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84 Firebird 350
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Posted by: 84firebirdghost

Hey all, this is my first time here. I am looking for a little info on a car I just got off my buddy. It is a 84 Firebird with a 350 in it, the 700 transmission and positrac tires. Is this a good muscle car?

What are some things I could do to give it some more power?

Where can I find some body parts for my car? I am really looking for a trans am hood. (One with the scoop going to the side.)

This is my first clutch, any tips?

Any info would be greatly appreciated,
Mike

Posted by: EvilLS1

An 84 350 Firebird won't be a rocket in stock form but its a good starting point. MikeT is our 3rd gen guru so maybe he can give you some suggestions for where to start with the performance upgrades.

Check here for the hood & other parts:
http://www.fbodymotorsports.com/inc...il?v=1&pid=1919

More hoods here:
http://www.americansportscardesigns.com/firebird.shtml

Posted by: MikeT

few questions for ya...

If its a 350 its not an original motor, do you know what the motor came out of?
Are they any mods done yet?
What are your goals for the car?
Whats your budget?
How good are you at working on cars?

As for the hood, if its the one I'm thinking of it was used on the formulas and maybe the early t/a's. Try your local junkyards.

Once we have some more info we can give you some better advice. The great thing about starting with a firebird is you can make it into anything you want. Drag, street/strip, auto-x/road race or even a topspeed saltflats racer. You just have to decide what you want and go from there.

Posted by: 84firebirdghost

If its a 350 its not an original motor, do you know what the motor came out of?
Not sure but I will find out today and post it.

Are they any mods done yet?
No just the 350 and the 700 tranny.

What are your goals for the car?
Every mans goal, make it very VERY fast. I want to be able to brag about it and not be shut up.

Whats your budget?
Given time the sky is the limit I suppose. But I think I will start out small, given I only pull about 300 bucks a week.

How good are you at working on cars?
Well I am a moderate wannabe mechanic and my dad is a mechanic for a living so I think I can do alot.

Thanks for replying so quick and again all info is appreciated.

Posted by: MadScientistMatt

I can't help but hear the theme song from "Knight Rider" every time I see a black third gen Firebird. But that's not the only reason I like them - like Mike T said, it's like a block of billet aluminum, ready to be shaped into anything you want it to become. You can make one compete in virtually any sort of racing. I've even seen a third gen Firebird battling it out for the fastest time around an autocross course... against an open wheel formula car. They were within tenths of each other, and I think the Bird won!

Ok, by "fast," I'll assume you mean fast as in a lot of power, not aiming for setting a record at Laguna Seca or Bonneville. So the first thing to do is figure out what engine it is you're starting with - although chances are you'll be replacing most of the things that make the difference in the state of tune between various 350's anyway. If this isn't an injected one, a good combination of cam, headers, and a four barrel carb on a good aftermarket manifold is always good.

Posted by: 84firebirdghost

The 350 is out of a 67 impala. Has the carb, any help?

Posted by: Grape Ape

Another question... What was the engine in before the 67 Impala?

Posted by: 84firebirdghost

There was a 305 in it before, put the 350 in and the 350 trashed the stock tranny so put the 700r4 tranny in and it trashed the rear end so redid the rear end. So now everything is insync(sp?) with the 350 lol.

Posted by: 84firebirdghost

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grape Ape


	Another question... What was the engine in before the 67 Impala?

Lol he dont know, he said its a 67 Chevy 350 motor.

Anyone able to find out how much hp/torque this 350 produces? Cause I know they vary widely from like 190 to 300. Any help?

Posted by: MikeT

Hmmm carbs aren't my specialty.

That said I'd save up enough money to buy everything you'll need for the motor.
Heads, cam, intake, headders etc... and do it all at once instead of a piece at a time.

the intake and headders are pretty easy fo if you're impatient you can go ahead with those.

I guess at this point I'd have to ask if you want a torquey streetable motor or more of a high revving drag race motor. Because that'll effect what heads/cam/converter/gears you'll need to run.

For the enhaust you need to decide what you want to run there also. you can go w/ 1 3/4 shorties with upto a 4" catback if needed. thats $$$ though. If you think you can do a custom job hooker makes longtubes, but you'll have to build yer own catback for those.

then theres the suspension. If you've got more than 300rwhp I'd definatly reccomend LCA drop brackets and tubular LCA's. Also a good torque arm will help plant the tires better.

Start with the motor and make sure your converter and gears aren't going to bog you down. Then worry about the rest, but keep in mind what you'll need later. I took the opposite approach and built up the suspension (for handling) and left the motor mostly stock. It won't beat any LS1 cars in a drag race but it goes around corners pretty good

Lets us know what rpm range you want your motor to run and we can suggest heads/cam combos.

Posted by: 84firebirdghost

I guess at this point I'd have to ask if you want a torquey streetable motor or more of a high revving drag race motor. Because that'll effect what heads/cam/converter/gears you'll need to run.

I will be driving the bird daily to and from work but I also will be taking it to the raceway park drags every saturday. I want a very good drag car if that helps.

