quote Originally posted by F355spider: No Archie you are just proving to every one else what I have been telling them. .................................... I do hope you continue to post like that on my thread it does not bother me, just the opposite it lets everyone else know how big of an A$$ hole you really are. Thanks, Archie you just made my day I will have a smile on my face all week.

Well I'm glad I made your day. It's too bad you can't answer a simple question without calling someone names.

Too bad people like you feel that the only way to promote what you're doing is to tear down someone elses' work & that's just what you've done in your various threads. Maybe your work can't stand on it's own & calling names & putting down the work of others' is the only way you know how to romote your own work.

You obviously think that getting the windows mounted is more important than cutting away at the side impact beams.

So the question remains..... How does cutting up the side impact beam balance out with your earlier statements that were directed at the work I've done?

Archie

[This message has been edited by Archie (edited 11-07-2005).]

I think I found some rockers to work with I just have to get them off my daughter’s car without her knowing. LOL

Some pictures of the Mutt I took this morning

F355spider,You are a inspiration to all us do it yourselfer .
After going over your post ,I myself am going to attemp a chop on my 88 GT,and if works out i got 2 others i would like to do . I commened you on your efforts to go forward with improving the fiero.
I for one enjoy the many thread posted by you and many other like you ,that come up with unique ways to impove the performance and look of the fiero.
Keep it up!!!!!!!!!

quote Originally posted by gofast250: F355spider,You are a inspiration to all us do it yourselfer . After going over your post ,I myself am going to attemp a chop on my 88 GT,and if works out i got 2 others i would like to do . I commened you on your efforts to go forward with improving the fiero. I for one enjoy the many thread posted by you and many other like you ,that come up with unique ways to impove the performance and look of the fiero. Keep it up!!!!!!!!!

Hey, Wow, lets slow down a little there before we go chopping on an 88 GT for a first time chop. Not saying in anyway that you cant not do the task but might wanna do your first chop on something besides an 88 GT. You know like a pre-88 Coupe or something of that nature, or close to it.

quote Originally posted by F355spider: I wish Jscott, Tom and Will could have their cars back or running so we can get them here too along with any one else that wants to come.

Me too... It's going to be months before I get my OG chop top back. The chop t-top is so far on the back burner it's not funny.

quote Originally posted by gofast250: F355spider,You are a inspiration to all us do it yourselfer . After going over your post ,I myself am going to attemp a chop on my 88 GT,and if works out i got 2 others i would like to do . I commened you on your efforts to go forward with improving the fiero. I for one enjoy the many thread posted by you and many other like you ,that come up with unique ways to impove the performance and look of the fiero. Keep it up!!!!!!!!!

I want to thank you for the warm and fuzzy words and I wish you luck on your car. I do not know you personally nor your experience that is why I say enter with Caution. Chopping a Fiero is pretty easy for an experienced body person but I only recommend any one doing it that knows paint and body. If you are experienced then discard my warning and chop on. I will help with any Q's any one has. One of the major obstacles has now been eliminated so the rest is just a little labor. I need to finish repairing my headliner and then I can put the pillar post pieces back in I will post picture on how to make them work also. I will finish the body and then I will paint it next.

quote Originally posted by F355spider: I wish I could get my hands on that T-Top car and have a part in making the first T-Top chop top Fiero ...

Well based on the excellent work I've seen you do I want to sub-contract out some of the work to you so you CAN have a part in making the first T-top Chop Top Fiero.

quote Originally posted by jscott1: Well based on the excellent work I've seen you do I want to sub-contract out some of the work to you so you CAN have a part in making the first T-top Chop Top Fiero.

Thanks, I’ve been driving the Mutt to work last few days and it is as fun to drive but I can not get the Duke thing; when I got this car it got 36 MPG but would barley Idle or run it has always sounded like crap with rattles and injector clatter but I was getting over 30MPG. Well I changed throttle bodies, egr, new plugs rotor cap and several gaskets the more I do the better the car runs but the worse gas mileage I get I filled up yesterday and was shocked the motor idles good at around 6 or 7K still has the clatter but I'm only getting 23MPG. I have a long commute around 78 miles so I will have to fill up today and will check it again. If it will not get better soon the Mutt will have a different motor. I need over 30MPG to justify keeping the Duke. Any Ideas what I have done wrong to change the fuel mileage so much? I have noticed that when I first got it did not smoke when I would crank it but now it does but I thought it was the valve guide seals leaking down.

