Hey, I was wondering if anyone had any pictures of a COMPLETED fastback conversion. I've seen tons of work in progresses but never the final thing. I'm mainly looking for 85GT, but I really don't care.

Not trying to be crass, but it would look like a regular fastback.

It's going to look like any other fastback, albeit if you swap just the fastback clip on say an '85 GT for instance you're going to have the wrong bumpers, as the rear will be the aero style with the words 'PONTIAC' moulded in, and it would lack rounded side mouldings that a real fastback would have.

Here's a good shot of what I'm talking about. Notice the "wrong" bumper.


Now if you're talking about just the fastback clip itself and not the aero GT style bumpers, people have done that too. Raydar has a Formula with just the GT clip and others have done similar swaps.

I will be converting my bad paint Formula completely over to a fastback GT with the correct fascias and pieces as I now have all the necessary parts minus the taillights.

[This message has been edited by Fiero84Freak (edited 07-08-2010).]

quote Originally posted by Fiero84Freak: It's going to look like any other fastback,

Yup.
Mine was originally an '86SE

Before and after. 85GT + 87 fastback rear end. I kept the ribbed molding, notchback wing stands, and bumpers. The notchie wing stands made it easy to move the wing back ~2". Pure luck on the parts find. Got the entire setup at the junk yard including decent condition tail lights for 150 dollars.

[This message has been edited by Fieroseverywhere (edited 07-08-2010).]

quote Originally posted by Fiero84Freak: It's going to look like any other fastback, albeit if you swap just the fastback clip on say an '85 GT for instance you're going to have the wrong bumpers, as the rear will be the aero style with the words 'PONTIAC' moulded in, and it would lack rounded side mouldings that a real fastback would have. Now if you're talking about just the fastback clip itself and not the aero GT style bumpers, people have done that too. Raydar has a Formula with just the GT clip and others have done similar swaps. I will be converting my bad paint Formula completely over to a fastback GT with the correct fascias and pieces as I now have all the necessary parts minus the taillights.

Can you explain to me what the fastback clip is. I just don't get it. Is it just a small clip, or something more?

quote Originally posted by mooseinabox: Can you explain to me what the fastback clip is. I just don't get it. Is it just a small clip, or something more?

The fastback clip is everything above the black center body line, and back from the door glass.

The frames are identical underneath, but the rear top 1/4th of the car can be removed and moved to another car.

quote Originally posted by Synthesis: The fastback clip is everything above the black center body line, and back from the door glass. The frames are identical underneath, but the rear top 1/4th of the car can be removed and moved to another car.

Ok, I pretty much get. I haven't seen anybody convert and Indy Fiero, can it be done just like any other Fiero? Seems like the only hassle would be paint job. Did GM use the same white paint codes throughout the Fiero production?

quote Originally posted by mooseinabox: Ok, I pretty much get. I haven't seen anybody convert and Indy Fiero, can it be done just like any other Fiero? Seems like the only hassle would be paint job. Did GM use the same white paint codes throughout the Fiero production?

People generally don't convert real Indy cars to fastbacks, but instead, make clones from other cars...

Indy pace cars are difficult to find in good condition.. If you have an Indy, and are thinking about doing a fastback conversion... Well, you might get lynched. lol

quote Originally posted by Synthesis: People generally don't convert real Indy cars to fastbacks, but instead, make clones from other cars... Indy pace cars are difficult to find in good condition.. If you have an Indy, and are thinking about doing a fastback conversion... Well, you might get lynched. lol

Lynched?

quote Originally posted by mooseinabox: Lynched?

The Fiero Purists would try and hang you from a tree if you converted an original Indy Fiero to a fastback. lol

I say: It's your car, do what you want.

They say: NO! It's a piece of automotive history! Don't modify it...

Just saying... Do whatever you want to your car, but not everyone else will agree with it, and you may get some negative feedback from other people..

I say "Screw em." It's your car, do what makes you happy...

