Could you take a picture of your dash from the front of the car through the windshield? I'm curious how the filler pieces look.
Thanks Sour
Sorry it took so long for me to respond to your request but the pictures you asked for are below. Keep in mind that these pictures were taken before the screens were installed. I now have the screens installed and will be painting the filler this weekend (I hope).
More pictures later,
------------------ Roy :D Blue 87 GT w/ 4th generation Firebird interior. Suncoast Fieros
First off, I want to let you two know how great I think that dash looks in the fiero. It looks devilishly good. hehe. Just reading through these pages has convinced me that I want one in my car, I just have no idea how I'd do it. Please keep us up to date on the awesome project.
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[This message has been edited by carpetviper (edited 12-03-2002).]
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04:31 PM
Ambush Member
Posts: 546 From: San Francisco, Ca USA Registered: Aug 2001
I just thought I'd give a little update (and a free bump ) as to the progress of my dash project. Yesterday, I bought a pint of paint for the tunnel/computr cover. As jscott1 mentioned, instead of vinyl, I'm painting it the same color as the body to bring a little color into an otherwise drab gray interior. The thought is to make it simular to the C5. I hope to finish up the bodywork on it this Friday and have the painting completed before Sunday.
Today, I order the material I need to recover the door panels. Again, as mentioned before I'm covering the Fiero panels to mimick the Firebird panels. The material and padding is going to cost me about $60 for both doors. I spoke with Mr Mike and he gave me some pointers on how the glue and shape the closed cell foam. Hopefully, the door panels will turn out as nice as the rest of the interior
Later, Roy
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01:48 PM
Ambush Member
Posts: 546 From: San Francisco, Ca USA Registered: Aug 2001
OK. Since I can't buy one, tell me this.... Can I use the door panel from a 94 camero Z28? Aren't they both the same?
Prior to '97 the Camaro and Firebird had distinctly different interiors. For '97 up to 2002 they were very similar. Your guess is as good as mine if a '94 Camaro interior will mount up like a Firebird. My suggestion is to find a Firebird or '97 or newer Camaro interior.
New megapixel camera shots of current state...Firebird center console still not installed, so don't hate me
[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 12-05-2002).]
Jelly2m8 - Thanks for getting the shifters out. I am waiting until I change shifters to put in the Firebird Console. Your help has been greatly appreciated.
Manic Mechanic - I got a Kodak DX3600. "only" 2.2 megapixels and by today's standards that's kind of low, but way better than what I had. The pics I just took were at the med resolution, and downsized to fit Cliff's 640 pixel wide limit on PIP. Still, I think the pics came out pretty good.
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04:57 AM
mrfixit58 Member
Posts: 3330 From: Seffner, Fl, USA Registered: Jul 99
OK. Since I can't buy one, tell me this.... Can I use the door panel from a 94 camero Z28? Aren't they both the same?
I'll take a crack at this question. No. they are not the same. The early 90s version of the Camaro and Firebird door panels are drastically different. Cosmetically, the armrest on the Camaro extends all the way to the end of the door panel whereas the Firebird panel stops short and the molding make it apear the the armrest fades into the panel. By comparison, it appears that it would match up to either the Firebird or Camaro dash. There may also be some color variations. Electrically, they use different power window and mirror switches and switch plugs.
I can't use PIP here at work because of a firewall but when I go home for lunch, I'll post a picture of the Camaro door panels for your comparison.
Roy
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09:42 AM
Ambush Member
Posts: 546 From: San Francisco, Ca USA Registered: Aug 2001
OK, the dashes look different, but will they mount the same? I got this deal waiting on me and if it fits, I don't want to pass it up. But if it doesn't fit I don't want to waste my money. nawameeean
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11:18 AM
Smoooooth GT Member
Posts: 8823 From: Lake Palestine, Texas Registered: Jun 2001
jscott: Hey buddy, it's looking great, I just wanted to ask you.... What part of Houston do you live?? I grew up in Bellaire and used to live in LaPorte and work in Pasadena. I'm just curious. lol If you see this Cheever, answer the question also please....
Smooth!!
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SmoothFieroGT@Yahoo.com Have you RATED me today??
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11:35 AM
LT-5Fiero Member
Posts: 336 From: Charlotte, NC Registered: Oct 2002
Originally posted by jscott1: Manic Mechanic - I got a Kodak DX3600. "only" 2.2 megapixels and by today's standards that's kind of low, but way better than what I had. The pics I just took were at the med resolution, and downsized to fit Cliff's 640 pixel wide limit on PIP. Still, I think the pics came out pretty good.
Anything with over 2 megapixels is good. My walmart camera only has 640x480. The quality is horrendous.
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12:16 PM
mrfixit58 Member
Posts: 3330 From: Seffner, Fl, USA Registered: Jul 99
Here is a shot of the Camaro door panels. Of course they can work but, cosmetically, I like the Firebird door panels better. Of course, like the Camaro dash will work just as well as the Firebird.
