Well the project is continuing

[shikzachaser]

I guess you can't beat the people that designed it in the first place! It actually does look pretty good though. I was going to get rid of the stock bumpers but I think I may hang onto them for a while. Afetr a bit more work glassing in the marker light holes and adjusting things it should be ready to be sprayed. I was really concerned about trying to flex stuff and then have 1/8" of fiberglass be all that's holding it together. I did a lot of reinforcement w/ additional glass and steel. I'll stick a couple pics up after it's done.

Steve

[shikzachaser]

Well I got to work on it for a couple hours today. It's gonna all be good. I got the front to fit really good. I have the M3 side lights ready and I will post pics as soon as the fiberglass is sanded sown a bit more. The rear is gonna take a bit more work but I really like the overall look.

Steve

[shikzachaser]

I got up @ 4:30AM this morning and chewed my collar off to get to the garage w/o waking anybody. The front is going to be killer. The old side light positions are now smoothed and sanded and I have the M3 side markers ready to install. Should be ready for paint this week. While at it I decided to replace the old fog lights as they have 71K of chips. I also went ahead and got some 55W bulbs for more light. I also need to install the radar detector prior to final installation.

I have the rear really close. It takes a lot of trial and error and probably an additional $100-$125 in fiberglass, stainless hardware, and beer to get the back to work. I had to fabricate and glass in small brackets on the bottom at the wheel wells to pull them in to within 1/8". They actually look really good now. With a lot of cursing and effort the fit is close to factory and the look is killer if you like this type of thing. I still need to get back w/ Karl and acquire a mesh section for the front.

Steve

84 944 "Schrittkind mit dem roten haar des Schutzes"
98 M3
91C4
00 Durango
06 Aprilia
05 Cobalt

[Razorback1980]

Uhhhh, how much of that $125 was the beer? I mean does it really fit together well? Pictures...we want more pictures...just kiddin when you get to them. Sounds like it's coming along well...wish I was there helping....at least helping with the beer drinking part.

[shikzachaser]

About $18 was thrown down the throat. 12 Pacificos over 2 days. The kit actually looks killer if you a have patience, tools, a good lit space, and some experience. I have it really close to a factory fit, within 1/16" on all seams. I definately did not like the way the old side lights just kind of hung out with the edge exposed by the wheels. I would up glassing in an aluminum L bracket along the top edge so that I would have some strength bolting it to the stock fender holes. I then filled in the side light recesses and extended the whole thing back 3/4" to match the factory wheel arch. The pic of the driver's side shows the new marker light in position and the edge matching the wheel arch. I bet I took the SOB on and off 50 times modifying the brackets to get it right. I hate seeing slotted brackets or oversize holes so I broke down and just made my own. The glass surface however is really good, it is going to look great w/ paint. I also got the back to fit really well by glassing in additional brackets on the bottom outside edges to allow bolting it to the old lower points from the stock fender skirt. Again with paint it should look really good. I would like to have seen a bag of stainless hardware in the kit just because for that kind of money you should not have to go to Lowes looking for parts, but I would still buy it again in a heartbeat.

Steve

84 944 "Schrittkind mit dem roten haar"

[shikzachaser]

pasenger side showing the original side marker location.

[Eldorado]

I agree.. fiberwerks is *almost* there.. meaning they have a good product, but in my eyes, they're lacking the 'little details' to make it a *great* product... oh well...

I'll have to wait and see what the markers look like with paint... not much of a fan of how they look now, but who knows when it's all over.. you could very well convert me hehehe

[shikzachaser]

I'm just trying to get them as small as possible. We have to run side markers in MO in order to pass the safety inspection for plates or I would have no lights. I don't know if you've seen the way Fiberwerks does it but their kit uses the stock light as the top edge of the bumper. There is no way to attach to the bolt hole farthest from the front. Also the light edge makes the "finished" edge by the tire, it's weird.

Steve

[Eldorado]

yea I saw it here..

http://fiberwerks.com/100_0351-2.jpg

I dont think it looks horrible..
have you considered going for clear markers instead of yellow? would that suit your taste better?

[shikzachaser]

It looks great in the pic. I just don't like the raw edge sticking out by the tire, it does not look factory.
I actually have clear ones on my wife's M3. The orange ones are the original. I was thinking about "trading", she will never know.

Steve

[Eldorado]

lol go for it steve!
but what i meant was the 944 clear markers...
would there be any way to move then further forward then glass a new edge into the wheel well?

[shikzachaser]

There probably would be. I had not really thought about it. I will take the orange ones and see how they would look, sizewise.

Steve

[Usmellgass2?]

Great thread!! I want to do the same thing to my India red 87 na. Thank you for taking the time to describe and photo the project so I will have a good idea what I am getting into.

[shikzachaser]

It's not all that bad if you have a lot of patience for the trial fitment. If you do this definately don't paint anything until you are happy with the fit. It is out now for the spray @ a friend of mine's body shop. There is still prep work prior to paint that needs to be done.Should be back Friday. I will post pics of the completed installation. If I can get the Supercharger parts in I will be a happy guy.