For the enhaust you need to decide what you want to run there also. you can go w/ 1 3/4 shorties with upto a 4" catback if needed. thats $$$ though. If you think you can do a custom job hooker makes longtubes, but you'll have to build yer own catback for those.

Well I cant do custom exhaust so thats out the window and I dont really know much about them so could you suggest something for me?

then theres the suspension. If you've got more than 300rwhp I'd definatly reccomend LCA drop brackets and tubular LCA's. Also a good torque arm will help plant the tires better.

Excuse me if I sound stupid but what is this stuff? I never heard of it.

Lets us know what rpm range you want your motor to run and we can suggest heads/cam combos

Im not really sure could you give me examples of diff cars and rpm ranges? Im kind of stuck here.

Also picked up the car today and its a auto not a stick...is this bad? Will it hinder performance any?

Again thanks for the help.

Posted by: skeezix

Quote:

Originally Posted by 84firebirdghost


	LCA

Lower Control Arm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grape Ape


	Another question... What was the engine in before the 67 Impala?

I can relate to this one. I don't think impalas in 67 came with 350's. I'd bet dollars to donuts on that one.

The car that came with a 350 in 67 would've been a camaro, if anything. But if it's a 67 model 350, i'm guessing the horse rating should be 200 horse for a 2 barrel and 230 for a 4 barrel.

However, the horse power you want can be changed accordingly. The 350 has been built in alot of horsepower ranges from a measly 145 horsepower 2-barrel in granny's 75 malibu, to an impressive 375-solid lifter-horsepower in a 70 nova SS, so you can make 300 horse easily out of a 350 chev easily, but it all comes down to the old saying,"How fast you want to go, it's all a question of money" Now at $300 a week I'd do a suspension upgrade like mike said and install a cam,(ask your local speed shop about how high of a cam you can go with a stock converter) headers, exhaust and aluminum intake for the engine. Also, put a shift kit in the transmission and install a transmission cooler. An auto is better than a stick for drag-racing anyways.(quicker shifts)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 84firebirdghost


	Every mans goal, make it very VERY fast. I want to be able to brag about it and not be shut up.

Ahhh, chasing the rainbow eh?

Here's a little piece of good advice my friend; No matter how much money, how much engine, or how much boost you put in your car, ............there will ALWAYS be someone who is faster.

Remember that.

Anyways, I hope this information is useful. Cheers!

P.S. BTW, what are the casting #'s on your heads? Here's a website that'll help out with some information.

www.mortec.com

Posted by: 84firebirdghost

install a cam,(ask your local speed shop about how high of a cam you can go with a stock converter) headers, exhaust and aluminum intake for the engine. Also, put a shift kit in the transmission and install a transmission cooler. An auto is better than a stick for drag-racing anyways.(quicker shifts)

Okay another newb question, how do you know if you have a stock converter? Is this the exhaust converter?

Posted by: skeezix

No no, it's the torque converter in the transmisson.

It should be stock if nothing has been done to it. If you want to verify if it's a stock converter, remove the dust cover under the car from between the engine and transmission, you should see the torque converter. look for any part numbers that may be stamped or marked on it, rotate the engine if you need to. A part # will tell if it's stock or not.

But like I said, it should be stock if nothing has been done to it.

Did you find the cylinder head casting #'s yet?

Posted by: 84firebirdghost

I will look for the numbers when I get it back, I think they said like four to five days. (The body shop that is.) I took it in to get some rust spots fixed, put on my new duel cowl hood, and paint it smokey black. But when I get it back I will post the numbers.

Posted by: 84firebirdghost

Oh yeah I just remembered something I wanted to ask:

The car had the 350 put in but the gauges are all still stock. The main problem is the speedometer only goes to 85 and obviously the 350 can push way past that so is there any speedometers that can fit the 84 bird and how do I do the install?

Posted by: MikeT

Quote:

Originally Posted by 84firebirdghost


	so is there any speedometers that can fit the 84 bird and how do I do the install?

check e-bay and your local junkyards. look for gauges from a T/A, GTA, or formula.

Posted by: 84firebirdghost

Would this gauge cluster work with my 84 firebird?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...7958506305&rd=1

Posted by: skeezix

Quote:

Originally Posted by 84firebirdghost


	Would this gauge cluster work with my 84 firebird? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...7958506305&rd=1

Yeah that should work.

Posted by: MikeT

thats just an overlay, you need the actual gauges. Otherwise when you're doing 65 down the highway its gonna look like you're doing 120.

Posted by: 84firebirdghost

Okay here is my car just got my digi camera back:

http://members.cardomain.com/84firebirdghost

Any feedback is appreciated, also how do you know if it is a trans am or not? Besides the obvious trans am decals and stuff.

Posted by: skeezix

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeT


	thats just an overlay, you need the actual gauges. Otherwise when you're doing 65 down the highway its gonna look like you're doing 120.

I never read that deep into it Mike.

Thta's not too shabby for a starter car.

How bout some engine shots?

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