As most know, I tested #15 for clearance issues and there was none. The plan is to get #15 fixed up for 2005, so I needed to get it to Trends for a wide body look. I arrive at Trends with the HRE's on. Although the car got looks with the Borbets, DUBs seem to cause comments from the local import crowd which were there when I arrived.

Danny and his brother looked several times going back-n-forth from the Redux tring to visualize the wide body. Their eyes got stuck on the Corvette brakes. Most of the guys there are sponsored by major companies who supply them with various parts they need to win a show. Although...currently I'm not sponsored, the Fiero after market items are equally if not better than most of their sponsored parts. A few newbee's asked who does the work which, none of them knows who I'm talking about.

I had to open the rear deck to let them know what I'm talking about. They asked about the exhause system and other import items they expect on a import. I'm like, "sorry, I don't roll with that." No Fart can, stickers, or out of the world vents on every corner.

Trends will be closed until the 27th of December so I decided to park #15 due to the rear rims sticking out. I don't want a ticket. Both choppers will '"lay-low" until next year." Maybe JScott and others might cheer up our spirits?

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 12-14-2004).]

Curly been rolling out in #11 lately ??

I haven't seen # 14 in about a week...I'm up here in NY "enjoying" the 10F weather.

I do have a hood project to finish then it's off to the paint booth...

quote Originally posted by madcurl: Maybe JScott and others might cheer up our spirits?

Well, The only one seeing Jonathans choptop is the guy checking the electrical meter... ( same with mine, just different meterreaders...lol)

Well, I do have a 'short-story'...

I switched from local digital cable to DirectTV... The guy installing it was a sight to be seen my daughter said...

Ciara said that the guy doing the installation of the 3 boxes kept on looking at my Fiero(it is up on concrete blocks wit the top chopped but theres a tarp on it and all you can see is my rear end... she said he kept looking and finally wnet over and tyried to lift the tarp to see what it was.... Ciara stuck her head out of the front door and siad.. "Whats wrong..??" He replied, "Umm, I was just trying to see what kind of sportcar it was..." She said"... Well, Wait until he gets the Cadillac V8 engine in there (she then points to the 4.9L on the engine stand) Noone will have a clue what just killed thier $50,000.00 Sportscar..." {she said then she just giggled out loud and shut the door...LMAO! (thats my girl... ) She said that.. "he was really confused then..."

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Ho Ho Ho..
Merry Christmas Knotheads....

quote Originally posted by NotAFieroAnyLonger: You mean you missed the "White Chistmas" that the area Houston had..??

Yeah I probably had a couple of inches on my lawn which is ironic because I just reactivated my lawn service because of all the rain and hot weather my grass really needed cutting.

I hope they cut it

Bumpity bump !

THE MORPHING BEGINS:

Dale and I got a chance to hang out at Orville's place. Man! Orville is another Tucker in the flesh. I was in school for about a couple of hours and I enjoyed every minute. Anyway, we got a couple of lookie-lues from the locals, police officer in a squad car, and a middle finger from a lady at a four-way stop sign, hehehehe. Around 01:30HRS one guy took a few minutes to look at #15 while he was gasing up his truck. The guy didn't know if it was a Fiero. After a few questions he said that his son should buy one of these, instead of a RX7 and fit it up.

The morphing phase with the trunk is now on #15. I didn't get a chance to mount anything else.

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 01-10-2005).]

Still roll'n in #15 with the Redux deck lid. I'm getting more stares now that the HRE's are on. The comments are usually about the Corvette brakes. I think most don't even reconize that the car is chopped. At a local harware shop, a customer asked several questions regarding the brakes and the N* logo in the back.

A security guard asked about the seats and wondered if I was going to change them. I told him, "nah, I'm getting Mr. Mikes." He said that the racing seats would be better. I opened the door to let him sit inside. He soon relized that the 88 seats were tight enough. He also didn't know just how small a "chop'd" Fiero feels on the inside. He and others also who seen the silver choptop said, the red one looks better.

I have four more days before the "big event."

quote Originally posted by madcurl:I have four more days before the "big event."

