Did any one actually figure out how you did the chop top i have read this but it seems that no one has . i have an idea on how but it might not work and may not be how you did it but between the t tops and the windshield is a 3 inch wide strip cut that down to about half as wide . i would cut just behind the wind shield and remove the 1 1/2 inches of material from there back . This is a great Build and it looks great
[This message has been edited by engine man (edited 09-21-2012).]
Did any one actually figure out how you did the chop top i have read this but it seems that no one has . i have an idea on how but it might not work and may not be how you did it but between the t tops and the windshield is a 3 inch wide strip cut that down to about half as wide . i would cut just behind the wind shield and remove the 1 1/2 inches of material from there back . This is a great Build and it looks great
You are on the right track. You cannot cut that much because it will weaken the windshield frame too much. There is a thick metal bottom on the T-Top frame that you do not want to remove also so you can only remove about 1/2 inch in the area you are talking about.
Then did you do it in 3 places first you moved the t top back 1/2 an inch then cut a 1/2 inch up front and kick the bottom of the windshield forward 1/2 inch . This way nothing looks really off
[This message has been edited by engine man (edited 09-22-2012).]
Then did you do it in 3 places first you moved the t top back 1/2 an inch then cut a 1/2 inch up front and kick the bottom of the windshield forward 1/2 inch . This way nothing looks really off
I measured my windshield to the T-Top it is 3.25 inches. I will post picture when I get back to the house next week. You got off track again on your last post.
Well i just wen out and looked at it i think i would just cut the T tops down by 1 1/2 inches and be done with it i dont know if the glass can be cut easy
[This message has been edited by engine man (edited 09-23-2012).]
let me ask this are the side windows cut any different then the normal chop windows and this is a 3 inch chop and you are not shortening the t tops . If you can only remove let say a maximum of 3/4 a inch from the area between the T tops and windshield and you are not kicking the bottom of the A pillars forward then it must move back or there is just enough play from the factory to squeeze the opening down for the t top assembly
let me ask this are the side windows cut any different then the normal chop windows and this is a 3 inch chop and you are not shortening the t tops . If you can only remove let say a maximum of 3/4 a inch from the area between the T tops and windshield and you are not kicking the bottom of the A pillars forward then it must move back or there is just enough play from the factory to squeeze the opening down for the t top assembly
This is the picture I told you I would post for you.
I will use the set of windows I have left. same as in my other Chop-Tops.
After getting the engine out again. I boxed the strut tower to give me room for the belt and pulleys. I still wonder how other get away with not doing this???? Or they did not post it? Not sure but I had to.
I just decided to cut it out and weld back in.
Welding the piece back
I cut this piece out of the dog bone bracket that I removed.
I will have to paint the engine bay before the engine goes back in.
It's not really chopped. It's a figment of your imagination. lol If you need me to come give you a hand let me know!! You going to be able to make it down here on Sat?
It's not really chopped. It's a figment of your imagination. lol If you need me to come give you a hand let me know!! You going to be able to make it down here on Sat?
you know the worst part is it probably is staring all of us in the face but we just cant see due to we are looking to hard
I have always had the attitude of just do it when it comes to cars. I never think about it I just cut it up then I have to put it back together. Don't take it the wrong way I have been known to scrap a car or two in the last 35 years or so. There are always casualties. In the end it is just a car.
After getting the engine out again. I boxed the strut tower to give me room for the belt and pulleys. I still wonder how other get away with not doing this???? Or they did not post it? Not sure but I had to.
I just decided to cut it out and weld back in.
Welding the piece back
I did not cut the tower. I just made two or three "dents" in the places that were to close or touching.
Originally posted by F355spider: Yea I have been looking trying to see what others have done but no luck.
The heater hose hard line that runs in the passenger side front cradle mount box will need to be trimmed back so you can run a hose from it to the water pump connection. Also, you will need to reroute the other heater hose that merges with the lower passenger side coolant tube, as this hose needs to connect directly to the pump as well. The LS(x) thermostats are funky in that the heater circuit flow is what triggers the thermostat to open.
On mine I converted to a conventional thermostat and eliminated all the hose connections down low on the water pump. This allowed me to keep just 1 heater hose connection and keep essentially the same routing as stock 88 fiero.
Originally posted by Rickady88GT: I did not cut the tower. I just made two or three "dents" in the places that were to close or touching.
Thanks for the info. I will take all the help you want to give. You have done some nice work to your car. I think with adding the extra pulley the dents were not enough for me. The good thing I have plenty of room now.
The heater hose hard line that runs in the passenger side front cradle mount box will need to be trimmed back so you can run a hose from it to the water pump connection. Also, you will need to reroute the other heater hose that merges with the lower passenger side coolant tube, as this hose needs to connect directly to the pump as well. The LS(x) thermostats are funky in that the heater circuit flow is what triggers the thermostat to open.
On mine I converted to a conventional thermostat and eliminated all the hose connections down low on the water pump. This allowed me to keep just 1 heater hose connection and keep essentially the same routing as stock 88 fiero.
Thanks, I will check into the thermostat. I would have not thought of that at all. I would like to do it the way you did. Do you have any pictures of how you cut and were on the lines?
Originally posted by F355spider: Thanks, I will check into the thermostat. I would have not thought of that at all. I would like to do it the way you did. Do you have any pictures of how you cut and were on the lines?
It was a lot of work hacking up the water pump and welding it all back together...
I was wondering about the truck alternator; were you planning on adapting the Fiero pigtails to the truck alternator? and are you using the LS4 BCM?
Thanks, The wiring will all be new. There is a company here in San Antonio that builds custom LS harnesses that will use the LS ECM, trans controller and gas pedal, They will build a new harness for the car after I get the engine in it. They will delete the DOD also. I will take the car there then they will get their info they need and make a harness for the car.
Thanks, The wiring will all be new. There is a company here in San Antonio that builds custom LS harnesses that will use the LS ECM, trans controller and gas pedal, They will build a new harness for the car after I get the engine in it. They will delete the DOD also. I will take the car there then they will get their info they need and make a harness for the car.
That is a great service to have close at hand, the closest company to me for that kind of support would probably be Darth Fiero's group. I am at the same point as far as the alternator mounting/belt routing. Your alternator mounting/ belt tensioner is a masterful design looks Great, I think it should work well for my setup as well. Thank you for posting those pictures and part numbers.
That is a great service to have close at hand, the closest company to me for that kind of support would probably be Darth Fiero's group. I am at the same point as far as the alternator mounting/belt routing. Your alternator mounting/ belt tensioner is a masterful design looks Great, I think it should work well for my setup as well. Thank you for posting those pictures and part numbers.
If you go with it you might want to cut out more than I. I had to bang a lot on the firewall to get alt. Clearance.
Wow there are a lot of mods to get that engine in I wonder if it just wouldn't be easier to put it in longitudinal and cut and move part of the firewall 4 inches i know the axles would be out of line . i am just saying thats a lot of work and you are doing a great job
Thanks for the documentation of your work. I'm curious as to how you mounted the alternator. I see that it's rotating backwards, but not how it's mounted. That's pretty novel. I'd like to consider doing that myself.
He fabricated his own bracket to mount it up and out of the way of the heat from the exhaust and to get it a little further away from dust and dirt from the road.
He fabricated his own bracket to mount it up and out of the way of the heat from the exhaust and to get it a little further away from dust and dirt from the road.
Yea what he said. I got the idea from West Coast were they did something similar.
Wow there are a lot of mods to get that engine in I wonder if it just wouldn't be easier to put it in longitudinal and cut and move part of the firewall 4 inches i know the axles would be out of line . i am just saying thats a lot of work and you are doing a great job
Yea I had no idea when I started. How does it go no pain no gain. I seem to always go out on a limb. Just my nature I guess.
<---- did you buy Cliff a beer? 
