How to rebuild your big window Camaro/Firebird into a small window car 

"The Swedish Bandit" (swedishbandit) 04/16/2018 at 14:53 • Filed to: joy, firebird, camaro

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So I’ve gotten a lot done on my car recerecently. Mainly rust repairing but also something I’ve wanted to for a long time; converting from the big 75-81 rear window to the smaller 70-74 one.

Before attempting this I did a lot of research (Googled*) to see if someone had done and documented this before but unfortunately I couldn’t find any info at all on this subject.

So I decided to do it in a way I figured out myself that I think is the most logical choice in doing this. I also named the post so it will hopefully pop up in a lot of searches for other people looking to do this.

Marking out where to make the cut, I tried to do around one inch from the edge so that I’d have enough material to work with later on

Edge is cut and spotwelds have been drilled out.

Edge is testfitted with window in place and spotwelded into place.

Using a piece of cardboard to measure up the sheetmetal I need to make.

Sheetmetal have been made with about 1/2 inch oversized edge that is then flanged with a flange tool.

Holes for spotwelds are made and the piece is welded into place.

Same thing is done to the other side.

Inside is primered and inside piece is measured up.

And spotwelded into place. If you have the correct interior trim piece the metal plate will not be seen in the final result.

Primer is applied to the outside when everything has been welded up.

And finally some Bondo is applied to smooth it all out (not smooth in the picture but this is where I’m at right now. End result looks really promising).

Questions?...

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 15:03

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Why did you change it?

LOREM IPSUM > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 15:04

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I wish I had the tools, knowledge, and skill to do that type of work and expect passable results. My attempt would almost surely result in a nailed-it-esque meme type of situation.

Well done, sir!

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 15:06

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Why is a small window more desirable? Seems worse in almost every way except possibly the glass being cheaper.

The Swedish Bandit > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! 04/16/2018 at 15:11

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Always liked the 70-73 look better but at the time I bought this one (76') I didn’t have the money for it. Besides the rear was all rusted up orginally and I already switched the front end so might as well go all the way.

The car is just a plain jane firebird so it’s not like I’m cutting up anything that’s rare or anything.

Dasupersprint - base trim is enough > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 15:12

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Nice fab work, I like it!

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 15:13

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Now it’s one step closer to becoming a modern Camaro!

/s

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 15:17

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Oh, okay. Was just curious. Good work the way.

The Swedish Bandit > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 04/16/2018 at 15:17

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It’s all very subjective really but IMO;

-Better looking.

-Weight savings (Sheetmetal is lighter than glass)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 04/16/2018 at 15:18

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I’d guess just an aesthetics thing. More of an accenting of the roof line curve, more body color up high to produce a fastback effect, etc.

All down to whether you want it to look like a buttressed sports coupe or a targa with permanent roof.

The Swedish Bandit > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 04/16/2018 at 15:22

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Pretty much, nothing wrong with having the bigger window, just personally like the smaller window look more.

Urambo Tauro > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 04/16/2018 at 15:23

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The Swedish Bandit > HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute 04/16/2018 at 15:25

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I haven’t driven one of those but honestly the visability can’t be “that” bad that everyone makes it out to be can it?

The Swedish Bandit > LOREM IPSUM 04/16/2018 at 15:28

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A couple of years ago I didn’t know nothing about working out cars. Then I bought this car and decided to learn. Sure I’ve done some mistakes (that I’m addressing this time around) but all in all you can’t be scared of failure if you want to succeed with something.

Future next gen S2000 owner > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 15:28

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TIL there were two window options for that generation of Camero.

On a less snarky side, why not just buy a Camaro with the rear glass style you desire?

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 15:32

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Nicely done.

But why?

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 15:35

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You should sit in one at the next auto show...it feels like being inside a pillbox

The Swedish Bandit > Future next gen S2000 owner 04/16/2018 at 15:36

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Price and availability, this is Sweden after all so not quite the same smörgårdsbord of cheap classics you have in the states.

Also I have too much history with this car now in order to sell it to buy an earlier model. Was one of the first cars I bought so it’s always been there.

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 15:37

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I’ve been in a ‘16 RS, it’s pretty bad. But still goes like hell!

Future next gen S2000 owner > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 15:38

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That make sense. What part of Sweden are you in?

The Swedish Bandit > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 04/16/2018 at 15:41

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Ha niiice!...

