The ClayTonto Fiero Build (Page 7/36)
exoticse MAR 01, 10:39 AM

Is it me or do those exhaust tips look exceptionally long ?
ClayTonto MAR 01, 10:00 PM

quote
Originally posted by exoticse:


Is it me or do those exhaust tips look exceptionally long ?



It's you. J/K That must be a personal taste thing, I didn't know how they were going to look with the mad-arch rear bumper. I may cut an inch or two off in the future.
madcurl MAR 04, 02:09 PM
ClayTonto MAR 10, 01:26 AM
While we wait on current updates, I have a few tidbits/pointers for some issues I ran into during the V8/6-speed swap and installing Held's rear Wilwood brakes and bumpsteer correction kit.

First off, and this was just a personal preference thing, I didn't want to cut a hole in the fender for the waterpump, so I mounted a remote pump in the passenger side area in front of the rear wheel and used some remote w/p block adapters and 12 AN lines from Jegs. This also helps when removing the engine. You only have to drain the coolant and unscrew the AN fittings instead of removing the w/p.



Another thing, if you are going to use the 6-speed and HTMotorsports rear bumpsteer kit together you will have to relocate the inboard toe link mounting tab to the bottom of the control arm, because it interferes with the trams.

It won't sit any lower than the sway bar end link so you won't lose amy ground clearance.

Lastly, and this to me was a major issue, If you are planning on using Held's Wilwood brakes/ or if you already have them, consider this. The rear brake kit comes with a 3/8" adapter plate that bolts between the spindle and hub assembly.
This images is larger than 153600 bytes. Click to view.
It also comes with a 3/8" aluminum spacer ring that goes on the end of the outboard CV to keep the CV from pulling up into the back of the spindle and locking down while using the 3/8" adapter plate for the calipers. However, this reduces the CV axle spline engagement in relation to the inside splines of the hub assemblies by 3/8". And with a little torque and traction you wind up with this:

Those were brand new hubs! This happened to me in my driveway on my first hard launch. The pass. side one broke on the car, but what is scary is the driver side only cracked and upon removal for inspection, I accidently dropped it and it split also. Just imagine if you were going down the road and this happened. There goes your wheel. Now how many people are riding around with Held's brake kit?
If you are using, or going to use this kit, first thing you need to do is throw away that 3/8" spacer ring for the CV axle and find a good machine shop. You can have 3/8" of material removed from the face of your spindle which takes care of this dangerous problem. It only cost me $80 to have this done. I have sinced launched the car pretty hard a few times and have no fear of splitting the hub assemblies, because the CV splines are fully engaging the hubs now.

Just thought I would share.
doublec4 MAR 10, 07:27 PM
I don't have this brake upgrade but I think thats something you should make Held aware of if you haven't already. I've seen a few guys on the forum with this set up, and usually if they invest this much in their brakes, they have something equally as serious propelling their car. Held should make customers aware of this issue or notify existing customers by email.

Is this a problem only with the 6speed and the length of those axles? or with stock axle length?
ClayTonto MAR 10, 08:47 PM
The 6 speed uses stock length axles and standard Fiero outer ends. I notified Held when I first encountered this problem, Lee (owner at that time) worked with me on making a custom bracket to move the e-brake spot caliper rearward to clear the shock after the spindle modification, but as far as I know nothing has been done to solve the problem on the standard kits, nor would he even recognize it as a problem. I presented the above solution. Maybe the new owner of Held will listen.
doublec4 MAR 10, 10:17 PM
I see. I don't think it would hurt for them to just put a warning or something up on the website as a modification for this kit to fit and function properly. If you're spending that much money and modifying your car that extensively anyways, whats the big deal about taking your spindles in and getting them machined...
Archie MAR 10, 10:31 PM

quote
Originally posted by ClayTonto:

The 6 speed uses stock length axles and standard Fiero outer ends.



Slight correction. They're custom made & custom length axles. With a G6 inboard spline & a Fiero outboard spline.

thanks

Archie
ClayTonto MAR 10, 10:53 PM
Thanks Archie, what I was trying to say is that the 6-speed axle overall width from the end of the driver side (where the axle nut screws on) to the other end on the passenger side does not change. In other words the 6-speed kit retains the stock Fiero track width and bolts up to the hub assemblies the same way a stock axle would.
Now, where's some decklid pics?
Archie MAR 16, 08:49 PM
For the last several weeks we've been working on building the "buck" for the inside skin of the rear hatch.

As you will see the shapes & contours on the inside of the hatch are a lot more work & are more complicated than the outside was.

All this & the fact that we have to make provisions to have steel in between the outside & inside pcs. of fiberglass. The steel will reinforce the fiberglass on both sides of the rear window & across the top of the window. This will all be tied into the hinge mounting areas.

Here's some pictures as we went along...

To be sure that the inside shape matches up to the outside, we sat the outside pc. of fiberglass back into the mold while we mocked up the inside buck.



Sanding & filling & shaping begins





To make the buck, the surfaces have to be sanded & filled & sanded to a finish that is as good or better than preping for a paint job......











We hope that by the end of the day tomorrow we'll have the buck ready to spray on the duratec finish.

Archie

[This message has been edited by Archie (edited 03-17-2009).]