Wow, I just sat here and read this whole thread from beginning to end... Archie, your chop tops look fantastic. I'm afraid I'm on the low end of the Fiero community with my mostly stock '86 2.5L Sport Coupe... would love to have a chop top, but, being a student, money is very tight.
I think you should have some sort of drawing and give out a free top chopping to the winner. Just make sure I win. Hehe.
I've had my Fiero since March, and now I've got an '84 SE for parts - but I just got in touch with the Fiero community now. All these mods are amazing and I'm glad everyone in this community is so strong and dedicated to our awesome cars. Long live the Fiero! I actually went so far as to send Pontiac an e-mail begging for a new Fiero.... to which they politely responded with a "thanks for the suggestion."
This is off topic, but I see that most of the Fiero community is all for bigger engines and more horsepower... I'm wondering about hybrid Fieros, fuel economy-minded Fieros... that's my main concern right now as a student with no money (actually postponing college a year so I can work)... and also as a citizen concerned about our situation with oil -
But anyway, these chop top stories are awesome! You people gotta keep them coming! We are all reading...
Edit: Page 3! Yay for me!
------------------ '86 5-Spd 2M4 Sport Coupe / 68k Miles Aiwa CDC-X437 Head Unit Audiobahn 4x10s in Dash (I know they suck; ideas?) Borla 2" Exhaust (Straight Pipe)
Upcoming: www.PontiacSound.com Custom Subwoofer Box JBL 600.1 Amp Feeding a 600wrms Resonant Engineering 10" Sub
Also:
'84 Auto 2M4 SE Parts Car
[This message has been edited by timwdegner (edited 08-11-2004).]
Wow, I just sat here and read this whole thread from beginning to end... Archie, your chop tops look fantastic. I'm afraid I'm on the low end of the Fiero community with my mostly stock '86 2.5L Sport Coupe... would love to have a chop top, but, being a student, money is very tight.
I think you should have some sort of drawing and give out a free top chopping to the winner. Just make sure I win. Hehe.
I've had my Fiero since March, and now I've got an '84 SE for parts - but I just got in touch with the Fiero community now. All these mods are amazing and I'm glad everyone in this community is so strong and dedicated to our awesome cars. Long live the Fiero! I actually went so far as to send Pontiac an e-mail begging for a new Fiero.... to which they politely responded with a "thanks for the suggestion."
This is off topic, but I see that most of the Fiero community is all for bigger engines and more horsepower... I'm wondering about hybrid Fieros, fuel economy-minded Fieros... that's my main concern right now as a student with no money (actually postponing college a year so I can work)... and also as a citizen concerned about our situation with oil -
Originally posted by exoticse: WHere are all the new chop top guys at ??
I'm little over a week away from being able to actually drive my choptop. The southern Ontario folks better swing by PBJs for one last look before it's gone
Umm, ummm, good! I finally drove the choptop out for some fun for nearly 260 miles w/o music! . The Redux was dragging my spirits down. So I drop in some new oil in an exchanged for the old oil ...plus a fuel filter. I also took the old "eyed Louie" tail pipe off. I now roll withe duels. I got the stares down the hwy. One guy in a Jetta turbo I guess got a little spirited on me after the light. he was trying to pulll away between 2nd & 3rd while I was bearly pressing on the gas. I let him go, heheheh.
You're a cruel man Curley, giving people hope like that. lol
Hehehehehe.
CHOPTOP ROLLS INTO A NIGHT CLUB: V8Archie and D1S recieves praises!
I went to a party last night in the choptop at a night club/bar. I'm always concerned about parking it so I had to look around for a good parking spot. There were two club/dinner that had ocean front viewings which the street was directly in front of. I wasn't thinking about the people noticing me as I drove by and made a U-turn. As I made a U-turn in front of one of the restaurants, people stopped eating to see what in the heck is that?
