FC55 Body Kits FZ55 Concept FC55 Body Assembly Cars For Sale Master Coach Builder
FC55 & FZ55 Models
Body Kit Assembly Manual
Fancy Cars
14732 460th Ave. NW E. Grand Forks, MN 56721
Email Fancycars@aol.com
Phone# 218.773.7700
www.CoolCustomCars.com
Specs on Wheel base Fiero 93.4 FC55 or FZ55 96.4
Fiberglass Panels Included in Body Kit:
1) Hood with inner liner (bonded with mounting bolts installed)
2) Decklid
3) Rear clip
4) Front clip
3) Mirrors (2)
5) Doors (2)
6) Rockers (2)
7) Headlight doors (2)
Mounting and Light pkg:
1) Headlight panel (2)
2) Low beam capsules (2)
3) Hella Driving lights (4) 2 for high beam
4) Turn signals front (2)
5) Brake lights rear (4)
6) Side Lights (4)
7) Headlight panel brackets (2)
8) Front bumper structure
9) Rear bumper structure
10) Decklid frame
11) Rear decklid striker bracket
12) Left and right trunk opening end caps
13) Front clip bracket by bottom of door
14) Right angle mounting brackets for front and rear clips (6)
15) Frame Stretch plates and tubes (or cradle and suspension conversion)
16) Front of rear clip mounting brackets (4)
17) Rocker mounting panel (2)
18) Metal pieces for frame support (top modifications)
19) Lift struts for hood and decklid (4)
20) Lift struts mounting brackets (4)
21) 10mm Ball studs with nuts (8)
22) Hood striker mounting plate
23) Inner fender splash shields material
24) Front structure cooling shield material
25) Hood hinges (2)
26) Rear clip front edge by seats, filler panel mounted to chassis ledge
27) Mirror brackets (2)
28) Front grille
29) Headlight door hinges (4)
30) Headlight door mounting brackets (2)
31) Adjustable headlight door rods (2)
32) Hood and decklid adjustable stops (6)
33) Door handle plates (2)
34) Top plate for pillar cut
35) Gas filler bracket
36) Header for windshield
Top Frame (Targa) sold separately
Includes top frame, header panel, struts and soft top.
Introduction
This manual is written to give you, the builder, information on the best way to assemble your
car. It will give you a clear picture along with the CD visual aide to help with your car project.
Most of the modifications are suggestions that worked for me and my turnkeys. Please read the
manual before you start any assembly. Just remember a step by step approach will make it a
more enjoyable experience. For any questions, call Ron at 218 773-7700 during business
hours. The Z55 will have a few different mounting designs for the lights.
Safety First
1. Space is always a factor in the ease of completion. Always try to have enough space for
your work are and storage of parts.
2. Lighting is very important. Use portable lighting to increase visibility.
3. Wear protective clothing when sanding, drilling, or cutting.
4. Always use correct eye protection.
5. When drilling holes larger than ¼ inch steel, use 1/8 inch pilot holes first. When drilling or
cutting a finished fiberglass surface, cut or drill from the finished side to the not finished if
possible, this will eliminate chipping of the surface gelcoat.
6. When working with an area that can be scratched, use masking tape, foam, carpet
sections, drop cloths, or any soft material to protect the surface.
7. Use a sharp grease pencil or china marker to mark fiberglass pieces.
8. Don’t store old gas tanks, oily rags, etc in work area.
9. Have a fire extinguisher and know how to use it.
10. Before taking your car on the road, perform a complete check of all the controls, gauges,
and components.
