That is the most good looking Interior EVER. It's probably (from what i've read) a little more expensive then the Pirhana Interior but i think it looks better...
Beautyful work!
Keep it up guys!
...i still want to see a website (lol)
------------------ Steven Rossi 2M4 Cadero Converted GT
That is the most good looking Interior EVER. It's probably (from what i've read) a little more expensive then the Pirhana Interior but i think it looks better...
Beautyful work!
Keep it up guys!
...i still want to see a website (lol)
Thanks for the compliment. I know Mrfixit58 (Roy) and I have been frantically trying to get our cars finished. Not much time to help with the website. The good news is that we have both taken hundreds of pictures, taken notes, and have drawings for the wiring harnesses and so on. So eventually we can pass on what we have learned.
As for the cost, I know Roy has invested about $500 in the basic F-body swap, mainly getting parts at the bone yard. Me about twice that, because I have bought all my stuff off the internet and absorbed the shipping costs.
So I think you can get an F-body interior significantly cheaper than a Pyranha, (assuming you could even buy one at any price). If I were to do this again I would find someone parting out a Firebird and buy the whole thing at once. I'm sure it would be much more cost effective.
OK guys. It's time for a little update. Sorry for the delay but I've been having problems with PIP. The picture below was at the end of Friday evening. I started stripping the interior at 9:00 AM. That picture was taken at about 5:30 PM. In the shot, the dash, a-pillar trim (unpainted) and homemade dash filler is installed.
Yesterday I installed the console but today I only had time to install the headlight switch. Tomorrow will be another big work day. I update you with some more pictures then.
------------------ Roy :D Just another stock Blue 87 GT Suncoast Fieros
Awesome thread guys! Looks like everyone has a new winter project.
Here is an 84 shifter with the top cut off and the knob on with a set screw. You could grind the weld and make the bend face directly back from the dash. I think the best would be to grind off the post and bend one to whatever shape you like and reweld it on. Would not have to be a Fiero lever so you can dump the thick threaded end.
Hers a pic with the 2 shifters I have for jscott1.
The left is a modded 84, 1 inch shorter, with a 1 inch more placement to the left.
The second is a stock 84 shifter which he will also get.
The third is a stock 5 spd shifter for comparison.
Jelly2m8 is doing an awesome job with the shifter. For those who do the Firebird swap and don't want to cut metal to move the dash forward this could be the ticket. Thanks!!
I am making progress but I am in the midst of my color change (Beechwood to gray/black)
I have all the parts ready to go but it's looking like I will be ready for a test drive by the end of the holiday weekend.
At least the carpet and seatbelts are in. It's not new carpet, (I had to cut costs somewhere) but it looks better in person than this picture would suggest.
Next the trim and then the console will be ready to go back in. Then we'll see if the modified 84 is the right angle or not.
- Joanthan (JScott1)
[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 11-26-2002).]
For those of you who are following my progress... Here's a shot from the left side. Compare this picture with those of Jonathan's (jscott1) car and you'll see how much farther back I was able to get the dash.
The next two pictures are of the sides of the tunnel. The black lines are the cut lines. This meatal was removed in order the get the console to fit under the dash, remain level and have an acceptible arm rest height.
I still have a lot of details to complete before I can reinstall the carpet and seats. But just getting it to this point required about 32 hours of work... and keep in mind that the dash filler and tunnel cover was already done and the console was already trimmed. This is a MAJOR project.
Another thing that I've noticed is that the stock door panels will not work. The panels push the corners of the dash enough to see it move. I've already started modifing a set but I want to complet the dash and console first. More on that later.
I think you should look at something like this. Shorter with the offset or bend straight back rather than to the left like a stock 84.
I am building a V8 Fiero for a customer and he sent me one just like that.
The angle to the left makes it quite awkward as the knob does not sit naturally in your hand. after driving this car with the shifter in it, I find it exerts alot of pressure on the wrist while shifting into 5th and reverse. It is an odd feeling because the shifter feels a certain way in the first 4 gears, but take on a different charastic in the other 2 gears.
To each their own though.
I built jscott1's to his spec, while retaining the tread on the end so that he can screw on his shift knob.
