Is that 355 kit in TDF bleu? Or Tour De France blue...... Have you talked with funnywheels on how he did his top for the kit he has, over at madmechanics? In case you hadn't you should take alook at his build thread there.......... Until yours is finished of course, funnywheels has thee best top for a 355 kit hands down.......... That being said with all the fabtastic work you do!
I am not sure of the color but it is nice. as far as talking to Dave, I have looked threw his thread as well as talked to him about his top. the way I am building this one is like no other that has been done. it is a lot of work and thought but I think it will turn out nice in the end. for the 355 people it has been an area of much agravatoin that I hope to solve. as allways I will keep you posted as it goes. D.
Amida, FYI, I just took an 86GT (2.8 race built) through emissions in Redmond, WA with no EGR and no cat, it did better than my 87GT with all emissions controls. Both past, but the 87 just squeeked by. Jim
Amida, FYI, I just took an 86GT (2.8 race built) through emissions in Redmond, WA with no EGR and no cat, it did better than my 87GT with all emissions controls. Both past, but the 87 just squeeked by. Jim
Wow, that's surprising. No cat, no EGR. Your race motor must be well tuned...a clean burner. I failed a few times in my '88 Formula.
you can get them with or without the EGR he got the one without. you just have to call west coast and ask them.
I guess rusty bolts is expected in a 22 yo car, but what first was supposed to be a clutch job is now including a new water pump, and now new exhaust manifolds...makes me wonder what will fail/go wrong next.
Here are some pics from the shop on the work on the 355 convertable top I am building. D.
It still has a long way to go but I will keep you all posted
If I remember correctly I made this interior parts kit for someone else who later couldn't use it. So this is the first time for me seeing this set upholstered & installed in a car. Looks like a nice job. Now the steering wheel looks out of place.
[This message has been edited by Amida (edited 04-04-2010).]
I guess rusty bolts is expected in a 22 yo car, but what first was supposed to be a clutch job is now including a new water pump, and now new exhaust manifolds...makes me wonder what will fail/go wrong next.
I understand, but you have to remember those parts have been in their for a long time. I always look over everything when I am working on a car because you never know what you will find and sometimes it is easier to repair when you already have part of the car apart already.
the 355 does have your parts and it looks good. the car still has more to finish and the wheel is one of them D.
[This message has been edited by whodeanie (edited 04-04-2010).]
Here is a shop update, yesterday I worked more on the convertable and then my 2 helpers came over in the afternoon and we where able to get the Lambo chassis in to the other bay and started choping it for the 10" strech. we where able to get it cut apart and tacked back together with the new wheelbase. I have to go to the metal store today to get some more tube for the cradle today so I can get it welded back together and back on the wheels so I can start the chop on the rest of the car. the chassis ahs already been braced but I did not chop the top off till I finished the strech on the rear. I will post some pic's up later I forgot my camera at the shop.
I also have another 355 that will be here thursday that I will be working on as well. I have a list of things I will be doing to it like I did to Ben's yellow car a while back. D.
Just got the car tonight once I get the new parts I will get on it. I will be able to get the little things taken care of before then as well.
on other news the convertable project is still in the works and going well so far. I worked on it more today and I will be back on it in the morning. I hope to have most of it working by the weekend. I will keep you all posted.
once I get farther allong with the cars I want to get all of them in line outside of the shop for a photo. D.
Today I tried to work on the convertable and did not get very far with it due to my welder taking a dump so it was off to the welding store for a new one or 2 I was able to get a great deal on 2 welders a Mig and a Tig both HD units so no more fighting with the welder now I will be able to weld anything. the top did see a little progress today but still has a long way to go. I was hoping to be a little farther along with it but it is what it is.
here are some pic's from the shop today of the projects I am working on as well as the new one. D.
one of the new welders, I will have the other tomarow.
the latest pic's from the convertable top I am building.
and last but not least the new 355 I will be working on.
Ferraris, lamborghinis, man Dean you sure have a lot of fancy vehicles in your shop !
That red one looks really sharp, but the top maybe needs some love ? maybe it is just the angle ?? i am guessing that is one reason why it is there ?
Dean with a fiero nearby and your eye for detail, do you think those F355 mirrors would look good on a fiero ?
I think they would stick out too far, they do on the 355 because the back is so fat but on a widebody they might work. the top on that 355 in person looks like one of the better ones I have seen, I think it was the angle of the shot. D.
I did not get that much done at the shop today because I had to go pick up my new TIG welder and I got back to the shop and got it set up to use and found 2 things that would not let me use it first the 220 wall plug I have at the shop was wrong and will be changed out tomarow and the second the Argon bottle at the shop was empty so it is off to the supply in the morning to get it filled. since I could not do any welding I ended up cleaning up the shop a bit. I have been working on so many things that I had tools and trash all over the shop and I could not stand it anymore. now I look forward to messing it back up next week D.
Haha, it really doesn't, though F348 mirrors, IMO, would suit a Fiero much better... Too bad there exhorbantly exspensive, @ like 3500.00 US for one, and not a pair..... At least that is what I had heard......
I am in NOway asking but, with all the work you seem to have coming in, are you thinking of hiring? lol....... I hope u keep up the solid work ethics, on all levels...!
