Finale Roadster Build Thread (Page 2/5)
jstricker MAR 25, 01:21 AM
The top cutting was a piece of cake. I taped the rear window on both sides with masking tape and then using my Fein sander with a cutoff blade, went around the window to cut as much of the adhesive as I could. I did this just to get the window out without making a mess in the engine compartment.



I'm going to put another plug in here for the Fein MultiMaster sanding tool. To call it a sander is a gross injustice. I've used it for cutting cured glass, removing windshields, sawing wood precisely, and, yes, even some sanding. The thing is unbelievable in what it can do and if you do any glass work at all you really can't afford NOT to have one. It is nearly identical to the same thing the doctor uses to cut off casts and works with high speed vibrations that will cut nearly any solid object or material but not harm pliable materials, like skin. It will get hot if you hold it aganst your hand, but it won't cut you if you accidentally get your hand in the way. Good machine and very, very well built.

With the top off, these parts are no longer required.



We filled both the windshield header and the B pillars with foam so we'd have something to glass over.




John Stricker
jstricker MAR 25, 01:55 AM
As I said earlier, we made our own front mount glass battery box. We also built a simple but very secure mount and powder coated it chrome. Cables were fine strand welding cables that ran both positive and negative back to the engine from the red top Optima. I'd like to mention here that I have NOT had good luck with Optima batteries at all and won't use them any longer. I know a lot of people rave about them, but after spending way too much money on them for batteries that don't last any longer, if even as long, as cheapo Exides, I'm not throwing my money away on them any longer.




I also removed the shifter, completely rebushed and cleaned it up, and installed Rodney's short shifter.



Here's a shot of a couple of things. First, a new clutch slave cylinder and boot. You can also see how we did the coolant crossover. That's an aluminum pipe and the picture was taken before it was polished. Last, we ran into the common problem with an Archie V8 kit of not having the proper slave cylinder clutch throw and finally decided we actually DID have enough throw on the cylinder itself, but the pushrod was too short. We were going to make a new one on the lathe, but I had a junk 2.8 V6 in the shop and picked up a pushrod from it. After measuring, it was within .050" of being the right length so we stuck it in and it workd perfectly.



The back end is pretty well taken care of so we moved to the front end. Other than new bushings, shocks and ball joints, we weren't really going to do anything there except we cut one coil from the front springs. We later leveled the car using the rear coil overs to get the stance we were looking for. Along with the earlier pictures of the suspension components, here's a shot of one side of the knuckle with the 12" 'vette brakes mounted and everything painted and powder coated.





We also added a rear sway bar. I machined some aluminum plates to lower the rear mounting points just a touch and give a more solid mounting point for the sway bar bushings.



On the front end we start with this



Move to this



A little paint and powder coating




And finish up with something looking like this





The underneath of the car was undercoated, brake and clutch lines cleaned and painted, and the coolant tubes painted with Hi Temp silver paint. Many of the details like the cross members and small items were powder coated chrome as well

[This message has been edited by jstricker (edited 03-25-2007).]

Jake_Dragon MAR 25, 06:04 AM


Very interested in how the supports hold up after some miles are put on it. I think this is the way to go and leaves the underside of the car clean and neat.
BH2OFiero MAR 25, 09:46 AM
this looks great...you do very nice work. be sure to stop by the previous owner's when it's all done to see what his car now looks like. He'll wish he had never sold it.

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jstricker MAR 25, 10:11 AM
Jake,

Which supports? The control arms and things like that? If so, I can tell you how they're going to do.......a little better than paint as long as they're kept clean. The surface, being powder, is actually tougher, but the reflective chrome tends to stain if not kept clean.

I should mention that when I built the car I built it with "SHOW" in mind, and little real, regular "GO". Reason being that since it has no top at all it's pretty much going to have to be treated like a motorcycle and a toy, so inclement weather on the undercarriage shouldn't be a big deal.

John Stricker

quote
Originally posted by Jake_Dragon:



Very interested in how the supports hold up after some miles are put on it. I think this is the way to go and leaves the underside of the car clean and neat.
jstricker MAR 25, 10:14 AM
I'm confused as to which previous owner you're talking about?? The kid that owned the orginal car was having to sell it to pay his DUI fines, that's why I got it for less than 1/2 what he originally wanted. Last I knew, he had been busted again and didn't have a license and won't have a license for another year or two......

There you are kids, a lesson for you, drink and drive and you have to sell all your Fieros and can't drive them anymore. Here ends the Public Service Announcement.

John Stricker
quote
Originally posted by BH2OFiero:

this looks great...you do very nice work. be sure to stop by the previous owner's when it's all done to see what his car now looks like. He'll wish he had never sold it.




reapermedic MAR 25, 10:30 AM
In the picture above, it looks like the swaybar end is attached to the steering knuckle. Might make turning a little difficult.
motoracer838 MAR 25, 10:35 AM
John, in doing your body supports Like Archie, how does the torsional stiffness feel? Do you feel that youv'e given any up?

Joe

[This message has been edited by motoracer838 (edited 03-25-2007).]

dratts MAR 25, 12:54 PM
Ditto motoracer. Mine is an AD355 and I'm not satisfied with the minimal frame reinforcement that was done to mine. Do you have any idea how much weight the frame reinforcement added?
Jake_Dragon MAR 25, 01:41 PM
I was talking about the supports welded in to the rockers and the fuel tank tunnel.