As some of you know I have been searching for over 3 years for a UNRUSTED spaceframe for my Widow. Well that search is now complete. This thread will be a 2 year full frame-up restoration and modification. In this post I will give you the history of this car. The CARFAX is HERE and below is the whole pedegree of this fiero but first I want to say thank you to Margaret for holding on and selling me the 87 GT. This was the pride and joy of her late husband Malcom a real fiero lover. Below is a picture of Margaret (in the middle) and her daughter Bev and her husband Paul who is also a car guy.. Check his ride top right of the picture ...
This entire build is in memory of Malcom an Ontario fiero lover from Simcoe.... below is a picture that Margaret gracefully shared with me of her beloved husband .... thank you Malcom.
This Fiero GT has a SOLID spaceframe and has all its original parts.... below are the pics of the car as seen on KIJIJI the Canadian version of Craiglist
The specs sheets
In the next post will be pics of the GT in my garage and the teardown ..... more tomorrow night
[This message has been edited by Danyel (edited 10-06-2014).]
Nice find, and a great post to start off the next two years! What a nice looking car! Wow, those look like the original quarter windows, and are in great shape! Nice!
In life one adventure ends and another begins. Malcom would be proud seeing what you will do with part of his legacy. The tribute that you give to this man and his family is very moving. Best of luck with the total restoration.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Powerlog manifold, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Flotech Afterburner Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Got to love a clean - rust free - or nearly rust free Fiero. The floor pan can be straightened out - that car will be a nice blank canvas to "recreate" the "Widow".
Originally posted by infinitewill: Holy schmutz! You have the same deck lid warp as I do??? Your driver's side deck lid sticks up about 3-4mm higher than the passenger. I really need to find out if it is the hinges or the deck lid is twisted on mine. Dr. W.
Hey Will The decklid is OK its the wing that is drooping ... for some unknown reason its doin a smilie
Disassembly continues .... it has been a slow week-end due to the fact I had to clean up the shop in preparation on this disassembly. Pic takin and tagging takes alot of time. Hope you will be patient with me as I do this. I really want to document this so all member and future members will see the amount of work that is envolved. This weekend I only got a little work done on the GT but let me tell ya the garage is Spic n Span Removal of the decklid and the wheel well liners has shown me really for the first time in my fiero disassembly career what a fiero should look like. Through the years I've always had rust buckets to disassemble .... what a nice view.
¸
You can see one of two rust spot .... this one is the battery holder rusted right through the wall. I will be removing this area and installing my electric water pump.
This is the second rust spot, As you can see it will be easy to repair. I am really happy on the condition of my GT.
Floor pans are really solid. Once completely disassembled the space frame will be cleaned of rust and the support frame will be welded before the epoxy paint applied. I will be takin lots of pics in the following months of disassembly. More tomorrow .....
[This message has been edited by Danyel (edited 09-14-2014).]
I can't wait for page 2 of this thread! I no longer want to look at page 1! At this point it's taking a beautiful, fully working, drivable car that was in excellent condition, and stripping it down to nothing LOL!
Good job so far, and that does look like a very nice rust free frame for sure. So now where is page 2 so I can bookmark it, to never see page 1 ever again!
I can't wait for page 2 of this thread! I no longer want to look at page 1! At this point it's taking a beautiful, fully working, drivable car that was in excellent condition, and stripping it down to nothing LOL!
Good job so far, and that does look like a very nice rust free frame for sure. So now where is page 2 so I can bookmark it, to never see page 1 ever again!
A few more posts John, we're almost there!
------------------ Ben 87 GT / 88 GT 84 Indy #1863
If you have no use for them, I am buyer for all the grey plastic interior parts.
I'm pretty happy to have found this little diamond in the ruff I will be posting a complete list of what this fiero is going to get ... more soon.... all the interior is sold sorry !!
Just because you have business trips,a full time job with great responsibilities and a family to support is no excuse for not working on this car and keeping us up-to-date with lengthy descriptions and many pictures. Priorities, Danyel, priorities, priorities.
------------------ 1988 GT Medium Red Metallic Manual, Gray Leather K Beck LEDs & StuWipes
Today has been productive. Disassembly is moving forward at a slow pace but I am being very careful when removing the parts. Alot of time is spent tagging/labeling everything. This thread will have ALOT of pictures so please bare with me.
Hood removed the more I see of the spaceframe the happier I am getting
LH Rockers removed still NO rust
Front Fascia removed ..... the Carfax metioned a minor front collision .... no sign of it though
RH side is as clean as the LH side .... I'm impressed
The lower is really in excellent shape .... Can't wait to get the fiero on the rotissery
[This message has been edited by Danyel (edited 10-04-2014).]
