I was wondering if all Notchie sail panels (from 84 thru 88) are interchangeable? I especially want to know if the glass ones are interchangeable. Are all the posts and clips in the same place on all years?
Weren't the '84 frames slightly different though? There's a bunch of guff about them on www.fierosails.com in any case. The glass ones do look far nicer though.
Weren't the '84 frames slightly different though? There's a bunch of guff about them on www.fierosails.com in any case. The glass ones do look far nicer though.
I think the mounting on them is slightley diffrent but nothing you would really notice...
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02:56 AM
Oreif Member
Posts: 16460 From: Schaumburg, IL Registered: Jan 2000
The 1984 glass ones are slightly smaller than the later plastic ones on the rearward side and are rubber coated rather than hard plastic. The only mounting difference is on the glass ones there is a bracket attached to the glass. On the later ones it's a seperate piece. I put the glass ones on my 1986 SE way back in 1997, Still look "new" today.
[This message has been edited by Oreif (edited 09-22-2010).]
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06:54 AM
Synthesis Member
Posts: 12207 From: Jordan, MN Registered: Feb 2002
As stated above, they ARE a bit smaller, and after 20+ years, you will notice some wear marks in the paint where they original plastic rubbed. The glass panels fit in just fine, use a PVC frame that surrounds the glass instead of a plastic insert that tapes in.
The plastic panels had two plastic pins that pushed into holes in the rear clip on the back edge. The glass panels required two metal clips to be pressed onto the rear clip over the two holes, and had two metal studs that were attached to the back edge of the glass, before the PVC was molded into place.
I have had the 84 sail panels on my car for many years, and I love them.
I have just the 84 glass, not the frames, will they glue onto the later frames? Or will that just look tacty...
It will look tacky. You want to find intact sail panels. The 84 panels were a metal base with PVC frame and coating. A lot of times, moisture would get between the PVC and metal and corrode the metal, causing the PVC to "blister" out and get lumpy by the arrowhead.
Good, intact 84 panels are getting harder to find. I pull them every chance I get when they are in good shape.
It will look tacky. You want to find intact sail panels. The 84 panels were a metal base with PVC frame and coating. A lot of times, moisture would get between the PVC and metal and corrode the metal, causing the PVC to "blister" out and get lumpy by the arrowhead.
Good, intact 84 panels are getting harder to find. I pull them every chance I get when they are in good shape.
What am I do to with the glass? I'm not just going to throw them away, they are perfect!
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04:03 PM
PFF
System Bot
Synthesis Member
Posts: 12207 From: Jordan, MN Registered: Feb 2002
What am I do to with the glass? I'm not just going to throw them away, they are perfect!
Turn them into wall decorations?
You can try to tape them into the plastic panels, but they won't look very good, and with the excess weight of the glass on the tape, there is a chance you'll lose them on the highway.
A lot of people have taken the glass panels and frames, and removed the glass thinking that they could be used in the later panels. You can, but they look tacky, in my opinion. Try it and see what you think. I don't know how well they'll fit for you.
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04:45 PM
josef644 Member
Posts: 6939 From: Dickinson, Texas USA Registered: Nov 2006
I put the glass sails on a set of 86 frames the same as you would do to put new plastic sails on. It looked good to me. They are about 1/4" or so smaller all the way around. I was real careful on matching them up to the frames and trying to get them centered up perfect. I used the double sided tape recommended on Fiero Sails web site. They have been on the car since 2007
This is the best picture I can find. 2008 Spring Fling
Dec 2008
[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 09-22-2010).]
Before knowing about the difference, I accidently scored myself a pair of 84 glass panels a few years back. I noticed there was a difference in weight once I took my 86 panels off. The glass is a lot nicer!
I'd love some glass ones *with* the SE logo... my stock plastic ones are starting to crack up and look terrible, whereas the glass '84 ones always look good.
