Ive been working on a fiero roadster project for the last few months. I have seen fieroguru's roadster and was wondering if there are more pics of the car. My car is a 86 se converted to gt with a 1992 3800 NA, 4t60e, power steering and a digital dash. I'll post some pics soon.
[This message has been edited by Crow (edited 07-31-2004).]
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10:19 PM
PFF
System Bot
fieroguru Member
Posts: 12305 From: Champaign, IL Registered: Aug 2003
the last picture shows the 2"x2" steel channeled into the rocker panel. it is also tied into the upper framerail and the lower rail. all of the sheet metal has ben removed in the rear and tubular steel welded in. I'm not sure what to do in the rear because I might bond the trunk and rear quarter and make it open up from the rear. I'm also kicking around he idea of the 4.9 to replace the 3800.
[This message has been edited by Crow (edited 03-14-2004).]
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09:49 AM
fieroguru Member
Posts: 12305 From: Champaign, IL Registered: Aug 2003
Crow, looking good! Make sure you have a heavy X brace to keep the car from twisting over the bumps.
My Roadster is based on an 86 4 cylinder chassis that was upgraded with all the notch back aero panels. The A pillar/Windshield cap is 3/16" steel welded to the windshield frame and cut/ground into the contour of the top panel. The B-pillar cap came from Specialty Auto, but it is no longer available. Here are several pics:
Roadster Pre V8: Roadster Post 4.5 V8: A-pillar/windshield cap: B-pillar cap:
[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 03-14-2004).]
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10:29 AM
fieroguru Member
Posts: 12305 From: Champaign, IL Registered: Aug 2003
Chasiss reinforcement - It has a 2x2 X brace from corner to corner... I just don't have a pic of this once that was welded in.
Roll Bar- 6 point welded to body - mostly to get somewhere to attach seat belts.
Crow, I live about 35 minutes south of Champaign Urbana, my sister lives in Round Lake Beach and my girlfriend is from Hinsdale. When you get yours road worthy (even if it has gaping B-pillar holes - I drove my like that for a year!) we can do some Roadster cruising! I will have to start dusting off the Roadster for more seat time this summer, maybe you can come down and a test drive the 4.5 (or my vortec/ZZ4 SBC 88) and help convince you that you need a V8!
[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 03-14-2004).]
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10:40 AM
Archie Member
Posts: 9436 From: Las Vegas, NV Registered: Dec 1999
Thanks for the pics. I like how you did the windshield by welding 3/16" steel to the roof. I'll keep everyone posted as the build progresses. By the way, I went to vette fest today and bought an engine stand for the 4.9 buildup (or possibly 327). I am leaning towards the 4.9 as this car already has the 4t60e trans.
[This message has been edited by Crow (edited 03-14-2004).]
hey, your pretty close! shoot me an e-mail (zbteky004@comcast.net) and i'll send you my cell number. I'd love to see that thing in person. (or aim would work to....see sig)
I had been working a lot lately but I took some pictures today.
I'm not sure how I'm going to shape the " b" pillar area and the gap between the decklid and the interior.
I also relocated the battery up front. since I have the 11" brakes the factory spare wont fit. I dont plan to drive this too far from home and I have a AAA card and a cell phone. I also took out the ac condenser and evaporator- who needs air when you dont have a roof. here is a pic of the digital dash. Sorry I dont have power hooked up to turn it on. I used to have the battery and the pcm in the trunk and now I dont have a trunk so I will have to rewire the car and bring the pcm back to the factory location.
[This message has been edited by Crow (edited 03-29-2004).]
The reinforcement is overkill for most people, but it works just fine for me. My main focus was to not loose any torsional resistance from removing the top and I accomplished that. No cowl shake over rough rail road tracks!
If I had to do it again (and I will be doing an 88 sometime... hopefully this summer), I would reinforce the chassis through the center console area by building something like a 12x18 box tube out of 1x1 steel and aluminum sheet. Then connect the tube to the front and rear frame sections. Hopefully this would add minimal weight, provide the same strength in bending and torsion and be less visible to most.
To fill the gap between the decklid and the firewall, use the decklid weather strip (decklid and on the vents). You want to do this to keep the heat from coming up through the gap and down the back of your neck... trust me, you will sweat you shirt on a 70 degree day if you do not fill that gap.
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06:53 PM
fieroguru Member
Posts: 12305 From: Champaign, IL Registered: Aug 2003
Is that you, Jason??? Didn't know you had a 4T60E in your car. Good advance thinking. Now all you have to do is upgrade it to a 4T65E, add the 4.9, and add the supercharger. That's a pretty big job. The wife is gonna be mad. Get some additional life insurance.
Marty
[This message has been edited by Bazooka (edited 03-31-2004).]