There is a guy in Minnesota who has a Cadillac 502 Big Block in the back of his Indy Fiero. The car runs and drives, and I can appreciate the work he put into it... But it is far from finished, there are raw edges of metal where he cut the trunk out, and, well.. It isn't my taste. If it makes him happy, then that is all that matters.

Indys are already very special cars. Do a search, there is someone who converted an INdy to a fastback on here. If you have an Indy in decent condition, you may be better off selling it and buying a fastback GT. .02

Well I think an Indy with a fastback would be pretty special on its own. It would be pretty cool to see one, you gotta admit.

dont convert a notchback period...just sell it to someone who wants one and buy a fastback. less work and you dont destroy a notchie.

Don't make a real indy into anything then what it is, if you want an indy fast back buy a fast back and paint it and decal it as an indy.

Im all for doing w/e you want to your own cars but there are some things that just shouldnt be done imo.

quote Originally posted by Hockaday: dont convert a notchback period...just sell it to someone who wants one and buy a fastback. less work and you dont destroy a notchie.

I agree. My car had already had the fastback swap when I bought it. If it had been a notchie, i still would have bought it. I like both styles. But, considering both styles are readily available, just buy what model you prefer to own and call it a day.

If it's your Fiero, you can do whatever you please with it. Don't listen to what others say. If you want to alter the car however you'd like, do it. If the title is in your name, whose to say what you can and can't do?

quote Originally posted by mooseinabox: Can you explain to me what the fastback clip is. I just don't get it. Is it just a small clip, or something more?

I went and took a few pictures of the parts I have waiting around to show what is involved in a complete fastback swap if you do not have an aero fastback.

Below is the 'clip' itself. That's the large piece that is what makes a 'fastback' a fastback. Everything you see sitting under the clip is everything needed to swap a non-aero notchback to an aero fastback, minus taillights and harness


Here's a close-up of some of the misc pieces. You have to have the fastback engine covers, and all the pieces that hold them onto the car. There's also the aero bumper bracket (needed if you don't have an aero bumper), wheel liners (also needed on non-aero cars).


Here is the ground effects, fastback decklid (against the wall), the spoiler (the grey piece sitting on top of the front fascia and below the ground effects) and underneath that all is the rest of the pieces and a rear aero fascia.


All of these parts car run in the ballpark of anywhere between $200 - $1,000 depending on how lucky you are. Remember I still don't have the OEM lights or the quarter windows yet, meaning I'm likely going to at the least be out another $200-$300 for some good taillights and at least $170 for a good set of aftermarket quarter windows. This is why many members will tell you it's best to just go ahead and buy a fastback. I already have a '86 GT fastback. I just wanted to have my Formula looking like it too.

[This message has been edited by Fiero84Freak (edited 07-08-2010).]

If you have a notchie and want a fast back it is not too difficult to do. There are plenty of cars that have been parted out that you can get the parts without destroying a fastback. It is your car do what you want. If you want to strip the body off and make a buggy, do it. If you want to do a rebody or customize it for your taste do it.

Fastback swaps are easy a cake. I'v done one and completed it but i dont wana go hunting for pics. If you get a fastback PM me and ill walk you through it.

Here's mine and IwannaIRM's.
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/A...060811-1-057773.html

Mine started life as a Formula. All that was swapped from the fastback were the rear body clip, trunklid and tail lights (and a few hidden bits and pieces.)
I also added the Fiero Warehouse side scoops and whale tail, but all the rest of the body panels, including the front and rear bumpers, are stock Formula.


------------------
Raydar
88 4.9 Formula IMSA Fasback..........................88 3.4 coupe -soon to be something other than red

Read Nealz Nuze! Praise the Lowered!

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 07-08-2010).]

Here's a fastback Indy that was done over a decade ago





My car started life as a coupe, (notchback). I did the conversion myself, then had it chopped.



