So last week I got the cradle out of the car. I found it to be easier then other time I had done it. I kinda have 2 things going at the ame time. The 350 small block is being built as we speak and also going to start on the chop.
Anyway today I started working on the chop. I first drilled out the spot welds. That was the biggest pain. There are tons of then and when you think you got them all there was always one more. Once I got them all I made the cuts.
It was easier then I thought it would be. Once I got the inside parts out of the way. I started to get the wind shield to lay back. I used a 2x4 to hold the back section as I put tension on the pullies. I decided that I would call it a day and would go at it again this weekend.
I will post more pictures when I get them.
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I owned a 1985 GT, New project is a 1986 SE. It will be a V-8 powered home brew chop top.
OK I need some suggestions. I was out there tonight, getting ready for this weekend. I know that some people bend the b pillars in to match the roof. One question is, what is the best way to do this? Second question is what if you cut the middle of the roof and brought the roof to the b pillars?
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I owned a 1985 GT, New project is a 1986 SE. It will be a V-8 powered home brew chop top.
Does nobody know the answer? Please do not think I am trying to be rude. It is just a question.
Ask Shawnfl or F355 guys.
------------------ "Anyone can make a copy of something, it may look good but it ever is the real car, make something from your imagination, something unique, something nobody has, anything is possible and, ideas can be a reality."
you're going to want to bend the lower part of the B pillars in to match the roof otherwise when you look at the car from behind the roof will look like a bubble on top of the car or some other odd thing. To do this I would cut out a small relief on the lower inner part of the B pillars and then pull them together.
Just my $.02 Tyler
Edit to note that you'll have a h**l of a time getting side windows to work if you don't bend the B pillars in cause none of the lines will match >_<
[This message has been edited by GT-X (edited 06-16-2006).]
just saw this thread. i don't know what it would look like widening the roof. what would you do with the windshield?
...anyway. i think you could pull the B pillars in two ways;
1.) notch the outside and pull them in or
2.) notch the inside and pull them in.
it seems to be easiest to notch the inside and pull them in. i used one notch on mine. low on the B pillar however, two would seem to give a smoother line for the new side window. at least in my mind it seems like it would. i have to get back to work now but tonight i'll post my thread and see if i can find 355's thread. it's really not that hard to do. just alot of messing around keeping things even and lined up. looks like you're off to a great start though.
I have finished te chop top part of the project. Well I actually finish about 2 weeks ago but I did not think anyone cared so I did not post pictures. Then I noticed that there was some activing on this topic so I thought I would go ahead and post the pictures I have. Today I started getting bottom side done. I flipped the car on its side and got to pessurewash, grind and the spray the rubber undercoating. I think it came out great. I am planning on flipping the car back around tomorrow and finishing the top. Here are the picture, and thank you for the feedback
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I owned a 1985 GT, New project is a 1986 SE. It will be a V-8 powered home brew chop top.
damn! that's awesome! i wanted to do that to mine but the space i have is too small. the neighborhood people here wouldn't take that very well if i did it in my driveway either. please keep this thread alive. i've got it now that i've found it!
Thank you for the bumps and comments. I will keep this going. As a side note the V8 has just finish the work from the machine shop and I am waiting for the rebuild kit to arrive so I can get it put together. Once the frame work is done I am going to start the Crandle and front cross member. Should start getting things together by the end of July. Hope to have it completed next summer.
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I owned a 1985 GT, New project is a 1986 SE. It will be a V-8 powered home brew chop top.
hi guy; glad you came back!! been reading all i can on chops lately and still got some Q i noticed that there is about 1" rake front to back on yours ..is thar intentional or camera angle?
..ive got a spare one in the yard that im going to take the saw to tomorro figure i should practice on a scrap one first!!
It is what I was looking for. I decided that I was going to do a chop but with my own look. Of coarse I still have a long way to go, and I am not sure how it will look with the rear clip back on. I did want it to flow back down in the rear.
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I owned a 1985 GT, New project is a 1986 SE. It will be a V-8 powered home brew chop top.
