hi Kathryn! I was told by a fellow pff member to talk to you about a project fiero. im 13 and want to get a fiero to fix up. i started reading about your project and i see that you REALLY know your stuff! I was wondering if you had any tips for doing something like this. it would be nice if i could talk to you about your awesome project! Thanks!
Just checking in - I made a post in this thread way back in April of 2011 - page one! I stop by on occasion to check up on the progress but have been away from the Forum and Fiero's for about 9 months now. I recently picked up another (project Fiero) and have been getting re aquainted with the Forum. I just spent the last few hours going through this thread from start to finish. I have to say that Kathryn is a remarkable young lady! I don't even know her or her family but it makes me proud to see there are young folks out there that have so much on the ball. It comes from great parenting! Just wanted to say thanks for sharing your story. It's great inspriation!
Thanks Pat and all. Just a very brief update. Johny, Kathryn will be starting on your lacross players tomorrow. We finished the last couple of orders from her ETSY store tonight. Another artist, and fisherman....and she has a good start on the Darth Vader and a special gift for a friend that I'm not allowed to mention in case she reads the forum...lol!
I'll post some photos of those in a moment. Now onto fiero related things....this week we will start some fiberglass work. Also, we will be at the North American International Auto Show this weekend/Monday as guests of........General Motors. Kathryn gets to go to the engineering preview. Also, the rumor is that GM is flying in two of the female engineers that worked on the original fiero project. They have expressed an interest in mentoring Kathryn, not just on the project, but perhaps through college etc. So she will have a chance to talk to a couple of the original Fiero engineers. If you have questions you'd like her to ask...fire away!
Also, RadicalMedia is flying in to spend Saturday, Sunday, and Monday with her. They are working on a feature for an education special. Then they will (hopefully) accompany her to the NAIAS to film some of her interactions with GM. Should be a fun weekend, though busy!
So here is the artist:
The fisherman:
The Darth:
and Darth Vaders cape
and finally....I wonder what you can do with old spark plugs......hmmm, I know....let's make spiders!!!!!
Also, we will be at the North American International Auto Show this weekend/Monday as guests of........General Motors. Kathryn gets to go to the engineering preview. Also, the rumor is that GM is flying in two of the female engineers that worked on the original fiero project. They have expressed an interest in mentoring Kathryn, not just on the project, but perhaps through college etc. So she will have a chance to talk to a couple of the original Fiero engineers. If you have questions you'd like her to ask...fire away!
Also, RadicalMedia is flying in to spend Saturday, Sunday, and Monday with her. They are working on a feature for an education special. Then they will (hopefully) accompany her to the NAIAS to film some of her interactions with GM. Should be a fun weekend, though busy!
This is so great. I could not be happier to hear how well everything is going and the doors that are flying open to welcome Kathryn. I don't get invited to the preivew, but my parents will be there, perhaps you will recognize them from maker faire. I'll be sure to let them know you will be there. Have a great time and enjoy yourself through this experience!
btw, love the figures. Anything you don't do?
[This message has been edited by gen2muchwork (edited 01-08-2013).]
Originally posted by michhiker28: I'll post some photos of those in a moment. Now onto fiero related things....this week we will start some fiberglass work. Also, we will be at the North American International Auto Show this weekend/Monday as guests of........General Motors. Kathryn gets to go to the engineering preview. Also, the rumor is that GM is flying in two of the female engineers that worked on the original fiero project. They have expressed an interest in mentoring Kathryn, not just on the project, but perhaps through college etc. So she will have a chance to talk to a couple of the original Fiero engineers. If you have questions you'd like her to ask...fire away!
Amazing! Just wanted to chime in and congratulate Kathryn on this. It's a rare and amazing opportunity. I'd wish you luck, but you seem to be making your own luck using hard work and dedication. Well done!
Hey everyone, As you all know by now I've got an exciting weekend coming up and I'll be able to do some more work on the car too! Thank you for all of the support and compliments, suggestions, ect. In terms of a recent question....no I don't think there is something I couldn't do with little figures if I had the time to figure it out......well Thanks again! I hope to have updates next monday.....*very excited here/nervous* -kathryn
This is amazing. The fisherman took some major skill and time - to get each eyelet on that pole in the right spot.
Wow, I like Darth Vader too. I'd like to have a figurine for my desk, to hold my iPhone when it's charging... I'll send you a pic of what I'd like, reply with a price? Thanks, and keep up the good work, you're doing great!
------------------ My auto history... 68 Ford Cougar 351, 71 Plymouth Duster Slant 6, 72 Plymouth Duster 340 Wedge, 1965 Mustang GT350, 66 Euro-Shelby Cobra 427, 68 SS/RS Camaro 396, 68 Camaro 307, 77 El Camino Custom 350, 90 INDY Beretta, 87 MR2 Supercharged, 83 Caddy, and now... a 83 Nissan 720? I need a Fiero.
