That sounds like ricers, I had two kids in a Honda chasing me before I moved. I thought they wanted to race when we got on the HWY I let them get up next to me. One ask me what kind of car is that? I told them a 1987 Pontiac Fiero. He then said OMG that car is older than me. What color Red are you going with? Getting close to paint?
At the Sportsbar today watching the Steelers game and from the rear of the outdoor patio i hear a thunderous roar, and about a half dozen supercustom Harley choppers roll in.
Apparently they are regulars cause they are high fiving everybody in the bar, and exchanging hellos. Well it just so happens they grab a table next to me. Somewhere between beers, wings, and football i overhear a conversation between a biker guy and a regular at the bar.
the regular asks the biker guy how his other chopper project is coming and he replies, not too good, well the other guy says don't feel bad, i have a pontiac fiero i been working on forever that my wife is busting me to get rid of.
With that i interupt and say did you say Pontiac fiero !?! The regular says yeah, why ? I proceed to tell them about the choptop and they seemed a little puzzled till i pulled out the pics (yes i had some pics - #4, #11, and Fierocious GT). As the pictures got passed from person to person all that could be heard was Holy Sh*t, OMG, and Damnnnnnn !
They were quite impressed, and that says a lot considering their bikes looked like they were $$$$$ each ?
The regular (Big Al) says he is having trouble with the fiero brakes and invited me over to see his ride sometime.
[This message has been edited by exoticse (edited 10-17-2009).]
[/QUOTE Nice vids, Once I get my new place and get my F40 behind my turbo, I want to take it to the track. Once I get settled and get a shop here to work in I be able to get a few more chop tops rolling on the pavement. I have a vision in my mind for the next one. and I still want to do a 2" chop and use the production windows I found that are very close. So there are two more different chops in the future. I would like to find an Indy to do the 2" chop and give it to my wife, would be cool.
I drove my Choptop to the facility today for the first time since I transferred here. Was cool to see all the reactions. One of my employees told me his brother had a Fiero years ago and it was nothing like this one. The plant Manager had me take him around town. I could not believe he was able to get in the car but he did. on the road he told me he could not believe how smooth the car is and he said it was nothing like he thought it would be. He liked the way the turbo sounds also. The two guys with Mustangs did not even look at it. I told them I would line them up if they wanted to but they said a Fiero was a waste of time for them.
The two guys with Mustangs did not even look at it. I told them I would line them up if they wanted to but they said a Fiero was a waste of time for them.
Hehehe sounds like they were hating big time. Envy is sometimes obvious.
Last week (while I was taking picks of the engine in #020) a salesman approached me trying to sell me a Kirby vacuum cleaner (I declined his offer), but then he said, “Hey is that a Ferrari in the garage?” Soon after he said that- he quickly realized it was a Pontiac (dah... the tail lamps). We talked for about 20-minutes or so, but he was curious as-to how I manage to place the engine in the back. I kind of looked at him for a second and then told him, "That's the way Pontiac made the Fiero- with the engine in the back."
The conversation continued with him asking about the wheels and body. He was a bit shocked at the width of the rear wheels (actually that's what he kept staring at- the wheels). After a few minutes he finally moved onto the engine. I informed him regarding various engine swaps performed for a Fiero. His jaw dropped when I told him I have a friend with a LS7 under the deck lid.
Never once did the salesman notice that #020 was chopped, but did notice that the front nose was made of fiberglass. He wanted to take a closer look, but I told him no (I had items on the ground and he might trip on them ). Besides, I don’t trust strangers inside my garage and just might trip/fall and later try to sue me for pain and suffering. If you fall inside my garage- I may have to think about killing you, j/k. hehe.
Old man and his shoe,...er make that old lady and her pooch !
Out doing some maintanence on #4 when this old lady, who never speaks and whose dog regularly takes a dump in my yard, walks by right after i get done firing it up.
Lambo doors are up, while i am fixing a problem with one of the door locks.
