SINISTER GT: The Official Build Thread (Page 26/31)
ITALGT JAN 20, 07:39 PM
Time for a small update to start 2015 off with.

My new daily driver Fiero has been keeping me busy and away from the project. As soon as I get the 2.8's high idle condition sorted out and the brakes replaced, I'll be getting back to business around here with the build.

More details of the 2.8 idle issue here:

http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/134419.html

Also... the 18" staggered wheels that are on my daily driver GT are not the stock wheel bolt pattern; they are a 5x114.3. Turns out what I thought were spacers were actually adapters. So no go with using them on this project. I will more than likely end up posting them for sale on craigslist.

Stay "tuned."

[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-20-2015).]

TurboTec FEB 15, 10:47 PM
Really interested in removing the trunk in my 85GT I will be following along. Thank you for the detailed photos...
The strut tower brace looks great and I cant wait to hear you fire it up...
Are you going to ceramic coat the header tubes?
ITALGT FEB 17, 04:44 PM

quote
Originally posted by TurboTec:

Really interested in removing the trunk in my 85GT I will be following along. Thank you for the detailed photos...
The strut tower brace looks great and I cant wait to hear you fire it up...
Are you going to ceramic coat the header tubes?



You are most welcome. There's a lot of steel that can be removed that isn't structural back there... take your time with the right tools and it should be fairly simple for you.

The strut tower brace I made may actually evolve a little further at some point. I'm thinking about using more tubing for some basic cross-bracing to the frame to stiffen things up a bit more.

And yes... the headers are going to be ceramic coated black.
Bloozberry FEB 17, 08:09 PM

quote
Originally posted by ITALGT:
Main strut tower brace in place with welds cleaned up. ...I'm sure it looks great to most people, but I tend to be picky when it comes to these things.



I must be "most-people" then. It sure looks good to me!
ITALGT FEB 19, 10:31 PM

quote
Originally posted by Bloozberry:


I must be "most-people" then. It sure looks good to me!



That's truly a compliment coming from you Blooze'. Thank you.
2.5 MAR 23, 03:01 PM
Love those header pipes!! Though its sad to see the aesthetic of the intakes pipes taken away from the overall look, nothin wrong with a carb. And they arent unreliable as a daily driver
ITALGT MAR 23, 09:17 PM

quote
Originally posted by 2.5:

Love those header pipes!! Though its sad to see the aesthetic of the intakes pipes taken away from the overall look, nothin wrong with a carb. And they arent unreliable as a daily driver



I. Hear. That.

The TPI is still on the engine, and the engine is still in the engine bay. The TPI combined with the headers looks bad-ass to me, and could really look cool with the right amount of color contrast. It just sits there teasing me. I haven't been able to justify spending a ton of money to keep it just because it looks like a cool combination. Going to a carburetor is an easy step forward because of the endless supply of air intake components and air cleaner assemblies available for them.

I do in fact have a plan... stay "tuned".
ITALGT MAR 24, 08:14 PM
This episode of 'The Smoking Tire' does a good job of demonstrating the spirit of my build; garage built with too many hours to count. Passion meets purpose:



[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 05-19-2015).]

ITALGT MAY 21, 09:52 PM
Not much SINISTERGT project news to report as of late... right now I am working towards selling my daily-driver '86 GT, as I am in great need of a pickup. I'm in the process of doing some more upgrades to my house (among other things).

Fixing a few things on the 2.8 GT this weekend... I'll be installing new Walker exhaust with cat delete (replaced with a 17" glass-pack from Summit) along with a new brake master cylinder, rubber hydraulic lines, brake rotors and new pads. I will also be putting on the stock 15" GT lace wheels with new tires.

Very little progress has been made with this V8 project lately though. That has to change!

Stay tuned for more project updates...

Until then... here's my ever-growing 180 degree header YouTube playlist... enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/pla...7e4yhljcfXdHoB0uqzLD

[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 05-21-2015).]

ITALGT JAN 22, 11:09 AM
Way overdue update...

Progress is still relatively slow, but I've been pecking away at things here and there when I have the time. The TPI intake is now off the engine and the Edelbrock is sitting in its place. Looks very nice, and is also very compact compared to the TPI. Air flow through the upper engine bay should be much better as a result (I will be needing all I can get!). It's also time to get some matching valve covers (black powder coat with exposed fins).

I am also seriously considering ditching the AVS carb and investing in a stand alone fuel injection system like the one from FiTech. Prices have come down on these systems, although this particular unit is still about $1,000:

http://fitechefi.com/defaul...ISystem4-InjectorKit

The headers are off now so I can trim the ends of the primary tubes going into the collectors for final fitment. At this point I have a good idea as to how I will be routing the exhaust. For simplicity, functionality, sound, aesthetic and weight considerations, I am thinking a 2-into-1 system from the collectors back with a single resonator followed by Dr. Gas's FreqMod Heavy Duty muffler, which is basically a Spintech muffler with frequency modification that's designed for high-flow single exhaust systems.

http://www.drgas.com/FreqMo...ty-Muffler_p_45.html

Still debating on where and how the system will exit, although routing directly under the license plate is looking like the best option. I will be sharing further details in my next update, along with some pictures.

I did sell the daily driver GT I had, so no more project distractions. I also have some miscellaneous Fiero parts that I won't be needing, and will soon have them advertised in the mall for sale.

More to come...

[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 01-22-2016).]