well, i've been presented with a challenge. A challenge i would LOVE to take. If i can get my car finished before it snows, i can have it painted pretty much for free, looking at a couple hundred bux for PPG paint, and it won't be a BASIC paint job. the painter is looking for a project which he thought would be fun and challenging, and he picked my car. so anyway, what do i need to finish? well... first off is the front bumper. i added an extra 1.5 inches to the bottom. enough to get that aggresively low look without making it undriveable. the car is also lowered 2inches so it's really all i need.
second is the widebody i'm making in the rear inspired by none other than curly and choptop #15. i'm going for a more stock appearance, no extra scoops or anything like that will be used. just a simple 2inch flare around the back wheel well to match the front.(why would GM flare the front but not the back anyway??)
IP: Logged
02:51 PM
PFF
System Bot
fierce_gt Member
Posts: 1517 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Oct 2002
third is to shave all the trim and handles. about the only thing i intend on leaving is the trunk lock in the back, cause it's easier to just leave that in case the battery dies than to install hidden switches, or other safety precautions. not to mention it will be an easy mod in the future when i have the time to do so. the only thing i guess that will be different about this is that i'm trying to eliminate that line where the trim is altogether. i know ppl will say that's the line of the car, without it there's no line etc, but honestly i hate it, i think it's a terrible line and i don't want it there. the line on my car will be the top of the hood, to the top of the door sill, to the top of the trunk. i feel it will look much more aggresive and much cleaner. to do this i just grind the panel at where the top of the moulding used to be, sometimes you'll go right through before it's flat, but then you can just fiberglass over top to solve that problem the idea, pretty much anyway
fourth is the spoiler, just moulding it on so it looks right at home.
lol Old pics, you posted these in my build thread already.. Well scott our widebodies are coming along. Its about time you got on to that other side, it was looking a bit out of place. It is true however that the second side goes on much faster then the first. Your trim Idea is there.. But I don't think you will beable to eliminate that line without creating two more, sorry scott. I am just not really feeling that idea.. But I will give you thumbs up, and perhaps I'll have to come by again and help you out again ! C ya buddy!
thanks for the compliments guys. chase, that line is already pretty well gone. i guess it's still "sorta" there, but it's not a crease, it's a curve now, which is acceptable to me. guess i'll never really know until i get some paint on there.
tomorrow i'll finish fiberglassing the passenger widebody and the shaved trim hopefully. i picked up some LED side marker lights to use as turn signals today as well
Do you have a scanner? I have my blueprints / mock shots for my car.. and I have actually decided on a name for my kit car... "Pontiac Pegasus" I don't really want to move away from the fiero that much, so custom emblems will still remain the fiero ones, only modified with more of a New age look to them...
But this is what a "Pagasus" actually looked like in the 70's, before the fiero, it was a prototype spin off the trans-am...
Neat eh? (I'm Canadian)
IP: Logged
01:16 AM
madcurl Member
Posts: 21401 From: In a Van down by the Kern River Registered: Jul 2003
currently for rims i am using some 17" focal f5's. they are only 7inches wide though, and i could probably only fit a 235/45r17 tire on it, that's the plan for right now anyway. no money for new rims, so i will at least try that out before i go broke on some new rims.
i have a couple more pics to post later tonight, so come back and check that out.
IP: Logged
07:50 PM
fierce_gt Member
Posts: 1517 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Oct 2002
and some more updates, waiting on some solenoids to shave the locks and handles, and currently waiting for the kittyhair to dry so i can do some more sanding. really wish i had a better compressor too, can only go for about 10mins before i need to let it catch up again. oh well...
[This message has been edited by fierce_gt (edited 09-24-2005).]
IP: Logged
08:54 PM
fierce_gt Member
Posts: 1517 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Oct 2002
don't worry i will. got some more sanding done tonight, but pics will be garbage at night time so i'll snap a few more tomorrow. i'm thinking i might invest in an electric random orbit sander as well, the air compressor just can't keep up with the one i have now. and i'm happy to say i'm almost done building, about 80% just sanding left. now if i could just get the other one running properly i could focus more time on it.
IP: Logged
10:02 PM
PFF
System Bot
madcurl Member
Posts: 21401 From: In a Van down by the Kern River Registered: Jul 2003
Originally posted by fierce_gt: i'm thinking i might invest in an electric random orbit sander as well, the air compressor just can't keep up with the one i have now. and i'm happy to say i'm almost done building, about 80% just sanding left.
Yep. That's what we used.
IP: Logged
11:10 PM
Sep 25th, 2005
fierce_gt Member
Posts: 1517 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Oct 2002
yeah, when i did the front bumper i did it all by hand with a sanding block, took me at least 15-20 hrs of sanding, when i started this i knew i would need somthing powered, i just wish i'd known my compressor can't put out 4.0cfm @90psi, i thought it would. so any recommendations? all the ones i've been looking at seem to spec out about the same
IP: Logged
12:09 AM
olaf_fiero27 Member
Posts: 967 From: winnipeg,manitoba,Canada Registered: Oct 2004
Scotty, My buddy just bought one at Costco the other day, it's like 6 hp, 20 gallon, and pumps 5.5 cfm at 90 psi, If I'm correct, paid 300 bucks for it. Btw I like it, looks good and I can't wait till it's done.
