Yes, this is a kit that Norm just made for the customer. He delivered some of the parts in Sept. & I just picked up the last of them last week. give me a call tomorrow or drop me a PM & I'll fill you in.

Archie

quote Originally posted by qwikgta: Is this body kit still available? I have a 88 GT that I am making into a daily driver, a kit on it would be cool too. Rob

Really looking forward to watching this thread. The Dino was one of the first Ferraris I was ever aware of.
I remember when Dino's were ~$20k in the early 90's and now they are $200k +

I saw a real one in Boulder @ a Ferrari shop when my brother and I stopped by..it was going through a restoration:

[This message has been edited by Falcon Fiero (edited 01-01-2013).]

quote Originally posted by Falcon Fiero: Really looking forward to watching this thread. The Dino was one of the first Ferraris I was ever aware of. I remember when Dino's were ~$20k in the early 90's and now they are $200k + I saw a real one in Boulder @ a Ferrari shop when my brother and I stopped by..it was going through a restoration:

Thanks Joel,

Great pictures, if you have any more of them could you email them?

I'm looking for pics of the rear window from any angle & of the door handles.

Thanks

Archie

quote Originally posted by Falcon Fiero:

That silver Dino doesn't look right to me.

Why would a real Dino have a wrap-around window externding into its rear, driver's side sail panel, but not one on its rear, passenger's side sail panel?

I don't get it.

quote Originally posted by project34: Why would a real Dino have a wrap-around window externding into its rear, driver's side sail panel, but not one on its rear, passenger's side sail panel?

Look again. It's symmetrical, but the U-shaped rear glass is pretty narrow, extending only to the inside of the thick butresses (a.k.a. "sail panels"). Ferrari used that rear window layout on a lot of models, including the Testarossa/512TR/512M. There is a Toyota rear glass that is similar in design, and it's used on a number of replicas.

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 01-03-2013).]

quote Originally posted by project34: That silver Dino doesn't look right to me. Why would a real Dino have a wrap-around window externding into its rear, driver's side sail panel, but not one on its rear, passenger's side sail panel? I don't get it.

Optical illusion. If you look at previously posted pics from the driver's side you'll see they are the same.

Maybe this will help:

As stated accurately by another member, the Dino 246 was named for the founder's son ,Dino Ferrari , and the numbers indicate a 2.4 liter V6 . Therefore , this car should be known as a Dino 488 .,It is appealing to use a smaller engine with less torque than the LS3, to keep the car better hooked up at low speed. Tthe engine is an attempt to recreate the LS engine described in the Hot Rod magazine article entitled "Big Bang Theory" ( Sept 2011).,which spun to 7000 rpm with increasing HP.

quote Originally posted by jbuell: As stated accurately by another member, the Dino 246 was named for the founder's son ,Dino Ferrari , and the numbers indicate a 2.4 liter V6 . Therefore , this car should be known as a Dino 488 .,It is appealing to use a smaller engine with less torque than the LS3, to keep the car better hooked up at low speed. Tthe engine is an attempt to recreate the LS engine described in the Hot Rod magazine article entitled "Big Bang Theory" ( Sept 2011).,which spun to 7000 rpm with increasing HP.

http://www.hotrod.com/techa...ine_big_bang_theory/

quote Originally posted by jbuell: As stated accurately by another member, the Dino 246 was named for the founder's son ,Dino Ferrari , and the numbers indicate a 2.4 liter V6 . Therefore , this car should be known as a Dino 488.

I completely missed the cast iron block in the earlier pictures... a 4.8L build is pretty cool!

I like the 4.8 and 5.3 motors. the metalurgy in the rods and bolts is said to be stronger than the ls1. good build archie.

You could use the rear glass from an MR2.

quote Originally posted by jbuell: Therefore , this car should be known as a Dino 488.

[This message has been edited by Jefrysuko (edited 01-04-2013).]

I raised the door panel and the rear hips. I added a black trim around 1.25 inches thick behind the door windows and on the roof behind the t-tops.
You'd flatten (smooth out) the sail panel so they do not show and move the three rectangles backward. Used the MR2 rear window and lowered it.

[This message has been edited by fourpoint9 (edited 01-05-2013).]

quote Originally posted by fourpoint9: I raised the door panel and the rear hips. I added a black trim around 1.25 inches thick behind the door windows and on the roof behind the t-tops. You'd flatten (smooth out) the sail panel so they do not show and move the three rectangles backward. Used the MR2 rear window and lowered it.

