As you know, yesterday we played with the foam so Rob & Kris could get an idea how it was going to handle.

Today I had to make a road trip to Indiana to pickup a car & some other items.

The guys had several different projects to work on, so they spend a couple of hours on the PFF Spyder.

I'm sude you'll agree that the result is great. These guys always do a great job when I leave them alone to work in peace.

This is what they came up with on their 1st try with the foam. You'll also notice the lowering we are doing on the hump in the center of the decklid.

The only thing they did wrong was that they didn't take any pics of the actual foaming process or the trimming of the foam down to this shape. When we do the other side & the waterfall console, I'll make sure I'm there to take pictures of the whole process.

I did get a picture of some of the foam they trimmed off to make the shape.

It trims & sands very easily.

When we get all of the Foam work done & shaped the way we want it then we'll cover it completely with filler & sand to perfection. then We'll take a mold off of the parts & take parts from the molds to make the finished parts for the PFF Spyder.

As you'll see it's a lot of work & time from drawing up something to where it is in production.

Archie

[This message has been edited by Archie (edited 08-26-2004).]

I can't believe those guys get paid to do stuff like this. Sooo cool.

Is this foam the same kinda stuff GM used for the Fiero seats?

Brad

quote Originally posted by BtotheB: I can't believe those guys get paid to do stuff like this. Sooo cool. Is this foam the same kinda stuff GM used for the Fiero seats? Brad

No, this is firm & pretty solid & no where near as soft as the seat foam.

BTW, if you think it's cool to get paid for this kind of stuff, these guys also get plenty of seat time test driving V-8 Fieros

Archie

[This message has been edited by Archie (edited 08-26-2004).]

Archie, I know you gotta be wanting more hired help up there

quote Originally posted by Archie: BTW, if you think it's cool to get paid for this kind of stuff, these guys also get plenty of seat time test driving V-8 Fieros

Any openings?

quote Originally posted by Archie: No, this is firm & pretty solid & no where near as soft as the seat foam. BTW, if you think it's cool to get paid for this kind of stuff, these guys also get plenty of seat time test driving V-8 Fieros Archie

Nothin' like rubbin' it in, Arch...

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88 Formula, "Asphalt Aviator"

Celebrate Artesian New Year!!!

quote Originally posted by BtotheB: I can't believe those guys get paid to do stuff like this. Sooo cool. Is this foam the same kinda stuff GM used for the Fiero seats? Brad

It's a polyurethane foam, the chemistry is distantly related to the foam used in seats but very, very different. This foam is totaly unsuitable for use in repeated crush applications, it's very low density. The good thing about this foam is that being urethane and not styrene you can use regular polyester fillers and resin on it and it won't melt away like styrene will.

JazzMan

quote Originally posted by Archie: Back when I built the Suicide doors on the Stinger, We WAY OVERBUILT the hinges and framing around the hinges & the door frames to be as solid as possible. It's a lot easier to overbuild it now than re-build it later. Considering the little accident Jeff had with the Stinger door, it would be interesting to know if He's glad we overbuilt it from the get go. We added about 80# to the Stinger by overbuilding it & I'll bet that Jeff is a lot happier Archie

Yes Archie I am! Thank you. BTW, I think I finally found the air scoops that will work. Hopefully, they will fit around the OVERBUILD. Jeff

quote Originally posted by JazzMan: It's a polyurethane foam, the chemistry is distantly related to the foam used in seats but very, very different. This foam is totaly unsuitable for use in repeated crush applications, it's very low density. The good thing about this foam is that being urethane and not styrene you can use regular polyester fillers and resin on it and it won't melt away like styrene will. JazzMan

i use this kind of foam at work .. (i work for a halloween company) anyhow .. you can buy it in almost any density you want .. i use the 2.5 density , gets pretty hard (not packing foam) .. but i have used up to 5 -10 pound density .. and can become very very hard until your almost at the point of solid resin. I also use a Soft polyfoam which is very similar to the fiero seats. if anyone needs any info on these or where to get them let me know .

