This thread is going to be the official rebuild thread of the 88 Formula that I got a few weeks ago. Long story short, I traded my 2000 Polaris Scrambler for this car, and this car is a basketcase. What drew me to it was Petey, GTGeff's white Formula that he let my wife and I use while we were in MN last year for the Tyler Memorial Show. Ever since driving Petey, I was in love with that car. So fast forward about six months, and I happen upon Petey II while browsing Craigslist. I brought Petey II home the same day.

My plan for this car is simple. Get it back in good working order, and slowly rebuild it while enjoying it. So I will start with the pics of how it looked when I first brought him home:



Missing the Getrag dipstick













First thing I started on was the center console area. The shift bezel looked like crap, and the shifter boot was torn. Luckily, I had a good one from a 4-speed laying around, and I replaced the boot, and painted the ashtray doors:

Before:


Tools of the trade:


After:


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12/29/10
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I started off replacing the steering column with one that I had laying around. The plastic housing for this column was broken, and no longer usable. So I grabbed my spare column, took it apart down to the three Torx pivot bolts, and put thread locker on them. This will save me from doing this down the road when I'm sure it would be inconvenient.



The damaged old column





While I was putting the new column in, the mailman arrived with goodies! First was a replacement oil pressure sending unit terminal from mattwa, and second was a trim piece that was missing from behind my D/S door handle from John316. And with this delivery came the first part of my Fiero Store shipment.



Replaced my missing horn buttons



Replaced the trunk button and defrost buttons





These were the reason the car would not start, and the oil pressure gauge pegged right:





That's it for today, more work on it tomorrow hopefully.

Great start so far! I was looking at the before and afters, and was hoping to see one of the console / shift surround. Is that gorilla glue good for holding the vinyl back in place? I have cleaned out the swollen foam from mine, but have yet to settle on what to glue it back with, and have it hold permanently.

Every fiero I know has a gorilla glued trim thing. It holds up good but you have to keep it clamped down for a couple hours. Great work hulki......You have too many fieros though

You can never have too many Fieros, Tuzzi! Good luck, Hulki. I look forward to watching you revitalize this Formula as I'm trying to do with mine. But you have much more spare parts lying around. =P

quote Originally posted by N3M3S1S: But you have much more spare parts lying around. =P

I do have a decent amount of parts, but it's the little things that I don't have. So if anyone has any of the following, please let me know.

1. The clip that holds the lock cylinder in


2. The small harness that goes from the trunk release wiring to the trunk release itself


3. A pin for the torsion bars for the decklid

Hey Hulki-

My buddy has a 88 Formula just like this thats in almost perfect shape. Hes the original owner and its never seen a winter... If you need some pics let me know.
Im the douchey looking one in the front at Mattwas place this past summer..

[This message has been edited by Midnight (edited 12-30-2010).]

My mom's 88 coupe looks like a forumla except for the rims, sticker and spoiler! That is until you look inside or open the decklid. Maybe we could call it Lil Petey?

Midnight, your buddy's Formula is exactly that I envision mine turning into. I would love to tear this car down to the chassis and do a complete restoration, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. But I would like to just turn it into a nice, clean driver.

Matt, you need a set of 88 diamond spokes on your mom's car.

quote Originally posted by Hulki U. My-BFF: Midnight, your buddy's Formula is exactly that I envision mine turning into. I would love to tear this car down to the chassis and do a complete restoration, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. But I would like to just turn it into a nice, clean driver. Matt, you need a set of 88 diamond spokes on your mom's car.

Yes I do need those. And as you can see, i saw that Formula in person. Wow, that thing is mint! The coloring is also kinda rare, its a white Formula with the Beechwood interior.

quote Originally posted by Hulki U. My-BFF: Midnight, your buddy's Formula is exactly that I envision mine turning into. I would love to tear this car down to the chassis and do a complete restoration, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. But I would like to just turn it into a nice, clean driver. Matt, you need a set of 88 diamond spokes on your mom's car.

You need a set of gold diamond spokes on yours <hint> Hint

quote Originally posted by Back On Holiday: You need a set of gold diamond spokes on yours <hint> Hint

Yes, your gold spokes look great, but on my car they would look

Well, I got to drive Petey for the first time today! The PO told me when I bought the car that he thought the ECM was bad, because the car would start for a second but never really run. After some real diagnosis, I found that one of the pins of the oil pressure sending unit and one of the terminals of the harness to it had both rotted away to nothing. So I replaced the oil pressure sender and harness, as well as the ICM and now it runs out very well. When I first bought the car, it was missing the Getrag dipstick, so I feared water and other contaminants might have gotten in there. But thanks to chrishahn87, he let me borrow a spare stick he had until mine gets here from TFS. I drained the transmission, and unbelievably there was no water in the oil. I refilled with fresh 5W-30 (for now until I get Synchromesh) and took her around the block. Let me just say, it runs out very well. The tranny shifts like a hot knife through butter, it's so smooth. The smile on my face was so big, that I had to come back and take Steph for a little ride as well. Overall killer day for me!

