THIS COULD BE THE FIERO FOR YOU





Here's the deal. I picked this car up for around $200 in 2000, put a few years and another $1000 or so into it, and had been driving it for four and half years and the motor starting making ominous noises, so i parked it. I would have put it back into my garage and completed the work I started on it (it is unfinished of course) but in those four and a half years I found an 86 GT and it currently sits on jackstands in the garage. I haven't had the time or money to work on either. My fair city took offense to the car when I swapped the rims and tires onto one of my other vehicles and the spares went flat - and the inspection expired - as did the tags.

I've bought and sold Fieros before - and it's a hassle - and I am actually very fond of this car. It has, in retrospect it has saved me money. Never a car payment, no taxes (too old) low insurance and I did 99% of the work myself. I think it would be better to find a good home for the next enthusiast than to try to sell it or part it out.

But I have a couple conditions.

The prospective owner must be a member of PFF over the age of 21.
The owner must have proper facilities to work on the car. No renters, apartment dwellers, etc. a paved/covered area.
The car must be towed to it's next destination. I started it and drove it into the back yard to avoid detection by the city (and earning a fine) but I don't know if I'd drive it down the block. This thing is begging for an engine swap.

I cannot offer any kind of warranty, I'm not kicking in any $$$.

Here are the specs:

85 SE, 2.5 4 cyl, stock. Auto trans, AC (I did a R134 convert 5-6 years ago, but it stopped working last year.) power windows, locks and mirrors. Cruise Control. Tilt column (nice and tight)

Mods I've done, from the front to back:

Gen II headlight motors, H4 glass (not plastic) Headlight conversion.
Trans Am hood vents (functional)
Sluppy single hydraulic hood lift
V8 Archie front battery relocation box
removed antenna - added concealed antenna
AM/FM/CD player with 8 inch sub woofer and separate amps
Legal (VA) window tint
aftermarket glovebox
shortened shifter
Led third light (stock 85 didn't have one)
Mustang hood scoop on the rear deck (functional cutout below)
105 AMP alternator conversion
polyurethane dogbone
sequential taillights

the suspension was completely redone - it has a full poly bushing conversion except I have never dropped the cradle. The car has been lowered an inch or so, the shocks and struts all replaced when I first started driving it again. Stock sway bar with poly. The rear tie rods have been replaced with a pair from Rodney Dickman, The brakes were completely redone except for the hard lines - it has DOT approved steel braid hose and get this - a functioning parking brake! The steering rack was replaced a couple years ago.

There may be a few odds and ends I've forgotten, but that will be for the next owner to modify.

There are a few things that need to be addressed: the heater core developed a leak last winter and I bypassed it since I didn't have time or money to by/install the replacement. There is no headliner. The battery is dead now. I think it experienced the 'phantom wipe' phenomenon and I never got around to buying Rodney's kit to replace all the capacitors on the control board.

I live in Hampton, VA.

Wait! There's More!!!
I have all - and I mean all - the panels to convert this into a GT clone, bumper honeycomb, fender liners, skirts and the metal braces that got under them.. even the little pointy piece of trim (grooved moulding). They go with it. GT lace wheels are on the car now. I don't have a GT exhaust, you'll to get that yourself.

last note - the Spyhunter scoop on the car in the pictures stays with me, as do the rims you see in the pics.

Respond in this thread and PM me - but be patient with my response - I have been busy during the day.

I wish you were closer. I've been looking for a car to put my 4.9 swap in.
Yeah, 12 hours one way is a little too far.
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88 Coupe: 2.0L Turbo 4 Cylinder
65 Chevrolet Corvair: 110 4 speed project car

[This message has been edited by FieroMaster88 (edited 07-19-2011).]

You reminded me of something I didn't mention. There is no rust on this frame.

PMed you

You are a heck of a guy USFiero

quote Originally posted by AlanD: PMed you

PM received and replied. The photos make the paint look much better than it is, and the GT panels are in need of refinishing. The Pontiac arrows on the sail panels were replaced with NOS by me. The dew wipes were replaced by NOS. I have cleaned the heater blower - so no front-end fire risk. I don't want anyone to misunderstand, though I made this my daily driver for four and a half years, it is still a project car.

The more I reminisce, the more I want to rethink my offer - but I am committed to having to do get one of the Fieros of my property. I will help the new owners via PFF - and I feel like some teen-age mom giving up her kid - I'd like for them to be active so I can keep in touch with my baby.

[This message has been edited by USFiero (edited 07-20-2011).]

Put me next in line, should AlanD decide otherwise. Thanks for your generosity!