Roy
Editted because I can't type.
[This message has been edited by mrfixit58 (edited 12-05-2002).]
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12:16 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
Ambush - I have not taken a Camaro dash apart so I couldn't tell you if it mounts the same as a Firebird or not, but if I were a betting man I would say that it probably does. If you have a deal on a Camaro dash and you like the way it looks then I say go for it.
Smooth - I actually live in Pearland, but I can throw a rock and it lands in Houston. Are you planning on coming to the Galveston event? I'd like to bring the Trans Fiero if I can get some of the wrinkles smooothed out by then, (pun intended)
LT-5Fiero - The Camaro interior is very similar to the Firebird. I prefer the pontiac look though. The Camaro gauges will light up white and blue, (there is no red) personally I wouldn't want that in a Fiero.
Also if you get the gauges for the V8 you will have to modify the tach. I haven't a clue how to do that, I used gauges from a 3800 V6 Firebird so they worked right automatically. (Trivia note - I am using the 4000 PPM square wave output to the electrohydraulic power steering to drive the Firebird Speedometer.)
AznFiero - I say "only" 2.2 megapixels because that is plenty for posting pics to the web. My old camera was also 640 x 480 and it's like night and day the difference.
Mrfixit58 - I agree with you that cosmetically the Camaro door panels don't look as nice. Also the Firebird panels have integrated tweeters in them, Camaro does not. But it's up to the individual to decide which they prefer.
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01:44 PM
Dec 6th, 2002
Haagster Member
Posts: 1378 From: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Registered: May 2001
87gt guy - Roy has said that the total cost of his conversion is in the $200 - $300 dollar range. Incredibly cheap. His strategy has been to search the boneyards and get the best possible price for the Firebird Items. I have invested somewhere in the $1000 range mainly because I have used ebay and the internet for my source of parts. More convenient, but I have to pay shipping and sometimes inflated prices.
Fierokid87 - The door panels are one of the trickier areas. I chose to use Firebird panels and then trim off the front and rear portions and then adapt them to the Fiero. This also involves new door handles, window and door lock switches, and speakers. It also replaces the inner dew wipes.
What I haven't done yet is to make the ends "pretty" where I cut them off. A lot of people are concerned about that but I am confident I can make it work.
Roy decided to take a different path and use the Fiero door panel and smooth it out and attach the firebird handle and latch. Then cover it with vinyl. That sounded like more work to me, but his results should be about the same or better than mine.
The dash fits within the Fiero to within an inch or two. There is some tweaking that has to be done to make it perfect. If you don't want to cut metal it will stick out about 3 to 4 inches more than the Fiero dash, (the jscott position) if you cut the steering column support and reposition the whole thing you can get the dash farther back (the Roy position). There are pros and cons to each method, you have to decide which is better. You can look at the pictures to judge which looks better to you.
Sailordude - The panel pics were just taken 5 minutes ago. (I just noticed the clock was set wrong on my camera) I am presently working on the center console and environmental controls so I haven't a new picture to show of that yet. The panels are presently held in place by screws which will either be covered or I will choose nicer looking exposed fasteners.
Jonathan (JScott1)
[edited for clarity]
[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 12-07-2002).]
Looking really sweet..just bought a 2000 firebird and was wondering ..How do the air vents line up? any trimming or repostioning to the firebird air vents.. Keep up the good work.
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11:31 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
The air vents line up from side to side but the Firebird vents are about 6 inches in front of the Fiero ducts, Also the Firebird vents are round and Fiero ducts are square.
To make the transition from square to round I used flexible ducting, (you can see the white ducts in the pics)
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11:47 PM
Dec 8th, 2002
rynelson85 Member
Posts: 2178 From: Wichita, KS Registered: Aug 2002
Had a quick skim through the thread so I might have missed it if already asked, but it is possible to trim the dash anymore so that it will sit further forward so that the center will not interfere with the gear stick so much, or are ther other obstructions that prevent that?
Otherwise, kudos to you guys for a great effort and lots of info/pics, keep 'em coming for the rest of us who can only drool...
1986GTV8 - Roy made a custom piece out of fiberglass to fill in the space. I am planning to take the original Firebird piece and trim it to size once I figure out exactly where the dash is going to be placed.
ltlfrari - The dash doesn't really interfere with the shifter too much, but to answer your question, the support for the steering column prevents the dash from going more forward. Roy has cut the support and repositioned the support for the steering column, which allows the dash to be positioned more forward. I didn't want to cut anything so my dash is where it is.
My reshaped shifter should minimize the interference with the dash, if there is any.
- Jonathan (JScott1)
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08:38 PM
Dec 9th, 2002
mrfixit58 Member
Posts: 3330 From: Seffner, Fl, USA Registered: Jul 99
Looking really sweet..just bought a 2000 firebird and was wondering ..How do the air vents line up? any trimming or repostioning to the firebird air vents.. Keep up the good work.
