Australian Petty Blue Superbird Restoration

[rickroadrunner]

Hi all. I'm currently restoring a 999 Petty Blue Superbird. I recently bought some parts from Dave Patik, who suggested I log on and introduce myself to the site, as I will have a few questions over the restoration period and I don't have any easy access to reference cars as you would imagine!!
The resto will be concourse, and I'm trying to make everything correct. I have simple questions, like re the headlight buckets, these have overspray from the factory, so i was intending on duplicating what the factory did , would this be seen as correct?
Thanks

[nascarxx29]

Welcome to the board this is a pretty original car
http://www.moparaction.com/Article/JIMS_BIRD/index.html

[pettybird]

Welcome fellow 999 owner!

What's your details and VIN?  168776 here...440 4 bbl, 4 speed, black bench.

[rickroadrunner]

Mine is the 158632 car listed on Brennan Cooks website as the 4th car built. ( The unknown one with all of the question marks!!)
I have notified him, and I guess he is still to update the website.
It is a 440/4, 4 speed, white bucket.

[tan top]

hello & welcome       would love to see pictures as & when you can

[hemi68charger]

Welcome aboard.... ask and learn... For one day, you'll be the teacher...........   

[nascarxx29]

The only thing I could find on 158632 old club record August 79 Francisco Toledo Pacomia California

[moparstuart]

welcome , great car 

[rickroadrunner]

Hi Nascarxx29, it is interesting you have details on my car.
A good friend of mine had the vehicle in dry storage for 20 odd years.
He bought the car around 1989-90 from a trader who said he found the car in Central America and brought it back to LA to turn it over and make a quick buck.
My friend vaguely remembers he mentioned El Salvador.
I think he may have contacted Winged Warriors back then , so that is why they have the VIN, but without any details.
I first saw the car in 1993, and caught up with my friend on any visits to the US.
He had kept the car for all these years with the intention of restoring it, however this never eventuated.
I was very appreciative when he offered me the car and I had no hesitation in buying it. He had kept the vehicle in dry storage and it does not have a single bit of rust in any of the panels or floors, which is fantastic! I am still thankfull he offered and sold it to me.
It does have many many dents, and the hood and nose, in particular need plenty of work.
I have a good friend , who is a coachbuilder, of the old style, who is doing the sheetmetal work.
He has completed projects for me in the past and is capable of true metal finish work. He really does have fantastic skills, so am fully confident of workmanship of the body.
I have bought many parts already for the project, I have purchased interior from Classic, many parts from Dave at Roseville, a concours exhaust from Gardner exhaust. Have new wheels and Polyglass tires aswell. The vehicle is still very original but needs a full restoration.
It still retains original driveline including radiator.
I have original fender tag and broadcast sheet( which is in poor condition).
I intend on doing a concourse restoration, but as mentioned before, it is hard to look at reference vehicle down here, so I may need some advise from time to time to ensure everything is done correctly.
Is there any way of finding original dealer?
Thanks

[F8-4life]

pictures!

[moparstuart]

pictures!

[Arnie Cunningham]

Greetings All,

I am glad Rick found the site and logged on.  It took a while for me to update my webpage information on his car.  A couple of months ago, my girlfriend and I decided to try living with just smartphones and no other home internet connection.  Although it can be done, it makes some things like website editing impossible (unless you "tether" the phone).  I had to wait till I was at a wifi location to make the changes to the site.

Enjoy,
One more of the 999s confirmed,
Brennan R. Cook

[rainbow4jd]

Congratulations!  We are twin brothers!

My car is 158628 and I am just ahead of you with an identical car.   Overall, there appear to only be 4 or 5 in this combination ever made.

I'd love to see a scan or copy of your build sheet, because my build sheet was shredded and I only have the lower 1/3.   Does yours also say NASCAR 2?

I am also restoring mine, and will be glad to send you what pictures I can and perhaps you can do the same.

My email is vroomvroomracing@yahoo.com

Steve Vance

[Fred]

Welcome. You will soon learn that most of us here are addicted to pictures. So post up! 

[Alaskan_TA]

Mine is the 158632 car

J99505?

[rickroadrunner]

Yes, it is J99505.
Steve , thanks for contacting me , I will send through a copy.
Yes, it does say NASCAR 2.
Just tried to upload photo but was in jpeg and 4mb. Not sure what to do now. ( I spend more time in the workshop than on the computer!)

[rainbow4jd]

You can send the jpg via email if you want

[WINGIN IT]

I've been lookin' for 158635 for a about 10 years now . Should have bought it when I had the chance. 
From what I understand it is originally local to where I live .

The guy in PA who has his stickered up as a Petty car is one digit off from this one.

Guessing all these cars were built at the same time....

[nascarxx29]

Barrys car RM23UOA158634.He got it from a guy I know P Deighan in S NJ .Who got it from the guy in Buffalo NY Steve Bataglia Who has 7 Superbirds

[WINGIN IT]

That's what I figured .  The one I am after went to AZ from what I know.
So if any members are out there know of a Petty Blue 4bbl Bird with white bucket interior, would appreciate the info.
At the very least to confirm if the bird was originally local to me.

[rickroadrunner]

Still can't work out to put up some photos, all of my shots are 4mb.
I wanted to post a picture of the R/H(passenger) valve cover, as it has a black writing on it which looks original. it basically the number 75 with a small V next to the five.
there are also a few markings on the bellhousing made by what looks like the same marking pen. - the marks on the bellhousing must have been made by the factory as it would have been impossible to write on it with the engine in.
I am progressing with the body work at the moment, and have removed the R/H fender and am very happy to see the body work is original, with no bondo and zero rust.

[pettybird]

I'm 99% sure of this, and will gladly remove if it's wrong, but your valve cover V tells the line workers to put a four speed behind it.  that was written on the motor after it was fully outfitted at the factory with the proper carb, distributor, etc, but before it was stamped with a VIN for a particular car.  if I'm right (and I can't confirm as I have my auto car here at work, not the 4 speed one) you'll find that 675 on your fender tag and broadcast sheet, too.  you may find a zero or a slash on the driver cover--that would say 'don't put kickdown linkage on this one.'

[rickroadrunner]

Interesting, the marking on the bellhousing( at the top where it bolts to the block) is clearly a O, with a squiggle or line following it.
(if it original as it seems to be) My intention would to be to keep the original valve cover, then fit a new cover with duplicated markings. Would this be common practice in this type of restoration would you think?
After reading another thread, I also found I have the original carb.
I noticed one of the members restores carbs, it may be worth considering sending the carb to him to restore correctly.
I was also considering sending the wiper motor to a professional restorer over there to have it done aswell.

[maxwellwedge]

As Pettybird stated  -  Engine code on the pass side (last 2 or 3 numbers) and on the drivers side a 5 or 125 for automatic kick-down linkage or a 0 (Zero) for a stick car....0 meaning no kick-down linkage. I have a car with "25" on the bellhousing. I think this was a staging number and not related to any engineering numbers as the v-covers were. Not all cars got these markings.....or they did and the dealer or owner wiped them off early in the cars life.

Here is the pair off a Daytona. They usually went with 125 instead of the 5 for automatics in 1970.

[maxwellwedge]

Here is the 25 on the bellhousing.