IP: Logged
10:31 AM
fierce_gt Member
Posts: 1517 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Oct 2002
i went a little overboard on the doors because i used to have my speakers on the doors. i did 3-4layers, probably pretty close to 7-10lbs per door. what i've noticed from doing it is that i can tell you within about an inch where all my windows are with my eyes closed, lol. it definately makes a difference, but with the sunroof and all the glass there's still quite a bit of sound escaping. as for road noise, i doubt the doors help much at all, but the sound deadener on the floor/firewall sure did. as for how much, not sure, but i did drive around with open headers(well not actually headers, but you know what i mean) for a few months and it was pretty bearable as long as the windows were up, if they were down you couldn't even have a conversation. also keep in mind, that this type of sound deadener is designed to reduce vibration, you'll still want to keep the stock sound deadener as much as possible as it actually tries to soften the noise coming through.
IP: Logged
12:30 AM
Sep 27th, 2005
fierce_gt Member
Posts: 1517 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Oct 2002
well, some more pics for today. unfortunately for the most part it's just gonna be pics of hours and hours of sanding and might not look like much new is actually happening, but actually it's getting flatter and flatter each time, and the drivers side is finally starting to take its final shape! just sprayed some paint on to get a better idea of what areas need the most work, and to make sure i've got a nice round curve going. i waste a lot of primer doing this but it really helps me see the contours so i think it's worth it.
and some updates from todays sanding session:
IP: Logged
03:15 PM
fierce_gt Member
Posts: 1517 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Oct 2002
they tell me the rear moulding is the toughest to shave, well if that's true i'm a happy camper, aside from the fact that i'll have to sand by hand a lot of the contour, it's pretty straight forward and just needs a lot more sanding.
and here's a little comparison shot of one of my inspirations for the shape compared to what i've got so far:
IP: Logged
03:18 PM
fierce_gt Member
Posts: 1517 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Oct 2002
well, went a bit of a different route today. found out that the only way i would be able to easily mount the solenoids would be to remove the outter door panel, which was awkward enough with all the sound deadener on the inside of the door. so i guess this is test number one as to how flexible this door will be. and well, i'm thinking good things of it, i did have one small glitch where i still had a screw underneath that needed to be removed, but other than that i felt that it was flexing far more than it ever would on the car. so flex would be a problem, changing temps and constant vibration still to be determined though, lol anywho, here's some pics
IP: Logged
04:47 PM
fierce_gt Member
Posts: 1517 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Oct 2002
poppers were ordered today, so they should be in soon. as weird as it sounds at this point, i'm getting relieved because i don't see any reason why i shouldn't be able to finish this in a couple more weeks, i think the hard part is over
I don't... what paper did you sand to scott... until you work your way up to 400 for paint.. I wouldn't say that.. haha It may just get alot worse. Ohh well its looking damn good there boy! soo much bondo.. lol jk
IP: Logged
05:08 PM
fierce_gt Member
Posts: 1517 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Oct 2002
I don't... what paper did you sand to scott... until you work your way up to 400 for paint.. I wouldn't say that.. haha It may just get alot worse. Ohh well its looking damn good there boy! soo much bondo.. lol jk
i'm not prepping it for paint, i'm prepping it to be prepped for paint. i'm just gonna hand it over with 150 done. so YES i still think the hard part is over. the rest will just be tedious sanding. and there's only a few places that i really need to block as well, so that should only be a couple hours or so.
PS, i apply a lot of bondo and sand 90% of it off. i dunno if that's proper or normal or whatever, but it seems to work for me
IP: Logged
05:42 PM
Sep 29th, 2005
fierce_gt Member
Posts: 1517 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Oct 2002
not a lot got done today, just playing a little catch up on the passenger side until i get a few supplies. this is the second layer of cloth going over the door. i think this should ensure nothing cracks in the middle removed the passenger side door as well door almost prepped, will sand more once i get the kitty hair in the groove. the kitty hair applied, probably need one more coat then a good sand and ready for fiberglass
IP: Logged
03:48 PM
Sep 30th, 2005
fierce_gt Member
Posts: 1517 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Oct 2002
i believe this is about the extent of the "finishing" that i need to do before it hits the body shop, just to give you an idea of what i'm actually intending of doing. so chase, you can probably understand why i feel the hard part is building, not sanding.
IP: Logged
07:00 PM
matchmade Member
Posts: 435 From: Nashville,TN USA Registered: Sep 2004
It's good to see someone going all out to customize a notchback, not many heavily modded notchies out there. Great job on the wide body and smoothing out the car. I can't wait to see it done and painted, keep us posted.
------------------ First Fiero: White 1984 Fiero SE - I miss you old friend Current Fiero: Silver 1986 Fiero 2M4 (Daily Driver)
Not sure if anyone mentioned this, but I don't think using fiberglass on the flexible panels is a good idea. Plus, when you fiberglass over something, you want to remove all the paint. It doesn't adhere well to paint.
------------------ FORMERLY KNOWN AS: sqoach (so, uh...yeah.........I'm not a noob) :p
Got a side shot?
! C ya buddy!
