Well, it sure is good to get a COMPLETE roof section to go by! with the doner roof section I was able to make critcal measurements before taking and cutting parts! ...there are a bunch of little pieces and I would have had a hard time reassembling if I didn't see how it was all assembled on the doner! The instuctions I found on the internet were not to helpful.
And here are some completed shots...
I still have to put in a new interior...you can see just some of the rivets.....Lots and lots of rivets!
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02:23 AM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
Excellent work. I agree 110% that the donor roof is the way to go if you have never installed T-tops before. Disassembling the donor roof helps tremendously when you are trying to put it all back together. Also, I agree that the riveter gets old after the first 50 or so. Luckily I had my brother to help me when I arms got tired.
Yours are looking good!!
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02:44 AM
kooljess Member
Posts: 1135 From: FIEROS WEST USA Registered: Jul 2004
Nice work, Im curious on what you plan on doing for a t-top headliner... I currently have my interior gutted and my backer board expanded itself into pieces so now i'm without a pattern. anyways let me know, thanks
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12:55 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
The t-top headliner can be made from the non-sunroof headliner very easily. Just cut out the opening. See my install thread for pictures.
Hmmm, thats a good idea! I was just going to take it to an upholstery shop, but it looks like something I may be able to do by looking at your pics. Thanks again!!!
I've been waiting to see this thread pop up. Great work!!! Makes me think I should've kept it to put on the GT. Speaking of long trips... Just got back from one myself. Another project made it back to my house this weekend. I now know that I really do have too many "irons in the fire".
LOL...Yea, it was scary to start cutting into the car...That is the point of no return! Make sure you check and double check your measurements before attempting to cut the roof off.
....The hardest part for me was trying to get the H-frame perfectly centered before mounting it.
[This message has been edited by v8fiero400 (edited 09-06-2004).]
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05:00 PM
DotTC Member
Posts: 2345 From: Hamlet, North Carolina Registered: Nov 2003
LOL...Yea, it was scary to start cutting into the car...That is the point of no return! Make sure you check and double check your measurements before attempting to cut the roof off.
....The hardest part for me was trying to get the H-frame perfectly centered before mounting it.
Not dissing your awesome job. But don't you have to like support the chassis before cutting the roof like that??? Not sure of the Fiero's design but yeah just thought you had to overall in all cars.
Either way that's a very nice job done man. T-tops are cool and you did a good job and glad to hear nothing went wrong.
Not dissing your awesome job. But don't you have to like support the chassis before cutting the roof like that??? Not sure of the Fiero's design but yeah just thought you had to overall in all cars.
Either way that's a very nice job done man. T-tops are cool and you did a good job and glad to hear nothing went wrong.
If I'm not mistaken, the frame takes up for the part of the frame that was cut... Most T-Tops flex a little from the change in the support structure (at least the last T-top I've driven did).
I'm praising his work on this... I know it had to be very time consuming and a headache to figure out how to do it right. If I can get past the thought of going past the point of no return, I might try it myself.
------------------ BlueGT
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10:18 PM
PFF
System Bot
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
Not dissing your awesome job. But don't you have to like support the chassis before cutting the roof like that???
The install manual calls for the roof to be supported by "Spreaders" Although Ed Parks told me that he did it many times before he got the spreaders. the purpose is to open the gap a bit before you rivet the frame in so when you release the spreaders if will be in compression. However, the Fiero space frame is so rigid you probably wouldn't notice the difference.
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10:30 PM
Sep 7th, 2004
v8fiero400 Member
Posts: 963 From: Houston,TX,USA Registered: Jan 2004
The install manual calls for the roof to be supported by "Spreaders" Although Ed Parks told me that he did it many times before he got the spreaders. the purpose is to open the gap a bit before you rivet the frame in so when you release the spreaders if will be in compression. However, the Fiero space frame is so rigid you probably wouldn't notice the difference.
