Great how to write up !

Great work Archie, from another anxious "Arch-Notch Widebody" lurker!

So far I've got about 360 pictures of this body kit & it's installation. Right now Kris is working on the final body work on the drivers side of the car. That means that I'm running about 2 days behind on this build thread. Because this will be complete by the end of the week, I've got to post a lot today to bring this thread into real time. (No I won't be posting all those pics)

Here we're putting the rocker panel back on. Throughout this process the rocker is held on with just 3 screws & it's been real secure. Once we're done we'll use a couple more screws & also bolt the underside edge of the rocker to the chassis flange near the coolant pipes.



Here we're putting the fender cap back on.



Then we bolt it to the rocker panel & see what it looks like.....



Now we install the Door Cap with self tapping screws, that flange along the bottom of the Door Cap is to give us a good surface to use to fiberglass the cap to the door panel......







..........

Looks Good! Now squeeze an LS-2 into it.

quote Originally posted by Archie: Pay no nevermind to Sage, He's part of a small conspiracy trying to put me out of business by saying stuff like that. Archie

Ah, cmn' Archie, a conspiracy of one???LOL I said a BONUS, not a raise. Just a little something "extra" for a job well done! That ain't gonna bust ya up!

I was actually thinking about throwing some MORE business your way.

You have my respect and admiration for having done what you do for as long as you have, and I don't know anyone else that comes up with as much and as good new stuff and support for the Fiero community as V8Archie.

Project is looking super!

HAGO!

quote Originally posted by Sage: Ah, cmn' Archie, a conspiracy of one???LOL I said a BONUS, not a raise. Just a little something "extra" for a job well done! That ain't gonna bust ya up! I was actually thinking about throwing some MORE business your way. You have my respect and admiration for having done what you do for as long as you have, and I don't know anyone else that comes up with as much and as good new stuff and support for the Fiero community as V8Archie. Project is looking super! HAGO!

Thanks Sage, Compliments like that coming from someone with your Fiberglass skills makes my day.

Archie

Damn it is looking good I am in middle of installing stage2s and custom side rails i might have to go one further and look at some of these pieces.

Now it's time to start the fiberglassing.

WE first grind down the area where we will be laying up the fiberglass.







When working on the side of the car, we usually like to hang some paper & use some tape to keep some of the drippings off of areas where we don't want it to be.



We then layup 2 layers of fiberglass matting several hours apart.....





..........

quote Originally posted by Archie: Thanks Sage, Compliments like that coming from someone with your Fiberglass skills makes my day. Archie

Welcome.

HAGO!

We put a little White primer on the car over the weekend to see what it would look like all one color.













These panels are now officially for sale. We have 3 sets of them in stock already.

This donor car is also for sale. I'll do an inspection of the car today to tell you the overall condition of the chassis, driveline & interior.

Archie

pm sent on donor car

Dang.... you're making my wallet hurt looking at that! I just had the car painted a couple of years ago already

who woo lets see that n-back

One small additional part that I think you should make as an option for the kit, How about smooth replacements for the molding along the front fender/bumper ? Something that would snap/screw into place where the original strip would be.

this may be somewhere in the thread but it just occurred to me, is there any allowance for tire width? if i can get to the end of my project i'm looking at 275's probaly, with 305 or 315's being about the most i can do (on 17x10's. i have two sets with two different offsets). since i'll only be trying to get a rear facia maybe i can mess with it some, or do i have to get into madcurl territory on the widths to keep the wheel from looking swallowed up in the wheelwell?

quote Originally posted by Philphine: this may be somewhere in the thread but it just occurred to me, is there any allowance for tire width? if i can get to the end of my project i'm looking at 275's probaly, with 305 or 315's being about the most i can do (on 17x10's. i have two sets with two different offsets). since i'll only be trying to get a rear facia maybe i can mess with it some, or do i have to get into madcurl territory on the widths to keep the wheel from looking swallowed up in the wheelwell?

Prior to the build, Archie, Troyboy and I were going over the details regarding the rear widths. The conclusion was: 10.5" with 11" being the ideal sweet spot (#020 chopper), and 12" on the Dubbish. Troyboy's 20x12 where placed on #020 widebody and it cleared (using washer since the center piece [3-piece] rim was made for a Corvetter rotor). A 275 (9-10" width max) tire is babyish on the widebody. A 275 is used on #011 chopper and it's not a widebody.

Example of a 275 on a 9.5" rim/widebody #015





Notice that the tire/rim is sucked in.


IMO I'd use a 305/325/345 tire ranges.

Example of a 325/25/20 on a 10.5" rim: Different kit, but you get the point.

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 07-23-2007).]

quote Originally posted by madcurl: A 275 (9-10" width max) tire is babyish on the widebody... Example of a 275 on a 9.5" rim/widebody #015

Yep too small.

Widebody and 10"+ rims go together like beans and cornbread. Red beans and rice, Chicken and dumplings... I think I need to go eat

A little peek at the Notchie.......

Someone wanted to see it with just the bumper on......





Here is a little preview of the body panels on a notchie. None of these panels are actually bolted on yet, they are just sitting on the car.

The fender caps will have to be reshaped back by the tail lights but all in all they seem to fit pretty good.







Archie

Forgive me if this was covered earlier in the thread, but in the back of the GT, where the fender caps meet the taillights, is that part going to mold into the tail or are they to stay that way? Not that it looks bad, just curious.