Mainly interested for a friend of mine. He deployed with me two years ago and heard enough about Fieros during that time that he began looking for a Fiero as a project for he and his son to work on. I just helped find him an 85SE with a good engine but otherwise needing a lot of work. The combination of these two cars would be perfect for him. Trying to get the project rolling since he will be deploying to Afghanistan at the end of the year and would like to get it running before he leaves for 8 months.

What a a great Fiero Owner!!!

I would pay for shipping to Pewaukee, WI

I'm a Self-Employed Certified Mechanic/Technician.
I'll cover all shipping expenses if no one else wants it.
PM me if I can have it.
Thanks!

Steve

I'm interested as well, I have a good 87 engine/wiring/etc siting in a garage I have that had been swapped into an 85, so apparently putting the newer engine in the older car isn't hard.

If I get it I am going to fix it and give it to my parents, my mom and dad both like fieros, and my dad has helped me a lot the last 5-6 months financially so I'd like to do something for them

If someone else already has a good line on getting it no big deal, just thought I'd try.

Well I do not meet all off the conditions but, If nobody else wants it i would like to get it.

Alan will be over this weekend to have a look. The Fiero is not for him, but someone new. If it doesn't work out, I'll let everyone know in order they posted here/PM'd me.

EDIT - For the prospective owner - all the ball joints, except the front uppers have been replaced. SO, cleaning the heater blower housing/replacing the lower front balljoints = major safety issues addressed. The alternator has been converted tot he single wire type, I swapped the Fiero pulley onto a blazer alt that bolts into place so the car has enough juice to charge the front mounted battery. The battery cables go through the passenger compartment using bulkhead connectors, not grommets. I think it needs a front engine mount, easy repair. Just a pain since I replaced the original - I would go with a poly one since they are the same but for whatever reason I have been advised not to. This little car rides FIRM because of all the poly, the front steering damper is shot I think and for street driving I'd actually want to replace it. One of the exhaust tips rusted off last week when I moved the car - what is on there is pretty hideous anyway.

[This message has been edited by USFiero (edited 07-21-2011).]

Somebody bring this to my house!!!!!

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Dealing with failure is easy: work hard to improve. Success is also easy to handle: you've solved the wrong problem, work hard to improve.

damn, if my current swap was done id take this and do a V8 swap :/

My fair city took offense to the car when I swapped the rims and tires onto one of my other vehicles and the spares went flat - and the inspection expired - as did the tags.


This is exactly why I live out in the sticks. I still drive an hour each way to work, but at least I'm moving. I'd love to pick it up for my daughter if everything else falls through. I'm off next week and a little road trip with the kids would be great.

I got message suggesting that I should charge something for the car - and of course, that was on my mind initially. But after realizing the pleasure I got from working on it (and driving it) and how little the cost of ownership has been, the car does not really represent a financial investment - more of an emotional investment. I couldn't put a subjective price on that - and had the epiphany that the only way I'd feel good about letting it go is making it a gift to someone. Besides being the first responder, AlanD's friend's story seemed like the best prospect to have the Fiero cared for and appreciated.

Having said that, I guess it's my way of thanking Cliff for putting PFF on the web, and the Fiero Community by extension.

Final post for this thread. Jamie - the new owner - has just picked up the title. He's had the car and started sorting out things - bad things happened to the transmission. He has started changing some things on the car already - I don't think I'd recognize it if I saw it again - he is making it his own! I'm feeling pretty good about this and I hope to see him on the forum soon.

I have to say this is one of the nicest gestures I have seen on this forum. Kudos to you for making someone else a Fiero owner!

I'm a firm believer in karma, and you sir have a boatload coming your way in the positive form. This world needs more people like you in it.

Hey All,

New guy here. I am the guy that USFiero was nice enough to give his Fiero to. I have had it for a little over a month now and it has undergone some rather signifigant changes. First it has been converted to a fast back. Not exactly a GT as we did not use the GT rockers when we switched it over to a fast back and it still has the groove style mouldings. I finished painting it yesterday. Gloss black and silver. It still needs to be wet sanded and buffed out but I have to wait for the paint to cure a few days. The head liner and visors we recovered and most of the interior switches have been changed over to black. We recovered the headliner ourselves and I recoved the visors with grey cloth. Not a very difficult job if you can use a sewing machine and sew a straight line. The dash has been changed out and the SE horn button was repalced with a GT button. She still needs rear tires and I think the cradle bushings are a little toasted. For those who are curious, the noises that USFiero spoke of were the torque converter bolts had pulled throught the flex plate and tore up the starter the converter and a few other things. All of those issues have been taken care of.Overall this has been a really fun and exciting time for me and my son. Thanks USFiero for giving us this oportunity. Take care all.

Lonewolf

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Chief Petty Officer, United States Navy

" The men and women of the United States Military, we defend your right to complain"