My '88 Coupe build (Page 1/13)
HTXtremes SEP 26, 07:38 PM
Let me start out with saying I've been watching this forum for a while and have gotten loads of information from all of you guys and gals on here and Thank you very much!

I bought my first Fiero when I was 19, I'm 25 now, but never got it on the road. It was an '85 GT, black with gray interior and an auto. It needed a new hood decklid and driverside rockers. Found an '88 coupe for $650 delivered to the house on a rollback, bought it for parts, this was until I found out the advantages of the '88. Both cars sat at my parents house till this summer when I brought the '88 back to my house in NW Arkansas. I started stripping the car down to clean it up and do the engine swap. Wanted to go with a manual, and picked up a G6 6 speed for $474 to the doorstep. This tranny will be going in with a TT 4.0 Aurora 32 valve DOHC. In building this car I decided to go with a 3 inch stretch, 96.5" rather then the 93.5" stocker, smooth out the lines a little better in my opinion. Besides there are other ulterior motives that needed the stretch.
For the stretch I went with 1 3/4" x 1/8" wall Square tubing. Used a total of about 90" of tubing for a three inch stretch. In the upper rails I used an 18" piece and stacked two pieces a 15" piece on top of a 12" piece in each lower frame rail. After removing the engine and cradle, I gutted the engine compartment. First I removed the battery box and the thin metal between the firewall and strut tower on both sides. For the cuts I started by measuring 6 inches from the back glass on each upper rail and 6 inches from the kick in the lower frame rails, the lower frame rail comes straight out from the firewall about 6 inches and kicks in somewhere between 5 to 7 degrees. My goal on this car is to drive it to the 25th in July. There are a few things I have not documented, this is only because so many people on here have done something very similar. I am working on a NHRA spec roll bar with removable door bars that will have minimal intrusion into the interior, and still maintain a GLASS rear window. This is in the works, I will post more information on this as the bugs are worked out. Will post pictures later tonight, have to resize them all because they are all to big.

[This message has been edited by HTXtremes (edited 10-02-2007).]

HTXtremes SEP 26, 09:09 PM
Some pictures to wet your appetite! LOL










On the lower frame rails I split the inside panel off of the frame because of a groove on the top and bottom on the inside of the frame. I left these apart until the frame was welded pretty solid back together, then used the BFP to put it where it needed to go.


To get the tubing to fit in the frame rails I had to grind the lip off of the stamped holes in the frame. I used some self tapping sheet metal screws to hold it in place until final welding was done.



I used a 1 1/8" hole saw to make holes in the sheet metal frame rails so I could have VERY LARGE spot welds, there are over 38 of these welds.

[This message has been edited by HTXtremes (edited 09-26-2007).]

ALLTRBO SEP 26, 09:25 PM
SWEET. Just the type of thread I've been looking for!
*grabs popcorn, waits for more pics*
Thanks for sharing the project.

You didn't happen to see my concept thread did you?
Mr.PBody SEP 26, 09:37 PM
looking good, more pics please!
ALLTRBO SEP 27, 07:57 PM
OOC, what kind of welder did you use?
HTXtremes SEP 27, 08:34 PM
I wanna say it was a Miller 200 mig, I'm not a welder so I had a guy come out and weld it up for me, he brought the welder. Forty bucks in gas, for that much welding was cheap in my book, so I threw in 100 ft of 8-4 S.O. cord.

[This message has been edited by HTXtremes (edited 02-21-2008).]

HTXtremes SEP 27, 08:42 PM
Oh yeah In this picture you can see where I relocated the fuel door cable. New route of cable is between yellow lines. A 3/8" drill bit and a small length of stainless tubing gave me a cleaner look. Besides if I ever have an issue with the cable it will be easier to replace now.

[This message has been edited by HTXtremes (edited 09-27-2007).]

HTXtremes SEP 27, 08:46 PM
By the way ALL TRBO, no I didn't see your concept thread, whats it under?
ALLTRBO SEP 27, 09:16 PM
Okay. I'm just wondering what a minimum welder would be to accomplish a sturdy connection for this. It seems that it'd be a bit difficult to weld the thick tubes to the thin frame. I haven't welded yet but I'm about to buy a welder to learn on.

My concept is definitely different than your project, but it involves a stretched '88 with a TT V8. I'm considering making it my long term project, doing lots of research.
It's here:
http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/067262.html

Keep it up with the pics, much appreciated.
HTXtremes SEP 28, 12:42 AM
Ok updates! just some pics of items being used.


blue tape is where the 1 3/4" chrome moly tubing will connect for the NHRA spec roll bar. By the way it will have LEGAL REMOVABLE door bars!!


here's a pic of where I want to mount a full size spare. Will take some work but it can and will be done!


new battery box and old spare tire mount out of car


New battery box with battery test fit in car. Box still needs a few more layers of glass, this is the first fiberglass project I've taken on.


motor I will be rebuilding and installing with Twin Turbos and 5 to 7 lbs of boost


modified trans ( by specs in Zac88GT's post "northstar 6 speed")


Some of the interior mods on the way include deleting the factory seat belts, new dash, and putting 5 1/4" speakers in the old seat belt reel location.

[This message has been edited by HTXtremes (edited 09-28-2007).]