What big event..?? What am I missing..??

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"EuroSmooth Fiberglass Products"

quote Originally posted by NotAFieroAnyLonger: What big event..?? What am I missing..??

I'm headed over to Orville's monster garage. The place were East coast and West coast choptops gather. Orvillle has some items I want to pick-up.

8 year old is puzzeled: I hope I didn't mess his mind-up?
Okay, a very laid back Saturday I stopped to get a Pizza. As I got out of the Pizza Man's store, a mother and her 8 yr old son was tyring to read the name of the chopper and to figure out what make and model it was. He looked at the Corvette rotors and the stock emblems. A few seconds went by, "Corvette, Pont, Fiero......hmmmmm? Few seconds later and they both got it right, "a Pont Fiero."

I asked the young kit what year was the Fiero, since his mother said he was a kid who knows his cars. Well, I didn't too much time to hang around so I told him it's a 88. At that point, the mother was even surprised. I started the car and got on the gas.
I know once that kid got home, he's going to search for that type of car on the internet. I hope he finds Pennocks or he'll be very mad.

Hmmmm.........I think I need CSI to figure this one out?

I had a blast hanging out with Rick and his wife Jen in Bakersfield, CA Wednesday and I have some pics. I need to send them to Exoticse for posting. I got a chance to drive the only 3.5 short N* and it was GRRRRReat! The power sterring felt just right too. The Short * looked really "stock" inside w/o clutter. If you didn't know it, one would think it was a stock option. Rick got a chance to drive the chopper, although my car needs a alignment he handled it well. I think he's "sold" on getting a N*? He did like the sound of it.

Okay, now for the mystery. how is it that Ricks wife who is 5' 4" bumps her head while getting into the car and Rick who is 6'0" bumps his shoulder while getting out of the car? Also Jen has a heavy foot and doesn't mind using it once in a while, hehehe. We hung out at Orville's Monster Garage but he wasn't at home. We both recieve some "looks" as we traveled to- & from Orville's place. While at the Mexican Restaurant, Quickster (mis-spelled) seen us and talked "Fiero talk."

HaHa, Now you know why our little girls like to drive the "hot rod" with Mom
Thanks Curly for the ride. I REALY liked the car. Man I just LOVE that North Star sound. My Short Star Seems to have the same power band, but just a little less power. Well,.. more like alot less power, but not to suprizing there, it is the same basic engine with two less cylenders. I am thinking more and more that the N* is the ideal V8 for the Fiero. It has what I call a tranny saving power band. Right off the line it dont blast the wheels, CV's, drive lines, tranny and clutch with tree yanking torque. That tree yanking torque comes on latter in the power band That is the nature of the DOHC. So for those that want the manual this is THE ENGINE And it has the power to make you happy even with the auto. I want to do a V8 in our next conversion and It does look like it will be a N*. I know of another PFF member that lives close to me that is also going to do a N* so it only makes sense to do them the same way so we wont need to learn several diferent types of swaps. That would take alot of time to work out. But if we do them together we could save some time in RandD. This Ride ment alot to me for that very reason. I know now what to expect from the N* and I like it . Now I need some one to let me drive thir LS1 for comparison
I dont know how much you got into it on the stop lights but I had to give it all I had to keep up. And the S* aint no slouch.
As far as the power steering goes I liked yours. It seems to take less effort to turn the car than mine does. But the close ratio of mine makes mine turn "crisper" or more sharp. But it is unfair to judge yours with out a good alignment but I am sure it will fell like a diferent car after it gets done. I am amazed that the system is so easy even with the 255 Pirelli tires. All in all it is a great car and alot of fun to drive. I am sure it will be another Fiero to remember.
Your opinion of our car realy means alot to us as you have not one but you have two Fieros with N* V8's and each with power steering. And you log thousands of miles in them. So you of all people do know what you are talking about and you know what they should feel like. So to get a good driveing impression from you tells us alot, Thanks.
Curly are you going to make it to the Stimpy run?
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/048488.html

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[This message has been edited by Rickady88GT (edited 01-23-2005).]

quote Originally posted by Rickady88GT: Curly are you going to make it to the Stimpy run?

