Sorry it has been so long since my last post, but I have been stuck in Hitchcock Texas for about 3 weeks on a job assignment. I got to work on the chop top yesterday a little, and I got the A Pillar on the passenger side fitted and welded.
It was a chore to get everything exactly square, but I think the shorter windscreen and the lowered roof is going to look spectacular when the car is completed.
I plan on working on it a little more tomorrow, so I will post some more picks when I get home.
--Will
[This message has been edited by Will-Martin (edited 08-07-2004).]
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03:17 AM
NotAFieroAnyLonger Member
Posts: 4413 From: 75762/Texas/USA Registered: Dec 2003
Finished up most of the crucial chassis welding today. I was a little unhappy with my welding skills - I was slinging some dog poo in the cracks, so I had to call in my brother to finish up.
Here is the finished product, side by side with my GT. MAN I NEED TO LOWER THEM BOTH IN THE FRONT!!!
Another angle.
Here is a shot of the finished driver side Outer A-Pillar. Pretty huh?
Passenger side Inner A-Pillar, notice all the places I had to notch and weld for a correct fit.
A shot my father took of me.
And finally... A profile shot. See how thin the T-Top frame is? Can't wait to start on the roll cage!
That is it for now, I am packing it up tomorrow to head to Sulphur Louisiana for the roll cage fabrication.
Thanks for looking, and for all of the compliments I have received.
--Will
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07:57 PM
MiZer Member
Posts: 1673 From: Chilliwack, B.C. Canada Registered: Jun 2003
That is seriously cool. The one thing it shows me is that the Fiero is begging to be chopped. When you put a chop top next to a stock it makes the stock look like a model T.
Good skills and I would give you a "+" but I already have.
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09:04 PM
exoticse Member
Posts: 8654 From: Orlando, Fl Registered: Jun 2003
Awesome............simply awesome! Are you planning to leave it as a notchie or did I miss something earlier? OMG a chopped - T-Top, notchie - that would be waaaaay too cool man!
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02:24 AM
Aug 11th, 2004
NotAFieroAnyLonger Member
Posts: 4413 From: 75762/Texas/USA Registered: Dec 2003
To Will: Please come home... we miss you and want you to have time to spend at home... You deserve it and beside's if you are home then you could GET FINISHED WITH THIS AS WE WANT TO SEE IT FINISHED.....
But, just having you home is all that matter's...
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10:05 PM
Aug 20th, 2004
Will-Martin Member
Posts: 1164 From: DFW, TX, USA Registered: Aug 2002
You do not know how hard it is to work 12+ hours a day and see a chop top project sitting 20 feet from you.... calling you.... begging to be finished. Or maybe you know just how I feel, having SmoothGT sitting that far from you. It has been torture for the past 2 weeks, and I have not got to even touch it while I have been here in Louisiana.
The good news is, I now am going to have some more $$$ to finish it quicker.
Be assured that I will update you when I get back to work on it. I have some rather "unique" touches I will be putting on this bad boy.
All the guys who work for me are already pumped - they can not believe I plan to put a N* V8 in it. They don't know the half of what I am going to do to this car, or how fast I plan to go in it.
--Will
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01:31 AM
NotAFieroAnyLonger Member
Posts: 4413 From: 75762/Texas/USA Registered: Dec 2003
You do not know how hard it is to work 12+ hours a day and see a chop top project sitting 20 feet from you.... calling you.... begging to be finished. Or maybe you know just how I feel, having SmoothGT sitting that far from you. The good news is, I now am going to have some more $$$ to finish it quicker.
I know how you feel... Can't even think about if it was a CHOPTOP sitting there.. Total torture...lol
Thanks for the update..
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02:19 PM
Aug 22nd, 2004
The_Ikon Member
Posts: 629 From: Mississippi, USA Registered: Mar 2004
This going to be an awesome project... I can not wait to see it thru your post and in person one day.. I'm in Shreveport a lot and in DFW area at the Manheim car auctions.
