I saw a post, and ppl have said it cannot be done, but then i got to thinking...

There's gotta be some kinda way... Somehow to shave the molding and such, and also still have a way to safely remove the panels, like relocate the pin / plastic anchor things... Has it been done yet ?...

Im one of those guys that will constantly be MODing their fiero... The fun is just begining, at 17 years old..

How could I shave the molding, and door handles from my fiero, and keep all of the panels removeable...?

Everything's possible, and I'd like to do this...

~Tim

Please if you have any experience in this area, or any advise... Please toss in your 2 cents...

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http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/610461

AIM: Fierofreek8488

Yes it can be done. Both parts needed to have a lip or L-shaped.

I should have known Id look like an idiot... Again..

Could you explain that to me Madcurl ?...

~Tim

yeah man like madcurl says it is possible . i shaved the moldings on mine , and am waiting to return to the states and do this to my front bumper. i think i have adifferent method but at this point it is a bit difficult to explain, but primarily i justed wanted to give you support. ill keep checking this thread and want to also hear some ideas or see if you make any progress and post pix.

quote Originally posted by 88GTFormula: I should have known Id look like an idiot... Again.. Could you explain that to me Madcurl ?... ~Tim

Go to your nearest junk yard and look for any car that appears to have front and rear bumbers from the side view like the Firebird, Cameros, Eclipse, and Hondas ("new" not the old type) and unbolt them. Your'e looking for the sides that are mounted to the upper side fender. This is the best way of showing you. Otherwise as mentioned it's lot of writing.

Oh yeah, if your'e wondering why "most" mold their "custom" front and rears "in"? Because once you hit anything, it's gonna cost you big time for custom one-off pieces. Usually those with them are not daily drivers.
Good viewing.
madcurl

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 08-31-2004).]

I've never fiberglassed yet... But this is most likely where I will be starting.... shaving the molding and such...

After I get my fastback swap done on my notchie, integrated rockers from archie, my 2.8 drop compleated, my front fascia install done, or possibly during all this after i get the stuff to do it all (shave moldings) I'll be doing this...

But yea, I think the shaved molding will look awesome... But in the long run I want it to be designed and done so when I get my lambo doors in a few years I won't have problems there when it comes to shaved door handles, but those weorries are much further down the road...

Anyone have pix of these style of panels from hondas, eclipses, newer versions of car that have these type of panels like Madcurl is talking about here ?

And yes... I will most definatly have pix taken through out this whole process once it begins...

~Tim

Uless you still want a 'seam' of some kind then the ONLY way to do it is like I did... F'glassing them together...
Oh, I forgot.. you have a Pm and it will take your mind off of this maybe!
Tick Tock.. the time is going by and the offer won't last but until 23 hour's and 42 minute's.. Thats all you have left!

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*Custom-Shaved HandBuilt!!* *FIRST-EVER CHOPTOP-WIDEBODY GT!!*
*~*going 4.9L*~*Pic's Coming Soon! Stay Tuned!!

quote Originally posted by NotAFieroAnyLonger: Uless you still want a 'seam' of some kind then the ONLY way to do it is like I did... F'glassing them together... Oh, I forgot.. you have a Pm and it will take your mind off of this maybe! Tick Tock.. the time is going by and the offer won't last but until 23 hour's and 42 minute's.. Thats all you have left!

Hold that thought Steve... Anyone feel like towing me and my car to texas and back ?...

Simply adding bolts to the pieces that are to be smoothed is the easiest way. Bolts on metal plates then glass the hollow where the trim normally goes. You then have panels that can be bolted on by removing the inner fendwells. That is the abridged version.

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I have a few options and ideas at the moment... I'll Consider all of them, decide how I will do it and such, and if I do shave the molding and handles, I will update with pix...

~Tim

quote Originally posted by madcurl: Oh yeah, if your'e wondering why "most" mold their "custom" front and rears "in"? Because once you hit anything, it's gonna cost you big time for custom one-off pieces. Usually those with them are not daily drivers.

Thats exactly why I do not smooth my moldings, its a daily driver and it gets hit once in a few years..! I have one-off front+rearbumpers but everything is still removable...I am only doing a light shave on the doorhandles right now I think the moldings still add a nice line to the fiero and the ability to (easily) replace the panels is important to me. Otherwise I would smooth them. You decide.

Im probally gonna do a few 1 off things with the fiero in the long run... (keeping molds for everything i make, just incase)

But Im tring to decide on keeping or ditching the molding... whatever looks best...

~Tim

If you crash you still have to remove the panel and do body work so why worry about that plus the moldings makes the car look aged and dated and not modern by todays standard the smooth looks is much better (if you paint it ) and away from that 80's look.

quote Originally posted by Master Tuner Akimoto: If you crash you still have to remove the panel and do body work so why worry about that plus the moldings makes the car look aged and dated and not modern by todays standard the smooth looks is much better (if you paint it ) and away from that 80's look.

I agree... Now the next question is, how would I make the shave molding perminately...?

Just fill in where the molding was w/ resin ?