To hide that area, I built a cover out of fiberglass. I combined it with a cover for the portion of the tunnel that the Firebird console won't cover. I made the form out o stryrofoam and covered it with masking tape as a barrier between the foam and the resin. When set, the foam was removed and the tape just peeled off. The fiberglass won't stick to masking tape.
Hope this helps, Roy
yah, that helps, it answered my question. but now you got me wondering what's gonna cover the fiberglass? are you gonna put vinyl or something over it?
Last time I talked to him about it, Mrfixit58 (Roy) had planned to sand it smooth and paint it body color, similar to a C5 Corvette Convertible.
I am still planning to put a much shortened version of the stock console back in place over the computer, (which I have relocated back to the stock location) I haven't done this yet so I'm not sure it will work or not.
I just took the worlds's first Trans Fiero for a test drive!!
It's far from finished, but I have installed all the trim and hence the seats and seat belts. I just set the stock console in for the test drive, but after I get Jelly's short shifter I will install the firebird console. My dash is still "floating" until I get all the parts in then I will bolt everything down. When I get everything finished I'll install the trim plate over the gauges.
My crappy digital camera can't do justice to how it really looks but it will have to do for now.
Kelvin -Thanks for the kind words. When I declare this project complete I am going to list all the forum members who helped me, and you have to be high on the list. There is quite a bit of difference between what I have now and a stock beechwood interior. Not that there's anything wrong with beechwood, just not my preference.
JanusSolSumnus - I haven't taken any pics of the mounting brackets yet. My whole dash is being held in with one bolt right now. After I get the center console installed I will tweek everything into postion and bolt it down. I will take pics then. Also I have a new digital camera on order so those pics will be a lot better.
My original plan was to use the stock console, until I saw Mrfixit58's (Roy's) Firebird console. I don't think the stock one looks bad either, and it's a whole lot easier to install. The firebird console is the most difficult part of the swap because it absolutely requires metal to be removed and complicates the shifter configuration.
I think I'm taking a day off from the garage today but I should have some more progress to show after Saturday.
Thanks for the encouragement everybody. Can't wait to see what Roy has done over the last 24 hours!
- Jonathan (JScott1)
[edited for spelling]
[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 11-29-2002).]
Last time I talked to him about it, Mrfixit58 (Roy) had planned to sand it smooth and paint it body color, similar to a C5 Corvette Convertible.
I am still planning to put a much shortened version of the stock console back in place over the computer, (which I have relocated back to the stock location) I haven't done this yet so I'm not sure it will work or not.
Jonathan (JScott1)
I think It'd be cool if since you have to make that fiberglass thing there anyway you made a custom fiberglass 10" sub box outta it, that'd be really cool. but it's lookin great!
I didn't get to work on the interior conversion today. Instead, I wnet to the Daytona Turke Rod Run & Swap meet. We got there about 7:00 AM and left about 4:00 PM. We never stopped walking and didn't even get through the swap meet nevermind the car corral or the display cars. I only saw thre Fiero related items: two spoilers and a 2M4 for sale. Major score of the day... a MAC phnumatic (sp?) buffer with pad for $10 and it works GREAT.
Anyway, my dash is just about complete. All I really need to do is to modify the right side bracket to clear my factory sub-woofer and install a couple of speed nuts and it's done.
The console is complete except for the custom tunnel/computer cover. I still need to smooth and paint it. I hope to have the above completed by this weekend but time is flying by.
Next on the project list are the door panels. As I mentioned before, I'm taking a different route than Jonathan in that I'm re-designing the Fiero panels to mimick the Firebird's. I've already flattened the panels and am in the process of recessing the area around the edge of the dash. I'll post pictures of the process when ever I figure it out.
Even though this is an interior conversion thread, I had my car outside the garage during daylight for the first time in months so while washing the car I thought I would reveal some exterior mods that I have also been working on:
Fuba betaflex D antenna:
Painted mirrors with turn signal indicators
20% window tint
The stock console is still in with masking tape right now until after I replace the shifter and I am still working on the envoronmental controls, but it doesn't look bad at all, in my opinion.
After I declare the interior complete, next on the agenda are some new wheels and then to do something about that solid roof!
First I'd like to say AWESOME job on the interior, the both of you.. I'm keeping it in my mind as an idea if my 3000GT dash doesn't work out.. Especially the door panels.. Love 'em. My question - do you have any "whole car" shots of your car? I have a VW antenna like that and I just can't decide if I want to use it or not, until I see a whole-car shot with it installed.. I'm a long way from starting my dash, just tooo many projects going on at the same time! Gotta get this engine running...!