Man, that's cutting it close. I usually plan on going to Europe around Apr 22nd thur May 3rd. I haven't gotten my plane tickets yet so I may be able to wing it?

Oh yeah, if you want to drive a LS1 wait until Orville fixes his chopper.

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 01-23-2005).]

Bakersfield: A near miss.

On my way to PE Motoring to get a new Momo sterring wheel for #15 a blue Dodge Ram truck nearly rammed me. As you know, a Dodge truck's front bumber is nearly the same height as the Fiero's lower window. For sure my car would have been totalled! What caused this near miss? A kid on a cruiser bike decided to bolt across in a cross walk. Although he had the right-of-way, he'd speed across it really fast. Giving the drivers little time to respond. The plam trees in the way didn't help either.

The Corvette brakes didn't lock-up but stopped quickly w/o skidding or pulling to one side. The truck behind me had to swerve to my right to keep from hitting me, which his brakes locked-up. All I could think of was, " damn, this one is totalled." Good thing there wasen't a parked car there. The speed limit on the street is 25mph which I was going too. I don't know if the multi-colored choptop cause part of the problem? Or if the guy was too busy looking at the car or something? That was two close calls while in Bakersfield. Time to head north.

While in the Bay Area driving down town, the chop recieved a few looks from kids. The local store clerk thought it was the silver choptop and though I'd changed it. The other guy corrected him. I finally seen a red GT FB while driving west on 92 hwy. The first time I'd every seen a Fiero on 92. I've seen Lambroghini's, Modena's, 911 turbos and even a Shelby Corbra, but never a GT Fiero.
At the Ritz Carlton, the valet guy thought he was going to drive it....not! A young valet guy did run up and asked what it was.

A few minutes ago while getting some Chinese food, a guy followed me. I was looking from across the street as he looked at the car. After getting my food, we talked for 5-7 minutes. He knew it was a Fiero but didn't know what was under the hood and why it looked different? I told him it's a N*. He couldn't belive it. Anyway I had to go so the best thing was to hit the gas! I think he belives me now? I didn't have time to explain the choptop thingie, I'm hungry!

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 01-30-2005).]

Converting non-believers?

Okay, now Reuben (my glassman) wants a chop'd Fiero. One of Dale's Fieros that he gave to his gardner, well the gardner's friend now wants one. They were sold on the wide-body modifications. This all happened while at Trends body shop. They couldn't figure it out with all of the fenders laying around on top of the car. While getting a new steering wheel at PM Motoring a guy asked if it was a Ferrari? The shop owner told him it was a Fiero. He didn't belive it until he looked at the emblem.

A day earlier at the same shop two young kids (18-20?) ask about the car that was parked on the street and who's car was it. He followed me out to the car to take a better look w/questions. To my surprise he did know that it was chop'd but though it sounded different.

After working on the Ausie's rockers, two friends and I went to In & Out burgers. Several people stop and stared even with primer on it. On the way to Bakersfield, Ca. a CHP got behind me for a few seconds. I thought he was going to give me a ticket or something? I did have the fender flares on but, the rear bumper isn't sticking out like it should. He gave the lady in front of me a ticket. I was going 65mph. While gasing up in Los Hills, CA on I-5 freeway the service attendent asked what type of car it was. I starting to get more stares now that the flares are on. Leading me to believe that it is the "extras" to a choptop that draws peoples attention and not just the chop.

Okay, now people are following me. At a local gas station a guy wanted to buy my Fiero. He said he had 11g's and he wanted something different. I was out of V8Archie business cards so I told him about Archie and #13. It took me nearly 20 minutes to get out of there due to the choptop and conversations that took place.

I'm at a local burger joint and a guy who I talk to semi-weekly wanted to buy one of my cars this time. He had money to burn so I gave him Archie's number. The guy wanted a V8 Fiero with a LT in it. Oh yeah, a chop'd one too. His reasoning was simple, (quote) "why get a Lotus when you can have a Fiero. At a show, he said there was 12 Lotus and each owner was worried about "who's" car was going to start." I guess he owns pricey cars but doesn't like the up-keep cost?