More pics of the panels removed ..... next week will be the 2.8 extraction and prep for the rotissery All the tubes including AC, Brake, heater will be removed once on the rotissery.
[This message has been edited by Danyel (edited 10-04-2014).]
Some of my Quebec friends asked me what tools I use to remove the panels that are held down with rivets ..... Here are the pics removing the RH rockers.....
RH rockers with the tabs removed
I use a hole punch on a pair of vise pliers to punch out the center of the rivet ....
I also use a phillips screw driver that I modified (sharpened) I insert it into the punched out center hole and hit it with a hammer makin it possible to wiggle hard. This snaps the rivet and able to pull it out of the hole.
[This message has been edited by Danyel (edited 10-05-2014).]
I spent the last two weeks hunting measuring looking for data on this item I found at our local pick n pull .... you will probably wonder where the heck is he going with this ....
This car is and 2005 Audi A4 1.8T Convertible and the roof top width measures like a pontiac fiero ....
[This message has been edited by Danyel (edited 10-16-2014).]
I decided to strip this car from ALL the convertible parts including the hydraulics and sequencer. I cut out the wanted top parts (front half) and the winshield top structure to validate the dimensions..... I wasn't wrong this top has the width of a fiero's top ....
It was really fun to see ..... and the ideas are flowing .... more later tonight
Danyel, if you get rid of the roof water rail trim on this car, I may be interested. As long as there perfectly un-damaged upon removal. I see that there is a dent in the drives side one. The passenger rail trim is the side I really need.
This is a part I will need to pick-up in person, in Levis, Quebec.
Convertible (Audi A4 mechanism with an Automoda twist)
2 inch drop spindles front and rear coilovers
383 V8 Carburated SBC
F40 six speed manual tranny
13 inch Corvette C5 brakes all around (Brake proportioning valve)
Front Werber hood (Dual outlets)
Mustang rear extraction hood molded in
Dynamat interior
85 Fiero Speakers Seats (Mr Mikes two tone Butterscotch & Deep Sea Blue leather)
Full LED Markers and Tail lights (Front Switchbacks my fabrication)
4 x 6 Low Profile Head lights
Amida G1 Type Dash (Butterscotch & Deep Sea Blue colors)
Autometer C2 gauges (LED Blue lighting)
IOS interface Power Windows and Locks including gas filler cap
IOS iPad mini entertainement center with Blaupunkt amplification and speakers
2012 BMW Deep Sea Blue Metalic paint
18 Spider Evo Rims (From the old Widow)
Most of this is bought and ready to install. There are parts off the Black Widow will be transfered over to the new fiero. I am wondering if I will keep the Widow name due to the fact of the wanted color change.... Wifey really wants the BMW Deep Sea Blue Metalic colors and I agree with her request ..... this build is the final step towards our retirement and this fiero will be hauled around in a trailer behind our Fleetwood REVOLUTION motorhome. Becoming SnowBirds will enable us to see and take cruises in our fiero with our USA friends ..... more about this ALOT later .... so for now ON WITH THE BUILD !!!!!
[This message has been edited by Danyel (edited 10-21-2014).]
Danyel, if you get rid of the roof water rail trim on this car, I may be interested. As long as there perfectly un-damaged upon removal. I see that there is a dent in the drives side one. The passenger rail trim is the side I really need.
This is a part I will need to pick-up in person, in Levis, Quebec.
LMK, Thanks.
I have 4 sets in the garage I will take a look at them for you and send ya pics this week end regards Danyel
Full X frame reinforcement including in Cab structure
Internally Reinforced windshield pillars
Danyel, when you do your reinforcement (to account for the convertible) you say full X frame plus "in Cab structure". What exactly does this include? Many people do the X frame reinforcement, but that really does very little for improved structural stiffness. The real stiffness is achieved with reinforcement of the upper part of the centre console (properly tied in to the spaceframe). Is this what you mean by "in Cab structure"
Danyel, when you do your reinforcement (to account for the convertible) you say full X frame plus "in Cab structure". What exactly does this include? Many people do the X frame reinforcement, but that really does very little for improved structural stiffness. The real stiffness is achieved with reinforcement of the upper part of the centre console (properly tied in to the spaceframe). Is this what you mean by "in Cab structure"
Yes that is my goal ...... I have read many articles but have not seen any examples. I'm still searchin all pointers will be accepted regards Danyel
Yes it has been in the works since the beginnings. When I saw the 4.9 Silver Convertible in Frazee this past summer I have been working very hard to get to that level for The Widow. I have been communicating with Fred Scaduto for months now on the Automoda Specs. I am presently proceeding with the teardown of the new Widow and will update everyone on this top as I go along. I will probably offer this swap with a twist in the years to come. If anyone has pics on the silver convertible please PM me .... regards Danyel
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