------------------ Bob Williams Multi-colored '87 GT, a work in progress! (Got my 3800SC, installation to start very soon!!!)
First I'd like to say AWESOME job on the interior, the both of you.. ... My question - do you have any "whole car" shots of your car? I have a VW antenna like that and I just can't decide if I want to use it or not, until I see a whole-car shot with it installed..
This was the closest I got to a whole car shot with the antenna. It was a pain to install because it's expecting thin sheet metal and not two layers of sheet molded compound and THEN metal underneath it.
But I like the way it looks. I'll try to take a better shot tomorrow and post it.
- Jonathan (JScott1)
[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 11-30-2002).]
I'm still soo very interested in this...however, it does look like it's very involved and time consumeing...i'll do it one day...just as soon as i get money to.
boy i can wait for the website for it...wink wink!
------------------ Steven Rossi 2M4 Cadero Converted GT
Well, I hit a big milestone today. I permenantly mounted the dash. It's mounted across the top to the windshield lip in four locations and across the bottom at the corners and in the middle. Just like in the Firebird.
In the shots, you can see that I've installed the headlight switch and control panel. They BOTH work.
The last shot shows the console installed but without the shifter cover (actually it's just sitting there) and the stock shifter. I put the selector in first gear so you could see the distance from the dash.
Tomorrow I work on the console and tunnel cover.
------------------ Roy Just another stock Blue 87 GT Suncoast Fieros
[This message has been edited by mrfixit58 (edited 11-30-2002).]
[This message has been edited by mrfixit58 (edited 11-30-2002).]
Wow, you guys have done amazing jobs. Both have come along greatly and looks just as good.
What I plan to do will be more complicated but as far as electronics should be simpler. I plan to use a 3800SC genII with a 98'-00' interior(dash, cluster, console, electronics). I want to make the PCM easily accessable so I might try to make a seperated portion of the console and mount it there. The PCM for the 3800SC genII is much smaller than the Fiero one so I think it will work nicely.
Still working on the ownership of a 86' GT, all I need it to get this contract job and I'll be set.
Maybe I can help you guys with the webspace and site, if and when your ready.
Roy, I never knew how close we were, I missed out on Turkey Run unforunately.
A few people have asked me how I made the Firebird control panel work with the Fiero electric dampener system. While examining the Fiero system in the factory service manual I noticed that they represent the control panel as a rotary switch. That got me thinking so I took apart a control panel and noticed that the board has no electronic components, only two thermistors and switches. The rest is just circuit traces. The thermistors are just current limiting devices, like a breaker, in the event that the baffle door get jammed.
Using the service manuals I decided to write down, on one sheet of paper, all the different layers of switching. I found five and the drawing below is how it lays out.
To make it work I found a 5-layer 12-position rotary switch and used the diagram below as my guide. I removed the thermistors from the Fiero control panel board and installed them as shown. When tested, it performed just as the switches do.
I hope this helps,
------------------ Roy :D Blue 87 GT w/ 4th generation Firebird interior. Suncoast Fieros
I just wanted to pipe in and let you guys know that the work you're doing is absolutely awsome. I can hardly wait to see a few completely finished dashes (preferably in person).
Keep up the awsome work guys! It's great to seem some real innovation happening around here.
A few people have asked me how I made the Firebird control panel work with the Fiero electric dampener system...
To make it work I found a 5-layer 12-position rotary switch and used the diagram below as my guide. I removed the thermistors from the Fiero control panel board and installed them as shown. When tested, it performed just as the switches do.
I hope this helps,
Roy has done an excellent job with the Firebird Rotary control. This was another area I had planned on just doing the stock control until I saw his idea. However, from there I diverged a bit.
I am working on a one layer, 6 position switch that will trigger the proper response though a series of relays. The main reason I went that route is that a 6 position switch was the only rotary switch I could find at the Electronics Parts Outlet where I shop.
Also I am planning to have a separate A/C Compressor button like some GM and virtually all foreign cars have. That way I can get cold air on my feet, or bi-level without the A/C running.
Of course Roy's is installed and working and mine is still under construction so we'll see if all that works as planned.
)
