Looking at possibly buying this car, and it has some documentation that references some Pennocks members as parts sources so I wondered if there might be a build thread here or if maybe someone knows something about it...
88 Formula with a 3.8 Supercharged swap (looks very well done) mated to original 5 speed along with fastback roof swap. Beechwood interior. They've installed HVAC controls from another GM car and mounted an aftermarket CD player over them. Has 3 round gauges in an aluminum bezel in the six gauge spot.
I've seen it here and on the FB Fiero group. Is it a 3800? I don't see that specified anywhere in the ad (unless I missed it.) Just that it's SC'd.
Thanks for the response! Yes, it a 3800 supercharged. Swap looks very professional/well done. The guy selling it is not a Fiero guy- he traded a Honda Goldwing for it last summer I believe and know virtually nothing about it. It came to him from the Harrison, MI area which is north central eastern MI. Unsure where it started life though. Researching here due to seeing some notes in a pile of stuff he has with it that references at least one pennocks member that I know makes stuff for this swap...
[This message has been edited by FieroFanatic13 (edited 02-18-2018).]
Look at picture # 6. Where did that chrome Pontiac badge come from (under the tail lights) ?
I kinda sort of might like that.
Like fierofool said:
quote
Originally posted by fierofool:
The Pontiac emblem was standard on the 87 and 88 Base Coupe and the Formula.
It was a replacement for the debossed "Pontiac" on the earlier models. Unfortunately it loses the chrome pretty quickly. I replaced the one on my Formula and got maybe 2 years before it was black. If I had the stock black rims (or any black rims for that matter) on the car it would probably look pretty slick
Originally posted by FieroFanatic13: ... Yeah. He's not really a car guy, lol. That said, I've looked at it and it's a 3800 SC swap with the original 5 speed...
If he traded a Gold Wing for it, and he's not really a car guy, he probably doesn't know WTH to do with it. Might even be afraid of it. If the swap looks clean, and the rest of the car is rust free, I might be tempted, if I were you. Do you know how to work on it if something breaks?
If he traded a Gold Wing for it, and he's not really a car guy, he probably doesn't know WTH to do with it. Might even be afraid of it. If the swap looks clean, and the rest of the car is rust free, I might be tempted, if I were you. Do you know how to work on it if something breaks?
Yup on working on it. Done my fair share of wrenching. Swap looks pro done. That said, the car isn't as clean in person as in pics (surprise). Needs a repaint including some minor repairs. The wheels, while looking cool, are not proper offset for front. Has some panel fit issues too but no obvious collision damage. Clutch seems a bit judder but could only drive slowly in subdivision. One huge pro is super clean underneath. I'm tempted but not at his asking price. I've found what APPEAR to be better cars through facebook group at better prices.
[This message has been edited by FieroFanatic13 (edited 02-18-2018).]
I recognize it. It's my old Formula Fastback with a post sale 3800 swap. Still looks great. Cool!!
The wheel offset up front is "correct" as it is same as stock, but the wheels are an inch wider than stock. This result is about a half inch of extra rubber sticking out from under the fender, and the other half inch tucked under the car. In other words, it IS the proper offset. The issue is that it is not the proper wheel WIDTH for the front.
It's not the proper wheel width for the back either.... It's running nine inch rims back there with all of the excess tucked underneath. The outside tire edge is pretty much exactly at the stock plane.
Hope it finds a good new home!!
Nobody mentioned the HVAC module?
[This message has been edited by FTF Engineering (edited 02-18-2018).]
I recognize it. It's my old Formula Fastback with a post sale 3800 swap. Still looks great. Cool!!
The wheel offset up front is "correct" as it is same as stock, but the wheels are an inch wider than stock. This result is about a half inch of extra rubber sticking out from under the fender, and the other half inch tucked under the car. In other words, it IS the proper offset. The issue is that it is not the proper wheel WIDTH for the front.
It's not the proper wheel width for the back either.... It's running nine inch rims back there with all of the excess tucked underneath. The outside tire edge is pretty much exactly at the stock plane.
Hope it finds a good new home!!
Nobody mentioned the HVAC module?
Cool to get some info. Thanks for responding! And those tires stick out a fair bit in front, but good to know that the offset is correct. Car is still alive and kicking though!
[This message has been edited by FieroFanatic13 (edited 02-18-2018).]
In one of the post pictures there is another Fiero behind the one for sale. I believe that one is an 87 GT that has been on and off the market place. I contacted the guy about that one a while back and he seems nice and honest.
Sorry, I see you did mention the HVAC controls... They are not from another GM. They are from a Nissan 240SX.
First Formula Fastback ever built.
I'm traveling this week and won't have much internet access, but I'll check in if I can.
Since you mentioned it, did you have to hack anything up to install those hvac controls? They currently do not work. Still considering purchasing and wondering how easy it might be to fix or convert back to oem...
