Let the madness begin
Posted: Sat May 02, 2020 10:51 pm
So I purchased my 88 Formula with a fastback from the Georgia Fiero club a bit over a year ago. It had a hoped up 3.1 bored .060 over. It ran well and was quick. Had the five speed I wanted and all the right bones. Was primer grey and the interior was okay.
I tracked all of my tinkerings and upgrades on the Georgia Fiero forum. It only seemed right to share all of that with them as the car had a history with the club.
Somewhere along the way the car developed a terrible condition that made it undrivable. I trouble shot and worked through all the cuprits but couldn't ever get it right and it finally nearly got me killed on the highway so I parked it. That wasn't cause I was done with it, not even a little. I had already purchased the motor I always wanted for it, the LQ1.
Fast forward to now and I am in the process of getting her built out as my car, rather than the one I bought. I will still keep things up there but a good friend has been doing the bulk of his build tracking here and it seems a more fitting place for this type of build anyway.
So at present here is the sum of it:
1988 chassis
2x 1995 LQ1 factory service motors with zero miles. They were "new" when I bought them from some meth head hillbilly rednecks in the middle of nowhere Kentucky. I was 7 hours from home and the engines were stored outside under some trees. They were "sealed" by the sellers and I should have walked away but didn't. Now the better of the two has been bored .030 over to remove rust pitting in the number six cylinder. I now have tri-metal main and rod bearings on the way. The new pistons are sealed power units with new rings to match. All the gaskets for the engine are fel-pro. The top end is getting similar treatment with nitrided sbc cam bearings from WOT. There are stiffer valve springs, titanium retainers, and new seals to go in as well. I am porting and polishing the heads now and they will be fastened down with ARP studs from WOT. The exhaust studs will all be ARP 300 stainless that are on their way. I have ported and polished the upper and lower intakes some time ago and they are ready. The cam covers and upper intake have been powder coated a deep metallic bronze.
F23 Transmission
Short-throw shifter
Reinforced powder coated cradle
New shocks/struts/poly bushings all around when I rebuilt the suspension on first buying the car.
Brakes are C4 Vette rotors all around
Computer is a 7730 P4 Flash EBL that I installed in hopes of curing the mystery issues.
Stereo is all new minus the factory sub setup. Digital receiver and new speakers.
Custom Mr. MIkes seat covers. Newish carpet when I got her, and new mats and visors. I repaired the dash bits as best I could but I have other long term plans for that.....
Springs will be trimmed to lower and I have fieroguru correction brackets and solid rod setups ready to go in then.
I fully rebuilt a new rack with new bearings and brass bushing and new inner tie rods and new moog outers. I replaced all the ball joints as soon as I got the car.
Momo d cut steering wheel and hub.
Subaru BRZ wheels.
Ocelot exhaust (but that will likely change)
All new body panels for everything save the roof, hood, decklid, and fast back clip. I have the Fi512 front with lights and a set of ribbed IMSA scoops to go on. I have stock gt side skirts and rear bumper as well as all the trims. The decklid came with a nicely done mustang scoop bolted on. I went ahead and removed the spoiler and glassed over the holes. I added a hood vent that I need to do lots of clean up on as it isn't the nicest example ever and I did it no favors on original install. There are fiero fiberglass quarter window scoops but I have already pulled them and modified them for a window in them as they were solid type and had terrible blindspots. I will finish all the details and pull a mold from them so I can make a good set to use. Might even make them from carbon fiber.... I will be glassing in the scoop and likely wiring in an exhaust fan when I do.
Long term plans include a turbo for the LQ1 and a full custom dash with Dakota digital gauges. The paint will likely be done by me and in a metallic British racing green with an offset turbine bronze racing stripe.
Lots of things to be done but lots already done as well.
I tracked all of my tinkerings and upgrades on the Georgia Fiero forum. It only seemed right to share all of that with them as the car had a history with the club.
Somewhere along the way the car developed a terrible condition that made it undrivable. I trouble shot and worked through all the cuprits but couldn't ever get it right and it finally nearly got me killed on the highway so I parked it. That wasn't cause I was done with it, not even a little. I had already purchased the motor I always wanted for it, the LQ1.
Fast forward to now and I am in the process of getting her built out as my car, rather than the one I bought. I will still keep things up there but a good friend has been doing the bulk of his build tracking here and it seems a more fitting place for this type of build anyway.
So at present here is the sum of it:
1988 chassis
2x 1995 LQ1 factory service motors with zero miles. They were "new" when I bought them from some meth head hillbilly rednecks in the middle of nowhere Kentucky. I was 7 hours from home and the engines were stored outside under some trees. They were "sealed" by the sellers and I should have walked away but didn't. Now the better of the two has been bored .030 over to remove rust pitting in the number six cylinder. I now have tri-metal main and rod bearings on the way. The new pistons are sealed power units with new rings to match. All the gaskets for the engine are fel-pro. The top end is getting similar treatment with nitrided sbc cam bearings from WOT. There are stiffer valve springs, titanium retainers, and new seals to go in as well. I am porting and polishing the heads now and they will be fastened down with ARP studs from WOT. The exhaust studs will all be ARP 300 stainless that are on their way. I have ported and polished the upper and lower intakes some time ago and they are ready. The cam covers and upper intake have been powder coated a deep metallic bronze.
F23 Transmission
Short-throw shifter
Reinforced powder coated cradle
New shocks/struts/poly bushings all around when I rebuilt the suspension on first buying the car.
Brakes are C4 Vette rotors all around
Computer is a 7730 P4 Flash EBL that I installed in hopes of curing the mystery issues.
Stereo is all new minus the factory sub setup. Digital receiver and new speakers.
Custom Mr. MIkes seat covers. Newish carpet when I got her, and new mats and visors. I repaired the dash bits as best I could but I have other long term plans for that.....
Springs will be trimmed to lower and I have fieroguru correction brackets and solid rod setups ready to go in then.
I fully rebuilt a new rack with new bearings and brass bushing and new inner tie rods and new moog outers. I replaced all the ball joints as soon as I got the car.
Momo d cut steering wheel and hub.
Subaru BRZ wheels.
Ocelot exhaust (but that will likely change)
All new body panels for everything save the roof, hood, decklid, and fast back clip. I have the Fi512 front with lights and a set of ribbed IMSA scoops to go on. I have stock gt side skirts and rear bumper as well as all the trims. The decklid came with a nicely done mustang scoop bolted on. I went ahead and removed the spoiler and glassed over the holes. I added a hood vent that I need to do lots of clean up on as it isn't the nicest example ever and I did it no favors on original install. There are fiero fiberglass quarter window scoops but I have already pulled them and modified them for a window in them as they were solid type and had terrible blindspots. I will finish all the details and pull a mold from them so I can make a good set to use. Might even make them from carbon fiber.... I will be glassing in the scoop and likely wiring in an exhaust fan when I do.
Long term plans include a turbo for the LQ1 and a full custom dash with Dakota digital gauges. The paint will likely be done by me and in a metallic British racing green with an offset turbine bronze racing stripe.
Lots of things to be done but lots already done as well.