I just picked up an 86 Fiero out of a junk yard, it's totally complete, so I'm going to work on rebuilding it. However, the thing that's intriguing to me is the tag we found on the keys that fit the ignition/door locks. It's labeled GM Desert Proving Ground, and has a description of the car on the back. Anyone seen something like this?
That's cool, I've never seen that before. Interestingly, the GM proving ground is now in Yuma, and I have seen the C8 Corvette in full camo near there on two separate occasions last year. Good find.
There is an etching on the rear strut tower (passenger side), but the numbers don't seem to match the VIN in any way.
Can you post a picture?
quote
Originally posted by Chantruese:
Looked under decklid and hood, can't see an emissions label. Is it somewhere else?
By Federal law there must be one on it.
Take a good look at the engine compartment lid. To the right there should be a white label. If not, look for remnants of a sticker. If nothing is present, look for the VIN sticker. If there is no VIN sticker, or there is a sticker where the number does not match the car, then the lid was changed.
When you said "filled out emissions label", I guess I was looking for something beyond the standard one. Here's the regular emissions label.
Here's the stamp on the shock tower.
We actually got in touch with David Tracy at Jalopnik, to see if he could use his contacts, and he wrote back! Here's what we got from him/GM guys:
"The manager for the Milford proving grounds was the fleet manager for the Fiero 35 years ago. I just spoke with him through a friend.
"At desert proving grounds, they did have vehicles that were specifically butt-haulers," my friend told me he gathered from the fleet manager.
He told me the cars were at the proving grounds and airport, and allowed GM to avoid rental cars. "It is most likely legitimate, but it is not a prototype car" my friend told me."
So likely a run-around vehicle at the proving grounds, which is still pretty cool for a $400 scrap car pulled from a junk yard. Our state has no record of the VIN, so I actually should be able to title it. We're going to try to see if it'll run this weekend. =)
When you said "filled out emissions label", I guess I was looking for something beyond the standard one. Here's the regular emissions label.
Here's the stamp on the shock tower.
We actually got in touch with David Tracy at Jalopnik, to see if he could use his contacts, and he wrote back! Here's what we got from him/GM guys:
"The manager for the Milford proving grounds was the fleet manager for the Fiero 35 years ago. I just spoke with him through a friend.
"At desert proving grounds, they did have vehicles that were specifically butt-haulers," my friend told me he gathered from the fleet manager.
He told me the cars were at the proving grounds and airport, and allowed GM to avoid rental cars. "It is most likely legitimate, but it is not a prototype car" my friend told me."
So likely a run-around vehicle at the proving grounds, which is still pretty cool for a $400 scrap car pulled from a junk yard. Our state has no record of the VIN, so I actually should be able to title it. We're going to try to see if it'll run this weekend. =)
Nope.
Your label is complete and that number I believe is a part number.
The car is stock as far as I can tell, but it's a LOADED stock. Power everything, even the GT aux gauge cluster on the center stack. They really went crazy with the interior options. The only things we've noticed are missing are the shift knob, the coolant reservoir cap, and one screw from the passenger side decklid vent.
Your label is complete and that number I believe is a part number.
I was looking for things like this......
Yeah, sounds like this car was used a shuttle car, not a prototype vehicle (which is good, since I guess GM generally crushes them, or it's illegal to drive them on the roads or something because of modifications.) Some contacts at GM that worked in the Fiero division back when this car would have been made said that there were Fieros used as shuttle runners between the proving grounds at the airport so that GM wouldn't have to pay for rental cars. Would explain why emissions stuff is all stock, otherwise it wouldn't be legit to drive on the highway. Kind of cool either way.
Note: Small white VIN tag and VIN on everything else was Required change for 87 and later under USDOT/NHTSA rules for anti-theft. Every body panel and more have the sticker.
This car is not legal to sell to the public w/o proper doc's and GM making sure car meets Fed or CA emissions including remove/replace above VECI Exempt Sticker.
Likely would Fail CA's CARB and maybe other Emission testing in some states because of that sticker.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
At least it was the only decent writer at Jalopnik did the story. He lives around here somewhere with a pile of derelict Jeeps.
Our engineering teams have done 'interesting' things with engineering vehicles, I can only image what this poor car has been through. The build sheet would at least seem to indicate it came from Plant 17 stock, unless it was part of a special build documented elsewhere. You might have to really dig through the car to find any prototype parts, if they're still there. Hopefully (for the sake of the buyer) they were replaced with production components before the car was made saleable.
Also didn't know the proving grounds were sold? Weren't the GM EV1's crushed and buried there, meaning if GM didn't clean it up someone could be sitting on some VERY valuable car parts that could make the few remaining EV1's functional again?
The car is stock as far as I can tell, but it's a LOADED stock. Power everything, even the GT aux gauge cluster on the center stack. They really went crazy with the interior options. The only things we've noticed are missing are the shift knob, the coolant reservoir cap, and one screw from the passenger side decklid vent.
All V-6 Fieros, starting in 86, had the Aux cluster and backlit gages.
I didn't realize the car was found in Utah. I think I saw that car on the inventory, it was the same yard I pulled my 3.4 from. I'm glad I didn't end up yanking parts from it or it would have been a shame!
Also didn't know the proving grounds were sold? Weren't the GM EV1's crushed and buried there, meaning if GM didn't clean it up someone could be sitting on some VERY valuable car parts that could make the few remaining EV1's functional again?
I texted Dave after I saw the story and told him that since he's an honorary member of the Fiero family that it would be rude for him to not purchase one at this point...
I was touched that he linked to the articles he wrote on my Fiero last year.
