I have had a lot of people ask me to work on their cars and I finaly decided to do it. I will do custom work and Minor repairs as well. any major work needed will done on a case by case ie if I want to do it
here are some pic's of my first customer, a little background is needed, this is his 355 kit and it needed a bit of TLC I had already fixed the exhaust and many other little things on the car up to this point. he got some new body parts last year to fix things on the car and had taken it to a guy that did body work (he thought!) he had taken the car to him last december and up to 2 days ago the car sat. all he had done was take the car appart and messed up the taillight panel. we picked up the car and brought it to my house. I am already working on the car and should have it done in 2 weeks. keep in mind that I do this after hrs. and on the weekends.
here are some pic's of what I have done with just 3 hrs. by my self.
I have alot to do still, I have to cut the rockers down 1" and re shape them a little as well as add some flanges to bolt them to the car tha way the old ones were. on the taillight panel I have to rework the light areas so the lights will sit the way they are on the real 355. I will keep you posted on the progress of this and others here. D.
I will post some more pic's on monday of the 355. I worked on the car tonight for about 2 hrs. the tail light panel was realy screwed up by the body man that had the car before I got it. so tonight I had to redo what was done. I had to grind out all the Bondo on the back and redo it with fiberglass as well as remake the light holes that were ground down way to much. the taillights would stick way out and aimed up in the air. I was also able to work on the right side rocker, they were not made for this kit so they had to be tweaked. first off I had to cut 1-1/8" off because they were longer than the old ones as well as re shape the front bottom it was 3/4" lower than the old ones that hit all the time because the car sits so low. now I am waiting for the glass to setup so I can get back to work on it. I have to work tomarow so I will do more to the car on sunday. D.
Ya know, I totally applaud those of you that take the gumption to go out and take on something like this. Personally, I cant seem to find the time to even walk through the garage and take a quick peek at my GT much less have the time to work on someone elses!
Good for you man, and I like the look of that 355... its a personal favorite of mine for sure.
--Allen
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Posted by fierocarparts: My thought is DRIVE your car so you (and others) can "APPRECIATE" your investment while it depreciates in monetary value. It is like having a case of beer in your fridge. You may own it BUT are your really enjoying it?
yesterday I spent all day working on this car. the person that started the work had reworked the taillight panel with fiberbondo instead of glass so I spent a few hrs grinding that all out and re glassing the part back together the right way. I was able to get the taillights installed so they sit in the right way as well. now everything lines up I still have a few small things to fix on that part but for the most part it is done. I also worked on the rockers I was able to get the right side fitted now I need to make a mounting flange to be able to to bolt it to the car. it is alot of work but I should be able to get the parts fitted and in primer in about a week. I want to finnish this car in 2 weeks so I can get back to working on mine. I did not get any pic's this weekend because I forgot my camera at work but i will get some tonight and post them tomarow. D.
I like fiber bondo for filling... it works pretty decent if you are not bridging a 3inch gap, or building a ton.
it is not bad if done the right way. he tried to build the intire center out of it and just shape it. also he did not prep the fiberglass before he did it and it was braking at the seams. you have to sand to give it somthing to grip. he just globed it over unsanded paint and it was chiping off. D.
I have an update for all of you. I worked on the 355 last night, the tail light panel is ready for paint and now I an working on the rockers and door sills. first I had to make a flange to mount the rockers to the rear quarters then I cut and installed new screens in the rockers. now it is just a matter of fitting, drilling and mounting them. I may have to glass the sill to the rocker and make them one piece this way they will be stronger at the door if someone steps on them. anyway here are some more pic's.
[This message has been edited by whodeanie (edited 05-07-2009).]
That's a pretty cool jack right there! Where can one of those be purchased?
Oh you like that do you? that little jack has come in very handy I bought it at Northern Tool about 2 years ago. it is not ment to realy lift anything but it is great for holding things like those rockers up. D.
No, i had not even thought about doing one. I just do this as a hobby part time. I love working on custom projects and it is helping to pay for mine. D.
Ben came over last night and we worked out the final details on his car so I could get it done. I will be working on the car all day sat. I should have the parts to the paint shop next week, it will not take long to finish after that.
Very nice looking project. It's hard to imagine that you can find that kind of quality in WOODSTICK, GA.
Thanks, I think JK. I know of a lot of shops around here that do great work but most will not even look at a Fiero or kit for that matter. it has taken me a long time to get my fiberglass skills up to my standards now metal! I can do anything with metal I hate finish bodywork but I can do it as well. I would prefer to be turning wrenches. as far as Woodstock, I am a SoCal transplant. my first job was in a performance fab shop building custom and race cars at 15. D.
this weekend I worked on the car for a while. I was able to get the sill and rocker glassed together and finished the right side rocker now I need to get the car turned around so I can do the left side then it is off to paint. here are the pic's
my Photobucket acount is not working @%#$^&* junk! oh well, I will try to get it fixed by monday. I will be working on the 355 this weekend and hopefully I will be able to post new pic's on monday. the drivers side rocker is the last part before paint then I will re install them and get him back on the road.
anyone that needs somthing worked on PM me if I can help I will. I will do just about any custom work as well as bolt on parts. this helps pay for my car D.
