Well, almost a year after announcing that I would eventually offer a fairly inexpensive GT40 body kit for a Fiero, I finally have something to show for it. I can't seem to get the photo program to agree with this computer, so here is a link to my ebay auction:
It's a replica of the MkII model. I couldn't resist using the same red/white stripes color scheme as Archie, it just looks so good! While it can't compete with Archies in authenticity, the loss is reflected in the price.
For my first one, I think it's turning out pretty good. What do you guy's think? I'll post some more detailed pics in a day or so when I have access to my other computer.
-Cory
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05:16 AM
PFF
System Bot
James Wall Member
Posts: 181 From: Irving, TX, US Registered: Mar 2005
I agree. A couple of straight on frt and rear shots would help , interior also. Did you buy the body or did you make it . I always wanted to do a rebody with a gt40 kit but the only company that I knew of I didn't like dealing with them.
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07:15 AM
Scott-Wa Member
Posts: 5392 From: Tacoma, WA, USA Registered: Mar 2002
Actually it's an AASP kit like the one below, or a copy of one.
When Cory originally posted that he was going to build these I sent several E-mails of inquiry but he never bothered to reply. I was seriously interested in buying one at the time, but now I'm glad that I ended up buying the IMSA kit from Fiero Warehouse instead. As Archie posted at the time about Corys GT40: "it's cute".
Russ
[This message has been edited by Russ544 (edited 05-04-2005).]
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09:49 AM
netpro55 Member
Posts: 761 From: pittsburgh PA usa Registered: Nov 2004
why is the bumper so high? My friend fran kress has two real GT40's he goes up to watkins glen with all the other Gt40s i think in june. and they dont look like that. no offense ment.
[This message has been edited by netpro55 (edited 05-04-2005).]
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11:33 AM
James Bond 007 Member
Posts: 8872 From: California.U.S.A. Registered: Dec 2002
My first car love is the GT 40. Archies is the closest to authentic looking for a Fiero based one. All the others Ive seen except the old Avengers are way too tall and short. The only way to make it look right with the Fiero is to stretch both the front and rear frames and body to make the proportions correct. The Fiero is about 6 inches too tall (thats a lot) for the length that those kits are. On the real ones the tops of the tires are almost to the level of the hood.
From the about the same angle this is what it should look like. Now if you just want a ' cute ' one like Archie said, its OK.
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05:05 PM
Scott-Wa Member
Posts: 5392 From: Tacoma, WA, USA Registered: Mar 2002
Isn't a GT40 40" to the roof... thus the name? I seem to remember that was the story behind naming the original.
Yes. Archie's GT40 is 40 1/2 inches to the roof. The molds for Archie's Fiero-based kit were taken off of an actual GT40, so outside the vehicle is identical to a real one. The wheelbase between the Fiero and the real GT40 is only off by about 1/2 inch, and that's compensated for by modified suspension components. So, park Archie's GT40 next to a real one, and they will match. Of course, there are many differences between the two of them, but they do not get any closer than that.
I agree. A couple of straight on frt and rear shots would help , interior also. Did you buy the body or did you make it . I always wanted to do a rebody with a gt40 kit but the only company that I knew of I didn't like dealing with them.
I agree, and I plan to take some tomorrow, hoping that the possible thunderstorms forcasted don't show up. I had also been interested in a similar (most likely the same) GT40 rebody for the Fiero, but after seeing a friend of mine get frustrated with the company, and after several of my own conversations with them and seeing some warnings about them on kitcar.com, I decided to just look for one on ebay. When I came across an unfinished kit, that also came with a complete set of molds for building more, I jumped on it with the sole intent of starting my own business.
They were owned by a guy in Canada who had the same dreams, but didn't have the ability. I had worked previously for Regal Roadsters in Madison, WI, so I was already familiar with the business. The molds were in good shape, so I was happy with my puchase when I picked them up. I still had an unfinished V8 Fino project sitting in my garage though, so instead of starting in on the GT40 business, I decided to finish my first project first.
This spring I was finally able to get started on the first car which is what is up for auction. I'm fairly pleased with how this one turned out and I plan to start preparing my molds for fresh body next week. Thanks for the comments James Wall and Godfather.
It looks nice. Are the pictures scaled right? I would leave the Ford off of it and just let people guess as to what kind of car it is.
To be honest, I think I screwed up the primary photo used in the auction (the full car shot) when I was editing the picture. It makes the nose look shorter than it really is. To me it looks better with the FORD on it, a little more authentic, but at the same time I'm interested in what it would look like with just a plain stripe.
Actually it's an AASP kit like the one below, or a copy of one. When Cory originally posted that he was going to build these I sent several E-mails of inquiry but he never bothered to reply. I was seriously interested in buying one at the time, but now I'm glad that I ended up buying the IMSA kit from Fiero Warehouse instead. As Archie posted at the time about Corys GT40: "it's cute".
