I am in the process of planning some major upgrades for my car (85GT). I tried posting for ideas on one thread but I am not getting good responses about everything yet so I will make individual threads.

Thanks,
-Charlie

------------------

Driving instruction.
Konis.
Eibachs.
New bushings if your old ones are worn out.
Aluminum in the craddle. Poly everywhere else.
New engine/tranny mounts. Poly or new rubber.

The impression I got from the racing list is that the held/rcc type stuff is more for show than for go.

For the "absolute best", try to get an 88 rear.

------------------

http://www.heldmotorsports.com/

Prices on the site, great products. The best.

Do an 88 rear cradle swap, he has the kit to do it. with his kit, it's a bolt-in.

------------------

Ben Cannon
88 Formula, T-top, Metalic Red. (2:13.138 at Sears Point) "Every Man Dies, not every man really Lives"
88 Formula, Northstar, Silver, In-Progreess. -Mel Gibson, "Braveheart"

Howard is right on. Replace everything that's worn out, like balljoints and tie rod ends (front and rear). Replace all the bushings with poly (control arm, sway bar, cradle). Don't forget new front wheel bearings. High quality shocks and good tires will make a world of difference. If you can afford them, go with coil-overs. Then slap on a rear sway bar. That car will then be a mean handling machine.

What coil overs should I buy and where can I get them? I have new wheel bearings. Is the Koni racing suspension package any good from the fiero store? I am going to buy some really sticky tires once the tires I have wear out. Right now I have proxie z24 or something like that.

-Charlie

Unless you have more money than you know what to do with, I would order the konis form shox.com. They're a lot cheaper than the fierostore. I got the eibachs and kybs for $400 shipped to my door. I'm pretty sure they can get you the swaybars too.

Suspension.com for the poly bushings.

As for coilovers, JM posted about a couple places where you could buy them for about $100 in general chat a couple weeks ago. That's the route I would go.

As for tires, you might want to check out contisports. Tirerack has W rated ones for about $65/tire. That's what I have. They're what come on M3s and porsches.

quote Originally posted by CharlieGT: What coil overs should I buy Held. Is the Koni racing suspension package any good from the fiero store? Not really, it's overpriced and Held coilovers better. I am going to buy some really sticky tires once the tires I have wear out. Good idea, I recomend big Pzeros. -Charlie

------------------

Ben Cannon
88 Formula, T-top, Metalic Red. (2:13.138 at Sears Point) "Every Man Dies, not every man really Lives"
88 Formula, Northstar, Silver, In-Progreess. -Mel Gibson, "Braveheart"

Koni's are good but bilsteins are better but they are hard to find becuase they are discontinued, but if you can find them even if they are shot they can be fixed.

Bilstein made a ajustable shock for the Fiero? this is the first I've heard of this.

For 88s too?

Best!
Ben.

------------------

Ben Cannon
88 Formula, T-top, Metalic Red. (2:13.138 at Sears Point) "Every Man Dies, not every man really Lives"
88 Formula, Northstar, Silver, In-Progreess. -Mel Gibson, "Braveheart"

I used the Heldmotorsports Wide-Track (+4")Sport Suspension (w/11.3" Brake Kit on the front.) The kit consists of longer tubular control arms, adjustable coil-over Carrera shocks & poly bushings. On the rear I did adjustable coil-overs using KYB Struts and the Bump-steer kit from Held.
Before these mods, my car was loose. Over 60 mph, it was all over the place, if I hit a small bump or got passed by a semi.
My car, now, holds the road better than my Alfa Veloce Spyder.
The new brake package works better than I expected, also.
I highly recommend these upgrades.
Check out my car at: http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/ctysandy/slideshow?.dir=/Spyder&.view=t

quote Originally posted by artherd: Bilstein made a ajustable shock for the Fiero? this is the first I've heard of this. For 88s too? Best! Ben.

Ben;
Held offers Bilstein inserts with their coil overs. As a Held accolate, I'd have thought you would have all their products memorized by now.

Ben, the point of using Bilsteins is that they're *self* adjusting gas dampers.

corrected to replace air with gas. . . the point was that they're self adjusting. I'm sure you knew what I meant :P

[This message has been edited by Howard_Sacks (edited 07-09-2002).]

Does anyone have a PART NUMBER for the Bilstein struts please?

Cheers
PK

quote Originally posted by atarian: Koni's are good but bilsteins are better but they are hard to find becuase they are discontinued, but if you can find them even if they are shot they can be fixed.

Hey, those don't count (exactly :P)

Never driven the held/blisteen stuff, he positions it 'lower' than the HAL/Koni front/rear setup, wonder if this is nessicarily true?

Air-dampeners? say-WHAT now?

Best!
Ben.

quote Originally posted by Formula88: Ben; Held offers Bilstein inserts with their coil overs. As a Held accolate, I'd have thought you would have all their products memorized by now.

------------------

Ben Cannon
88 Formula, T-top, Metalic Red. (2:13.138 at Sears Point) "Every Man Dies, not every man really Lives"
88 Formula, Northstar, Silver, In-Progreess. -Mel Gibson, "Braveheart"

My friend G-Nasty accidently came across them when he bought a Fiero from California absolutly in beautiful condition with a new car smell, he keeped the front ones and sold the back ones (why I have no idea maybe he thought the koni's were better or something "clueless") if you contact him I'm sure he would give you the part # i'm not sure about the 88's. we need to rally and get Bilstein to make them again the corvette was the first american car to have them installed
this shock is proven by Fi, nascar, and several off-road circuits they were available through the delco products division on th 87' model corvette, IROC camero,caddy's cimarron and chevy 4x4 blazers and trucks.
part # for Bilstein PN#V36-0141

[This message has been edited by atarian (edited 07-09-2002).]

[This message has been edited by atarian (edited 07-10-2002).]