Well Today was another great day and I was able to finish the frame. Here are some pictures of the fished project. Repaired painted and ready to begine assembly. I really like the way the chop came out. I think it will have a real flowing effect when it get put back together.
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I owned a 1985 GT, New project is a 1986 SE. It will be a V-8 powered home brew chop top.
I have some new updates. Sorry it took so long to get to do this. I have been busy getting some other things done. I will be posting some pics in the next post. Just want to keep this thing going.
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I owned a 1985 GT, New project is a 1986 SE. It will be a V-8 powered home brew chop top.
Ok so here are the pictures. I started the entire fron end. I had totally removed everything in the front and recondidtion it all except for new shocks and wheel bearings. I did this by purchasing a sand blast cabinet and it has paid for itself 10 times over already.
OK So above is what i did with everything. I sand blasted it and primed and painted.
Then I started putting it back together.
Then there were some parts the I just took the extra time to just sand and polish. As you look at the following pictures take note of the coolant pipes. They looked look complete hell. But I took about 4 days per pipe and polished them. Them I treated them with clear heat resistant paint.
The suspension came out good as well. The new bushings went in easier then I thought they would.
Well I will post more as I get it done.
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I owned a 1985 GT, New project is a 1986 SE. It will be a V-8 powered home brew chop top.
Oh My Goodness!! This is the most awesome restoration I have seen in a long time...the equivalent of a frame off restoration. I've never seen anyone take the time to polish coolant pipes. This car is going to be way too nice to drive is the only drawback.
Earlier it was mentioned that their wife would kill them if they were to attemp this. I would agree with te statement in most cases but I am very lucky to have someone who is ok with it. I should also say that We are planning a wedding at the same time. She still wants to marry me so I guess I should really consider myself lucky.
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I owned a 1985 GT, New project is a 1986 SE. It will be a V-8 powered home brew chop top.
Ok so about a month ago I was driving down the road and I happen to be looking into the back field of this house that is just down the road from where I live. Don't ash me how, my fiance say I am just tuned into the smell of a fiero, I see the rear deck lid to a fiero. Sure enough it was a 1984 coupe and it took forever to find out who owned it and if they would be interested in selling it. When I got a hold of the guy he said, "if you can get it out of there you can have it." So since I had this weekend home, guess what I did. Here are some pictures and boy is it rough. But there are some major parts I really needed off of this car and it is really going to save me a boat load in parts.
Look at how full my garage is.
Anyway the main thing I wanted was the trans and all the items that make it a standard. My Chop Top car was an auto and That is just not going to cut it. The other parts are bumper for the front and the NON AC air duct. Will keep you posted on the progress. What does everyone think about the trans will it work of a v-8? I would like the 5 speed but this 4 speed should be ok, right?
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I owned a 1985 GT, New project is a 1986 SE. It will be a V-8 powered home brew chop top.
Ok so about a month ago I was driving down the road and I happen to be looking into the back field of this house that is just down the road from where I live. Don't ash me how, my fiance say I am just tuned into the smell of a fiero, I see the rear deck lid to a fiero. Sure enough it was a 1984 coupe and it took forever to find out who owned it and if they would be interested in selling it. When I got a hold of the guy he said, "if you can get it out of there you can have it." So since I had this weekend home, guess what I did. Here are some pictures and boy is it rough. But there are some major parts I really needed off of this car and it is really going to save me a boat load in parts.
Anyway the main thing I wanted was the trans and all the items that make it a standard. My Chop Top car was an auto and That is just not going to cut it. The other parts are bumper for the front and the NON AC air duct. Will keep you posted on the progress. What does everyone think about the trans will it work of a v-8? I would like the 5 speed but this 4 speed should be ok, right?
If that is the one that was on the Houlton/Presque Isle road, I tried once to find out who owned it with no success. Glad you got it. Also is that POR-15 that you painted the frame with?
Dave
[This message has been edited by 2farnorth (edited 02-12-2007).]
