I had gotten home from work today, and was in the shower. I had just stepped out and was drying off when I heard someone knocking on the door. I hurriedly dried off a bit, wrapped the towel around me and headed for the door.

When I opened it, a guy was standing on my top step, (To stand on my top step, your nose is almost touching the door) He looked me up and down, as my attire, or lack there of, probably startled him. He then simply said "You have a very rare beast in your front yard". Confused for a second, I was like excuse me? Before I could say anything else, he just started in..... "You have a very rare beast in your front yard....The 1986 Fiero, did you do an engine swap? I noticed the ZR1 exhaust tips. It is common for people to do a L3 swap, but I have heard that others prefer the 3800 swap.

I simply said, Yes, I had heard of that. Let me get dressed and I will be out in a few minutes, and closed the door. As I was putting something on, this was dawning on me just how strange this indeed was. I got dressed, and threw on some shoes. When I opened the door I was surprised that he was still on the very top step facing the door. He look at me again and says "I have heard that those spontaneously combust, particularly the Iron Duke models."

I made a motion that I was going to come out, and he backed down the steps. I walked over and opened the engine bay. Just from the brief encounter at the door, and his mannerisms, I could tell he had some sort of mental disability. This guy was like Rain Man, but with Cars, not toothpicks and cards He knew all of the numbers, specifications, years, makes, models...... "That is a 3800 Series III. Did you get that out of a GTP"? I told him it was out of an 04 GTP. He was looking over and commenting all about HP, Torque, weight distribution, more stuff than I could follow honestly!

He mentioned that the Fiero was purposely kept under powered. Explaining that it was Pontiac management that wanted a sports car so bad, but GM would not allow the competition with the Corvette group. He went on to say that It is very similar today, as that the Camaro has the same engine as the Corvette. They slightly down tune the Camaro to keep the Corvette faster.

All the sudden he said "don't get me started on ricers. I hate ricers. All noise no go...." Then he spit out this pure genius line, that I had never personally heard before. "Big stupid, useless wings belong on penguins not cars". LOL!

He circled the car, and simply said "I now need to get home", and walked away down the street........

This all seems so made up, and could not possibly be real. After the "You have a rare beast in your yard" comment, I had to get my 3 dogs away from the door, and told him to give me a sec. When I went back to the door, I decided I needed some sort of proof of this encounter! I hit record, and put my phone in my pocket to capture the interaction. Here is an excerpt from that video. My little dog that behaves, I left out, and you can hear her clicking her nails on the hardwood floor in the video.


So, what is the strangest Fiero encounter that you have had? This one has to be pretty far up on the list of the unusual!

I still remember a story that Matt Snell told me a few years ago at the Tyler Shipman show. He pulled into a gas station where a young autistic boy was sitting in the back of a car rocking forwards and back in his seat.... Matt is 6'3 by the way. Matt said he stepped out of the car, looked over and smiled at the kid.... the kid kinda sang in 4 notes "big mannnnn little carrrrr" hahahah!

quote Originally posted by JohnWPB: This guy was like Rain Man, but with Cars, not toothpicks and cards

Not cars, but I ran into the Rain Man of sports fans a few years ago. He spotted my White Sox jacket and struck up a conversation. He excitedly announced to me that Carlton Fisk wore number 72. I said yes, that's his old Boston number of 27 turned around to make 72. But this guy was just getting started. He told me William "The Refrigerator" Perry also wore number 72. As did about a dozen other guys on a dozen other teams. This guy know every number 72 on every team! Football, basketball, hockey, baseball... He know every 72 there ever was!

"Big stupid, useless wings belong on penguins not cars" Hahahahaha.....

My favorite line against ricers is "A constipated bumble bee trying to gain altitude".........

That is a strange- but interesting encounter.....Around here in CA it is slowly changing from complete contempt to grudging interest.....

WTF. The video I posted above, and one from 2 days ago, demoing my Alarm system on my car have been flagged by You Tube (Google).

Reason: Violation of YouTube’s policy on spam and deceptive practices.

I now have 2 strikes, and one more, my account will be disabled and all content permanently deleted! I have read YouTube guidelines tonight, two times, and there is absolutely nothing whatsoever even questionable in either video.

The one video, I start showing my alarm system, and how it operates to start the car with a push button, and how the key in the steering column needs to be fixed ect. There is NO music in the background, no swearing, and not even mention of a brand of the alarm.

The other video above, is 2 people talking about the Fiero.

I appealed both strikes, but that could take months. In the mean time, I can no longer upload videos to YouTube.

Reason: Violation of YouTube’s policy on spam and deceptive practices.
Does anyone happen to have a contact or a friend that could possibly look into this for me?

[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 01-23-2018).]

YouTube is terrible about these things and unless you have a big channel, you have no contacts at YouTube. I'd recommend uploading to Facebook for now.