I was more concerned about not hitting those darn Mercedes parked there and not the people who were looking. Once I made the U-turn w/o any trouble it was then I notice the people looking. Man! I felt good knowing that the "PONTIAC" icon was in the back. I arrived in front of the club/bar. There was only one perfect place to park in front. A Mercedes occupied the one in front, so I had to back the Fiero inn. In the meantime as I was parking, trying not to hit the 70g's Mercedes in front.....the people inside the club/bar/Rest were looking.
I didn't rev the engine or showed off but, I did stay in the car for a minute. As I got out of the car well....you all know what next happened....VDC opened just like they were suppose to do......priceless. Made my trip to FL worth all of the headache. After the party, I got back into my car. Started the car to let the V8 sing some sweet notes as I left. Yeah it ain't no Lambo or a Ferrari but all those who were involded in the making of it..recieved some praises.
Another side note: I was at a local spot were young kids cruise. At the stop light near a movie, some kids in a Eclipse stop and pulled over just to see it roll bye. Noticing no cops, I reeved the engine as the light turned green. Damn it ain't a stick but putting it in D3 sounds sweet!
[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 09-22-2004).]
Any other "choptop" experiences? Jscott? Jim88Gt? Orville?
Well Ole' Choppy is with me now!! So far I don't have too many stories yet... The non-car people are thrown off by the multi-colored panels. The others are really amazed how low it is. Even I am amazed how low it is. I've just about perfected getting into it without bumping my head; but I'm still surprised every time that I don't.
After another day of cruising around the GTA I am headed back to the USA and starting my 1700 mile trek back to Houston. I expect to get a lot of strange looks on the road.
Well Ole' Choppy is with me now!! So far I don't have too many stories yet... The non-car people are thrown off by the multi-colored panels. The others are really amazed how low it is. Even I am amazed how low it is. I've just about perfected getting into it without bumping my head; but I'm still surprised every time that I don't.
After another day of cruising around the GTA I am headed back to the USA and starting my 1700 mile trek back to Houston. I expect to get a lot of strange looks on the road.
Please do keep us updated and take some pics too? I think once I drive my Redux to Archies it's gonna look very ugly with the primer and all.
Hanging out in San Francisco while dinning out near SBC ball park. On my way from SBC crusied over to Oakland area for some club'n. On my way back I took the Oankland Bay bridge (a $3 toll). The speed limit on the bridge is 50mph. I wanted to go a little faster but decided not to. Good thing...the CHP was 3-4 cars back and was weaving in-and-out of traffic.
I'm thinking, "hmm...looks like he looking for me?" I reduced my speed to 51mph. He (they) got behind me and then after some seconds changed lanes on my left. They stayed on my left corner until right before we reached Treasure Island. I'm like, "cool...ther're just checking it out." They slowly passed by me with the other officer nearly looking backwards as they passed.
Gasing up later at a filling station. A Ford Mustang w/three guys got off the freeway and turn around to check out the Lamborghini. They soon reliazed that it wasn't a Lambo but something else which, they didn't have a clue. I think the Fiero was as old as them. They looked between the ages of 18-21 yrs old? When I told them that the car maybe older then them...they couldn't believe it!
Isen't strange that Pontiac abondon the Fiero for cookie cutter mass production boring cars?
Edit: Oh yeah, I didn't need to explain that it was chop'd. All the young'n knew was that it had 20's.
[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 09-25-2004).]
Isen't strange that Pontiac abondon the Fiero for cookie cutter mass production boring cars?
LOL on the Police ! I get that happening in my area as well, have even been pulled over a couple times by the Police, just because they wanted to admire the car (and see the engine making the nice music).
By the way, GM Pulled all the Fiero's out of the main Tech Center Lobby late this week, and put them back in Storage. The Tech Center Employee's didn't ignore these little "Gems", there way always people stopping to look them over, and I never heard one negative comment about the Fiero during the entire time they were displayed there. I'll tell ya, when I drive mine into the Tech Center, anybody who knows anything about cars, has their eyes locked on mine. If I was driving a new Corvette, less than half of the people would be paying attention.
