This will be my 3rd buy and drive home car. I may be pushing my luck, it may be my Waterloo. This is a 1988 GT T-Top 6Cyl, 5 speed with new clutch that has been sitting outside for 2 years. The things I know I am going to change on the car when I get there are the tires, fuel pump, fuel filter, relay, battery. I am going to take an alternator with me. I also plan to change out the fluids(transmission, oil, coolant).

What else should I check and look for? Does anyone know a reputable mechanic in Fresno that can check the car out before I leave to drive it home?

I have done the math and it will cost me over $1000 in gas to take my SUV and trailer to go pick it up. The up side is that I am pretty much guaranteed to get home without incident. Down side is the driving both ways with a trailer and still having to put $$$ into the car.

Flying out there and renting a car will cost me about $250 so I figure I can put that other $750 toward getting the car road-ready and I hopefully 'should' be better off. I can probably find a set of tires that have been traded off of a new car somewhere for about $200, battery $100, I already have the fuel pump, relay, filter & alternator. Is there anything else you can think of? I want a tuneup also and that is one reason I am looking for a mechanic.

Check the belts and ignition system. Take a spare ignition module and thermal compound with you and tools to change it on the road. Make sure your brakes are working as well and not seized up. They are one of the first things to go when sitting for long periods of time.

I wish you well on this and please could post pics of your road trip

jon

As long as you're dropping the tank, dump the old gas. In an approved container, of course, but you prolly already thought of the gas.

Definately take tools! I keep all my Fiero tools in my car in a little zippered make-up case. Works very well.



You might take a fuel pump relay. Maybe a better lug nut wrench. The cross shaped kind with four different sockets. I carry one in my Fiero. Stop and buy some brake fluid when you get there.

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Jonathan

'68-69 GTO Nose - The Project has Begun!
My '85 L67 Build Thread

sitting two years.... the gas should be ok, as should the fuel pump. I would be worried about the brakes.

The extra you would spend going with a trailer is cheap insurance if you ask me. 2 years is a long time. If you already own a trailer, thats what I would do. If you dont, Id use a dolly. Ive towed cars thousands of miles on one with no problems. Empty, you wont even know its there except for the racket. Theres no way id drive a setting car 2000 miles. Every used car I ever buy gets driven only on short errands around town and gradually working my way to longer trips. Of course, you could always get lucky too. A breakdown 1000 miles from home will cost you a lot from shops who take advantage of that.

[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 06-20-2013).]

Usually it is cheaper to rent a tow dolly one way than pull both ways. I can see your point about apply the money towards the repair rather than transport. I'm just not one for breaking down in route. I've done it both ways, but sounds like you're starting off with a decent car. But I have also arrived to find the car is nothing like described also.
I generally will make a vacation out of getting a car.
Drove out to LA couple of years ago and followed Route 66.
Have a safe trip. Sounds like you have the basics covered.

From Fresno to Austin (TX?). That takes you through some pretty hot desolate areas, no? Make sure the cooling system is tight, hoses good and the temperature reads normal; maybe a 190 deg stat..If its a true California car, thats a plus; those cars tend to be in pretty good shape.

BR's,

Mark

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86 SE V6 4 speed
86 SE V6 Auto
2008 G6 GT "Street" Coupe
2005 Buick 3.6 Rendezvous
2001 Olds Silhouette (AKA The Band Van)

Check the date on the tires. If they have been sitting outside for two years and they are also old, they are suspect for failure.

