Here goes the front. At the moment it looks a little more like the 458 Italia than I had originally intended. I ended up putting 2008 Tiburon lights up front. They seem to be a good match for the shape. Hopefully they will adapt well with a bit of modification to extend the look back another foot or so. The hood seemed a tad bare so I added a shallow scoop. Although it is hard to tell from the front the nose really protrudes out a fair bit as seen from the side. Anyway, as before I would really appreciate some feedback. Nothing is written in stone or formed in fiberglass yet
And the static,
clark
[This message has been edited by CMacD (edited 01-18-2014).]
Does anyone have an image of a stock Fiero from directly overhead? I have combed the internet and can't seem to find a one. I would like to create a view from the top if possible.
Does anyone have an image of a stock Fiero from directly overhead? I have combed the internet and can't seem to find a one. I would like to create a view from the top if possible.
How about this? (Made the mirrors red so you could see them against the black background)
[This message has been edited by NetCam (edited 01-19-2014).]
Not sure if the front and side views mesh properly. I made a pic, but for some reason PIP isn't working at the moment. I'll edit and post when it's up. Minor point, but it'll effect one view or the other.
Tuned 3.4 sounds like your best option for power. Not a hard swap, good base power, gives you options for the future and can be tuned to a decent sound.
What software are you using to created this. It looks good!
Just a really old (96) version of Paint Shop Pro. Mostly all I am doing is googling pics of other cars and cutting and pasting various components - albeit manipulating them with color, shading, resizing etc. It takes far longer than it probably would with something more recent but it gets the job done.
It's not exactly the same, but the overall look is definitely the same. The aggressive chin, the grille opening, the hood vent, the headlight profiles.
Not sure if the front and side views mesh properly. I made a pic, but for some reason PIP isn't working at the moment. I'll edit and post when it's up. Minor point, but it'll effect one view or the other.
Angry: Probably the slanted eyebrows that give it the appearance of aggression. Not sure if it fits the design either. As far as the views matching - they probably could have been better if more modern software was used. At this point they were just eyeballed to get close. But for that I think they probably match good enough?
Thanks to Bob for the Fiero top view: modified a bit from its original form. Here is the top view of the Melina. By far the most difficult view to create. The body ends up being about three inches wider on each side (guess) and the overall length stays essentially the same. The quarter panel windows will be covered but the rear window will remain in the same place.
Angry: Probably the slanted eyebrows that give it the appearance of aggression. Not sure if it fits the design either. As far as the views matching - they probably could have been better if more modern software was used. At this point they were just eyeballed to get close. But for that I think they probably match good enough?
clark
It's a minor point, but the curvature in the front corners doesn't appear to match. I wouldn't worry about it at this point. Your work looks great!!
[This message has been edited by Neils88 (edited 02-03-2014).]
Originally posted by Neils88: It's a minor point, but the curvature in the front corners doesn't appear to match. I wouldn't worry about it at this point. Your work looks great!!
Yeah - I agree Neil. It's close. And yeah - not to worry at this point. Its basically a rough draft. I should probably get a more advanced program to move on from here. It looks as though the concept has merit and is worth more serious detail. Here is the whole shebang so far in one shot altogether.
Yeah sorry, that's a weird link... sorry about that. Thanks for figuring it out though. That is one of the if not the best sounding 3800 I've heard. I posted it because If you aren't looking for crazy power or anything, an L36 NA 3800 may be a good choice if you want good sound, modded to sound like the one from the video of course.
So where to go from here? We are allowed 645 square footage of portable garage without a building permit in our area so we are planning on pouring some concrete and erecting a 24x26 heavy covering Shelter Logic by the middle of summer. They are guaranteed for 10 years and should suffice for our needs.
A donor car: What should it be?
So we should probably start looking for a donor car for this project. Seeing as how I have never done this before I am in need of some wisdom here. What are we looking for? What year? What mileage? What options? Engine? What would the proper price range be for this? In Canada anything 87 and before does not require an e-test as I understand. Is rust an issue to be concerned about? There have been a few vehicles offered in the area that have had very low mileage or even rain exposure. If it was a choice between cheap and rusty and not so cheap and not so rusty I think I would choose the latter - but that is just a gut uninformed decision. What would an experienced choice be?
clark
[This message has been edited by CMacD (edited 02-06-2014).]