11. Exhaust gases can kill, Always use adequate ventilation.
12. Keep sparks and open flames away from flammable materials.
13. Use the correct jacks, hoist, and stands.
14. When working under raised equipment, always use blocks or jack stands.
15. Use non-flammable solvents to clean parts.
16. Disconnect the battery before working on electrical system.
17. Always store the fuel tank outside of the building.
Contents
1. Removing the panels and parts off of your 84 to 88 Fiero chassis.
2. Items to keep off your Fiero to re-use.
3. Getting ready for the frame stretch.
4. Frame stretch, and or wheelbase stretch (two versions)
5. Top modifications for Spyder version, door frame modifications.
6. Front chassis modifications, and metal rocker panel modifications.
7. Front bumper structure installation.
8. Rear bumper structure installation.
9. Trunk modifications for exhaust and side panels.
10. Door stops.
11. Mirror mounting bracket.
12. Clearance of door to chassis.
13. Front hood hinge and striker for latch
14. Rear latch and striker, rear hinges, deck lid frame installation.
15. Trimming body panels and placement and start the alignment.
16. Front clip.
17. Rear clip and rockers.
18. Top frame strut mounted on shock strut tower.
19. Front grille.
20. Gas filler, lid and bracket
21. Mounting lights.
22. Mounting the doors
23. Headlight doors
24. Mounting the inner splash and shrouds
25. Alignment
26. Top frame
27. Ready to prime and paint
28. New upgrades for new split door, rocker, and wheelbase stretch.
Getting Started:
1. Removing the panels and parts off of your 84 to 88 Fiero chassis.
Removing all the parts from your Fiero should take 6 to 8 hours of your time. Save all the bolts
and nuts in a big plastic zip lock. Some of these will be re-used for the project. Keep roof skin
on and this will be cut in place. (spyder only ) Remove the steel bumpers front and rear with
the inner splash shields. The interior parts are very easy to break so be careful with the hard
plastic, the one piece along the windshield pillar is the most difficult to remove. If the glass
windshield is in good condition leave the black edge in around the glass. It can also be
removed and replaced if in bad condition. It is glued in so be careful not to break the glass.
Use a razor.
When removing the back glass use piano wire and two vice grips to do a sawing motion. Use a
sharp point to get a hole started and put the piano wire in the hole and place the vise grips on
both ends. The wire will cut through the urethane seal as you go back and forth. You can now
remove the rear deck hinges by pulling out the pins on both sides. They are spring loaded so
be careful.
2. Items to keep off your Fiero chassis
Fender bolts, Rear deck hinges and nuts, bumper nuts ( may need new ), door handles and
locks with linkage, hood striker, rear deck striker and latch, license plate lamp, door skin
mounting clips, roof bolts, gas filler and cable, almost all of your light sockets will be re-used.
Headlight motors and lower bracket for the motors.
3. Getting ready for the frame stretch
First the gas tank must be removed. Frame stretch can be done with the engine cradle in
place. Areas to remove or loosen for the 3 inch stretch are Shifter cables, remove off of the
transaxle and might need to switch positions coming out of firewall. Hydraulic clutch line on left
side of car should be loose or remove from slave cylinder. Brake line on right side of frame
must be modified and lengthened. Must have double flaring tool for this part. Emergency cable
can be re-routed. Remove battery and battery stand. ( Will be relocated to trunk.) Remove
factory air box. Drain water out of engine and remove radiator hoses. Longer hose for left side
and on the right cut the tube mid way down and place a new hose there with double clamps (1
1/4 ID). You can reuse your right side hose to the engine. You’re A/C hose will move back with
the stretch. Remove or loosen your wiring harness by battery so you don’t cut it. Gas lines can
be disconnected. Longer hoses off the gas tank will let you use the factory fuel lines and filter.
Relocate the filter.
4. Second choice for wheelbase stretch
Another route is modifying the engine cradle to move back 3 inches. A new mounting point will
be installed for the front of the engine cradle. Place new square tubing inside cradle arms and
weld solid to the new inner plate along side rail. (refer to visual aide) The rear of the cradle,
weld in new mounting area in back of the old mounting area where the long bolts go up into the
frame rail. Drill new hole 3 inches back in new mounting plate that will be welded in place.
Weld in the right size nut to use existing long bolt that was removed. The rear bolt will come up
at the edge of the frame and some modifications will have to be made for clearances. Use the
old mounting point to mount to besides welding in the new mounting plate. Top of shock strut
will have to be moved 3 inches back with new coil-overs and new top mounting bracket for top
of strut tower. (2 ¾ inch to 3 inch) The trailing tie-rod on the 84 to 87 Fieros will be as is. The
Held Motor Sports coilovers work well here with the narrow coil. I modifiy the trunk area for
exhaust and engine cradle.
Frame stretch (if needed)
Make sure you have the front and back of the chassis blocked up very well at four points.
Using a reciprocating saw with a metal 6 inch blade you can now cut the car in half. Points to
cut at are 4.5 inches back on the upper frame rail from the window opening where the glass
was attached. The lower frame rail point is at the top of the rail on the outer side measure 6
inches back and cut vertical on both rails. Cut through the sheet metal as well. You can
remove the bolts for the engine cradle in the front. The chassis should now be able to be
separated.
Using the tubes provided, slide in each tube for top and bottom rails. You will have to spread
the chassis far enough apart to get this done. The tubes will slide up into the frame rails some.
In some case you will need a winch to pull the frame rail into place to get the tubes in. Center
the tubes so the same amount of metal is up in the frame rails on front and back. Make your
measurements for the 3 inch stretch and also crisscross measurements to make sure it is
square. Use points that are on both sides like the strut towers to the edge of the back glass.
