Preliminary "test-fitting" of the wing for making custom aluminum wing mounts. Here, the wing is seen set fairly close to where I want it. I've always wanted to mount a GT wing this way... it looks so much better (I think) than where the factory put it (too far forward and too high).
This second picture shows how the back lip of the wing follows the front contour of the tail-lights:
The wing-ends are also set to be horizontal to the rest of the body lines:
I will be using a combination of aluminum plate and aluminum rod to make the wing mounts. Two 1/8" aluminum plates (2 1/2" wide by 9" long, slightly curved) will function as mounting bases underneath the wing:
I'll post more on this as I go (there will be a lot of test-fitting and experimenting going on here).
Last weekend I got the grills installed in those quarter-window scoops. I just bent and cut them to fit, then used epoxy and clamps to fasten them to the backside of the openings. Here's a couple of shots:
Also played with the interior a little more. Here, I painted the passenger-side storage area (black, of course):
...next up, that cold-air intake. Yummy!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-31-2013).]
I've had the car apart lately and took some time to study the inner fender-well for the best possible intake system I can build. What I'm now going to build is a "cold-air" intake with the shortest possible overall length and the largest possible intake diameter (4" tubing in this case) running from the throttle body to the inner fender. I will be using two 4" x 90* rubber hoses from JTR:
There are a couple of reasons for going with the rubber tubing. First, the 4" diameter will clamp directly to the throttle body and will bend and flex to whatever shape that's needed to fit. Second, the large 4", free-flowing diameter will compensate for any restriction caused by the bends. Because I will be locating the filter as high as possible, there is a limit to how tall the filter can be. I've found an AEM "dry flow" synthetic filter with a 4" mounting base and a height of 5" (Part#AVM-21-205DK) that should do the trick. I'll finish off the system with a Holley throttle-body air-foil.
I'll post some pictures once I receive the parts and put them together.
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-31-2013).]
Today I ordered the intake tubing and related parts from JTR and the AEM filter from Summit Racing. I also ordered new clutch pedal bushings, adjustable clutch banjo, door hinge pins/bushings, and a 195*/185* low-temp fan switch... all from Rodney Dickman.
More goodies soon to come!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-31-2013).]
Went back and re-read the thread. It's been awhile. My old GT had the wing mounted similarly, slid back and lowered, does loook good that way.
Nice... I want my wing about like that, only slightly higher and farther back. I'm still working on those custom wing mounts made out of plate aluminum...
Progress is good! I finally have the new 4" cold-air intake on the car and functioning. I still have a couple of minor details to take care of, but overall it's complete. I also added a Holley throttle body air-foil, adjusted the IAC valve, checked TPS voltage (and found I need to buy an adjustable unit!). I also added a Proform 50,000 volt coil to the distributor. The engine pulls harder now! Runs/idles smoother too.
Shown here, 4" rubber intake tubing made from two 90* elbows, one 45* elbow, one foot of aluminum tubing, AEM synthetic "dry-flow" filter, Holley air-foil, mounting plate, and heat wrap (for wrapping the coolant tubes running near the filter).
New 4" "cold air" intake versus the old, hot-air-sucking factory elbow:
Old 3" K&N vs. new 4" AEM dry-flow (no oil) filter:
I also fabbed up a steel and rubber engine splash shield so I can drive in the rain without the alternator belt squealing and slipping. It also happens to double as a heat barrier for my new intake system:
Other stuff I've gotten done in the past several weeks: re-powder coated the engine vents, installed a new clutch master cylinder, Rodney Dickman's adjustable banjo and pedal bushings, and new door pins and bushings.
It's getting late and I'm getting tired so I'll fill in the blanks later.
Next up: flushing the cooling system! (I'm so excited!)
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-31-2013).]
Where did you get the rubber intake tubes? I need to make an intake for my 3800 S/C engine.
Thanks, Don Z.