[This message has been edited by 4186Nb (edited 01-10-2013).]
hey everyone, just fyi i haven't got much done on the car but as you can see i've been working on earning money for the car....does that count? lol I've had a lot of fun though working on orders and i'll get to work on my fiero over the weekend so....yeah. Also if any of you have any new ideas on figures for me to make i'm willing to try just about everything......as long as it isn't above my skill set. I hope to have updates soon, Thank you all for being such supporting followers. jonnyrottin.....do you like the lacrosse player? -kathryn
I personally don't need one as we already have one, but I think everyone knows someone that is a Trekie. I think the only hard part would be the bowl that it floats on. I don't think anyone will give you any issues about copyright as it does not say anything on it. Now if you wrote NCC-1701 on it, that might raise a few flags.
------------------ 857GT Part 85GT Part 87GT Part Caddy, 93 Eldorado 4.9, 5spd Dual O2 Custom Chip, Custom Exhaust. MSD Everything Now with Nitrous. Capt Fiero --- My Over View Cadero Pics Yellow 88GT 5spd Full Poly Suspension, Lowered 1/2" in front, Corner Carver.
Hey everyone, just checking back in with you all, for those of you who have sent me pm's i will be checking those next....so i'm not ignoring them Also for those of you who have been giving me ideas or those of you who have orders in for my little figures, i've been pretty busy and slightly sick recently but i haven't forgotten about them and i will be getting them done soon, promise. Thank you all again for your support, it means soo much to me! Glad you all like my/your figures. -kathryn
Hoping your feeling sick isn't related to the welding, noticed you are using zinc plated fasteners in your art projects, fumes from the zinc are pretty nasty. Be safe:
Take your time and get well. I can wait 'til Christmas! Your health is more important.
On a side note: In Printing, (what I do most often,) people usually come to me at the very last minute and want me to create something in record time, and make them look good. It happens almost every time. And then they want over-night delivery! If people would just plan a little more, their printing prices wouldn't be so astronomically high!
hey everyone, just checking in before i head down to Detroit tomorrow I'm feeling a little bit better, and i like all of the ideas you have all given me. In terms of my engine i haven't heard anything recently, but i hope to hear back from them soon.....who knows. -kathryn p.s. thank you for all of your support.
All of that was really cool, but what she liked the most was this:
These were her "peeps" Matt and Greg from Radical Media were wonderful with her all weekend long. She will be featured soon on their "Prodigies" program.
She loved the new corvette! She said if she could take any car home it would have been the new red stiingray, but when given the option of that or her Fiero, she kept the faith and said that she would rather have her Fiero!
She spent most of the day with Michelle and Jeanne two of the original fiero engineers! One worked on the rear suspension and the other on frame rails and crash safety. They were awesome with her and she will be in touch with them for a long time I am sure. They showed her so much and introduced her to many other high level GM engineers and managers!
Kathryn, Who says you can't have a cool hotrod Fiero and a have a grunt Corvette to haul groceries in? LOL Looks like a great day with fantastic memories! ~Zep
Hello again, as some of you should know i got the great opportunity to go to Cobo and see/experience the National Autoshow....(i'm just going to call it that and not try to type out the whole name every time...lol) but before that I had Greg and Matt from the Thinker Channel down for the weekend so they could film me working on my project....and we had a few very interesting experiences with slow motion, oil changes, and sparks So on saturday we were filming down at my Uncle Bob's garage for the day, and that's where i accidentally (while grinding down some of my welds) angled the grinder wrong, which caused the sparks to go towards the cameras & my peeps (the film crew). which in turn caused them to jump way back.....it was quite funny to see their faces..lol. saturday was also when i got to do some of my first slow mo. (aka slow motion vids) It was fun to see how they showed on the cameras, because it wasn't any different from anything i did...it was all done through the camera. *if you want to know an interesting fact i learned: Greg and Matt called their tripods "sticks" which is one example of film crew slang i guess. Then on sunday we filmed all day here @ my house, both me and my parents had like hour and a half long interviews....so that was interesting just in its self. But they also wanted to have me do an oil change...fair enough. (side note: both of my peeps said that they would try to do an oil change just off of my directions and send me that video) So all was going well until we got to the point where we needed to remove the old oil filter...then it got kinda funny....from all the other people's point of view.....just not mine. so i started taking off the oil filter and i was ready for it but still all the oil poured out of this filter down my arm but i couldn't move because there was a camera right behind me that would get hit if i did. so it got to the point where i was finally able to move because the camera was backed up, and then i was practically trapped by the oil on one side and the tire on the other. So of course right then Greg says "well look at the bright side it's snowing." so then from underneath the car on video i was like "You've GOT to be kidding me!!!!!" so everyone else had a good laugh at my expense. Now on to the good part...well not the good part because it was all good but on to the next part shall i say:
