...this Fiero:

Silver 1987 Fiero GT
Automatic
Missing one of the black pieces beside the trunk lid
No alternator
Needs brakes
Probably needs bushings all over the place
I can't hear it run, so I have to assume that it has a cracked manifold
180 XXX Kilometers on the odometer...said the engine was rebuilt though
Body is clean...minor damage here and there
I haven't had a chance to look under the car yet...it was night time.

Where should I look for rust, and how mcuh would you offer? The guy was asking $2500CAD, and that included a 1985 notchback parts car.

id say, U PAY ME to take it off your hands.

seriously though, sounds like a good 500 dollar car to me (american).

Just too many things that could be wrong.....may be worth the money, if you like to gamble.

Call it a 3,000 or 3,500 car at best and then start subtracting the costs of things that you need to fix or replace. Sounds like a money pit without seeing it.

My goal to start out is to find an 88 GT five speed that is in good shape as far as rust goes. I then want to put a bunch of $$$ in to the brakes and suspension...and whatever it needs to get it to run efficiently. Then I'll save some $$$ and do a 3.8SC swap. Now, I know that this car is an 87 auto...but I think I might make the sacrifice. If I can get it for under a grand...or damn close to a grand, I think I might take it. Does anyone know ROUGHLY how much a manual transmission swap costs?

As far as I'm concerned you're wasting your time looking for an 88. People want more money for them and basically it's because it has an uprated suspension. If the first thing you want to do is mess with the suspension, do it to an early car. Unless you're racing on a track, consider that ON is full of radar, photo radar, lasers, wacked out cops that pick on sporty cars and so on.

If you want to do a 3800 s/c, get a rust free car. Anything else good is cream. Do the suspension the way you want. Keep the 4 speed auto(mod it) that comes with the engine. The car will be quicker and if you need to shift, paddle the lever back and forth to your hearts content. You'll change the engine, tranny, some wires, fuelpump anyway.

If you want custom seats, guages etc then interior bits are surplus anyway. (besides they're cheap)

BTW, you aren't crazy, just looking to buy more than you need.

For the 5 speed swap you'll want a tranny, linkage, shifter mechanism, ecm slave and master for clutch, clutch lines, some wiring changes, pedal cluster and I'm sure some other bits. You may get a deal on a parter or maybe have to buy each bit on it's own.

Shadow has is priced at the high end. It sounds like a parts car. Unless you find free parts somewhere, you'd be looking at spending a lot of time and money getting the car up and running reliably. As for rust, look in the trunk and pull back the carpets on the sides. The wheel well will rust through there. Look at the under carriage for rusted frame members etc.

Okay...from the replies here, this car isn't lookin' that great. I am however still going to go look at it again, and see how the underbody is. If it's good, I'll make the guy an offer. He PROBABLY won't take it considering he was asking $2500 for it...but we'll see. If I get it, I'll put some coin in to it to get it runnin' properly. After that, I'll upgrade the suspension...and then look in to a five speed swap. This is provided that I can get the car for under $1000 CAD...and that the "body" is in good shape. If it's not lookin' too hot...I may try to get it as a parts car.

If you are looking for an 88GT I know of one here in Toronto. It's not cheap. He probably wants about $6K for it. But is is absolutley mint.
Like Fiero Buzz said. You would be surprised how much things add up once you start with a "good project car".
My car has way more money in it then I care to admit.
If you are looking to fix it up the way you want over an extended period of time, than I would say go for it. I spent about 2 1/2 years on my 86Gt makeover. It may have cost a lot and taken more time than most people but I did a lot of the work myself. A lot of which I had never done before. For me it was more of a learning experience and a hobby.
Good luck on what ever you decide.
Vince

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The Rebirth of 72vinman

See...that's what this is going to be for me as well. I plan on putting lots of $$$ in to it. I had the same plan with my current car...and that's what I did. I've put WAY more $$$ in to it then I care to admit as well. I have come to the realization though that my current vehicle doesn't have the potential for performance that I want. I want the car that I build to me "mine." I basically wanna start with a stock car. This will be a hobby for me...and will be learning a bunch of stuff as I go. I learned a lot with my current car...and it's time to learn more with another car.

These are my plans for ANY Fiero that I end up purchasing:

1. Getting it to run well
2. Upgrade the brakes and suspension
3. Save $$$ for the engine swap

The only thing that I can see so far with the Fiero I looked at today was that I'd have to work a tranny swap in to the mix. I'm sure that I will come across a wrecked 5 speed Fiero one day...and when that day comes...that's the day that car becomes my donor.

Arris
JCO North Prez

I don't know, man. A car with that many unfixed problems... you are just looking for trouble. When an owner leaves a car to "rot" like that, without fixing problems as they come, there's a good chance that he just doesn't care about the thing and treats it like crap. You can get a decent fastback for under $2000 if you keep your eyes open. Don't get too excited about buying it- wait until the right one comes along, or you'll regret it.