I got everything I needed from JTR (Jags That Run). They have several sizes of tubing available, and provide many tips for making a custom intake. These guys specialize in TPI swaps, but should fit about anybody's needs when it comes to building a custom air intake.
I haven't talked much about building the intake or the installation of it, so I thought I'd share a few more details. First, the question of "was it worth it" would be answered with a definite "yes." It took a lot of thought, creativity, time, patience, and a chunk of $$$. But in the end I got what I wanted; a low-restriction, hi-flow, weather-proof intake that sucks in COOL DENSE air. No more worries about rain in my air-filter, or just the constant irritating thought that the only air it was sucking in was the hot air in the engine compartment.
Building the intake was rather straight-forward. I started by determining the most important part: where exactly the new intake tubing was to be routed. In this case, most of this was easy because there was only one obvious route from the throttle-body to the fender-well. Some tight maneuvering over the upper coolant hose was required as well as making some tight/short bends. This is when I realized that rubber tubing was going to be the best choice, as it's easily flexed and bent to conform to these tight spots as required. It's also thick rubber (about 1/4" thick), which also acts great as an insulator from the engine-bay heat.
OK... so I went with a 4" size intake tubing. Some people may think this is overkill... I just call it "being thorough." Part of this logic resides in the simple fact that a TPI throttle body accepts a 4" diameter hose. So, why would you want to go smaller??? Here's why you could go smaller... 4" tubing is a REAL tight fit and can be a bear to fit properly. A 3 1/2" or 3" system would probably work just fine and be easier to install and take off the car... but if you're anything like me, you'd rather not compromise! JTR does make a 4"x3.5" 90* elbow that would work well also... allowing for a healthy 3.5" system. If I was to do it again, I would consider it.
After sizing up the approximate positions of bends and appropriate lengths needed, I ordered the rubber and aluminum tubing from JTR. Lots of trimming, test-fitting, grinding, cutting, hammering, sweating and swearing ensued... and when it was all said and done, the 45* (middle) and one 90* (air-filter end) tube were cut down as small as they would go to get them to fit, and the throttle-body mounted 90* tube needed to be cut down on one end (again, as short as possible) to fit.
Mounting the filter where I did required some cutting of the inner fiberglass body reinforcement, and also involved trimming a portion of steel from the passenger side engine bay. I used thin sheet steel to make a filter mounting plate which gets bolted to the passenger-side of the engine bay. It was powdered in a textured black and lined with automotive-grade weather stripping for a complete seal.
I originally used the Holley air-foil because it was the smoothest design out there, and a little Internet research also uncovered a loyal following... but now I've realized that this particular intake set-up would work better with an SLP-type solid mount air-foil, as removing and installing of the intake is hindered by the Holley's protruding design. And it's plastic. I hate plastic.
And that's pretty much it for the intake... it's for the most part done. I may also be doing some more intake "tweaking" in the future, so by no means is this project finished. I also have some custom side-vents in the works (my own design).
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 11-21-2014).]
Today I'm missing the annual Fiero Fall Haul, as I did last year... but despite my personal disappointment, I'm actually quite optimistic of the next few months to come. I've spent the last several months barely getting by financially, yet I've still managed to get several several things done with this project.
First up, I restored and reconditioned wiper cowl area. Wiper arms, hood striker bolts, hood latch and spring were all sand blasted and powdered high gloss black. The cowl cover itself was removed, prepped and then painted with a gloss black plastic paint. While everything from the cowl area was removed, I also cleaned, prepped and painted the frame and painted it with a semi-gloss black. I'll continue this process for the rest of the car as well.
Fully reassembled, using Rain X's new "Latitude" 18" wiper blades... sorry about the picture quality, it doesn't look like anything special here. I'll post better pictures later that will show better detail:
The car was parked in my shop for two weeks during this process, so I also removed my interior door panels to get access to the side mirrors for powder coating and to lube the locking/door-handle mechanisms. The mirror housings were blasted and powdered again using high gloss black, as well as my engine vents (which didn't come out like I wanted AGAIN). I will redo them at a later date. The mirrors turned out great though. I'll get pictures up soon.
