2001 Formula Hawk #293 Resto-mod thread.

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NBrehm
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2001 Formula Hawk #293 Resto-mod thread.

Post by NBrehm » Thu Dec 03, 2015 5:45 am

***Note: with the amount of issues I have been finding on this car, as well as the mileage, this has morphed into more of a Resto-Mod than a straight restoration, and taken a few turns fromt he original plan (as these things tend to do). For the faithful out there who want 100% originality, Or if anyone has specific questions they want to ask about a project please feel free to reach out and I'll be happy to help if I can. Posting on a message board gives a limited scope of some of these projects and a lot of times I just don't have the free hands to take pictures while I am working***


A few of you have been on board with this so I am going to get the thread started in case there are any questions. I won't actually start working on stuff until January but I'll get the pics up of how it sits now. I've already replaced the headlight motors so i won't have any pics of that until the next time they fail, but below is the plan for what I know needs to be done and the rough order I am going to go in. The car will remain essentially stock, there will be a few minor mods to some of the bolt on stuff such as headlights, radio etc (IE stuff that can easily be undone). Anything I get I will include part numbers, prices and where I got them from. Also if I outsource anything (probably the wheel restoration for one) I will let you know where I got it done.
Last edited by NBrehm on Tue May 26, 2020 10:03 am, edited 5 times in total.
-Nick
2001 Formula Firehawk #293

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Re: 2001 Formula Hawk #293 Restoration thread.

Post by opie » Thu Dec 03, 2015 6:37 am

Signed on for the show!
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Re: 2001 Formula Hawk #293 Restoration thread.

Post by zmaro » Thu Dec 03, 2015 8:45 pm

Nice hardtop Hawk! If you don't mind me asking, when did you get the car? I have kept notes of the hardtop cars that I find for sale over the past few years, and I see that this car has been advertised at least 3 times in the past 3 years.
'01 Formula Hardtop
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NBrehm
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Re: 2001 Formula Hawk #293 Restoration thread.

Post by NBrehm » Fri Dec 04, 2015 10:57 am

I want to say July or August, I don't remember the exact date. But toward the end of the summer
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2001 Formula Firehawk #293

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Re: 2001 Formula Hawk #293 Restoration thread.

Post by NBrehm » Sun Mar 06, 2016 2:41 pm

If anyone is interested in following along, been getting some work done on the Hawk finally:

First, the day I got it:
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And the first "Mod", a TCS panel data plate from emblem Pros
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Last edited by NBrehm on Wed Sep 13, 2017 6:59 pm, edited 3 times in total.
-Nick
2001 Formula Firehawk #293

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Re: 2001 Formula Hawk #293 Restoration thread.

Post by NBrehm » Sun Mar 06, 2016 3:13 pm

The first repair was I ordered a set of front upper and lower control arms, and replaced the shocks and springs with SLP Bilsteings and LE2 springs (not pictured, but they are pretty sweet...lol)

So for the uppers, the set I ordered came assembled like this:
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The rubber spacers and bolts were in good shape, so I pulled them out and bagged them up for later
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Then I took them apart, knocked out the bushings with a hammer, popped out the lower ball joints, then ground the rivets off the upper ball joints and knocked them out too. Also took the 8 pound "persuador" to the LCA bushings for the front, and pressed out the ball joint on that too
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Important tip that will appear a few posts down for reassembling these. If you want to use non rubber bushing (IE Poly or Polygraphite) save ALL of the metal hardware from the front control arms, you will need it! I of course, did not

Parts:
Upper control arms $70.00/pr, purchased on Ebay.
Lower Contorl Arms $100.00/pr, purchased on Ebay
Total for this post: $170.00

Labor this post: 2.5 Hours
Total: 2.5 hours

**NOTE: You can buy a ready to go upper control arm without the mount fairly cheaply from Mevotech (Part #MS501136). I've seen them as low as $45 per side with a brand new ball joint and both bushings and new hardware. I CHOSE to go this route because I am going to not only strip them bare and upgrade the quality of paint on them, but will also be putting in a higher end ball joint and polygraphite bushings for a bit more durability. So it is certainly cheaper and easier to just grab the uppers brand new from mevotech if you want to, but where is the fun in that?
Last edited by NBrehm on Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:11 pm, edited 3 times in total.
-Nick
2001 Formula Firehawk #293

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Re: 2001 Formula Hawk #293 Restoration thread.

Post by 02 red hawk » Sun Mar 13, 2016 5:18 pm

I got a tcs plate from Emblem Pros in each of my birds. Custom ordered them to be vehicle specific. They do nice work.

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Re: 2001 Formula Hawk #293 Restoration thread.