Any word yet on the status of the glass.. I could use a set as you have it now.

Thanks,
Ken

[This message has been edited by Midshipman Easy (edited 11-11-2005).]

quote Originally posted by Midshipman Easy: Any word yet on the status of the glass.. I could use a set as you have it now. Thanks, Ken

Ken sorry I posted on the other thread and not here. The contact person I was dealing with is no longer there but I talked to the person that took his place and I stated in the other thread that I can not get the changes made to the windows without spending big bucks but these did work in mine with the mods that you see in this thread so I am still putting a order together on the windows as the ones they sent me but they will not be tinted they will be OEM greenish clear. Any one that wants in PM me your email and I will email you the info I want to keep it more private on the order and not list names as a request by some people that want to buy them but do not want others to know so out of respect for their privacy. I do have to order the 15 sets to get the order so after this order I will not be able to order on here or there this will be it for me. I will give it a week or two to get every one in on the order that wants to get glass windows. I have been driving my car all this week and love it I just need to do something about the engine. I did look at a north* and a 3800 series two yesterday. I just cannot decide what I want in this car. I wanted to keep the Duke but it will not let me.
I’m hoping to be able to make Daytona this year and be able to drive the Mutt there. I always wanted to go but did not have anything to show off. I was driving to work yesterday and had a babe in a new BMW pull up beside me and stay there like she was checking me out but she would not look over and all I could think about was how cool it was that the top of my car was just above her door. This thing is wicked and deserves more power.

Damnnn

Wicked is right ! Looking at your car is making me salivate until i get my hands on mine !

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1985SE chopped and dropped
1986GT
1986 coupe 2M4

I was skeptical at first that you could finish the job..........congrats!... Looks great.

Looking forward to seeing it painted!!!!

If you are successful at a chop-top-T-top........How much would you charge to chop mine?

[This message has been edited by v8fiero400 (edited 11-11-2005).]

quote Originally posted by v8fiero400: If you are successful at a chop-top-T-top........How much would you charge to chop mine?

The trick to chopping a T-top is the custom glass. If we could get a group buy it might be cheaper. But if we need 15 that might be hard. So far we have one definite, (me) and one maybe (ray)

[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 11-11-2005).]

you could move the bottom of the windshield frame forward and use stock glass on a t-top.

Awesome thread man. A full choptop on the first page alone! Keep up the good work, I'll be really interested when you start on a fastback choptop.

On another note, you'd think Archie would be excited at the prospect of glass side windows. The 1" of cut impact beam is trivial and could be reinforced very easily. I like that you plan on correcting this problem anyways and won't have to cut anything.

Keep up the good work, not many people are willing to go all the way and offer specialized parts. Cudos for spending the money to do it right. Hope you are able to make a nice profit when its all said and done.

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Buy a fiero, become a mechanic
3.4 dohc Install
Sub Install
Northstar Install

Thanks guys,
I got the final price on the windows it is $166.66 each not bad they are almost what a regular window cost me when I bought one for my convertible.

Have you decided on what you're doing for rocker panels?

quote Originally posted by joshua riedl: Have you decided on what you're doing for rocker panels?

I have found a set of OEM GT ones to match my GT bumper I think I will keep the car clean and just have it look like a stock 85 GT. It gets so many looks as is I cannot wait to get my paint on it.

I have been WAITING to see a notchie chop top withe the aero ground fx!!! i LOVE IT.... thats the look im going for EVENTUALLY.... but o man i cant wait to see it painted!

quote Originally posted by BobadooFunk: I have been WAITING to see a notchie chop top withe the aero ground fx!!! i LOVE IT.... thats the look im going for EVENTUALLY.... but o man i cant wait to see it painted!

You said it I think the 85 GT was and is the best looking Fiero made. I was over at Stu's house last night looking at his interior swap and what he has done with his AC vent work and a neighbor of his came over and said man pictures do not do that car justice. I just wish the FART CANS would stop trying to race me all the time. I need a little Caddy V8 rumble out the back to shut them down. Maybe I will get that done over Thanksgiving holidays. I checked my mileage again last night and got 23MPG the Duke is history.