Will the foam humps behind the seats be reinforced or hide tubing or anything? Lookin' good!

- Flamberge

quote Originally posted by Flamberge: Will the foam humps behind the seats be reinforced or hide tubing or anything? Lookin' good! - Flamberge

When we get all of the Foam work done & shaped the way we want it then we'll cover it completely with filler & sand to perfection. then We'll take a mold off of the parts & take parts from the molds to make the finished parts for the PFF Spyder.

Archie

i dont know for if i missed you guys picking the name that's gonna stick with it, but you could try something like fiamma (which was actually one of the names pontiac was thinking of naming the fiero - kinda ironic how it means 'flame' huh?). also, 'lucido' is italian for 'sleek'. oh, and one question...

Archie, would it be possible to eventually do something like...cut out the wall that separates the engine bay from the 'trunk' and (with a lot of welding work im sure) be able to drop in something like a *big block* with a porsche transaxle, so you can have the belts and fan facing towards the rear of the car? i dont know if it could even be done, let-a-lone if it would be too much weight behind the rear wheels .

I almost missed this thread...I leave town for a few days and look what Archie come up with Maybe I missed it, but is the Finale Spyder going to be available as a kit??? It looks like I want one on my Christmas list if so.

quote Originally posted by oneblack85gt: i dont know for if i missed you guys picking the name that's gonna stick with it, but you could try something like fiamma (which was actually one of the names pontiac was thinking of naming the fiero - kinda ironic how it means 'flame' huh?). also, 'lucido' is italian for 'sleek'. oh, and one question... Archie, would it be possible to eventually do something like...cut out the wall that separates the engine bay from the 'trunk' and (with a lot of welding work im sure) be able to drop in something like a *big block* with a porsche transaxle, so you can have the belts and fan facing towards the rear of the car? i dont know if it could even be done, let-a-lone if it would be too much weight behind the rear wheels .

somebody did that... had to extend the rear end 4 inches I think.... I remember seeing a thread on it

quote Originally posted by Archie:

Archie, do you have some sort of plan for either putting vents in these humps to let the air out?

Or maybe vents at the back of the humps sorta like what Wholf did on his 308...

[This message has been edited by Songman (edited 08-28-2004).]

quote Originally posted by Songman: Archie, do you have some sort of plan for either putting vents in these humps to let the air out? Or maybe vents at the back of the humps sorta like what Wholf did on his 308...

I love the way Wholf did his car, it's one of the best 308/328's I've seen.

We have vents all along the back of the car that will take care of venting for us.

Archie

Yeah... Very exotic.. I just didn't know if you were planning to leave the trunk in, and if so, if the vents would be enough. It's looking great. Can't wait to see more!

quote Originally posted by Songman: Yeah... Very exotic.. I just didn't know if you were planning to leave the trunk in, and if so, if the vents would be enough. It's looking great. Can't wait to see more!

Actually the decklid & rear clip are about 3" above the top of the trunk area, so you don't need to remove it to use those vents.

Archie

quote Originally posted by Archie: Actually the decklid & rear clip are about 3" above the top of the trunk area, so you don't need to remove it to use those vents. Archie

Just curious - are you going to be adapting some new system to get the trunk to seal against water? My trunk seal is a little deformed in one spot and you would be amazed how much water it lets in.

Well we got a chance to do the right side headrest on the PFF Spyder.

The guys setup some cardboard forms then poured the foam into them.

After about 20 minutes the cardboard was removed.

..............

quote Originally posted by Archie: Well we got a chance to do the right side headrest on the PFF Spyder. ... ..............

WOW, that is too cool. Beats the heck out of my canned house insulation. Nice job guys.

--Will

Looking good so far. SO does the designer get the option of the first kit at a "good" price?