I'd definitely go with an 88, but those seem to be harder to track down. 87 and 88 are the two best years in my opinion. We have an 85GT 86GT and 87GT. The 87' has newer headlight motors, and a few other changes that differ from other years. I'd go 87+.
Take your time looking. The best thing for your build will be a solid car with minimal rust, if possible. I bought my 88 last year in Ottawa last year for $900...it has virtually no rust (other than the cradle bolts for some reason). Good ones will show up. Since you are doing a full custom build, you'll be removing, replacing and upgrading much of the car (everything from panels, to engine, to wheels and suspension)...remember this as you are looking at cars. What's under all this will be the most important part to you.
Definitely go for the least rusty chassis you can find... the rest is of less importance since you'll be replacing it much of it anyways. As a fellow Canadian, I know about rust. I've repaired one Fiero that would have been scrapped by most people, and although I went as far as forming new upper and lower rear frame rails (or portions thereof), as a novice it would suck your enthusiasm right out of you if you had to deal with rust before taking on as big a project as you're planning.
As far as what year you should get, there are pros and cons to each. The '88's have a better suspension, but if you're planning on lowering the car 1.5" or so with drop springs, then the advantages become less clear. The '88's also suffer from hard to find front wheel bearing assemblies, though Rodney Dickman is working on a solution. They also have a larger gas tank.
The '85 - '87's are essentially identical cars with the exception that the '87's have a larger gas tank and better headlight motors. Suspension, brakes, steering, wiring, and all the hard parts are identical or insignificantly different in these years.
I'd stay away from the '84's but only because they have a few more issues than the other model years. They have different wiring, poorer suspension geometry, and weaker transmissions.
Take your time looking... What's under all this will be the most important part to you.
Very wise words indeed. Thanks guys. I will start the search now and take my time. It is good to know what to pull the trigger on. Are there good places to find them other than kijiji around here? I don't mind travelling a bit to pick one up if it is the right vehicle. $900 is pretty cheap Neil. I would say that is a steal for a car with little rust. I was thinking in the $2000 - $3000 range - but if they come around that cheap than maybe I should be really choosy.
When I lived in Ottawa 10 years ago the exemption for e-testing was for any car more than 20 years old (I remember because my 308 replica with a TPI V8 is based on an '84 and would have been exempt in 2004 if I hadn't moved to NS). They may have changed the rules since then but surely a trip to any e-testing garage would get you a current answer.
If you are going to do an engine swap you might want to shop around for a car that has been done already. They are usually cheaper than doing the swap yourself and often have many other upgrades too. I don't know what you might find, but it's worth looking.
When I lived in Ottawa 10 years ago the exemption for e-testing was for any car more than 20 years old (I remember because my 308 replica with a TPI V8 is based on an '84 and would have been exempt in 2004 if I hadn't moved to NS). They may have changed the rules since then but surely a trip to any e-testing garage would get you a current answer.
Interesting: The Ontario government has an e-test web site that allows you to search for information on the e-test. This is the response it gave me:
Search No test required. Passenger vehicles manufactured before 1988 do not require a test. This is based upon the information you provided as shown below.
If you are going to do an engine swap you might want to shop around for a car that has been done already. They are usually cheaper than doing the swap yourself and often have many other upgrades too. I don't know what you might find, but it's worth looking.
You make an interesting comment dratts - which makes me wonder what the "average" cost of an engine swap might be. If we are looking to spend say $2000 on a good stock vehicle would it still be worthwhile to spend $3000 or $4000 on one with a 3.4 DOHC? Assuming that the swap was done well I guess and what the extras might be.
clark
[This message has been edited by CMacD (edited 02-07-2014).]
Funny Guy. In the process of moving to a new house with a floor heated garage (The builder tells me that this will cost me extra ). The dream is still alive - just a little deferred until the fall . Although I am spending some time researching and looking for that "right" donor.
Welcome to the forum. Very cool design!! Sorry, but I haven't read all four pages of the post ... has anyone pointed out that the visibility out of your side windows will be reduced due to the higher line of the door panels? Unless you sit really tall in the saddle that might be a problem. If you didn't want to sacrifice on the door appearance perhaps you could boost up the seats a bit ...