I would check the price for a car shipping company, you may be surprised. Larry

Shipping is amazingly cheap these days especially if you happen to work well for a backhaul kind of situation. That said, I have flown in and driven back many cars including a few Fieros. Yes I've broken down,(not in a Fiero) yes I didn't have a cell signal (Spanish Fork, UT), but the cop did and the tow truck driver did. I have good sam road service for my RV, used to have AAA, found them to be almost worthless. I am in Albuquerque, right on your way. Email me & I'll be on the lookout for you, (green chile enchiladas) I have trucks & trailers to get you back here in any case. I feel that if you stick to I-40 its pretty safe, CA has a phone every mile through Death Valley, and tow co's are at every little town along the way. I love these kind of trips, the unknown is very exciting, a new to you car, and the road... Can't beat it !
I drove to Austin last year, took a different route just for kicks but regretted it as I took another route home and saved 4 hours!
I can help you w staying on that route too, turn R at Clines Corners, not at Santa Rosa.
You will need AC, we expect around 105 today ! PM me for phone #s and contact info. Nice thing to know is CA compressed air for your tires are by law free at any & all gas stations, came in real handy for me while bringing back my Dakota from Rancho Cucamonga.

Not sure if its been mentioned but an extra ignition module might be a good idea...

BlackEmrald
Belt & ignition system – I will have that done when I get the tune up

Boostdreamer
Yes I mentioned above I am taking a fuel filter, relay and pump out there along with the fluids being checked and the major ones flushed.

Jaskispyder
The fuel pump is known to be bad. I checked it out briefly myself. But that is also why I am taking the relay also.

Rogergarrison
I know, I’m nuts!! I have gotten away with it 2 times already without incident. This might end up being a nightmare. My Toyota Sequoia got 9mpg when I towed a trailered Fiero back from Las Cruces, NM to Austin, TX. And this is almost 3 times the distance. Worst case scenario is if I have a problem and can get it to Las Vegas and the Fiero Yard they can fix me up & get me the rest of the way home. I figure if there is going to be a problem I will learn about it within the first 500 miles.

fierocarparts
I have seen the car already. It cranks but no sound from the fuel pump. That is why I am bringing a pump and a relay. I spent a week in the area looking at cars and bought 3. One is a parts car that has a good fuel pump and the drivetrain was used as a donor. Problem now with that car is that the “owners wife” wants it out of their yard now rather than the 31st of October of what we agreed on, in writing. This will be a 2nd vacation to pick this up(a working vacation) LOL
MarkS
I am taking the northern route as much as possible and I will not do this until Sept/October which will help a bit. I bought a Fiero in Camarillo, CA and drove it home last week via I-8 & I-10 but I drove mostly at night to avoid the high heat.

Dennis LaGrua
I am changing out the tires before I leave the area

Trotterlg & Boxdin
I did check out some car shipping companies and was surprised, but not pleasantly. They wanted $1100+. When I was on I-8 and I-10 I was surprised at how FEW cops I saw. During the whole trip maybe 3.

Thanks for the offer on Phone #’s and contact info. I plan to come through your city. Right now my planned route is Fresno, Las Vegas, Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Lubbock, Austin. 1700 miles, a more northern route and if I can make it to Las Vegas (almost 430 miles)get the car checked out again at the Fiero Yard I should be good. Going to Vegas first rather than to Flagstaff will add 50 miles but I think they will be well worth it as far as the car goes and personal peace-of-mind.

Diabloroadster
I bought a 1988 GT from Paul Vargyas in May this year and drove it from Chicago here. http://www.paulvargyas.com/ This is his T-Top! He gave me an Alternator and an ignition module just in case I needed it. Thanks for the reminder.

Knowing the horror(s) that lurk inside our v6 distributors, I'd take a complete spare. Good luck and happy trails!

[This message has been edited by BV MotorSports (edited 06-20-2013).]

Are you talking about the whole mechanism or the cap and components? Then what about the coil? is that a suspect also?

The distributors are fairly simply. You can check the cap and rotor with a visual inspection, so that isn't a big deal. What you need to be concerned with is the pick up coil and ignition module.

If it were me I would take AMTRAK or the bus, travel very light, and buy most things there. I would replace the rubber parts of the vacuum lines. It's so cheap and easy, almost certainly needed, and very likely to help with driveability issues.

