My fifty dollar paint job (Page 1/2)
Peosko JAN 28, 02:29 AM
My fifty dollar paint job. Rustoleum satin black paint. Everyone is always curious about these paint jobs so here is mine. Mine cost about 150 to 200. The supplies are what made it more.

Yes it's a little shiny for satin black. I like that look and did it out of preference. I also painted the rims. Those were gold. I changed color of the interior as well. It was that horrid brown color inside. No more it's black and grey.

It looks great! Even a girl can do it! I do all the mechanic work myself as well. It's not that bad working on it like most people say. The brakes are a pain in the butt though. The car was sitting for like 15 years on our driveway so I took it upon myself to make it drivable. Once I did that I thought what an ugly car this is with that infamous 2 toned car. The part with the clear coat and the nonexistant clear coat on the top part of the car. Yes it was to ugly to drive around. I'm a mechanic not an auto body specialist. I have never had the desire to spray a car. I made the exception for this car. My first time ever even using a spray gun. I tried rolling it on. Didn't like it. Tried an electric sprayer. Nope. I had to face my fears and break out with the unused spray gun I bought over 12 years ago. To my surprise it was much easier and much faster than anything. I even sprayed my cabinet among other things. I recommend spraying it!

Time to continue on with the brakes. If someone can answer this question about my booster that would be great! Ok that rod that's about 3 inches long that pushes on the master cylinder. I was able to just pull it out. Is that normal for it just come out so easily? Thank you!
Patrick JAN 28, 09:02 PM

quote
Originally posted by Peosko:

My fifty dollar paint job. Rustoleum satin black paint.



Looks pretty good. I'll pay you a hundred dollars to paint mine!
Quadfather JAN 28, 10:11 PM
That looks great! Much better than my Rustoleum paint job turned out. Mine would’ve been better if I’d learned how to adjust the gun, and if I hadn’t clear coated it. Even so, I’m still happy with it and wouldn’t trade the experience.

[This message has been edited by Quadfather (edited 01-28-2022).]

Peosko JAN 28, 10:36 PM
The only thing that I need to to is the front bumper alignment. Can't seem to get it right. It was wrecked in the front. They did a so so job ( leaning more to the no no side of the scale). So it won't line up properly. I ve had to walk away twice out of frustration. The gap is really bad. Also now that I've thought about it when we were pushing it up driveway we sat our butts on the front and used our legs causing even more damage. Oops. Didn't care at the time since it really was just another car we acquired 15 years ago. Well now I know. And it's mine now. No one else seemed to care about it until the home owners association took quite an interest. Now I'm a proud owner of it. They backed off finally. Now for my camaro. That's going to be a challenge. It's been sitting around for quite a while too. Ughh. Any tips n tricks to align the bumper on the fiero? I'll figure it out sooner or later. Just one of those annoying things. Like I had said I'm not an auto body specialist. Much better on the mechanic side of things.
css9450 JAN 28, 11:17 PM

quote
Originally posted by Peosko:


Time to continue on with the brakes. If someone can answer this question about my booster that would be great! Ok that rod that's about 3 inches long that pushes on the master cylinder. I was able to just pull it out. Is that normal for it just come out so easily? Thank you!



Perfectly normal.

Kitskaboodle JAN 29, 01:52 PM
Yes, the rod comes out fairly easily.
It is simply a mechanical connection between the booster and the brake pedal arm.
Make sure to lubricate both ends, especially the rounded end that nests in the booster itself.
What kind of brake problems are you having?
Strangely enough, I just finished my brakes on my 85 GT.
Took me 3 months to get it all taken care of.
Had a nasty proportioning valve issue / brake light on problem

By the way, I work in Fremont.
What part of Fremont are you in?
I work by Automall Parkway and 880.
Kit
IMSA GT JAN 29, 02:19 PM

quote
Originally posted by Kitskaboodle:


I work by Automall Parkway and 880.
Kit



Then you must remember Baylands Raceway which was right around the corner from you.
Raydar JAN 29, 02:32 PM
Nice job!
I saw someone, earlier, asking about "murdered out" Fieros. Then I saw your pics.


quote
Originally posted by Peosko:

The only thing that I need to to is the front bumper alignment.
... Any tips n tricks to align the bumper on the fiero?