Right now, my goal is to return to show and club activity in time for the Daytona '08 show, where I will officially unveil a much more finished and refined Fiero. Here's my to do list:
1. Exhaust, my number one priority right now. My car sounds terrible as is. I've spent months planning for this upgrade... get ready for something special!
2. Tail lights. Again, get ready for something special!
3. New seats.... and finally get those missing parts and pieces taken care of.
...And I'd love to get all that done before the show, but if not I'll be there regardless of course! My work vehicle broke down, so my Fiero now has turned into my daily driver for who knows how long. Right now my priorities are to take care of reliability and drive-ability issues, as most cosmetic issues are being taken care of, if not temporarily.
That's it for now, I'll post again this weekend...
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-31-2013).]
Ok, here's a few more pictures that I wanted to add last weekend but didn't...
First off, a few more pictures showing better detail of the redone wiper cowl area. Here's what I started with, stripped of all the pieces before refinishing:
After paint/powder coat:
I'm now starting to clean up, paint and detail the engine bay. Here's a good shot of what I'm starting with:
More to come...
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-31-2013).]
Well, here's a post that I didn't see myself ever making, and one I don't wish on any Fiero owner.
A couple of weeks ago, more "build" was added to this build thread with the help of a wooden bridge covered in an early-morning Florida frost. I drove over the bridge and began to spin around like a top with no warning, and with no control, going only about 25mph. The Fiero took out seven sign posts on the other end of the bridge before the it came to a stop... I was in shock and disbelief.
I never did find my side mirror... it got whacked by a sign post and went flying way out into the trees somewhere.
Let the visual carnage ensue:
So the good news is that it was mostly cosmetic damage, with only a couple of places to straighten out metal-wise. The passenger side is pretty much all trashed so I'll obviously be looking for some new body panels. Looks like it's time to start working on my fiber-glassing skills.
As far as this build-thread story goes, it's just moved on up to a new level. Looks like it's about time for some of those body mods I've been thinking about... hmmm.... and that cradle-drop/engine-upgrade I've been wanting to do. We shall see!
Before the crash I was getting the car detailed and "finished" for this year's Daytona show. Well, it's obvious now I have an excuse for not showing up so don't give me any crap. I'll get it back on the road in the near future, it just won't be as pretty as it used to be. The paint wasn't that great in the first place... so really, it's all good. It's just a minor setback.
More later...
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-31-2013).]
I'm glad to hear that you're okay, and taking it somewhat lightly. It's a good thing Fiero body panels are easily replaceable! Good luck with the new upgrades.
[This message has been edited by ALLTRBO (edited 01-19-2008).]
Thanks... yes, it could have been a lot worse. There wasn't much more as a driver that I could do to stop it from happening... I became just a passenger along for a short but destructive, ugly ride. At least I didn't do it when I was on the throttle or driving stupid... I think I would feel a whole lot worse about wrecking it .
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 10-29-2014).]
Man i was just talking about you and your car just the other day ! That was one bad ride.
Hopefully there is no frame damage ?
As far as panels go, I know the club (CFF) had a few body panels stashed away at Harry's repo place. Maybe you should give him a shout to see what the club has left.
Door skin and fender should not be that hard to come up with
How bad was the damage to the mirror mounting point?
Frank
Parts I'll be needing:
GT nose (egg-crates too) Pass. side fender " " Door skin " " GT Ground effects pieces (all) " " Round trim " " Side mirror (mounting point is fine) " " Rear wheel-well liner
I have an extra panel to replace the damaged one in front of the rear wheel, but everything else I will be needing. The nose looks in worse shape than it really is... you can't tell in the pictures, but there's not much being held together (basically it's ripped into 3 different sections).
I've got the panels off now and the car is on jack stands waiting for some skin.
