Custom Firewall and Muscle Car Museum

(ANNOUNCER)>> TODAY ON MUSCLE CAR, GUEST BUILDER BRAD STARKS LENDS A HAND TO TAKE THE '69 OLDS CUTLASS RESTO MOD'S FIREWALL FROM FACTORY TO 100 PERCENT CUSTOM. ALSO TOMMY AND MANK TAKE A TRIP TO THE SMOKEY MOUNTAINS TO GET A LOOK AT SOME OF THE RAREST CARS IN THE WORLD.

(TOMMY)>> NOW LONG AGO WE PLUGGED OUR WHEELS AND TIRES INTO PLACE ON OUR OLDS CUTLASS RESTO MOD. THOSE GREAT BIG ROLLERS HAD TO HAVE SOME CLEARANCE KNOCKED INTO THAT OLD MUSCLE CAR. SO WE INSTALLED A SET OF MINI TUBS THAT GAVE US THE ROOM WE NEEDED FOR SUSPENSION TRAVEL IN THE REAR. ON THAT NOTE, FOR THOSE OF YOU OUT THERE THAT LIKE TO SEE SOME SHEET METAL WORK BEING DONE, WE'VE

GOT A TREAT FOR YOU. FROM THE GET GO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MORPHING THIS CAR INTO SOMETHING DOWN RIGHT SPECIAL. COME ON OVER AND CHECK THIS OUT. ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS YOU CAN MAKE IS TO CLEAN UP UNDER THE HOOD. NOW WITH THE FIREWALL, THIS THING IS DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE SEVERAL DIFFERENT ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION COMBINATIONS.

IT SERVES FAR MORE AS FUNCTION THAN FORM. THIS CAN BE A PRETTY BIG UNDERTAKING. SO WE INVITED US SOME HELP HERE AT THE SHOP.

THIS IS BRAD STARKS FROM BRAD STARKS ROD AND CUSTOM OUT OF PADUCAH, KENTUCKY. HE'S POPPED UP AROUND HERE BEFORE TO HELP OUT ON A COUPLE OF SEARCH AND RESTORE BUILDS. BUT WHEN HE'S NOT BUSY BEING A TV STAR, HE'S RUNNING A

BUSINESS THAT SPECIALIZES IN TURN KEY HOT RODS AND CUSTOMS, ALONG WITH THE OCCASIONAL RESTORATION. COMBINING ATTENTION TO DETAIL WITH MASTER LEVEL METAL WORKING, BRAD HAS TURNED OUT SOME INCREDIBLE CREATIONS OVER THE YEARS. AND HE'S PRETTY GOOD WITH A PAINT GUN TOO.

(BRAD)>> WELL TOM, THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO IS GET THIS MOCK UP BLOCK INSTALLED IN THE CAR. WE'RE GONNA BE CREATING A LOT OF SPARKS, DIRT, AND WE DON'T WANT TO GET IT ALL OVER THAT NEW LSX MOTOR.

(TOMMY)>> YEAH, THAT'S NO LIE MAN.

(BRAD)>> THIS IS A PLASTIC ENGINE REPLICA THAT YOU CAN GET FROM PAYR. IT'S PERFECT FOR THIS KIND OF WORK BECAUSE YOU CAN MOVE IT BY HAND AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DAMAGING YOUR REAL ENGINE.

(TOMMY)>> THESE ARE THE MOTOR MOUNTS THAT WE'RE GONNA USE OFF OF OUR LSX. WE'LL PUT THEM ON AND MOVE ON. EITHER YOU'VE BEEN WORKING OUT OR THAT'S CONSIDERABLY LIGHTER. THIS MOCK UP ENGINE HAS A STRONG METAL SUBSTRUCTURE INSIDE OF IT. SO WE CAN STILL GO AHEAD AND BOLT OUR TRANSMISSION TO IT. WITH OUR ENGINE AND INTAKE IN PLACE, IT LETS US KNOW HOW MUCH ROOM WE HAVE OR DON'T HAVE. IT KINDA GIVES US A REFERENCE POINT BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK HERE AT THE WIPER MOTOR AREA, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE

DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO CHECK OUT.