Pictures might help. Lots of people have brought back "wrecked" Fieros and made them look new. (Not me. About the only time I tried to do any serious body work, I ran out of skill and patience about 2/3 of the way through, and asked my paint and body guy to finish it.)

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 01-29-2022).]

Peosko JAN 30, 02:46 AM
As far as the brakes go they are themost non compliant brakes I have ever worked on! I just changed the master cylinder bench bled it and did 1 wheel. I ran out of brake fluid. That's as far as I got tonight. The original problem was they would brake and stop but seemed more of a travel than what seems normal. Feels out of sorts. So I'm starting with the new master cylinder hoping like hell it's not the power booster too. I actually took that out and put it on its side to see if any brake fluid came out. None. I did see some brake fluid around the area the rod comes out of when I first removed the bad MC I think it may be bad because the engine does not run correctly. The idle fluctuates when I brake.

Ok ok I'll be honest here. For the first time in my life I decided to a break and take my car to a shop. After 1000 dollars. I drove away and it seemed to run ok and passed smog with it. It started surging so I took a look and saw a manifold bolt loose (hmmm) tightened it up and to my surprise they were all loose except the one missing from the bottom. They never changed any gasket on the exhaust. They dropped the battery on my spark plug and said that it was broken already. I had just changed them a week before. So I know it was not. Paid for a new battery. They switched my spark plug wires. I just changed those too and I check the wires at Least 4 times before I say it's all done. I know I did not route them wrong. The fan still does not work. I am just wondering how the hell it seemed to run fine and pass smog. Never will I take any of my cars in with little things that are so easy to do yourself again! Lesson learned minus 1000. So now I have an idle problem haven't started it since I figured out the spark plug wires that were reversed. I'm going to that shop and give them 2 earfuls plus 2 more just because. They screwed me sideways upside down and sideways again! I'll start it up in morning and see if the problems still exist. I did use a vacuum gauge and man it was the weirdest reading. It was moving so fast I could not see the needle back and forth. That was before I figured out the wire thing. I'll let you know what happens after start it up tomorrow. Maybe miraculously it all goes away. Yeah right. Since everyone is not looking at me face to face telling you guys about my embarrassing situation is alot easier. Won't admit it any other time just publicly here. No one I know owns a fiero so I don't think anyone will see my post. Deny deny deny if someone sees it..
Thank you! I got it out never to be repeated again. Whewie!
Kitskaboodle JAN 30, 03:27 AM
Not surprised about local auto shops not knowing about Fiero’s and how to work on them. To add insult to injury, I would recommend you check your cooling tubes to make sure they didn’t lift up your car from sides, I don’t know of any shops around here who really knows Fiero’s. You sound competent enough of a do it yourselfer. You can do it, I know you can.
Here’s some advice (if I may offer it)
1) focus on one thing at a time! Otherwise you are going to get overwhelmed and frustrated and then want to quit. One small victory at a time, ok?
(sort out the brakes first - brake fluid behind the booster? Are you sure the brake fluid didn’t come from the m/c? I replaced mine just because it was old, original and had weak pressure. I could feel the difference with the new one.Consider replacing it while you have the brakes down.
2) Double check plugs & wires to make sure all is in order. (firing order that is)
3) Go back and check all manifold bolts to ensure they are tight.
4) Check all your vacuum lines / hoses for leaks.
5) You need to start posting your mechanical/electrical issues in the Technical Discussion section, not here in General, ok?
6) Stay connected to this Forum. It costs you nothing, you get free advice, and most importantly, any problem your Fiero has ever had or is going to have….. someone here has already been there and done that!
Kit