I did this same thing with a '71 Chrysler in 1989, taking almost exactly the same route, but in January. The first problem I had was running out of gas because there was a long stretch without gas stations and I didn't want to pay the outrageous prices at the last available station.

I didn't have big problems with people cheating me, although I had lots of problems. Not that I didn't feel cheated, just that it wasn't much worse than if I'd been close to home.

The most basic problem I created for myself was trying too hard. When I would finally get started I would drive, or try to fix things, for twenty-four hours. Then I would have to stop. When rested the problems were easy to solve, but then I would try again to make up time. In other words; I'm not sure driving at night would be such a good idea, and therefore, given the area, driving a late model vehicle to tow the car might be good money spent.

Print up a copy of the service manual, maybe also some PFF tutorials for common situations, like procedure for diagnosing ignition failures.
Bring wire, multimeter, and tools to do wiring repairs, such as blown fusible links. Extra plugin fuses wouldn't hurt, though usually you can find one to swap that you don't really "need". Bring some generic rubber hose, and of course, duct tape.
Any questionable, major hoses should be replaced with proper parts locally before you leave.
7, 10, 13, 15mm sockets and wrenches will cover an awful lot of stuff. There's also torx used on some stuff, don't remember what size.
I agree with bringing a spare ICM. Some people have chronic repeated failures of these, others don't have that problem. No telling what this car will be like.
The cooling system is a big worry. I've never had much luck with that on newly-bought-used cars. Bring extra water, but that's only a small comfort. Try to stress test it before you leave town. Check fan operation, stays in regulated range (between thermostat and fan thresholds), no leaks, etc.

If you have spare parts that you already own, it wouldn't hurt to go nuts. It's not a time to travel light. Driving an unknown across that distance would make me paranoid.
If you have an ALDL cable, I'd be tempted to bring a small laptop with WinALDL on it. Takes some space but could be very helpful. However, most problems that could be diagnosed this way probably wouldn't make the car undrivable.
If the trunk carpet is clean, might want to cover it with something to protect it from all your "stuff".
AC is a luxury, if you're able to use that you've got it made.

[This message has been edited by armos (edited 06-20-2013).]

85 SE VIN 9
Too slow, might be fun but also cost more than the plane. The up side of the bus is what you can carry a lot with you. I had to give the TSA crescent wrenches that were over 6" long 2 weeks ago when I went to Fresno. I have a brother that lives the winters in Phoenix and the summers in the Chicago area. He comes through Austin after Labor day so I could hitch a ride with him to Phoenix and then take the bus from there(12-14 hours) to Fresno with all the stuff I need. The alternator will take up a lot of weight on in checked baggage on a plane and I do not think I can get it through as a carry-on.

$$$wise, almost twice as much to drive there with my trailer ($1050) or without my trailer and renting a dolly to tow it back($1170) Just $690 to fly there spend $250 on a mechanic checkup, a tuneup, and gas back to Austin. I did not include tires, gas filter and pump because these are expenses I will have to incur regardless. I added the mechanic checkup and tuneup because I will not be preforming them in Fresno. They are required to get back home. You may argue that so are tires but I will either get them here or there so it is a wash. Yes I will remember to take the $$$ to buy them while I am there lol.

ARMOS
Where are you in northern California? In the Sacramento area by any chance? Do you have need for 1988 Coupe Chassis? I am PM..ing you.
Thos are all good ideas. I have almost a gig of info and Fiero manuals on my computers. Even the genuine GM produced service manual as well as Chilton and Chaynes. I do plan on replacing hoses when the flush is being done. Just got my oil pan gasket and water inlet gasket yesterday. I am gathering all this stuff together over the next few months. I can stuff small things in the hoses so there will be no wasted space. I am going to alert the airline ahead of time because it will all look weird under x-ray and raise a red flag. SOOOOO...... I am going to have to get there early tell them what it is and I am sure they will check it throughly but at least I will have it (Should have it) when I land.

