Well, the wheel alignment was a bust... the driver's side inner tie rod was shot so they couldn't do it. I'll see if I can get a new one ordered and installed so an alignment can be done before going to the car show.
Not much time left!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 02-03-2013).]
I've got the car up on jack stands again, and I've already got the new inner tie-rod from Rodney Dickman (excellent service as usual!), as well as a couple of door hinge kits that I've been needing. I did get over-anxious though and didn't order a new tie-rod boot along with the tie-rod, so I got one of those coming too. I should have it all together and aligned later this week, hopefully in time for Thursday night's club meeting.
I somehow managed to throw my back out yesterday and it's hurtin', so I'm not sure how much more work I'll be getting done on the car this weekend... at least it's mostly the little stuff I'm needing to get done before the show anyways.I'll see how much pain I can deal with... I'm going back out to the shop!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 02-03-2013).]
I've got the car up on jack stands again... I've already got the new inner tie-rod from Rodney Dickman, as well as a couple of door hinge kits I've been needing. I got over-anxious though and didn't order a new tie-rod boot, so I got one of those coming too. I should have it all together and aligned later this week, hopefully in time for thursday-night's club meeting!
I somehow managed to throw my back out yesterday and it's a hurtin', so I'm not sure how much more work I'll be getting done on the car this weekend... but it's mostly the little stuff I'm needing to get done before the show anyways.
I'll see how much pain I can deal with... I'm going back out to the shop! =P
Brett, you talking about the CFF club meeting ??
If so you missed it, ..it was this past thursday. It is the first thursday of every month.
If so you missed it, ..it was this past thursday. It is the first thursday of every month.
Yeah, you are right... *snicker* that just shows you how much I've been distracted, scrambling to get things done... how about getting there for next month's meeting??? lol... at least I'll get to meet some of you guys this next week, it should be a blast.
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 02-03-2013).]
Well, because the tie-rod boot that I ordered didn't show up in time, I made it to the car show but without the Fiero. I arrived there a little late in the afternoon, just as most of the other Fiero owners were leaving the show. I did get to talk and meet with a couple of people before they left. Overall, a pretty impressive event that I will surely not miss next year.
Back onto the project! Now that the stress level is gone from getting the car ready for a car show, I'm going to shift gears and continue on with my plans. First up are those bright-red brake calipers... after seeing them on the car now, I have decided that they just have to go! I am going to paint them black to match the rest of the car and the overall theme I'm going for. The red looks ok, but it it just stands out way too much. Here's a quick comparison of the two colors:
The "jet fighter" theme is also coming along nicely inside the car. I recently powder-coated the trim screws to look like polished aluminum, and will be adding more details like this later. I also painted those gauge face-plates and shifter surround satin black:
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 02-03-2013).]
So today I finally got the wheel alignment done and the car is back on the road (which makes me very happy!). Life has been a bit hectic lately, but I still have managed to work on the car when I've had the time. I now have a few little projects going... here's a look at what I've done these last few weeks. The wheels are now fully "de-blinged" (no more distracting chrome center-caps). This is not that great of a picture to show... I'll have better ones coming soon.
Work continues inside the car... map-pockets were removed and I started playing with newly powder-coated door trim "rivets:"
I've also been piecing together a custom shifter. Here's what it looks like so far:
First gear position:
Reverse gear position:
So what exactly did I use to make it? The shifter that I started with is Rodney Dickman's shifter for aftermarket knobs, shortened 3/4" and then powder-coated Silver Reflectra. The shifter boot and plate is actually a Hurst kit I bought from Autozone ($15.00). The original plate was rectangular and polished... not the look I was going for... so I took the boot plate and cut it to a square. Then I rounded the edges, drilled new mounting holes, and gave it a "brushed" finish using 180-grit sandpaper. I finished the plate off with clear powder-coat. Holding down the plate is a cheap ($3.00) set of nylon license-plate screws with chrome beauty caps. I also fabricated a simple nylon sleeve to keep the boot in place, and topping it all off is a ($9.00) Mr. Gasket heavy chrome shift-ball from Summit Racing. I will upgrade to a polished aluminum unit in the future. There was just a little trimming to do around the factory trim plate, other than that, it was a very easy build.
Total investment? A cool $30.00... not bad.
You can see there a two mounting holes for and aft of the shifter plate still showing. These will be taken care of later.
Here's a crappy picture of the shifter along with some new pedal covers:
...and that's it for now. I'll try getting some better pictures up this weekend.
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 02-03-2013).]
Yet another change of plans on those door trim panel "rivets..." I utilized the same chrome license plate caps I used on the shifter instead. MUCH better effect with the chrome finish...
I used the supplied nylon hardware by cutting off the "snap-on" portion with a dremel tool, then drilling out the center for a screw. I also need to place a washer behind each piece for the caps to secure properly and not "sink" into the holes.