I've been getting more people noticing the chop'r lately. Each progress steps draws more peoples attention comparred to previous months.

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 02-18-2005).]

quote Originally posted by madcurl: Okay, now people are following me. At a local gas station a guy wanted to buy my Fiero. He said he had 11g's and he wanted something different. I was out of V8Archie business cards so I told him about Archie and #13. It took me nearly 20 minutes to get out of there due to the choptop and conversations that took place. I'm at a local burger joint and a guy who I talk to semi-weekly wanted to buy one of my cars this time. He had money to burn so I gave him Archie's number. The guy wanted a V8 Fiero with a LT in it. Oh yeah, a chop'd one too. His reasoning was simple, (quote) "why get a Lotus when you can have a Fiero. At a show, he said there was 12 Lotus and each owner was worried about "who's" car was going to start." I guess he owns pricey cars but doesn't like the up-keep cost? I've been getting more people noticing the chop'r lately. Each progress steps draws more peoples attention comparred to previous months.

Hehehehehehe you knewwwwwwww it was coming !

I cannot wait for some of these experiences myself ,or should i be careful what i wish for ??

Hey that guy can get #13 rready to roll !

Man that is cool. Did you even try to see how much they were willing to pay?

quote Originally posted by madcurl: I starting to get more stares now that the flares are on. Leading me to believe that it is the "extras" to a choptop that draws peoples attention and not just the chop.

BINGO!!

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"EuroSmooth Fabrications"
Coming Soon...03/05

quote Originally posted by Rickady88GT: Man that is cool. Did you even try to see how much they were willing to pay?

He's a doctor, so maybe he has mega-bucks?

Choptop #15 is named:

As I was parking my chopper to get some groceries at a local store, a guy was watching me. As we both entered the store he said, "man thats a animale." A guy who also seen my car said that he had one long time ago. Right off the bat, he asked if it was chopped? He wanted to know if I had the stock V6 in it? Jokingly I turned and looked at him and said, "come on man, you can't be serious."

I stopped off at a Pontiac dealership parts department to pick-up those new G6's air vents. The part guy looked them up and told me that I would have to buy the entire console or part of it. I'm thinking, "are you crazy?" I told him that I just wanted the vent...not the whole item that houses it. He told me that I would have to wait for awhile until it's made available by "itself." I told him, forget it, I go to the Ford dealership and buy their Ford Mustang GT air vents. As i left the place somewhat upset, I notice several of the guys there was eyeing my ride from a distant. Pissed.......I got on it while I left.

After my earier Episode with the Pontiac parts department , I decided to go with my second choice for vents. I arrived at Ford, yes you heard me FORD, hehehehe. I got four vents with a 10% discount. It should take 2-3 days before I recieve them. I took one last look at a new Mustang interior...they have two types. Chrome/black and chrome/tan. I got the chrome black ones.

As I left the shop, one of the saleman and later two....walked over to the chopper. This lead to a 10-15 conversation about you know what. They only believed what was noticable on the outside of the car...brakes, rims ect. So I had to open the trunk to show them the engine bay. By that time the third guy arrived who sold me the vents. Okay, there's a congration going on now. I had to leave.

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 02-22-2005).]

My first weekend with the newly shortened Sharona has been eventful, to say the least. I got lots of comments at the gas pump, people riding in my blind spot to look at the car, the whole nine yards. My favorite, though, happened tonight on my way back from Jacksonville. This guy in a new, yellow Kia Spectra comes flying up on my right and then slows down to match my speed and settles in next to me. A second later I hear him rev his four banger (or is it three?) a couple times. It sounded like an electric razor. I assumed that he didn't want to race, he just wanted to see me go (I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt), so I didn't look at him or pause or anything, I just floored it. Sharona let out that signature V8 roar and I was gone.

I only took her up to 95 and then coasted back down to 75, still I never saw him again. I don't know if he got a kick out of it or not, but I sure have enjoyed imagining the look on his face as I left him behind.