[This message has been edited by hcforde (edited 06-20-2013).]

quote Originally posted by hcforde: Kudos to Dave, VP of the Las Vegas Fiero Club. I called the Fiero Yard and he picked up the phone. I began to tell him my plan and he filled in the story. Apparently he has been following my plan or someone told him about it. This is a fantastic community. That strengthens my resolve to do this as I now have contact people in Las Vegas and in Albuquerque. Gee, I feel like Lindbergh!!

I live 45 min from Fresno. Let me know if I can help in some way? I do not have as many Fiero parts as I used to, I have been getting rid of them over the past few years.

Hey, Fresno! I know a guy there!

When do you plan on coming to town?

If you haven't bought one already, I have an extra new Wix fuel filter you can have and I can probably get you a hook up on tires as well.

Have you considered having your luggage (parts and tools shipped to a ups or fedex, dhl, or greyhound or even a usps in the area and pick it all up there it may be cheaper and easier than taking them on a plane with you. plus you don't need to check anything that way or pay any outrageous fees for having such heavy baggage.

it may or may not be cheaper but it would definitely be easier that way, just a thought. that's how i go buy cars long distance.

Ryan.

quote Originally posted by jaskispyder: sitting two years.... the gas should be ok, as should the fuel pump. I would be worried about the brakes.

Your kidding right ? Gas these days is lucky to last more than a few months. varnished up gas has already locked up the fuel pump. Injectors MAY be ok and not clogged after 2 years. My Mercedes sat for a year in a garage and the injectors were clogged so bad some cylinders didnt even fire. I got a great deal on it. Fuel filter was so clogged you couldnt get fuel to drip thru it. PO and his wife said it ran fine until illness stopped him from driving.

quote Originally posted by rogergarrison: Your kidding right ? Gas these days is lucky to last more than a few months. varnished up gas has already locked up the fuel pump. Injectors MAY be ok and not clogged after 2 years. My Mercedes sat for a year in a garage and the injectors were clogged so bad some cylinders didnt even fire. I got a great deal on it. Fuel filter was so clogged you couldnt get fuel to drip thru it. PO and his wife said it ran fine until illness stopped him from driving.

No, I am not kidding. I have had NO issue with storing 2.8L GM engined vehicles more than 1 or 2 years without additives.

Rickady88GT –
Do you know any mechanics that have experience on classic engines like these? I wish to get an overall assessment and a tuneup prior to leaving Fresno. I will be in Coarsegold. Are you in that direction?

hye_4_life –
I may have tires already, I just don’t know what the final outcome of the parts car I bought is going to be. That parts car also has a working fuel pump so I was just going to trade out the tanks. That is a whole different saga which I may know the outcome of this weekend. But I will need some good tires.

Goatvenom –
Yes I have thought about getting the tools out there by shipping them, and Greyhound is the way to go in my opinion if I do that. At this point, too many variables yet on getting out there and when I am leaving

rogergarrison –
INJECTORS, I will have to put those on my list. Can those be cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner say from Harbor Freight?

[This message has been edited by hcforde (edited 06-21-2013).]

I started doing some research on having the car transported. I did this a couple of weeks ago and the bids came in at around $1150-$1250 on Uship. It would cost me about the same, or a little less to have it shipped than to drive out there and back with a trailer from Austin so I dismissed it. It never hurts to look deeper & shop as I have done for cars. So I tried another service, I put in my info as to where the car is and where it is to be transported to. Quotes are coming in and they are so far as low as $675, to as high as $1170, so far. I was getting really excited at the $675 quote. I decided to look them up, and I see NOTHING good being said about them......AT ALL!!! http://www.transportreviews...sport-relief-llc.asp Apparently this is pretty standard in this industry as they are mostly just brokers and they have no real skin in the game. But these guys only started this year and the reviews pretty much say what they are up to.

There was another company that wanted $1170. They seem to be reliable and honest according to the reviewers and have been in the business a number of years. There were two other quotes I got that were $875 & $940. These companies also had good reviews but have not been in business very long. I would have to assume that the reviews are legit and not cooked since a large number of these brokers have bad overall reviews.

