looks like you figured out somn for those dooes.. do you have some closeups of them?? I am more than interested in how you decided to do the doors.
It looks like you fabricated some trim plates and put them on. But then again, this monitor sucks that I am on right now, so its hard to tell if you really did anything to the doors yet.
http://www.tekchip.com/ferrari/fiero_fusion.asp This is the inspiration we got from this post. My friend James Galindo is doing a 1997 240 SX interior, while I decided to go with the Firebird Interior. The site is new, and we are always updating it. Mostly with pictures because that is all the time we have for now.
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I did form end caps, (of a sort) for the doors...for the trip to Daytona I covered the ends with Black Duct Tape. From about 6 feet away it doesn't look too bad. The real end caps will look a lot like that, I just haven't had time to make them yet.
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I have already informed my finincial manager that as soon as I get my GT here, I am junkyard shopping..... Oh that door.....more pics..more info on how to create that...
Great work guys, is there any chance that there can be a install manual created? Esp for the digital dash & the wiring of all the gauges and such?
------------------ ** 86-88 GT comming to a driveway near me **
Mcaanda, Welcome to the forum and to the official Firebird Interior swap thread. If you look at any recent post for Mrfixit58, in his signature he has a link to the tech tech section where he talks in detail about his swap.
My swap is not completed yet, and since I am, (so far as I know) the only person to attempt the Firebird door panels, this thread contains all there is to know about it.
In a nutshell you have to trim about a foot off the rear of the panel a triangular section off the front and relocate the door latch mechanism. The upper and lower dimensions are close enough that you don't have to do anything. I'll be glad to help in any way that I can.
Most of my wiring diagrams are hard copy only. If you need something specific I can scan it for you. Good luck.
- Jonathan
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Nothing to report on the door panels, but for those who saw my car at Daytona recall that I was only days into my DVD install on top of the dash...
The temporary cover consisted of cardboard and black duct tape. Well I have just about completed the custom piece to close out the area on the top of the dash.
It should be painted and installed in the next couple of days. The door panels are next.
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That looks pretty good for someone who's never done something like that before. You may have a little problem at the edges and may need to feather it some more. Did you rough the plastic up real good before applying the filler so it would hold better? Are you going to paint it yourself of have someone else do it? I recommend using a 2K high build primer and blocking the area with 220 grit to make it smooth and level. Then hit it again with the primer and 400 grit before painting.
Thanks Roy for the sanding and painting tips. The only way to get the custom shape up top was to go with fiberglass so I had to give it a try. I started with the stock Firebird panel and hand laid the fiberglass over it. I roughted it with 40 grit so it should stick pretty good. Also recall that the stock piece has the vent in this area, so in effect the fiberglass is sandwiched on top and bottom so it is very strong. I will add the stock fiero defroster vent in the stock location from an old fiero dash.
Yeah I know I have a lot more sanding before I can even think about priming. I am still working on the little ears on either end, and I may add tweeters on the a-pillars to hold them down,(even thought I already have dual tweeters up front). I figure if this doesn't work I can always try again on another piece.
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... and I may add tweeters on the a-pillars to hold them down,(even thought I already have dual tweeters up front). ... [This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 04-04-2003).]
Yeah Roy I forgot to give you credit for the tweeter idea. You and I know it was your idea but for the general reader I don't want to mislead them into thinking I stole your idea.
The other thought I had was to modify the a-pillar trim to incorporate a gauge or switch pod like PBJ is doing. Or I may come up with something original
Ours will be there, Is firebird dash only. Factory fiero door pannels and center console
Pete
Unfortunately I won't be able to attend Carlisle. that's a long haul from Texas.
If I ever get subtantially complete I will be compelled to bring Proud-2 to large national shows. It will be the most complete firebird swap in terms of parts: dash, console, door panels, steering wheel, airbag, even sunvisors with the airbag warning label
http://www.chronopulse.com/ferrari/fiero_fusion.asp This is the inspiration we got from this post. My friend James Galindo is doing a 1997 240 SX interior, while I decided to go with the Firebird Interior. The site is new, and we are always updating it. Mostly with pictures because that is all the time we have for now.
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Will you look at this!! Another Firebird swap into a Fiero, and done dramatically in red and black. I'm definitely going to add some color to my interior before all is said and done.
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Thanks for the plug Jonathan. The link in my signiture will walk you through the basic requirements to install the dash. The electrical for the environmental control panel and the headlight switch are posted in this thread (don't remember which page).
Hey guys, I've been gone a long time. I've moved, graduated and since had a change of passions.
The Fiero has now moved down the list in light of a 01' Bullitt Mustang project. My deal is I need a good show car to premiere my shop with and the Bullitt with my plans seems to be the best idea. Under all of that will be a 5.4DOHC and a specially tuned suspension. However, after coming back here the love of the Fiero has once again touched me and I am torn. Between fighting the ideas of these two I have the plans for a 46' Ford chop-top coupe with a 4.6L Ford modular V8 with a Cobra IRS suspension...
If I do manage to put the Fiero ahead of the Bullitt I have my list already made for a complete redesign of the suspension, a 3800 Series III S'charged engine, 00' GTP interior, "Liquid Metal - Prime Time Red" paint, and many other little things. I dont go in 1/4 of the way... I either spend to much or dont spend anything.
agh, enough of my rambling for tonight. I'll post some more tomorrow. I'm glad to be back and see the regulars again, if you guys even remember me...hehe
Nite, ~Kirs
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Kris, Glad to have you back and checking on this old thread and keeping it alive.
