Lets speak insane thoughts for a moment, and do me a favor... Leave your opinion on the matter (but for the record it wont effect my decision in the end) unless support is and will be a huge issue. On of a few 'outrageous ideas i wanna make work'

A tilting front end, some folks have considered or have already compleated a C4 style tilting hood fender combination on the front end... Myself included in those folks...



pretty kool huh?

How bout this:


something similar, except more factory looking on a fastback...? Whats your input

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" Life is short, Live alittle and If you feel froggy, jump. "
86 GT Build-Up----> https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/059108.html

[This message has been edited by 88GTFormula (edited 06-04-2006).]

Well, it would make working on the engine from the side easier, since you wouldn't be leaning over the fastback sails. Would also help keep the paint from being scratched.

If it was done like the Aldino in your pics, it looks good. If the areas under the bodywork aren't finished nicely, it's going to look kinda crappy.

[This message has been edited by GT86 (edited 06-04-2006).]

quote Originally posted by 88GTFormula: A tilting front end, some folks have considered or have already compleated a C4 style tilting hood fender combination on the front end... Myself included in those folks...

I like your front end tilting clip. I've thought of doing that myself.

I also think the rear tilting clip would look good.

quote Originally posted by jscott1: I like your front end tilting clip. I also think the rear tilting clip would look good.

yea, but theres alittle bit more that I've got to think about for the rear end... lol theres a few sticky situations while Im thinking about it... tail light wires, might have to be lengthened, and that area will have to be reinforced more than it is now IMO

but this would make widening the rear end easier, and widening the rear end would make dressing up the exposed frame more simple (more room to add dress up stuff)

and a quote from madcurls signature... maybe i beat him to a crazy thought...
"Anyone can make a copy of something, it may look good but it ever is the real car, make something from your imagination, something unique, something nobody has, anything is possible and, ideas can be a reality."

True, so how bout I find a way to make this one a reality... Time for me to sleep on it here in Pennsylvainia

[This message has been edited by 88GTFormula (edited 06-04-2006).]

What if you left the lights where they were and had it lift up and out instead. That way a release could be made so you could remove the section for heavy work and not have to worry about wires.
The only issue I would have with my car is the amount of work I do would be a pain in the butt to do from the side. I’m sure I would get use to it, but if the back end would come off then it would be pretty cool.
You could do something that opened with a touch of a button and closed the same way, that would be cool.

Easier said than done, but attach the lights to the clip, then swing them both out. I'm sure you've seen it, but check out OPM2000s Pantera thread. He shows how he's doing it on his rear clam shell. I was thinking more on the lines of the F40/F50 and swinging the whole clam shell forward and up, like a hatch. If you swing it back, make sure it's secured properly, otherwise having it catch wind at 70MPH will be devestating to your work.

Bob

Tilt the cradle instead.

quote Originally posted by Gokart Mozart: Tilt the cradle instead.

woah, definately too out of my league...

For some time, I've been thinking of attaching the rear fenders to the decklid, similar to the hood mod. That's not quite what you had in mind, though. And I'm not sure if it's even feasible on a fastback.

I thought about this myself, but concluded that it would make the trunk all but useless, and working on the engine a pain.
As it is, I just sit in my trunk to work on my engine. Beats leaning over the side of something, on sharp rusty metal, and standing around all day.

quote Originally posted by 88GTFormula: woah, definately too out of my league...

You would probably have to loose the trunk. The cradle will almost do that now if it wasnt for the trunk wall.
I have been thinking about the rear frame and cradle for some time. I think that a lot of weight can be removed from the car if some of the frame was replaced by tube and fiberglass.
Then you could tilt the cradle and make the rear clip removable, now that would be sweet.

Geat idea.

We were contemplating doing that a while back, It would provide extra access to work on the motor etc, but what we wanted to do was make sure it tilted like a hatch, forward. This way you don;t loose the trunk and still have the bare frame. The only other thing we thought about was maybe also keeping the decklid functional. So the Decklid and the whole rear end can both go up or if you just needed the trunk, just the deck would. Heres an old sketch:


Good Luck,
Alex

i can't help but i'm reading. i have a car someone else did some pretty serious rear mods to and if i can rework it and make the whole thing tilt in the process (right now it has two lift off pieces for the engine and trunk) i want to try it.

quote Originally posted by FieroGTRwideboby: The only other thing we thought about was maybe also keeping the decklid functional. So the Decklid and the whole rear end can both go up or if you just needed the trunk, just the deck would.

Have you seen the video of them showing how the 89/90 car went together (it was shot in the mid/late 80's)?

The way you've got it almost is the same.... so it's doable!

quote Originally posted by watts: Have you seen the video of them showing how the 89/90 car went together (it was shot in the mid/late 80's)? The way you've got it almost is the same.... so it's doable!

I'd be interested in seeing that, could you see if you could find it and post it on here?