Sunday I was able to work on the car. I finished up all the little fiting things that needed to be done on the passanger side rocker as well as the taillight panel. then I finished up the bumper. now I am on to the drivers side rocker. I got the old one off the car and started fitting the new one I had to cut the rocker just like the other side and glass it back together. that is where I am at as of now. I will be working on the car this week, I hope to get the rocker done by the end of this weekend and have all the parts off to paint by next week. it will only take a few hrs. to get the car back together after the paint is done. after that he has a few other little things he wants me to do as well. air horns and other little things. I will get some new pics when I can. D.
I'm interested in getting info from you about painting my Automoda convertible-converted Formula Ferrari Giallo Modena yellow.
It's a sweet car, in awesome condition, all but the paint - it's cursed with the original, crappy GM mid-80's clearcoat problems.
I'd help with body panel removal/reinstallation, etc., any way I could - this thing just needs a good paint job to be able to rival anything that's grabbed a trophy at a show.
I've done everything I could to keep it looking like an original factory convertible - the only thing I'm 'cheating' on is the shade of yellow - I never cared for the pale yellow Pontiac used; this is as close to a Ferrari as I'll ever get, and I've always driven red Fieros (for 20 years now) - I want to graduate to a true looker.
Heck, I've already stockpiled the window moldings, mirror gaskets, even an original set of the dark charcoal 'FORMULA' decals to put on the doors once it's painted. All I need is someone to paint it who cares and can work with me on the price.
I've been hoping for PPG paint (by a certified shop so I get the lifetime manufacturer's warranty).
I'm interested in getting info from you about painting my Automoda convertible-converted Formula Ferrari Giallo Modena yellow.
It's a sweet car, in awesome condition, all but the paint - it's cursed with the original, crappy GM mid-80's clearcoat problems.
I'd help with body panel removal/reinstallation, etc., any way I could - this thing just needs a good paint job to be able to rival anything that's grabbed a trophy at a show.
I've done everything I could to keep it looking like an original factory convertible - the only thing I'm 'cheating' on is the shade of yellow - I never cared for the pale yellow Pontiac used; this is as close to a Ferrari as I'll ever get, and I've always driven red Fieros (for 20 years now) - I want to graduate to a true looker.
Heck, I've already stockpiled the window moldings, mirror gaskets, even an original set of the dark charcoal 'FORMULA' decals to put on the doors once it's painted. All I need is someone to paint it who cares and can work with me on the price.
I've been hoping for PPG paint (by a certified shop so I get the lifetime manufacturer's warranty).
I have had a lot of people ask me to work on their cars and I finaly decided to do it. I will do custom work and Minor repairs as well.
Maybe you've already done this, but you should consider posting on Ari's kitcar forum. Offer to help people (for a $$$) get through the problem areas of their builds. Much luck and success
Maybe you've already done this, but you should consider posting on Ari's kitcar forum. Offer to help people (for a $$$) get through the problem areas of their builds. Much luck and success
not a bad idea but I realy don't want to build kit cars, been their done that. I would prefer to do custom work. I would not mind doing problem solving for kits just not build the whole thing. I will have one soon that I will be building start to finish for another PFF member and that will take alot of time to do. I don't have the space to work on more than 2 at a time so until mine is finished that limits me to one at a time for now. if I have enough people that want work done I will move them in to the back of my glass shop. I have 3000 sq ft. that I could use if I can justify the cost. that is my goal to have the glass shop in the front and the custom shop in the back. D.
Update, last night I was able to work on the drivers side rocker and get it fitted to the car. I have about 2hrs of work to finish all the parts for paint. I just want to fit all the parts one last time and sand a few bondo spots that need a little smothing. I also got the rear marker lights fitted as well. here are the latest pic's hopefully the next pics will be with paint. D.
If all goes well I should be able to have the parts in paint by the end of the weekend. I will spend some time tomarow morning doing the final sanding before primer. after that I will prime all the parts and if my painter is in town this weekend I will have him spray them, if not I may take them to another friend that also has a paint booth and spray them myself. my goal is to have the car back on the road by monday. I will keep you posted as well as new pic's next week. I will have this car back several times to work on other items one at a time so I will keep you all updated on it as I go. D.
yesterday the owner of the car came over to see the progress. I had just gotten the parts in primer and was working on a small repair to the front bumper. while he was here I finished the front bumper and we wet sanded the rear bumper as well. he did not know if he had any pic's of the old rockers on his car so he held one in place while I got a pic then we held the new one on the car and got a pic with it in primer. now I need to finish wet sanding the other parts and wait for the painter to get back in town. I have a few other tweaks he wants me to do while the car is here so I will work on those after I get back from the Dells. I will be posting some pic's on tuesday.
the parts are at the painter today he will have them done by the time I get back from the Dells then it will just be a matter of bolting them back on to the car.
[This message has been edited by whodeanie (edited 05-24-2009).]
Looking good!! That 355 needs an Amida interior like I am currently installing in my 355 project.
My car will be getting one but I am not sure what he wants to do with his. I would just be happy to get it back on the road for him. because of the other guy it has not been on the road since last Oct. I should have the parts back today or tomarow and I will get them installed ASAP. I have a few other little things to do to the car so it still has about a week with me. D.
