My 87GT was $2,500 IMSA Widebody kit was $5,000 Wheels will be $550.00 per wheel Tires will be about $300 per tire Paint job was done by me so it really didn't cost too much even though I used 15 different colors for the replica.
Yea Archie...price your kit at about 20 bucks so EVERY Fiero owner can have one ! That way all our cars will look the same. Jeez if you can't afford it then make one yourself and stop bashing Archie or any other Fiero vendor for that matter. I agree with Archie too that the bolt on wide body kit is tacky. I can't afford one and you know what? I don't care but I don't complain cause I appreciate the tooling and R and D that went into the finished product and too me that justifies the price. .
Fiero w/ 1998 Supercharged 3.8 V-6 Intercooled Best ET: 12.20@ 114.90 mph (street tires) 11.74@115 mph (drag radials) I live in bowie ,and who help you put this motor in your car?
[This message has been edited by Irvin Green (edited 08-18-2009).]
I purchased Archie's rocker panels. At the time I could have got the wide body but after talking to Archie he was straight up with me and never once tried to sell me the kit. He sold me the rockers and talked to me about the tires and wheels it would take to make the kit look right. With just the rockers I wont need new wheels and can spend my money on something else. Later if I feel the need I can add some flairs and a door strip to make the back end wider but for now its going to stay stock.
Its funny Archie's rockers are the only thing on the car that I paid retail for, everything else I purchased from the mall here on PFF.
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08:40 PM
fierosound Member
Posts: 15188 From: Calgary, Canada Registered: Nov 1999
sounds like some bums be owning fieros from how you people talk
quote
Originally posted by Fiero84Freak:
No it's not that. It's just again a lot of owners are not fully thinking this through.
Agreed, my point exactly. People haven't thought the complete amount of work and expense through.
That's why there's many unfinished replicas and modified Fieros out there. Unfortunately, because they're unfinished, most don't show up for sale anywhere because the guy knows he can't get what he's spent so far - so it just sits until he just finally just wants to get rid of it. That's when someone "in the right place at the right time" finds the deal of a lifetime and makes everybody here jealous.
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11:35 PM
Aug 19th, 2009
Australian Member
Posts: 4701 From: Sydney Australia Registered: Sep 2004
Agreed, my point exactly. People haven't thought the complete amount of work and expense through.
That's why there's many unfinished replicas and modified Fieros out there. Unfortunately, because they're unfinished, most don't show up for sale anywhere because the guy knows he can't get what he's spent so far - so it just sits until he just finally just wants to get rid of it. That's when someone "in the right place at the right time" finds the deal of a lifetime and makes everybody here jealous.
Depending on what your trying to do just flares well still a lot or work add side skirts and moulding in the doors and your looking at more work than fitting an aftermarket body. I can say i have put 100s of hours into my car now fixing sagging bumpers, straighting doors, fixing cracked panels but most of the time was building up the doors to blend the car together. I have constantly changed mind and shape and because it is a one off i need to get the look right. I am again on market for more flares for rear as i am going to change it again before paint as when i was fitting originally i was fitting the front wheels to the rear and didnt notice so did some more cutting ansd need to fix that. i do have a build thread mentioned in a previous post but this is what it is looking like for those that havent seen my build up I wouldnt do flares without ground effects and with that being said it may be cheaper but more work than fitting a body kit serously.
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04:50 AM
infinitewill Member
Posts: 2336 From: Overland Park, KS U.S.A. Registered: Mar 2009
My 87GT was $2,500 IMSA Widebody kit was $5,000 Wheels will be $550.00 per wheel Tires will be about $300 per tire Paint job was done by me so it really didn't cost too much even though I used 15 different colors for the replica.
Your car is a rolling work of art and you again proved that cheaper is never better. Your talents are worth a fortune.
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01:03 PM
whodeanie Member
Posts: 3819 From: woodstock,Ga.,USA Registered: Jan 2008
even if you got all the parts for free, what is your time worth? many of my parts I made myself and the cost was not bad but I have over 1000 hrs into the car and it is no where near done. I did mine this way not to be cheep but to make it a one off. if cost is an isue for you like all of us just take your time and do more as you can this will keep the car moving forward. have a clear idea of what you want up front and budget and plan this will save you a lot of time and money if you stick to it. when I was a teen I built many cars this way. labor is the only place where you can save yourself a lot of money. parts are parts and you get what you pay for. D.
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01:42 PM
85SEnochie Member
Posts: 2081 From: Tri-cities, WA Registered: Oct 2007
Originally posted by fierosound: Agreed, my point exactly. People haven't thought the complete amount of work and expense through.
That's why there's many unfinished replicas and modified Fieros out there. Unfortunately, because they're unfinished, most don't show up for sale anywhere because the guy knows he can't get what he's spent so far - so it just sits until he just finally just wants to get rid of it. That's when someone "in the right place at the right time" finds the deal of a lifetime and makes everybody here jealous.
quote
Originally posted by whodeanie: even if you got all the parts for free, what is your time worth? many of my parts I made myself and the cost was not bad but I have over 1000 hrs into the car and it is no where near done. I did mine this way not to be cheep but to make it a one off. if cost is an isue for you like all of us just take your time and do more as you can this will keep the car moving forward. have a clear idea of what you want up front and budget and plan this will save you a lot of time and money if you stick to it. when I was a teen I built many cars this way. labor is the only place where you can save yourself a lot of money. parts are parts and you get what you pay for. D.
