I'm starting this thread to be a journal of sorts. I've been working on Mustang restoration for a few years, and I just recently started doing a retrospective thread on it. I wish now I had started that thread when I started the car as many little details have slipped my mind. So, I figured this time I would start a thread right when I got this project, even though there might be some quiet times.

I got my first Fiero around 1995 or 96 - somewhere near the end of college when I lived in Kent, Ohio. I always like the cars and by then they were cheap. The first one was a 86 SE with a sunroof and luggage rack. I paid $600 for it. The front wheels were at about a 20 degree slant so I promptly got that fixed. Drove it around for about a year or two until my girlfriend was driving it on the freeway one day when it threw a rod and busted a hole in the block. Luckily no fire. I kept the car and took out the engine to sell to the scrap metal place. I had visions of a SBC in the back of that SE, but for now I needed a new ride. As luck would have it, another friend of mine had a 86 plain jane coupe that he wanted to get rid of. The locks had been drilled out of the doors when someone broke into the car and stole the stereo. But it drove fine. I got that one for $300. I swapped over the luggage rack, the SE wheels and the power truck opener. Then I moved out west to Reno Nevada and had to give the first Fiero body to a friend in Ohio. I then drove that second Fiero for a good three or four years and finally had to get rid of it in Tucson, AZ (where I went to U of A for grad school) when it was smoking so much it wouldn't pass emissions.

By that time I had kids and a 2 seat car wasn't in the cards. Plus in California (living in the north bay by then) I had started working on the aforementioned Mustang. Anyway, ten years later here I am in Denver and my kids have cars of their own. So I start to think and realize I don't need a rear seat anymore since the kids have sedans. If we all want to go somewhere, we'll just take their cars. I have a '95 Chevy Truck to drive in the winter and my wife has a 2015 Honda Fit for something practical that also seats more than 2 people. Plus the Mustang is getting close to being done. All that puts me in the mind of getting back to a Fiero project. There is also a 1977 Impala Station Wagon in the project queue, but that's another story.

I wanted an 88 for the suspension upgrades, and I liked notchies so I wanted a Formula. So I spent the last few months watching them on craigslist, ebay etc to get a decent gauge on the price. Well, I finally decided to buy one and although it took me several weeks from first inquiry to finally pull the trigger, I finally did. The car has 51,000 miles and is in very good condition. The car has most options, and it has something I hadn't seen before - cup holders! Anyway, this post is pretty long so I'll wrap it up with a couple pictures from the listing and continue with more tomorrow.

[This message has been edited by Bob2112 (edited 08-28-2017).]

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New Moon Rising - 1988 Black Formula

I'm right there with ya brother, though you are a few steps ahead.

I also just bought a black '88 Formula with under 60K miles.

Differences is that I have the beechwood interior with power nothing (that's on the Fiero-Do list to change over to power everything & where you're ahead).

2 priorities for me to fix is a rusted battery tray and bad brakes - may do the Corvette ones as that's the end game there anyway if it's not just a pump/bleeding issue.

I'm on record here that I'm going for a black interior swap.

Then normal stuff like hood/decklid props, hood & side scoops, Mustang decklid scoop, poly, suspension upgrade, inch drop, 17s, upgraded sound system with center sub & glovebox TV, back-up mirror display, heated seat pads under Mr Mikes, an overhead console across the inside of the windshield for more storage options (haven't seen that mod much), hidden trailer hitch for enclosed cargo carrier for luggage (yup, a DD that plans to travel too).

I will plan it out and buy as much as I can when I can over the next year or so as this is my last Fiero (5th one) and I'm in no rush to change this all over. With Under 60K, I can get plenty of more miles on this baby girl and enjoy that before all hell breaks loose over a summer.

Stock for now. Plan, save/buy/store parts. Enjoy the hell out of it until it's down to be reborn in a few summers.

Then Fiero Heaven: Last will be an engine swap (TBD but it will be a crate engine). I want that to be the icing on the cake.

Glory be to Hulki

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MaskJuice
88 Black Formula

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New Moon Rising - 1988 Black Formula