So a while ago I picked up an 88 GT that I was going to make a daily driver. The thread is here: https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/089035.html One thing let to another and the project stalled. After a few months I sold it to a friend in the local Fiero club. He finished the swap, took the motor/trans out and then put it in his daily driver. He's moving his stock 2.8L into has 88 Formula because it has an issue.
Anyway, he called the other day and said that he has orders to Hawaii and has to "thin the heard". He has 5 Fieros (two are parts cars), and gave me the first shot at his Red GT. So in a round about way, I got back (half of) the car I sold him, best part, it runs. This is the first Fiero I have purchased in 15 years that actually runs. I've had 4-5 parts cars or cars that I planned to get running but never did.
Here are a few shots.
ive already been playing with it. Just some small stuff. I mounted the window/mirror switch under the console, and re-routed a few wires in the engine bay. He included a lot of parts, so between those and the ones in my garage, I have a lot of stuff to play with.
Rob
[This message has been edited by qwikgta (edited 10-10-2016).]
Ordered a lip spoiler from Fierowerehouse and its getting painted. I painted the window scoops black, i like that it looks like a window again. Have an idea for venting heat out of engine bay, not going with a "hood scoop" this time. More pics soon.
lip spoiler added. did some touch up paint to the door and hood. need to finish my "heat extraction" idea for the trunk. On the inside, i relocated the PW/PM switch to below the center console and installed a shifter off a 2004 Grand Prix. Its a little close to the radio with this dash, so I may cut it down a little to make it fit/look better.
Rob
[This message has been edited by qwikgta (edited 10-22-2016).]
...installed a shifter off a 2004 Grand Prix. Its a little close to the radio with this dash, so I may cut it down a little to make it fit/look better.
Instead of shortening it, how about bending it back 20° or so?
Good find and very nice wrap-around dash. The 3800 should provide good mileage and reliability. There are even performance parts that ZZ sells that can bring the power level up significantly. If you are looking for even more horsepower, add a small shot of nitrous and you'll have 3800SC performance.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Worked on the interior this weekend. I didn't like the shift nob that came with the car, it was too plain. I went to the local yard and picked a few, I had settled on a leather wrapped one off a Grand Prix, but it was too close to the radio when shifted into park. One too many "finger smash" was enough for me to pick a new one. I pulled a few off other GM cars. I liked one off a newer Monte Carlo but the hole for the shaft was too small. After pulling about 4-5 different ones I found one off a Olds Aurora. It has a very different look, its fat and wide. Something about it looked like it would look good with the dash.
I also had to fix the aux gauge surround, the stock one just didn't look right, being off center and not shaped to the opening. I created a cardboard template and then made a new piece out of thick plastic. I covered it with some of the carbon fiber I had and then covered the other gauges with the same. The last thing I had to fix was to create something to cover the shifter hole. This dash was originally meant for a 5 speed, so it had a larger hole than the automatic shifter needed. I had to create something to cover it up. I had been using a larger leather shift boot but I was not happy with the look, so I created a plate with some of the thick plastic I used for the gauge surround. Covered it with the carbon wrap and installed it.
I also picked up some firebird door panels. They were both cracked in the upper corner, but when I put them up to the door, its on the side that will be cut off anyway. The dash was trashed, but I think the door panels were left alone because they were both cracked. No problem for me. I've been reading all the posts about installing the F-bird dash/door panels and I think i'm going to give it a try. I may have to reach out to those who have done it for advice, but I think with the PISA dash, the F-bird doors will look awesome. Watch this thread for more pics.
Haven't gotten to the Firebird door panels yet, but I did swap out my PISA seats for some C5 Z06 ones. I had these sitting in my storage shed and decided to clean/fix them up. Had to get a new driverside bottom foam and then do some general maintenance but they went in so easy. All I had to do was take off the lower leather/foam, take some measurements, drill 4 holes (two in the seat frame, two in the Fiero rails) and install. I did have to raise the seat about 3/4 inch off the Fiero rails because of clearance issues, but that was it. One of the easiest mods I have ever done to a Fiero. The seats are very comfortable, the old PISA seats were warn out. They are in perfect shape but the drivers seat foam is done. It felt like I had leather on top of a wood base, the bolsters were shot, and the foam toast. These new seats feel great, nice back bolster, the new seat lower foam is very springy, I was not expecting the bounce. I do notice the 3/4 inch rise my elbow no longer wants to rest on the arm rest like it did, but that's about it. Here are some pics.