LOL, right at first glance I didn't look too closely at your pics & I thought for a minute that you actually used a MR2 rear window.

Then looking at the pics, I figured out you were talking PhotoShop.

The MR2 rear window is too wide for the car & the real Dino rear window is too narrow (<~ we have one of them)

Anyone know of any other rear windows they can suggest?

Archie

F355 ?

i still think it looks better chopped

here's the other side





the eclipse windshield would look good

[This message has been edited by fourpoint9 (edited 01-05-2013).]

Hello, some pics for reference. Also dont see a problem with attaching the doors with the Fiero bolts and U-clips.





Another option for the roof line is a convertible, here is one we did using Scudos (something like that) top which has a split targa stlye.

[This message has been edited by normsf (edited 01-05-2013).]

quote Originally posted by Archie: Yes, this is a kit that Norm just made for the customer. He delivered some of the parts in Sept. & I just picked up the last of them last week. give me a call tomorrow or drop me a PM & I'll fill you in. Archie

Archie, i'll be in touch. Thanks

Rob

quote Originally posted by Archie: LOL, right at first glance I didn't look too closely at your pics & I thought for a minute that you actually used a MR2 rear window. Then looking at the pics, I figured out you were talking PhotoShop. The MR2 rear window is too wide for the car & the real Dino rear window is too narrow (<~ we have one of them) Anyone know of any other rear windows they can suggest? Archie

How about the Chevy El Camino rear window 78-87 ?

quote Originally posted by Fiero Tom: How about the Chevy El Camino rear window 78-87 ?

I appreciate the suggestion.

On the El Camino the window doesn't really have long enough ends to go back on the inside Sail panels. Also when you turn that rear window to be vertical, the little bit of "sail panel glass" is even shorter & pointed downward.

Archie

quote Originally posted by jbuell: The engine is an attempt to recreate the LS engine described in the Hot Rod magazine article entitled "Big Bang Theory" ( Sept 2011).,which spun to 7000 rpm with increasing HP.

Does this mean you'll be using a turbo in this car? Will the details of the engine build be described, and what you expect out of it power-wise?

quote Originally posted by Archie: Norm, Can you email me your EMail addy, to Archie@v8archie.com? I'd like to resend a detailed email I sent you a week or so ago asking about the door mountings. We've solved the problem now & I'll post up what we are doing a little later today. Archie

We are going to be making some new returns on the backs of the trailing end of both door panels.

On the front end of the door the returns on the door panels were ok. But the bake ends of the door were off & on the Right side, for example, the rear edge of the door panel was sticking out from the corresponding rear 1/4 panel by about 3/4". Like the door was ajar but it wasn't.

Here's some detail.....

On the right side we attached the door panel at the front edge & along the bottom edge to line up with the rest of the body. When attaching this panel we had to "hook" the rear return on the door panel around the end of the door frame.



That left it so that the return on the door panel is located on the back side of the door frame.



Mounted this way the door looked just fine comapred to the front & rear clips.





These pictures show how that the return on the door is inside of the mounting surface on the door frame.











We will be removing this flange & making a new one to replcae it.

On the left side, we had to remove the top 2/3s of the return, on the bottom third we were able to use the existing return.



That made the door look good to the rest of the body.





We will be making a new return for the back of this door too.

Archie

what will you use for door mirrors?
something like these?

Saw this tonight @ a local shop while dropping off my car... Just reaffirmed to me how much I love this car and am looking forward to Archie's build!

71 "Euro" spec. w 18k miles!

[This message has been edited by Falcon Fiero (edited 01-09-2013).]

quote Originally posted by Falcon Fiero: Saw this tonight @ a local shop while dropping off my car... Just reaffirmed to me how much I love this car and am looking forward to Archie's build! 71 "Euro" spec. w 18k miles!

Nice pictures, thanks very much.

If you see it again please get me a close up pic of the exterior door handle if you can.

Archie

We built several Dino 246 replicas back in the 80's and early 90's and I remember one of them, a Karma GT, had a curved rear window similar to the original 246. There was also the Kelmark GT that had a flat rear window. You may do some searching to see if you can find some Karma GT parts for sale if you really want to have the curved rear window.