Agree, the expense for FGTO is current over $39k+ and not done yet (I paid for body work to be done). The body has been completed without paint, interior is going on standby for a while. From my personal experience pass on doing the widebody kit. You are better off choptoping a Fastback and doing something like Curly's #11 or a Notchback w/o choptop like FourPoint9.
As for budget, whatever you estimate add at least 30%+ more to that. And if you make it a one off it will cost more... So don't get too crazy with ideas.
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02:34 PM
fieroguru Member
Posts: 12278 From: Champaign, IL Registered: Aug 2003
For me the main selling point of the Mad-Arch widebody is the removal of the 80's belt line molding in a stylish way. No other widebody or flare kit does the same... The only thing I am not crazy about is the rear tail light transition, but I still like it better than the other options.
I do not think $2000 is out of line for the size and number of supplied parts. If you want to save some $$$, pick it up in person.
Someday, I will spring for the Mad-Arch kit, but too much other stuff to do before then.
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08:47 PM
Aug 20th, 2009
Amida Member
Posts: 2355 From: Seattle, WA. USA Registered: Jul 2003
The right fender flares would be the ideal affordable solution for the majority.
No it wouldnt as they are currently easier to obtain than any fiero part every single body kit shop sells them and nearly any one of them could be made to fit. What fiero owners want is completed panels they bolt on as they dont want to do anything that requires the work or would have contacted the first body kit shop and bought a set for any car and made them fit.
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05:26 AM
Amida Member
Posts: 2355 From: Seattle, WA. USA Registered: Jul 2003
No it wouldnt as they are currently easier to obtain than any fiero part every single body kit shop sells them and nearly any one of them could be made to fit. What fiero owners want is completed panels they bolt on as they dont want to do anything that requires the work or would have contacted the first body kit shop and bought a set for any car and made them fit.
Complete bolt on panels that don't require work?....Right.
[This message has been edited by Amida (edited 08-20-2009).]
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08:43 AM
IVANNATINKLE Member
Posts: 913 From: Kansas United states Registered: Jun 2009
well.. I'm always cheep, but the wide body kits are a hell of a deal at $2000 (considering how much they cost to make...the stuff that comes with them... what they took to make)... I cant afford one, but I'm not going to complain about it, I'm just going to take some inspiration from the other guys/ girls on the forum and do my car a different way using different things and see how it comes out... ps. thank you to everyone who has made there own bumpers.... dashboards..... and everything else you guys all do a fantastic job... sorry if i bother anyone on the forums by asking to many questions.
but they are right wide body kits are a lot more than just the kit... though the kit comes with a lot you still need everything else.... I for one would not buy a rip off archey kit he has been around forever and never ripped anyone off... how people fit into chop tops I'll never know lol, but still he seems like a good and straight up business man anyone willing to rip him off should be taken to court.... the original hours that went into the kit are much worth the money for it let alone the beauty of the kit.
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09:36 AM
whodeanie Member
Posts: 3819 From: woodstock,Ga.,USA Registered: Jan 2008
even kits that are made for imports that say they are a bolt on require fabricatation and fitting to make them work. parts never just bolt on anything even when swaping factory parts from one car to another need to be tweaked. if you want to end up with something nice it will always cost you. ie money and time.
this is the differance you see on the street everyday from nice clean customs to bondo kids ie "Dreamers" some times people get in to big of a hurry and end up with something way less than what they wanted and you end up with a pile of junk on the road or another dead Fiero. plan your build and know when things are over your head so you can get help where needed and you will end up with a car you can be proud of.
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09:37 AM
madcurl Member
Posts: 21401 From: In a Van down by the Kern River Registered: Jul 2003
No it's not that. It's just again a lot of owners are not fully thinking this through.
Madcurl came up with some of the better points. You are not only going to have to purchase the correct wheels and tires, but you will also need to be prepared to perform corrective suspension modifications to fully take advantage of the work performed. So here's a very rough rundown of about what you're looking at:
( 1 ) - $2,000 = one widebody kit. ( 2 ) - $200-$300 = all the materials needed to correctly install said widebody kit, including fiberglass, fillers, disposable supplies, etc. ( 3 ) - $800-$1,400 = four tires needed for the wheels you're about to buy. ( 4 ) - If you think that $1,500 for an entire set of wheels is expensive, some of the guys running HREs on here are paying that for ONE wheel. Yes. ONE WHEEL. So maybe $6,000 for a set of wheels. If you're lucky, you might find a good 9 to 10 inch wheel that you'll like that MAY cost $700-ish a wheel, but you're going to end up paying a crazy amount just for a wheel combo you'll like (remember too here that you have to run a staggered setup). ( 5 ) - $500-$1,000 (depending on how good you are) = necessary suspension mods for said wheel combo and widebody kit.