Did you ever say what body style you were going to make black heat ?
GT fastback, notchback coupe, notchback SE , or forrmula ??
I know it started out as a coupe or formula ?
It is going to be a Fastback GT style body when I am done. However, the only "standard" body panels will be the door skins, I am cooking up some cool custom fiberglass touches to use.
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08:33 AM
TaurusThug Member
Posts: 4271 From: Simpsonville, SC Registered: Aug 2003
Cleaned up the chassis a little bit, and removed the sealing gunk from the T-Tops. I see why they leaked now. The sealant used to put the T-Tops on is useless after as many years. Worthless picture, but as least you can see part of our shop.
I am thinking about just welding the seams up where the T-Top frame meets the roof. That would make it seal for good.
--Will
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12:06 AM
Will-Martin Member
Posts: 1164 From: DFW, TX, USA Registered: Aug 2002
yeah whats going on with the windows??? are they going to be like a Subaru SVX w/ the two pieces and only one goes down??? or is something changing???
Windows will be lexan, custom shaped to fit. The angle of the B-Pillar seal is a little over emphasised in the picture I posted, it is really not as drastic as it looks.
--Will
[This message has been edited by Will-Martin (edited 09-03-2004).]
Thanks man! I took out 3" at the back window. This is the "standard" when it comes to Fiero chops.
--Will
Well, I went a little different route(like most things I do)and took out 3 3/4" at the back window... Mine has a 'slant' to it like Orville's choptop... I did the windshield like Archie does by laying back the windshield at 9* and then cut a little more then a normal chop at the rear to get the effect like Orville's chop without changing the windshield...
Yeah, the other half is not even lit up - where it is dark.
Hey when are we going to get some snapshots of your progress?!?!
--Will
I am going to try and get some this next week... You will see it soon enough... Oh, I am gttting that 4.9L from Stu... I am probably going to get it next weekend or the one after that... I can't do a widebody and chop it and leave it a V6..
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04:50 PM
Will-Martin Member
Posts: 1164 From: DFW, TX, USA Registered: Aug 2002
I am going to try and get some this next week... You will see it soon enough... Oh, I am gttting that 4.9L from Stu... I am probably going to get it next weekend or the one after that... I can't do a widebody and chop it and leave it a V6..
Cool man, I can't wait to see it. I really can't wait to hear it with a 4.9 in there.
here's another one of those in-famous bumps... Is Will out of town again..??
Just got back into town guys. My internet has been buggy too. I have not worked much on the chop top. I have had a bunch of irons in the fire. I will update you when I get some progress under my belt.
Thanks for the kind words everyone.
--Will
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11:44 PM
Sep 26th, 2004
NotAFieroAnyLonger Member
Posts: 4413 From: 75762/Texas/USA Registered: Dec 2003
No Thank YOU... This thread was just the 'straw that broke the camels back'...
See.. I was hinting right there about the straw that broke the camel's back, because when I saw this thread... Thats when I decided to do mine myself!! Like I said..YOU are my inspiration..
heh, I remember when you were talking about the chop top with me and my bud at wheatstock, didn't think you were serious, choppin a t-top and all. It's lookin good though, keep up the good work! (and btw, I am the guy that pulled the all-nighter with ya at wheatstock, just to jog your memory)
------------------ 96k Miles, 2nd owner
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01:06 PM
Oct 10th, 2004
Will-Martin Member
Posts: 1164 From: DFW, TX, USA Registered: Aug 2002
heh, I remember when you were talking about the chop top with me and my bud at wheatstock, didn't think you were serious, choppin a t-top and all. It's lookin good though, keep up the good work! (and btw, I am the guy that pulled the all-nighter with ya at wheatstock, just to jog your memory)
Man,
That was a crazy night huh? Ryan is a machine, can't wait to see FieroX when he gets the tranny back in and everything properly tuned!!