I am looking at a 1986 aero-nosed, notchback Fiero with T-Tops. I know pre-1988 C&C did T-tops for Pontiac dealers . I am just a little wary. Are t-tops in a 1986 worth a little more? If I had the VIN could I see where the car had been sent to C&C for the T-tops as an option? Are there questions I should ask the seller?
Check for this sticker in this link, It will be B pillar driverside by the striker, or center console glove box behind the door, or under the rear deck lid. Again look at the pictures in the link here https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/096999.html
Then send me any pictures and ask if they have any paper work. I will try to help you with this Non-88 t-top option. podziemj@matc.edu
Thanks, John. I will likely go see the car next weekend. I will look for the sticker. Any chance you would know the number of T-top conversions for 1986 by authorized installers?
All T-Tops were done by an aftermarket company even the 88's. Contrary to some people's belief, no Fiero ever rolled off the assembly line with T-Tops.
[This message has been edited by Thunderstruck GT (edited 01-23-2018).]
My understanding is the pre-1988 T-Tops were done by authorized shops that the dealers sent the cars from their lot. I thought the 1988s were ordered direct with T-Tops from GM where the factory sent the cars out for t-top installation.
Are there companies other than C&C who were installing t-tops in Fieros at that time?
My understanding is the pre-1988 T-Tops were done by authorized shops that the dealers sent the cars from their lot. I thought the 1988s were ordered direct with T-Tops from GM where the factory sent the cars out for t-top installation.
Are there companies other than C&C who were installing t-tops in Fieros at that time?
If I recall, there were at least 2 companies that cut the roofs to add the T-Tops. These cars never were designed to have T-Tops. There was no inner roof panel made by GM that was exclusive of a T-Top. The only inner roof panel available was part # 2061 6555 unlike the Firebird that had an actual T-Top roof panel with its own part number.
To say a Fiero was "built" as a T-Top car would be the same as to say they were built as a convertible or a Mura. And we all know that did not happen.
My suggestion to you would be that if you want a T-Top car, buy a T-Top car and don't sweat the little stuff. It's much ado 'bout nuthin'.
[This message has been edited by Thunderstruck GT (edited 01-23-2018).]
The full story is I already have a 1988 GT with T-Tops. The car I will look at is for my nephew. Until reading this morning I did not know t-tops were available on Fieros before 1988. The reason for all the questions is I don't want to steer him wrong.
I think the reason people get confused with the Fiero t-top program cause they say non-cjb and cjb, the easy way to say it is like this: Fiero t-top kits and Pontiac ship thru program
by saying it this way, Fiero t-top kits were made in 84, 86, 87, 88, 89 (yes this is not a typo) and were installed at C&C or their 200 autorized installer
by saying it this way Pontiac ship thru program were ONLY done in 88 Only and were installed ONLY at C&C
This would save A LOT of confusion.
And to answer your last question, In the early to late 80's there were 3 big coach builders as the auto industry called them : C&C, ASC and Pacific, C&C was the only one that patient and made t-tops for the fiero, ASC only made prototype convertibles for the fiero,, never t tops. Pacific T-top was known for making t-top kits for foreign cars, but later (1986) became one of the biggest authorized installers on the west coast for C&C's fiero t-tops,
This information with documentation to back up "all the statements I have made" will be in the fiero book, I am putting together for many years and be sharing the history of the COMPLETE t-top program with DOCUMENTATION, there is No here say, OR I know a friend or family memeber that knows someone stuff... -Enjoy Fiero John-WI
[This message has been edited by FIERO JOHN-WI (edited 01-23-2018).]
For a Fiero like this 1986, would it likely have been a car that a dealer ordered and then sent to an installer off-site? Are you aware if any of these installers were in or around Nashville TN? Just curious about the lineage of this car. At this point I don't know if the car was from another part of the country.
I think the reason people get confused with the Fiero t-top program cause they say non-cjb and cjb, the easy way to say it is like this: Fiero t-top kits and Pontiac ship thru program
by saying it this way, Fiero t-top kits were made in 84, 86, 87, 88, 89 (yes this is not a typo) and were installed at C&C or their 200 autorized installer
by saying it this way Pontiac ship thru program were ONLY done in 88 Only and were installed ONLY at C&C
This would save A LOT of confusion.
And to answer your last question, In the late 80's there were 3 big coach builders as some call them : C&C, ASC and Pacific, C&C was the only one that made t-tops for the fiero, ASC only made prototype convertibles for the fiero, Pacific T-top was known for making t-top kits for foreign cars, but later (1986) became one of the biggest authorized installers on the west coast for C&C's fiero t-tops,
This information with documentation to back up "all the statements I have made" will be in the fiero book, I am putting together for many years and be sharing the history of the COMPLETE t-top program with DOCUMENTATION, there is No here say, OR I know a friend or family memeber that knows someone stuff... -Enjoy Fiero John-WI
Well said and really should put an end to the people that for years have said that their car has "factory" T-Tops or came from the "factory" with T-Tops.
[This message has been edited by Thunderstruck GT (edited 01-23-2018).]
This 86 that you are looking at, i can only know by seeing these 3 things, and the 1st one is the most important 1.the c&c sticker if it isnt there anymore OR they don't have the warranty card IN A NUTSHELL your screwd.. reason is simple that car would be 32 years old and with people taking solid roof or sunroof fieros an adding t tops(easily now for the last i dont know 10 years, just search on the forum many have done it THAT WE KNOW ABOUT, think of the ones that Don t say anything and just do it) so you wouldn't know, if it was done by one of the 200 authorized installers, or C&C or your average joe. 2.Need to order, then look at gm shipping invoice of what dealership ordered it, to see if it was sent to a dealership in that state. In your case Tennessee. 3. Then you would need to order a carfax on the car to verify the (#2 statement above) to see if it was 1st registered in that same state, in your case again Tennessee. This will answer a lot.
WITHOUT THESE 3 THINGS OF DOCUMENTATION, I WOULD BE JUST GUESSING AND I DO NOT DO THAT.
[This message has been edited by FIERO JOHN-WI (edited 01-23-2018).]
Oh one other thing, I forgot to answer for you, you asked if there was a C&C authorized installer in Tennesse, there was: Sure Fit 1431 Gallatin Road Nashiville, TN 37206
Don't know if it's going to be there 32 years now, but there you go... -Fiero John-WI
For a Fiero like this 1986, would it likely have been a car that a dealer ordered and then sent to an installer off-site? Are you aware if any of these installers were in or around Nashville TN? Just curious about the lineage of this car. At this point I don't know if the car was from another part of the country.
Pretty sure there was an installer in Decatur GA, near me. (Lawrenceville Highway.) They were at least a sunroof installer, and I saw an 85 GT(?) with T-tops, pull out of the parking lot. This would probably have been in 86-87 or so, while I had my own 85 GT. Sorry. Don't remember the name of the business.
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 01-28-2018).]
Radar, right now I have 2 from Georgia, but if you find out let me know AAA Vinyl tops And PV 4 accessories C&c list changed through out the years, an I don't know what year list I have.
[This message has been edited by FIERO JOHN-WI (edited 01-31-2018).]
Checking back in. My nephew purchased this 86 SE. I did not have the time to see if it was or was not installed by an authorized facility. It was first sold in West Virginia, but spent the bulk of it's time in Pennsylvania until it was licensed in Tennessee in 2005.
The seller is a Fiero collector / seller. He said this was bought for parts out of the back yard of an elderly lady. Instead of scrapping the car he opted to piece it together and sell. Overall not a bad looking car. Most significant issue is some serious rust from all the years in the North.
