Went back to the junkyard, got that tach filter that I couldn't get before due to not having a deep enough socket. Got it off a '85 GT. Got home to test fit on my '87 GT and the connections are different, are they different through the years? Also pulled that bracket to clean and paint. Wanted to grab another tach filter off the '86 GT next to it but the dag-gone yellow jackets had other ideas.
Just realized that after 16 years, this page is mine!
[This message has been edited by turbo86se (edited 06-18-2015).]
Got her ready to go to the alignment shop tomorrow. She has all new RD front ball joints and bushings. The UCA, LCA, and springs were powder coated. The wheel wells were cleaned and painted. The anti-sway bar was cleaned, painted and re-installed with new bushings and RD end links. Tomorrow I will find out if it was worth it.
Took it on its first actual voyage today for the first time in probably 2 years and its done good so far hopefully it'll stay together this time. I also ordered the RD idler pulley and fan switch
Just finished putting the front end together with all new RD parts. New upper and 1" lowering ball joint, new inner/outer tie rods, zero-lash end links and poly upper/lower control arm bushings. It'll head to an alignment shop soon after a few bits are sorted out in the rear.
Pulled her out, finished installing the remote battery terminals so I do not have to remove the spare to jump or charge the battery (Battery relocated to front under spare tire), then rinsed her off, and took her for a long drive. Felt great to drive her again.
Washed it, cleaned up the wheels with a pressure washer, dressed the tires, and put the cover on it for the first time. First show since all the work was done tomorrow. Stoked to be showing the Fiero, the Sky, and the Sprite, along with my father-in-law's Sprite. Father, daughter, and grand daughter all showing cars
Installed new rear brake rotors, and lubricated all eight (F&R) caliper guide pins . I also changed the fluid in my Getrag from 10/30 wt engine oil to GM Syncromesh. Very nice improvement; smooth shifts and easier to 'feel' where the gates are now.
First show since we got the paint and other work done. "Fenders on Front Street" in Issaquah, WA. My father in law pulled his Mk 1 Sprite up from Tucson, so we had four cars and three generations at the show.
We had two cars representing Jet City Fieros today. They were the only two Fieros at the show. And my Sky was the only of its kind, and the two Sprites were the sole representatives of the Austin Healey marque. We had lots of people interested in all three.
First show since we got the paint and other work done. "Fenders on Front Street" in Issaquah, WA. My father in law pulled his Mk 1 Sprite up from Tucson, so we had four cars and three generations at the show.
We had two cars representing Jet City Fieros today. They were the only two Fieros at the show. And my Sky was the only of its kind, and the two Sprites were the sole representatives of the Austin Healey marque. We had lots of people interested in all three.
I Installed a proper fitting air cleaner. The K&N the P.O. installed was cobbled up and finally fell off! After two years of trying to keep the cobbled air cleaner from coming off, it fell off! So I did some research and bought a new one. Now I have one that actually fits and almost matches the blue blower painted by P.O. Also installed reman right rear caliper and bleed the brakes. The brakes feel better now.
Put a new battery on after getting her back from the alignment shop. She drives like a new car. They bent my drivers side vent support and the strut top nut looks little funny (too high) but she drives well. Also washed her and rubbed the fenders.
I finally got around to removing my rocker panels to paint them silver. IMO, it helps to "lower" the look of the Formula. A buddy and I then sort of touched up the worst areas of the paint, and also applied the custom decals I got through eBay. All set for autocross this weekend!
And now that it's back together, I've decided the black along the bottom of the rear end needs to be painted silver to match the rocker panels. And I've got Corvette exhaust tips to install. It never ends!
Originally posted by Patrick: I finally got around to removing my rocker panels to paint them silver. IMO, it helps to "lower" the look of the Formula. A buddy and I then sort of touched up the worst areas of the paint, and also applied the custom decals I got through eBay. All set for autocross this weekend!
It looks good and I really like those wheels. What size tires are you running? Good luck at the autocross.
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[This message has been edited by 1MohrFiero (edited 06-25-2015).]
They're 225/50/16 all around. (This allows me to rotate the tires any which way between autocross events.) I originally bought these tires and wheels to use for autocross when I was driving my '84. I was a little concerned with the '88 Formula that I'd have clearance issues in the front (because of the wider track on the front of all 88's due to the different hubs). However, I was pleased and very relieved to discover that the front tires (no matter which way they're turned) clear the inside of the front fenders by about a quarter inch, even on full compression of the suspension.
quote
Originally posted by 1MohrFiero:
It looks good and I really like those wheels. Good luck at the autocross.
Thanks x2.
From three years ago, my '84 (and those same wheels) in action...
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Originally posted by Patrick:
I very recently bought a set of 16x7 alloy wheels with an offset of 38mm to mount my 225/50/16 "race" tires for track use.
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 06-25-2015).]