I'm also experiementing with some chrome snap caps I found at Lowe's, using them where I can... arm rests, door seals, trim face-plates, etc..
Armrests are soon to be painted black...
Here's a picture of how the interior is looking:
A better shot of the shifter:
1/2" solid aluminum rod I will fab and polish for the doors and dash:
...tail lights got the VHT Night Shades spray-tint treatment:
...and finally, updated pictures of the car. Note: black lug nuts will be replaced with chrome soon:
Here is the seats I've decided to purchase in the future... they are Summit Racing's sport seats, $189.00 each:
...and I think my clutch is starting to slip under hard acceleration. Bummer. It's not terrible yet but noticable, so I guess I better get my hands on a new clutch and plan for a cradle drop in the future. I also had the honor of discovering a wet substance below the clutch master cylinder on the inside of the car... gee, I've never seen THAT before! ha-ha... time for a new master cylinder.
Otherwise, the only other major things the car needs is a new alternator belt (to replace the early-morning squealer) and one of my catylitic converters is rattling away... oh yeah, need some new header collector gaskets too. But the car is driveable now at least.
That's about it for now. More coming... stay "tuned."
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-30-2013).]
Here's my "pre-post" post for the weekend (more coming somewhere in the next four days). I've got the drive-pulleys and alternator belt cleaned up with some brake cleaner to take care of that annoying belt squeal. Also bought a pair of Percy's aluminum header-collector gaskets for installation this weekend, as one of the original copper's didn't hold up and blew out. A new first-gen clutch master-cylinder is on it's way from the Fiero Store, hopefully it will show up soon so I can get it installed this weekend. The interior is coming together NICELY (IMO)... more pictures coming... and lastly, I have some new chrome lug nuts to finish off those black powder-coated wheels.
Stay tuned...
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-30-2013).]
...also installed the aluminum header-collector gaskets last night, and presto, no more leaks. I'll torque them down again after I heat them up by doing a couple of W.O.T burnouts...
...just kidding.
Haven't recieved the clutch master cylinder yet... hoping to get it by Tuesday (fingers crossed).
I also need to take some new pictures of the interior this weekend, that is if the rain ever stops here in central Florida. I've been working a little with that aluminum rod for the interior, as well as experimenting with more of those chrome caps.
More to come... stay "tuned."
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-30-2013).]
Latest shots... computer problems kept me from posting them last weekend:
The car is now running and drivable with only a few quirks to speak of. Not sure if it's a problem or not yet, but the fuel-pump is suddenly making a lot of noise. I'm going to change the fuel filter this weekend in the hopes that the cause is that crud is clogging the old one. I also am still experiencing a very noticeable steering-wheel shake at 70mph and above... new tires and alignment have recently been performed, and the brakes feel fine... so I'm not really sure what to check next. And the last issue at hand... a toasted catylitic converter that happily shakes, rattles and bangs away... gotta' get that fixed! It's getting to be VERY annoying...
I think I've located some parts I've been needing, so hopefully the car will be a little closer to "completion" here real soon.
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-30-2013).]
The car is looking very smart. You have done a very nice job, I like the theme you are trying to acheive. When I get my next Fiero, I think this is the same path I will follow, keep up the good work .
It's been hectic the last few weeks so no updates... 'til now. I've been wanting to try out some stainless-steel covering on my gauge trim plates, mainly to determine if it's the look I want or not. I purchased a couple of 20" x 4' self-adhesive rolls from Lowe's ($7 a roll)... plenty to play with. I did a quick job on the speedo plate with very promising results:
Now that I've made a practice run with this stuff, I considering making this a project. Based on what I've seen, this "decorative covering" can be trimmed easily and actually looks great... especially if you apply it to a perfectly flat area with no imperfections. I can tell already that the toughest part will be trimming the smaller warning light holes and curved corners... but I'm working on some ideas that will take care of that. I'll have several exacto blades on hand, as I think keeping a sharp blade will make a big difference.
So... most of my creative energy has been focused on the interior lately, and after many sessions of picture browsing and thought, I'm thinking about going towards a "Ferrari 360 Modena" style black/tan two-tone with aluminum highlights.
Seats I'm considering with this combo:
Hmmmmmm.... this build is about to get real interesting!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-30-2013).]
Originally posted by ITALGT: So... most of my creative energy has been focused on the interior lately, and after many sessions of picture browsing and thought, I'm leaning towards a "Ferrari 360 Modena" style black/tan two-tone with aluminum highlights.
Seats I'm considering with this combo:
Heh he heee.... this build is about to get real interesting!
Brett
Ummmmm,
I really like the black/black fighter cockpit theme you have going, I think the black/tan theme will ruin the look.
