quote Originally posted by Bloozberry: Stunning work on the GT40 replica there Archie. Just stunning.

Thanks very much. It is a real nice car.

I'm going to do a bunch of pics & some video next week. Then in about 2 weeks it ships out to Qatar.

Archie

quote Originally posted by Archie: It makes you sad. Archie

Yep. #019. I remember when Will-Martin asked if he could switch the numbering system with me. I arrived right before Will did thus I was originally #019 chop top. Since Will had 19" wheels on all corners he wanted his car to be #019, so I then became #020.

A little update on the Chopper.

We've had quite a few processes going on at the same time on the ChopTop.

After modifying the front of the nose, we had to modify the "floor" of the nose to make it flat & take it down below the new openings.

You can see how the old floor was not low enough to be under the new openings.





Here you can see the floor getting flatter....





We also found a way to mount the mirrors that the customer supplied.









He also supplied a tail light panel. It had a bit too much curve in it. So we cut a few places to take some curve out, then we'll fiberglass it to the the curve right.









We modified the center gage console in the dash to mount the bigger radio & the new heater controls.







We've also been mounting a new spoiler on the back





There was no mounting providions on the back of the tail light panel, so we had to make them & we made some mounting brackets to mount the new LED tail lights.















One we verified the mounting, we glassed in all the mounting brackets we made & finished up the panel.

Has to to some sanding & filling.











Archie

When I first saw the pics of Will's car, I was happy for Will, I though finally he took it to someone who will finish the job

But I can understand why he decided to sell it.


Archie

Could you please tell me what do you use to sand the fiberglass, from the ruff stage,
when its first layed down, to the way it looks on the above pictures ?
For example, do you start w/ a grinder w/ 36 grit paper, then 80 grit, etc. etc.
I would really appreciate it

right now I am using a 4" grinder and lets just say that is very ruff
I think a see a DA on top of the white car, is that one of the big 7" sander or a DA ?
Any tips would be helpfull.

Thanks in advance

quote Originally posted by Archie: A little update on the Chopper. We've had quite a few processes going on at the same time on the ChopTop. After modifying the front of the nose, we had to modify the "floor" of the nose to make it flat & take it down below the new openings. You can see how the old floor was not low enough to be under the new openings. Archie

No doubt the owner will have you install a scrap bar/rollers in the front (like troyboy's) right?

quote Originally posted by 85LAMB: When I first saw the pics of Will's car, I was happy for Will, I though finally he took it to someone who will finish the job But I can understand why he decided to sell it. Archie Could you please tell me what do you use to sand the fiberglass, from the ruff stage, when its first layed down, to the way it looks on the above pictures ? For example, do you start w/ a grinder w/ 36 grit paper, then 80 grit, etc. etc. I would really appreciate it right now I am using a 4" grinder and lets just say that is very ruff I think a see a DA on top of the white car, is that one of the big 7" sander or a DA ? Any tips would be helpfull. Thanks in advance

ON this car, we have 2 different situations with fiberglass.

The White fiberglass are parts that came out of molds. Those parts have White gelcoat on them. While, for the most part, they have to be sanded lightly to finish. Or sometimes they will have low spots in them like the tail light panel, it had a low spot in the middle & was a bit high at the top in the center. Sanding & filling was needed.


Then you have the raw fiberglass like we have when fabricating the modifications to the nose or like we will have have to do to glass in the rear spoiler over the next few days.

I'll post up some details on that process as we do it.

Archie

Curly said it looks more like a Cylon...



...than a Stormtrooper

quote Originally posted by Archie: Then you have the raw fiberglass like we have when fabricating the modifications to the nose or like we will have have to do to glass in the rear spoiler over the next few days. I'll post up some details on that process as we do it. Archie

Thank you very much,The raw fiberglass is what I was refering to, I look forward to it

Any turkey day updates ??

quote Originally posted by Archie: Note: he sent that PS before we started modifying the nose & without any idea what the customer had asked for. I sent the PS to the customer &, being a Star Wars fan, he loved it. A little modification to add a light & this is what the customer approved yesterday. Archie

quote Originally posted by fourpoint9: Curly said it looks more like a Cylon...

Yep.

A little test of my GoPro camera.

http://youtu.be/nye5WnZIYVk

Archie

Wicked!

I take it that the cop didn't turn around, huh? Nice video and a definte improvement over your old digital camera.

quote Originally posted by Archie: A little test of my GoPro camera. http://youtu.be/nye5WnZIYVk Archie

instead of trying to see the actual gages with the camera, use your datalog(.csv) and burn the graphics into the video, with race render 2.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...H0F1DrE&feature=plcp

at night but you get the idea

Hey Archie, what exactly did you use and where did you get your plastic for the inner fender liners on the GT40? It makes for a very clean set up!