Steve

84 "Schrittkind mit dem roten haar" 944
98 M3
91 C4
00 Durango
06 Aprilia

[shikzachaser]

The final interior piece w/ the exception of white gauges arrived today and it is a great thing. World Upolstery in Santa Paula, CA sold me a replacement rear hatch carpet that looks truly fantastic. A previous stereo attempt had cut (2) 6X9 holes in the rear behind the wheels. The piece they made was not cheap ($218) but is definately worth it. It is really really close to the original. All my other rugs are mint so this is great.

Stereo Is Done:
I custom made 1.5 cubic ft sealed fiberglass enclosures and installed them w/ 6X9 Polk woofers in the wheel wells and the sound booms right through the new hatch rug.

I installed a SONY 250W Amp under the passenger seat. I had to shim the seat up 3/4" to allow the seat to travel but it feels normal, I don't sit there anyway. The amp is run full range in parallel w/ (2) ADS 300i speakers that unfortunately were cut into the front doors. They sound so good I hate to replace the panels at this point. I have a passive JAMO sub crossover on the woofers.

I replaced the stock side speakers with 6X8 Polk coaxes that are designed to fit a Ford or Mazda. It did take a bit of trim work w/ a sheet metal nibbler but they fit perfectly under the stock sides. These are run off the 40W amp internal to an inexpensive SONY AM-FM CD. Total stereo materials exclusive of the hatch carpet was under a grand. I did all the labor myself and it sounds really good.

I have now got the A/C controls working as I had intended. I am using the Cig lighter hole for the fan speed and the stock radio fader hole for the temp. It works great and freed up space for the Air / Fuel and Boost gauges. I gotta get that oil pressure gauge face changed.









And for maximum bass:





It's the only "sports car" I have ever owned that can haul around my other hobby.

Steve

84 Schrittkind mit dem roten haar

[Razorback1980]

Hey Steve,

I am considering buying my carpet from World Upholstery too. Did you have them order the original style from Germany or do carpet they sell on their site? I am thinking I want to order the original stuff from Germany to put back in mine. Quality?

Thanks

[shikzachaser]

The quality is excellent. Fit is pretty much perfect. I had them use a standard black that is really close to the original. My car only has 71K on it and has always been garaged so there is essentially no fade in the stock carpet. The match is closer than it appears in the picture. I got some glare from the flash. The carpet even came with a bag of snaps and the tool to install them. The snaps are different than the factory as they are the standard ones that go through the carpet and you can see the top but they are black and look great in my car. Obviously I am not going for a concours original car so I don't care if the snaps are slightly different. I would definately use these people again. They had a 10 day lead time and it arrived exactly as specified.

[shikzachaser]

Well I guess it's progress. More parts are off the car and are being replaced. I finally tracked down a few drop a night oil leak. Seems the gasket that seals off the oil cooler is bad. Bummer! Not that bad, take off the power steering pump, sway bar drop link, and unbolt. I got the word that the Fiberwerks paint will not be ready until Tuesday. My buddy is hesitant to bake the glass bumpers so he wants to air dry over the weekend and buff Monday. It gave me the bright idea of taking off the mirrors to repaint them, while they are off might as well replace the gaskets. Now the hood windshield squirters look bad, tear them off, buy new ones, The hood crest is dingy, take it out and replace it, The windshield has a star in it, take it out and repace it, take it out and replace it, take it out and replace it........Sorry, I digress.

[shikzachaser]

The oil cooler is off, the wine is good



The parts are hanging there ready to get the new oil cooler gasket on



I got it fairy clean



My wife has a hard time seeing this as "awesome", "ya gotta see this"' etc



The World carpet piece now has the snaps installed. It is really nice as they give you the snaps and tool so you can match it perfectly to your car. It took me maybe 15 minutes to install them.



Sitting here waiting for the blower.

Should be pretty cool when done and a total waste of 300-400 hrs and $20K. Oh well, shoulda bought a stock 951....NOT

Steve:
"Schrittkind mit dem roten haar"

[shikzachaser]

Well another day, another few pieces off for refurbishment / replacement. I ordered the gauge faces from Meister (thanks for the referal Eldorado) and they should be in next week. I really got lucky on the OD gear. The old one had just slipped a bit so that it was no longer making contact with the worm gear. A litle prying and a dot of superglue should hold it. The gauge faces came off fine and I will be ready to install them as soon as the faces arrive. The Fiberwerks stuff and the mirrors should be back Tuesday so with any luck I should have pictures up by the end of the week. I am not a big fan of dash caps but I really did not feel like spending a couple grand for a new dash so I went ahead and did one. It looks great. This is obviously not a concours car so the minor difference in grain more than offsets cracks. After the instruments came out the cap fit extremely well, no filing, cutting, nada.





Steve

84 really sad looking 944 (for now)