Hi,
I would like to understand what are the major technical differences between the 1988 Fiero Formula and the 1988 Regular Fiero. For one, I know that the Formula has the 2.8 v6, but are there other significant differences? Suspension, heights, etc...
Thanks

The Formula is essentially a GT with the coupe body panels.

It has the GT spec suspension (springs, shocks, sway bars - front and rear, etc.)
It has the GT gauge cluster with the aux gauges over the HVAC unit.

There's speculation if the GT/Formula had quicker steering than the coupe. Some sources say the steering rack was different, but others say they were all the same.

Given age and wear and tear, the differences in springs, bushings, and shocks is pretty slim, if any. Aftermarket replacements are the same for both, so they primary difference is the larger front swaybar and addition of a rear swaybar on the Formula.

There were indeed two different steering racks used in Fieros. Base coupes got a 19:1 steering ratio - WS6 equipped cars like the Formula or GT got a 16:1 rack.

Thank you for the response.

quote Originally posted by andrewk: One more question, which one handles better? do both of them have the same manual transmission or different? which manual transmission is more reliable: the formula or the base? thanks

The formula will handle better. The formulas and GT's had stiffer springs and a rear anti-sway bar. The biggest difference is the sway bar and it can be put on a base car, if you can find one to transplant. Other than that all 1988 models received the improved design suspension.

The transmissions were engine specific, meaning that all manual V6's got the Getrag. Manual 4 cylinders got the Issuzu. The Getrag is more heavy-duty, but still may not stand up to some of the engine swaps people do. All the auto tranny's were the same.

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1988 Fiero GT
Cleveland Fiero Club

quote Originally posted by Whuffo: There were indeed two different steering racks used in Fieros. Base coupes got a 19:1 steering ratio - WS6 equipped cars like the Formula or GT got a 16:1 rack.

The references that I have concur with the two racks available over the '84 thru '88 production run but they are 22.0:1 and 19.2:1 (not 16:1). To the original question, the '88 model year, all Fieros used the 19.2:1 rack.
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RickN
White 88GT 5spd
White 85GT Auto
White 99 F250SD 7.3PSD 6spd

[This message has been edited by RickN (edited 06-04-2007).]

Thank you for all your info....

wow i didnt know they got 2 different racks.... and did anyone say WS6 suspension for the formula???..basey no havey WS6

quote Originally posted by RickN: The references that I have concur with the two racks available over the '84 thru '88 production run but they are 22.0:1 and 19.2:1 (not 16:1). To the original question, the '88 model year, all Fieros used the 19.2:1 rack.

Correct! I was still thinking about the EHPS systems; those used the 16 and 19 ratios. 19 and 22 are correct for the production cars.

The base coupes had a different part number for the lower control arms, which appear to be physically identical to the Formula/GT arms. The speculation is that the coupes had softer rubber in the bushings.

19 years later, the only practical difference that you'll notice is the absence of the rear sway bar on the coupe. Everything else has either probably worn, settled a bit, or been replaced. (All replacements parts --shocks, struts, bushings, etc.-- are the same other than brand differences, or obvious differences like rubber or urethane bushings.)

quote Originally posted by TG oreiF 8891: ...The formulas and GT's had stiffer springs...

Not necessarily true.
The springs were actually coded by height, not by stiffness. All models had the same rate. It's just that the height was different.
To further confuse the issue, there is no decipherable rhyme or reason as to which cars got which springs. I'm sure that GM had some formula to determine this, but it's been lost on us.
The service replacement for all 88 cars was the same part number.

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Raydar
88 4.9 Formula IMSA Fasback..........................88 3.4 coupe -soon to be something other than red

Read Nealz Nuze! Praise the Lowered!

My 88 Pontiac brochure does mention different bushings for the Formula/GT. But like it's already been said, all replacement parts are the same for all 88s and by now any OEM parts are worn out.

I'm still unsure about the steering racks. I've heard from multiple sources that there were 2 separate racks in 88, and I've heard all 88s got the same rack. That probably means there was supposed to be 2 racks, but in production, only one was actually used due to last minute production changes.

I also understood that all 88s have the same rack. (I believe that Ed Parks even made a statement to that effect.)
Since 97, I've owned several 88s (a coupe and two Formulas) and haven't discovered anything different.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 06-06-2007).]

quote Originally posted by Whuffo: Yup. Formulas and GTs both include WS6 as part of their option package. It was a special order option on other Fieros - but very, very rarely ordered.

BTW, something that tripped me up for a while is that the WS6 code is not specified on GT and Formula RPO stickers, only on cars where it was added as an option

quote Originally posted by Raydar: ... The springs were actually coded by height, not by stiffness. All models had the same rate. It's just that the height was different. To further confuse the issue, there is no decipherable rhyme or reason as to which cars got which springs. I'm sure that GM had some formula to determine this, but it's been lost on us. The service replacement for all 88 cars was the same part number.

Are you absolutely sure they were coded by height? That's bizarre, and everything I've ever seen regarding different springs refers to the rates, not height, except that '88 springs were different heights altogether. But I'm no expert

As far as which cars got which springs, I know that standard WS6 cars through '87 had the "stiffest" of 4 options on the rear and "second-stiffest" of 5 on the front.... but that doesn't mean that different rates couldn't be requested by the customer. I'm not sure what was standard on '88's, but my RPO charts all show the same set of springs available for "85 through 88"

quote Originally posted by Formula88: ... That probably means there was supposed to be 2 racks, but in production, only one was actually used due to last minute production changes.

Perhaps the electric steering that was prototyped but cancelled?

[This message has been edited by FieroGT42 (edited 06-07-2007).]

quote Originally posted by FieroGT42: Are you absolutely sure they were coded by height? That's bizarre, and everything I've ever seen regarding different springs refers to the rates, not height, except that '88 springs were different heights altogether. But I'm no expert

Someone here went to a lot of trouble to research the 88 spring codes.
I'll see if I can find a link to the thread.

Edit - Got it! Link

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 06-07-2007).]

On my Formula, the ROP sticker shows a 9UC and that is for Spring Rate.

Jack

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If you can not run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!