Okay I can't offically call it a race but...I'll let up be the judge, hehehe.
On my merry way leaving the Bay Area heading to Bakersfield CA. (278 miles) I was going down 152 just outside Los Banos CA doing 65mph on a 65mph hwy in the slow lane. No problem so far, right? I look back through my rear view mirrow and I see a white 2-door hatchback late model Nissan or Toyota right behind me.
I guess he's taking pics with his camera phone (I notice his arm in a raised position). I'm "like cool." He stays on my rear for a couple of miles. He late creeps on by with noisey exhaust system while talking on his walkie-talkie phone. After he passes me, he then slows down and is now next to me but, I only see his front end from the corner of my eye.
I don't know if he's revvving his motor but he's there...nearly side-by-side. After a few minutes, I'm ready to hit the gas and BECAUSE he's pinining me inn. I was approaching some vehicals going less than 65mph. So it's either I slow down and get around him or speed up to get in front of him? I choose to speed-up.
So I proceeded to take the car out of over-drive and down to D3. I don't know if he heard the N* revving? So I can't say it was a race? I just wanted him to get off my blind spot and to take that noisy system away...buzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, I looked in my rear view mirrow and he was maybe 5-7 cars behind me? I could see the shape of his head, but no phone. I turn my left signal on and braked and slowed a little before I reached the slower vehicals. Once I nearly passed the slower cars is when he caught-up with me.
I turn on my right turn signal and got back into the same lane as previous. He passed me going 90+mph. I droped down to 75mph to 68mph. He tried to edge me on for another try by revvving his motor even louder. "I'm like, sorry buddy....it's over. He turned off at Dos (something) city and waved as he took the off-ramp. I guess he had something under the hood. He's car did take off rather fast at 90mph.
At local Video store: "hey ain't that a Ferrari kit"? Me.....No.
Officially this story is: Pre-choptop......Incognito experiences, hehehe.
A 1988 red GT fastback in Oklahoma bearly attracts attention, but a few look for just a 1/2 second and turn away. Incognito? Yes. In Joplin, people at a Waffle House looked out the window due to the N* motor ideling. While in St. Louis some notice it at a gas station and commented on the brakes and the car. I 'd showed one guy working at gas station in Springfield MI, a pic of the silver chotop. He said, "damn!" In Chicago, one lady thought it was a new car but, she can't be counted due to here being drunk. I will compare this pre-chop experience once I get the 88 from Archie. And on another note:
Got a 88 GT titled last Friday in Oklahoma City. It was getting close to 4:30PM and I wanted to get there before they close for I knew it was gonna be a long wait. Anyway, my friend said, "that it's really no problem, we will get waited on with-in a few minutes." The DMV closed at 5:30PM. Little did I know that Oklahomians have a totally different system when it comes to titleing a car. Oklahoma uses a privite or separate service for various DMV services. One of which is new ownership, registration and so forth.
Had I been in California, the wait would be nearly 2-3 hrs for sure. Less if you arrive 15 minutes before closing time. It's been my experience that they want to get outta there so the lines somehow speeds up? Also OK doesn't have the over-bearing vehical inspection like CA. As long as it passes the tail pipe...no problem. In California? They want to inspect, poke around, and make you bow down to them.
[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 10-19-2004).]
i have to say madcurl your car made me decide to take the leap and chop mine, i think i mentioned that before. but still so far my only experience in my chop is. wow my head sticks out the top... so i lowered the seat studs. but i cant wait till spring so i can finish this thing and get it on the road.
i have to say madcurl your car made me decide to take the leap and chop mine, i think i mentioned that before. but still so far my only experience in my chop is. wow my head sticks out the top... so i lowered the seat studs. but i cant wait till spring so i can finish this thing and get it on the road.
justin
How tall are you? Go back to the first page. Some have commented on their height. I'm nearly 6' tall (1/4" short of 6') and I have no problem. Archie is the only guy I've meet who is taller than 6' and he fits. Several years ago I asked Archie for alternatives regarding "droping the seat" more? He can cut and lower the drivers floor but he doesn't recomend it. No protection from outside elements if you hit something in the road.
