Does anyone have a picture of a GT/SE Fiero with Formula side skirts? I searched but could not find any. Lots of Formulas with GT bumpers but that's not the same. It's missing the door trim.
Just so you know... coupe rocker panels (which is what the Formula uses) will not attach to the rest of the aero trim. And even if they did, it would look very weird.
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 05-17-2016).]
Aero rockers stick out quite far (compared to coupe rockers) in order to line up with the aero trim which sits above it. Coupe rockers would be indented under this trim. IMO, it would look hideous. And neither end of the coupe rockers would line up properly with the wheel well liners used on a GT.
You can use coupe bumpers and trim on a fastback, but the trim on the aero bumpers is molded in, so you can't change it to the coupe trim. You have to change the bumpers.
Sorry I think I'm explaining myself wrong. I want to change just the side skirts underneath the doors to the formula style. Leave the rest of the body alone. Just the part in the red box.
Those are all formulas with swapped aero bumpers. That's not what I'm looking for.
Is what you want, not the coupe look between the wheels, and the aero bumpers? That is exactly what those pictures show. So what if they are all Formulas? The only difference with an 86-88 GT is that the rear is a fastback instead. The Indy, 85 GT, and aero SE cars would all look exactly the same.
edit: Or is what you want to have the side trim retain the upper half from the aero body, and only change the lower trim to the coupe trim? You'd have to do a fair bit of body work to get that I think. The trim isn't designed to be mixed in that way.
[This message has been edited by dobey (edited 05-17-2016).]
Yes that's what I'm looking to do ---> "Or is what you want to have the side trim retain the upper half from the aero body, and only change the lower trim to the coupe trim?"
I'm not sure this statement is accurate. Looks pretty easy to me. ---> "You'd have to do a fair bit of body work to get that I think. The trim isn't designed to be mixed in that way."
I just want to see what it looks like before try it.
To install the coupe style rocker on a car with the aero gfx, the reinforcement bracket for the aero gfx would need to be removed. It is attached to the space frame with rivets. The coupe rockers could then be attached to the lower door sill, again attached with rivets. There is no bodywork required.
Or is what you want to have the side trim retain the upper half from the aero body, and only change the lower trim to the coupe trim? You'd have to do a fair bit of body work to get that I think. The trim isn't designed to be mixed in that way.
Finally... now you've got it!
quote
Originally posted by olejoedad:
There is no bodywork required.
Depends on what is regarded as "body work", but the locating tabs/clips on the coupe and aero rockers are quite different from each other.
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 05-17-2016).]
That got me thinking, so I went out and looked at both styles..... The coupe style rocker is wider than the aero style where the rocker goes under the lower rear quarter panel and the front fender bottom. The clips, as you correctly stated, are much different, with the coupe style being vertical and the aero being horizontal. There will be some trimming and tinkering to get the two styles married up securely.
Thanks for the correction, I learned something (or un-forgot, maybe I used to know) from this today.
Thanks for the correction, I learned something (or un-forgot, maybe I used to know) from this today.
No problem.
The only reason why I'm familiar with this is because I had considered going the other direction... I was wondering what my Formula would look like with GT/aero style rockers. It didn't take me long when I took a good look (at both style rockers side by side) to see that it would be more trouble than it was going to be worth.
I put some GT doors on a coupe to keep the interior closed up after I sold off the coupe doors. No pictures, sorry. I remember it looked, uh, awkward......
Well I went ahead and swapped it over just to see what it looks like. It's not a bolt on swap as it needs some modification but nothing major. Just some of the plastic needs to be trimmed. Few new holes and spacers added. I will secure it on permanently and will post better pictures later. I think it'll look better once the car is lowered.
I suspect the OP simply wanted to replace his broken aero rockers with ones he found more readily available... even though they're coupe rockers. I don't believe this will start a new trend.
The car looks ok with non-aero sides and a front aero nose- But the aero rear looks kind of outta place- My honest opinion. I have an 85 SE that I installed a late GT upper rear on- but no skirts- and a late base car front nose.....I have had a lot of compliments on it.....I like the body tucking under like a fuselage.....The Fiero is not that bad with the aero-skirts but some of the late 70s F-birds looked like those old RC car bodies- Cheaply molded and nothing under them...An "empty shell" kind of look.....