Check and re-check. Use a straight edge to make sure the car frame is level across the top
rail. With a 3 inch gap on top and bottom is the best measurement. Weld in place on the top
rail and bottom rail make sure the tube is all the way to the top on the inside of the lower frame
rail before welding. You can now weld in your inner plates first and then outer frame plates.
(refer to visual aide) Weld the inner rail to the eyelet where the cradle came out of. You will
still have a large tube to weld in after the hole has been drilled for the eyelet bolt. Cap off the
upper rail with sheet metal (20 gauge) and where the sheet metal on the chassis was cut place
in there sheet metal to make up the gap. You can cap off the lower frame rail on top and
bottom by adding a modified 2 inch x 1/8 x 6 inch flat metal. It looks alot nicer. You can also
put in shear bolts. Drill through the lower rail about 5 inches apart at the middle of the stretch.
Drill a 5/16 hole two on each side. Place a 5/16 longer bolt in all four holes. You will be
drilling through all the metal pieces you have welded in place. This is for extra precaution if the
welds were to break the bolt would keep it all together. Put the front of the cradle in place level
with old hole and drill new holes for mounting from the inside out. Place the large tube in and
bolt the eyelet in place. Make sure the tube has enough room from the cradle eyelet. Drill new
hole in large tube. Weld the tube to the new inner plate and the old eyelet that mounted the
cradle arm from before. ( inner frame plate is 10 gauge, outer is 12 gauge).
5. Top and frame support & door frame modifications
( Refer to visual aide ) Depending on the wheelbase option you choose this will change this
modification. This must be done before the top is cut off. The frame support is done with these
metal pieces. 3 x 1.5 x 3.5 inches long. (Tack weld in before final welding) These will be
welded in on the back side of the 3 inch square tube for new cradle mount after the tubes are in
place that go forward. Run a 1.5 x 1.5 tube across and weld to the bottom of the 3 x 1.5 x 3.5
piece. This next tube will decide the height of the other two tubes. Use (2) 1 x 1.5 tubes and
weld to the bottom of the 1.5 x 1.5 and extend forward to the heavier metal towards the front of
the chassis. Angle the front up at a 45 degree \_____. Put in a 3/4 inch tube inside the 1 x 1.5
tube for extra support. Tack the end so it can’t come out. All tubes should be 1/8 inch in
thickness. After all in place, weld in. This engineering has worked better than the X frame that
was used in the past.
For the top modification remove all the weather stripping and trim. You should have all the
interior out including the seats and carpet. Cover instrument cluster with a heavy canvas,
sheet, or plywood. Remove the seat belts. With your reciprocating saw cut from the back
glass area forward. Use masking tape to mark line. It should go from the ledge in front of the
back glass to the bottom of the 5/8 inch hole in the outer body. (use visual aide) Try and cut
as flat as you can. This will be capped with a 12 inch x 6 inch 12 gauge plate. This plate will
have a nut welded in place on the back side. Grind and fit in plate after the top is off.
Measure back 3 inches from windshield and place a line of masking tape all the way across
following the curve of the windshield. Using the reciprocating saw cut along this line. Allow
the saw to lean towards the front of the chassis so it has slight angle on the cut. Cut from the
top. Watch inside so you leave the visor mounting holes in place. You can do the same on the
inside with the masking tape but use the measurement to the back side of the visor holes as the
distance to the windshield across. Mark the curve and try and follow. The header needs a 3/4
inch tube welded in place across the upper windshield area. The ends will have a custom
trimmed 1/8 inch flat custom fit into the corner. A Lexan panel will cover this area that is
custom fit. ( visual aide) Mounting is done by drilling 1/8 inch pilot holes for the mounting
screws. This lexan header can be painted any color you choose. A custom aluminum cap can
be used on the ends. There will be a hole drilled in the end caps for the Targa spring loaded
latch.
Door frame needs to be cut at an angle for the rocker panels with the reciprocating saw.
Measure down from the bottom front square hole and the second from the bottom on the rear of
the door frame. Front measurement is 3/8 inches down from the bottom of the square opening.
Mark it, and measure down 5 inches down from the back of the door frame on the second up
from the bottom square hole. Mark it. Use masking tape to get a straight line. Cut off bottom
of door frame. Get ready to weld in flat 12 gauge panel. Set in place and mark the cut . a right
angle lip on the inside, 3 /4 inch, of the new panel for extra door strength along the inside edge
that hits the weather stripping. Tack weld in place. The top rear edge of the door frame must
be trimmed back to follow the door skin edge. Use the reciprocating to cut and grind off edge to
fit door curve. Top mounting square will not be used on door frame.