I go into a local Chevy dealership in Morgan Hill CA to check-out the new 2005 Corvette lights. One of the sales person trys to get me to buy a 54g Vette. The mark-up is nearly 7-9 g's. "Yeah, right." was my response to that. Anyway he asks why I'm getting 2005 Vette lights w/o having one? I guess he thought I was going to change over to them on a older Vette, I guess?
I was cousious at first.......I was having fashback of talking to Ferrari dealers. They want your sperm count and DNA just to buy the emblems. I tell them it's for a Pontiac Fiero. The young kid didn't know what that was. I showed him a phone pic. He notice the Z06 brakes and the body. I guess he liked it but I'm a "no-sell" person to him. Next.
I went inside and another guy inquired. I did the same thing but his response was, "so it's a mutt, right? Parts from various cars." I'm like, "yeah I guess you can say that." "Some of the parts orginally where from different cars." He was somewhat shocked that Fiero owners install them. I was nice and didn't respond with a verbal attack, hehehehe. I got a discount so I had to be nice, hehehehe. After I get my headlights, I'll then tell him whats on my mind.
He asked me to stop bye with the Fiero. EDIT: Oh yeah, none of them notice that it was chopped.
[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 11-03-2004).]
I go into a local Chevy dealership in Morgan Hill CA to check-out the new 2005 Corvette lights. One of the sales person trys to get me to buy a 54g Vette. The mark-up is nearly 7-9 g's. "Yeah, right." was my response to that. Anyway he asks why I'm getting 2005 Vette lights w/o having one? I guess he thought I was going to change over to them on a older Vette, I guess?
I was cousious at first.......I was having fashback of talking to Ferrari dealers. They want your sperm count and DNA just to buy the emblems. I tell them it's for a Pontiac Fiero. The young kid didn't know what that was. I showed him a phone pic. He notice the Z06 brakes and the body. I guess he liked it but I'm a "no-sell" person to him. Next.
I went inside and another guy inquired. I did the same thing but his response was, "so it's a mutt, right? Parts from various cars." I'm like, "yeah I guess you can say that." "Some of the parts orginally where from different cars." He was somewhat shocked that Fiero owners install them. I was nice and didn't respond with a verbal attack, hehehehe. I got a discount so I had to be nice, hehehehe. After I get my headlights, I'll then tell him whats on my mind.
He asked me to stop bye with the Fiero. EDIT: Oh yeah, none of them notice that it was chopped.
That is when you bring your beast to the dealership and tell them to witness the thickness. They will be in awe.
One young kid outside Springfield, MS. did know that it was chop'd. More heads were turning to look at it vs. non-chop'd. Once again drivers were in my blind side a little longer. One guy in Oklahoma City caught-up with me and gave me the thumbs-up.
Reactions: Hmmm.......a mixed response. Most knew it is a Fiero. A few heads turned and looked a little longer. So the question is why "most" knew it is a Fiero?
1. No hood & deck modification? 2. No front spoiler? 3. Higher stance (ground clearance)?
Granted, both car's being the same once leaving Archie's....IMO it's mainly the hood modifications that seem to have thrown-off unsuspecting people and not due the car being choppped.
IMPORT Tuner observations:
While in Bakersfield at Applebee's restaurant, I passed 8-10 young kids with tuner cars. I wasn't on the gas as I passed them in the parking lot, but they all noticed the car's V8 sound. I parked at the opposite end of the parking lot. As I sat I looked through the restaurant's window and 8-10 people were surrounding my car. From the looks of it, they were looking at the N* logo in the back and the Corvette brakes. The car was completly covered in salt, mud, and bugs but they still looked at the car for 20-30 minutes.
