So, I've got this '88 GT that has become my favorite money pit and I'm quite happy with the way she has turned out so far. I thought I might share some photos and a brief history of her. I resized all the pictures to try and aid with the loading speed of our dial up users. I would love some feedback.
So without further a due:
This is our shop, where we build our custom motorcycles.
Here is the inside of the "parts" bays. Can you count how many bikes are in this shot?
Now, this is the '88 GT in late May of this year (2004), when I first got her. As you can see her paint is in the usual bad shape.
I spent a lot of time prepping this car for paint because I had something special in mind, and I wanted it to be worthy of the paint. I was back and forth on the paint color until I actually bought the paint, I used PPG bright white pearl. I also wasn't sure about which trim pieces to paint and which to leave black. By mistake my dad started sanding the deck vents and inside quarter molding while I was at work, so I decide to try it white and repaint it black if I wasn't happy. The same philosophy was applied to the side moldings. In the end I really like the way it looks with the white so I won't be repainting anything black. Here she is in our paint booth during final prep. This around September 21st.
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11:26 PM
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achawkins Member
Posts: 1891 From: Greenville S.C. Registered: Jun 2003
Now here she is in the paint booth just hours before she sees daylight for her first time as a pearl. Now it is September 25th.
There was a Greenville fiero meet scheduled for October the 2nd, and I wanted to bring the new '88 to it so we worked really hard to have the paint finished by then. Here she is on her first day out of the garage.
Notice how high the '88 suspension sits in the front. This was not very noticeable until the white paint was on. This had to be changed quickly.
Now her she is at the October 2nd meet, as you can see I lowered her. Literally got out of the paint booth on Monday, Sanded, Buffed and Polished on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, then lowered Thursday night. Talk about being in the nick of time.
[This message has been edited by achawkins (edited 12-08-2004).]
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11:28 PM
achawkins Member
Posts: 1891 From: Greenville S.C. Registered: Jun 2003
And now here she is in all her unwashed glory, on October 22 2004. I have yet to get a shot that does the paint any justice.
Thanks for taking the time to look in on my progress. I have a lot more pictures at higher resolution of my progress. I am working on plenty of other projects for this car and a couple of other fiero's as well. So I will be updating the threat as often as time permits.
Again I would love any feedback, comments or questions. I even take requests, not really.
------------------ ________Marty
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11:30 PM
timmer Member
Posts: 1266 From: langley/surrey b.c..canada Registered: Oct 2002
Sure, I'll send the pictures when I get home tonight, they are on my laptop.
As far as the lowering, I'm old school about it. I cut 1.5 curls off of the front and haven't done anything to the rear. I'm not sure yet that I'm going too. I wanted that hot rod look, so I wanted it to lean foreword a little. Right now sits 1 inch lower in the front than it does in the rear, plus I have bigger tires in the rear. 235/55/17 as compared to 215/50/17. I really like the way it handles and it still has a good ride, of course, the poly bushings help a little.
------------------ ________Marty
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07:55 AM
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achawkins Member
Posts: 1891 From: Greenville S.C. Registered: Jun 2003
hes not kidding about pictures not doing it justice... when i saw it at the meet i was thinking HOLY CRAP thats SWEET! you can really tell he put some serious prep time into it.
Hey Marty, car looks good with it's new shoes !!! Little hint for a picture. Wait til a pretty sunset in the evening and take a picture. Should let you get a good picture of the "pearl" in the paint. Also , cloudy days make good pictures for some reason. Keep up the good work on her !!!
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Don't know why my sig picture is not working now , grrr
[This message has been edited by Ronnie (edited 10-27-2004).]
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02:38 PM
Oct 28th, 2004
achawkins Member
Posts: 1891 From: Greenville S.C. Registered: Jun 2003
Ronnie, you were the reason I went ahead and put the rims on. I wasn't really down with dropping the coin on those expensive tires, but your car looked so good with the 17's, I had to go ahead and do it.
I'll give the photo's another shot. I've also noticed how good the paint looks on cloudy days, takes the bright white out and brings the pearl to the surface.
------------------ ________Marty
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08:36 AM
mcaanda Member
Posts: 3652 From: Grand Junction Colorado Registered: Mar 2003
Just a quick bump to save it from the archives. I'm installing a keyless entry alarm, with pictures and the dash will be coming out next week to install 6x9's I will also have pics.
------------------ ________Marty
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09:05 AM
Nov 26th, 2004
88gtNewb Member
Posts: 922 From: Surrey, BC, Canada Registered: Aug 2004
Great pics! One question, do your front tires ever hit on the lip of the fender or on the wheelwell? I'm wanting to drop my front to get rid of the 88 front wheel gap and even out the car, but it looks like there's not much room for suspenion travel.
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01:26 AM
Nov 29th, 2004
achawkins Member
Posts: 1891 From: Greenville S.C. Registered: Jun 2003
Originally posted by NotAFieroAnyLonger: the wingless shoot looks great aswell!
Thanks. I have the wing hung in my garage all painted up, but I got these nylon plugs from lowe's to put in the holes on the decklid so that I can sport it with or without. Most of the time I like it without, but on occasion I want it there.
------------------ ________Marty
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01:43 PM
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Jan 10th, 2005
achawkins Member
Posts: 1891 From: Greenville S.C. Registered: Jun 2003
I was just talking about guys repainting there fastbacks and alot of them don't paint the engine vents and the inner panels behind the 1/4 windows. I wasn't sure how it would look, it looks great in the white thats for sure! Nice looking car!!!
Last night as my wife was getting out of her car (Durango) she SLAMMED her door into the car and took a chunk out of the mirror. Then proceeded to tell me that I shouldn't have had my car there in the first place. I was so mad I couldn't see straight. So, it was MY fault that SHE chipped my car!
Care to take a guess on what I did to her this weekend?
RICE!!! AHH RICER!!!! MARTY IS A RICER!!!! lol j/k it looks good. only thing is they are a ***** to keep clean. do you use the white gt as your daily driver?
------------------ '86 Fiero GT My FieroXoticRydz Mid-Rear Madness I am the signature virus, please put me in your signature so I can spread Be Excellent To Each Other" - Bill S. Preston Esquire Ted Theadore Logan
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02:47 PM
achawkins Member
Posts: 1891 From: Greenville S.C. Registered: Jun 2003
Hmm. Is that rice? I just did it because the red paint makes it go (and stop) faster! No not supposed to be my daily driver, but with all these nice days lately it sure seems like it is.
BTW. Kyle, Does your friend with the mr2 want to sell the engine out of it?
Best, Marty
[This message has been edited by achawkins (edited 01-11-2005).]
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03:13 PM
Feb 4th, 2005
achawkins Member
Posts: 1891 From: Greenville S.C. Registered: Jun 2003
I had some trouble out of her engine and thought it was time for a V8 swap, but after much deliberation two cut fingers and a lot of frustration I have her back on the road. Woo Hoo!
damnit... i wished i had seen that you were asking about the mr2 engine... he just sold what was left of the car for 1800 bucks like 2 days ago.... i can find another for you if you would like
------------------ '86 Fiero GT My FieroXoticRydz Mid-Rear Madness I am the signature virus, please put me in your signature so I can spread Be Excellent To Each Other" - Bill S. Preston Esquire Ted Theadore Logan
