A local Fiero-nut here has decided to enter one of his several Fiero's into a demolition derby. He's recuited me to help him do this. We're planning on taking a red '84 automatic that's not running right now. The car is pretty ratty all-around, but we've got a healthy Duke and an auto tranny to throw into it. He's thinking of relocating the radiator to the trunk to keep the car running a bit longer, and putting some meaty tires on it. It's going to be in the compact class, so I think we'll have a good chance of winning, considering that the car has a very study structure. I think the auto tranny will be perfect. Any other ideas to keep this beast running longer?

MAKE SURE YOU TAKE LOTS OF PICS AND VIDEO!!!! HOOO-DOGGIES!
I second the idea of relocating the radiator. Perhaps a horizontal orientation in the front compartment with the bottom of the spare tire tub cut out. Put a big fan on top to pull air out and ventilate the hood.
To prevent disqualification from plastic bits flying everywhere, contact paper may be a good idea. If the rules call or taking out the glass, replace rear window with plywood to maintain structural integrity. Also recommend rerrouting the exhaust system so a hit from behind doesn't kink it up.

Then go knock the crap outa those Corollas!

Is that the Monona County Fair deal coming up in July ?

Couldn't make yesterday's Graffiti Night in Onawa, but was there in March when the guy proposed it.

How about putting the radiator on the decklid with the fan in front of it...give it that swamp boat look. That'd also make trans cooler lines and such easier to do.

Or how about removing all the fasteners that hold on the body panels and using chewing gum to hold them on...first hit and all the panels would fly off and the skeleton would appear...kinda like in Animal House when they're driving the cake float in the parade and they "cut the cake"...and the DeathMobile appears.

Keep the ideas coming... I was actually thinking duct-tape on the body panels to keep them from shattering and making a mess...

Yeah but you can get all those nice prints with the contact paper!! Just think, you could make it a woodie, or cover it with checkerboard, or carbon fiber look, oh the possibilities. Maybe ductape the inside of the panel though.

Probably avoid putting the radiator somewhere high and exposed though, hot coolant spraying out would tend to annoy some people.

Am I the only one who thinks this is a bad idea?? There have got to be some good parts left on the car. There are so many other generic cars out there to smash up. Why not suggest to your friend that he use something else. Almost sounds like you guys are getting some perverse pleasure out of trashing a Fiero.

Make sure he has your titanium V8 kit in there

I thought the same thing as Monkey at first. But it is just a non-running 84, ain't worth much, lots of parts (maybe a little battered) will be left over afterwards.

I think Stimpy's idea of putting the radiator in the spare tire well is the best idea. Just remove the entire plastic well, mount the radiator and fan in at a 45 degree angle with some strong angle iron. Cut some holes in the hood, and get it on video.

About the rear window, if you have to remove it, make some steel braces to bridge the gap vertically in 2-4 places, so you can retain visibility. The plywood idea sure would work, but you want to be able to see.

I thik it's a freakin GREAT idea!!!
I think it will definately prove the crashworthyness of the Fiero to a large audience, thereby diminishig the prejuidice many people have regarding the reliability and safety of Fieros. Plus you have a damn good chance of actually winning! What is the difference between making a derby car and parting one out? A whole lotta fun, that's what!

I would make sure I read the rules well before putting a lot of effort in. It's possible they might not even allow Fieros.

Anyway, keep us all posted on the progress!

Tires: you want to use skinny tires on stock steel rims. The steel wheels will bend but often the bead will stay sealed, where as the alloy wheels crack and break, instant flat tire. The skinny tires are less likely to pop off the rims when hit from the side and you need for when the damage starts crowding the wheel wells. The wider tires will rub fairly quick, especially on the front since you have to steer with them.

One thing i was thinking, is since it's an auto and you're going to be beating the poo-poo out of it anyway, why not wire up the torque converter so it stays locked all the time, that way you can get as much power to the ground as possible. I have an 86 fiero i've been thinking of using as a cantidate, but it needs a motor, well all it really needs is an intake, TB and exhuast manifold, but i dont feel like doing all that work.

Stimpy, I don't think the Fiero suffers much from the stigma of poor crashworthiness but rather from the much publicized incidents of fire. Given that it is common for typical cars to catch on fire during demolition derbies, let's keep our fingers crossed that this Fiero doesn't erupt in flames in front of an audience. That would be bad for PR and give people cause to say "See, I told you dem' der' Fieros are fire traps!".

