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Yarmouth Fiero
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AUG 12, 11:33 AM
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Thanks 84se2m4 and Sage. I'll try to keep the updates rolling in.
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Bloozberry
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AUG 12, 02:19 PM
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Aha! Good to see you're still at it, though I didn't have any doubts. I know first hand how long it takes to create some decent drawings... far more work than what shows. I missed out on an opportunity to visit you this past week but will be up in your neck of the woods again for the Yarmouth Air Experience 2012 (the mini-air show) 21-22 August. I'll bring my bubble level and carpenter's square. 
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fierogt28
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AUG 12, 06:16 PM
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YF, nice to see another maritimer at our fiero hobby. 
That 85 fiero looks to be in really nice shape frame-wise. You don't see to many around in that condition.
I'll be following this thread as long as the build goes. I'm just as interested for Blooze's N* build too.
Its fun to see details posted while progress is recorded..:P
Thanks,------------------
fierogt28
88 GT, Loaded, 5-speed.
88 GT, 5-speed. All original.
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Yarmouth Fiero
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AUG 12, 09:36 PM
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Hi Blooz, yes we are still at it. I got a little side tracked with summer racing but now that the season is almost over we'll get back on track. You are right about drawings for these projects. I know they'll be very benificial as the build progresses but holy smokes, the engineers at GM threw in as many twists, bumps and dimples as they could on these chassis. The engine cradle alone has been a beast to model in 3D..... and its still not finished. Hope you can stop by during the air show. The one they held a couple years ago was incredible for such a small air field. I'm also eager to see what you'll be driving.
Hi fierogt28, nice to hear from you. My frame is basically in show room condition. It only saw 2 summers of driving before it went into storage back in 88. I am sure the Fiero purists on this form must totally cringe when they read about how some of us "modify" perfectly good cars. Maybe that is why the build threads have their own section....... so if you can't stand to watch a car being dismantled, then you don't have to look. 
I also agree that we are all eagerly waiting for the next installment of Blooz's build thread. Its been a while so you know we're going to see some dramatic developments. 
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Yarmouth Fiero
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AUG 22, 04:26 PM
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Proceeding ahead with the 3" chassis stretch, the reinforced extensions were fitted inside the existing upper and lower frame rails and then welded along all possible sides. I also added 3/4" holes in the original frame rails to allow for a few plug welds as well.
While I did prep all surfaces and edges to remove all paint and zinc undercoating, I did forget to remove the undercoating inside the frame rails in way of the welds ( of course these chassis's were probably zinc dipped once welded). It caused some grief when welding as the splatter from the zinc repeatedly fouled the tip. Mental note to remove ALL foreign material before welding the rocker reinforcements which are next on the agenda. 
The next step to finish off the chassis stretch is to cap all four extensions with 1/16" sheet metal and then sand smooth, prime and paint.
Its alot more work but once its all done, the extension should be all but invisible....... to the untrained eye.
Thanks for stopping by Blooze and looking over my project and discussing your project as well. It is a huge boost to know you are not going completely off track. 
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fieroguru
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AUG 22, 05:08 PM
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I am glad to see you are taking the extra step to clean up the overall appearance of the extended portion. It takes more work, but in the end it shows that you were more concerned with the details than just getting the swap done as quickly as possible. Keep up the good work!
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Sage
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AUG 22, 05:59 PM
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Nicely done! Have a friend that used basically the same technique to graft two Corvette frames together, producing a result that was hard to tell had been altered from factory.
What you show as plans for the rocker frame upgrade with fieroguru's suggestions, should make that frame pretty much flex free, at least in theory, and I'm betting in practical application as well!
Thanks for the update.
HAGO! 
(edit cause I type too fast sometimes!)[This message has been edited by Sage (edited 08-22-2012).]
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Yarmouth Fiero
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AUG 22, 08:29 PM
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Thanks for the support and advice Fieroguru and Sage. I am hoping that these modifications result in a strong, safe chassis when I'm all done. Please feel free to offer suggestions when and where you see fit.
I had some inspiration today at an air show in town when a friend took me up in his home built plane. All I could think at 2000 ft was if he can build a chassis to get us in the air, keep us in the air and get us back on the ground safely, then surely I can build a car chassis to simply stay in one piece on the highway.
BTW..... at the airshow today I saw some of Blooze's handywork as a member of a team reconstructing vintage aircraft. He certainly has many talents when it comes to precision fabrication and construction beyond the automotive world. His F355 is surely going to fly.
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Bloozberry
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AUG 23, 07:09 AM
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Aw shucks... thanks YF for the compliments... but I'm starting to think you're buttering me up to ask me some huge favor. 
The frame extension looks great, though at this stage it seems like an awful lot of work for such a small increase in wheelbase. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely worth the effort because once you get the body on, those extra 3 inches change the car's proportions in a way that makes all the difference. Keep up the good work.[This message has been edited by Bloozberry (edited 08-23-2012).]
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Austrian Import
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AUG 23, 02:35 PM
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