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quote Originally posted by Archie:

Looks like baking a cake! Nice stuff, I will have to try that sometime (for my dash).

quote Originally posted by Archie:

I am not a fan of the Finale rear but it can be easily corrected , with cutting 2 little pieces and a bit of filling I think this would be nice:

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1987 Fiero concept GTR in progress...
1969 Chevy Suburban

i would be interested in knowing where to get this foam, as said earlier would beat the heck out of using the canned home variety

dan

quote Originally posted by Fie Ro: I am not a fan of the Finale rear but it can be easily corrected , with cutting 2 little pieces and a bit of filling I think this would be nice:

That's what's so nice about building a car that's not a replica of something else, It let's you make easy modifications to make it truely your own.

Archie

[This message has been edited by Archie (edited 09-01-2004).]

That one's spoken for.

John Stricker

quote Originally posted by AusFiero: Looking good so far. SO does the designer get the option of the first kit at a "good" price?

Wow, that is fantastic Archie. Keep up the good work, and keep the pictures coming!

-Charlie

quote Originally posted by Archie: That's what's so nice about building a car that's not a replica of something else, It let's you make easy modifications to make it truely your own.

Thats exactly how I started my project, and its also the same reason why these custom jobs need soo much time! You can do anything....but its hard to build something different that also looks good too. Make it a nice ride!

quote Originally posted by Will-Martin: WOW, that is too cool. Beats the heck out of my canned house insulation. Nice job guys. --Will

the real 2-part mixture is actually cheaper by volume than the spray can stuff

I haven't surfed around the forums here for a few days...and i come around to find this!

the first few posts made me weep...you strip it down in front of the DUMPSTER?? omg..thats gotta be blasphemy. do you sell any of those body panels? PM me if you do!

great pics though. i can't wait to see the finished project

quote Originally posted by Fie Ro: Thats exactly how I started my project, and its also the same reason why these custom jobs need soo much time! You can do anything....but its hard to build something different that also looks good too. Make it a nice ride!

Exactly, well said!

Looking Very Nice Archie...

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*Custom-Shaved HandBuilt!!* *FIRST-EVER CHOPTOP-WIDEBODY GT!!*
*~*going 4.9L*~*Pic's Coming Soon! Stay Tuned!!

Question for you Archie (or anyone else that has an idea): what kind of filler are you going to put over the top of the foam? Bondo? Resin?

quote Originally posted by gumert: Question for you Archie (or anyone else that has an idea): what kind of filler are you going to put over the top of the foam? Bondo? Resin?

Resin will eat right into the foam. Once we have the foam in the general shape we want it, We'll cover it 100% with body filler. We will sand shape & finish the filler to the final shape & smooth enough you could paint it. Instead of painting it though, we'll wax it up & take molds off of it.

Once we have molds made of all of the modifications, we will make production fiberglass parts out of them & replace the foam mock-ups that we are making right now.

Archie

[This message has been edited by Archie (edited 09-03-2004).]

whens the LS1 going in? Are you going to show the build up for the engine too? Remember, its whats on the inside that counts.

Today's update.

I think that I had mentioned that I had planned to have the Spyder's decklid area flow up to the back of the seats and run down into the console area. Kinda covering the area outlined in this picture.......

All along I've known that to do it the way I wanted to do it, We'd have to make & use custom hinges. As you know the stock Fiero decklid hinges have the foreward edge of the decklid "tuck" down when the lid is opened. That won't work when you have two flat panels meeting each other with a solid surface underneath. Even if there isn't a solid surface underneath, a hinge that "tucks" in would have the foreward face of the head rest extensions hitting the seat headrest & or the old package tray area. So we have to have a custom hinge, we prototyped them today.

Now, that we have the decklid opening up above & beyond any interferrance issues, we can get along with the body modifications.......

Up 'til this point, prior to this post, how many people had actually noticed or even considered that we would have to custom make decklid hinges?

More to come......

I see this becoming one of my favorite threads very quickly.

And I used to like Steak and Shake milk shakes

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