I took the Mutt to get a four-wheel alignment this morning and that was the best 69 bucks I have spent. I was way off on my home alignment I could not believe it. It took about two hours to get it done and I just thought the car drove well before. I also impressed the girl working there she came out in the shop and ask me what kind of car this is. I told her it was a Fiero and she had this dumb look on her face so I told her it has been altered and chopped she smiled and said it looked really cool. I have got to start carrying my camera with me I know she would have let me snap a few shots of her and my car. Have I said I love my Chop Top lately?

quote Originally posted by F355spider: I checked my mileage again last night and got 23MPG the Duke is history.

The duke leaves a lot to be desired... For all the duke lovers, I own several of them so I speak from experience. It gets terrible fuel economy for the measly amount of power that it generates. Any swap would be an improvement, a 4.9 is an awesome upgrade for the duke.

Well it doesn't look like anyone answered but what were those close fitting junkyard windows out of? My car has had it's windows broken on 3 different occasions in 2 years so I can't justify custom ones but ones I could build around and order from a glass shop would be perfect! They look like F-body windows, is that right?

quote Originally posted by Beene: Well it doesn't look like anyone answered but what were those close fitting junkyard windows out of? My car has had it's windows broken on 3 different occasions in 2 years so I can't justify custom ones but ones I could build around and order from a glass shop would be perfect! They look like F-body windows, is that right?

They had the right angle at top but were way to strait you would have to have them roll down out side the door panel. If you take your template and hit the junk yards and spend a few days looking around you might find something to work that would be great but I could not find anything. The Fiero has a weird shaped glass and is even more so when chopped. Good luck on your search but at what the custom made window cost you are about the same as buying a OEM window. That is why I'm also getting spare windows for my chop just incase.

Do you have the capacity with the business that made these windows to make some glass next year, after I get back from deployment? If not, can they retain the tooling to restart them later? And about a glass back window. is it possible to maintain a rear defrost setup with a chop? I like to keep all the stuff working, but I guess I could just keep the car in the garage. thanks for the help to my question, and to the writeup here. It sure gives insight as to what is required to make a chop top at home. If its to much to do, theres always J. Scott (houston) for advice on here, or V8 Archie to make my fiero into a chop top too
S. Williams

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1988 Fiero Formula T-tops
CJB 143 of 1252 "factory T-top cars"

Spider let's here some more of those chop top stories and encounters.

Love' em !!

quote Originally posted by htexans1: Do you have the capacity with the business that made these windows to make some glass next year, after I get back from deployment? If not, can they retain the tooling to restart them later? And about a glass back window. is it possible to maintain a rear defrost setup with a chop? I like to keep all the stuff working, but I guess I could just keep the car in the garage. thanks for the help to my question, and to the writeup here. It sure gives insight as to what is required to make a chop top at home. If its to much to do, theres always J. Scott (houston) for advice on here, or V8 Archie to make my fiero into a chop top too S. Williams

I would think if you want the defrost stuff bad enough you could get it done but after a chop the back window is so small you might be able to ad a heat strip to it yourself. They can make windows any time but it cost money and the only way to get them at a good price is to order their minimum order of 30 windows. I know that a couple of people ordering the windows are buying an extra set or two to sell at a profit later so I'm sure there will be a set floating around some were when you are ready but I can not grantee they will be cheap. Be safe and thank you for protecting us.

Feel free to add the engine info herre to if you want, or start a new thread. Your car and talents are nothing short of amazing! I am impressed with what you have done so far. I cant wait to see it finished. I will be following any thread created on your chop top fiero. Thanks for posting!
S. Williams

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1988 Fiero Formula T-tops
CJB 143 of 1252 "factory T-top cars"

Just want to back up for a minute to see if I understand the big picture...

So you notched the bottom of the A-pillars to drop the windshield back. You notched the top of the A-pillars so you could bend the roof back to level. You cut the chop amount out of the B-pillars, and cut the roof length whatever necessary so it doesn't overlap with the metal already there...

Do I got that right?

How much time/money do you think you've invested in just the chop portion? (including windows, fiberglass, bondo...)

Was bracing the frame necessary when removing the top to prevent sagging? Or were the closed doors enough to keep everything aligned?

Was removing the dash really necessary?