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09:10 PM
Automoda Member
Posts: 318 From: Bluffdale, Utah, USA Registered: Sep 2002
Just a photoshop job I did a long time ago. The thing to note is that the windshield is layed back a few degrees, as if it was for a choptop. With a roadster, you dont even have to worry so much about the glass gaps etc. Its something I've been considering doing for a few years, but then I got bigger ideas. BTW, you dont need an X frame or anything. Honestly, it will just add weight and benefit you not in the least. Nice square tubing down the pinchwelds (as in the pictures of that black GT earlier in this thread) are perfectly good.
I really suggest to people doing convertibles or roadsters that you copy the Automoda kit's lines when you blend from the door to the quarterpanels. Its more eye-pleasing than abrupt swoops or zigzags in the bodyline..
You guys look like you're doing good work. I look forward to seeing the final results on that black car.
Is the rear clip of that orange car photoshopped? if not are there any more pics of the rear clip? I like the lines on that. I had been using that northstar convertable as a base for my bodywork. I had thought of laying the windshield back. It is a realitively new windshield and I don't want to remove it or risk breaking it when I would cut out the pie slice and bend the frame backwards. I also thought of taking out the windows and all of the junk in the doors. what was it, for every 15 lbs removed one horsepower is freed up?
[This message has been edited by Crow (edited 03-31-2004).]
I Finished welding the rear frame last weekend. I still have to box in the b-pillar holes and repair a small hole in the floor. I did some cleaning up yesterday with the nice weather. I removed the wiring harness and alternator then pressure washed the engine and frame. I ordered a battery relocation kit which includes with a hold down and cables and a set of hood pins for the decklid from summit racing. They should be in tommorrow. I think that i'm going to concentrate on getting the engine running again. I need to rewire the powertrain, reconfigure the dogbone, replumb the engine using less hose and more hard line and do a little dressing up.
a couple of engine pics.
[This message has been edited by Crow (edited 04-07-2004).]
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06:11 PM
blackrams Member
Posts: 32152 From: Covington, TN, USA Registered: Feb 2003
Those are cheap universal 2 1/4" catalytic converters I picked up at Trak Auto when I first did the 3800 swap. In 98 they were around $60 each. Right before I started the roadster I rebuilt the exhaust with ricer tips from pep boys and some bends from a local exhaust shop. I used to have a "T" Exhaust but the converters hung down too low. I built the new exhaust when I first cut out the trunk bottom which then turned into the rear tube frame project.
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08:42 PM
Kento Member
Posts: 4218 From: Beautifull Winston Salem NC Registered: Jun 2003
Haven't had too much time lately to work on the roadster, but I have been working on rewiring the engine this last week. I used to have the pcm in the trunk but now with no trunk, it will go back to the stock location. I'll also remove all useless wires. I'll post some pics soon.
[This message has been edited by Crow (edited 06-08-2004).]
Got a lot done today. I installed the dogbone, belt, coolant surge tank, power steering reservior, changed the front heater hoses, and cleaned up the fusible links for power to everything. It starts right up and runs great. I still need to finish the interior wiring (gauges, removal of all unnecessary wires and running wires for taillights and turn signals). I still need to fix a rust hole in the floor then weld up the gaping holes here the b pilars were. Then back to the bodywork.
[This message has been edited by Crow (edited 06-12-2004).]
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02:17 PM
Jun 13th, 2004
SUN C KER Member
Posts: 17 From: Calgary , Alberta Canada Registered: Mar 2004
My car is an 86 SE notchback that has a series 1 3800 which was installed about 8 0r 9 years ago. I converted it to a convertable 5 years ago with a kit from LA Machine. I have a a square tube frame down each side but no x-frame and it is plenty strong. I will post some pics as soon as I figure out how.
Drove the roadster today!. Just around the parking lot as I do not have current plates. It feels more solid than it was before the chop. I had significant rust damage. The Duct tape is for head protection. Right after I cut the roof I hit my head pretty good. Ouch!
[This message has been edited by Crow (edited 06-15-2004).]
Here is a link to a thread in the archive on the purple northstar convertable. Does anyone have any pics of the b-pillar area of this car or something similar. https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Archives/Archive-000002/HTML/20030531-1-023353.html how about something like this? Anyone know what B&B spyder's roadster kit looks llike? They had big time computer problems lately but they are supposed to e-mail me some pics but I havent got them yet.
[This message has been edited by Crow (edited 06-14-2004).]
Great tread!!!!!!! those convertibles look sweet!!! and Automoda...... your car is sweet!! you woulndt have ne more pics of it would you??
There is a convertible fiero that i've seen here in Tucson, ive only seen it once, and it was bondoed and had different colored body panels everywhere.... looked like a real mess, i would sure love to talk to the owner though
------------------ I am the owner of an original yellow 1988 pontiac fiero GT, (wingless) bought it with 95k miles, i got a heavy right foot, 3rd owner and a very proud also....