While I had dismissed this as a possibility, I have to think that I may incur some unexpected cost if I attempt to bring this back myself, AND there is the opportunity cost. That being what I can do here at home during the time it would take to travel and retrieve if I get someone else to do what they do best for me. While my mind is not made up yet it has to be put into the mix for a truly intelligent decision to be made.

I have created a spreadsheet with the different scenarios available to me and the most expensive is driving to Fresno and back with a trailer at approx $1200, the least is me flying in, doing a certain amount of work there before handing it over to a mechanic for an overall assessment and tuneup, buying tires, then driving it back to Austin. That comes to ~$900. That is spot on with the lowest quotes from the companies with good reviews that can transport it for me...........but not as glamorous or exciting as living on the edge.

With these numbers I have to seriously look at what it might cost me if I broke down in terms of time and $$$. I would only be spending about $450-$500 directly on getting the car road worthy in Fresno, specifically for the mechanic and some tires. The rest is transportation cost for getting myself there, renting a car, gas back home. Also, the longer I am on the road the more I will have to spend for motels.

To even be putting this much thought into this car u must be getting it for one hell of a deal...$1000 or less would be IMO a hell of a deal. Can tell u from experiance that driving back from Cali in a car u know nothing about is a wild trip. Did it a few summers back in what was supposed to be a DD. Temps this time of the year r up in the 100* range which make for a HOT trip and even HOTTER with T- Tops. I would psy to have it shipped as it will be cheaper in the long run...

No, I am not close but I go thru several times a year. I cant recomend anyone over there. I just dont know them, sorry.

I think it's on Craig's list they say all offers to ship cars are fraudulent.

It seems like you have enough people offering help to form a virtual shark cage/support team if you decide to drive.

I went to the Indy 500 this year. I was going to drive, but decided to check out other options. It was much cheaper than gas alone to take the bus, so I did. I had (essentially) to walk five miles each way and I ended up leaving just before the dramatic finish (the deciding crash took place in easy view of my seat), but I think I made the right decision.

I used to have these crisis trips like the one from CA to OH in a new-to-me '71 Chrysler until I realized my decisions were good - given what I knew at the time. Now I make sure I know everything I can before going. You're right to check out all the options and consider every possibility carefully.

Should you get into a crisis in or around L. A. County. You'll have a place at my casa to figure it out . Just p.m. Me.
Beej

Not sure how you make a living or how much you make, but try factoring in your time and what you could make in Austin while car is on its way to you. I can't imagine what I would pay if stranded in the desert at night without phone service to have not "wasted" my time. Just like paying an extra $20 for 5 gals of gas at "the last stop gas station". Was out by Carlsbad, NM, was VERY happy to pay $1 more per gallon just to not walk in that heat.

MstangsBware
I can tell you it is one hell of deal, and it is worth the transport cost and the cost of the vehicle IMHO. They were asking $850 but when I showed up and was genuinely interested they offered to sell it to me for $500. Fieros are rare enough and I have never seen a T-Top in real life. This will be my last purchase as I currently have 2 running Fieros, 2 with minor issues that can be easily fixed, 1 as a parts car. The T-Top will be #6

quins&dads88
I was in your area a couple of weeks ago when I bought the 85 SE that I drove home. Thanks for the support

Fierocarparts – I am for the most part retired, but do forex when I feel like it now. That was what I was referring to when I was talking about opportunity cost.

quote While I had dismissed this as a possibility, I have to think that I may incur some unexpected cost if I attempt to bring this back myself, AND there is the opportunity cost. That being what I can do here at home during the time it would take to travel and retrieve if I get someone else to do what they do best for me. While my mind is not made up yet it has to be put into the mix for a truly intelligent decision to be made.

Concerning the desert….Yeah, I don’t want to end up in a Rango like scenario.

