My Quad 4 swap/resto/mod project is officially 10 years old today and I still have a ways to go before it’s on the road. I posted about it in my build thread but then wondered how long the rest of you have been working on yours. So what’s your story?
Technically my project began in September 2010 when rust finally ate enough of my GTZ to convince me to find a replacement. I joined Pennock’s in December of that year (as Quad Raider). I found the Craigslist ad for the Fiero I eventually bought at about the same time. On January 1st, 2011, my brother, our two sons and I drove over to Fayetteville, Arkansas to look at it. What a tired old car it was, but I wanted it so bad.
The original owner was still very attached to the car but it had too many problems and she was ready for it to go. She was glad it was going to someone who’d love it as much as she did. The car wasn’t running when I bought it so I’ve never actually driven it, but I do love it.
It’s amazing how something like this can change your life. In some ways it seems it can’t have been 10 years, in others it feels as though it’s been 20 years.
[This message has been edited by Quadfather (edited 01-01-2021).]
I joined Pennock' Fiero forum 12 years ago with the aim of purchasing a Fiero shortly after. Living in Canada in the rust belt and with the relative cost of shipping compared to the cost of the car to get one from a none rust belt area it was only a bit over a year ago when I finally found a half decent one locally. It really just needs alot of 'love' and was hoping to get it done over one winter but I will at least be into 2 years before it is back on the road again. So I am hoping it will not spill over into year 3. But I actually do like working on it and there will still be plenty of things to do on it once it get it registered for the raod.
My LS4/F40 Fiero has been a work in progress for over 10 years...
May 2010 - Sourced 2007 LS4 with 18K miles Sep 2010 - posted video if my LS4/F40 starter solution Oct 2010 - sourced rust free 88 chassis to build LS4/F40 Mar 2011 - designed and machined LS4/F40 flywheel Oct 2011 - developed 13" brake kit for the 88s. Jan 2012 - developed a rod end lateral link kit using off-the-shelf parts - open sourced the details Feb 2012 - developed Lateral Link Relocation Brackets for 88s & relocated top of struts 1" inboard Feb 2013 - first engine start Mar 2013 - first drive Jun 2013 - first round of suspension upgrades (lowered, coilovers, lateral link relocation, rod end lateral links), attended the 30th Anniversary Show Jul 2013 - put down 382 whp and 334 wtq on dyno Sep 2013 - attended LS Fest, Jul 2014 - developed upgraded F40 shifter kit and reverse lockout, installed Koni rear struts Sep 2014 - rebuild entire front end with new ball joints, inner/outer tie rods, rack bushing, poly bushings and front Koni shocks Aug 2015 - ABS headliner, interior panel sound deadener, and developed method to use AR cruise module with DBW pedal for working cruise control. May 2016 - machined billet belt tensioner arm, interior beautification - fixing warped/delam console, painted door panels and dash, door hinge and power windows using rodney motors, wheel/tire upgrade (17x8 w/ 235/40/17 and 18x9.5 w/ 285/30/18) Jun 2016 - Long hauled HRPT Jun 2017 - Long hauled HRPT Aug 2017 - 3.09 final drive upgrade for the F40 Jun 2018 - STM hood vent install and mustang rear wing Jul 2018 - Addco sway bar upgrade front/rear Aug 2018 - 35th anniversary show Jun 2019 - Long hauled HRPT and car was noticed by Hot Rod: https://www.hotrod.com/arti...-hot-rod-power-tour/ Sep 2019 - DoD lifter failed after 55K miles of abuse... time for more power.
2020 upgrades: Engine torn down, honed, rings gapped, new bearings and converted to 24x from 58x DoD delete & Tick Stage 2 Turbo camshaft 219/223 .617/.595 LSA114+3 CNC ported 799 heads from Texas Speed Ported Dorman LS2 intake S369-SXE install - modified front LS6 manifold, modified truck rear manifold for turbo Tubular rear cradle Billet water manifold and new accessory drive layout.
Your whole car is fantastic but I love the hood vents the best. They’re the right size, shape and location to make them look like they came that way from the factory.
Originally posted by fierosound: Tell us MORE about this.
Right now it looks like this, but still needs some suspension tabs as well as a couple of braces. It is made from 1 3/4" .120 dom tubing. The primary reason for it is for turbo clearance under the stock trunk area. It also simplified the attachments for the motor and transmission mounts. Several more pictures here: https://www.fiero.nl/forum/F.../HTML/000123-41.html
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Originally posted by Quadfather: Your whole car is fantastic but I love the hood vents the best. They’re the right size, shape and location to make them look like they came that way from the factory.