Rob
[This message has been edited by qwikgta (edited 11-23-2016).]
So after a long search and a goal to do something different, I settled on an aftermarket "Mustang Scoop" for my rear deck. I looked at a bunch of different options and nothing just felt right. I almost pulled the trigger on a set of "hood louvers" from this web site http://hoodlouvers.com/shop...ed-semi-gloss-black/ but I just didn't think the money was worth it. I was walking around Home Depot and saw some vent covers and I though they just looked too similar. Maybe if I saw them in person I'd think different, but in the end the Stang scoop won out.
I still need to open the hood to vent the hot air, but being fall/winter I may just wait until spring to cut it out. I will open up a few holes using a 2" hole saw, but thats about it for now.
So I think the body mods are done and now i just need to finish installing new black carpet, and color changing the "A" and "B" trim black. I think i'm going to install my "Fiero Store" ABS door panels for now, I'll work on the Firebird door panels in the spring.
Oh yea, i'm going to get my GT steering wheel redone, going with this look.
installed LED lights all around, did the switchbacks in the front. Love them. Bright white for driving lights, and nice yellow for turn.
also did a restore on the tails. took them apart, did a clean and restore. Masked off the clear parts and painted everything w/ black paint. They came out really nice. Of course LED tails also help clean things up.
yes, I had a set of clears from BTR w/ their full LED kit. I bought them a couple of years ago, and never got around to putting them on my Green car. Since I had them I put them all on the Red car and ordered another set from BTR. They don't sell the clear front lens anymore b/c they are not being made, but I had ordered a set from the Fiero Store a few years ago. I forgot I had them so when BTR told me they no longer offer the swichbacks b/c they don't have the lens I remembered that I had a set. Anyway, long story short I now have a full set of LED on both cars. I love the switchback's they work great as daytime driving lights too.
So I decided to put the photos of my door panel build into this thread. Now its all in one place. I had decided to try to make another door panel fit my car, I found a few that I really liked but in the end I decided to scrap the whole "make something fit" idea and go back to basics. I'm going to make them from scratch. I decided to use the PISA dash as my template and make the doors look like they may have come from PISA for it. Using a cardboard template I traced the center console to get the basic idea of the shape. I'm going to use that as my door shape. I still have to work out the arm rest but I have a few ideas. Here are some pics of the cardboard template that I started today.
its not done yet, so I still need to play with the overall shape. I'm also gong to figure out how much I want the lower to extend out into the cabin. I have some of the two part foam, glass n resin and some SEM texture paint, so I will be making a mess soon.
Cheers.
[This message has been edited by qwikgta (edited 06-20-2017).]
OK, so after trying to make something fit that was not designed for the Fiero, I trashed all the work, tossed all the cut up door panels and started over.
First I took the stock door panel and stripped off all the carpet and vinyl, this was going to be the base of my other idea but I decided I could start here.
After trying a few things I decided that i'd rather work with a flat surface and the stock panel would not work. I transferred the size/shape to thick cardboard and mocked up the design.
Then I transffed the pattern to 1/4" MDF. I thought the 1/4 MDF would be enough but after looking over the stock cardboard I could see I needed to have it sitting about 1/2" or so to clear the power door lock bracket. I removed the arm rest bracket to make more room but didn't think I could move the PDL bracket.
I got some 1/2" MDF and cut out the door pattern, cutting out the middle so that it could clear all the inner door shapes and brackets.
Then I glued/screwed the two together and started working on how I was going to mount the panel on the door. I tryed a few different ideas and then it came to me. Large, strong magnets. So i did some research and purchased some strong "earth magnets" in two different sizes. The large ones are 55lb and the small ones are 17lbs each. So with all 6 i'm pretty sure it will hold well enough. The door handle is mounted to the door with screws and the door pull will also be mounted to the door, so you will not be pulling the door panel itself.
So I mounted the door handle, it was easy, the ones i picked use the same type of pull as the stock Fiero handles. I had to enlarge the hole slightly and drill some new mounting holes but it was a 10 min job. I like these handles b/c they slant the same direction as the design for the door and don't require any mods to the door lock.