Also, I got my shift console finished today as well:

quote Originally posted by Hulki U. My-BFF: Midnight, your buddy's Formula is exactly that I envision mine turning into. I would love to tear this car down to the chassis and do a complete restoration, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. But I would like to just turn it into a nice, clean driver. Matt, you need a set of 88 diamond spokes on your mom's car.

Sweet dude. Like I said if you need any pics of something let me know..

That shift console looks 100% better, good work.

Looking good! BTW whats up with the speedometer?
Korey

quote Originally posted by NCTyphoonKid: Looking good! BTW whats up with the speedometer? Korey

Uhhm, would you believe it's so fast that it does 120 MPH sitting still??? Honestly, I never even noticed it before, I guess I have to look into that as well.

quote Originally posted by Hulki U. My-BFF: Uhhm, would you believe it's so fast that it does 120 MPH sitting still??? Honestly, I never even noticed it before, I guess I have to look into that as well.

I just thought you had installed line-lock on the front wheels, and did an engine swap that had enough power to spin the tires that fast while sitting still!

.....oh thats right, you have a getrag. It probably wouldnt be able to hold up to that for long.

quote Originally posted by chrishahn87: I just thought you had installed line-lock on the front wheels, and did an engine swap that had enough power to spin the tires that fast while sitting still! .....oh thats right, you have a getrag. It probably wouldnt be able to hold up to that for long.

With all of the love you have for Getrags, how could you say such a thing. You must love them, why else would you have had so many?

quote Originally posted by Hulki U. My-BFF: With all of the love you have for Getrags, how could you say such a thing. You must love them, why else would you have had so many?

You got a lot of sh*t to talk... you just joind the getrag family... you still still new to the game

padawan learner

[This message has been edited by pontiackid86 (edited 01-03-2011).]

You work quickly! Call me a panzy, but I haven't felt like doing stuff to mine in the cold. =P I need to update my thread though. Keep it up, man.

quote Originally posted by N3M3S1S: You work quickly! Call me a panzy, but I haven't felt like doing stuff to mine in the cold. =P I need to update my thread though. Keep it up, man.

Thatz cuz you and I have real jobs, not unlike Hulki and his boy PK

I was finally able to get to fixing the console glove box, which was my biggest pet peeve about the interior. It was pulling apart badly around the edges, and was in bad shape. I am not completely satisfied with how it turned out, but it will do for now.

Before:





During:



After:

quote Originally posted by Hulki U. My-BFF: With all of the love you have for Getrags, how could you say such a thing. You must love them, why else would you have had so many?

Its NOT LOVE!
And I dont really have that many - I only have one. One at a time.

To me, getrags are like girlfriends in high school.
Go through them frequently, and hopefully you'll eventually find a good one!
Chris

Looking good Andy! You better have that finished by July..

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1999 GMC Jimmy 2dr 4x4
1985 Fiero GT 3800 N/A ...3800 S/C being rebuilt now.
1984 Fiero Indy #1098 w/ Centerline Wheels,Hooker Tri-y header and Indy Scoop with Strobe's
1984 SE Daily Driver

SHIFT CONSOLE LOOKS GREAT ANDY! I'll have to try that technique on Matt's car. My first attempt did not hold well. Love the binding clip method! Simple yet extremely effective. Wish I would have thought of that!

Matt's Mom

quote Originally posted by chrishahn87: To me, getrags are like girlfriends in high school. Go through them frequently, and hopefully you'll eventually find a good one! Chris

Now THAT is something I didn't do. I kept it simple n' single.

Anyway, my mom is correct, that is a great idea as far as gluing the trim pieces back in place. My console glove box door was exactly the same, and I fixed it the same way you did, and it also turned out the same way. Now on my mom's 88 coupe, that door doesn't even say in place, the hinge broke off on it. Lol.

Okay, here's the latest on Petey. The other day I had the upper intake and throttle body off to replace the TB coolant lines, since one of the originals was split. While I had the TB off, I made the mistake of using carb cleaner to clean the TB out. Since I put the intake and TB back on, I now have a very high idle of around 3k. I don't know if I messed up the TB, or if maybe my EGR tube cracked on me, but I need some warm weather to look into this.