That said, you have surprised me on a few of the things you have done so far, so I won't judge, just warn
I love the license plate screw cover idea, can we see a picture of inside from outside again?
Rebuilt 350 TPI 4-bolt main w/stock pistons *Rebuilt Getrag 5-speed *Vortec heads w/Scoggin-Dickey TPI base-plate *Comp Cams High Energy 252H Hydraulic Flat Tappet Cam *24lb. fuel injectors *Street and Performance custom burned chip *K&N filter
So far I haven't done much with it, other than change the oil using some Mobil1 synthetic and Lucas oil stabilizer, replaced the existing "wrong" spark plugs with correct reach Autolite 104's, and installed a larger K&N filter. I have to say I'm happy with the power level of this motor, but of course I'd like to up it some more! I'll stick to some subtle/basic mods first, like a throttle-body air-foil, low-temp thermostat/ computer programmer, air-induction, and a more free-flowing exhaust set-up.
Very nice car and nice interior. Well done On the TPI now that you have better flowing heads/lower intake you should try to open it up. Bigger runners and ported plenum will give you the best results. Those runners won't let you get the benefit of the heads/lower. That would be my 1st priority. You can get them cheap at thirdgen.org. Seen them many times. And of course tunning for it
Thanks for the comments guys... always appreciate it! I've done a lot of debating lately as far as how I want the interior to look when it's done. When I began the "jet-fighter" theme to my interior, it was intended to be no more than a supplemental stage of the build. I'm not so sure yet that I want an all-black interior in Florida... but it's growing on me none the less.
I'm looking at a couple of other seat designs that only come in black (synthetic leather) and may just go ahead and buy them, knowing that I can always dye the material down the road if that's what I decide. Here's one design I'm looking at for under $300 a pair on Ebay...
As far as the engine... I've done no more than basic tuning. I know right now the most restrictive part of the engine is the stock TPI intake system, which I'd like to take off and replace with better... but I'm holding off until later when the more serious mods on this car begin.
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-30-2013).]
It's been a long while since the last update... for those wondering, I've been having some issues lately. After taking a trip to NY with a friend, I came back with a nasty respiratory bug along with a lot of body pain... then my back started giving me issues, and I'm pretty sure a pinched nerve and possible blown disc is to blame... going to the doctor soon to get checked out. I missed the last CFF meeting because of it and haven't been working on the car, so no major updates to speak of project wise. I did however want to share a picture that I found inspiring for my own interior project... it's the interior of the new Ford GT40:
I think will stay with the black w/silver theme!
And finally, yes I plan to be at the next CFF meeting... and I'm still getting ready for Daytona!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-30-2013).]
I believe these windows can be bought from the Fiero Store... as far as fitment, they were already installed when I bought the car. I can tell you however that they are of excellent quality and the same can be said for fitment...
Been tinkering with the car some more now that my back has been feeling a little better... I have now installed the rear wheel-wells, with only a small bit of cutting required for the 350's water pump pulley. The door armrests are now black, and I've decided to stick with the black trim plates for now. I've also started to do some detailing and cleaning on the car.
I finally got my hands on a factory wing, it's in good shape... just needs some paint... as well as a new radio surround and kick-panel "Fiero" tabs... and a special thank-you goes to Frank Martin for for the surprise visit to my workplace with a few parts for my car! Much appreciated!
And finally... I played cat and mouse with a new GTO on the highway the other day on the way to work. Needless to say he and I were both impressed (he gave me the ol' thumbs-up afterwards)! I just can't wait to get this engine to really breathe!
That's it for now... as always, stay tuned; more on the way!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-30-2013).]
Thanks for some great ideas, hope you don't mind that I steal some!
By all means! I've got lot's more coming... most of what you see is really preliminary and/or experimental. I'm an artist who's got a lot of creativity brewing, so you may never know what's next.
Here's a shot of the door panel with the armrest painted black... the aluminum rod isn't finished yet, I just have it put in place for the photo:
And here's my "new" wing!:
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-30-2013).]
I think it looks great wingless too... it's the first wingless GT I've owned. BUT.... lol... I think it will look even better with the wing if it's mounted right. I will be mounting it as far aft as I can for a much more streamlined, euro look... it's a subtle but very effective mod I've seen done a couple of times.
Brett
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-30-2013).]
italgt, I know you haven't asked but I have to say it. I like everything about your car but those stinking red calipers. When I look at the side view all I see are those bright red blobs in the wheels. Just my opinion but I'd lose em. Beautiful car otherwise.....and your idea for a black and tan interior rocks.
italgt, I know you haven't asked but I have to say it. I like everything about your car but those stinking red calipers. When I look at the side view all I see are those bright red blobs in the wheels. Just my opinion but I'd lose em. Beautiful car otherwise.....and your idea for a black and tan interior rocks.
