So has anyone ever made a vent (functioning or non) to match the factory air intake that is on the drivers side? I know a lot of people put custom/aftermarket scoops on both sides. It seems like something that would be common considering how boring the right quarter panel looks compared to the left. I am asking this strictly out of curiosity...
I'm a bit surprised that they didn't put a dummy vent on the passenger side just for symmetry. I know you can't see both sides of the car at once, but it would have looked better. I don't doubt that it was discussed during the design phase and some bean counter nixed it because it would have added $6 per car.
I'm sure it would have cost more than $6 to add a second vent on the passenger side "just for symmetry."
For it to not use the same fastening mechanism, it would require more design and engineering resources, which would have cost more money. For it to use the same fastening mechanism, it would have required more design and engineering resources, because it would have changed air flow around the car on the passenger side. For a car that was already heavily budgeted down, it may have been enough to make or break the car, from ever being produced.
The only way to get a vent on the passenger side, is to put one there. The IMSA style vents look better anyway. The plastic finned piece screams 1985.
Originally posted by NetCam: Wasn't talking about engineering a functional vent, just something that looks like the vent that actually works.
Yes. I was just saying that a non-functioning grille would likely have cost more to design and engineer onto the vehicle, than a symmetric functioning vent. Also, the way the grille fits into the body, wouldn't make much sense as a non-function vent. And thus, either would have cost more than $6 per car, and serve no particularly useful purpose with the way the car was designed and engineered already.
Even though the dollar was more valuable in 1984, it's a bit disingenuous to blame accounting for a few measly dollars, when they most likely had nothing to do with the particular decision, it likely would have cost more, and the car was already pushed into a minimal budget for production.
GM did design matching scoops that stuck out on both sides. There was a pic of them on a gold convertable with the aero package. Then they apparently tried without any scoop at all.
I've seen pictures of a silver GT 4 seater. It wasn't a factory prototype but something home grown. I thought it looked better than the gold one above. No passenger side scoop though.
I've seen pictures of a silver GT 4 seater. It wasn't a factory prototype but something home grown. I thought it looked better than the gold one above. No passenger side scoop though.
Factory vehicle made to demonstrate the strength of the space frame concept. Never intended as a prototype for possible production.
Wasn't talking about engineering a functional vent, just something that looks like the vent that actually works.
I've always liked the fact that there was no dummy air intake on the passenger side. I've always thought the fake air intakes on cars were stupid anyway. If you're going to spend money on design, at least make it functional or what is the point really? I think having only the one air intake makes the point that it is functional.
GM did design matching scoops that stuck out on both sides. There was a pic of them on a gold convertable with the aero package. Then they apparently tried without any scoop at all.
I believe part of the problem with these scoops is that they were prone to stone chips.
Personally, I like the single vent opening. It is unique.
So has anyone ever made a vent (functioning or non) to match the factory air intake that is on the drivers side? I know a lot of people put custom/aftermarket scoops on both sides.
Here's a thread with pictures showing the grafting of Fiat X/19 side scoops. They're similar to the Fiero but a little longer and they both can be made functional on the Fiero. https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/094229.html
I would love to see more of your pictures of historic Fieros if you have any!
I have more pictures from the 1985 Convention, this one has the Car Craft Fiero, unfortunately I did not have a very good camera back then. This was July of 1985 and Pontiac had not yet released the fastback version, as part of the convention I took a tour of the Fiero plant and at the end of the tour they showed us the fastback model but we were not allowed to bring cameras into the plant.
I don't know who made this one but it was a big hit at the car show, there is a display of the DGP body kit in the background.
I also have pictures from the Fiero's in New England 2002 show and the Fiero Show in Frankenmouth Michigan in 2001 To keep this post on track with the original topic - There was a green Fiero at the Frankenmouth show that had a matching passenger side vent
IRM fastback kit ( I still have a catalog of their stuff kicking around somewhere) It extended the back end to make it less stubby. Trunk was enlarged by moving bumper etc. back 7 inches.
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Originally posted by Kevin-84SE:
I don't know who made this one but it was a big hit at the car show, there is a display of the DGP body kit in the background.
[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 09-25-2014).]
I'm sure it would have cost more than $6 to add a second vent on the passenger side "just for symmetry."
For it to not use the same fastening mechanism, it would require more design and engineering resources, which would have cost more money. For it to use the same fastening mechanism, it would have required more design and engineering resources, because it would have changed air flow around the car on the passenger side. For a car that was already heavily budgeted down, it may have been enough to make or break the car, from ever being produced.
The only way to get a vent on the passenger side, is to put one there. The IMSA style vents look better anyway. The plastic finned piece screams 1985.
You would be surprised how cheap some better ideas would actually cost. Used to be alloy wheels were high end cars or expensive options. Now alloys are standard on almost any car. I cant remember last newer car I saw with steel wheels and hubcaps.
Originally posted by rogergarrison: You would be surprised how cheap some better ideas would actually cost. Used to be alloy wheels were high end cars or expensive options. Now alloys are standard on almost any car. I cant remember last newer car I saw with steel wheels and hubcaps.
Yes, it would be incredibly cheap today. But you must also factor in cost of hours spent by designers and engineers when something is added to a car, not just the cost of materials. But what's common today was incredibly expensive 30 years ago, too. I can't remember the last time I test drove a new car without remote start either, but advancements, supply, and inflation drive prices down. Heck, the body panels for the Fiero were probably 10x more expensive to produce in the 80s, than they would be today, simply due to advancement in manufacturing processes, and reduction in cost of tooling.
I have a 85 SE V6 that I swapped 86-88 GT quarters and late base nose on to....I also wanted matching scoops, so I went with Fiero Warehouse Open IMSA scoop panels- They are somewhat subtle, and the trailing edge of the actual scoop is curved to match the wheel well curve. I used 85 deck vent grating(Honeycomb) to cover the opening....And made matching boxes behind with two holes- the upper left goes to the intake, the upper right will go to the Trunk blower remounted to blow air in a tube along the firewall to the Distributor....The bottom holes will be ducted to the rear brakes.
The Fiero Warehouse parts are well made- they fit well and look sharp.
I am not good at posting pics, but there are pics of my car with the scoops on the second page of General chat; "I actually got quite a few compliments on my Fiero!"
[This message has been edited by cvxjet (edited 04-15-2017).]
Originally posted by Kevin-84SE: I also have pictures from the Fiero's in New England 2002 show and the Fiero Show in Frankenmouth Michigan in 2001 To keep this post on track with the original topic - There was a green Fiero at the Frankenmouth show that had a matching passenger side vent
I just noticed that the main part of the green car's matching side intakes are from an early 80's 280ZX.
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