I kind of had a thread started with the progress on my 86 SE, but decided to make an offical thread So...here's some pics
This is what my Fiero looked like before I started sanding and removing panels. Besides the wheels and chinspoiler, it looked like this for nearly a year. Definately time for a change.
Here's a picture of it a week later (this is about the middle of October)
About two weeks later...not much different...
And here's a couple pictures from today
As you can see, it's been pretty slow going. It will most likely be after Christmas break before it gets painted. I've only been working on it in my Auto Body class, and some after class. Now that it's getting colder, I'll only be working on it in class, because I don't have a garage. Another reason it's taking a while is because I'm removing almost every panel, and sanding and painting around the edges. It will be a different color, so I don't want any of the old color to show. I'll be updating when I can. Thanks for looking.
------------------ 86 SE V6 - daily driven project
[This message has been edited by sqoach (edited 10-01-2003).]
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07:46 PM
PFF
System Bot
Spektrum-87GT Member
Posts: 1601 From: Yorktown, VA Registered: Aug 2001
i'm about finished painting my 86se, so i know how much work you're in for! lol, what color do you plan on painting it?
Not sure on the color yet. It won't be the same color it was, or kinda was. Black is out, and so is red. I'm leaning towards a bright medium blue, or a nice bright yellow.
Not much else done since the last picture. I've got the driver's fender back on. I also removed the inner sail panel thingies. Today I worked on removing the plexiglass (or whatever it is) from the passenger side sail panel. It took me nearly an hour to get it all off. That adhesive stuff really sticks good! The plexi came off in about 100 little pieces. What a pain that was. I'm gonna repaint both of those, and shave the pontiac emblem. I need to order some new plexi pieces, also.
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08:41 PM
furious_fiero Member
Posts: 3028 From: Surrey,BC,CANADA Registered: Mar 2002
Here's an updated picture, but now it doesn't even look like this anymore.
Since that picture, I've removed the hood and temporarily put on my other one. I need to sand around all the edges, and I'm planning on doing some kind of vent. I've also taken off the gold front fascia and put on my 'project' fascia. I'll be doing some custom stuff with it.
And I'm 90% sure I'll be painting it a bright medium blue. No metallic, just a solid blue. I might add some kind of vinyl graphics later on, also.
As you can see, I've got another fascia on it, and my old hood. I'm doing some work with the other hood, and I'm going to put some vents on it. The front fascia has a ways to go. I'm doing some custom stuff that'll stay secret for now There's also a few other things that are off the car that I'm working on.
That bronco in the background of the 2nd pic is going to be my daily driver when I start leaving my Fiero at the shop. I'm looking at having my car painted mid to late February. I know that's over a month, but I don't have lots of time everyday to work on it. If we get any more nice days like today (60º!), it could be finished earlier
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09:22 PM
Jan 8th, 2003
Automoda Member
Posts: 318 From: Bluffdale, Utah, USA Registered: Sep 2002
I've mentioned before that Fiero hoods can cause problems when painting them. I strongly suggest you prime the hood with some kind of urethane or at least poly-urethane primer-filler. 2 or 3 good coats. Let it sit for a week. Then block it down with fairly rough (320 should do it) wet. This is to deal with that black primer that Pontiac used (probably a laquer). It swells up on contact with paint thinners, which makes the most horrid things happen on the new paint (due to the fact that areas where that black stuff is grow a couple milimeters thicker). By priming, then blocking with an agressive grit, you can smooth it back down nice and flat. Prime it with a coat or 2 more, and block that with the usual 400-500 grit wet and you'll be ready to paint. Frankly, I have learned not to trust factory laquer paintjobs. I've seen some nice effort ruined by it doing its dirty deeds from below.