Also, any other mods I might want to know about?
[This message has been edited by FieroFanatic13 (edited 03-11-2018).]
In one of the post pictures there is another Fiero behind the one for sale. I believe that one is an 87 GT that has been on and off the market place. I contacted the guy about that one a while back and he seems nice and honest.
Do you happen to have that contact info? I believe that's the person the current owner got the car from. I think he used lots from the add you responded to. I'd like to ask the previous owner about the swap, etc...
[This message has been edited by FieroFanatic13 (edited 03-11-2018).]
It's been so long that I don't remember the details, but if I know me, I didn't hack anything at all. No promises, but I would expect the HVAC mod to be easily reversed. I suspect the car side of things is completely stock with maybe a simple change or two that could be easily put back. I'll take a look to see if I have any pics or anything, but it was long before the easy available digital photographs were everywhere. I try to take pics of everything now, but twenty years ago... Not so much.
So out of curiosity, what is the climate control doing, or not doing?
There are lots of other subtle mods all over the car, but nothing really high impact. The highest impact mod would probably be the 5 x 4.5 inch lug pattern on the rear. Front is stock, but appropriate width and offset wheels weren't available in the stock bolt pattern, so they're now 4.5 inch circle.
It's been so long that I don't remember the details, but if I know me, I didn't hack anything at all. No promises, but I would expect the HVAC mod to be easily reversed. I suspect the car side of things is completely stock with maybe a simple change or two that could be easily put back. I'll take a look to see if I have any pics or anything, but it was long before the easy available digital photographs were everywhere. I try to take pics of everything now, but twenty years ago... Not so much.
So out of curiosity, what is the climate control doing, or not doing?
There are lots of other subtle mods all over the car, but nothing really high impact. The highest impact mod would probably be the 5 x 4.5 inch lug pattern on the rear. Front is stock, but appropriate width and offset wheels weren't available in the stock bolt pattern, so they're now 4.5 inch circle.
Wow. Had no idea on the rear lug pattern and neither does the guy selling it. Kind of a big deal, lol.
So what bearings did you used for the modded set up? Or did you somehow redrill stock ones?
And the head blows out dash only. Doesn't switch to anything else.
[This message has been edited by FieroFanatic13 (edited 03-12-2018).]
"This posting has expired." ...and nobody thought of maybe copying and uploading a couple of images here.
quote
Originally posted by liv4God:
It was a replacement for the debossed "Pontiac" on the earlier models. Unfortunately it loses the chrome pretty quickly. I replaced the one on my Formula and got maybe 2 years before it was black.
Yeah, the aftermarket PONTIAC emblem (from the Fiero Store) is rather poor quality. As stated, the "chrome" (and I use that term rather loosely here) disappears completely in one to two years. I repainted the raised letters on mine with silver paint, and it looks okay now, but this need to refinish the emblem shouldn't be required after such little time.
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 03-12-2018).]
Yeah, the aftermarket PONTIAC emblem (from the Fiero Store) is rather poor quality. As stated, the "chrome" (and I use that term rather loosely here) disappears completely in one to two years. I repainted the raised letters on mine with silver paint, and it looks okay now, but this need to refinish the emblem shouldn't be required after such little time.
I can't get the image poster to work with my phone or I would have posted some pics. I have some in an email though...
[This message has been edited by FieroFanatic13 (edited 03-12-2018).]
I bet there's nothing wrong with the 240SX HVAC assembly itself. I would suspect the sealing foam on the air ducting doors has turned to that gluey sticky mess that happens to all the GM foam and the doors are just stuck in place. That's my guess from a distance. There are also little devices built into the stock system that act as "fuse-like" current limiters. They're called PTC devices, and they degrade with use and time. Combined with sticky foam, the PTCs will have difficulty moving the doors.
The rear wheel bearings are custom machined with an adapter assembled onto the rear side to change to the 5 x 4.5 pattern. You can go back to stock by replacing the rear wheel bearing / hub assembly. So it's "bolt-on" reversible if desired.
But the trick is... If you need a new rear wheel bearing and you want to keep the custom bolt pattern, you'll have to press the hubs apart and replace the bearings inside the hubs instead of simply replacing the entire hub assy. Should be an easy job for a machine shop, but more expensive than tossing on a new pair from Rock Auto.
The rear hubs are modified Timken's and the bearings inside the hubs are SKF 309726DA which is a two row round roller with a 34 mm ID and a 64 mm OD.
And in case I haven't mentioned it in the past, the wheels / tires are as follows:
Front = 17 x 7 38mm offset with 215/45/17 Rear = 18 x 9 55mm offset with 265/35/18
Or at least that was what was on it when it left me. But that was like ten years ago.
Wow she looks great. Not as clean as when she left me, but still pretty good!
I repainted the raised letters on mine with silver paint, and it looks okay now, but this need to refinish the emblem shouldn't be required after such little time.