I still have not substantially completed my Firebird Interior. This is taking almost as long as the Smoooooth GT
I haven't been able to touch it in a month, but in this shot from the Texas Round-Up in San Antonio I have roughed in the fiberglass piece on top of the dash:
I am expecting to get a lot done this long Memorial Day Weekend and should have some interesting things to show.
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Anyway, that was last weekend and that was my weekend to install the T-tops. Despite the warnings from MrFixit58 I started a new project before finishing the old one, but they look good.
Now I have a whole new slug of work to get completed before I can turn my attention back to the door panels. I am in the middle of painting the interior trim for the T-Top, then I have to re-do the headliner. Put the quarter windows back on and then I can jump back in where I left off.
The fiberglass filler piece for my dash is nearly complete. After that experience I am planning to make the end caps for the door out of fiberglass as well.
Another milestone today was I passed the Texas Motor Vehicle Inspection, including the new (for my county) emissions testing. It's been a year now since I bought Proud-2 and this was it's first inspection since undergoing the Firebird conversion. I was a little nervous, but it's always fun when the inspector can't figure out where the engine is!
Jonathan
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I did not look at any other cars. I actually bought a firebird dash thinking that I was going to use it as the basis for a custom dash. To my surprise it fit almost perfectly so I decided to do the whole firebird interior. Unknown to me at the time was that MrFixit58 was working on the same thing. As far as I know we were the first to try it.
Here's a couple of photos from my recent headliner installation:
I just picked up a v6 cluster for the firebird dash when i removed my dash form my 86 z-28 i will trade it for a v-8 firebird cluster. Email me at scottsterr@hotmail.com Also the dash i pulled has some cracks in it does anybody know how to repair these well?
My latest project thanks to Mrfixit58 and PBJ was to raise my steering column. The one part of my swap that I wasn't completely happy about is the gap that I had above the steering wheel.
When I first started my swap my goal was to not cut metal. I did the best I could with those groundrules but the gap remained. After seeing what Roy and Pete did on their Firebird dashes, and now that I'm not afaid of the sawzall anymore I decided to modify the column.
First I duplicated the bracket that Roy made. I had to relearn how to MIG weld and it's not as easy as it looks.
Then bolt it into place:
I didn't remove as much of the metal as Roy did, because my dash didn't have to go back as far.
And here is the result:
Now to get the car ready for the Red River Ruckus Redux in less than 2 days!!
------------------ If you find my advice useful, then please give me a positive rating, thanks... 1988 GT (Firebird Interior) 1988 Coupe (Daily Driver), 1985 SE (Project Car) Recent Addition 1985 Coupe (parts car) Firebird Interior Installation Website
First I duplicated the bracket that Roy made. I had to relearn how to MIG weld and it's not as easy as it looks.
Not sure if this is any help now, but a few tips for future welding. First, it doesn't look like you cleaned your surfaces before welding, which makes things MUCH more difficult. Ideally, you want to remove any paint and the galvanized coating on the materials you use. If you've got a bench grinder, this only takes a few seconds and makes your weld penetrate much better. Another thing to keep in mind when welding any galvanized materials is that the coating emits a *nasty* gas when it heats up, and I'm not just talking about the smell. That gas is toxic and should be avoided at all costs...the stuff will make you sick pretty easily if you expose yourself to it.
Perhaps you removed the bracket after a trial fit and did this, but another thing to keep in mind is that you should always put a coat of paint over any freshly welded parts. The weld and surrounding area will quickly show surface rust if you don't protect it, even on the inside of a car.
I'm VERY impressed with your install, definitely at the top of my list of cool dashes. I applaud you guys on selflessness in excellent documentation; although it may double your time invested in the project, it will surely save others countless hours and improve the Fieros in general.
Thanks for the compliments! It may not be obvious in the pictures but the dash had to come completely out to do this mod. The bracket bolts in through the top with 4 inch long bolts.
I am frantically trying to reintergrate the dash and will take pictures when it's all complete. If you scroll up near the top of page 12 it will look a lot like that, (but without the gap above the column).
One of my brackets doesn't seem to be fitting right after the column move and has to be redesigned. Other than that my dash is pretty much back where it was before, only the column is higher. It makes getting into and out of the car a lot easier too.
Wow, has it been that long since I satarted this tread???? Well for those who were interested in a kit for this conversion I have some bad news to tell. I do not think that I will be doing a kit so that anyone may install a Firebird dash into thier Fiero. After many months of research and work, and development I have decided against it for cost reasons. What I have come up with is this, the kit to allow you to install a Firebird dash would cost between $750.00 - $900.00, and that would not include the cost of the dash that YOU would have to go find yourself. Most of the cost is from first production run materials and creating quality molds to produce the parts needed. When I looked at the over all price for what you got, and what you recieved I then asked myself would I buy such a kit? I came up with a quick answer of no I would not. With jscott and mrfixit threads and write ups, a few fabricating skills (nothing fancy) the project could be completed, dash included, for a fration of the price that I could offer for a kit that did not include the dash itself. To say the least I am a little dissapointed in this outcome, but like I said would you spend that much for a kit when you could do a one off yourself at more than half that cost?