Thanks,
Kevin

You would need to get it from a local plastics supplier. We happen to have one right down the street from the shop.

It comes in 4' x 8' sheets.

We bought 1/8" thick Black ABS sheet. pebble finish on 1 side & smooth on the other side.

You'll never believe some of the parts we've made out of this.

Hope that helps

Archie

quote Originally posted by Lambo nut: Hey Archie, what exactly did you use and where did you get your plastic for the inner fender liners on the GT40? It makes for a very clean set up! Thanks, Kevin

quote Originally posted by madcurl: [QUOTE]Originally posted by Archie: Note: he sent that PS before we started modifying the nose & without any idea what the customer had asked for. I sent the PS to the customer &, being a Star Wars fan, he loved it. A little modification to add a light & this is what the customer approved yesterday. Archie

Wow:
Good work Archie.
Mabe not my style but I love the art of custom cars.
Yep. [/QUOTE]

quote Originally posted by Archie: You would need to get it from a local plastics supplier. We happen to have one right down the street from the shop. It comes in 4' x 8' sheets. We bought 1/8" thick Black ABS sheet. pebble finish on 1 side & smooth on the other side. You'll never believe some of the parts we've made out of this. Hope that helps Archie

Yes sir it does, thanks!

Kevin

quote Originally posted by Archie: Then you have the raw fiberglass like we have when fabricating the modifications to the nose I'll post up some details on that process as we do it. Archie

Hey
Just wanted to remind you....

Hey Arch,

Do you have a "kit" for suicide doors? Or at least hinges? Or, what would you charge to setup suicde doors on a Fiero Chassis? Thinking I might just drag it up there and let the pro's do it for me. Drop me a PM! The GT40 is incredible. You guys never cease to amaze.

http://youtu.be/0uENweAP0vI

quote Originally posted by Archie: http://youtu.be/0uENweAP0vI

Does that LS3 Supercharged engine have a Getrag 282 bolted to it?

quote Originally posted by GADJet: Does that LS3 Supercharged engine have a Getrag 282 bolted to it?

It's a G6 6 speed.

Archie

quote Originally posted by Archie: It's a G6 6 speed. Archie

Ah ok. I was wondering if the 282 will hold up to a v8. The LS4 has my attention. Also the L67 does as well. Just weighing options.

The latest MadArch ChopTop is almost finished.

We have it almost to the point where the customer wanted it, we should be done sometime Monday.

Then I'll get it outside & take a bunch of pics.

Archie

[This message has been edited by Archie (edited 12-09-2012).]

Ahh, a snow plough! Just in time for the season.

A last look at the GT40 before it ships out.

We think it could be a bit too high but the customer has approved this profile.























Arraingements are being made to ship this car right now, so if anyone has any picture requests, now is the time.

Archie

Archie is this guy a member of the forum ?? If not tell him he needs to join so we can see some more pics once he gets some wheels on it.

P.S. Any more contact from the choptop owner in Washington state ?

Wow, that GT40 is a work of art!

I love the GT40!

Archie,

Just a couple of questions for you about some of your swaps.

In a previous post somewhere in this long blog you posted pics of an LT5 Corvette motor (32-valve). Did you ever install that in a car? Other than the cool and wow factor of that specific motor would anybody still want that type of install with todays technology in the motors?

What are you doing for the electronics? I'm not up on everything (read as anything ) V8 wise so I don't know if you run a computer swap like the 3800 crowd or you go with a completely new programed brain to run everything.

I see most of your swaps are with the 6-speed transmission do you offer the swap with the 4t65e similar to what Don Kraus has?

I'm sure you posted answers to all of these but I get lost going back through the thousands of posts.

[This message has been edited by IwannaIRM (edited 12-17-2012).]

So Archie to where and to whom is the GT40 headed ?!!?

quote Originally posted by IwannaIRM: Archie, Just a couple of questions for you about some of your swaps. In a previous post somewhere in this long blog you posted pics of an LT5 Corvette motor (32-valve). Did you ever install that in a car? Other than the cool and wow factor of that specific motor would anybody still want that type of install with todays technology in the motors?

We supplied the adapter system & the customer installed that LT5 engine. With the technology today, I don't think you'll see a lot of the LT5's being used. Even with the good old SBC, there are some real nice injections systems that you can use with them. However, IMHO, the LS engines are the best bang for the buck. & have better prices than the LT5's with more power & way past the LT5 in technology.

quote What are you doing for the electronics? I'm not up on everything (read as anything ) V8 wise so I don't know if you run a computer swap like the 3800 crowd or you go with a completely new programed brain to run everything.