Lady (with excitement) : Is that an old pontiac fiero !?
Me (with a bit of shock) : It sure is.
Lady: Wow that is awesome !
I am not sure if i was more shocked by the fact that she finally spoke or that she knew exactly what the car was. That and she seemed really excited about it,..was actually kind of funny.
Now if i can only get her to keep her little dog from crapping on my lawn !!
Nostalgic renderings: My drive-by at D1S in Oct 2008;
Serious tweaking must be performed prior to paint. Good thing WCF is in town. I'll have them make a aluminum shroud to cover over the ugly areas.
I remember (vividly) the drive from V8Archie's to Kevin's place. I ran out of gas about @ 1-mile before the nearest gas station, hehe. I was viewing the Dakota Digital (D.D.) gauges and it was down to 4-clicks before empty ( I know what your thinking... why run out of gas?). Well, I was on the Will Roger's turn pike and I though I had enough gas to get me to Midwest City (which was about 10-more miles). Anyway, I saw the numbering (D.D. uses 99-0) running down towards 20-clicks, then 15, and later 10-clicks. Well, I must say that The Crew did a good job at setting the system. I ran out of gas at 3-clicks. In a way I was happy and at the same time... feeling a bit stupid, hehe.
[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 01-23-2010).]
I had a great time hanging out with Kevin and his eldest son. The last time Kevin saw #020 was when Joseph owned the car so it was big difference. We briefly went over the various components what Archie and The Crew performed, but he really liked the MadArch widebody and especially the 350Z rear glass.
As you can see in the pic- the actuators were not hooked up cause D.D ran out of switches.
The front actuators where operational and worked fine during the 1800 trip to CA. However, the flipper rubbed big time thus you can see the rubber tire marks on the flares. Oh yeah, the right Corvette headlamp clamp broke loose near Funks Grove in IL and it slightly bent my right front rim.
I like the stance on #020;
I ended up taking a nap at Kevin's place and left later on that afternoon. I stopped by Auto Zone for a Thermostat (just in case there's an issue). After all, #020 sat at Archie's for nearly 2-years and I was a bit worried I'd have a few problems along the way, but Archie assured me that everything check out okay... and he was right.
[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 01-23-2010).]
Well the paint is done on the GBCT.........now if the weather would just give me a nice dry day to bring it home.
First thing on the list when it gets home is to make a few adjustments to the coil-overs to drop the back an inch or so.
then wait for the new wheels to go into production.
I want a 17' -18' combo and they still haven't made the wheels in 17"..........they are on back order. I may just put 18's all around if they don't get the 17's in stock soon.
It's a tuff call on rim size. I have 18/19 combo and the ride is fairly harsh and I just added poly. The car looks really good though, those rims will really finish off the look nicely either size you decide.
Well the paint is done on the GBCT.........now if the weather would just give me a nice dry day to bring it home.
I want a 17' -18' combo and they still haven't made the wheels in 17"..........they are on back order. I may just put 18's all around if they don't get the 17's in stock soon.
Looks good. Are you ordering different off-sets for the rears?
Looks good. Are you ordering different off-sets for the rears?
There's not allot of choice in that wheel.........18x8 35mm offset or 18x 9.5 I'm not sure of this offset as I'm pretty sure it's to wide for a non wide body car.
There's not allot of choice in that wheel.........18x8 35mm offset or 18x 9.5 I'm not sure of this offset as I'm pretty sure it's to wide for a non wide body car.
The front actuators where operational and worked fine during the 1800 trip to CA. However, the flipper rubbed big time thus you can see the rubber tire marks on the flares. Oh yeah, the right Corvette headlamp clamp broke loose near Funks Grove in IL and it slightly bent my right front rim.
Bright side: It just gives you another excuse to spend more time tweaking... ...the car.
#022 second chops top chronicle experience in N.Y.C. (Troy boy at the wheel).