ANOTHER AREA IS THE MASTER CYLINDER AND STEERING COLUMN, AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE HEATING AND AIR SIDE. NOW OUR PLAN IS TO PUT IN A SMOOTH FIREWALL, AND YEAH, THAT IS A LOT OF WORK, BUT FOR THE TYPE OF CAR THAT WE'RE BUILDING IT'S A MUST AND DEFINITELY WELL WORTH IT. WITH OUR PLANS FIGURED OUT FOR NOW, WE CAN REMOVE THE INTAKE AND START MAKING A TEMPLATE FOR THE METAL THAT WILL REPLACE THE FIREWALL. BE SURE TO MARK WHERE YOUR TEMPLATE WAS IN CASE YOU HAVE

TO PUT IT ON AND OFF THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES. BRAD LIKES TO USE VINYL TAPE AS A GUIDE TO MAKE HIS CUTTING MARKS BECAUSE HE SAYS IT HELPS TO KEEP THE LINES STRAIGHTER. WITH A RAZOR BLADE YOU CAN MAKE QUICK WORK OF THE CARDBOARD. AND OF COURSE BEFORE YOU START WAILING ON YOUR METAL, IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO CHECK YOUR TEMPLATE AND SEE JUST HOW IT LOOKS ON THE CAR. IT LOOKS LIKE BRAD'S HAPPY WITH THAT. SO NOW IT'S TIME TO START CUTTING SOME STEEL. I'LL MARK THE METAL COMING OUT OF THE CAR AND MANK AND BRAD WILL MARK THE METAL GOING BACK IN.

A SET OF ELECTRIC SHEARS IS A GREAT WAY TO BLAZE THROUGH SHEET METAL LIKE THIS. NO SLAG, AND SINCE IT'S ELECTRIC, YOU'LL STILL HAVE THE USE OF YOUR HAND WHEN IT'S DONE.

(ANNOUNCER)>> STILL AHEAD, WE'LL HOP ON OVER TO FLOYD GARRETT"S MUSCLE CAR MUSEUM TO CHECK OUT SOME OF THE CLEANEST CARS YOU'LL EVER SEE.

THEN WE'RE BACK ON THE FIREWALL FAB, STICK AROUND!

(TOMMY)>> IF YOU'RE EVER DOWN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, IN THE SMOKEY MOUNTAINS.

(STEVE)>> TOMMY BOSHER!

(TOMMY)>> YOU'LL FIND OUT THERE'S DEFINITELY NO SHORTAGE OF THINGS TO DO, ESPECIALLY FOR GEARHEADS. JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM GATLINBURG, TENNESSEE, IN SEVIERVILLE, IS A PLACE THAT'S BEEN ATTRACTING GEARHEADS LIKE KIDS TO CAKE. THAT IS THE FLOYD GARRETT MUSCLE CAR MUSEUM.

(STEVE)>> SINCE 1996 THE GARRETT MUSEUM HAS BEEN

PRESERVING, COLLECTING, AND ROTATING DOZENS OF AMERICAN MADE CARS HERE, COME ON IN.

(STEVE G.)>> WE CAME BY TO SEE THE COLLECTION OF BEAUTIFUL CARS THAT HE'S GOT HERE.

MULTIMILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF STUFF AND SOME GORGEOUS THINGS. A FEW I'M PARTIAL TO, BUT ALL OF THEM ARE GORGEOUS.

