[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

Looks fantastic... absolutely love the attention to detail.

Hey I like what your doing its looking great. I think you meant the Honda Pilot. The Honda Odyssey had no independent suspension in the back only in the front and the Axles are welded to the frame but... The Pilot had full front and rear independent suspension and they are a serious blast of fun and built like a tank and will take a serious beating. Any way neat to see someone doing this build.

quote Originally posted by artworks: I had a dream. It started when I bought a Honda Odyssey - not the underpowered minivan with more cupholders than seats, I'm talking about the 1980's vintage single seat go kart, the one with a fully independent suspension. I found one on eBay with a 65 HP 4 cylinder motorcycle engine and front suspension off a Yamaha Banchee. I love driving this cart! It'll do 70 MPH in a cornfield, floating over the bumps. I've spent the last several years dialing it in - reworked the steering so it now has positive caster, changed the gearing for better launches, changed the clutch and shifter so a paraplegic can drive it, etc.

Nope, I meant the Odyssey - the original Odyssey's had no rear suspension and a lousy J-Arm front suspension. However they made an Odyssey with a 350 CC engine, reverse gear and full rear suspension. They then upgraded it to the Pilot. My Odyssey has been enhanced with a 4 cylinder, 4 stroke Honda bike motor with sequential trans, widened rear suspension and front suspension off of a Yamaha Banshee quad runner. Here's a picture of me driving that toy:

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

Very weird I have never seen that version of the Odessey. That's cool. Thanks for showing me ;-)

quote Originally posted by artworks: Nope, I meant the Odyssey - the original Odyssey's had no rear suspension and a lousy J-Arm front suspension. However they made an Odyssey with a 350 CC engine, reverse gear and full rear suspension. They then upgraded it to the Pilot. My Odyssey has been enhanced with a 4 cylinder, 4 stroke Honda bike motor with sequential trans, widened rear suspension and front suspension off of a Yamaha Banshee quad runner. Here's a picture of me driving that toy:

New lower control arms for the rear.

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

This IS something completely different. Very nice work.

This is exciting - Alan Johnson at CHRF sent me a video of the Northstar running. It doesn't yet have his custom headers installed, and this is NOT a nitrous run, just proof that...IT'S ALIVE!

Sorry, Photobucket has taken down the link.

http://vid1195.photobucket....ksfree/Northstar.mp4

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

WOW! This thing is going to be a beast. Don't know what part of IL your in but when your done I have to see this in person. I live south of St.Louis and would have no problem driving my Fiero to see this piece of automotive art. Thanks for the pics and updates

I live in NW IL - near Galena. I visited Fierorama this fall in St. Charles but not with the car (obviously). It would be great if I can have it finished for the 2016 Fierorama.

The new wheels came! 17"x8" for the rear; 17"x7" for the front. Please note that they're not done yet. They need to have a hard anodization done for a matte black finish. I'm going with a MIL-A-8625 Type III hardcoat finish with a nickel acetate seal to fill the pores.

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

Well that was an adventure. Yesterday I drove from Illinois to Detroit to drop off the wheels for the hardcoat finish. The weather was terrible and it took me over 12 hours to go 400 miles. But the wheels are going to look great!

"A man has got to know his limitations." Dirty Harry

I will never be a great fabricator. I know a few and I am certain that I'll never be able to match their skill, much to my envy. But I have ideas, and I like to bring them to life. I've been trying to express this particular idea but don't have the CAD skills to show all that I imagine. So I built a 1/2 scale model out of plywood and 1/2" tube. And some recycled cardboard for the spare tire.

It will need some gas shocks to help lift the weight of the tire, and a good way to spread the weight across the 'glass decklid.

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

quote Originally posted by artworks: "A man has got to know his limitations." Dirty Harry I will never be a great fabricator...

Yeah riiiiiight. Very nice 1/2 scale mock up. I can see what you have done there, and can easily envision creating a full size spare carrier. Cool stuff.

The motor is done and ready for shipment! Alan Johnson sent this photo, with the polished cam covers.
The 4T80E trans is also being rebuilt with all good hardparts and a new converter. Interestingly, the factory converter for this engine and trans combination is a 10". Of course, Northstar's like to rev high.

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

Hard anodized wheels are finished!

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

Very nice! What size tires are you going with? That Northstar is sweet!

[This message has been edited by davylong86 (edited 01-13-2016).]

For the rear the tires will be BF Goodrich All Terrain T'A K02 245/65/17; fronts will be the same tire but 225/65/17. The rears are 29.5" tall and 9.8" wide. The fronts are 28.5" tall.

Progress!

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

It's rolling on its own! Well, you still have to push it...

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

Very nice work. Love the spacious shop.

awesome

One of the coolest Fieros out there. Great job and keep sending us updates.

Rob

Check out this video. This is my kind of Fiero owner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReiWG7fquzw

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 02-20-2016).]

The motor and trans are back in the cradle and ready for fabrication of a new set of headers.

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

The stock exhaust never looked so good.

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

very well done so far, love the attention to detail. Hopefully I have the time and funds to do something similar someday! Love the idea of a fiero buggy thing

Don't stop!

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

I love coming back to this thread over the years. I have really enjoyed following the build and lock forward to seeing this BAD@ss Fiero being completed.

You are getting serious close...I am Sure that Fiero can almost taste the sand!

This is an awesome thread- (I love the J) - one question, though... How will you keep those coolant fins clean? Do you think they will get clogged up and bent from road crap /dirt/sand?

[This message has been edited by TheDigitalAlchemist (edited 07-18-2016).]

Great question. The plan is to bolt an aluminum skid plate to the bottom side of the frame rails, with vent holes in the plate for air flow. That should keep the big debris out. I'm glad you like the thread. I only wish I was faster at getting this done. I'm getting old!

I asked Larry Williams of Larry Williams Design to provide me with some sketches of what the car should look like when finished. I really like his work.

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

Really cool build. Thanx for sharing it. ++

Bob

Progress!

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

It looks to good to get dirty lol ! Looks like your on the home stretch on the heavy part of the job. Cant wait to see the paint and interior. Great job

More pics of the tire carrier. This will also be the decklid lift mechanism

[This message has been edited by artworks (edited 07-15-2017).]

What a PITA! Photobucket blocked all of the pics on this build - I've just spent several hours reposting the photos using the Pennock app - thank you Cliff for providing that app!