Then add in other things like paint for the body, miscellaneous expenses, etc.
Are we keeping up? So when it's all said and done you have the potential to spend oh around ten G's for what you'll need - if you're a good shopper and can do a lot of work. And still that's probably a very conservative guess. I have not right to ask what some of these guys on here have paid for the work on their cars and that's none of our business, but just by doing simple math one can see it's not child's play. We're talking about playing with the big dogs here, not cheap body kits that end up on cars that get unpainted.
I couldn't have said it any better.
If I may try and add to Fiero84Freak comment. The Mad-Arch widebody kit are "off-the-shelf" molds, so if you perhaps--- have a accident; you can just call for replacement parts. That isn't the case when the modifications are one-off (100% custom). Unlike one-off pieces once you damage the parts--- the fun time is over and if it took you several months to build it; add that to the list if you happened to have accident.
Don't forget you'll need alarm system.... a good alarm! You'll need to bump-up your insurance to cover the newly cost for all items that are now onto the car. Last but not least--- You car is now a target for thieves.
You car can be a daily driver, but your limited due to the items attached to the car (expensive rims/tires). In otherwords, if you think you worried about your Fiero before--- multiply your wories by 10. Case in point. I had to help a friend tow his motor bike and I needed to park my car somewhere. I drove the work car and parked it at the shopping mall for 12 hours. I'd doubt I park any of my choptops at a mall for that lenght of time (maybe 2-hrs, but not 12-hrs... I ain't crazy).
Also, you'll need some type of power plant to roll those massive tires like a after market engine (a duke or 2.8 isn't going to cut the mustard). Look to spend thousands on a engine swap to now match the outside of the car.
Conclusion; In for a penny, in for a dollar. Using the Mad-Arch widebody kit is unique and contains the Fiero's original DNA, but modified... but it'll cost you.
------------------
"I drive modified Fieros- anything less would be uncivilized."
Originally posted by fieroguru: For me the main selling point of the Mad-Arch widebody is the removal of the 80's belt line molding in a stylish way. No other widebody or flare kit does the same... The only thing I am not crazy about is the rear tail light transition, but I still like it better than the other options.
I do not think $2000 is out of line for the size and number of supplied parts. If you want to save some $$$, pick it up in person.
Someday, I will spring for the Mad-Arch kit, but too much other stuff to do before then.
That can easily be removed from FieroWarehouse IMSA kit. Which IMO after comparing my IMSA frontend to Mad Arch widebody (doors and rearend), the IMSA is a much better kit (quality) and will give you way less headaches.
Mad Arch widebody $2000 (door panels, rear fender panels and rear bumper. front end optional at an additional cost). Then your time installing (Glassing, bondo, sanding) or pay an additional $2200 for the boys up in Machesney Park, IL to install them and then pay someone else to do the installation right. At this point you are way over the cost of the IMSA complete kit.
Mad Arch widebody $2000 Vs. IMSA Standard Notchback $4500 IMSA GT Notchback $4500 IMSA GT Fastback $5500
Look at the curves on the front fenders (IMSA) vs the rear (Mad Arch). The combo of the two kits looks great but if I had to do it again I would go with the IMSA.
[This message has been edited by FierociousGT (edited 08-28-2009).]
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12:25 PM
fierosound Member
Posts: 15188 From: Calgary, Canada Registered: Nov 1999
Mad Arch widebody $2000 Vs. IMSA Standard Notchback $4500 IMSA GT Notchback $4500 IMSA GT Fastback $5500
Some Fiero owners argue over having to pay $10 for something. Sometimes they are in the Mall begging for "free" parts, then stiff the sender on postage. If someone felt that $2000 was too much, then there's NO WAY they would even look at a bodykit that is $4500+ (even if it is better)
I agree call Norm see if these are possible I like the look better than those others pictured.
Why not just make this kit fit. To fit any flares you need to mould them and to fit any flare kit even a genuine kit you need to trim them let me show a random advertisment. http://www.bodykits.com/Pon...sions/Fender-Flares/ Note: Images are for references only. If you are looking for a specific vent or grille, please contact us before making your purchase. All body kit items are shipped unfinished and requires prep-work before painting. Professional installation is reccommended. Minor adjustments might be necessary. These are normal body work and installation steps. In addition, most carbon fiber products are hand-crafted, and no two items will be identical. Small imperfections such as wavy weaves, small bubbles, and clear coat blemishes are inevitable.
I am thinking a 85 GT or 86 87 SE would look better with them. I was also talking with a body shop about cutting and bringing the wheel well area out a little. the price was to much for me.
ok I guess this is what you are looking for.... but forget the $400 price tag... It's not realistic. Maybe $1000 which is realistic for flares. What do you guys & gals think? They look real good IMO.
OK thanks, I still want my car to look like a fiero but just want better performing wider tires. I wish I could just move the wheel wells out an inch or two.
I wouldnt do flares without ground effects and with that being said it may be cheaper but more work than fitting a body kit serously.