Putting the radiator in the spare tire compartment is a great idea. I'd maybe even go so far as to run the coolant lines through the passnger compartment where they are less subject to damage from debris.

Fiero-good, fire-bad!

I do hear a lot of comments from the ignorant that because it is a small car, Fieros are "dangerous" in crashes. Hopefully, the only fire will be the Pinto it blows up. hehe.
That being said, a firmly mounted fire extinguisher would not be a bad idea.

And I second the motion on tires- 185/70-13. And take out the wheel-well liners. A good hit will drive them into the tires.

Does any remember the ramp like nose on the Fiero? I hope you win it would be a great way for a Fiero to go out. A CHAMPION

Ooooh, good point Indy. I met a guy who drove his Fiero into the back of a truck. He had scratches on the ROOF from where the back bumper of the truck ended up! Funny thing, though, didn't break the windshield.

Might want to see the legality of adding some kinda cow catcher bar on the front and some reinforcements verticlly across the middle of the winshield opening to keep you from getting a lapfull of Datsun.

Mount a set of those toothed shredders up there, you know, like the submarines that cruise the arctic have on the bow to punch through the ice. Will sure enough keep those other guys off yer hood!

I see where you're coming from Monkey, but it's just a trashed '84. Rather than stripping the few useable parts it has left and letting the remainder rust, this Fiero will die an honerable death. Besides, assuming most of the drivetrain survives, it will soon help get another "better" Fiero back on the road again.
The steel wheels are a great idea. Right now it's got the ugly finned aluminum ones(I think) but Brad(the man in charge) DOES have the nasty steel ones, along with a vast assortment of used tires. TC lockups is an awesome idea too... This is all great stuff guys. I'll be sure to document this well.

Weld up some 12" spikes to the wheels, put on some large spears on the front bumper, a ton of stickers on the windows and paint (more HP), oh yeah, and tell me when and where the derby is so I can watch it....

What about the flexable facia. How are you going to damage the other cars? Like beating them with a wet noodle. maybe cast a front facia out of steel reinforced concrete?

Well, the steel bumper underneath the facia is going to be doing the damage. The facia itself will be smashed to bits.

How about running on four temporary spares ?

Or at least using them on the front...more room in the wells means more hits you can take.

Gotta mount the Fiero "crash cam" somewhere also. And how about the driver dressing up like a crash dummy ?

How about filling your tires up with that farm tractor tire sealant stuff. Also, if rules allow, brace up the nose with some channel iron or a hunk of 4X4 lumber. This gives me a great idea how my Suburban can go out gracefully. Bet they don't allow 'em.

I'm afraid those spares wouldn't provide enough of a bite. Good thought though. The tractor tire sealant sounds interesting. How much does it cost? Could you get it at a farm machinery lot?

I don't mean to be a critic but the car would actually have more control over traction if you left the TCC unlocked. Besides if it were locked while the car was at a standstill the engine would stall just like a manual transmission car would.

Remove the thermostat and see if you could raise the suspension of the car a little with some different springs so that you don’t get stuck on anything and so that the bumpers are higher. Remove the anti swaybar so the car has a little more give when another car hits it. Weld the spider gears together so that you have posi traction. Put off road or snow tires on it. Wire up the fan so that it stays on all the time. Remove the rear cradle mount bushings and weld the cradle solidly to the car frame to give it more rigidity. Keep the cars heat on inside the car to aid in engine cooling even if it is like an oven in there. Cut the converter out and wrap the header with heat wrap to keep the temps down in the engine compartment. Put an extra quart of oil in the engine to aid in cooling and add an oil and transmission cooler if you can. JC Whitney sells one that goo’s around the oil filter and it is real cheap. See if you can make the car run rich so that there is less chance of it overheating. That’s all I can think of right now.

[This message has been edited by 88formula (edited 06-26-2000).]

COME ON GT!! WHERE AND WHEN IS THIS DERBY?

I'll answer that...Monona County Fair, Onawa, Iowa, in July...assuming I'm right, maybe GT can provide the dates...

Ya see. IF by any chance GT is a Hoosier it would be right downtown here offa Kitley (I think) HUNH GT?