Hi. I am the author of All 1984-1988 Fiero Colors, Codes & Quantities (and other auto production books). This is a very cool find. Congratulations to you. The VIN of the car indicates, and the shipping invoice confirms, that the Fiero was built at the beginning of December, 1985.
I will speculate that the car may have been sent to GM’s Proving Grounds for warm weather testing - it would have been freezing cold at GM's Milford MI proving grounds.
Why do I think that it was being tested and not just a ho-hum delivery-driver car? Because the "26P02 E" on the key fob indicates a prototype sequence. The first 2 = Pontiac (IIRC), 6 = 1986, P = the Fiero body designation in GM (P-body). Chevy had similar prototype sequences. I am not sure why there is an E at the end of the sequence. Electrical?
What was being tested? I will again speculate that it might be RPO UV4, which is not listed on the shipping invoice (posted on the Jalopnik site). However, look for and get a photo of the SPID label (Service Parts Identification label) in the front trunk. That label may have some hand-written notes. I can see the label on the driver-side inner fender-well in the one photo of the front trunk. RPO UV4 might be hand-written, or the key-fob's "26P02 E" might be hand-written on the SPID label, too.
Now, what was RPO UV4? That was a Rally Computer. Engineering drawings exist. Prototypes were known to have been developed in 1986. None were released for retail sale, but it is more than probable that the electronics and display gauges/panels were tested. Wiring can be found on some 1986 Fieros with V6 engines (behind the radio, IIRC) and the 1987-88 Fiero V6 ECM still contained data for this Rally Computer. I had thought that some gauges or equipment was to be installed on the passenger-side dash, but the interior photos do not reveal anything. Perhaps the car was wired, tested, and returned to ‘normal.’ This car would not have been crushed, as the tested equipment could easily be removed, and the car could be auctioned to a dealer. The GMAC sales contract indicates a late-April sale (payments begin late May), so some time expired between the early December production and delivery, and the eventual sale in Utah. I’d look under the dash for telltale signs of wiring splices.
The way to get real info here over just a bunch of guessing is to have Pontiac Historical do a report on it.
They can show where the car was sent and exactly how it was equipped.
Jim Mattison also knowing about the key may be able to contact people or records for Mesa.
It could have been sent there for 101 reason.
Sometime you really have to dig for info like this. It took me a number of GM people and 2 years to get info on my 1990 Fiero emblems.
It was worth it as the mfg sent me more emblems and GM gave me the engineering drawing from 1985. So I have document proof the 1990 work was well on the way by 1990 and before.
[This message has been edited by hyperv6 (edited 05-26-2020).]
The shipping invoice from Pontiac Historical is posted, as mentioned, on the Jalopnik site. It does list all factory-installed RPOs. I have attached it below.
However, GM factory build sheets, by way of hand-written notes, will override or add or subtract equipment, or will provide specific directions, and even exterior paint color changes. A shipping invoice will never show these notes.
The car was specifically shipped to Pontiac's 'Current Product Engineering' in Mesa, Arizona, at GM's Desert Proving Grounds.
Why? The time frame involved, and the car involved, fit the possibility of the Rally Computer, which has been much talked about on this forum.
Reading these posts and noting the location of identifying wires etc might prove helpful to the current owner of the car.
All these posts, including this post, provide educated and reality-based speculation, not a bunch of guessing. This isn't a hill I'm going to die on, but these posts offer suggestions for the owner to pursue, or not pursue, without spending additional money. I maintain that reviewing the SPID label, and a visual check of the wiring under the dash and behind the radio may uncover some of this car's seemingly interesting past. The car itself is, after all, the primary source for information of its history.
Please do not take the word speculation to question Authentic facts. We have a number of facts but we can still speculate as to which was the true reason for the car being there.
GM sent cars to Mesa for 1001 reasons so it may be difficult to fine the true reason unless documentation on the car is found.
As for the emblems there was a lot yo the story. There were just over 120 made and if I recall around 24-25 known left. 3 are GT emblems that the 1990 had but lost at some point. They just filled the holes with a GTA emblem as I believe GM no longer has the GT emblem.
[This message has been edited by hyperv6 (edited 05-26-2020).]
The shipping invoice from Pontiac Historical is posted, as mentioned, on the Jalopnik site. It does list all factory-installed RPOs. I have attached it below.
However, GM factory build sheets, by way of hand-written notes, will override or add or subtract equipment, or will provide specific directions, and even exterior paint color changes. A shipping invoice will never show these notes.
The car was specifically shipped to Pontiac's 'Current Product Engineering' in Mesa, Arizona, at GM's Desert Proving Grounds.
Why? The time frame involved, and the car involved, fit the possibility of the Rally Computer, which has been much talked about on this forum.
Reading these posts and noting the location of identifying wires etc might prove helpful to the current owner of the car.
All these posts, including this post, provide educated and reality-based speculation, not a bunch of guessing. This isn't a hill I'm going to die on, but these posts offer suggestions for the owner to pursue, or not pursue, without spending additional money. I maintain that reviewing the SPID label, and a visual check of the wiring under the dash and behind the radio may uncover some of this car's seemingly interesting past. The car itself is, after all, the primary source for information of its history.
Yes..... Hand written "notes" were done quite often on "special" cars and not always on something official looking.
[This message has been edited by Thunderstruck GT (edited 05-26-2020).]
Here is a SPID with a hand written note from the factory to paint the car 70U Torch Red (WA9075), not 27U Precision Red. However, the invoice indicates 27U Precision Red.
Here's a factory build sheet with hand written changes:
And here's the 1985 Blue Fiero SPID. The invoice will indicate 01L and 01U for paint, not the typed paint code.
The SPID is a good place to start the investigation of the Mesa Proving Grounds Fiero. Then look under the dash and behind the radio for wires as indicated in the other links from previous discussion on this forum.
