ZexGX's Vehicle Feed
Basic Specifications
Vehicle Color: Pewter MetallicEngine Type: 8 Cylinder
Transmission: Auto
Est. Horsepower: 340 HP
Est. Curb Weight: 3,500 lbs.
Mileage: 153,000 miles
At the Track
Best 60': 1.88Best R/T:
Best 1/8 Mile ET: 8.28
Best 1/8 Mile MPH: 86.18
Best 1/4 Mile ET:
Best 1/4 Mile MPH:
Showing Off
Awards Won: Best V6 - WickedStangs Dyno Competition
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Get your forum exposure. Click here and join for FREE!ZexGX's 1999 Pontiac Firebird
it gets a lot of compliments
About this Current Vehicle:
Bought in 2005 (when I was 17) covered in Jesus stickers, with 85k hard miles from a preacher who drove a Harley. Preacher was also body shop owner and said the first owner of the car bought it to hot-rod it around and traded it into a Ford dealer for a Mustang. First owner (Mr. Mustang) crashed his Ford and then told Mr. Preacher about his wonderful Firebird while his Mustang was at the shop. Mr. Preacher asked what dealer it was at and he went and bought it.
Since I bought it, I've been fixing the car and putting pieces on that he broke or forgot to include when I bought the car. First thing that was changed was the removal of all the Jesus-freak stickers. My plans for it's future are to keep it running and in good shape, and improve the overall quality of it in terms of acceleration, cornering, and comfort. I will continue drive the hell out of it and am enjoying every minute of it.
Thanks for everything, Mr. Preacher.
Vehicle Journal:
Jan 16
New rear lowering springs
Removed the old LT1 rear springs and installed some Hyperco Hypercoil springs. The car's stance is PERFECT now. There is about a 1 finger gap front and rear. Right now, the front has Edelbrock coilovers. I just fell in love with my car all over again. Gotta move the exhaust tips higher though because they scrape every now and then.
Dec 22
Cut & Installed Corvette Fuel Rail Covers
I picked up a set of Corvette fuel rail covers from a friend with a Vette for cheap. I did some research online to see what kind of cuts people were making to get theirs to fit, and found that I could install them with minimal cutting. I bent/relocated some of the the AIR equipment, unclipped a few things on/around the fuel rail. Using a dremel and three different bits, I made relief cuts in the passenger side cover for the oil dipstick and the throttle cable bracket. For the drivers side cover, I traced out a template for the EVAP fuel line using the existing fuel line opening and measured the gap between EVAP and FUEL and then marked the distance on the cover and used the template to cut a perfect replica hole for the EVAP line. The last step in the fitment process was to cut the metal tape wrapped around the fuel lines and separate the fuel lines to install the covers.
I still have to paint the covers. I have decided on Pewter. In the future I'll buy some stainless FIREBIRD emblems to hide the CORVETTE logos.
Nov 29
New front tires
Had new tires put on the front to replace the worn out NT555's a few weeks ago. Replaced them with 275/40/17 Nitto NT05 tires. Reviewers say they are better than Falken Azenis RT615s, which in my mind puts these at the TOP level of performance street tires. They grip very well for street tires and are predictable even when they break loose (which you will be ready for). It was the NT05 or an R-compound like the NT01 or NT555RII, but the 200 treadwear rating on the NT05 vs. the 100 treadwear rating on the NT01 and NT555RII, as well as the NT05's better ability to cope with rain were the deciding factors since I need mileage and safety almost as much as performance.
