Is there any way to tell the difference between the GT (fastback) bodies of the various production years?

Not in form, I think.... 88 was all one color, where the earlier years had grey or silver around the bottom.

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Tennessee Fiero Owners

Here is how I tell what year it is.

If the engine lid is up and the "fiero" emblem is a sticker-it is an 86. 87 and 88 where engraved on plenum.

I look at the brake calipers through the rotors and that tells me 88 or not.

And at a quick glance if it is only one solid color it is an 88, but that is harder to tell now with the paint getting older and many are now repainted one color.

But there is really no noticable differance and body pannels are all interchangable. Even the dash and interior is the same.

88's one color, 86's have the same size wheels front and back 87's have larger wheels in back.

The only way you can visually tell the difference between the 88's and pre 88's besides the different paint scheme is by looking at the wheels.

The 88's had a different offset on the back wheels than they did on the fronts. If you look at the face of the honeycomb on the GT, for instance, the front tires will be almost flush with the edge of the rim, whereas the back wheels the honeycomb will be inset about half an inch or so from the edge of the rim.

Those are the only visual differences that I can think of, but this one only aplies to the cars with original factory wheels!

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AOL IM: GTFiero86Dan
'86 GT 4 speed
'87 GT Auto

86 GT had 4 speed manual as well as 3 speed automatic. Two tone color with gray bottom trim. 86 1/2GT had 5 speed Getrag manual as well as 3 speed automatic. Identical to 87 GTs. Some color differences with paint offerings. Bright red for 86's Med red and Blue for 87's two tone with gray bottoms.

88 had color difference with monochromatic paint schemes. Paint offerings bright red brought back and yellow introduced. Front wheels on 88s had ~1/4 inch lip because of suspension upgrades. I had recently read that the GT tail lights were different. 86 and 87 had yellow turn signal lamps, while 88s had all red. I'll have to check out my 88.

Overall the exterior body style was identical.

88s are usually monochrome. Ground effects same color as body.
86 & 87 have silver ground effects.
If it's yellow, it's an 88.
If it's blue, it's an 87.
If it's bright red, it's probably not an 87.
If it's medium metallic red it's probably not an 86.
88s have 15X6 front wheels, 15X7 rear.
86 & 87 have 15X7 on all four.
If it's a 4 speed it's an 86.
If "Fiero" is engraved into the plenum, it's not an 86.

This is all based upon the premise that nothing has been altered from factory.

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Raydar - aka Steve

Black 88 Formula.
Red 88 Duke coupe. "The Project"
88 Formula parts car. "The Donor"

Thanks guys!

Are you sure about the engine engravings not being part of the 86'es? I'm pretty sure that mine is engraved, but I leave work.

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Black '86 Fiero GT.
ICQ: 7813479

Body panels stock on car.
86GT ground effects silver gray, NO vin tags.
87GT ground effects silver gray, vin tags.
88GT ground effects body color, vin tags, identify by brakes or engine cradle.

You could also check year by vin #'s 10th digit, 86 G, 87 H, 88 J.

Above posts info also hold except:

Gray interiors are the same 86 - 88, Tan are the same for 86 & 87, 88s are beachwood!

Taillights are all interchangeable, NO difference.

It wasn't till at a meet that I saw an 87 with the "fiero" all nicely painted and polished-so I thought I can do that. Opened the back of mine and its a sticker (86), check my wifes and it too is a sticker (86) so I asked a few questions and sure enough 85-86 GT's are stickers but we have and extra 5 horse because of it, ehh,.

Don't rely on the 86 being a 4 spd either, late production 86's had 5 spds, but are rare.If the plenum is engraved on an 86 motor , either it has been changed or it's not the original motor.

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88GT auto,88Formula T-Top,86GT 4spd

86GT also has 205-15 front and 215-15 rear.

OMG! It IS a sticker!! How cheap..

I'm so disappointed. I thought it was all engraved.

my 87 gt has the fiero engraved, and it is
the original engine.

One of my know all buddies was trying to tell me that there is a difference in body styles between the 88 and previous fastback GT's. I told him that there was no way in hell and that he was smoking crack, but he stills insists that the 88's are much nicer than my 87 GT. Oh well, ignorance is bliss so he must be happier than a pig in sh!t.