Monday was a blast, but i feel like none of my friends in my school/church that are my age understand so you're all gonna have to hear me out instead....doesn't that sound like fun!? So to give a brief summary, when we (me and my Dad) got to Detroit, it was only like 7:15 ish. and we couldn't find anywhere to park...it was absolutely ridiculous to say the least...i'm sure my dad will back me up on this fact. so we ended up FINALLY finding a parking space a ways away from Cobo and then running about a mile or so to make sure i met up with my peeps on time.....it was a crazy start to my day. Then we met up with the film crew and got me hooked up to a mic. ect, ect. and then we met up with Miesha and Jennifer from GM, and then we met up with Jeanne and Michelle who were some of the original women engineers who worked on the fiero. Michelle worked on back suspension and Jeanne worked on the crash testing, and you know the holes that i covered up on the back frame rails....well Jeanne designed those to be their to kinda crush and absorb impact......so yeah. Also i got to meet with David Leone who is and Executive Chief Engineer for GM and he gave me the offer to do some internships, so that was exciting, and so i got to talk with him for a bit and some other engineers who worked on the new 7th gen. corvette....which i must say looks beautiful in red and black.....i think i fell in love with that car.... But i also got the opportunity to stand right next to the stage when the unveiled the new corvette and i was one of the first few people who got to sit in it.....even if it did take me a while to figure out how to use the door handle...hee hee. Along with me falling in love with the new corvette, i think my dad really likes one of the new Jaguars, especially if it's in orange. And while we were looking at the Jaguar we met a guy who was originally from California but now lives in Germany and he recognized me from the Auto Build magazine/article so that was cool. I also saw a lot of new engine technology and that was interesting, and there was an engine that bugged me practically all day long, because i was trying to figure out why the timing chain was all wrapped around a bunch of gears that didn't seem all that relevant to me. But my dad figured out and explanation, but i can't really explain it without the engine in front of me to point to objects and all that... There were a few other cars like a Bentley that was pretty cool, a Ferrari, and the James Bond version of the Aston Martin....yeah i know expensive taste girl over here. So that's my brief sum up of my extended weekend...any ?'s jonnyrottin, i'll be finishing up that other lacrosse player this week and you wanted a goal too right? thank you all for everything!! -kathryn
I recognized a few of the GM People in the Cobo pictures, did you happen to meet a GM Buddy of mine, Alex Nava ? He is a Design Release Engineer on the C7 Corvette Program responsible for Exterior Trim.
Appears that you had a great couple days for the memory book.
[This message has been edited by California Kid (edited 01-15-2013).]
GO FOR IT! during college. That seems to be the #1 thing employers look for, is co-op or internship experience. Many companies end up hiring the people they spent time training in those positions. Getting into those programs is the hardest part, hopefully he remembers you in a few years after high school.
I know what I'd like to ask the people that engineered the rear frame rails: WTF happened with the rustproofing?! On the rear suspension, did they mention if it was the early 84-87 style, or the 88 redesign?
Congratulations again Kathryn. You do yourself and your family proud and reflect well on the Fiero community. I believe I can say that all of us here at Pennocks are very proud of you and hope to see you keep succeeding.
Internship or Co-op are some of the best decisions you can make in college. When you graduate, you walk out the door with work experience and an employer that will likely already be offering you a job. It gives you a huge leg up on those without the experience.
Kathryn, You probably know this but I'll mention it anyways.. These people that you meet, keep a log of names and dates and a small description of the meet. Maybe a rolodex like some of us used in the "old days". Also casually ask for their business card. That additionally places you in their mind that you will remember them. References and business contacts are very important and anyone who can give a helping hand, will, if you give them a chance. This is your life, but if you treat these meetings as you would a business, you will also turn out to be very organized for your future and you won't have to rely on memory alone. Your Dad knows about this kind of stuff...
A two liner poem or limerick to remember~
You are making friends, like a lawnmower cutting grass on a sunny day. Don't forget who you've met along the way!
Best wishes and good luck! Go Kathryn, GO!
~Zep
[This message has been edited by mwzephyr (edited 01-16-2013).]
Just amazing story ! Holler at me when you get to the sound system. I have restored about 20 Fieros and you can make it sound show quality with the right build box BEHIND the pass seat with a 10, aftermarket head unit, new 4x10's (yes 4x10) and new 4x6's. So super easy when you know what brands and models to get!!! Still keeping it looking stock of course. No need at all to go ham and abandon stock sizes. My dad is the test I use, he is 6ft 6. 1st I see if he can get in and be stock comfortable, then crank up the system and the faster he gets out of the Fiero the better job I have done. LOL !
I'm new to the forum, but not new to reading about your build, and am always looking forward to updates. Great job on your progress, and keep up the awesome work! I think it's really cool that you're doing this, and definitely an inspiration. Keep at it!
Glad you had a great time here! I'm jealous that you got to sit in many cars I won't be able to, not to mention less people at the show and the people you got to meet. Next time you're in Detroit, Cobo has roof parking (kinda hard to find) and there's two parking structures on either side of the Renaissance Center. Park there and jump on the People Mover.
[This message has been edited by Gokart Mozart (edited 01-21-2013).]
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On the rear suspension, did they mention if it was the early 84-87 style, or the 88 redesign?
