So what is an Aztec 7? The Aztec 7 is a Kit Car that was produced by Fiberfab and sits on a VW Chassis. The car looks like a cross between a Pontiac Fiero and a Delorian, and is powered either by a VW Type 1 Engine or Corvair engine, depending on the owner's preference.
     In this particular instance, the Aztec 7 that I have purchased was setup with a VW drive train. This site will detail my attempts to restore a great kit car and put it back on the road.

The Beginning

     Beginnings are a mixed time. My particular project had been sitting since 1982 outside, so needless to say, it needed a lot of work. With the interior almost nonexistent, glass missing (more on this later), and no engine, this car was little more than a rolling chassis that had seen better days.

     After towing the car home from it's resting place, my work began. Surprisingly, the tires were in remarkably good condition, especially since the car has sat outside for 24 years. What I thought was red oxide primer was actually what was left of the car's original paint job. My first task would be to get the car back to a manageable level and start repairing what almost 25 years of abuse had done to it...

     The last three pictures are after four days of work. The black is a primer coat covering the work done to this point.
     In the time that the car had been sitting, someone had vandalized it. The front windshield and driver's side glass are nothing more than sheets of Plexiglas that someone had cut to cover the holes. The interior, other than the dash, is a total disaster, and even with the amount of body work that was accomplished in the first four days home, there is still a considerable amount of work left to be done.
     When I purchased this car, I didn't even know what it was called. I figured it was some kind of Delorian Kit that someone had lost interest in and sold to the place where I purchased it. What I found out later, was the kind of car it was and the most likely reason it was sold... the windshield.
     As I come to understand it, the windshield is actually from a Lamborghini Muira and is very expensive. I've also come to realize that if you call glass companies and mention the words "Kit Car", most of them are like deer in a spotlight.
     The cost of a windshield can range anywhere from just under $1k to over $4k, depending on your sources. I only gave $700.00 for the car as you see it, so paying even $1k for the windshield greatly increases the cost of this project.
     I've heard a lot of doom and gloom about this, and rather than give up, I've been working with one of our local glass companies to make an alternate windshield. Rather than be a single section of glass, the new design would be a 3-section glass, having two "wings" that would meet with the center section:

     This "redesign" would join the smaller sections to the center with ribs, allowing the wiper full distance across the glass while keeping close to the original design of the car. I don't know yet if I'll find a windshield I can afford, or if I'll go with my alternate plan. At this point, it's really up to the glass company to tell me how much they think it will run. We're guessing at this stage to be between $200-$300.00 - a far cry cheaper than an actual replacement glass. Honestly, I'm surprised nobody has thought of this up until now, but I guess I'll see how it goes. Your comments or suggestions are always welcome! More later as the project continues... For questions or comments, you can reach me here.

Site created on 4 May 2006 - Last updated 12 May 2006