Here is what I have been working on at work. I took a spare upper intake and a set of valve covers, completely stripped them, and painted them with a high heat ceramic. They aren't quite finished yet, but this is what they currently look like:





Also, since selling my GT, I have been shopping for things that Petey needed, so here's a group of goods that I have waiting to go on the car:



We've got an IAC valve, TFS floor mats, Rodney Dickman decklid strut kit, RD stainless vacuum line set, new distributor, new AC Delco ICM, new 180* thermostat, new 195* fan switch, backup switch for Getrag, new upper intake gaskets, new DS marker light, and some other things.

Today was the coldest it has been all year, but I just had to go do some work on him. I managed to get the RD decklid strut kit installed (no more 2x4 holding up the decklid).



I also installed the RD stainless vacuum lines





And I also installed my new recovered shift knob from mmeyer86gt/gtp



Then last but not least, when the weather finally breaks, I will be installing this keyless entry system as well.

quote Originally posted by Hulki U. My-BFF: Okay, here's the latest on Petey. The other day I had the upper intake and throttle body off to replace the TB coolant lines, since one of the originals was split. While I had the TB off, I made the mistake of using carb cleaner to clean the TB out. Since I put the intake and TB back on, I now have a very high idle of around 3k. I don't know if I messed up the TB, or if maybe my EGR tube cracked on me, but I need some warm weather to look into this.

Idle sensor... My 90 model S-10 did the same thing. I burnt up a clutch to keep it from blowing. I was scared my motor was going to blow. (Eventually it did but not until after I smoked the clutch) Thats what super genius teenagers do. LOL

quote Originally posted by GADJet: Idle sensor... My 90 model S-10 did the same thing. I burnt up a clutch to keep it from blowing. I was scared my motor was going to blow. (Eventually it did but not until after I smoked the clutch) Thats what super genius teenagers do. LOL

I agree with this ^^^, I think the carb cleaner KO'ed the IAC. Or at least messed it up.
Honestly though in my opinion, the TB coolant lines are dumb, and not needed, The TB never froze up on me here, they make it harder to get to the ign module if replacement is needed, makes that area of the engine look more "crowded" then it needs to be, they can leak (like yours did), and it reduces performance by heating up the incoming air. Now I realize this may be moot because you said this is going to be a restoration, but that's just my opinion.

All those parts are looking good! Quick questionm why was a 2X4 needed in the first place? Did a torsion spring break?

quote Originally posted by mattwa: All those parts are looking good! Quick questionm why was a 2X4 needed in the first place? Did a torsion spring break?

They weren't really broken, but the DS pin had come out while the PO had the car, so the rods were no longer in their places. After I got two pins to put in, I tried re-seating the torsion rods. I deemed those POS things to be too dangerous to mess around with, so I took them out completely.

As for the cooling tubes, they are coming out when I go to put the other intake and valve covers on. I want a garage so bad I can taste it, but I won't be getting one back until Kevin flies the nest someday down the road. But I like having him here, so I would rather not have the garage than to have him leave home.

Hey, what did the gatekeeper say?

quote Originally posted by John Miller: Hey, what did the gatekeeper say?

Well, I remember the gatekeeper asked you if you were dropping Jr.'s Fiero off at my house. She's no stranger to Fieros, she sees me bring one through the gate all the time. Is that what you meant about what the gatekeeper said?

Some pictures of the original "Petey" to serve as inspiration.




Pip took a poop on me and has quit working so I will try more later.
Jeff

quote Originally posted by GTGeff: Some pictures of the original "Petey" to serve as inspiration. Jeff

Ah, thanks for that! I have already checked the DMV website and "PeteyII" is available, and will be my plate when I go to register. Hopefully, Petey, and PeteyII will be together at the Tyler show in July. My fingers are crossed.

Yes it is! I can just see her eyes rolling back as you pull thru. I laugh as I think about it.

One for Stef.

I had a little bit of time after I got home from the PA Auto Show, so I put my center console area back together, and threw a little ArmorAll at it.

Before:



After:



Before:



After:

In my best Ricardo Montalbán voice: Hulki, I can call you Hulki can't I, you are doing marvelously.

Well... his name is Andrew...

I was planning to work on Petey today, but the rain had other plans for me instead. But I did manage to get my new LED bulbs installed for the front parking/turn signal lights. These are 60 SMD switchback LED 1157 bulb replacements, and they look great! Here's the auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymot...NX:IT#ht_6546wt_1165

And here's the video: