i'm currently assembling my chop top and the other day the mail man stopped and talked to me and asked all kinds of questions about what i did, what engine it had, horsepower and was really cool. he was a car guy himself. but i also have gotten more than one what i feel is a negative comment. so i'll start and hopefully i'm not the only one. first off my uncle and grandfather keep telling me to sell it, they are like a broken record, it's the only conversation we have any more so i try not to even talk to them. one guy was walking his dog and asked if it was a camaro, not unreasonably because it was half covered. i told him it was a fiero and he said "you must really like fiero's" in what i feel was a negative tone of voice but maybe not. my neighbor came over and i told him about it after he asked and he said " oh man, now your head will be closer to the windshield." my mom came over and immediately points out every flaw in the paint. i guess not a big deal it does need to be buffed but in reality from even 2 feet away i think it looks awsome. so am i the only one or just the only one who will admit it?

Honestly, I think you should finish the job and then contact me to sell it for cheap! Problem solved.

Seriously, until the work is done, there will always be people that can't see beyond the chaos. My wife is an example of someone that has a hard time visualizing something in her head, alot of people are like that so I wouldn't let it bother you. Take your time and do it right, enjoy the process- who knows when you'll do another. Think about all the others you can help down the line by sharing your experience. When people make comments that don't seem to be constructive, they're just trying to tell you that they don't understand, that they can't see what you see. Remember how long it took for you to decide to buy a Fiero, then the amount of time it took for you to decide to take on this project. Then consider that most of these people haven't done that and this is your opportunity to "teach" them what it is all about. To some, this would seem like a waste of time. But remember to take care of you first. You have something that you enjoy, some people are jeolous of that because they never did.

thanks for the kind words F-I-E-R-O. it's not like i'm giving up or anything, i see the humor in the comment from my neighbor and the camaro lover although i do wish my faminly members would show a little respect, they of all people know how many hours i have into this thing. i read all the cool things that some people have happen to them but i don't think they can all be like that. seriously somebody has had to have had some redneck come up to them spouting something about their brothers friends mustang would kill their car. or ask why they spent all that money on a fiero? so lets hear it and hear what you said back to them.

#1 negative chop top comment...

I don't have one

People rarely understand art Josh. Just be true to your dream.

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Some people just don't like Fieros, period. I try to ignore those people.

But even some Fiero enthusiasts don't like chop tops. That's cool too, they are not for everybody.

The truth is that your head will be closer to the windshield. There is nothing automatically bad about that. If you wear your seatbelt properly your head won't come anywhere close to the windshield in an accident. Remember the Cadillacs that had the soft coating on the windshield so that it didn't cut up your face so bad as your head was smashing through it in a wreck? I think a seat belt is a much more elegant solution.

Are you doing the chop yourself or finishing up the car after Archie chopped it? Let's see some pictures

- Jonathan

quote Originally posted by jscott1: But even some Fiero enthusiasts don't like chop tops. That's cool too, they are not for everybody.

I think the chop tops are definatly a love or hate it thing. Personally, I think they make the car look like it was squashed. I think it is due to the windshield being layed back instead of shortening the pillars to keep the angle propertionate to the car. BUT, if you like the look, that is what matters. It is your car.

quote Originally posted by jscott1: The truth is that your head will be closer to the windshield. There is nothing automatically bad about that. If you wear your seatbelt properly your head won't come anywhere close to the windshield in an accident. Remember the Cadillacs that had the soft coating on the windshield so that it didn't cut up your face so bad as your head was smashing through it in a wreck? I think a seat belt is a much more elegant solution.

Moving the windshield closer to the driver is absolutly a safety issue. I don't know if you have seen many crash videos, but a tall passanger if often hit his fase on the glass even with the seatbelt on. The belts stretch, your body contorts and amazingly enough you can easily hit the glass. This is the premise behind the glass being moved forward in the newer cars. The biggest issue is not really getting glass embed into your face, but the fact that your forehead is the first to hit. Forward momentum snaps your neck back, shattering the spine and killing the passanger. The driver is protected by the steering collum and steering wheel. The colapsing ability of it will cradle the driver as the car is stopping. Broken facial bones are survivable, a shattered and compressed neck is not.

^ ^ ^ ^ Well said.

A chopped Fiero doesn't do anything for me either, especially a coupe. Ruins the looks for me.

If you need people to go goo-goo over your car all the time, you'll be disappointed. Build the car to suit yourself, and let others love it or leave it. Don't get all bent out of shape and you'll keep your sanity.

I've butchered just about everything on my car and couldn't care less what others think. But then again it hasn't made it out of the garage yet....... well for a long time. It's kind of the 'club joke' car, and that's fine by me. It will never get done, it's twenty colours, blah..blah...

[This message has been edited by FieroBUZZ (edited 04-19-2005).]

quote Originally posted by FieroBUZZ: If you need people to go goo-goo over your car all the time, you'll be disappointed.

I don't need people to go goo-goo over my car but they do anyway. Even in primer people do a double take on a chop top. I have people that don't even like Fieros tell me that they like the way the chop top looks.

i don't have a digital camera to take pictures with and the dells is right around the corner so i haven't stressed getting pictures posted. if anyone really wants pictures you might be able to convince jeff (fieromadman) to come take some this weekend. i should have the roof back from paint. it sucks the first piece i need is the last one done but i'll still get it finished in time. it's not like i am trying to be negative on the subject i really just thought it would be funny to hear about all the dumb-ass comments some people make.

Everyone has a negative comments around here :-)

I think they're cool as hell............i want one

Hmm.....? Read these daily experiences from choptop owners and judge for yourself.

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/040418.html

Negativety towards the car is usually founded in ignorance. There are over 10,000 of us here who think they are awesome. Know = Love. I hope the rest of the world hates them so I can get another one at a good price.

Just ignor them all. The Fiero is probably the most misunderstood car ever. It's shrouded in misconceptions and groundless negitive facts. All of which, help to keep the cost down when you look for a 2nd one. As for the chopped roof, I too, wish I had one, but they're not for everyone's taste. If you're worried about your head, put a set of 4 or 5 point racing belts in it, they'll look cool too.

i remember when i met seth, don't know his last name, he did his own chop top and we were hanging out talking about how he did his chop and his dad comes out and askes if i wanted to buy it. so i can't be the only one. today i brought some pictures into work to show the tire guys next door the rims and tires i got from them. there was some toothless customer in there and one of the tire monkeys came out and starts telling me to be careful because if i step on the gas the front of the car will explode. i ask why thinking i can catch him telling me the engine is in front or something. the whole time the toothless customer is agreeing with him. he tells me it happened to his buddy in high school. i tell him i've owned two of them for about 10 years now so i'll keep an eye out for it. he starts telling me more of the story and his buddy actually tapped the gas and hit a car in front of him causing the body to break up. so i cut him off, i have a weird ability to do this when i get upset, and tell him "ok, i got it now, he didn't tap the gas, he tapped another car, i got it". and i walked out.

Coming soon,.......

Joshua sent me some pics so we will all be able to see his project.

Buddy keep your head up, screw those idiots ! It's probably not the chop that they hate it's probably just the fact that it is a fiero.

Most of the people you find that don't like chop tops are actually fiero people. Non-fiero people seem to really think it is cool.

Okay guys got the pics, will post in a new thread entitled Joshua's Home brew chop top !

Give me a few minutes to resize the pics and it will be all good ! By the way Joshua pretty darn good job so far.

** Update **

Okay pictures resized. Go here,...................

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/051348.html

[This message has been edited by exoticse (edited 04-27-2005).]