Maybe they should change their dang name to YOU-Screwed! I really dislike watching a video and then it automatically starts running what THEY think I want to watch...Sometimes I enjoy just reading the comments....But Away it goes! I now always "repeat" and then pause so I can read the comments in peace......

quote Originally posted by cvxjet: I really dislike watching a video and then it automatically starts running what THEY think I want to watch...Sometimes I enjoy just reading the comments....But Away it goes!

Just turn off AUTOPLAY !

quote Originally posted by cvxjet: Maybe they should change their dang name to YOU-Screwed! .

You got that right, digging around I found this:

Contacting YouTube About Channel Issues:

There is no way to directly contact YouTube either by phone or email for any general support issues.

[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 01-24-2018).]

Someone is reporting you. I bet apples to oranges that it is someone here. Sorry for your stalker. I enjoy your posts.

I was coming home from work from deep south Texas. I pull into the Boarder and Customs check point (mandatory) where they ask you if you are a US citizen and let the drug sniffers smell your vehicle.

It was early in the morning, 5AM ish. Seven maybe eight agents, standing around bored. They also check for contraband, illegal animals/fruit, what not.

I pull up in my exotic sports car, um 88 Fiero GT T Top, and garnered some attention. There were ? like four Agents circling my exotic sports car. I was ho hum nervous and answering the Agent at my window when another Agent asked what I had in the "trunk". I told him "the engine". They all looked dumbfounded or suspicious and I hit the rear hatch release button and told them to take a look.

By this time, other Agents, bored, were wondering why I was getting so much attention, and came over for back up I presume.

They were freaking out. One asked me if it was a Ferrari. Another Agent asked me what's up front. I told him "the other engine" pulled the hood release do hickey, and told them to take a look. They did.

A moment in life I will never forget. They too I suspect.

I finally fessed up and told them that it was a Pontiac, FIERO !

quote Originally posted by Patrick: !

Patrick. Hello. Long time no see. I miss you friend. Best wishes for you this new year. Put on your big boy panties and come visit us again in T/OT. I am not the only one who misses you.

To the rest of the peanut gallery, visit T/OT. Participate. T/OT is the most active section of Cliff's PFF, driving Cliff's PFF add revenue.

Yeah, we are crass, we are brash, but we are also good people. We have our differences but I am sure each of us will come to the aid of each other, despite our differences.

We in T/OT have diverse backgrounds. From nuclear submariners to ditch diggers. Even me, . What more can you want ?

quote Originally posted by cliffw: Patrick. Hello. Long time no see...

Cliff, PM sent.

Nice, I'm glad you got a video clip too

I haven't had too many weird Fiero encounters that stand out. I mean some are weird but typical weird ya know?
One weird guy was kind of what was weird. A short but sweet one.
I had just pulled into a gas station, this was in Indianapolis fo the 30th, in the Black Formula. Got out to get gas. As I looked around at my surroundings this tall skinny guy with big hair and a sort of tweaky drugged demeanor was full stride walking twards the gas station building. He turns his head and sees the car, stops in his tracks, turns his body twards the car, points and with a look if disbelief on his face says "Is that a Fiero!?"....I said "Yep"....He just said Woooooaaaa! Stood there for a few more seconds and then continued full stride on his way to the gas station door. He looked like a movie character I think is part of what made it interesting.

Fiero weird, ran into a guy at my son's baseball game with his son. Said his son LOVES these cars and can't wait to buy one.
I opened up the back deck lid and the son's eyes had that confused look....... The engine is in the back?! His father and I both started laughing. The kids was like now I really want one.

Autistic child story. I am an HVAC tech and about 11/12 years ago did a call changing a compressor. The mom told me about the boys issue and said "If he gets in the way let me know and I'll have him comeback in". I told ner no big deal I'll put him to work jokingly. She said don't touch him or make quick moves and a bunch of other things. So I was working and she kept calling him away from me. I kept saying he was fine. So I was using a flashlight to see because it was getting late. That sparked his interest. I asked if he wanted to help by holding the the light for me. He was so excited. I handed it to him and showed him where to point it for me. He stayed with me the rest of the time I was there holding that flashlight. So when I was done I went in and the mother and by this time the father had come home and they were both in awe looking at me. I did not understand why. Then I realized everything in the house had a piece of paper with the word of what it was on it. I really didn't know about autism at the time. I finished and they both thanked me for being patient with him and told me I was the first person that he had ever stayed with without having a parent nearby. So I was walking out the door and the little boy came running up to me with the flashlight in his hand giving it back. I just smiled and said "You can keep it. We'll says that is you payment for helping me." This kids facejust lit up and he looked at his parents as if to ask if it's ok. They smaled and said sure thentried to give me money for it. I just said good night and left. About a month later they called my office (they knew the owners) and told them that he said his fisrt word, can't remember now but they swore that it was because of me that day.

quote Originally posted by john-t-b: Autistic child story...

...