This build thread is going to cover the assembly of Chop Top version of a fastback IMSA with a ZZ383-425 GM Crate Engine with an all Chrome TPI system. There will also be a custom hood scoop installation & a decklid vent system added as we go.
As we put this together a few other things might be added to it & we'll talk about those as we go.
This car isn't scheduled to be done until Spring, so we'll update this as we proceed.
We've had the car for a few weeks & have already chopped the chassis & welded it back together.
Here are a few pics from that process.....
More to come..........
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09:04 PM
PFF
System Bot
madcurl Member
Posts: 21401 From: In a Van down by the Kern River Registered: Jul 2003
Ok archie how about this, how much If I bring you the stripped car, just a bare frame, had you chop the frame and rear clip, then sold me the windows for it? Then I just trailer it back home?
Really want a chop top, but cant afford 3k Im still offering to be a rolling advertizement
We got the body for this IMSA Chop Top from Doug at Fiero Warehouse. The parts look great, some very nice fiberglass. Thumbs up to Sage Glass Works, I wish he lived closer to me.
In the following pictures we are just trial fitting the panels to the car to see if we need to do anything special to make them fit properly. This is a loose fit, many of these panels are not even aligned or bolted together.
Try not to get ahead of yourselves but we have a lot of work to do to mount the body before we actually chop the body panels.
We bolted the rear clip together at the bolt flanges before we could trial fit it on the Chop top chassis.
Archie
[This message has been edited by Archie (edited 01-12-2006).]
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10:20 PM
Capt Fiero Member
Posts: 7657 From: British Columbia, Canada Registered: Feb 2000
------------------ 85GT 5spd ,93 Eldorado 4.9 Dual O2 Custom Chip, Archie Clutch. Custom Exhaust. MSD Everything 245/50/16's Cant wait for Dyno Time and Track Results. Not Your Average 4.9 Capt Fiero Com --- My Over View Cadero Pics Delta Cam and Allante Intake Soon.
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11:41 PM
exoticse Member
Posts: 8654 From: Orlando, Fl Registered: Jun 2003
Very nice. How tiny those rear tires look. Hope owner left some $$ for some wide meats. It will need them badly. How about a plexy window to show up that chrome inteke??
Very nice. How tiny those rear tires look. Hope owner left some $$ for some wide meats. It will need them badly. How about a plexy window to show up that chrome inteke??
Yes, she's going to the meat market for some serious beef.
Very nice. How tiny those rear tires look. Hope owner left some $$ for some wide meats. It will need them badly. How about a plexy window to show up that chrome inteke??
Can't do a plexy window Archie is doing a custom decklid vent system. But feel free to post any new Ideas, they are all welcome. Time to start looking for rims any Ideas?
Archie, I just saw Joe Burke and his IMSA yesterday, and there is something we noticed that you might want to check. He is running 255s on the rear with about an inch and a half clearence between the top outside edge of the tire and body on the driver's side, but almost no clearence on the passager's side. If this owner never plans on big fat juicy rubber, don't worry about it.
IRM did his install, so it might be a flaw in the body panels or the install. Don't know if you can measure the rear fender flair to see if they are the same. If it is a problem, Doug might want to know.
Dang archie, you guys sure know how to keep a scene interesting by reinventing the "fiero kit build" every year or so. Way to keep fieros the hottest hotrods around.
ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE PEOPLE SEE THAT FIEROS DONT BLOW UP, KILL MILLIONS OF PEOPLE A YEAR BECAUSE OF THEIR UNSAFE DESIGN, OR ARE REALLY SLOW!!!!!
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08:40 PM
Archie Member
Posts: 9436 From: Las Vegas, NV Registered: Dec 1999
I've had a little trouble with my picture posting setup here for the last couple of days. So tonight we are covering a few days' worth of work.
Here we fitted the tail lights to the rear clip.
You have to remove the Taillight housing from the original rear clip & glass it into the new rear clip. Then trim just right around the ends of the lights.
Doing the decklid is a another matter. Whale tail is designed to replace the outer skin on the back half of the decklid. We also are installing a louvered vent cover above the engine area of the decklid. So we had to remove almoist the entire surface area of the decklid & fiberglass in these 2 items. Figure on lots of labor especially on the vented cover as it has lots of waves & very flexable.
Archie
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08:57 PM
shawnkfl Member
Posts: 2457 From: Largo, Florida Registered: Oct 2004
damn nice! i would work for you just sweeping the floors to be around all of that and see them come together. any chance of you relocating to florida? specifically the tampa area......
...i can wish can't i...
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09:03 PM
Archie Member
Posts: 9436 From: Las Vegas, NV Registered: Dec 1999
After nearly a day of trimming & fitting of the wing & louver set, it bonded on. Then from the back side it gets fiberglassed on. It'll be glassed on the top after this sets up. The louvers were so warped that we laid another layer of glass over the underside of them. That way they might be firm enough to not flex while we try to sand them straight. We are thinking about glassing in some Re-Rod to firm them up some more. The thing that worries us is how to keep it from warping out of shape after 6 months of driving, heating & cooling.