This thread is one of the reasons I never built a kit of my own. Started looking into it years ago, and it's not a "slap the parts on" project. You have to have fabrication skill to do it right. I'll say, this looks like it's being done right. I like that mounting studs are being added etc. If I were the customer I'd be quite happy so far. Also nice that they are installing the OEM bumpers too!

Are you keeping this "second trunk"or joining it to the stock fiero trunk ? Either way, this kit looks to add some badly needed space Nice going .

[This message has been edited by PaulJK (edited 01-14-2013).]

Concluding the door modifications & mounting, once we bolted them back on with the modifications they worked & looked great. You can see them in posts we'll be making as we go on.

This week it's about making mounting provisions for the rear clip. We had previously located it where we wanted it. Now it was time to work on the decklid hinges, & mounting brackets & provisions for mounting the rear clip then the rear bumpers.

Here we raised the decklid hinges up a couple of inches & made the deck hinge smoothly.





Rob made mountings for the rear clip including the bolts that bolt to where the original Fiero rear clip bolted behind what was the tail light openings.





Here we are measuring & marking to layout where the rear bumpers are going to be mounted.





We had to setup the front & rear clips to be completely removable for paint or service. Because of the way the bumpers are we had to make unboltable mounting behind the rear panel. You see to remove or replace the rear clip, thebumpers & the bumper brackets would need to be removed so that the rear clip can be lifted off of the chassis. Rob came up with a mounting system for the rear bumpers that will fill the bill.

I don't have any pics of the brackets behind the bodywork but next time we have it off (like when we're doing the rear window) I'll shoot some pics of them.





This week both Rob & Kris were rear enders.



The tail lights are just sat in there to see what they look like. There are no holes or brackets for mounting the lights, so we'll have to make something to hold them in place, yet be serviceable, when we next have the rear clip off.











Now, we are starting to do the same things for the nose.....





Archie

WE then put the car up on the lift to make working on th front clip mounting easier.

Please don't tell me how the car sits too high & all that.







The idea is to get the front clip mounted so it can be removed for service & so that it's stable.

Where the front end of the door skin meets the back end of the "fenders" on the front clip, we needed to get the fender to hold it's shape better so it wouldn't catch on the end of the door when it opened.

So we got it where we wanted it & Fiberglassed in a reinforcement on the backside to keep it where we want it.



Here's pics of that rib with the front clip off...





Front clip mounting....

Here is one of the mounting points under the radiator....



With the pc. under the radiator,



Then the front clip bolts onto it here,



We also put in these mounts, they will be fiberglassed in later.





Mounting the headlight assemblies was the next thing to address.







Mounting them in from the front was going to be a problem, they just stuck out too far for me.





So we would have to figure out how to mount them from the inside while trying to keep the chrome trim ring in the right place.

Then they would have to be mounted up thru the wheel well side & bolt in from the backside.

After removing the front clip we made a little more room behind so we could R&R the headlight assembly.







With the front clip off, we needed to do some glassing.



When the front clip was on the car we noticed 2 weak spots in the Fiberglass of the front clip right near the corners of the hood.



So we put another layer of glass in that entire area.



We fiberglassed the back wall of the headlight buckets to build them up for the headlight mounting.

before glass



After





Then while that glass sets up, Rob cut some metal pcs. & welded up the openings in the chassis.



Archie

[This message has been edited by Archie (edited 01-25-2013).]

Great detail and information, Archie...thanx for taking the time.

Bob

quote Originally posted by normsf: Hello, some pics for reference. Also dont see a problem with attaching the doors with the Fiero bolts and U-clips. Another option for the roof line is a convertible, here is one we did using Scudos (something like that) top which has a split targa stlye.

norm why do you have the Ferrari marking on these as the dino never carried any thig other than the dino emblem and where never considered to be ferrrari's and to this day are still not considered as ferrari's they where dinos only from the 206 to the 308 then in 74 the new 308gt was then given the ferrari emdlems

quote Originally posted by bubbajoexxx: norm why do you have the Ferrari marking on these as the dino never carried any thig other than the dino emblem and where never considered to be ferrrari's and to this day are still not considered as ferrari's they where dinos only from the 206 to the 308 then in 74 the new 308gt was then given the ferrari emdlems

I've seen a number of real Dinos with the Ferrari badging....

(took this one myself...)

[This message has been edited by Falcon Fiero (edited 01-26-2013).]