Honestly there is no obvious way to tell a fastback conversion from one that came from the factory fastback because all the same parts are used. The VIN will be a dead giveaway though.

i might have to do that ive been thinkin about it and if i can find the right parts at a junk yard it seems like it would be pretty sweet

quote Originally posted by pontiackid86: Fastback swaps are easy a cake. I'v done one and completed it but i dont wana go hunting for pics. If you get a fastback PM me and ill walk you through it.

Thank PK. But I probably won't even get a notchie until much later in the future. Right now I'm about 15, and I hope to get an 88GT for my first Fiero, then later down the road either an Indy or an 85GT. Then, I may do a conversion, but we'll see. Most people would be pissed if I converted an Indy, but I think I would be so cool, especially after seeing those pictures of one. And if I got an 85GT, why bother converting when I could've just got an 86+ GT.

But that's a while down the road, so I don't have to worry about it.

quote Originally posted by mooseinabox: EDIT: What does it mean to chop a Fiero? I never could figure it out.

Look at the roofline of the blue car. It's been lowered ~3 inches by cutting the roof pillars.
There are lots of them on this forum.

quote Originally posted by mooseinabox: Wow, I love the look of that Indy, that's for finding it for me. Also, GREAT job on your Fiero, looks fantastic!

Thanks. I also have an Indy and I'm trying to keep it stock but I'm losing the battle. But for now it still is a notchback and I wouldn't recommend converting an Indy. Might as well start with a less rare Fiero and convert it instead. The 88GT is an excellent choice for a Fiero.

Why do people have such a problem with fastback conversions. The notchies already outnumber the fastbacks 3:1. We're not killing off notchbacks. We're freeing up repair parts and saving some fastbacks.

Besides, my car is a mut. Started life as an 85GT. Then I added 87GT fastback parts, 88 cradle from a coupe, rear swaybar from a formula, 88 gas tank from another coupe, GT gauges from an 86GT, recovered seats from an 87GT, and a getrag from a third 87GT. All of those cars will now live on in some form because I rescued the parts. And the parts they replaced were recycled back into the fleet to keep them running. 5-6 fieros are better now and those 7 did not have ALL of their parts go to the scrapper because I built this 1. I only wish I could have saved more of them.

quote Originally posted by Fieroseverywhere: Why do people have such a problem with fastback conversions.

I rarely hear people complain about fastback conversions. I was only chiming in about converting an Indy. Not molesting an Indy you hear about all the time. Especially from Ohio Indy.

because fastbacks far out number notchies from what i've seen...rarely see notchies on the forum, but fast backs dime a dozen.

Anyone have pics of GT taillights on a notchback?

quote Originally posted by Hockaday: because fastbacks far out number notchies from what i've seen...rarely see notchies on the forum, but fast backs dime a dozen.

Very not true. Notchbacks were made though all 5 years of the fieros run the fastback's were only made for 2 1/2 years throughout the fieros run and 88 there was a very small amount of fastbacks made.

Also the notchback was use with the 4 and 6 cylinder platforms the fastback was only used with the V6.

There are a ton of notchbacks out there and on top of that most cars parted out on here are fastbacks. the fastback is a dieing breed.


As for thew fastback conversion. Its not hard at all. To date i'v preformed 3 of them all done flawlessley and without and huge hangup's the most recent one was done a few days ago to fierobruiser's 87 coupe that me and him did. It is even easyer if your doing it to an 87 or 88 because you dont have to mess with the wiring. everything is plug and play.

[This message has been edited by pontiackid86 (edited 08-28-2010).]

This thread just got resurrected.

From this.



To this.

quote Originally posted by pontiackid86: Very not true. Notchbacks were made though all 5 years of the fieros run the fastback's were only made for 2 1/2 years throughout the fieros run and 88 there was a very small amount of fastbacks made.

People generally prefer the fastback model, so those ones are more cared for/well-maintained, while the notchbacks are sent to the junkyard.

In my city's Fiero meets, the fastbacks wayyy outnumber the notchbacks...

[This message has been edited by pmbrunelle (edited 08-30-2010).]