Hello,

This is my first post to the forum although I have lurked for a long time. I am not new to Fieros, having owned a new 85 GT and 88 GT with T-tops. Sadly I sold my 88 GT some 4 years ago and have found myself longing for another Fiero since then.

Enter my new project car. The Fireo is an 86 GT that was a salvaged theft recovery with 18,000 original miles. The owned saw this as an opportunity to to start a convertable project, he reinforced the frame and painted the car Beretta Yellow. Somewhere along the line he ran out of steam for the project and the car sat for 15+ years (uncovered on a trailer in a barn). When I got the car it was full of mouse litter and smell awful! The trunk was full of mouse nest and the brakes had locked up with rust. After some coaxing the engine runs and the brakes were redone by a local fiero enthusiast. I replaced the wheels and tires and now at least it moves under it's own steam.

My intent is to keep it as a Topless car...I see no reason to expend energy on trying to put a top on it. It will not see rainy days and now has a nice inside place to live.

I would like your opinions on cutting the windshield down to "speedster" height. and the idea of putting in some sort of rollover protection. Has anyone here done a Speedster or rollbar along the lines of a porsche boxter?

I really have no intent of replacing the original powerplant or any dramatic body changes other than cleaning up the appearence of the conversion and maybe changing the color.

Here's the pics...I would appreciate your ideas.













Thanks!

Holy crap.....THATS where the reinforcements went? Can you get in and out of the car? Other than that, it looks great.

Looks can be deceiving, but that looks pretty darned good. The re-enforcement looks a little overkill, but mught be able to made to work. There is a lot of info on re-enforcing the Fiero in the kitcar forums. Also, check Ryan's thread, where he's also doing a speedster.

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/071642.html

Good luck and keep us posted.

Bob

Forum member Crow was working on a roadster and got pretty far with it before he stopped updating the thread.


I am not sure if he finished it, but the thread can be found here

Roadsters are fun... wish I still had mine... Just need to build another some day.


As for the chassis bracing I am a fan of overkill and the bracing on my roadster weighted 200 lbs and went from the front swaybar bolts to the rear cradle bolts.

The C4 Corvettes had the door sill up high like that and you had to get used to getting in and out. The nice thing about the roadsters, is no roof to bump your head on, which really simplifies getting in and out.

Wow! That first pic is just righteous. Looks great from that angle. I see all the extra bracing. How stiff is she? I say, good luck to you man. This is the forum for answers. Glad to see you in here. Now you have to keep us posted on any and all updates to her. You joined, and that is your penance....Pics.

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quote Originally posted by RCR: Also, check Ryan's thread, where he's also doing a speedster. https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/071642.html Good luck and keep us posted. Bob

Thanks Bob!
I believe you can't overkill on reinforcing a roadster - I might still add some more to mine using the Archie method between the firewall/floor etc.
I was also going to try tying the X-frame to the front crossmember.

Ryan

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Indy Northstar-Stretch ~ LT1-NOS Roadster

quote Originally posted by IMSA GT: Holy crap.....THATS where the reinforcements went? Can you get in and out of the car? Other than that, it looks great.

It's not too bad, it would be a lot harder if there was a roof on the car. The car feels pretty solid, I took it for about a 10 mile drive last fall and it seems as solid as my 88 GT. My wife made me promise no more driving until I get some seats and belts in it. Since she insists on roll bars...I get a new tube bender out of the deal

Next step will be figuring out how to cut that windshield down and still have it look good.

quote Originally posted by wr200man: It's not too bad, it would be a lot harder if there was a roof on the car. The car feels pretty solid, I took it for about a 10 mile drive last fall and it seems as solid as my 88 GT. My wife made me promise no more driving until I get some seats and belts in it. Since she insists on roll bars...I get a new tube bender out of the deal Next step will be figuring out how to cut that windshield down and still have it look good.

I wonder if it would be too difficult to cut and weld the windshield support to lean the windshield back more and give it more angle rather than cut the glass.

Welcome to the forum! Car looks great and the color fits it.

Looks like a great project! I bought mine from a scrap metal dealer, an put her back on the road as well. Lot's of fun and very rewarding!

PS. Love the color ;}

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Jay Brintnell
Southern Ontario Fiero Association
Yellow 85 Notchback(A.K.A. GodFearN)

car looks like it will turn out awesome .i think that bracing is the best i have seen .it would work great for a targa top , a project i have been thinking about .

It's a roadster and not going to be driven in the rain. Remove the windows and cut off the tops of the doors to the top of the side beam.

Can you post some pictures of the rear clip, where the grates go and close up of the rear bulk head yellow piece that goes behind the seats.

Roadsters are cool ! I have always thought about doing a third fiero project that involves a speedster/roadster.



I know you said you wanted to keep the body stock, but if someobody has the photoshop somebody did of Curly's #15 widebody as a roadster, you might reconsider hehehe.

At any rate looks great ! Keep up the good work.

[This message has been edited by exoticse (edited 01-29-2009).]

Thanks for all the encouragement!

Can anyone photoshop the above photo with the windshield height chopped by about 50%?