Texas87GT,
I took a more anal approach to the A/C ducts and modified the center distribution box from the Fiero. I cut the box so it just covered the lower air box then installed 2 -2 1/2" ID PVC couplings on each end. From there I used 3" duct hose to reach the corners. The right corner attached to the back of the vent. The left hose passes through the dash and slides over the vent in the gauge cluster bezel. For the center vent, I used the Firebird center distribution duct and afixed it to the front of the modified Fiero A/C air box. The whole system is mounted inside the dash and comes off with the dash just like the Firebird and Fiero systems. To patch everything together, I used a two-part adheasive from 3M for rigid plastic.
Hope this helps, Roy
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09:39 AM
mrfixit58 Member
Posts: 3330 From: Seffner, Fl, USA Registered: Jul 99
Did you both usse "dash fillers" to fix gaps between the dash & windshield?
Can we get a template for those of us who want to do this install?
Both look great.
John
86GTV8,
If you'll look at the top of the page, you can see pictures of the filler piece I created for this conversion. Providing you with a template would be of limited use since it's not a flat piece. Breifly, to create the piece I made a masking tape bridge between the dash and the front edge of the Fiero dash of which I had cut away all but about a 2" strip along the windshield. Once the bridge was in place, I covered it with two layers of fiberglass and then filed it to level with fiberglass reinforced Bondo. After that, I used regular plastic filler to smooth and shape the final product. I did all this work on a junker (affectionalty called "the Mule") with the windshield removed.
Roy
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09:56 AM
mrfixit58 Member
Posts: 3330 From: Seffner, Fl, USA Registered: Jul 99
Had a quick skim through the thread so I might have missed it if already asked, but it is possible to trim the dash anymore so that it will sit further forward so that the center will not interfere with the gear stick so much, or are ther other obstructions that prevent that? ... [/URL]
ltlfrari,
If you'll look closely at the pictures of my dash and compare it to jscott1's, you'll notice that mine sits about 2-3 inches farther back. That is courtisy of a saws-all, busted knuckles, dozens of test fits, lots of sweat, and a mig welder. My dash actually uses the Firebird upper mounting braces to bolt it to the Fiero windshield lip just like the Fiero dash. To get it that far back, I had to remove the steering column "snout" from the steering column support hoop where the front two steering column mounting bolts were located. The hoop itself spans from the tunnel to the driver's side kick panel. To replace these two mounting points, I had to create a steering column bracket that bolts to the column in the stock locating but reaches back to the steering column support hoop where I drilled and installed mounting two bolts. I also had to slit the sides of the support hoop -- parallel to the steering column -- to push the column up into the support hoop about 3/4" in order to center it in the Firebird bezel. The result is the steering wheel now sits about 2" higher than a stock Fiero... which make getting in and out of the car much easier .Additionally, with the Firebird dash in this location, it "feels" stock. Looks great too!
Roy
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10:14 AM
mrfixit58 Member
Posts: 3330 From: Seffner, Fl, USA Registered: Jul 99
Here's a few pictures of the new dash and console. Except for a few minor punch-out items, the dash and console are FINISHED!
Comments?
This one is, of course, the door panel in progress. The outline represents where the contrast line will be. I'm thinking charcoal gray like the armrest around the outside with a light gray inthe center.
------------------ Roy :D Blue 87 GT w/ 4th generation Firebird interior. Suncoast Fieros
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12:31 PM
JanusSolSumnus Member
Posts: 98 From: Clermont, FL, USA Registered: Nov 2002
DAMN GUYS! I have finally decided my approach will mix the two together.
-Firebird dash, console and doors -Roy's mounting style, more complicated, but more space given and the ability to use the Firebird mounts -JScott style custom short shifter -All working Firebird controls(HVAC?) and radio -Firebird airbox and ducts -Modified Firebird steering wheel with Fiero emblem -Phirana style console back or Roy's style
Color scheme will be charcoal, light grey, and reserved usage of black.
Looking at it, I couldnt smoothly do what I would want to do, I would need like 3-4 more inches of space between the back of the console and the firewall.
[This message has been edited by JanusSolSumnus (edited 12-09-2002).]
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03:06 PM
1986GTV8 Member
Posts: 1259 From: Orlando,FL,USA Registered: Mar 2002
hehe. Just reading through these pages has convinced me that I want one in my car, I just have no idea how I'd do it. Please keep us up to date on the awesome project.
.
) as to the progress of my dash project. Yesterday, I bought a pint of paint for the tunnel/computr cover. As jscott1 mentioned, instead of vinyl, I'm painting it the same color as the body to bring a little color into an otherwise drab gray interior. The thought is to make it simular to the C5. I hope to finish up the bodywork on it this Friday and have the painting completed before Sunday.