Post by NBrehm » Mon Sep 19, 2016 8:39 pm

So then the Control arms went off to the sandblaster who did a top shelf job cleaning them up. Once they came back I painted them up with self etching primer, and then a few coats of the beloved chassis black

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Cost:
Sandblasting (professional): $85.00
Eastwood Heavy Duty Anti Rust paint: $16.00/can (2 cans) part #16018Z
Eastwood Extreme Chassis Black (Gloss): $18.00/can (2 cans) part #11172Z
Cost for this post: $153.00
Total Overall: $323.00

Labor this post: 4.0 hrs
Total: 6.5 hrs
Last edited by NBrehm on Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:00 pm, edited 6 times in total.
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Re: 2001 Formula Hawk #293 Restoration thread.

Post by BLACK-HAWK » Mon Sep 19, 2016 8:43 pm

Looks like it's coming along! One piece at a time! What part of New York?
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Re: 2001 Formula Hawk #293 Restoration thread.

Post by NBrehm » Mon Sep 19, 2016 8:45 pm

Dutchess county, when/if I ever get to go there.
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Re: 2001 Formula Hawk #293 Restoration thread.

Post by BLACK-HAWK » Mon Sep 19, 2016 8:54 pm

Not toooooo terribly far from the Saratoga area.
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Re: 2001 Formula Hawk #293 Restoration thread.

Post by NBrehm » Mon Sep 19, 2016 8:55 pm

BLACK-HAWK wrote:Not toooooo terribly far from the Saratoga area.
2ish hours
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2001 Formula Firehawk #293

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Re: 2001 Formula Hawk #293 Restoration thread.

Post by NBrehm » Sat Sep 24, 2016 5:48 pm

So the Saga of the control arms will continue later as I was waiting for parts. But first there was an oil leak, an exhaust leak, a power steering pump issue, an Alternator that needed changing etc etc, so continued on as follows:

Not pictured: Replaced the Alternator (OEM) and a sweet a$$ Turn One PS pump, then pulled the coils, valve covers, exhaust manifolds and CATS. Where the cats met the Y-pipe was totally rotten, so despite the exhaust not being on the docket just yet, it was obviously time to upgrade to some Stainless CATS. I also removed the exhaust manifolds, ground the AIR connections and flanges back to smooth, re-tapped the AIR holes, changed all the gaskets and put in some header studs.

Parts parts parts!
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Crappy Cat connections, including the broken stud causing the exhaust leak
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Obviously, most of the maniold to CAT studs broke, but I came prepared with new ones
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Nothing a little work with a torch and vice grips could not fix though
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Last edited by NBrehm on Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-Nick
2001 Formula Firehawk #293

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Re: 2001 Formula Hawk #293 Restoration thread.

Post by NBrehm » Sun May 07, 2017 10:16 pm

Once they were apart I sanded down the gasket surfaces (Before and after in Pics)
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Installed new manifold to CAT and engine to manifold studs
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Then installed the new Magnaflow CATS
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Last edited by NBrehm on Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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2001 Formula Firehawk #293

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Re: 2001 Formula Hawk #293 Restoration thread.

Post by NBrehm » Tue May 09, 2017 9:12 pm

Once that was done I tracked down the oil leak which was a PCV tube that was out of position and had melted on the head. Picked up a new one from the local Chevy dealer and installed it, as well as replaced the truck throttle body that was on it with the correct F-Body one (Cruise control works A LOT better now). Can also see the Turn One Pump. While I was at it also replaced both belts, both tensioners and the idler pulley and added chromoly pushrods.
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Working my way up, changed out the plugs, plug wires and the coils and brackets, valve cover gaskets, with all GM or GMPP pieces. Fun fact, if you order coil brackets from GM, they come with all the holes for the bolts, but none of the holes are tapped for threads. SURPRISE!
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Got it all back together, purring like a kitten again
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PS, Tossed in some Timkens too.....
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Cost per part:
Plugs: $16.00 NGK TR-55
Wires: $75.00 GM 89017270
Coils: $250.00 GM 12558948
Coil Brackets: $35.00 GM 12563288
Coil wiring: $125.00 GM 12582190
Throttle Body: $200.00 GM 12589190
Manifold Studs: $108.00 ARP 434-1301
Manifold Gaskets: $18.00 GM 12617944
Air Tube Gaskets: $2.00 GM 12553617
PCV Valve/tubes: $90.00 GM 12590632
Converter Studs: $12.00 Dorman 03133
Driver Converter: $195.00 Magnaflow 23477
Pass Converter: $275.00 Magnaflow 23489
Pushrods: $100.00 Trickflow 21407400
Hubs: $230.00 Timken 513090
Valve Cover Gaskets: $0 (had on hand) GM 12637683 ($17.00 ea if you buy them)
Alternator $173.00 GM 19244783
Turn One P/S Pump $415.00 Turn One LS1FP
Serp belt $22.00 GM 88932749
Serp belt tensioner $55.00 GM 12560344
A/C Belt $12.00 GM 88932538
A/C Belt tensioner $67.00 GM 12560345
Idler Pulley $38.00 GM 12563326

Total Cost for this post $2513.00
Overall Cost: $2836.00

Labor this post: 18.5 hrs
Total Labor: 25 Hrs
Last edited by NBrehm on Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:05 pm, edited 2 times in total.
-Nick
2001 Formula Firehawk #293

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