OK well I have been very busy despite the lack of updates. However alot has gone on in the last few months. First and formost I got married on 9/16/06 and that was something that kept me busy for awhile. Then it was Christmas and in my line of work that took the rest of any free time I thought I had.... Uhhh plus its cold and I am a whimp, but then I bought a heater for the garage now I am fine.
Anyway, to answer any earlier post..... Dave that car is not the one that was on the north road. That one is still there just rotting away and he still refuses to sell it. As a matter of fact he will not even talk to me now. As a side note For all you Fiero Forum Members in Texas. Dave and his wife are some of the niciest people. With so few Fiero memebers here in Maine they are surley missed and Dave it was nice to here from you.
Now as for an update. I have been collecting parts for the last few months. I am planning on taking a vacation here in a couple weeks and I am going to be getting a lot done on the car. I will be posting some pictures soon. keep checking in.
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I owned a 1985 GT, New project is a 1986 SE. It will be a V-8 powered home brew chop top.
I noticed you choppped this a little different then most guys. It looks like the roofline is angled down in the rear. I have always wondered what this would look like compared to "the usual". I like it!!!! Can't wait to see the body back on!
Ok Here is an update. I have been on vacation the last week. The plan was to finish up the motor including getting the motor and trans on the cradle. To tell this story I have to go back awhile. Before I do SAFASTRO, I agree it is sloped more the usual and I wanted it to be that way. The plan is the front will be lowered and the rake will so what level the roof line. However that being said that picture is funny as it looks there to be more sloped than it really is. I can't wait to get the point where the panels go on either.
Ok so back to the story. In starting this project I was talking a lot with my dad who has always been into motors, cars and boats. He lives about 2 hours from me and although that may seem close we do not see each other everyday. Anyway, as this project got started the theme went like this. He I have a motor you can have. You will just have to do the machine work. I said great, having a 350 ready to go would give this project the push in the right direction. Then dad said we can build it together. A farther and son thing. I thought it would be great. The machine work was done in November and I went to get the motor after having already been done in the area for work. I brought he motor out to my dads and it sat there for the winter. Here is the picture.
So then I started buying parts. The My farther told me the block was a pre 86 block so I bought everything based on that. I went down on my first day of vacation and come to find out the block is really a 1988. So I was not able to get that done on my vacation. So I began the search for a new block and that search is still going on.
I decided to spend my vacation do what I could do. So I installed my Master cylinder, clutch (original car was auto), heater pipes, gas tank, and I cleaned up the transmission. I altered the tank so that it would be better suited for the Carbureted motor I took out the pump. I ran a solid line in the tank, blocked off the return line, and made better provisions for the venting of the tank. I then cleaned up the trans and made a trip to the local car wash. I will be doing some more up dates soon.
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I owned a 1985 GT, New project is a 1986 SE. It will be a V-8 powered home brew chop top.
Wow, thats some great work. How long did it take you to polish that transmission? Wish I had that much time on my hands, or someone that would let me spend that much time on projects like that
it really did not take long. I first pressure washed the trans. The sprayed the hell out of it with Engine Gunk. Then pressure washed it again. The I sprayed it with Easy off oven cleaner. (be very careful stuff is real bad) Then pressure washed it yet again. Then I sanded the surface, and primed and painted. Before you know it it looks like the last picture. Just be sure to change the seals, it is a good idea anyway.
Well I have made some big progress. As always below are some pictures.
I made a cradle for my cradle, that roles around. That should make things easier as I finish up the drivetrain. Speaking of drive train. It is finally done. The motor is complete and should be doing a test fire next week. I will post more when I get more. I just had my birthday and my wife bought me a bunch of parts from the fiero store. Including complete stainless brake lines.
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I owned a 1985 GT, New project is a 1986 SE. It will be a V-8 powered home brew chop top.
I have not gotten the panels on yet. I am knida work at this project from both ends. I hope to be getting some stuff done soon. Thank for the kind words Dave. I will be posting more pic soon.
I want to do the same kind of strip/clean/restore to mine one day soon, this is quite inspirational 