Haha, it really doesn't, though F348 mirrors, IMO, would suit a Fiero much better... Too bad there exhorbantly exspensive, @ like 3500.00 US for one, and not a pair..... At least that is what I had heard......
I am in NOway asking but, with all the work you seem to have coming in, are you thinking of hiring? lol....... I hope u keep up the solid work ethics, on all levels...!
Thanks, I have 2 guys that help me out when they can for now. once I recover the cost of setting up the shop and get a little money that I can keep I will hire someone but as a helper to me. I will be working on all the projects I have as well myself to make sure that I keep up the quality I want.
I have not been on here in the last few days because I have been working hard on the top for the 355. it has been a lot of work to get it right. I wiil try to get some pic's posted up by next monday. D.
here is an update for all of you about what I have been up to at the shop first off I have started on the Lambo project (not much to show yet) I have also been busting my butt to get the 355 convertable top done and I am getting close now. it works great and it looks like something now. I also have been working on fiberglass parts for an HD. today has been a great day as well I picked up 2 new projects for next mounth. 2 restoration projects one an 84 one owner fiero and the other a project for a 15 year old girl for her 16th birthday project codename (Shorty!) that is what she calls the car I will be starting the red 355 this next week, I have lots of little things I can do to it while I wait for the body parts. Yes I am happy to be working on these cars and I hope it keeps going. thanks to all of you for all your help in getting me going D.
I just threw a cover over the top to get an idea of what it looks like, it will look way better when it gets covered.
It still has a little way to go but I am happy how it is turning out.
[This message has been edited by whodeanie (edited 04-16-2010).]
I have been working on several cars at the shop as of late and it has been great. as those that have been following the thread know I have been working on the convertable top for the 355 but yesterday I had to get back on the Diablo to finish the strech so I can free up my jacks and move on to the next part of the work. so here are some pics of the chassis in progres. D.
the drivers side is done and I will finish up the pasanger side today. once it is done you will almost not be able to tell where it was ever done. I replaced all the sheet metal as well as reinforced the chassis with 1/4 wall tubeing so it is stronger than stock. I also cut the rockers open and installed a 1 x3 tube that will help support the car once the top is cut off that is tied into the front and rear of the chassis as well as other supports I will add before the top comes off. I will keep you posted as it goes along. on other news this last weekend we went to a car show with the DD and the red 355 and they where both a big hit. here are just a few shots of them on the road and at the show.
Just a bump for an update. as you all can see I have been working on the 3 cars but I have also been working on motorcycle parts for a friend as well. so I have been working my butt off but I do love it and look forward to more soon. I will be at the Fiero factory this next weekend for the swap meet with a truck load of stock parts for sale. once I get some things done I will get started on some custom parts that I will be selling. thank you all for your support and let me knw if I can help with your projects. D.
things at the shop have been going well this week. I have been working on the blue 355 top and I finaly got it worked out. now it is just some finish welding and some paint. Once I get that done I need to do some glass work on the body of the car where the top sets to finish it back off. then I will mount the top in for the last time. I have a few other things I am fixing a few other things on the car as well as some othe small mods.
I have talked to 2 people about working on their cars as well and one of them is bringing his car over monday for a new motor and restoration he is the one and only owner of this 84 Fiero
as of now I am getting parts rounded up for the swapmeet this weekend so I will not be back at it till monday at the shop. D.
the top frame on the car folded down, don't mind the bar on top it does not stay their
and the top on the work bench getting the final welding done.
Thanks, Tony I can not tell you how many of these cars I have pic's of and how many times I have gone to look at the real ones with a tape measure and camera in hand LOL! this car has not been easy to do but I think I have it now. first one is always the hardest D.
Originally posted by exoticse: Did any of the owners let you get a looksee at the inner workings ?
ya, but the real 355 is automatic and the area behind the seats is about a foot farther back than the Fiero so to make one like that you would have to start with a chassis car with more room behind the seats.
I got back from the swapmeet this weekend and today it was back to work at the shop. I am finishing the convertable top but I needed to get the Lambo body set on the chassis today so I could have the room for a car I am doing a motor in.
here are a few pic's of the 2 from today. D.
it kind of looks like a 4x4 lambo at the moment it needs to be lowered still but I need to get more of the body on the car first to get the weight on it.
Originally posted by exoticse: Dean you doing an engine swap or repair on the notchie ?
it is a restoration project. the owner bought the car new and wants it re done to get it back on the road. it is getting a new 4 cyl. stock setup. I have to go threw the intire car and make sure everything is working and safe. the car has sat for 10 years. D.
Another crazy day at the shop today I have a lot going on at the moment and sometimes it feels like I need 3 of me to get it done. LOL! I need to get to a point I can afford to hire someone to help out so I dont get burnt out myself. I think it will be soon though I am still getting calls and emails about cars and I have several that I am working on at this time. so things are doing well and looking good for the near future.
today I worked on the 355 top and have it just about done now all I need to do is get it mounted in the car for the last time and some final adjustments. then I have a few little things to do on the car and it will be down the road.
also the 84 resto got the new motor droped off today so I will be starting on that once the 355 is done. the red 355 I am still waiting for parts for but they should be here soon.
anyway here are some pic's for all of you that follow this thread. and thanks! D.
first the 220 wall plug I have at the shop was wrong and will be changed out tomarow and the second the Argon bottle at the shop was empty so it is off to the supply in the morning to get it filled. 
