Tomorrow I hope to weld in the brackets for the racing seats and maybe mount the tabs that will hold the rear brake calipers.
Busy couple weeks
I've been trying to keep busy, doing odds and ends try to clean up some of the little things, I got the front bumper formed, curved and installed. Also I built the fan shroud to hold two 12" slim fans, why two? because I got a deal on both of them and the stock ION harness requires two fans. Today I got to working on the seating position, steering wheel height and clutch pedal/brake pedal assembly. One thing I thought that I might have a issue with was the electric power steering motor, it turned out to be true, the stock ION/delta chassis motor sits low on the column but when it was installed on a ION/cobalt/G5 it was a non issue (although I do remember striking it with my foot a few times on that car), but since the Fiero is such a low car and there isn't much room in the drivers compartment this issue is compounded. In the photo's I took a couple shots of my feet on the pedals and how close it is, although I can still use the pedals with no issue, getting in and out will require watching your foot position and getting it under the motor while you get in. Lastly I got the rear clip cut up and mounted the fastback sails via metal brackets and tek screws.
Bumper reinforcement beams
I decided after looking at the condition of my bumper beams that it was probably time to get new ones, on top of that they interfered with my exhaust system and I wanted to enlarge the radiator supply through the front bumper so that one had to change as well. Instead of using thin steel on this I figured on going with 1/8" thick alum, should be a little stronger, also it turns out that each bumper will be about 4lbs lighter over stock. The front bumper hasn't been formed yet, the setup of the bends are a little tighter than the rear bumper and due to that the bending order has to be very specific.
The project finally gets some direction
Well, directional input......ok its a bad joke.
Since I am using an ION electric assist power steering column, finding a hub can be kind of difficult and expensive, nevermind the stock wheel had airbags and cruise control inputs so I decided to make my own. Fortunately for me GM doesn't like to redesign components when they build cars (as Fiero drivers/owners know very well) so I found at the wreckers a stock Saturn S-series steering wheel minus the airbag and decided to give it a try (also because if it didn't work my daily driver is a S-series and it has a very worn wheel), low and behold it fit perfectly. After the initial test fit I trimmed off everything but the center steel splined collar, then had a couple circle pieces cut and tack welded it to a 3" long piece of 3.5" stainless pipe left over from the exhaust construction.......total cost, $69 for the steering wheel, very nice. I've made the hub 3" deep because the stock wheel for the ION is about that depth, but when I get a seat installed and do the final adjustments on the driving position I might have to adjust the length of the hub to suit. Later I will add the buttons for the cruise control and probably the nitrous as well to the steering wheel assembly.
Since I am using an ION electric assist power steering column, finding a hub can be kind of difficult and expensive, nevermind the stock wheel had airbags and cruise control inputs so I decided to make my own. Fortunately for me GM doesn't like to redesign components when they build cars (as Fiero drivers/owners know very well) so I found at the wreckers a stock Saturn S-series steering wheel minus the airbag and decided to give it a try (also because if it didn't work my daily driver is a S-series and it has a very worn wheel), low and behold it fit perfectly. After the initial test fit I trimmed off everything but the center steel splined collar, then had a couple circle pieces cut and tack welded it to a 3" long piece of 3.5" stainless pipe left over from the exhaust construction.......total cost, $69 for the steering wheel, very nice. I've made the hub 3" deep because the stock wheel for the ION is about that depth, but when I get a seat installed and do the final adjustments on the driving position I might have to adjust the length of the hub to suit. Later I will add the buttons for the cruise control and probably the nitrous as well to the steering wheel assembly.
Finally have some new things to post
Its been a very long time and I am sorry about that, this summer has been really busy and unfortunately it didn't involve being busy on the project car. I was actually hoping to have some rough forms of the body set up while the weather was warm and good for fibreglassing.
Today I got something started that I have been sitting on for a few months, the front and rear sway bars, actually I got the rear swaybar mounted and linked to the suspension already, the front bar is installed, but the removable arms haven't been set yet as I need to install the wheels again to test the full lock to lock turning of the wheel against the bar location set up.
Also I mounted my aluminium radiator, still contemplation building new rad support brackets out of alum instead of the metal ones. Lastly I brought the front and rear bumpers so I can create some new ones that will aid with the location of the exhaust and the redesign I want to do with the air feed to the radiator.
So enough of the writing onto some pictures.