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Dowdian
Chopped up, loaded down, bashed in 88 GT that I love dearly.

quote Originally posted by Dowdian: My first weekend with the newly shortened Sharona has been eventful, to say the least. I got lots of comments at the gas pump, people riding in my blind spot to look at the car, the whole nine yards. My favorite, though, happened tonight on my way back from Jacksonville. This guy in a new, yellow Kia Spectra comes flying up on my right and then slows down to match my speed and settles in next to me. A second later I hear him rev his four banger (or is it three?) a couple times. It sounded like an electric razor. I assumed that he didn't want to race, he just wanted to see me go (I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt), so I didn't look at him or pause or anything, I just floored it. Sharona let out that signature V8 roar and I was gone. I only took her up to 95 and then coasted back down to 75, still I never saw him again. I don't know if he got a kick out of it or not, but I sure have enjoyed imagining the look on his face as I left him behind.

Get used to it.

So how did the guys like it today?

Also, you know by now, pictures..... pictures...... pictures....... etc.

Archie

BTW, I didn't get any finished engine pictures before you left.

quote Originally posted by Dowdian: This guy in a new, yellow Kia Spectra comes flying up on my right and then slows down to match my speed and settles in next to me. A second later I hear him rev his four banger (or is it three?) a couple times. It sounded like an electric razor. I assumed that he didn't want to race, he just wanted to see me go (I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt), so I didn't look at him or pause or anything, I just floored it. Sharona let out that signature V8 roar and I was gone. I only took her up to 95 and then coasted back down to 75, still I never saw him again. I don't know if he got a kick out of it or not, but I sure have enjoyed imagining the look on his face as I left him behind.

Priceless!

Two guys in a truck, one of them with his mouth wide opened. As I looked upward at him, I got a chance to view his molors, hehehe. He was shocked to see what it was that I was driving? I need to install some pin-cameras to capture the moment.

Near-miss? While in Bakersfield (BAK) a lady on a yellow Silverodo with 20's decided to move over into my lane. She never looked to her rigth nor did she use the right turn signal.

Show up at Daytona 2005 dying to get a look at the choppers. Crowds buzzing early so i wait till things thin out make my way over and then introduce myself and my wife to Jscott.

Jonathon (jscott) is gracious enough to let me test sit in his car as he knows i am leaning heavily toward this mod over the next couple of months.

Me the great chop top lover all of 5' 8" steps forward anxious to get my first taste of a real chopper and,.........BONK !

I forgot to lean in first,..oh well lesson learned. After getting inside, there is definatly an adjusment level that would need to happen to get used to the closeness of the cabin and the windshield. All in all however it was about what i expected fit wise.

Thanks again JScott for the awesome opportunity !

[This message has been edited by exoticse (edited 03-19-2005).]

My drive out to Florida was a blast! Most did not know that the car had been chopped. One guy thought it was a Firebird. At rest stops and while filling up for gas, even truckers got out of their rigs and asked about the Fiero. Once again, thanks to Archie many non-fiero people didn't know it was chopped or what it was.

Priceless moments not caught on film: Riding shotgun behind #14 and #16...priceless. JScott or Mike said that several people were shocked to see #14, then #16, and finally #15. Yes, we were the three ugly ducklings but, next year should reslove that, hehehehe.

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 03-28-2005).]

Just a brief one.

Daytona 2005, got the opportunity to get in the cockpit of madcurl's number 15. After having successfully mastered getting in and out, i survey the surroundings, thinking to myself man i can really get used to this !

As i am sitting in the car i hear and see a beautiful lady from the crowd say " Damn he looks good in that car " ! Case closed, game over,....Archie's it is !

[This message has been edited by exoticse (edited 06-12-2005).]

Heard at the gas station," Is that a race car?" "No just a regular Car"

Got the car out for a first spring ride.
Haven´t seen the cops back home in a couple of mounth (because of the snow???) soo I thought that it would be no problem just taking a testdrive.
When I was going back after about 10 min all people looking, wondering what kind of car it is I stept on the gas on first and second gear. No problem but then I saw a cop car. He was alone in the car (a Volvo XC70)
I just let go of the gas and rolled by the cop and he was looking down on me in a stange way...
He didn´t turn around for me but I guess he wasn´t glad about my burnout and at the same time woundered what kind of car I had.

