Got the foam covered in fiberglass and then did some touch up with bondo to smooth out any low areas. I'll eventually do a final skin coat of surfacing putty, but this is plenty good enough for now as I still have to glass in some support structure into the back, which is needed to attach it to the dash. The gauges will attach only to the fiberglass portion of the face so the mirade of screw heads won't show once the aluminum face is installed. I robbed a 15 pin connector (C-201) out of a parts car which will be used as an all-in-one connector for the dash pod. this should make future service work easier. Still lots of work to do and problems to solve, but it's looking a little more like a dash now.
[This message has been edited by Russ544 (edited 11-20-2005).]
"You say its a PITA, I say you should publish this as a book when you're done. I'd buy a copy. "
LOL It would take a book to show all the minute details involved in the dash portion of this project. My way isn't exactly the easy way I'm working on the "real" dash now instead of the mock up, and have also pulled the dash that was in the car out (I'm saving it because it's flawless), and did some preliminary tracing and planning on the wireing. I'm also working on the switch panels which will mount under the dash on either side of the column. it looks like I've figured out a way to utilize the lower trim cover along with a much modified lower portion of the old gauge pod to support the switch plates. sorry no pics on that yet... perhaps next weekend
[This message has been edited by Russ544 (edited 11-27-2005).]
I finally gave up on the idea of using the lower portion of the Fiero dash pod to support the switch panels. by the time sufficient material is removed to allow clearance for the switches, as well as the lower portion of the speedo and tach, it has to be modified and reinforced so much that I couldn't justify the effort. However,.... a few hours with the welder, a hammer, and some sheetmetal yielded the unit shown below. two 3/8 bolts attach it to the bottom of the upper steering column bracket after welding some nuts into it. The original Fiero light switch and dimmer assy go into the left side, wile the trunk popper and a couple toggle switches will see service on the right side. by building this unit out of metal it also became possible to fabricate and weld on some spring steel clips on the back side of the face to hold the Fiero switches in a fashion similar to oem. (which solved the mystery of how to attach the stock switches)
I did a test fit of the major components today so this it what it looks like at the moment
[This message has been edited by Russ544 (edited 12-13-2005).]
I finished building the wireing harness today and tested it in the car. except for the parking brake warning light not coming on everything seems to be working correctly. haven't had a chance to check the brake light, but it's no biggie I'm sure. There was room to build a fiberglass box (painted black in pic) to cover the tach and contain it's illumination, but the speedo requires that the dash itself serve as two sides of it's box wile an aluminum baffle covers the other sides. I checked it out inside my shop with the shop lights out and it works great except that I'll need a small strip of weatherstriping at the top of the dash so no red light shows out the windsheild (the cops wouldn't like that I suspect ).
I'm begining a two week vacation now so progress should improve
[This message has been edited by Russ544 (edited 12-17-2005).]
yippie-ky-yay! even though this dash project has inexplicably fought me at every turn, I finally got it finished and installed today, and I'm pretty happy with the results. that being said however, I will not be repeating this endevor any time soon. Like I said........ I'm really glad it's finished I still need to do some house cleaning, and install the aluminum cover I made to go under the column/switch plate to hide the wires etc. I also want to pick up some better speakers now that the new Pontiac CD player (from replacementradios .com) is in there. these things sound great and fit the Fiero well btw. very happy with that item.
I need to install some poly in the front suspension and modify the upper a arm mount so it can be properly aligned, but other than that...... this baby is just about ready to meet the world
[This message has been edited by Russ544 (edited 12-21-2005).]
Between house cleaning, fixing the chimney cap on my house, packing in some firewood, etc., I did putter on the car today a bit. I installed a tee at the oil pressure sender so I could keep the OEM sender with it's fuel pump backup circuit, and also have the sender for the new gauge. The other day when I was testing the new electrical circuits I noticed that the alternator didn't seem to be charging at all. After some homework in the shop manual I found my error in that the cs charging system requires an idiot light or gauge to be attached to a terminal on the alternator in order for the regulator to function. I'd simply attached the gauge to a switched B+ wire, and didn't see a need to have an idiot light, so............. no charge. The fascinating thing is, however, that when I was laying out the switches on the lower panel I ended up with a bit of empty space to the left of the light switches, so I stuck a red light in there just to fill up the space. it wasn't attached to anything, it was just for looks............ I thought
By swaping a couple wires to utilise the light as a charge indicator lamp, the system is charging perfectly now. I just love it when a plan comes together.
happy holidays all, Russ
[This message has been edited by Russ544 (edited 12-24-2005).]