Electronics depend on the engine...... On that LT5, when we bought the engine (it was a new engine BTW) it came with a Street & Performance (S&P) universal wiring harness & programmed ECM. That kind of harness/ECM deal is considered a Universal conversion harness that makes all the connections to the engine & you just wire in like 6 wires into the Fiero harness. In this case & all of the cases below, my video instructions tell you where & how to connect those wires into the stock Fiero harness.

On a carburated SBC & some of the aftermarket injection systems for the SBC, my instructions show you how to wire them in.

On SBC engines with GM TPI or T.B. you can use a universal harness from Painless Wiring or S&P or any one of a dozen other harness suppliers that advertize in Hot Rod & other car magazines. Once again my instructions would show you how & where to integrate it into the Fiero harness.

The most exciting package these days are the LS series of engines. There are at least 15 major suppliers that can supply proven harnesses & ECM & programming. That, along with my instructions on how to integrate the universal harnesses into the Fiero harness, means you can truely have a plug & play build.

GM even offers universal ECM wire systems for some of their crate LS engines. For example GM offers the new Ls3 crate engine like this http://www.crateenginedepot...19258770-P10590.aspx & the GM controller system for that engine http://www.crateenginedepot...19258270-P10728.aspx & you're there. This, along with my kit, is a plug & play system that can be relied on.

The most exciting thing going on with LS engines is the new GM LS3 E-Rod system. http://www.crateenginedepot...19257234-P10978.aspx Read up on it......... it's a CARB approved system that can be used on your '57 Chevy Hot Rod or your Fiero Hot Rod & be smog legal.

You may notice that all of the suppliers that I've noted above are companies that supply parts, ECM's & harnesses to thousands of Hot Rodders. They've got it figured out. They don't build this stuff in the basement at home. This is big business & proven products with real techs that you can call if you need help. You can't get that kind of experience & service for the 3800. It's not like sending your harness to Lloyde & hoping he sends it back within a year.

quote I see most of your swaps are with the 6-speed transmission do you offer the swap with the 4t65e similar to what Don Kraus has? I'm sure you posted answers to all of these but I get lost going back through the thousands of posts.

I have kits for both the automatic & stick shift for the SBC & it's Stick shift only on the LS engines.

Hope that helps.

Archie

<<<<ARCHIE CHOP TOPS>>>>>>

001. Great Blue Choptop (GBCT) ....................Aug 1998
002. Purple Pavement Eater (notchback)......... 1998 (Finished at Archie's shop by Archie and NIFE Volunteers)
003. 246 Dino Replica for a guy in Indiana.............. 11-13-98
004. PFF ChopTop ..................................... 11-20-98 (new owner Exoticse 2005)
005. Vasquar ............................................. 9-1-00
006. Steve in Rockford IL..................................... May 2001
007. Stinger .......................................Jan 2002
008. PFF GMGW3 Cary ......................... Sept 2002
009. Gun Metal GT fastback Tacoma Washington ..Oct. 2002
010. PFF Jim's 88 GT Jim Albright ................June 2003
011. Silver Choptop Curley.................. fall 2003
012. Chester's Dirty Rat Rob D............. Oct 2003
013. Black Death - Fierotaz (Leroy) ........... Mar. 2004
014. Proud-1 Jscott1 ................... July 2004
015. Curley's widebody................sept 2004?
016. Dowdian's Sharona..................December 2004?
017. Black 85 Fastback LS1
018. Bob's "SideWider" a.k.a Stinger clone
019. Will-Martin's Formula
020. MadCurl Project #3 (Widebody)
021. New project for V8Archie
022. IMSA Chop top - Troy Boy from New York
023. Dr. CPU from Mississauga, ON, Canada
024. Cornersonrails - Algonquin,Il USA
025. FIEROciousGT (David)- Central, FL
026.
027. Storm Trooper....................Decemeber 12th, 2012

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 12-20-2012).]

Now if GM would only make a transverse(FWD) transmission with the LS3 pattern...

In the meantime, any updates on an LS4 kit?

quote Originally posted by lou_dias: Now if GM would only make a transverse(FWD) transmission with the LS3 pattern... In the meantime, any updates on an LS4 kit?

What's wrong with an adapter plate?
Although the methods I would use for a RWD LSx block would be different than Archie's, I see no major faults is a properly made adapter plate. To me, it seems adapted the standard block is less of a headache that adapting the LS4 (even with the Autotragic). But either seems complex when using a F40.