Just love my choptop. Didn´t have more that 2 weeks of driving last year soo I´m looking forward too this summer.

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Regards SHARKMAN
86 GT, 3.4 Camaro engine,
choptop # 1 in Europe/Sweden

Now that it is warming up, and Chester isn't having to run me to the hospital every other week as he had to do all last year, he is getting ready to get back into working on the Rat. Is is now painfully obvious that B&B Spyder isn't going to make good on fixing the crap job they did on the targa, so now Chester has had to add that to the list of things left to do on it. He will be hooking the coolant system back up in it within the next couple of weeks so we can drive it. It won't be drivable in the rain as the top for the targa doesn't fit right, but hopefully BY this summer, the Dirty Rat WILL be at the paint stage! There is a lot of fiberglass work to do to fix the top, but, if all goes as planned, we will have her done for next year's Daytona show! I'm sure he will be posting pics along the way to completion!

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Elvira
www.dirtyratracing.org
Blue 87GT 5sp (True-Blue)
Black 86GT 5sp (The Dirty Rat)
84 Indy-19k&300HP SD4!
Maroon 88 T-top Formula (1988-2003 RIP)
Gold 87GT junkyard rat!

quote Originally posted by Elvira: BY this summer, the Dirty Rat WILL be at the paint stage! There is a lot of fiberglass work to do to fix the top, but, if all goes as planned, we will have her done for next year's Daytona show! I'm sure he will be posting pics along the way to completion!

And now we'll have five total at Daytona 2006!

quote Originally posted by madcurl: And now we'll have five total at Daytona 2006!

I think that's enough for our own class... And in the chop top class paint is optional...Primer Mandatory

PRE-CHOPTOP CHRONICLES:

It's been nearly one month driving around in my "Bubble top Fiero." The Bubble top Fiero has turned a few heads evena police officer decided to take a closer look. Just today while at Starbucks two guys wanted to know if I had a V8? I quickly said as I was entering the place:

Guy: "what ya have in there...a V8"?
Me: "Oh yeah, there is no better choice for me."

After getting my drink, I gave the guy a V8 Archie's business card and I then said, "LT1 or LS1 installs. The guy's mandable dropped wide open. Yeah, I lied a bit but, I didn't have time to explain that I had a N* in the back. I'm down to (1) Archie business card. I'll replenish my supply once I arrive at Archie's later this year. I heard he has a new place, hehehe.

Oh yeah...bump.

I could use a stack of Archie cards...I must have had 30 people ask me about the chop top at the Texas Round-up IX in San Antonio over the weekend. Most are familiar with V8Archie and the forum; but some are not. I also could have charged admission to sit in the chop top. Everybody wants to get a feel for it and have a sit. I was more than happy to oblige.

Cruizin back from our club meeting Saturday on the interstate and a woman in a minivan decides to abrubtly come over from the left lane to the space occupied by me in the choptop I blasted the horn and braked hard as she missed the front of my car by inches, then chuckled as she spazzed out overcorrecting after she finally realized her error. She must have sawed the steering wheel back and forth 4 or 5 times before she got it going straight.

Had to stop for gas and got the usual crowd/questions - best comment was from a guy standing behind the car "sounds just like a NASCAR engine idling" PRICELESS ))

Jim

quote Originally posted by Jim88GT: Had to stop for gas and got the usual crowd/questions - best comment was from a guy standing behind the car "sounds just like a NASCAR engine idling" PRICELESS )) Jim

Areed....priceless.

I was hanging out with a friend in Altos CA. (outside Santa Cruz) getting some gas. Two kids in a import revving his motor as he stopped for gas. He gets out and says, " what you got in there"? I say, "it's stock." I got my $2.79 gas and got in and started the motor. The kids soon followed.

Whats so stupid is the kids wanted to either race or follow me on Mission st (hwy 1 PCH). It's heavy with traffic bumper to bumper and they were in hot pursuit! They gave up after following me a mile or so.

Good thinking Curly do not give into temptation