Thanx alot,
~Tim

me and Rich the gentleman that makes the Aldinos are playing email tag, Im looking into buying the hardware, frame supports etc from him to put on my 86

We'll see what becomes of it within a few days...

I like your tilting nose/hood. You're well on your way to a neat car.

As someone who has also looked into this idea, may I suggest that you hinge it in such a way as to raise the clam shell above the Fiero nose (like it is on the Al Dino pictured in this thread) rather than try to tuck it into the trailing edge of the nose.

If you can do the nose right, the rear clip will be easy.

Archie

[This message has been edited by Archie (edited 06-05-2006).]

quote Originally posted by Archie: I like your tilting nose/hood. You're well on your way to a neat car. As someone who has also looked into this idea, may I suggest that you hinge it in such a way as to raise the clam shell above the Fiero nose (like it is on the Al Dino pictured in this thread) rather than try to tuck it into the trailing edge of the nose. If you can do the nose right, the rear clip will be easy. Archie

I've been kicking this idea around in my head almost as long as the c4 style hood (top half of the fenders flip in unison with the hood... I love the idea, think it would look very sweet. But the only thing Im not too in favor of would be making a seam on the front end, so I've been contemplating on how to get around that, without making the whole nose flip with the hood etc.

Although I have thought of the lines that wouldn't look too terrible as far as making another seam on the front end (eliminating the fender seams that originally went along side the hood the length of it.) either way I think it would be an improvement... Id be eliminating another seam too 'front edge of the hood' if I did make part of the nose flip pretty much move the seam closer to the ground which also will probally make it less noticable.

Im getting to the point now where I should probally finish a few projects before I make more... This hood mod being one of them. And this rear clip flippage that is about to start...

Im only 19 (as of may 5th) So Ive got a bit of life to pull through a few more ideas hopefully. Im just doing my part in tring to take the fiero to the next level. And from ready a few rather popular, insane threads (a few of madcurls wacky but very interesting ideas, alexs GTRwidebody, a widebody notchback thread by Russ, and many many others.) they all inspire me and somehow manage to give me more ideas... But Im coming to the point in my ideas that i need to get the out of my head and onto the car... Stay tuned Archie, you might be involved with this car before its all over

But a chop is on the back of the list before paint. The particular GT thats getting all od this TLC currently has about 10 layers of paint, clear coats etc. that need stripped before i get too terribly far. That or I just get my hands on all new panels.

Any comments on the front seams Archie, Curley, you other body work junkies... Cmon guys don't just post once and leave me. Lets pack so much info. in this thread that it stays outta the archives for years.

just alittle Q and A on the flippage modification

Take a look at the Jag E-Type for another way to flip the nose. Alot of work but it'll look cool. Sorry but that's the best hood up pic I could find. for hood down

[This message has been edited by Gokart Mozart (edited 06-06-2006).]

i say giv'r..

quote Originally posted by RCR: check out OPM2000s Pantera thread. He shows how he's doing it on his rear clam shell. and up, like a hatch. If you swing it back, make sure it's secured properly, otherwise having it catch wind at 70MPH will be devestating to your work. Bob

Having spent many weekends assisting Dave on the clam shell hinges, I can attest to the difficulty of doing it right. We designed several different styles of hinges and attaching hardware before finally settling on the end result. Because of the extended hinge point of the actual joint from the roof line, it was an interesting engineering challenge. Heck, every time we look at it we see a different way we could have done it. It's kind of like building anything else, after you're through, there's always something you'd change if you did it again.

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Ron
Freedom isn't Free, it's paid for with the blood and dreams of those that have gone before us.
My imagination is the only limiting factor to my Fiero. Well, there is that money issue.

[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 06-06-2006).]

quote Originally posted by Archie: I like your tilting nose/hood. You're well on your way to a neat car. As someone who has also looked into this idea, may I suggest that you hinge it in such a way as to raise the clam shell above the Fiero nose (like it is on the Al Dino pictured in this thread) rather than try to tuck it into the trailing edge of the nose. If you can do the nose right, the rear clip will be easy. Archie

I was thinking about something like this, up and out action would not tuck the hood inside the front bumper cover
http://www.multimatic.com/hingesystems/deckhinges.shtml

quote Originally posted by Jake_Dragon: I was thinking about something like this, up and out action would not tuck the hood inside the front bumper cover http://www.multimatic.com/hingesystems/deckhinges.shtml

Very interesting, I don't see where it says about selling them tho... Any idea where I might get a set ?

quote Originally posted by 88GTFormula: Very interesting, I don't see where it says about selling them tho... Any idea where I might get a set ?

Actualy any early hood hinge would do that, just remove the spring and use a prop rod. Check any local junk yard.
I used that picture because it was the first one I found.

Can't do that

I have arials on the fenders.
One is 2 way and the other is AM/FM radio
the other arials are in tape right up the top of the windsrceen so you can't see them.
Doesn't the detachable rear catch the wind and put any clamps under stress and over time might have a chance of breaking

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Allen
Australia
86 gold SE
85 red SE
01161412119530