That bright light in the sky (I think it's called the sun) paid a visit today for the first time in months, so that inspired me to get the IMSA out and do a couple things to it. a month or so ago I had gone to a local graphics shop and studied up on various things they can make now-a -days. one of the coolest is a "mask" that's made out of a heavy enough material that you can sand blast through it without damage. I took them my copy of The Fiero Spotters Guide as it has a really cool type style of "Fiero" on the cover that would kind of curve around the top of my steering column. Today I took the face off the new dash and placed the mask in that big blank space that had been bugging me, and gave it a blast. I think it came out way cool and is just the look I wanted
Wile I was at the graphics shop I also had a simple decal made to fit on the throttle bracket for those at shows who missed the plaque on the rear bumper
BTW: if you want to have some decals or a mask made it's really cheep these days. even with them doing some simple layout work I was only charged $18.00 for the two items. perhaps it's more $ in some areas but even doubled it would still be worth it IMO.
[This message has been edited by Russ544 (edited 01-22-2006).]
Got my trailer project pretty much done yesterday so I pulled the IMSA in the shop to see what I need to do to install a hitch under the license plate. doesn't look too tough, but wile I had the car up on jackstands I decided to go ahead and pull the fuel tank and try to cure the noisy fuel pump that's been driving me nuts. I ended up bending the lower pump support bracket a tad and installing a new screen of a different design. I was successful in getting it up off the bottom of the tank and what a difference much much quieter now that the pump isn't resting on the bottom of the tank. if you have this problem I highly recomend this sollution ,.
Just wanted to congratulate you on all the great work... and the detailed journal. Yours is definitely one of my favorite Fieros.
And also thanks for the heads up on www.replacementradios.com . I ordered a Monsoon AM/FM CD w/equalizer from them tonight. It's EXACTLY what I wanted, a nice stock look and good functionality.
------------------ -Rick Stewart 85GT 5.0CaddyV8/Getrag 5-spd in progress... www.V8Fiero.com
Just wanted to congratulate you on all the great work... and the detailed journal. Yours is definitely one of my favorite Fieros.
And also thanks for the heads up on www.replacementradios.com . I ordered a Monsoon AM/FM CD w/equalizer from them tonight. It's EXACTLY what I wanted, a nice stock look and good functionality.
Thanks Rick. it's definitely been the pinical of my car building career. I never though I'd best the SBC Fiero that I built a few years ago but now that this one is done I have to say it's true. this one is my best work. awsome power/torque, sound, looks, handling, fuel economy, and best of all just the sheer fun of driving the thing. it gives me goose bumps, and those are priceless .
You'll really like the Pontiac radio. put in some decent speakers and it will sound great, as well as looking like it belongs in the car. Glad to see I'm not the only one that hates those aftermarket scabbed in units that stick out of the butchered dash an inch.
What the heck is a 5.0 CaddyV8? I guess I haven't seen that one yet, but it sounds cool.
Do you have any completed video or sound clips? Or any photos from the back?
quote
Glad to see I'm not the only one that hates those aftermarket scabbed in units that stick out of the butchered dash an inch.
Yeeeesh, I hear ya. Factory look and aftermarket performance is what I'm going for. I got a factory sub with a Rodney Dickman replacement speaker. Then there's the amp that I bought that's too big to be stealthy so I've gotta either downsize or find a secret location for it. And I have some pioneer 4x10's in the front. I was searching the archives for stereo advice and came across some really helpful info on using one 5.25" mid and a tweeter on a plate insead of the factory 4x10's. It helps to separate the frequencies and use less watts to get great sound production. I like tone quality, not necessarily volume.
quote
What the heck is a 5.0 CaddyV8? I guess I haven't seen that one yet, but it sounds cool.
It's just a 4.9 Caddy FWD V8 that's been bored .040" and fitted with Northstar pistons. CR is about 10.5:1.
-RIck
[This message has been edited by GT (edited 02-24-2006).]
I have a challenge for you in building your hitch if you so accept. I was planning a way to mount the hitch in the steel bumper of the car with the hitch pin hidden behind the bumper cover and the hitch itself flush with with a hole in the center of the license plate recess. The idea was to have the pin spring loaded and cable acutuated with a cable that was accessable from under the rear of the car. Obviously you would have to remove the license plate or have it hinged but that would be the easy part.
If you would like to know more details of what I had in mind I would be willing to take some pictures of what little I have accomplished.
I have a challenge for you in building your hitch if you so accept. I was planning a way to mount the hitch in the steel bumper of the car with the hitch pin hidden behind the bumper cover and the hitch itself flush with with a hole in the center of the license plate recess. The idea was to have the pin spring loaded and cable acutuated with a cable that was accessable from under the rear of the car. Obviously you would have to remove the license plate or have it hinged but that would be the easy part.
If you would like to know more details of what I had in mind I would be willing to take some pictures of what little I have accomplished.
Looking forward to seeing how go about it.