So i cut a hole in the door for the handle and put the panel on. it fits and looks great. For the top, I found some 3rd Gen F-body door panels and noticed that they had a separate plastic "trim" piece on top. I picked a few up and after trimming them and then turning them around 180' deg I got them to fit. I tried the stock door panel top but it was too small, I was going to make something out of wood but in the end the F body panel tops look the best. After I finish putting the vinyl on the doors, i will mount the plastic tops to the panel using some "L" brackets and hi quality Velcro. Again, it may sound low tech, but I'm sure it will work.
So next I start on the design, I call it "the waterfall". I plan to copy the design of the dash and have it "fall" off similar to the center console. I'm still working on design of the arm rest and if or how to incorporate a door pull.
So after i got the main panel figured out, i painted it with primer and black lacquer paint to provide some water protection. Since i'm going to cover it with red/black vinyl i'm not worried about the runs, i just sanded it down a little to clean it up.
i knew I wanted to make a separate piece for the "waterfall". so i cut it out of 1/4 MDF and then installed some screws with blind nuts on the backside and trimmed it to fit. then i placed the speaker pods in the correct place and at the correct
now its time to start making the pod. first i used some cardboard to create the "mold" for the foam. its not that thick and it bent a little, i'll have to use something better for the drivers door panel. i mixed up the two part foam and poured it in. i used a little more than i needed, but thats ok, it was easy to cut/trim and shape and soon i had the correct shape i needed. i tried it on the door to see how it fit, and to trim what got in the way.
after checking the fit, and trimming a little here and there it was ready for the fiberglass/resin. i covered the whole thing with glass/resin and then let it dry. then i sanded it down, and put more glass/resin on as needed. took three coats to cover it until i was happy. sanded it down and tried it on the door again. fits great,
then it was back to sanding, sanding shaping and more sanding. I gave it another test fit, and its starting to all come together.
from this shot you can start to see the "waterfall" i'm aiming for. the whole idea is to mimic the dash on the doors. i plan to copy the "french seam" on the doors just like the dash.
next up, i need to finish it up with a thin coat of Bondo to make it smooth as glass, and then cover it with vinyl. stand by for the next post.
Loving this interior build out... Great ideas! I'm seriously thinking of doing something similar in the future, and I'm a "visual person", so I appreciate the great photos.
Thanks guys, never done anything like this before, but i could not find what I wanted, so after reading other threads and watching youtube video's I decided to give it a try. I have to be honest, its not that difficult. Just messy.
OK, so after trying to make something fit that was not designed for the Fiero, I trashed all the work, tossed all the cut up door panels and started over.
First I took the stock door panel and stripped off all the carpet and vinyl, this was going to be the base of my other idea but I decided I could start here. So I mounted the door handle, it was easy, the ones i picked use the same type of pull as the stock Fiero handles. I had to enlarge the hole slightly and drill some new mounting holes but it was a 10 min job. I like these handles b/c they slant the same direction as the design for the door and don't require any mods to the door lock.
So i cut a hole in the door for the handle and put the panel on. it fits and looks great. For the top, I found some 3rd Gen F-body door panels and noticed that they had a separate plastic "trim" piece on top. I picked a few up and after trimming them and then turning them around 180' deg I got them to fit. I tried the stock door panel top but it was too small, I was going to make something out of wood but in the end the F body panel tops look the best. After I finish putting the vinyl on the doors, i will mount the plastic tops to the panel using some "L" brackets and hi quality Velcro. Again, it may sound low tech, but I'm sure it will work.
Two questions, if you don't mind...
1. What car did the door handle come from? I like it.
2. What "3rd Gen F-body" did you pull the trim panels from?
1. What car did the door handle come from? I like it.
2. What "3rd Gen F-body" did you pull the trim panels from?
Door handle was from a mid 90's Buick, put it in the same spot as the stock handle, only had to make the hole a little larger, no mods to the door latch rod. Only issue i'm having is that it would fit better if it was back a few inches, I think i'm going to move them next.
The top of the 3rd Gen Camaro has a separate piece that is held onto the cardboard door card with a few rivets. It pops right off now that the cars are older. .
Rob
[This message has been edited by qwikgta (edited 06-21-2017).]
