Power Wheels Magazine A Notch Above
After extinguishing the fire that engulfed the engine compartment of his beloved 1970 Pontiac Firebird Formula 350 in July 2022, owner Ferdi Raquelsantos initially tried to determine the cause of the fire. He learned that a rubber fuel line had burst, spewed gasoline around the engine, which was somehow ignited by a misfire from the distributor or by the hot header tubes. Thankfully, the damage was localized around the engine compartment, hood and part of the cowl in front of the windshield.
The fire damage was limited to the engine compartment, the hood and the front cowl.
Ferdi had the damaged Firebird towed by flatbed truck to JSK Custom Paint and Auto Works in Marulas, Valenzuela City, which was a long way from his residence in Alabang. But he reasoned that he would rather take it to a reputable shop that he can trust. It just so happens that, aside from winning multiple awards in car shows, JSK is also the go-to restoration and customization shop of car-loving gearhead celebrities such as Albert Martinez, Daniel Padilla and Coco Martin, to name a few. He felt that his beloved Firebird is in safe hands.
The Firebird was taken to JSK Custom Paint and Auto Works in Marulas, Valenzuela City…
… where the hood, windshield, V8 engine, and other components were removed.
The Pontiac 350 V8 will undergo a thorough inspection and damage assessment as well.
Upon receiving the fire-damaged Pontiac, JSK proprietor Johnson Tan joked that Ferdi’s muscle car lived up to its “Firebird” nameplate. However, Johnson promised Ferdi that like a phoenix, the mythical bird that got burned in a pyre and then rose from the ashes, it will be restored back to or even better than it was before the fire. He only asked for Ferdi’s patience because going through the scorched engine compartment and molten parts will be like a forensic investigation. Johnson immediately had his team of technicians and mechanics remove the burned parts to start the long restoration process.
Stripped of its V8 engine and other components, the engine compartment shows the extent of the fire damage.
The doors were likewise removed to make way for the repairs of the rusted portions.
(Next week: JSK Custom Paint and Auto Works starts the body repairs while engine and component damage gets assessed.)