Tips and Tricks, Old Car Experts, Fiberglass Experts!!!

 

Gold Member
Username: Subfanatic

Walton, Ky

Post Number: 3487
Registered: Dec-04
Ok guys, this is going to be a LONG post, and we need to keep it going cause i need all the help i can get, im finnaly deciding to finish my car into the show car ive been planning, and wheni got my body kit and my euro lights, i decided im done with my system after the new alt and hifonics brutus 1500d and im going to start on the interrior. So there is alot to put here, but first off, my mom decided and found a 1974 Opel and i was wondering on everyones inputs on this car, she is set on it, and she wants me to restore it as my first restoration project, and i was wondering if this car can get fast after some money done to the original engine, and how fast it can get. So thats the first part.

Now onto the neon, as you all know, i have a 1998 plymouth neon expresso, 4 door. and I belive i just picked up another 15 Ti, and hifonics brutus 1500d. and ive decided that im going to remove my back seat and do a fiberglass installation in the back, hfaving the subs back there facing INTO the trunk, fiberglass and line the whole trunk and make a hole the amp mounts into with 2 1 farad caps on each side nice and flush with plexi glass over it. then im going to fiberglass a new dash and redo either my seats stitched in leather or in like a nice felt, any tips on what to use? my mom sows(dunno how to spell it lol) but she will do all that over the seats i have already, and i am going to fiberglass new door pannels and everything. My main problem are these. For the door pannels im going to build mdf boxes into it then fiberglass over it, but does it really matter what size boxes, prolly using infintity perfects 6.5s, but, does it matter like how big it is inside or anything, or can i do it so it fits nice and snug, and here is the biggest problem, im getting a new steering wheel, and fiberglassing the dash, but im worried about hwot o deal with the airbags, how can i go over these with them still being able to work. more questions will come. thank you guys
 

Gold Member
Username: Invain

Michigan United States

Post Number: 2468
Registered: Aug-04
Are you gonna build whole new dash and door panels, or are you gonna put fiberglass over the existing ones? It's gonna be much harder than you think to totally make a new dash.
 

Gold Member
Username: Subfanatic

Walton, Ky

Post Number: 3502
Registered: Dec-04
yea i understand how hard this is going to be, but im basically giong to use some of the same layout of the old ones, and then also make some new parts of it. I have my mind set on how it works its just giong to be pretty tuff lol
 

Gold Member
Username: Invain

Michigan United States

Post Number: 2470
Registered: Aug-04
Well, I guess if you think you can do it, go for it. Should be sweet. Is yours a 2 door or a 4 door? It it's 2, I'd completely take out the back seat, and open the whole trun up and do a full custom install directly behind the dirvers seat and back.

If it's a 4 door, and since your gonna paint it, you could seal the doors off and shave the handles, or completely take the rear doors off and close it off, then do what I said about a 2 door. It would be a lot of work, and would be expensive, but it would look cool, lol.
 

Gold Member
Username: Subfanatic

Walton, Ky

Post Number: 3506
Registered: Dec-04
well its the 4 door, and im pretty set on doing this, but step by step, and hey if i f it up, ill just put the originals back in lol. But im planning on just leaving the 4 doors alone, and eventually like for my bday, have my mom get shaved door kit and pop a locks, thats november though lol, and since im getting that other car to work on i have alot on my hands lol. But for yea basically im thinkign this. mi going to have the fiberglass built perfect specs for the subs, and then like do anotyher layer like a few feet out of it where it like comes up behing my headrest and like kinda looks like the ferraries how it looks like the back end comes up behind the head rest lookign stuff lol, and have compartments for things in it built hidden with hydrolics, lots of intricate little things to set it off, but leave the rear 2 doors for people to view into
 

Gold Member
Username: Subfanatic

Walton, Ky

Post Number: 3510
Registered: Dec-04
bump
 

Silver Member
Username: Rzarector

Coquitlam, Bc Canada

Post Number: 295
Registered: Dec-04
have u done fiberglass work before?? because honest to god dude make sure your going to keep at it.. im trying to do my car and its tons of work so make sure you want to do it every day for at least 6 months .. if u want that nice paint finish thats how long its gonna take hours and hours of hideous sanding..fibreglass is easy enough to work with though so whatever u can imagine can be done i guess.. just takes time.. about the airbag i wouldnt dick around with that.. they can go off and mess u up pretty bad so get a shop to deal with that one .. and just an idea for the 6.5 boxes .. u could cut a bunch of rings .. the type u would make for the subs on the fibreglass box... and glue them together to make a cylindrical(<-- sp?) box that would fit in the door im sure there is a spec for the airspace though
 

Silver Member
Username: Tragedy

San Jose, CA

Post Number: 260
Registered: Feb-05
Sub i am not trying to knock your idea.. but you have no idea how much work your getting into. Ive seen professionals from Alpine; 2-4 guys work 3-6 months doing stuff your describing and yes to just 1 car. And your talking about it alone. Props to you for wanting to try.. but remember once you start there isnt any turning back if you goof up. Plan it out better and slower, one thing at a time. Just because your going to be spending alot of time and money working on it.. you cant expect a show car your first time, i dont care how much time you put into it. Work up to it.

Those are my thoughts that come from experience on the matter.
 