I finally got around to removing my rocker panels to paint them silver. IMO, it helps to "lower" the look of the Formula. A buddy and I then sort of touched up the worst areas of the paint, and also applied the custom decals I got through eBay. All set for autocross this weekend! And now that it's back together, I've decided the black along the bottom of the rear end needs to be painted silver to match the rocker panels. And I've got Corvette exhaust tips to install. It never ends!
Pat, that's sweet azz Formula!! Love it! Like the mods as well.
Pat, that's sweet azz Formula!! Love it! Like the mods as well.
Thanks Jason. It's a work in progress. The poor car had been sitting in a forest under a tree on Whidbey Island in WA for several years and was looking rather sad when I got it. I focused on getting it roadworthy (as a daily driver and for autocross) for the first year or so, and now I'm trying to make it pretty.
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 06-26-2015).]
I removed my drivers side head light Assembly out and took it apart to find a bent plastic gear. Bent it back the best I could but it looks like it's time to replace more parts. It works for now but is getting tough to work on a car in 90 degree heat and high humidity. I wish my hands where smaller.
I finally got around to removing my rocker panels to paint them silver. IMO, it helps to "lower" the look of the Formula. A buddy and I then sort of touched up the worst areas of the paint, and also applied the custom decals I got through eBay. All set for autocross this weekend!
And now that it's back together, I've decided the black along the bottom of the rear end needs to be painted silver to match the rocker panels. And I've got Corvette exhaust tips to install. It never ends!
The spoiler... It looks like a Dodge Shadow spoiler, only longer, front to back. Is it from a Lumina? Or something else?
Programmed all three buttons in the Gentex Homelink mirror to open each of our three garage doors. Had to get Homelink Bridge devices for the two new openers: The musical chairs game of frequencies and rolling code schemes for openers is a PITA.
Originally posted by lorennerol: Programmed all three buttons in the Gentex Homelink mirror to open each of our three garage doors. Had to get Homelink Bridge devices for the two new openers: The musical chairs game of frequencies and rolling code schemes for openers is a PITA. .
Bridge devices? I'm not familiar with those. I've installed Homelink in several cars, and it came in several of our other cars. All I ever needed was a remote that worked each door. Used that to program the Homelink devices. (We've got two doors and six cars.) Care to share?
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 06-28-2015).]
The spoiler... It looks like a Dodge Shadow spoiler, only longer, front to back. Is it from a Lumina? Or something else?
Looking good!
Raydar, thanks. Yes, it's from a '92 Chevy Lumina. Have you forgotten that we've discussed this spoiler before HERE. That's the thread where Jason's first response to the Lumina spoiler was... "yuck".
Bridge devices? I'm not familiar with those. I've installed Homelink in several cars, and it came in several of our other cars. All I ever needed was a remote that worked each door. Used that to program the Homelink devices. (We've got two doors and six cars.) Care to share?
Apparently the newer openers (ours are from 2014 and 2015) use rolling codes and different frequencies that the older openers (our third is from 1998). All three of our are Liftmaster/Chamberlain/Sears. But handheld remotes for the new openers don't work with the older one and the handheld remote for the older one won't work the new openers. And the Homelink system in my 2005 4Runner and on the Gentex mirror I put in the Fiero don't work with the new openers, but work fine with the older one.
So I called Liftmaster and they had me buy two of these bridge/repeater kits:
Little by little I'm getting stuff done. The other day I swapped out the rear exhaust manifold for a Camaro unit, and tried to do the front. That is a PITA from the top. I ended up letting it go for the weekend.
Today I made a shift cable repair bracket just like the one Rodney sells. Cost to me was 0$ and an hour or so of time. Installed and adjusted shift cables.
Moved some crap around in the garage so I could back the car in and jack it up. I didn't trust jackstands on the soggy gravel/dirt mix. Backed the car in and installed the a/c bypass pulley, then pulled the front manifold off from underneath. I got the new one in place with a couple bolts before I had to pack it in for the day. Tomorrow I'll be back on it and maybe pick up some exhaust pipe to attempt some kind of quiet time exhaust.
Got the Fiero up on two pairs of ramps, in preparation for dropping the gas tank. Creeping around underneath I noticed the small positive wire to the starter was cut. The big one was still hooked up, but this one was cut. Any idea why someone would do this? Or was it the same furry critter that cut my tach filter wire?
Both protective brackets were rusted to pieces on the coolant pipes, hope I can find a pair at a local yard.
Today I contemplated parting out my 86 GT. I know it's not a big deal, but yesterday the driver side upper door hinge pin fell out. I want I nice car that I don't have to work on all the time.
Edit, 7-12. Fixed the hinge pin with new parts from Autozone. Also spent about a hundy on exhaust stuff. It's all tacked in, just need to drop it one more time and finish weld it.
[This message has been edited by Tuna Helper (edited 07-12-2015).]
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Oh, well, I'll get another motor in her ASAP.
