quote Originally posted by Alex4mula: Nothing more rewarding than taking a dirty ugly thing and make it pretty. Did you use gloss black on the front compartment? Looks nice

I used Rusteolum Laquer paint from Home Depot. It's about $5 a can.



I have learned a lot from rattle canning parts on the car. I found the hardest part, is to use just the right amount of paint. Too little, and it will not come out smooth. Too much and it will run. I found that I had to put it on pretty heavy, but stop just before it seems like it could run. I didn't think I could get such a nice smooth finish with a rattle can, but it came out pretty good I think. I used it on the brake booster and entire front trunk area.

[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 07-19-2014).]

Was just going through some pictures, and ran across this one. It was taken with my iphone, and it was almost dark, so it's not the greatest picture. It was taken when we changed the automatic transmission, with the engine still in the car. As mentioned above, that was a mistake in the first place! Anyhow, I bet most have not seen an engine in a Fiero like this! With a little more work, we could have actually taken the engine out through the top!




I will say, that the proximity of the engine in relation to the rear window had me on pins and needles the whole time!!!!!

[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 01-11-2011).]

Oh, here is some of the interior work I have been tinkering with.

Being I am going to have a CarPC in the car, I purchased a RcJoyCon to use some of the one wire remotes by Sony and others to control the PC. I intend to use the buttons as labeled , except for the "Source" button in the center. That one will be used to trigger the system to listen for voice commands when speaking to the system. EA: "Play artist Journey", "What is the weather forecast for today" ect ect..
When I got the remote/input pad, it was illuminated in orange:





The entire interior of my car is going to be based on blue back-lighting. I wanted this the same way, and thought a simple change of colors on the back of the plastic was in order. After taking it apart, I find these VERY tiny SMD LED's surface mounted on the board.

They are about the size of a half of a grain of rice! There is no way I have to skill to solder something like that! DIY_Stu to the rescue! He had the know how, tools and SMALL SMD LED's in blue. I shipped it off to him, and in a matter of a couple of days it was done! MUCH better!


I plan to put this in the center console, right in front of the arm rest, giving easy access while driving.


On the subject of the interior lighting being blue, I had to change the color of the dash as well. The needles on the gauges needed to be changed from factory orange. I took them all off, removed the orange paint, and re-did them in a transparent blue.

Here are the needles removed, and all orange paint removed except for one of them:



Now spraying them with the transparent blue. (I rolled over the electrical tape to hold them in place while painting them.... I found out the hard way they are so light, that they moved while spraying them )


And here they are, all lit up from behind. The gauges are the reverse glow gauges, and the numbers and Fiero logo light up in a bluish white.




I did a tutorial on how I changed the needle colors here:
Changing the needle color Tutorial

[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 08-13-2014).]

Hey John, looking good! (the car not you ) Hey just a little bit of advice that will help you down the road with that auto trans. Change out the torque convertor solenoid and the third gear switch while you have the trans out, if it;s still out. A failing TCS can make you have a bad day, but thankfully mine gave me a little warning so I was able to just unhook it for now until I replace it. When it starts to fail, it will make the car want to stall when you slow down, kind of like leaving the car in third gear and not pushing in the clutch while taking a 5 MPH turn.

P.S. Those gauges are friggin' sweet!!! Love the blue.

[This message has been edited by Hulki U. My-BFF (edited 12-27-2010).]

quote Originally posted by Hulki U. My-BFF: Hey John, looking good! (the car not you )

Don't lie Hulki! I saw you checking out my butt at Tyler's car show LOL. Thanks, I thought the needles came out good too. I can't wait to get all the power hooked to em and see the reverse glow gauges and needles all lit up in the dash. I plan on replacing all switches in the car with backlit ones done in blue, windows, electric mirror switch, trunk popper ect.

Too late for the sensors Trans and engine all in the car now. Got to take it around the block a couple of times and it ran really good! It has been timed, but have some adjusting to do, as it feels a little bogged down when you punch it. I Can't go much further with no lights at all on the car I have removed everything getting ready for painting, all molding, quarter windows, all sunroof hardware, marker lights, tail lights ect. I have to wait to get it to the paint shop, then gonna take out the front window as well. It is delaminating in the corners pretty bad, so gonna have it replaced. I figured was a good time to remove it just before painting it.

JimmyS has offered to come over after the first of the year to help me with the installation of his 355 bumper and side scoops. Who better to have the help from that the person that makes them!

Still trying to figure out one last thing for the exterior. both side windows are scratched up pretty deeply from the PO not replacing the dew wipes I don't think there is any type of buffing that can get the scratches out, as you can easily feel them when running your fingers over the glass.

I have been working on stuff that I can bring inside to do for the most part. All summer I had been waiting for some cool weather, and as they say, be careful what you wish for! It skipped cool and went right to cold. It's gonna be around 30 degrees in the morning, and windchill in the low teens. I know, I know, nothing compared to what you guys deal with in the "great white north", but thats COLD for here!

[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 01-20-2012).]

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Todd,
2008 Jeep Patriot Limited 4x2
2002 Ford Explorer Sport 2dr 4x2
2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX
1987 Pontiac Fiero SE / V6
1973 Volkswagen Type-2 Transporter