Russ
Mine is close to an ASPP/NAF kit, but I would consider it to be improved in a number of ways that I thought was necessary after talking to several owners of those kits.
Russ, I just double checked my email address gt40cory@yahoo.com and I never recieved any from you. And the only PM that I recieved on here was from Godfather. I'm sorry if I missed something, but I don't think I ever got what you sent me. Do you remember where you sent it to? I'm happy that you eventually got what you wanted and I apologize if you thought that I was ignoring you.
My body kits do not automatically make someones Fiero as low as an origional, or make the interior look like the origional, or many of the other things that Archies GT4T can do, and it's not meant to. I can spend extra money on the interior and the suspension, etc, to change a number of those things but I'm not trying to fill a nich that Archie has already filled very nicely. I'm offering a body kit that offers the GT40 look to someone who wants to save a lot of money by building the car themselves. Even if someone hired me to build one of my kits on their Fiero it would still save them a lot of money. All things considered, I'm happy that my kit is what it is. It saves a Fiero owner a lot of money, and it allows them to customize the car however they want with the money that they saved (suspension, interior, engine, etc), all while offering the pride that comes with building your own car.
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01:36 AM
madcurl Member
Posts: 21401 From: In a Van down by the Kern River Registered: Jul 2003
Madcurl, having had one with about 1/1/2 inches of wheel travel in the suspension, and feeling every 1/4' stone on the road, I couldnt possibly imagine the ride with those wheels, lmao. It would be like riding a railroad car down the highway
Madcurl, are those custom wheels or straight from the factory? And how does she handle?
dagriff, my are going for right around $5,000 complete with everything to mount the body, except for your own tools obviously. I'm thinking about running a deal on them next month that everyone with interest won't want to miss.
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01:32 AM
Russ544 Member
Posts: 2136 From: S.W. Oregon Registered: Jun 2003
did you know on the 88 miras the Reveres tail light covers say Ford. I don't like ford but I do like th GT. If you could make one that looks like a real ford gt I would keep the ford badge.
I have the 8th Fiero GT40 MKII kit sold by NAF (North American Fiberglass) ... later known as ASPP. I ordered it in late 1989, and drove out to Mesa, AZ to pick it up in 1990. After I built it, ASPP used my car as part of their display for a couple years at Carlisle. The top of my roof is 44" off the ground ... car has been lowered, but the roof has not been chopped. The photos in the eBay link look similar, but I can see some differences ... and the gap between the rear clip and the roof panel is huge.
When NAF developed their kit, they bought the original MKII molds from Holman & Moody in Charlotte. Later, after adapting some bodies to fit the Fiero roofline and making new molds, Lee Holman bought the original molds back from Jack Kube at NAF. Lee had started building a "continuation" of the original MKII, and was selling them for $750K each.
I got a chance to run around Charlotte Motor Speedway (now Lowe's) driving mine while the History Channel was filming Lee's in late 1994. The filming was done during a "kit car" weekend at the track for a special they put together about the GT40. It was a lot of fun running her wide open, and got mine up to 140MPH. We ran the road course during daylight, and just oval under the lights. I guess I had a total of about 10 hours of track time available, but only used 6 hours of it.
My next project with my Fiero-40 is to swap out the engine with a Northstar I've acquired.
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08:51 PM
avengador1 Member
Posts: 35468 From: Orlando, Florida Registered: Oct 2001
Never mind. I just bought one of your kit cars and it will cost me $1500 to get it in the condition you described. Thanks for not answering my emails for the last 4 weeks. Oh, thanks also for the "nothing is wrong, ready to go" description on the forum. Yes - I do tend to believe what people tell me - especially when thier business depends on their honesty.
Well, I just replaced the rear bearing, rotted rear-view mirrors, trans mounts, re-connected the motor mount, had the wheels aligned (steering wheel was pointed to the right and pulled badly), repaired the door locks, changed out the milky brake fluid (brakes pulled badly to the left), fixed the wipers and put in wheel spacers so the rear wheel would quit rubbing against the water pump. I still need to fix the rear tail lights, tachometer, heater blower, headliner, front bearing cover (falling off), axle seals, adjust the door panels/deck-lid and hood so the rest of the paint won't scrape off and figure out what to do about the paint chip that was scotch-taped back onto the hood. The paint scraped off of the deck-lid, doors and hood will require a new paint-job. One of these days, I will find out why the guage shows the engine heating up to 300 degrees, too, since it is not safe to drive that way. The number of sanded/painted rust holes in the engine compartment were unexpected. The loud rattling noises coming from the front end when going over bumps must be standard for a "nothing is wrong" Fiero, too.