I don't know exactly what they were talking about, maybe they were looking for a big fart can in the back, stickers, or sound system? I will continue to view peoples reactions while I drive #15.
[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 11-15-2004).]
I was comming from Oakland CA late last night heading for the Bay Bridge. I decided to stop by a "In n Out" burger joint in Daily City for a bite to eat. It's about 2300 hrs so there is a Tuner crowd gathered inside so no one notices the chop. After I whoff'd down the burger and fries I head out to the car. At this time the tuner crowd was outside checking out each others ride for stickers and fart cans, hehehehehe.
Chop #15 was in "Incognito" mod as I got inside the car. The kids didn't know it was there until I started the car. From inside of my car, I could see them looking throw my rear view window with the "Pontiac" icon in the back. I rev'd the gas a little as I left. No one gave chase.
Earlier that evening, at a local record shop. A guy stated that the car sounded "healthy." He knew it was a Fiero but it looked "lowered and different than other Fieros." I said, "ummm....... I don't know but it has a V8 in it."
My next door neighbor's wife wanted to drive it while her husband was away. I told her, "I don't want to get you into trouble." My aunt love the red one better than the Silver one. It reminded her of the red 1960 -ish Pontiac Firebird she had many year ago. I think some women like the color "red"?
[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 11-17-2004).]
Local P.D. waiting in a darkened Shell gas station decides to pull me over. I know they offen lay in wait for motorist unawhere of the P.D. locations. I was going 35mph, the speed limit on 92 hwy. As I stop at the red light he pulls out behind with he's lights off. The light turns green, he follows. He flicks he's light on and next siren. I pull into locat shopping area.
Officer: "So I heard you been driving irradical." Me: "That's a lie." Officer: "Let me see your driver license."
A few moments later, another squad car arrives with barking dog. The officer lets the dog out of the car. I could over hear on the radio that it's (me) has no priors and its a OKC plates. One of the officer realizes that it's a guy he see's around town. The first officer give me my driver's license back and I leave. I rev on the gas before leaving. I was pissed!
Why pissed? Just one of those ways in which P.D. uses for pulling over people w/o committing any wrong. With out of state plates makes me a easy target too. END of RANT.
last night I showed up at a local dealership to checkout the new Crossfire's gas and break pedels. A 54g car and w/o cup holders! The Dodge Viper shift bezel will be on the list again for #15. The salesmen keep going by #15. I had to show them what was in it. One of the salesman had a Fiero 85 which was stolen.
[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 11-18-2004).]
I'm gasing up at a local Chevron filling station and the stall next to be there is a lady who is starring at the chop. After she fills up, she says,"nice car,isn't that a Fiero"? I say , yes. She is some what puzzeled because, she says it looks longer. She looked for about 5-8 minutes. I finally told here it's chopped. She said she used to race cars. She was shocked that it had a V8 in the back.
On market Street in San Francisco, the traffic was very heavy with pedistrians due to the SF Auto show. Several people while passing kept looking back at the car with a puzzeled look on the their faces. A older guy (80 yrs old) who worked at a car wash thought it was a FORD. He asked was it a V8? I showed him that I have a N* and that there are guys who put LT1 in a Fiero.
I go into Auto Zone for a oil filter but the store wasn't open until 9am so I left the car there and went arcross the street to Jack-n-Box. Came back 15 minutes later, the parts guy said people were all around my car asking him all type of question. I told him that I was sorry about that.
Here in Sweden we don´t have that many Fieros so I got comments even when driving my blue -87 GT
But when I drove to a friend too show the new choptop Fiero. Got out of the car. Snaped off the steering wheel and was going arround the car to say hello to my friend his next door neighbour asked me what ferrari model that was. Told him that it´s a Pontiac Fiero GT and he said that he never seen a car like that before. Told him that this one is the only choptop in sweden and 5" lower than my last Fiero. Last one was standard GT. (Choped 2.5" and lowered springs 2.5") His guess of the price for this car was way over the price I payed!!! Low car = High price......