------------------
87 Quad 4 HO convertible
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04:28 AM
2xsess Member
Posts: 3259 From: Asheboro, NC Registered: Aug 2000
I've mentioned before that Fiero hoods can cause problems when painting them. I strongly suggest you prime the hood with some kind of urethane or at least poly-urethane primer-filler. 2 or 3 good coats. Let it sit for a week. Then block it down with fairly rough (320 should do it) wet. This is to deal with that black primer that Pontiac used (probably a laquer). It swells up on contact with paint thinners, which makes the most horrid things happen on the new paint (due to the fact that areas where that black stuff is grow a couple milimeters thicker). By priming, then blocking with an agressive grit, you can smooth it back down nice and flat. Prime it with a coat or 2 more, and block that with the usual 400-500 grit wet and you'll be ready to paint. Frankly, I have learned not to trust factory laquer paintjobs. I've seen some nice effort ruined by it doing its dirty deeds from below.
I wonder if that's why my hood has blisters on it. It was repainted long before I got it.
I'm contemplating painting my car myself, but I think I'll try my hand at painting my '88 Coupe before I approach the GT. I've seen quite a few people here pull of pretty nice paintwork their first & second times.
As for color... I think you should go with the blue
Automoda, only the hood has this problem? I've never heard of that before. I'll be using primer on the whole car (2 primers, actually) before I paint anything. It shouldn't be a problem with the old paints/primers. I'll talk to my instructor about it, though. Thanks.
Rob, the only reason I'm painting it myself is because I have access to all the equipment I need, even a nice down-draft paint booth! And if I screw up there's someone there to help
Sorry I haven't been keeping up with this thread, for anyone following. My hood is nearly finished. I bought some sunbird turbo hood vents, and already have the holes cut. I just need to do a little work to the underneath side to make it look better. I'll get some pictures of it when I can. I've been working on it in my class since it's been too cold to do anything at home.
And it looks like my car won't get finished as soon as I thought. Our Vo-Tech is hosting a local contest. So I probably won't get to work on my car much at all the next couple of weeks. We'll be setting everything up, and all the projects have to just sit outside the shop (or at home in my case). If it happens to warm up any, I'll be working on some stuff at home.
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12:21 PM
Jan 26th, 2003
rogergarrison Member
Posts: 49601 From: A Western Caribbean Island/ Columbus, Ohio Registered: Apr 99
Hey Dude.......Im the only one allowed to have purple, lol.......
Automoda, Ive never seen that problem. Ive painted quite a few Fieros, tons of vettes and Minivans made from same stuff. I do all the panels just the same. I use red oxide laquer primer and I dont primer any panels that dont need it. If i sand with 400 and surface is still in good shape i paint rite over it. Ive never had a comeback except for one late model corvette i finished after someone else at a dealership screwed it all up. The one front fender did what you describe, but after grinding into it, i found it was due to them fixing a big crack and putting glass and filler over the painted surface...not grinding it down to plastic first. I redid that, and it was fine.
Got the other hood on, and the vents installed. I still have some finish work to do on the under side of the hood, but I think it came out pretty good.
[This message has been edited by sqoach (edited 01-30-2003).]
Here's a picture from earlier today. (sorry the lighting isn't the greatest)
The front fascia is going to have quite a few changes. That's what I'm mainly working on right now. The underside of the hood is pretty much finished. I'm planning on painting it blue, instead of the original flat black, along with the underside of the decklid. Doorjambs I might leave black. Still undecided.
Hmm... that's interesting. When I decided to completely repaint my GT, the two I decided between were..... bright blue or yellow Like KlaX and yello86se said, you don't want yellow.
Here's a couple pics of mine before, during and after paint.
Well, glad to see we're all getting stuff done before the meet on the 8th! I just painted my gauge overlays...and you're getting closer and closer on that...you need to hurry up or I'll have mine painted before you! -Ryan
My hood is ready to prime! Woohoo! I thought I'd never finish sanding that thing. Everything else should go much faster, except the front fascia. I don't think it'll take as long as the hood, though. It was in sad shape. Now I need to figure out which turn signals and fog lights to put in the front fascia so I can really start working on that.