Huummm. a day late and a dollar short as usual . Sounds like what I have so far is pretty much what you discribe except for the cable release part. mine is totally behind the plate which (will) hinge up to insert the receiver. The major portion of the hitch is already welded into the bumper, as well as being welded to a new crossmember between the mufflers and the bumper. I've had a lot of distractions lately that require my attention but I should have some time tomorrow to get a pic or two up of the progress to date. I'd still be interested in seeing your idea however. can you post a pic or two here so others can see as well?
BTW GT. I don't have any decent sound clips. I tried to get an MPEG a few weeks ago but it was inside my shop and sounded horible. weather is slowly improving here so I do plan to try again when I can get outside. It does sound wicked. I'll also get some better shots of the rear of the car, as well as other angles (I haven't forgotten about your requested pics either Ted )
Mine was built this way and sold new at a Pontiac dealership in CO in 84 as a "Banshee Turbo Fiero" (still have to paint it before i can re-apply the decals. only 3 were built, and as far as i know, mine (#1 of the 3) is the only one left. [QUOTE]
Were the front/rear fascias made of the same flexible urethane?
I believe the Banshee Facia was fiber glass. Correct me if I'm wrong. You can make your own with a airdam from the Fiero WareHouse and glass/rubberbumper repair it in smooth. Sorry to HiJack
This car is just unreal, very very nice work. There are only 3 or 4 Fieros that stand out in my mind as the cream of the crop, and this is now one of them.
Through reading all this I've been wondering how I can work toward coming upon the time, money, and resources neccesary to be able to undertake a project of this caliber such as you apparently have, and I just don't see it being possible. Maybe as a start I need to just quit reading through 87 page threads, get off my butt, and get out there and work on something. I'm going out to change my shocks now.
Once again, that's a beautiful piece of work, in every way. Good job.
This car is just unreal, very very nice work. There are only 3 or 4 Fieros that stand out in my mind as the cream of the crop, and this is now one of them.
Through reading all this I've been wondering how I can work toward coming upon the time, money, and resources neccesary to be able to undertake a project of this caliber such as you apparently have, and I just don't see it being possible. Maybe as a start I need to just quit reading through 87 page threads, get off my butt, and get out there and work on something. I'm going out to change my shocks now.
Once again, that's a beautiful piece of work, in every way. Good job.
Thanks alltrbo. It's always nice to hear that people appreciate the blood sweat and tears involved in this type of project. As to how you can build such a car I can share a couple of my secrets. First become single and totally unattached, then get your house paid off. then drive older used cars for enough years that you can gather some play money. do those things for 12 years or so, as I did, and you to can build the car of your dreams. as to my future projects it appears that I'll have to find a new formula if I want to builld another project of this magnitude. at 55 years young I've sucumbed for a third time, and the third time IS the charm in this case.
Cheers to all, it's truely been a blast, Russ
[This message has been edited by Russ544 (edited 04-01-2006).]
------------------ 84 Fiero Turbo Vortec 4300 Phantom GT L35 block, Syclone Intake and ECM with Moates adapter 50lb injectors, 3 bar map sens, T04B H3 Turbo
87 GT just waiting for the conversion
www.cardomain.com/id/vortecfiero Murphy's Constant Matter will be damaged in direct proportion to its value Murphy's Law of Thermodynamics Things get worse under pressure. Arthur C. Clarke "Any significantly advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"
You're welcome. I know I feel a little proud when someone notices my hard work in various situations.
quote
Originally posted by Russ544: First become single and totally unattached
Well there's my problem. I'm getting married in November. Actually it's no problem at all, as she happily comes before anything mechanical.
I am going to college when I get out the Navy this fall (there's no excuse not to when the GI bill pays for almost all of it), so hopefully in a couple few years I'll be settled and making decent enough money to continue partly funding the car hobby, even with a family. Only time will tell, so we'll see. Good luck with everything.
------------------ '87 Fiero GT - old, stock, and slow '96 Talon TSi AWD - 11.9 @ 116 '90 Camaro IROC-Z - Project TWNTRBO underway
[This message has been edited by ALLTRBO (edited 04-03-2006).]
Originally posted by Russ544: as to my future projects it appears that I'll have to find a new formula if I want to builld another project of this magnitude.
Russ,
I read this post of yours and had to think on it for a couple days and I think I have a solution for you. Marry for the money. LOL, just kidding. Congratulations on the third time. Wish you the best.
I've been pretty busy lately but thought I'd stop by for a bit to say hello. Entered a car show a few miles from here the other day but didn't win anything. I guess street rod people aren't inclined to vote for real cars . It was fun to hang back and listen to the comments of the passer-bys however. one of my favorites: "Wow! nice GT40...... is that a big block chev in there?" LOL Oh well... can't win em all. ha ha. I'll get back here more often in a few weeks.
Good to hear from you again. When you going to show us a picture of that thing towing the trailer?
I am headed out tomorrow to cut out the front end off a car for my trailer which is the last part I need. I probably won't get started till next year (second kid on the way) but expect to hear from me asking stupid questions when I do.
thanks.