My friends comment was, here to make me jealous again? He didn´t think it was a Fiero at first. Had to tell him about the chop and what was done on the car.
Gas station babe... Nice car. Whats that? Fast aa?
[This message has been edited by Sharkman (edited 11-23-2004).]
Well, I was to spend some time with family members in Fresno CA. Most were expecting #11 and were a little pissed that I had the red chopper. I was able to roll-in w/o anyone noticing the Fiero. Once I got back to the Bay Area, I stopped at Micky D's for a ice cream cone. Several teenage kids (3-5) walked around the car tring figure out what it was. I could tell that one kid was saying it's a Pontiac! The kid with the wrap around his head was shaking his head like, "nahh, can't be."
After a few trips around the car they came back inside Micky D's. They all went outside once again to check it out one more time. I think they were confused? They were looking at the Fiero crest on the hood, Pontiac on the tail-lights, Corvette on the brakes, and the 32-valve N* logo in the back. Good thing the kids wasn't on drugs because, they were about to flip-out. I didn't have the heart to tell them what it was, hehehe.
While comming home late one night, a officer was looking a a abandon car on 92 hwy. I was driving behind a slower car as we approached a red light. I shifted to D2 which causes the engine to rev with a thoathy sound. The officer looked over to see what it was. A few kids in some domestics and imports looked pretty hard tring to figure out what I was driving. For the most part....Turkey week was a non-eventful week.
Too much snow in Sweden. The car is in the garage. Don´t wan´t too risk crashing Europes only choptop... But a relative asked me this weekend if I still had my blue GT. I told her, No I changed that one to a chop, drop, swap Fiero GT.
Looking forward too hear more from you other choptop owners until I can drive mine again.
I drove to DC to visit my sister for the holiday. The trip up wasn't so bad, but the trip back took twice as long as it should have because of traffic congestion. I was driving my '99 Chevy Blazer 5 spd and spent more hours in first and second gear than I did in fifth. (yep, i caught that too...hours.) I spent a lot of that time thinking about Sharona and what she would be like to drive when she gets back from Archie's place.
You folks avar get caught in traffic like that in your chops? I was nervouse about getting rear-ended in the truck, but I imagine I would have had to pull the Fiero off the highway. How about you?
------------------ Dowdian Chopped up, broken down, bashed in 88 GT that I love dearly.
Hmm.......this is a strange one, but here it is: Three guys piss on wall while viewing #15
I'm driving #15 to work. I notice the local skate boarding kids that roam the area. Later on during lunch I approach my car I see a puddle of water on the ground. At first I'm thinking maybe there was a leak or something? But the water was not comming fron under the car but started from the wall. I notice that the wall had three piss stains next to it was a puddle of urine. My guess is, they three kids where looking at the car while all shared the experience of peeing together?
The car wasn't messed with or pissed on, but I did move it once I got back from the restraurant.
Edit: The security guards asked me if I wanted to view the video? Nahhhhhh.....I'll pass. I later re-checked to see if I still have my chrome valve caps? they were still there. Different sizes and ther're not HRE chrome caps....hmmmmmm?
Monday morning at local Starbucks. I'm on my way back to the chopper, a guy in a van next to me follows me and ask, "is that a Fiero"? He looks for about 4-5 minutes in disbelief. Although the car has multi-colors, to him.....it looked good. He couldn't belive that the Fiero looked this good. I didn't have the heart to tell him it's chopped.
He asked if I changed out the motor. I started it for him. He asked, "what is it"? I replyed, a N*, heheheheh. He also complimented me on the IRM rockers and brakes.
[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 12-06-2004).]
damn it, Steve! 