(FLOYD)>> IT'S 35,750 SQUARE FEET. WE PROBABLY RIGHT NOW HAVE GOT 94 CARS IN HERE. AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF STREET RODS BUT THE REST OF THE STUFF, 95 PERCENT OF THEM ARE THE OLD MUSCLE CARS OF THE BIG THREE. AS A KID I WORKED AT SERVICE STATION AND DEVELOPED A PASSION FOR CARS. SO IN THE MIDDLE '70'S I STARTED BUYING ME A '70 LSSIX CHEVELLE. THAT'S MY FIRST CAR THAT I WANTED. I KEPT ON, AND ON, AND ON UNTIL I ENDED UP, WHEN I OPENED THE MUSEUM, MOVED FROM FLORIDA, I HAD 64 CARS.

(TOMMY)>> LIKE OLD FLOYD SAYS, WITH OFFERINGS FROM ALL THE BIG THREE AND EVEN A FEW OTHERS, THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING IN HERE THAT WILL TRIP YOUR TRIGGER FOR SURE.

(ALEX)>> MY DAD, HE WAS GOING THROUGH AND TALKING ABOUT WHICH CARS MY DIFFERENT RELATIVES HAD. AND A LOT OF THEM I WOULDN'T THINK THEY'D HAVE.

(TOMMY)>> WHAT'S THE BIG SURPRISE FOR THIS YOUNG MAN, WHAT HIS MEEMAW USED TO DRIVE!

(ALEX)>> SHE HAD THIS MAROON MUSTANG THAT'S BESIDE US. I WOULD NEVER EXPERT HER TO HAVE ONE.

(TOMMY)>> A MUSEUM LIKE THIS IS A GOOD PLACE TO LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THESE CARS. WHERE THEY CAME FROM, WHY THEY WERE BUILT, AND EVEN THE LEGACY THAT THEY CREATED WITHIN THE CAR CULTURE. FOR EXAMPLE THE '80'S GRAND NATIONAL, WHICH WERE A WORTHY

SUCCESSOR TO THE EARLY MUSCLE CARS. AND THEY HAVE OTHER SIDE BY SIDE EXAMPLES OF THE HERITAGE OF AMERICAN POWER.

(FLOYD)>> I GOT A '62 BEL AIR 409 THAT I HAD TOTALLY RESTORED AND I USED A BUNCH OF NOS PARTS FOR IT.

(TOMMY)>> RESTORATIONS AND RARITIES ARE THE SPECIALTY HERE. UNLIKE YOUR TYPICAL CRUISE IN AT THE BURGER JOINT, ALMOST ALL THESE CARS ARE EITHER UNMOLESTED OR RETURNED TO EXACTING FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS, EVERY PIECE, PARTS, AND THE PAINT.

(STEVE)>> WE'RE GETTING READY TO START OUR TOUR THROUGH FLOYD GARRETT'S MUSEUM, AND THIS PLACE IS FULL OF ALL KINDS OF QUALITY AMERICAN MADE MUSCLE AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF OTHERS. AND TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE CALIBER OF CAR THAT'S HERE, RIGHT HERE BESIDE ME IS A REAL DEAL 1969 COPO CAMARO. AND TO TAKE THAT EVEN ONE STEP FARTHER, IT'S ONE OF ONLY 69 PRODUCED ALUMINUM BIG BLOCK ZL ONE'S.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP, WE BUST OUT A BRAND NEW TOOL TO FINISH THE FIREWALL ON THE OLDSMOBILE. THEN FIND OUT WHAT NASCAR DID TO KILL THE BIG WINGS AND POINTY NOSED CARS OF THE LATE '60'S AND EARLY '70'S.

(TOMMY)>> OLD MANK AND BRAD HAVE OUR REPLACEMENT CUT OUT, SO I BETTER GO AHEAD AND GET THIS ORIGINAL FIREWALL OUT OF THE WAY. IT'S GONNA TAKE A GOOD BIT OF WHITTLING, SO I BETTER GET TO WORK.

WHILE I'M CUTTING THE OLD FIREWALL OUT, BRAD IS USING A HAMMER AND DOLLY TO PUT A SLIGHT ROLL ON THE NEW PIECE THAT'S GONNA GO IN.

(STEVE)>> WE'RE SITTING PRETTY FLAT, WHERE WE WANT TO BE UP TOP.

SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA TAKE THE PANEL BACK OFF. THERE'S A DOG EAR FOR A PINCH WELD STICKING OUT OF THE FIREWALL. I'LL TAKE THIS OFF, TRIM THAT BACK, AND SHOULD FIT NICE AND FLAT FOR US.

(TOMMY)>> FOR THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS WE CAN REINSTALL OUR HEADS BACK ON OUR MOCK UP MOTOR ALONG WITH THE INTAKE. THEN THE NEW FIREWALL CAN BE SLID INTO PLACE BEHIND THE ENGINE, AND WE'LL USE A SET OF BLOCKS AS SPACERS BETWEEN THE TWO. BRAD'S GOING TO TAKE A MARKER AND DRAW A PATTERN ON THE FIREWALL THAT WE'LL PUT IN THE METAL. YOU CAN USE LITTLE THINGS LIKE ROLLS OF TAPE AND RULERS TO

HELP MAKE YOUR ROUNDED EDGES AND LINES THE WAY THAT YOU WANT THEM. DON'T BE AFRAID TO BACK UP AT THIS STAGE. IT'S WAY EASIER TO ERASE MARKER LINES WITH ACETONE THAN IT IS TO UNBEND METAL. WE'VE GOT A NEW PIECE OF EQUIPMENT HERE IN THE SHOP THAT WE'VE BEEN DYING TO USE. IT'S A DAKE POWER HAMMER. NOW POWER HAMMERS ARE COMMONLY USED TO SHAPE AND FORM SHEET METAL, AND THIS ONE HAS SOME PRETTY NEAT FEATURES TO IT, LIKE A 120 VOLT MOTOR, MEANING IT'LL PLUG IN TO PRETTY

MUCH ANY 110 OUTLET. IT'S FULLY ADJUSTABLE TO A MAXIMUM OF A SEVEN INCH

OPENING AND IT'S DESIGNED TO USE 16 GAUGE SHEET STEEL AND UP TO 11 GAUGE ALUMINUM. ANOTHER THING, IT'S MOUNTED ON WHEELS, MAKING IT PORTABLE. WE'RE USING A STEP DYE TO MAKE A RAISED PANEL BUT THEY'VE GOT DYES THAT SHRINK, STRETCH, FORM, HECK YOU NAMED. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TOOLS, WITH THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF SKILLS AND TALENT, HAND SOMEBODY A PIECE OF SHEET METAL, THEY'LL HAND YOU BACK A FENDER.

BRAD'S USING THE DAKE POWER HAMMER TO WORK IN A STEP DOWN ON THE FIREWALL. IT TAKES A STEADY HAND AND A KEEN EYE TO DO THIS KIND OF WORK, AND LUCKILY BRAD'S GOT US COVERED.

THE FIREWALL HAD TO BE CUT INTO THREE SECTIONS IN ORDER TO FIT INTO THE POWER HAMMER, BUT NOW IT CAN BE TIG WELDED BACK TOGETHER. ONE ADVANTAGE OF TIG WELDING OVER MIG WELDING IS THE CLEANLINESS OF THE WELDS THEMSELVES.

IN SKILLED HANDS, THERE'S HARDLY ANY CLEAN UP TO BE DONE ONCE THE METAL IS WELDED.

WE'VE GOT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE TRIMMING TO DO BEFORE THE FIREWALL WILL FIT JUST THE WAY WE WANT IT. THEN WE'VE GOT A MILE OF WELDING TO DO. JUST LIKE ANY SHEET METAL BODY PIECE, YOU TACK IT IN ONE PLACE, MOVE THE METAL A LITTLE BIT WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO, THEN TACK IT SOME MORE. WE CUT OUT A TOP PIECE TO ACT AS A CAP FOR THE WHOLE THING, SINCE THE STOCK COWL WOULD NEVER HAVE FIT.

NOW WE CAN MOVE OUR MOCK UP MOTOR OUT OF THE WAY TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE FIREWALL SO THAT WE CAN WORK ON IT.