Gold Member
Username: Subfanatic

Walton, Ky

Post Number: 3511
Registered: Dec-04
yea i agree with both of you but i have done alot of fiberglass work before, the only part of it im not good at is mixing and stuff, but ive built some boxes withit and done 2 door panels, the dash i have not done, and i plan on working on this everyday this summer when im not working. But at the moment, this is my plan, but since my mom decided on getting the 1974 opel manta, ive been considering, maybe i should keep the neon as is and just use it to get around, and stick the opel in the garage and work tediously on that this summer, im sure it could turn on very nice looking compared to the neon. whats your guys ideas, and yes im set on this guys, i know what im getting myself into trust me. i just want to know some more help lol, thanks for the concern though....but nooone has answered, anyone know anything about the opel?
 

Silver Member
Username: Tragedy

San Jose, CA

Post Number: 263
Registered: Feb-05
why dont you post me a link on the vehicle.. i have no idea what it looks like.. and i dont feel like searching =)
 

Gold Member
Username: Subfanatic

Walton, Ky

Post Number: 3512
Registered: Dec-04
lol, mainly cause i cant really find any pics of it on the net
 

Silver Member
Username: Tragedy

San Jose, CA

Post Number: 264
Registered: Feb-05
can you associate how it looks with any other type of older car?
 

Gold Member
Username: Subfanatic

Walton, Ky

Post Number: 3513
Registered: Dec-04
a small camaro
 

Gold Member
Username: Subfanatic

Walton, Ky

Post Number: 3547
Registered: Dec-04
bump!
 

Gold Member
Username: Jonathan_f

GA USA

Post Number: 3933
Registered: May-04
I'm not an Opel buff, but I know the car you're talking about. Similar to a Camaro, designed to compete with the Ford Capri in the 70s. 1.9L engine, RWD, 4 sp or automatic. Acceleration was a joke, remember this was the 70s during the "gas shortage", extreme low compression in the 7.5:1 range, the engine would be lucky to have 75 net horsepower at the flywheel. Your Neon would walk the dog on that thing in a straight line. Main thing about the Opels and Capris were how well they handled. You won't find a lot of parts to make the engine more powerful, it's HARD to find Opel parts anyway. You'd do better dropping another engine in there for the money spent.
 

Gold Member
Username: Jonathan_f

GA USA

Post Number: 3934
Registered: May-04
Oh, I believe 0-60 was in the 12 second range, just FYI.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Shawnomak

HB, SK Canada

Post Number: 34
Registered: May-05
http://images.google.ca/images?hl=en&lr=&q=1974+opel+manta&btnG=Search

somthing like these?
 

Gold Member
Username: Subfanatic

Walton, Ky

Post Number: 3553
Registered: Dec-04
thank you very much jonathon, but at the moment im not really worried about its speed, i WILL be after i remodel the body and the other interior this summer, but im mainly giong to redo this car for my mom, im getting a 69 camaro for my own car, i need to find an old beat up 69 with a v6 or v8 that i can rebuild, but my mom said if by the end of this summer i dont get my own car, then i can drop a 454 v8 in the opel since it has a HUGE engine bay and we would convert it from a 4 speed to a 6 speed
 

Bronze Member
Username: Fastbastard1977

Lousiville, Ky Usa

Post Number: 53
Registered: May-05
a 69 camaro didnt come with a v6. they came with inline6.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Thumper

Richmond, VA U.S.A

Post Number: 72
Registered: Apr-05
Not to crack on your car subfantic, but look for a dodge neon. The plymoth neon is like sable to ford. The dodge neons will last you longer than a plymoth and will do better in a car show. I like the look of the manta though, in my opinion i wouldnt put it in a car show either though. Thats the kinda of car you want to put some racing parts in it. If you want a nice project car, go for an old Charger, or my favorite, an old mustang. you can get a nice project car like an old mustang for cheap. Sorry for all the MOPAR fans in here, i love MOPAR but i love old mustang too, (the new ones suck, except cobras)
 

Gold Member
Username: Subfanatic

Walton, Ky

Post Number: 3555
Registered: Dec-04
well, ice, actually, my car is classified as a Dodge Plymouth Neon Expresso, thats what is says on the owners manual, i dont know which one it is, also on my little insurance thing that goes in my glovebox it says both as well, very confusing, and my car is IDENTICAL to the dodge 1998 neon in everyway. But Its just my 1969 Camaro is my dream car thats why im interested in getting it, but if anyone could look around and find a cheap project car that runs that would be great, any old classic car anyone thinks are worth restoring, take a look around on the net for cinci if u can lool, thanks
 

Anonymous
 
http://www.opelmanta.com/

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=1a348afe5c8f559c2d61778c3821045d &f=8

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=1a348afe5c8f559c2d61778c3821045d &f=26

http://www.opelmanta.com/tech.asp
 

Bronze Member
Username: Thumper

Richmond, VA U.S.A

Post Number: 74
Registered: Apr-05
well dodge makes plymoth just like ford makes sable. . The plymoth neon is like the most basic of the dodge. The dodge neon just offers more. Same car but more options and a different emblem. yeah....... it doesnt matter, good luck man, ill be on the look out for some cars and post if i see some good ones.
« Previous Thread Next Thread »



Main Forums

Today's Posts

Forum Help

Follow Us