Today I got something started that I have been sitting on for a few months, the front and rear sway bars, actually I got the rear swaybar mounted and linked to the suspension already, the front bar is installed, but the removable arms haven't been set yet as I need to install the wheels again to test the full lock to lock turning of the wheel against the bar location set up.
Also I mounted my aluminium radiator, still contemplation building new rad support brackets out of alum instead of the metal ones. Lastly I brought the front and rear bumpers so I can create some new ones that will aid with the location of the exhaust and the redesign I want to do with the air feed to the radiator.
So enough of the writing onto some pictures.
Slow progress lately but here's a few things
Nothing too new lately, I started mounting the parts that I recently built, also started working on the fastback sails to the notchback rear end. Also started thinking more about the rear hatch and how to do it and not pictured yet is a cardboard cutout/shape scoop for the air intake on the intercooler. Just about got my rear swaybar so I can finish the suspension work 100%, but I still have to wait a week or two more before I get it in.
Small update
I know its been a week since my last posting, there has been a little progress, also I brought in the first body piece for test fitting and modifications. This week I have mounted the transmission bracket for the cables, I still have some work to do to this piece, it seems the angle of the lateral cable to the transmission lever is out a little bit so that I can't properly engage reverse gear, also I think that I need to add a bracket to hold the cable in place, they seem to come out too easy.
Progress has been made with other small pieces on the car, I have welded in the meth pump support bracket, nitrous solenoid bracket and engine coolant overflow tank. Tomorrow I have a new front trunk tray (for the lack of a better term, basically its going to be a larger lower trunk area where the spare tire usually goes) I made it larger so that I can fit a battery and the nitrous tank, also I have a battery bracket and meth tank brackets that will mount to the car.
In one of the pictures you will see the trimmed piece of a GT fastback that will ultimately be glassed onto the original notchback. The funny thing is that I was looking at the intercooler/support bar/notchback and had the idea that I could install a curved window that could still keep the notchy look but still have the room for the intercooler.......think about the late 80's mustang coupe rear window, but then the more I thought about it the more I didn't like the idea.
Progress has been made with other small pieces on the car, I have welded in the meth pump support bracket, nitrous solenoid bracket and engine coolant overflow tank. Tomorrow I have a new front trunk tray (for the lack of a better term, basically its going to be a larger lower trunk area where the spare tire usually goes) I made it larger so that I can fit a battery and the nitrous tank, also I have a battery bracket and meth tank brackets that will mount to the car.
In one of the pictures you will see the trimmed piece of a GT fastback that will ultimately be glassed onto the original notchback. The funny thing is that I was looking at the intercooler/support bar/notchback and had the idea that I could install a curved window that could still keep the notchy look but still have the room for the intercooler.......think about the late 80's mustang coupe rear window, but then the more I thought about it the more I didn't like the idea.
Shifter assembly and cables
Started working on the shifter assembly this past weekend, I was hoping to change a few things from the factory Fiero and ION shifter assemblies, I wanted to move the shifter pivots low in the assembly and move the linkages up above the pivots, this shouldn't affect operation since I have only moved the linkages to the other side of the fulcrum keeping the distance the same as before, but what I do gain in moving the shifter pivot lower down is (hopefully) more movement in the shifter without adjusting the throw.....because I want to run a Ferrari style gate on my console and I hope with these adjustments I will be able to.
Also instead of running custom cables, I am using the stock ION cables with extensions and heim joints, in doing this I wanted to keep custom made parts to a minimum in case there is ever a need for a replacement part they will be off the shelf pieces (yes I know my suspension is custom, but I tried to use standard off the shelf racing parts and standard GM parts as much as possible, the only real custom parts in the suspension is the front and rear knuckles)
This week I am hoping to start mounting other pieces in the engine bay and front boot like the nitrous tank, meth tank, overflow tank, meth pump, nitrous solenoids, battery, etc. This weekend I should be bringing the first body piece to the shop for test fit and customization. On to a few pics.......
Also instead of running custom cables, I am using the stock ION cables with extensions and heim joints, in doing this I wanted to keep custom made parts to a minimum in case there is ever a need for a replacement part they will be off the shelf pieces (yes I know my suspension is custom, but I tried to use standard off the shelf racing parts and standard GM parts as much as possible, the only real custom parts in the suspension is the front and rear knuckles)
This week I am hoping to start mounting other pieces in the engine bay and front boot like the nitrous tank, meth tank, overflow tank, meth pump, nitrous solenoids, battery, etc. This weekend I should be bringing the first body piece to the shop for test fit and customization. On to a few pics.......
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