Guess I know where my tax return money is going this year!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 11-21-2014).]
I have the ground effects, panel that goes behind the door, front fender and possibly the bumper cover. They are all Red but you will have to respray anyway. I would say they are an 8 out of 10 because of the paint. I'm at work right now, shot me a PM with an e-mail and I will send you some pictures when I get home.
I'm in lakeland about an hour and a half from you.
I have the ground effects, panel that goes behind the door, front fender and possibly the bumper cover. They are all Red but you will have to respray anyway. I would say they are an 8 out of 10 because of the paint. I'm at work right now, shot me a PM with an e-mail and I will send you some pictures when I get home.
I'm in lakeland about an hour and a half from you.
Wow! You guys in Florida have out done yourselves. I wish I lived there so I could "belong" to your club. This is what makes the Fiero brotherhood great, showing the "LOVE". It's refreshing to see your generousity instead of the flame wars. Thanks for making me believe in mankind once again. Good luck on getting your beautiful black gt back on the road Brett.. The Trog
Wow! You guys in Florida have out done yourselves. I wish I lived there so I could "belong" to your club. This is what makes the Fiero brotherhood great, showing the "LOVE". It's refreshing to see your generousity instead of the flame wars. Thanks for making me believe in mankind once again. Good luck on getting your beautiful black gt back on the road Brett.. The Trog
No offense to any other club, but the guys at Central Florida Fieros are some of the coolest bunch of guys i have ever met. Our meetings are very laid back, informal, and fun !
Everybody tries to help each other with problems and what not.
This is just the tip of the iceburg.
BTW check out our new re-launched website too ! Thanks Dave (FierociousGT)
Hey Brett. Haven't been on line much lately & didn't know you needed parts. I think I have all of the rest of what you need. You'll have to spend the time to come pull it off of my parts cars though. Sending you a PM with my phone number. Harry
------------------ 87 GT Maroon 3800SC & White Formula
Quick update... very busy so I'll get to the details in the next few posts. The car is now very close to being put back together after some fiberglassing. Lot's of hand sanding and detail work is left to do. It will be sprayed with a black primer once the panels are thoroughly prepped and reinstalled. The rest of the parts I need are located and I should have them by this weekend.
Still working on finding some tires... looking for 235/45R-17's and 215/45R-17's... would like to get a nice used set again but I may end up having to buy new.
And this really sucks... aside from my Fiero being wrecked, my work vehicle died for good last week. I can't believe the luck I have sometimes! I'm officially calling it the Daytona curse! Now I have no vehicle at all, and I'm racing against the clock to get this Fiero back on the road for more reasons than just the Daytona show. This is beginning to feel like last year all over again.
On a lighter note... my motel room is reserved for Friday and Saturday for the show... oh, he!! yeah I'm going to be there! Believe it or not, this Fiero will be there too...
Details/ pics coming soon...
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 10-05-2014).]
Quick update... very busy so I'll get to the details in the next few posts. The car is now very close to being put back together after some fiberglassing. Lot's of hand sanding and detail work is left to do. It will be sprayed with a black expoxy primer once the panels are thoroughly prepped and reinstalled. The rest of the parts I need are located and I should have them by this weekend.
Still working on finding tires... looking for 235/45-17's and 215/45-17's... would like to get a nice used set again but may end up buying new.
And this really sucks... aside from my Fiero being wrecked, my work vehicle died for good last week... I can't believe the luck I have! I'm officially calling it the Daytona curse! Now I have no vehicle and I'm racing against the clock to get this Fiero back on the road for more reasons than just the Daytona show. This is beginning to feel like last year all over again...
On a lighter note... my motel room is reserved for Friday and Saturday for the show... oh, hell yeah I'm going to be there! Believe it or not, this Fiero will be there too...
Man i was just talking about you and your car just the other day ! That was one bad ride.
Hopefully there is no frame damage ?