Factory Options:
Hardtop
3.8L V6
Y87 performance package, consisting of:
14.4:1 (tight) ratio power steering rack (same ratio that performance V8 F-bodies had)
Dual-outlet exhaust
3.42 rear differential with Zexel Torsen positraction carrier (same one that came on 6 speed V8 F-bodies)
Base-level 4 speaker audio w/CD player
Grey cloth interior
Power windows/mirrors/locks
Exterior Modifications:
15% 3M tint rear (w/vinyl over dot-matrix), 33% tint sides
Suncoast Creations Raptor hood
OEM painted Trans Am hatch (perfect paint match from factory)
LED 3rd brake light (black plastic w/red LEDs)
6LE custom exhaust tips (1 of 2 sets in existence)
Removed Firebird logo & bird on rear filler panel
17x9" Chrome Firehawk wheels (had 16" OEM chrome twisted 5 spokes from a V8)
Body-colored side markers
Rebuilt daytime running light housings
Replaced stock foglights with Pilot driving lights w/colored LED halos
Drilled/slotted zinc plated rotors with black painted hats (it's really just for appearance)
Engine bay:
Polished a bunch of stuff
Painted a bunch of stuff
Installed Corvette fuel rail covers
Interior Modifications:
OEM leather steering wheel w/radio controls (old wheel didn't have radio controls)
OEM leather shift knob
Lighter shade of gray leather seats
Matching lighter grey leather door panel inserts
Sound deadened with Frost King on doors, and the floor/tunnel from pedals to trunk latch
Heat deadened with Reflectix on transmission tunnel and floorboard over exhaust piping
Cleaned carpet when installing sound deadening
Rear seats removed when not in use
Performance:
2001 LS1 + 4L60E swap
LS6 intake manifold (came standard with '01 LS1)
MTI clear air lid
98+ WS6 lower air box (opening is 2x as large as stock 98+ F-body airbox openings)
Polished MAF
Descreened MAF (courtesy previous owner)
01 stock WS6 catback
K&N drop-in air filter
Mobil-1 oil filter
Mobil-1 5w30
01 SS fuel pump/sender
Suspension/Chassis:
Aggressive front alignment setting
32mm swaybar front, 19mm rear with Energy Suspension polyurethane endlink/bushing kit front/rear.
Energy Suspension polyurethane trans mount
UMI tubular poly/poly non-adj. panhard bar
UMI 3 point tubular subframe connectors bolted in and then welded in
BMR 2 point strut tower brace
Edelbrock coilovers up front with 550lb Eibach springs
Bilstein HD shocks rear with Hyperco Hypercoil springs - slim LT1 isolator passenger side/heater hose mod on drivers side.
275/40/17 Nitto NT05 (street tire) front
275/40/17 Nitto NT555R (drag radial) rear
Duralast Ceramic brake pads on all 4 corners
RotorsOnline Drilled/Slotted rotors
Stock front calipers from 01 SS donor car w/62k miles
Stock a-arms (with good bushings!) from 01 SS donor car w/62k miles
Drivetrain:
Aluminum driveshaft
Rear differential fluid 85w-140
Electronics:
Interior:
Roof-mounted internal webcam (hook up to laptop to record 8+ hours of video)
Roof-mounted radar detector (ran power through A-pillar)
Rebuilt OEM headunit (that was a fun project)
Steering wheel with WORKING steering wheel controls (had to disassemble the steering column to run wiring for a new airbag clockspring)
Modified turn signal cam for smooth turn signal feel (doesn't feel like it's going to snap and break when you use the turn signals)
iSimple iPod2car direct iPod integration (iPod connection in glove box)
Clarion 6.5" door speakers
Cigarette lighter socket in glove box
Autozone interior/exterior digital thermometer (hidden wire)
Garmin GPS
Hidden kill switch
Tridon EL12 electronic flasher modules
Exterior:
Metra power antenna with stainless steel/chrome mast (can put back to stock instantly).
Pilot Navigator H3 driving light metal/glass housings with LED halos that change color on demand.
Clear overwattage daytime running light bulbs (makes DRL light on high filament almost as bright as headlights, changes color from stock orange to yellow tungsten)
Halogen bulbs in reverse lights (makes reverse lights almost as bright as headlights)
194 LEDs in side markers
eBay LED 3rd brake light
To-Do List:
Appearance:
Wetsand and add more clear on painted side markers
Shave Bird logo on newly acquired front plate cover (in progress)
Mini-CETA black bumper paint (est. $100 from local bodyshop)
Paint Fuel Rail Covers
Cooling:
Install trans cooler (purchased - sitting in box)
Suspension:
J&M poly-ball rear lower control arms or UMI roto-joint adjustable control arms
LCA relocation brackets
Tires:
Nitto NT555RII or NT05 whenever possible
Electronics:
Install a switch to enable/disable power antenna from moving up/down
Fabricate an upper console flush-mount for the Garmin GPS
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11 Comments on ZexGX's Firebird
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Nice Car!! Wish trans ams came in Hard Tops!! The more i see those hoods, the more i want one!!!!!
Let's just say, the Z was driven extra 30 miles, scraped the front bottom bumper, gash/hole on a front tire, had a hole that was poorly patched by a weld and a dent right after it.
Filed a claim against the shipping company and hopes they'll f
Very nice looking LS1 firebird.
whoa, dang so Frankenstein is done eh? Freaking killer bro!
Very nice ride bro!
Sharp ride, nice build. Would like to see/know how the HUD works out.
Coming along nicely. Keep us posted on that ls1 swap!
You've got your car look'n Sweet..!!
super nice car, love the hood too
Looks awesome! I love that hood. Good work.
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