Originally posted by fieroguru: I pulled out the spare hood and STM hood vent and started cutting and fitting. Here is the test fit and final location. The sides of the hood vents start at the center of the headlight covers and flow backwards from there. The vent insert was cut to follow the body lines of the hood, but I cut the side to make them square and 26 1/4" wide to match the leading edge width (this helps with bonding strips). In this picture I have already cut the vents open to make them parallel to the face of the hood and open a little further back.
Originally posted by hyperv6: Cars are never finished.
Specifically, *old* cars. My daily is done, inasmuch as the only mods I've ever done (and ever will) to it are rubber floormats.
But the Fiero, well, either I get a wild hare-brained idea to "upgrade" or "enhance", or something breaks, or something breaks which leads me to a wild hare-brained idea ... or I get tired of the "upgraded enhancement" and put it back to stock. A Fiero is the automotive equivalent of the Winchester Mystery House (those not from central CA, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wi...hester_Mystery_House ).
-- A
[This message has been edited by dremu (edited 01-01-2021).]
Specifically, *old* cars. My daily is done, inasmuch as the only mods I've ever done (and ever will) to it are rubber floormats.
But the Fiero, well, either I get a wild hare-brained idea to "upgrade" or "enhance", or something breaks, or something breaks which leads me to a wild hare-brained idea ... or I get tired of the "upgraded enhancement" and put it back to stock. A Fiero is the automotive equivalent of the Winchester Mystery House (those not from central CA, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wi...hester_Mystery_House ).
-- A
For me I am always on the look out for a new idea. If I am not doing that I am upgrading a stock part that if it is not like new I try to make it such.
As for black cars and showing them there is always something to clean.
All of my Mera restoration projects have taken an average of 7+ years to get them in final form. A lot of this stretched out time period is because of personal time availability and/or money necessary to do a good job on each car.You are never totally done and I always end up making incremental changes/"improvement" as time goes on.
When I started this thread I was thinking about major projects or upgrades, but these responses have all been great.
I thought it would take me about six months to get my Fiero on the road with the Quad in it. Doh. What I should have done was fix the Iron Duke and start driving the car, then address all the issues one at a time while still being able to enjoy driving a Fiero.
I thought it would take me about six months to get my Fiero on the road with the Quad in it. Doh. What I should have done was fix the Iron Duke and start driving the car, then address all the issues one at a time while still being able to enjoy driving a Fiero.
When I make a list of everything I need to do (With any project) I can go down the list checking things off and get a lot done...quickly. If I don't have a list....well, it may take me 3 years to change the wiper blades!
Originally posted by Quadfather: Please point me to this part of your build. I'd love to replace the inner tie rod on the rear suspension of my '87 with a link to the lower A frame.
This was specific to the 88 rod end lateral links... Won't be of much help with the 87.
Oh, on the contrary, it’s a tremendous help. I know the suspensions are different from ‘87 to ‘88, but you’ve proven that I could use the same technology to make a much shorter inner tie rod end that attaches to a homemade bracket welded on the ‘87’s A frame, instead of two feet away on the engine cradle where the stock one does.
I purchased my Black 87GT around the year 2000 and immediately began driving it, showing it and making improvements. You can say that it is a "project" but its only been off the road for about 10 weeks in 20 years and that was when I did the engine swap. The body mods, upholstery and other improvements like the C4 light panel were mainly weekend projects. To get them done quickly I would prepare the parts ahead of time and just install them when they were ready. Its been a full time project but now that most of the work is done, I can now finish the 85 GT ragtop that I purchased in 1994. It has the 4.9L engine swap/auto, a complete new interior, rear Euro light panel and many common fixes (dew wipes, headlight motors etc etc) . It will be on the road this year for sure and I will post pictures.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Well, I started this one in particular in around 1998 or 1999? Actually I started on the project before that, but it switches to this actual car around then. 4.9L delrin suspension bushings. 11 1/4" brakes. and many other mod.s
[This message has been edited by Mark A. Klein (edited 02-02-2021).]
I like where (I think?) you're going with this nose! It looks like you'll be getting rid of the pop up headlights? Is this an Amida piece or something you created?
I started my current Fiero project 3 years ago this spring. There's been some delays, as the guy doing all of the fabrication has other customers he's working on, and while he has a lot of garage space, a good portion of it is for storage of parts and workspace, so the winter months slows things down considerably.
He still hopes to have it on the road this year, so all of the suspension and drivetrain stuff done. I have all the interior from Amida already. Body is going to take the most time. What I want to do is waaaay outside of what I'm comfortable trying to take on. There are a lot of talented fiberglass-throwers here, plus places like Pisa, so once I'm ready to start body work, conversations will be continuing!!
Show AND Go! You can have it all, just need skills and time... or money and patience.
Well, I started this one in particular in around 1998 or 1999? Actually I started on the project before that, but it switches to this actual car around then. 4.9L delrin suspension bushings. 11 1/4" brakes. and many other mod.s 