------------------


Gold 1986 GT 2.9L, Getrag 5

quote Originally posted by Archie: A little peek at the Notchie....... Someone wanted to see it with just the bumper on......

thanks. i already have irm's on the car i'd want to try this on and the cap part might not work either since someone has altered that part of the car already too, but this gives me a clue as to how i might be able to play with the bumper to get it to work with whats been done already. thanks again.

Very nice work Archie - nice to see you are selling the widebody as a kit!

Ryan

------------------

1986 Fiero2m8 (LT1 NX / 4T60 Roadster Build)
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/071642.html

Ok, so did you guys like the wide body GT version??????

OK, so help me name it..........

I'd like to name the GT version of this WideBody Kit something besides " WideBody Kit.

So we need name suggestions.......

A little more info to help name it.

Remember that the Rockers, the fender capsa & the rear bumper are complete exact copies of the parts that we have put on Curley's car #20 Chopper AKA The Arch Rival. That being said it is very posible that someone will buy a set of these panels, put them on their car, paint the car & be driving the car before Curls turns the 1st wheel on #20. So if you're that person, you mat want to name them after yourself. You know people could be driving replicas of Curley's car before it even gets finished. Kinda like the Chinese version of Harry Potter.

So, let's see some names.

Archie

do you have any idea on what the price of the notchie kit will be. I think im just going to have to get that.

I have always been biased towards "the notch" and the wide body kit on it is A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!

If you put that one in primer, I might be tempted to take one of the pics to the digital shop. Three inches off the top, rollin on dubs, and candy-coated...

------------------
toddshotrods.com - wanna ride?
crazy projects, features, articles, art & more

[This message has been edited by toddshotrods (edited 07-24-2007).]

As far as the name goes i personally think it should have some reference to Curly.

It was actually his idea and design that the kit was made from so i think that would at least be somewhat proper ?

Sort of like the Warber hood.

How about one of these ?

MCA Widebody Kit (MCA standing for Madcurl/Archie) - sort of like IRM widebody

Curly Kit

Mad widebody

The Madcurl Kit

Names huh, this is one of the most important parts of the kit.

MadArch Widebody

March (?) hehe or Marck Widebody

-Alex

I kind of like the
MadArch - fieroGTRwidebody and
MCA widebody - exoticse
names.

quote Originally posted by exoticse: MCA Widebody Kit (MCA standing for Madcurl/Archie) - sort of like IRM widebody

I like this... it sounds very "clean & professional"

quote Originally posted by Brian Lamberts: You know as well as I do what a Finale/Fino costs. And my point is that a grand or two is a good start on getting to that magic 5 grand for the kit (and a grand or two or three for the paint.) And I know there are guys here that seem to have unlimited funds to toss into their 20 year old cars. There are lots of us that don't, tho, too. And everything we do gets finely scrutinized for cost and benefit. My choice, especially when it comes to body stuff is to have a fairly cutting edge look. I'd be more likely to spend 5 grand on one of Archie's rebody kits than spend $400 for an integrated rocker panel kit, or that silly ZR2 stuff that Pisa sells. And if they hadn't come as part of a mostly piece of crap 86 SE I bought last spring, I wouldn't have them. I wouldn't spend a dime on a faux countach, ferarri, or gt40 kit either. We all have our own tastes, Archies car kits have much more one off look to them--making them ultra exotic to me. And by extension, in my eye, the look of wide bodies has a retro (or less diplomatically obsolete ) look to me. I would not choose a late 80's Nascar look for my car. And since you brought it up, engine swaps are really a pretty natural thing to do--and does score pretty favorably on the cost vs benefit scale. For those of us on a close budget, a Caddy or 3.8 SC conversion gives pretty decent bang for the buck and is approachable by we 'mere mortals.' If our favorite car had lasted into the mid 90s, perhaps it would have ended up with an Aurora*, N*, or supercharged engine.

I agree with this! Also, it is a shame to do this to a GT. The GT already has a nice body, even though it doesn't look as good as this kit when it is done. Another point is that the base models are more plentful and cheaper to buy. I think it would have been a better option to convert the base model instead of the GT. Most would not have an issue spending the price on the kit if the car only cost them a few hundred dollars and needed bodywork or paint v.s. spending a couple grand on a nice GT that needs much less.
Just my opinion.

quote Originally posted by Archie: That's a tough one. We discussed this for a long time today. We are going to do something with it in the next 2 days, but we're open to suggestions. However I need the suggestions right away because we are doing this real soon. Let's hear your suggestions. Archie

Completely pipe dreaming here, but what about an integrated spoiler to address the fender cap issue? Since the rear corners appear to extend past the forward angled decklid surface, maybe you can leave the fender cap as is, and match a wrap around-ducktail spoiler to it. Could be 3 pc, or bond the sides to the fender caps later. Hard to tell from the pics if this is possible. I'm thinking real low angle of attack sitting just above the taillights. More an overhang like the GT1 and Le Mans prototypes, only flatter:



It would really help elongate the notch's stubby appearing tail.

EDIT- is the guy in the Panoz GTR picking his nose?

[This message has been edited by Sleepy (edited 07-24-2007).]

quote Originally posted by MinnGreenGT: Archie, my Dad wants me to inquire about the cost... installed? (without paint) (BTW - I like it too! looking forward to seeing the new car "finished" with the kit).

Sorry for the delay, but we actually needed to install one of these kits before we would know what it takes time wise to get it on & get it right.

We figure that, at the shop rate, it would take $2200.00 to install the kit, plus $1950 for the kit making the total $4150.00.

Archie

All you photoshop guys out there, how about filling those wheel wells with some proper rims and tires, and maybe lowering it a couple inches. I think it would give everyone a glimpse at the finished product.