Troy took #022 out of trailer and decided on a quick test drive (why not, the weather was perfect; no snow, no rain) so Troy quickly rumps on her. The backend gets loose, but Troy quickly got her straight, but upon doing so- quickly gets a guy driving a LS9 attention. At the next red light, the Corvette pulls next to #022. Troy noticed the guy gesturing to roll down the window (glass windows, hehe). The LS9 guys ask, "What is it?"
Troy's response, "It's a Fiero." It was at this point the guys jaw dropped in amazement and shouted, "What can I say,... I'm sold" (a few other words of jubilations were expressed), but the people behind Troy was a bit pissed cause at that time the light turned green, so they continued to drive. At the next red light, the conversation continued cause the LS9 guy wanted to know- what type of engine (yet alone know what type of car it was). When Troy told him it was a LS7, the guy shouted, "I'm sold" and this was coming from a Corvette person driving a LS9.
Troy mentioned to me that it had to be a LS9 because it sported the newer body style with the hood opening showing the LS9 (this corvette was a custom because it was a convertible). Like before, those Corvette guys like to cruise on Sundays in their tweaked and expensive cars. The same situation happened before when Troy brought the car home the last time when it was all white primer, but this time around- its way better looking than before. I'm sure there will be more chop top stories to tell.
[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 04-21-2010).]
Troy took #022 out of trailer and decided on a quick test drive (why not, the weather was perfect; no snow, no rain) so Troy quickly rumps on her. The backend gets loose, but Troy quickly got her straight,
Yeikes....almost had to make a return trip to Archie's!
Reminds me of the first day I had the GBCT back home. I had driven it ~1300 highway miles from Archie's my place in San Antonio so I figured I 'knew" how to handle it. Mind you, it was my first V8. I am nearing an off ramp with a TIGHT right U corner...some kid had been on my tail for the last few miles decided NOW to try to pass me as we near the U. I thought I would show him what a V8 Fiero could do.......when I actually had NO idea myself. I had taken this corner w/ my upgraded suspension - wide tires and all 88GT loads before and very high speed.....but when I stepped on the gas in the GBCT, the back end kept going around. No tire squeel, no smoke, it just flipped a 180....I let off the gas, and was facing the wrong way, and for some reason I romped on it again..I have no idea why, and snapped it back around the opposite direction, went completly onto the shoulder, then back the direction I was intending to travel. If I didn't know better, it would have looked deliberate....but I was thinking "Whole Leash It!!!!" the whole time. I promised myself the rest of the way home I would not do that again. However, next morning I was taking the car to work (to show it off of course) and leaving my driveway, turning right onto a usually busy street...I stepped on it too hard again (not on purpose) and 180'd it again. Fortunately, it was early enough no other cars were around. It was one of those SLICK humid mornings you get in south texas where the streets are like ice until the sun comes up. I made a PROMISE THEN not do accellerate hard into corners....and I stuck with that the rest of the time I owned it. Now, straight lines....that was a different story (never lost a street race)!
Originally posted by exoticse: Curly anything new from Orville ?
I called Orville today. He's doing just fine and so too are his choptops. He mentioned that he added some type of fender caps on one of the cars, so I need to head out to his home and take a few pics, but this month I'm very busy (maybe next month?).
[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 03-20-2010).]
I made the car ready in 30 nights for the custom motor show. I will start a thread with everything I did and that is a lot. I got alot of great credit on my build and that makes me want to start on my second choptop that will be a widebody
I need a week of sleep now and then I will start the thread
(I declined his offer), but then he said, “Hey is that a Ferrari in the garage?”
Soon after he said that- he quickly realized it was a Pontiac (dah... the tail lamps). We talked for about 20-minutes or so, but he was curious as-to how I manage to place the engine in the back. I kind of looked at him for a second and then told him, "That's the way Pontiac made the Fiero- with the engine in the back."
). Besides, I don’t trust strangers inside my garage and just might trip/fall and later try to sue me for pain and suffering. If you fall inside my garage- I may have to think about killing you, 
j/k. hehe.
...the car.