As far as panels go, I know the club (CFF) had a few body panels stashed away at Harry's repo place. Maybe you should give him a shout to see what the club has left.
Man i am bummed and it is not even my car.
Just got back a little while ago from Harry's and I'm very happy to say that I now have 90% of what I need to reassemble the car. Very special thanks to him and to Central Florida Fiero members who've helped me out so much after the accident. You guys are awesome... I've got a few things to bring with me to contribute to the parts stash/ parts cars we have also. I've got a few contributed panels that I won't be needing, along with some other Fiero stuff I've had laying around over the years.
Alright... next post is going to be getting in to some more details of the work I've done so far post-accident. I've been busting my a$$ the last couple of weeks working on getting my baby back on the road. The initial goal is to have it back together in time for the March CFF meeting (2 weeks from now).
Wish me luck.
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-31-2013).]
Here's what's been goin' down in my world! One messed up Fiero is about to hit the road again... the first stage of repairs involved fixing the damage done to the quarter panel and the hood:
I'll say up front that I've never really done body work before, but the situation I'm in really leaves me no choice. I've read about it and have seen it done for years but have never had a good enough reason to get involved with it. At this point, how could I possibly make my Fiero look any worse???
There is a ton of info about fiberglass techniques on this forum and on the internet itself, so I won't dive into all the specifics. But I will show you a few pictures of how these repairs can be done. Keep in mind, this is my first time doing body work! If any of you "body-guys" out there have some advice to give or have some simple pointers, feel free to chime in at any time!
The first step I took was grinding down the damaged areas and sanding the surfaces down to the bare fiberglass, extending a couple of inches beyond the repair itself:
Next up was the initial glassing and reinforcing of the support structure behind the quarter panel. I also layed the first layer of fiberglass on the hood:
Here you can see the glassing I did behind the quarter panel pieces to make an area to lay glass onto. This also makes the repair much stronger because of the extra support on the back side of the panel:
The first layer of glass, sanded down level on the hood...
First coat of glass sanded down on the quarter panel:
Fiberglass filler was used to build up the surface and fill in low spots:
There is a little more filling and leveling to do, but for the most part these repairs are taken care of. The rest of the car has been d/a'ed with 220 grit, with only a little hand sanding remaining.
Once reassembled, the car will be block-sanded and prepped for it's initial coat of black primer. This will serve as a base to work off of while performing body modifications... of which will begin simple at first and progress to some more creative stuff.
Of course, I'll post more as I go... stay tuned as always!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-31-2013).]
Great work!! I'm glad to see your fixing this car!! One thing that I'm sure you already looked at, check your coolant tubes along the inner rocker area. If they have a dent or a kink you could have big problems quick. Once again I'm sure you already did this.
Good Luck!!!
[This message has been edited by DeLorean00 (edited 02-26-2008).]
"New" tires, same Bridgestone Potenza RE50's... 225/45 and 215/45's...
WOW, I'm exhausted... I've been working nonstop into wee hours of the nights, all day on weekends... I was up for over 50 hours straight with no sleep last weekend (not having a car to drive can be pretty motivating).
I'm still needing passenger side mirror glass (power mirror). Anyone got one let me know...
I'll update again soon... and yes... I will be at thursday night's CFF meeting. See you guys there!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 02-20-2013).]
Part of this logic resides in the simple fact that a TPI throttle body accepts a 4" diameter hose. So, why would you want to go smaller??? Here's why you could go smaller... 4" tubing is a REAL tight fit and can be a bear to fit properly. A 3 1/2" or 3" system would probably work just fine and be easier to install and take off the car... but if you're anything like me, you'd rather not compromise! 
I'll get it back on the road in the near future, it just won't be as pretty as it used to be. 
I can't believe the luck I have sometimes! I'm officially calling it the Daytona curse! 
Now I have no vehicle at all, and I'm racing against the clock to get this Fiero back on the road for more reasons than just the Daytona show. This is beginning to feel like last year all over again. 