Lots of questions, I know

[This message has been edited by ryan.hess (edited 11-18-2005).]

quote Originally posted by F355spider: I would think if you want the defrost stuff bad enough you could get it done but after a chop the back window is so small you might be able to ad a heat strip to it yourself.

I lost my rear defrost in the chop of my coupe, (former NY car where rear defrost is required). It's true the rear window effective height is about 4 inches, but it would be nice to have a couple of heat strips on there. I don't know if the stock rear glass is tempered, (I think it is) which means it's nearly impossible to cut, so you can't cut down the stock rear window and retain the heater strips.

There is an aftermarket defogger from JC Whitney, but then again I do not think it comes small enough to fit.

quote Originally posted by ryan.hess: Just want to back up for a minute to see if I understand the big picture... So you notched the bottom of the A-pillars to drop the windshield back. You notched the top of the A-pillars so you could bend the roof back to level. You cut the chop amount out of the B-pillars, and cut the roof length whatever necessary so it doesn't overlap with the metal already there... Do I got that right? How much time/money do you think you've invested in just the chop portion? (including windows, fiberglass, bondo...) Was bracing the frame necessary when removing the top to prevent sagging? Or were the closed doors enough to keep everything aligned? Was removing the dash really necessary? Lots of questions, I know

Yes I notched the bottom of the A-pillars but you do not have to notch them that much this was my first chop and after I notched mine I found out it does not need to be cut out that much. You will need to also make some small cuts in the b-pillars to bend them in to meet the roofline. I had to trim out the bottom sheet mettle to get the sunroof to move back if you have a non-sunroof car you will not need to do this. I also raked my b-pillars to be able to make a smaller back window and moved my rear clip back to lean it out hard to explain you just have to see it. Ask Will he knows when he came over he noticed it but it does make the rear flow better.
As the money goes it did not cost me anything to actually do the chop. I modified the car pieces to make them fit. Just the normal cost of electricity to run tools and my time. I wasted over 500 bucks in lexan and I’m out about 1500 bucks on all new glass but you can save the windshield it does not need to be removed if you can cut the bottom free with the right tools. I did not count the fiberglass or bondo I feel that goes toward the new pait job and is cheap. I do not recommend using cheap glass but that is your choice go to a composite store or a automotive paint store and get the good stuff will be cheaper in the long run.
I did not need to brace the car to do the chop. As long as you do not drive it you are OK. The urban myth that as soon as you cut the top off a Fiero it will fold into is not true. I just support the under side in the center with a jack because when you cut threw the car will relax a 1\4 to 1\2 inch depending on the car. Yes I keep the doors closed to keep it aligned. Remember when you pull the A-pillars down you are pulling the bottom of the car up.
You do need to remove all interior when welding hot mettle goes every were. I wet old blanket is what I use to help keep the hot sparks off the car and as a precaution around the engine bay remember there is gas in the car.
I do not mind the Q’s I’m flattered you ask them and hope I helped answer them.

quote Originally posted by F355spider: I wasted over 500 bucks in lexan and I’m out about 1500 bucks on all new glass but you can save the windshield it does not need to be removed if you can cut the bottom free with the right tools. I did not count the fiberglass or bondo I feel that goes toward the new pait job and is cheap. I do not recommend using cheap glass but that is your choice go to a composite store or a automotive paint store and get the good stuff will be cheaper in the long run.

Seems like the windshield would just fold back without a problem? Or is it just the bottom that gets pulled as it folds back?

quote You do need to remove all interior when welding hot mettle goes every were. I wet old blanket is what I use to help keep the hot sparks off the car and as a precaution around the engine bay remember there is gas in the car. I do not mind the Q’s I’m flattered you ask them and hope I helped answer them.

Well that's what I meant, I'm sure there's all sorts of welding blankets and even wet blankets that could be just thrown over everything while you're welding... Seems like a LOT of excess work to have to remove everything.

It would be nice to have detailed measurements of the cuts, but I guess nobody's perfect

j/k... I guess it would probably be wise to do this on a junk chassis first to gain experience on where to cut and how much, then cut up my good car I guess it's like the saying goes, $1500 to get a choptop, $20,000 to know just where to cut.

So for the rear window, you just gave a glass shop a template for a flat piece of tempered? Was it any more/less than a normal rear window?

Oh, forgot to ask if you were going to be lowering the seats...

[This message has been edited by ryan.hess (edited 11-19-2005).]