I'LL TRIM A BIT OF EXCESS FROM THE NEW PIECE TO GIVE IT A NICE BUTTED JOINT. THEN MORE WELDING, THEN MORE TRIMMING! I'LL ADD A COUPLE OF SMALL PIECES TO BRIDGE THE FIREWALL TO THE TRANNY TUNNEL. THEN MORE WELDING! AFTER THAT I'LL MESSAGE IT FOR A WHILE WITH A GRINDER UNTIL

IT'S ALL SHINED UP LIKE A NEW PENNY. IT LOOKS PRETTY SWEET FROM WHERE I'M STANDING.

(BRAD)>> YEAH, IT'S REALLY GONNA ENHANCE THE LOOK OF THAT MOTOR.

(TOMMY)>> THAT'S WHY WE BROUGHT YOU IN CAUSE YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE YOU JUST MADE IT LOOK EASY TOO.

(BRAD)>> WELL YOU KNOW, I TRY MY BEST.

(ANNOUNCER)>> STILL AHEAD, BEFORE YOU MAKE A RUN FOR THE

VANISHING POINT CHECK OUT WHAT A BRAND NEW '62 VETTE LOOKS LIKE.

(TOMMY)>> HEY GUYS, WE'RE BACK AT FLOYD GARRETT'S MUSCLE CAR MUSEUM. YOU MAY BE THINKING TO YOURSELF, WHY IN THE WORLD DO I NEED TO GET UP, GO TO A MUSEUM, AND PAY TO GET IN CAUSE I CAN GO TO A CRUISE IN ON SATURDAY NIGHT FOR FREE? WELL THESE CARS AREN'T YOUR STANDARD RUN OF THE MILL SATURDAY NIGHT CARS. THEY'RE RARE, LOW PRODUCTION NUMBER PIECES OF HISTORY SITTING IN THIS ROOM.

(STEVE)>> AND ONE GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT TOMMY WAS TALKING ABOUT IS THIS CAR RIGHT HERE. BY THE TIME 1970 CAME AROUND, FORD HAD MADE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO GET OUT OF ITS DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN NASCAR RACING. BUT THAT DID NOT STOP SHOPS FROM PRODUCING A CAR LIKE THIS KING COBRA TORINO SITTING RIGHT HERE. IT BECAME PART OF THE POINTED NOSE AERODYNAMIC CARS WHICH NASCAR WAS NOT REALLY IN FAVOR OF ANYMORE AT THIS POINT. SO WHAT NASCAR DID WAS THEY CHANGED THEIR OWN RULE TO HAVING FORD, CHRYSLER, OR WHOEVER PROVIDE ONE CAR FOR EACH DEALERSHIP. AND AT THOSE NUMBERS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE FACTORIES TO SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIPS AMOUNTED INTO THE THOUSANDS AND THAT GAVE NASCAR THE END RESULT THEY WANTED. WHEN THIS KING COBRA CAME OUT, THREE OF THEM MADE IT OUT OF THE SHOP BEFORE EVERYTHING CAME TO AN END.

(TOMMY)>> IF YOU LOOK AT THIS '69 MERCURY CYCLONE RIGHT HERE, YOU CAN SEE WHAT A NORMAL AND THEN SEE THE DRASTIC MODS THAT THEY MADE FOR THE SUPER SPEEDWAY CAR.

(STEVE)>> FORD MOTOR COMPANY PUT OUT THESE CARS WITH EXTENDED NOSES AND RAISED ROCKER PANELS TO TAKE ANY LITTLE ADVANTAGE THEY COULD OVER THE NASCAR RULING FOR THE RACES OF THAT YEAR. BOTH CARS COMPETED IN 1969 AND DID REALLY, REALLY WELL. THEY WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP THAT YEAR.

(TOMMY)>> I KNOW NOT EVERYBODY CONSIDERS A CORVETTE A MUSCLE CAR BUT MAKE THAT IS A REALLY NICE VETTE, CAN YOU TELL ME ANYTHING ABOUT IT?