I think he mentioned earlier in the thread that he was going to lose the red calipers, if i am not mistaken ?
I think he mentioned earlier in the thread that he was going to lose the red calipers, if i am not mistaken ?
Yeah, I still think the red is too much. I think it would be alright when used with different wheels and/or a car of a different color. But in this case, it's just too distracting to the eye. The cure? More black.
I'll have to get those painted soon!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-30-2013).]
Last week I decided it was time to disassemble my "new" slave-cylinder (only 6 months old) to see why it was bringing air into the system. Non-GM unit by the way. Sure enough, the inside walls were corroded in spots and needed to be polished out. After putting it back into the car, I gravity-bled the system as usual. On the last bleed, I was snugging down the bleeder (using no excessive force) when I heard a "SNAP!," followed by a splash as the bleeder and a chunk of the slave went falling into my drain pan. What the heck...
So... long story short. After a couple of failed attempts of fixing with JB Weld, a hose clamp and lots of brake fluid... no bacon. The slave is a junker, I need a new one... fast. Oh yeah, Daytona '07 less than a week away.
I've been getting ready for this show even before I bought this car... and a week before the show, my slave-cylinder craps out and my wallet is tapped. Imagine that? I'll be talking to a friend of mine today to see if he'll be able to help money wise... and let's just hope I can get one here in time for Daytona. At this point I'd even settle for borrowing a used one.
On a lighter note... I've got some more parts and pieces coming from Oslo to "finish" the car in time for the show. It's going to be so nice to get those missing parts taken care of!
6 days and counting, D'07!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-31-2013).]
My rear window is now tinted. I used two 5" removable windshield strips (35% tint from Walmart), and I'm happy with the results... for now. Eventually I will the windows professionally tinted. ($$$)
Well, my skull is now peeling from the sunburn I got at the show! Worth it? Yes... but next year I'm wearing a hat! I may have not been able to even make an appearance this year, due to a last minute scramble for a new slave cylinder. But thanks to a good friend of mine, the car was back together the night before the show and ready to roll... minus wash job and quick detail. I did that Friday morning...
We (my friend Ed and I) arrived at the motel around 2:00 to check in. After being told that our room wasn't quite ready yet, we decided to take a stroll around the parking lot. About 45 minutes later we return to the front desk to check in. That's when we got some run-around about not being in the computer. Huh? Wait a minute. We were just told that they were cleaning our room... and now I'm not even on the computer? It gets better... suddenly my name somehow pops up on the screen and I hear, "It says here you made the reservation for the 18th, and that you cancelled it..."
What a load of crap! As it turns out, I wasn't the only one who got the run-around from the front desk. I talked to at least one other Fiero owner who also got the "mysterious" treatment. So, for those of you curious why you didn't see much of the car (and for that matter, me) at the motel, here's why:
...They stuck us waaayyyyy down on the opposite end of the motel... far away from the rest of the Fieros (I was surrounded by late-model Chevy Impala's instead ). Talk about a fish out of water. We still drank a few beers and had a good time regardless... but it would have been even better with the right company!
Unfortunately, this year money for me was very tight... I could barely afford the entry fee and motel, as a result unable to attend most of the events that were held. It really is too bad, because it looks like there were definitely some good times!
We spent most of Saturday walking the show and Sunday we checked out the swap meet area for 'Vette parts that my friend was needing for his project. I didn't expect to be away from my Fiero as much as I was, but there were just so many things to check out and do. And lot's of food too!
Here's a few shots from Daytona '07:
A few shots of my Fiero at the Daytona International Speedway, turn three:
So what's next? April's club meeting is next Thursday... after that I'll be doing a couple more things to the car to get motivated for next year!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 02-10-2013).]
Yeah, still going to replace those torn up stock seats with aftermarket racing seats... would have them already but there was no tax return for me this year (in fact, I'm paying in...).
I finally found matching turn signals so I could replace the missing lense...
...and finally got those calipers painted black, and touched up the rotors too while I was at it:
Back on the car... much better!
Next up... I have some mesh grill that I've made to fit my quarter-window scoops and will be installing tomorrow. After that's done... it's time for some cold-air induction!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 04-25-2015).]
I used two 5" removable windshield strips (35% tint from Walmart), and I'm happy with the results... for now. Eventually I will the windows professionally tinted. ($$$)
What a load of crap! As it turns out, I wasn't the only one who got the run-around from the front desk. I talked to at least one other Fiero owner who also got the "mysterious" treatment. So, for those of you curious why you didn't see much of the car (and for that matter, me) at the motel, here's why:
). Talk about a fish out of water. We still drank a few beers and had a good time regardless... but it would have been even better with the right company! 