ActuallyI’ve been looking at replacing my DD Toyota gt86 with something more “practical” and you just gave me an idea.

lone_liberal > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 15:43

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Nice work! As the owner of a ‘71 Camaro let me welcome you to the What’s Behind Us is Unimportant Club.

lone_liberal > Future next gen S2000 owner 04/16/2018 at 15:45

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Not so much an option as much as a styling change. The early second gen F-bodies had the small window and the later ones had the big one. The big one was on ‘75 and later cars.  

Ready for an adventure! > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 15:47

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Great work! so, is this a Firebird or Camaro? or both (a Firebaro?)

The Swedish Bandit > Future next gen S2000 owner 04/16/2018 at 15:49

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The “middle”. Linköping, famous for being the place where the make the Saab fighter jets.

On a funny note. This very car was originally bought brand new in 75' at the local GM dealer in Linköping by some big shot test pilot at Saab. I’ve had many people come up to me at meets and such to tell me they recognize the car from those days. I should also add that I bought the car on an auction over 300 km away from Linköping and had no idea about the local history at the time.

Future next gen S2000 owner > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 15:56

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I’ve been through there. I want to say there is a Saab fighter perched by the highway. I go from Sandby - near Lund/Malmo - through Stockholm to Ostersund with the inlaws when we go to the family farm up north.

Sister in law lives in Stockholm, so gotta visit her on the way.

The Swedish Bandit > Ready for an adventure! 04/16/2018 at 16:21

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It’s a Firebird (or was at least). Even sticking to a Pontiac mill to keep it as far away from the Chevy counterpart as possible.

The Swedish Bandit > Future next gen S2000 owner 04/16/2018 at 16:28

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I believe they have several jets out by the highway, both before and after Linköping. The first couple you pass coming from Malmö I believe are there to advertise the airforce museum they have at the old airforce base at Malmen.

They also to this really cool car show there each Thursday of the summer year where they park the cars next to the airplanes. You should try visiting it, I’m there most times. We usually land on something like 300 cars each week.

castironerik > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 16:30

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Excellent work ! Using the old frame with the channel and clips a very good move as well. I owned several of the F bodies in the past and always preferred the flat window.I am surprised that more conversions like your own are not attempted.

Those cars were everywhere in Canada back then, sadly almost all are gone....

The Swedish Bandit > castironerik 04/16/2018 at 16:38

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And it’s exactly because of those clips I did it this way! As I’ve understood it they’re near impossible to recreate on new metal. Doing it this way saves me that headache.

Also really surprised I couldn’t find any information on how this could be done. The only thing I found was an old thread on a Camaro forum were some guy briefly mentions he’s done it and then doesn’t show any pictures of it. Yaaay!

AfromanGTO > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 16:45

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Awesome job! You do know you can buy the whole entire roof sheet metal from Ames and other places for whatever year you want.

Also are you going to put the 70-73 nose and tail on the car?? I can tell you can handle the job, since you easily changed out the back window.

The Swedish Bandit > AfromanGTO 04/16/2018 at 17:02

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Thanks! Yes I’m aware of that but with shipping costs and customs toll it gets crazy expensive to bring in those body panels to Sweden. Also the fitment of those aren’t the best from what I’ve heard and I’m not sure it wold have involved less work then what this did. Slightly better end result perhaps but this will do nice for me.

The front has already been swapped since last time I went over the car and at that time I also did the rear as you see it now which is some type of mild custom set up with the exhaust sticking out of the middle.

Right now I’m pretty anxious to get the car on the road again so I’ll probably just throw some primer on the the car after the window is 100% done and then put it together as is. I’ll deal with the rear end next winter is my plan.

Not sure if I want to go for original style though or some other mild custom set up, we’ll see what happens.

AfromanGTO > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 17:11

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Wow!! That’s awesome! Do something fun and custom!

MM54 > The Swedish Bandit 04/16/2018 at 18:28

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Nicely done!

Ready for an adventure! > The Swedish Bandit 04/17/2018 at 06:53

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Nice. My sister had a 1971 with the 350. I LOVED that car.That body style is gorgeous. Gonna follow this build. Nice work!

The Swedish Bandit > Ready for an adventure! 04/17/2018 at 15:01

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Agreed, really does wonders to your eyes.

I’ll try to update a bit more frequently now that a lot of things are coming together. I should be getting my freshly painted subframe back from the sandblaster now any day, so I have some work to do on that like installing the engine and all new poly bushings.