(FLOYD)>> THIS CORVETTE, IT WAS SHIPPED TO A GUY TO ROAD RACE. THE BODY WAS ON THE FRAME IN A BIG CRATE. THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, AND REAR END WAS IN SEPARATE CRATE.

OKAY, THE GUY NEVER PUT IT TOGETHER. THE GENTLEMAN THAT OWNS IT NOW, HE PUT IT TOGETHER AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN FIRED. THAT'S PROBABLY THE ONLY BRAND NEW '62 CORVETTE IN THE WORLD.

(TOMMY)>> FLOYD'S PLACE HAS DEFINITELY GOT SOME OF THE

RARE CAR THAT YOU'VE HEARD OF, AND SOME YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T.

(STEVE)>> FLOYD, TELL US ABOUT THIS CAMARO HERE. (FLOYD>> WELL IT STARTED OUT AS A REGULAR Z-28, BUT THIS IS A PROTOTYPE ENGINE. THIS IS ALUMINUM BLOCK 302 WITH SPECIAL CANTED VALVE HEADS, WHICH SOME PEOPLE REFER TO THEM AS A SEMI HEMI HEAD. NOW I BOUGHT ONE OF THESE ENGINES FROM SMOKEY YUNICK. CHEVROLET PULLED THE PLUG ON RACING AND WOULD NOT LET HIM

FINISH THE DEVELOPMENT ON THESE HEADS. SMOKEY TOLD ME THEY MADE 14 OF THESE ENGINES ALL TOTAL.

(STEVE)>> FOR YOU GUYS THAT REALLY LIKE THIS STUFF IN OFF BRAND, YOU'LL RECOGNIZE THIS CAR. IT'S A 1969 TWO SEATER AMX PUT OUT BY AMC IN THE MOST POPULAR COLOR AND ALSO THE RAREST, BIG BAD ORANGE.

(TOMMY)>> I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD GET IN THIS CAR.

(STEVE)>> WELL WHAT IF YOU HAD TO GET OUT OF IT IN A HURRY?

(TOMMY)>> YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT.

(STEVE)>> THIS IS SERIOUSLY THE PREDECESSOR TO THE FLIP BODY FUNNY CARS.

YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE FRONT END, DOWN THERE AT THE FRONT WHEEL AND THAT SPINDLE, THIS CAR HAS NO FRONT BRAKES.

(TOMMY)>> YOU DON'T KNEED BRAKES TO GO FAST, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? AND OLD FLOYD'S GOT YOU MOPAR GUYS COVERED TOO FROM CLASSIC HEMI CUDAS AND CHALLENGERS TO THE ODDITIES OF THIS '70

CHARGER SPECIAL EDITION WITH A RARE COMBINATION OF GOODIES,

SUCH AS A SUN ROOF. EVER SEEN ONE OF THOSE ON A CHARGER? WELL HOW ABOUT A LUGGAGE RACK.

THIS SPECIAL EDITION PACKAGE WAS ONLY AVAILABLE ON CHARGER 500 AND R/T'S, BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY COOL MOPAR HE'S GOT IN HERE FOR SURE. THIS WHITE '70 HEMI CHALLENGER R/T IS ONE OF THE CAMERA CARS

FEATURED IN THE REMAKE OF VANISHING POINT.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.

YOU CAN'T SEE THESE TYPE OF CARS AT A CRUISE IN OR

SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO GET OUT AND SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL MUSEUMS BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU SUPPORTING THESE TYPE OF THINGS, THEY'LL CLOSE DOWN AND THIS TYPE OF STUFF WILL GET LOCKED UP IN SOME CLOSET AND YOU WON'T EVER GET TO SEE IT.

(STEVE)>> IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING YOU SAW ON THE SHOW TODAY.

(TOMMY)>> GO OVER TO POWERBLOCK TV DOT COM.