.42 gears w/ posi
Aluminum driveshaft
Whisper lid (intake housing)
Force Fed Fabs stainless longtube headers
Texas Speed & Performance Rumbler catback
32mm front and 19mm rear swaybars

Waiting to install:
Intense Racing S1X NA Cam
60*Inclusive hand ported heads and intake
Yella Terra 1.7 platinum roller rockers
TCI Super Street Fighter 3800 stall
other supporting mods and HPTuners

[WarShrike]

Obligatory pics and vids:






Vids:
YouTube - V6 Firebird w/ Longtube headers

YouTube - V6 Firebird dyno run

[immortality]

those heads havecome up well. you got any flow figures for the porting work?

damn those header tubes are loooooooooooooong

[WarShrike]

Yeah, they are long. But considering how long the tubes are on the formula holdens (they're swept forward then curve back), these are almost on par with that. These things are a work of art, and one of 8 made here in the US. Darned niche market, you guys are so lucky with the V6 support you have.

We got almost 6-7% increase in flow in most areas across the board on exh and intake. This guy has been hand porting for years, and just now got his flowbench. People had been ragging on him awhile and now he has actual numbers to back it up.

This was just a basic port job, he could have gone all out but didn't want to without having more extensive flowbench work, money I couldn't spare at the moment, but might later on. The guy is very anal about his work and it shows! Very clean stuff!

This is going to work great with the cam I have selected as it is most optimum for "stock" heads.

Intense Racing Stage 1x NA Cam 212º/216º .523"/.514" 113º LSA with stock rockers, but it will effectively be running in the vicinity of .556"/.546" of lift with the 1.7 rockers.

[cracker]

looks great, why cant we have these cars in australia !

[WarShrike]

Tell me about it! We can't keep any companies afloat that sell the Aussie cars here!

I'd love it if we could have a full Holden lineup here in the states, they just have such better quality and fit/finish than some of the "US built" (I.E. assembled in Mexico or China) cars.

[GetToDaChopa]

You should import one of the early commies, you'll be like the only one with it in the country

[greenfoam]

Holden pay attention with your dodgy strut towers and messy engine bays!, take note of the headers ^

[WarShrike]

Peek-a-boo...


I SEE YOU!




Spacers made from a modified valve cover, we'll see if they clearance :fingers crossed:

[akuma]

looking great!
Hmm how i would love one of those inlet manifolds!!

[customvt]

will those inlet manifolds fit a buick or echotech v6 or none

[WarShrike]

You would need the upper and lower intake manifold, it is an Ecotec V6. You'd also need to get some of the sensors figured out, etc etc.

[immortality]

i want one of the early L27 banana style 2 piece manifolds........ prefer in all alloy but a plastic upper will do

[westerlybreeze]

i want one of the early L27 banana style 2 piece manifolds........ prefer in all alloy but a plastic upper will do

Nice Rockers dude them headers be good for mid-topend power.

Yankie inlet manifold, yes please!! .. there ya go, three sold already

[WarShrike]

New parts installed today, was really simple install only about 1.5 hours with some interruptions for finding tools and stuff.

UMI Lower Control Arms, and Adjustable Panhard Bar:

[WarShrike]

Progress has finally been made!

Slugs are added, everything went pretty well!



Joe Gibbs gravy, perfect for your thanksgiving turkey, race engines and destruction of taste buds!!!

[WarShrike]

Well I had some work done to the heads, had .020 milled off, going with a .045 MLS gasket to bump compression to something more like 10:1 over the 9.3:1 of the stock setup. Looking forward to this getting finished, going to be picking up some other parts soon...

Here's the progress that was made:





Headshot after the new milling, 0.020" off, nice and shiny:

[Matt_vp]

Looks good mate, i wish we had the aftermaket v6 stuff that you guys have, even half of the factory stuff would be awsome.
Matt.

[WarShrike]

Picked up a tubular K-member (engine cradle) with road racing reinforcement. Should lighten up the front end and also allow more room to work! Compared to the stock stamped steel k-member, this thing looks like a featherweight!

[immortality]

damn. thats nice. we have nothing like that here. the best i've seen on a race car is some lightening work being done with a hole saw and plasma cutter :

[WarShrike]

Engine assembly is coming along well!



I am beat. Working on pulling the k-member off and disassembly for almost 12 hours total yesterday. Need a place that I can set the tubular k-member on for assembly now...

SLAMMED! <Pulled rear springs/struts for something different

[WarShrike]

Where I wait right now:


Took delivery of new brakes!!!!


And obligatory snow shot:

[immortality]

ahh, i mis the snow.

[Commydoor]

the snow will help to keep the air intake temps down lol...cant wait to see this engine fire up you will have to post a vid of the startup mate...

[WarShrike]

Pushrods are supposed to be in tomorrow, won't be able to touch it though as I have work till 10pm and class the following morning, so maybe Wed. night we can get it together and I'll spend some time the next morning putting it all in the car

Installed headers and just started test fitting things with the new valve covers, gonna have to bend some stuff lol!




Test fit on the wideband, gotta find the right power hookup for it. Already ran the wire and tapped into the EGR line so I can get WB readings in HPT.