I didn't have spreaders, but I used two jacks on the bottom side rails to do a similar "spreading"
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12:56 AM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
Originally posted by v8fiero400: I didn't have spreaders, but I used two jacks on the bottom side rails to do a similar "spreading"
That should work...Ed also said he would support it with jacks like that then have two guys sit on the front and rear bumpers Not high tech but it worked!
I can't answer for Roy, but the manual calls for a lot of the Butyl rubber to be put all over the frame before you put it in. There certainly is a lot of it on the frame when you take it out. I couldn't find any Butyl anywhere so I used black silicone. Hopefully it seals just as well.
awesome job....and even though I read a few threads like this ,It never gets old. I cant wait till the day I can throw a t-top on my Fiero. I have them things you need to cut a roof right off one. lol John
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11:30 PM
Sep 19th, 2004
my2m4fiero Member
Posts: 439 From: Wichita, Kansas, USA Registered: Apr 2004
The sad part about spraying a car with cans, is when you go to respray it properly...you have to get it all off again!! Might be different nowadays, but when I did it about 20 years ago, and then sprayed it with proper paint, it reacted very badly everywhere, and wasted a lot of time and prepping by having to do it all again.I guess there are good isolator primers available nowadays, but I would not be too happy having spraycan paint lurking under my shiny new finish!! fierofetish
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07:02 AM
gaas88 Member
Posts: 435 From: Burlington,Ontario,Canada Registered: Dec 2003
Great thread V8Fiero400. Gotta give it to you for having the balls to cut up your car! Nice job! Another mod that I now will consider to attempt - this is a keeper thread - thanks. By the way, it was your car that I saw with the Mustang spoiler that made me do the same thing - the spoiler looks like it was designed for the Fiero!!
I have my my Donor T-tops already to install. Just one question. In the instructions, it says to use the pattern, that comes in the kit, to mark the curve on the front section of the roof. How are you guys doing that part?
Don Z..
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09:53 AM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
I didn't have the pattern so I took careful measurements from the donor roof to make the initial cut. Then I cut on the inside of the line and used the grinder until I got it just right.
Revin, I'd be glad to help you cut the roof off your car, if you would do something for me like... introduce me to the woman in your sig
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11:05 AM
Sep 20th, 2004
v8fiero400 Member
Posts: 963 From: Houston,TX,USA Registered: Jan 2004
The only thing that worries me about adding t-tops is water leaks. I used to own a Nissan Z with t-tops and that thing pissed all over my head when in rained!
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11:30 PM
Nov 18th, 2004
v8fiero400 Member
Posts: 963 From: Houston,TX,USA Registered: Jan 2004
I can't answer for Roy, but the manual calls for a lot of the Butyl rubber to be put all over the frame before you put it in. There certainly is a lot of it on the frame when you take it out. I couldn't find any Butyl anywhere so I used black silicone. Hopefully it seals just as well.
That is also known as Windshield Seal or Rope. I picked some up for a project I was doing at Autozone.
------------------ 4.9 Caddy in Garage! Car in Driveway! ACK! **************************************** http://home.cfl.rr.com/fierose Central Florida Fieros http://www.centralfloridafieros.org Proud Member and founder of the DOWN SOUTH SUNNY WINTER PICK ON SNOW PEOPLE COALITION!
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09:16 AM
Fiero5 Member
Posts: 8882 From: Arecibo, PR Registered: Jun 2000
Oh wow!! That is soo cool! Great job! I have always wanted a T-Top Fiero. I had a chance awhile back as I got to pick between the Indy and a base model 4 cyl T-Top. I of course went for the Indy and have never regretted it for a minute. But a T-Top in the near future would certainly be cool After seeing this thread, Jscotts and a few others I am now thinking of looking into getting one this way. My red '88 would look really sweet with a T-Top too.
Steve
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02:05 PM
Toddster Member
Posts: 20871 From: Roswell, Georgia Registered: May 2001
Speaking of long trips... Just got back from one myself. Another project made it back to my house this weekend. I now know that I really do have too many "irons in the fire". 