85 SE VIN 9
The scammers ask for money down. Apparently the ligit ones do not. A firm price is agreed on a contract is signed and you pay on delivery of the vehicle. It is a pain that we now have to become experts on everything we do in life now to avoid being relieved of our funds. I have until the middle of August to figure it all out.

[This message has been edited by hcforde (edited 06-23-2013).]

quote Originally posted by hcforde: MstangsBware I can tell you it is one hell of deal, and it is worth the transport cost and the cost of the vehicle IMHO. They were asking $850 but when I showed up and was genuinely interested they offered to sell it to me for $500. Fieros are rare enough and I have never seen a T-Top in real life. This will be my last purchase as I currently have 2 running Fieros, 2 with minor issues that can be easily fixed, 1 as a parts car. The T-Top will be #6 quins&dads88 I was in your area a couple of weeks ago when I bought the 85 SE that I drove home. Thanks for the support Fierocarparts – I am for the most part retired, but do forex when I feel like it now. That was what I was referring to when I was talking about opportunity cost. Concerning the desert….Yeah, I don’t want to end up in a Rango like scenario. 85 SE VIN 9 The scammers ask for money down. Apparently the ligit ones do not. A firm price is agreed on a contract is signed and you pay on delivery of the vehicle. It is a pain that we now have to become experts on everything we do in life now to avoid being relieved of our funds. I have until the middle of August to figure it all out.

$500 equals a hell of a deal in my book...I honestly would have it shipped being so far away. I think the time abd money spent flying out, fixing then driving back will cost more then having it shipped. But then again if.u have the time, like an adventure then fly out and drive it home.

Six! That's different. If you know them that well you should be pretty well set. I knew almost nothing about the Chrysler when I set out. Why don't you turn the trip into a vacation and spend some time in CA before taking your latest Fiero on the road? Your last Fiero? Yeah, right. Who hasn't said that before?

Wherever I saw that warning about shipping offers it did seem a little cynical. There is a business near work that is apparently a car shipper. I wondered why there were interesting old cars in the parking lot missing windows, for instance. Apparently they ship them in closed semi trailers. However, you have to wonder if the car owners were aware their vehicles were going to be outside like that. There was a late model Rolls out there once, just parked in the lot, covered with dust. A nice late model beemer sat out there all winter, buried in the big snow we had that year.

Don't household goods shippers have to be licensed and bonded? I wonder if vehicle shippers are included. I think household goods movers are still under laws that make them responsible for your belongings while they move or store them. The storage unit industry got started when they got themselves exempted from that legal requirement. When something is destroyed or stolen from your storage unit the facility owners/operators can't be held liable. Maybe you should try a household goods mover. There are ads in Hemmings and Old Cars for car shippers, you know, for antique vehicles.

LOL, I was thinking about that "final Fiero" statement this morning. I have a 1985 SE 4Cyl 5 Speed in VERY GOOD condition, it had been garaged. What I really, really want, and have so stated in previous posts, is a 1988 Coupe 4Cyl 5 speed. I got the 85 for $1100 a couple of weeks ago and drove it back to Austin from Camarillo, CA. I went out there on a one-way ticket I had to use for another reason. So to get back, I could burn about $400 on an airplane ticket or put it toward a Fiero. That effectively brought the cost of the car down to $700 plus $150 in gas to drive it back.

Does it really matter, 1985 VS 1988? I can't really say for sure yet.
So, You will probably win. LOL

I would be interested in the chassis for scrap value, if it comes to that.

Disposing of the chassis would either be selling it to someone that wants to build a kit car or selling it to a scrap yard. If the parts car IS in the equation it is best for me to drive there and tend to business personally. I would have a trailer to take the car to a salvage yard if it came to that.

Without going back through the thread again (sorry) did you say that you were going to grab the tank and fuel pump from an 88 coupe?
If so, the fuel pump will not provide enough pressure for the GT. It must have come from another 6 cylinder car. (If it's an 88, another GT or a Formula.)