Hood, vents, and sail panels primered. I've got some different turn signals, and found some fog lights that I like. Hopefully I'll be able to make them look good in the front fascia. Also, I found a paint color that I really like. It's a metallic instead of solid. I figured I would go with a metallic color to make it stand out better, even though it would've anyway Planned to start disassembly of my car this week, but going to Wichita this weekend, and will start after that. I should be finished before the end of the month, if everything gets here that I need. Oh yeah, decided that I'm going to paint the underside of the hood and decklid black. Found quite a few scrtaches and cracks after priming the underside of the hood. It'll just help hide those a little.
[This message has been edited by sqoach (edited 03-04-2003).]
First two pictures are pretty obvious what I've done. Smoothing a few things up a bit That last picture shows the grille I'm wanting to use (same type of grille I'm going to use in my side scoops when they get here). It doesn't look quite right to me, but that could be because the front fascia isn't finished and one color yet. Or it could be the way I installed it.
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07:01 PM
Tweek Member
Posts: 1085 From: Brunswick, ME USA Registered: Dec 2000
Probably just a shade or two darker than that. I don't really like light blues. I'm trying to find the bluest medium blue. Don't want it to have any hints of purple or green. Just blue
BTW, what color is that?
[This message has been edited by sqoach (edited 03-12-2003).]
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10:57 PM
Mar 13th, 2003
White88cpe No longer registered
Report this Post03-13-2003 09:56 AM
White88cpe
posts Member since
Twilight blue. that color rocks, its very dark though. Almost black at night.
------------------ Ray - 1988 Aero Coupe - FieroNews.com "Life only pretends to be real" - Anonymous Author
I haven't done much lately. Different door panel, as you can see. The one that was on it was warped, and I didn't feel like trying to fix it. This one seems to fit better anyway. Weird, huh? I have done some work on the decklid. I had to repair a couple of cracks, and I filled in the key hole. I'm wondering why I decided to do that, now. Too late to change my mind
[This message has been edited by sqoach (edited 03-25-2003).]
Just got my side scoops in!! Here's a couple pictures of the driver's side installed. Needs a little finish work, but they're pretty nice.
I'm going to install the same kind of mesh grille that I'm using in the front fascia, into these. I think it'll look good.
This might be the last update until the car is finished, because it's going to be staying at the vo-tech. But I'll try to get some more pictures and updates if anyone is interested.
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01:40 AM
Tigger Member
Posts: 4368 From: Flint, MI USA Registered: Sep 2000
Looking good sqoach. I've been following your thread since the start. Keep us updated with the progress as much as you can. Drop an email if you have any questions.
Wheels? I already have some wheels. But I might be getting some different ones if anyone wants to buy the ones I have on it now. But most people don't want to buy used rims with some scratches and curb rash. I might just sand the scratches out and repaint them.
Not a whole lot to tell. Messed with the scoops, trying to get them to fit right. It would be a little easier if they were plastic like the original quarter panels. I'm pulling a dent under the driver's door right now (well not right now). I'm not sure how the dent got there, but it needs to come out so I can mount the lower part of the quarter panel scoops. At least it'll be covered up, so it doesn't have to look pretty
Forgot to give an update last week. Anyway, picture speaks for itself...
The picture came out kind of bad because of the sun. That was taken earlier today, and now the hood, fenders and front fascia are off. I'm about to paint the frame, because it has overspray, and some rust. I need to paint the dent that I pulled out anyway, so that's a good excuse to paint nearly the whole frame, and door jambs. This week is going to suck, because my instructor is leaving Thursday and Friday for state contest. There won't be any spraying of paint or primer either day. I guess I have other stuff to finish up, though. I have no more than 3 weeks (including this one) to finish. If it isn't finished, then I'll have to wait until the fall when classes start again
FURIOUS FIERO 