~Tim

quote Originally posted by 88GTFormula: I agree... Now the next question is, how would I make the shave molding perminately...? Just fill in where the molding was w/ resin ? ~Tim

I'm by no means a fiberglassing expert, but if you were to just use resin and fiberglass, you risk the chance of it cracking. What I've read of people doing is sanding down the molding so it is flush with the rest of the body, then just filling or glassing in the seems of the molding. There would be less there to crack. This of course probably doesn't eliminate any chance of it ever cracking, but it lessens the chances.

Matt

Approx. how many hours would it take to do (sand down the molding flush with the rest of the body...) ?

~Tim

[This message has been edited by 88GTFormula (edited 09-02-2004).]

What about stealthing the moulding instead of shaving it?

I am in the middle of doing this to my formula.

I found it much easier (by the use of experimenting on scrap panels) that it is easier to take the trim off completely rather then try and grind it down... say for instance the door panels? the gap without the trim is 1/8" thick by a little over 1" wide by the length of the door panel... I filled the gap with fiberglass, let it harden, and sanded it smooth in about 1.5 hours... I mixed the glass for vertical application (more hardener, half the dry time, no sags or sliding glass) all it needed was a tiny dab of filler in a couple of spots, another sanding and done.

It has always been suggested to me that you want to use as little filler as possible and take the work area down to the primer coat for solid bond.

This was a scrap panel that i tried first and if your wondering the brittleness of the patch... i took the panel and shook the hell out of it (off the car) and even threw the panel against the wall... no cracks.

good luck... I will be updating my buildup thread with pics of all the new body mods in a week or 2
"Announcing Project F3800" is the name of the thread

[edit] Blacktree, the only thing I see wrong with stealthing the trim... you will have 2 lines running the length of the car... top and bottom of the trim... if you dig the 2 x 1/16" gap then that will work... it would be interesting to see though

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[This message has been edited by Nebiros88 (edited 09-02-2004).]

quote Originally posted by Blacktree: What about stealthing the moulding instead of shaving it?

what is that in dummy terms...?

Cutting the molding in half...so it's flush with the cars panels and not protruding I believe.

quote Originally posted by Scythe: Cutting the molding in half...so it's flush with the cars panels and not protruding I believe.

Ok, just wanted to make sure i was on the same level...

Wouldn't it just be best to take the molding out all around the car... and fill it in w/ resin...?
It wouldn't matter if i did that or made it flush with the panels and filled in... Would it...?

Would I have to worry about cracks if I just took the molding out, and filled in with resin... smoothed it out... then got it painted...

Would I regret this in the long run ?

~Tim

Tim,
If you are planning to do this smoothing while the panels are on the car i suggest using several layers of a chopped fiberglass mat with that resin

[edit] I actually suggest you use the fiberglass mat in all smoothing or other mods

[This message has been edited by Nebiros88 (edited 09-03-2004).]

This is what I did to smooth mine in ,I shaved the moldings with a grinder till it is flushed with the panel then I use fiberglass filler to fill it in then sanded it after which I glassed it in then used a SMC filler and sanded it to make it nice .It has turned out fine and just waiting to decide the color paint I will be using Ferrari rossa red or Mellinium Yellow just need to make up my mind .

That's a pretty sweet car ^ ! The scoops look pretty radical. You'll have to give me some more pics of that baby. Post 'em here or email them to me at thekidd@cox.net

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Late model camaro scoops

1986 300Zx hood scoop.

1979 mustang hood scoop.

I thought those were late modle Firebird vents?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Master Tuner Akimoto:

Late model camaro scoops

quote Originally posted by Master Tuner Akimoto:

just a little idea for your front sidemarkers: late Volkswagen sidemarkers (Golf4, Passat) might look much better with the 355 frontlights..... I have a set of aftermarket leds but the outer shape of the housing is the same:


...Looks like I am not going to use them as sidemarkers though...

edit: found a link with more examples, the second item listed might look nice on yours IMO...:
http://www.fastvws.com/acatalog/FASTADDICTION_com_Clear___Smoked_Turn_Signals_and_Marker_Lights_29.html

[This message has been edited by Fie Ro (edited 09-03-2004).]

So, for the molding... just grind it down... and fill in the open space with fiberglass matt... then resin ?

~Tim

quote 88GTFormula said: what is that in dummy terms...?

Modify the mouldings or make custom ones that are body-contoured and body color. Parts where moulding isn't needed, the moulding would be shaved. Take a look at a 2004 Grand Prix to get an idea what I mean.

quote Originally posted by 88GTFormula: So, for the molding... just grind it down... and fill in the open space with fiberglass matt... then resin ? ~Tim

I dont know if it holds up but I would do it this way if I were to do it:

Just remove all moldings , line up all panels (!!) and secure them with additional screws/rivets. Those are stronger than bondo A rough sanding (of the filling area) into the base material so the fiberglass has some grip. Apply quite some layers of precut strokes of fiberglass matt, WITH resin to fill the gap. Use bondo to smooth what is left and do some carefull sanding.

quote Originally posted by Blacktree: Modify the mouldings or make custom ones that are body-contoured and body color. Parts where moulding isn't needed, the moulding would be shaved. Take a look at a 2004 Grand Prix to get an idea what I mean.

Gotcha... Thanx