I know I forgot to mention something else... Oh - how about delivering the car 15 hours later than promised - without a phone call until the day AFTER you were supposed to deliver it?
I paid $10k. Did I get a good deal? Yes- the parts cost more than that. Did I get what I thought I was paying for? Not even close. Did you already spend my deposit? Yes - you said that you needed it to pay some bills a week prior to delivery, so how could I not take delivery? Did you give me any $ back when I told you all these things? No - you said to live with my decision to buy (among other "manly" things that I won't repeat...yet), and that is what I am doing. I shouldn't have to live with the fact that you decieved me, though. There was no way to know that all of these things were wrong with the car when you dropped it off. I bought it from 800 miles away because I thought you were an honest businessman. In my opinion - I was wrong to believe that. Even Archie suggested I do business with you. I bet he thinks twice now. Others can make their own decision.
I am a very honest person. I just sold a Fiero on eBay this month and when I found that I forgot to mention that the oxygen sensor might need replacing, I told him that I would take $100 off - and included a new sensor.
Have I gone on long enough, Cory Reynolds? Yes. All I ask is for some $ back to make things right and I will remove all posts regarding this bad deal.
By the way, you still have not sent the documentation, brackets or other items you promised you would mail. You also said that you would cover me when I found out what was causing the loud banging noise under acceleration. Well, it's the loose engine mount and bad trans mounts. When will you be covering me for those parts and the labor involved?
Again, thanks for nothing. I didn't plan to do this much work. Had you been honest up front, I would have never bought this car - whether the parts are worth more than the total cost or not. "Nothing wrong, ready to go", huh?...
I promise that nothing here has even been slightly exaggerated. I did all this without any name calling. I wish you had done the same.
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12:11 AM
Saxman Member
Posts: 5151 From: Melbourne, FL Registered: May 2005
"Saxman, PM sent. It has all of the standard leg and head room of a regular Fiero, which is already good. Nothing is wrong, it's ready to go. Make me an offer."
(edited to add the quote)
[This message has been edited by Saxman (edited 08-04-2006).]
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12:17 AM
Aug 30th, 2005
Archie Member
Posts: 9436 From: Las Vegas, NV Registered: Dec 1999
Originally posted by Saxman: Even Archie suggested I do business with you. I bet he thinks twice now. Others can make their own decision.
A small correction here. I didn't initiate a suggestion that you do business with him. You had been in negotiations with him & you EMailed me saying you were going to his place to inspect the car &/or pick it up when you bought it. you asked my opinion of him. Based upon my dealings with him, meeting him twice & never seeing anything bad about him from others. I gave you my opinion of him & at that time my opinion was that he was a good guy. Obviously my opinion has changed since then & I'm sorry for any part that my opinion may have had in your decisions. I find it sad that you didn't actually go to his place to inspect the car, as you indicated in your EMail, before you sent him $$$.
As I've told you in a couple of EMails & in a couple of your threads, I'll be happy to try to help you find answers, if you want to call on some of the issues.
I hope you do get some satisfaction from him because it appears you were mis-led.
Archie
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12:10 AM
PFF
System Bot
Saxman Member
Posts: 5151 From: Melbourne, FL Registered: May 2005
I did not mean to insinuate that your answer bothered me. I knew that your dealings with him were limited. I just wanted to get a feel for the guy. I originally intended to go to Madison and drive the car back to DC. Now I know why he offered to deliver - because it would have NEVER made it to DC.
I appreciated your honest opinion of the guy (at the time). How would you really know?
I will be in touch. Thanks for the offer. You have offered help on this before - I have just not had the time to call you during normal hours. I have a lot of questions since the GT40Cory has left me high and dry for so long. I need to buy the video and instructions that came with the interior, body and SBC install so I can figure out how to fix this mess.
Honestly, Archie- No slam on you intended. You do great stuff for the Fiero community. Your Finale roadster has my interest! I hope I can have a beer or two with you some time. If I win the lottery - I will be buying one of your GT40 cars!
Andrew
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12:23 AM
Archie Member
Posts: 9436 From: Las Vegas, NV Registered: Dec 1999
Archie, you are Da Man! Thanks for taking care of me when you didn't have to. I wish a few more people would run their business like you do!
The tapes have already helped me fix problems with Cory Reynold's Fino install (he still has not responded to my emails - two months later). Time to get to work (again).
I see that GT40Cory is back on the forum again. Still no replies to my last emails. Still no parts/instruction mailed as he promised. Still no refund of $ for deceiving me on this sale.
Buyers beware! Sellers - get your money first!!
By the way - Archie RULES!
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10:47 PM
Jan 19th, 2006
Saxman Member
Posts: 5151 From: Melbourne, FL Registered: May 2005
