Vehicle Owner

Member ID: RedraifExtras

Location: Here, GA

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Vehicle Info

1987 Pontiac Firebird

Bragging Rights

  • 1/4 Mile16.8 sec @ 80 mph
  • 0-600sec
  • Top Speed-1mph
  • HP143
  • Weight3755lbs

Major Upgrades

  • turbo
  • nitrous
  • bore increase
  • port and polish
  • supercharger
  • extrude honed
  • stroke increase
  • engine swap

Modifications

Performance Parts

Exterior Styling

Car Audio & Video

Ratings

    • Currently 2.5/5 Stars.
    • Currently 2.6/5 Stars.
    • Currently 2.6/5 Stars.
    • Currently 2.6/5 Stars.
    • Currently 2.6/5 Stars.
    • Currently 2.4/5 Stars.

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Last updated: Oct 10, 2006

Hits: 24,210

REDRAIF’s Pontiac Firebird
“RAIF'S HANDLING MODIFICATIONS”

  • Currently 2.5333333333333 /5 Stars.
13 guestbook comments

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RedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac FirebirdLOWERING SPRINGS
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Well something else you will notice different in my exterior shots is the ride height of the car.

RedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac Firebird


Here is a shot of it @ 2 years old with its stock setup:

RedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac Firebird


Big difference, Eh?

Well that is what an Eibach Prokit lowering springs can do for you!

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NOTE:
With the Eibach pro kit...my rear did not lower much at all from the 15 years old stock V-6 springs ride height. That was because after 15 years the stock springs have sagged. They were totally worn out. The Pro Kit is supposed to lower the car 1.5 inches. It maybe lowered mine .5. Again because the old ones were so worn out.
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The Eibach springs, being progressive, keep you from banging around like the stock springs. They have larger diameter coil wire that helps contain your range of movement without jarring you.

I remember how horrible the railroad crossings were before them...bang, bang, bang. I thought the car was going to break something. I know that my sunglasses would about fall off. Basically the stock springs were fully compressing & then springing back to full height, thus banging me all around. Not to mention they were especially weak due to their age. They compressed much easier then they should or did when they were new.

With the Eibachs, it is a floaty effect. They have a more controlled compression and release. So its stiffer, yes, but its not a jarring stiffness. It is a more controlled feeling. I can hold and drink in my hand over the rail road tracks and not worry about wearing it... My ride so greatly improved...it's amazing.

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FRONT EIBACH SPRINGS:
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When I got the frt springs, we put them in, but they did not lower the car. They actually jacked it up 2-1/2 inches from stock ride height. We called Eibach. They said it had to do with the car being a V-6 instead of a V-8. The kit was designed for a V-8 and with the weight of a V-8 engine in mind for the frt. springs! The guy hinted that we may want to cut the front springs to get the ride height we wanted.

Well we whacked a half coil off the fronts.

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NOTE:
Now it is not recommended to ever cut springs, but since these are aftermarket springs they are much more forgiving. Stock springs�forget about it...they will ride like crap!
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For maximun heat control, we cut them with a cut off wheel. We did what we could to go little by little to control the heat. Too much heat & it could alter the spring's rating, and thus its handling characteristics! Its the heat that does the damage! Once we were done cutting, it was tie to see if it worked...
RedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac FirebirdRedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac Firebird

At install, we ended up taping the front spring isolator to the front spring, just to keep it in place.

RedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac Firebird

So we popped them in

RedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac Firebird


RedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac FirebirdRedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac Firebird
With a bit of working they seated just fine. We figured we would let them settle for a few weeks and whack them again if need be. They seemed to settle fine and the car rode wonderfully!

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REAR EIBACH SPRINGS:
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Rears installed sit a smidgen taller, but hardly noticeable. I planned to go back and trim them at some point... Then I heard about this trick below...

********************One thing of note********************
I had a guy tell me a lowering trick for either stock rear springs, or to get a bit more out of your rear prokit springs... Take out the rear spring upper isolator. Instead of using it, put 5/8 heater hose on the upper coil. This rubber will then touch the body & be your upper isolator from sound and vibration. This will give you further drop, maybe about an inch... I have not tried it, but he swears it works and feels as good as with the stock isolators!
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I plan to go back and try this later, but until then, here they are installed fresh after their candy apple paint job!

RedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac Firebird

Here they were getting painted...
Red Primer

RedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac Firebird


Red Candy Base coat

RedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac Firebird


Clear coat

RedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac Firebird

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HOME PAGE

RedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac Firebird

Follow this link to additional information on the car not found on this site!
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RedraifExtras's 1987 Pontiac Firebird


DIRECTORY FOR RAIF'S HANDLING SITE
01 Site Overview
02 Rims
03 Tires
04 Shocks & Struts
05 Lowering Springs <<<
06 Panhard Rod & Lower Control Arms
07 Steering
08 Sway Bars & Wonderbar
09 Strut Tower Brace
10 Old PA Racing A-Arms: Failure
11 Old PA Racing A-Arms: Passenger side damage
12 Old PA Racing A-Arms: Driver side damage
13 Subframe Connectors
14 Underbody View
15 Brakes
16 AJE Racing: Tubular cross member
17 AJE Racing: Tubular A-arms and coilover conversion

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Guestbook Ratings

Displaying entries 1-5 of 13

soldaustin  

Posted by: soldaustin

07/20/2006 05:05PM

Hey I found your car doing a search for bmr strut tower braces. I am thinking about getting the 3 point. I noticed you said you had a problem with Edelbrock and also a little with the BMR. My car is an '85 Trans am with a Tuned Port Injected 305. Do you think it would fit without damaging my hood? My car only has 14,700 miles on it and I don't even want to risk anything with it. Great car and cool mods! You can find me at www.austinthirdgen.org. My signon is soldaustin. Please let me know about the Brace. Also did you do one of the wonderbar ones in the front of the frame to strengthen the gearbox area?

RedraifExtras  

Posted by: RedraifExtras

07/07/2006 12:53PM

Your Point?

Hondoo  

Posted by: Hondoo

07/07/2006 08:31AM

You should paint it all the colors of the rainbow.

stunzeed2  

Posted by: stunzeed2

06/30/2006 01:03PM

hey...nice 3rd gen...must say I've never seen red tint but hey...looks nice!

tjnappy  

Posted by: tjnappy

06/30/2006 12:41PM

Very nice man. I love seeing the thrid Gen's in such great condition and worked. I still think to this day my 3rd Gen's were the best handling Birds ever. Not to mention, you could beat the hell out of them and they wouldn't brake!

Check out my F-Bod video sometime! Take care man.

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Vehicle Owner

Member ID: RedraifExtras

Location: Here, GA