I've seen much debate here over which is "better", notch-back or fastback. It's sort of like the "Who was the best James Bond" debate. Well, there's never been any question in my mind. It's a notchie all the way for looks. Alas, you've got to have an '88 for the suspension. The solution? I had an excellent mechanic who specializes in Fieros turn my '88 fastback into a notch-back and kept the aero front. Behold: FRANKENFIERO!! It's georgeous!!!
------------------ Calgary - August 1, 2004 Fiero Fiesta 1984 Indy Fiero 3.4/3100 Hybrid NA *ALL THROTTLE AND NO BOTTLE* http://www.gmpcm.com/ Killer ECM/ PCM tuning software and information
What did you do with the fastback clip??? I'd love to have it.
The fastback to notchback conversion is pretty rare. Most prefer the fastback and there are plenty of notchies already for those that don't.
------------------ If you find my advice useful, then please give me a positive rating, thanks... 1988 GT (Firebird Interior),1988 Coupe (Daily Driver), 1985 SE (Project Car), 1985 Coupe (parts car), Firebird Interior Installation Website
[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 06-23-2004).]
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08:59 PM
Jun 24th, 2004
badger Member
Posts: 420 From: Leawood, KS, USA Registered: Feb 2004
Originally posted by freshfiero:wonder what it costs to change a notchie into a fastback? -gary-
The skilled and erudite mechanic in question did it for the taillight lenses on the car, plus another mint pair of lenses. (Have you seen what these are going for on eBay??)
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09:51 AM
badger Member
Posts: 420 From: Leawood, KS, USA Registered: Feb 2004
Originally posted by Red86SEautox:MRJ caught what I was thinking...what's the story with the roof?
It was half artistic judgement and half nostalgia. I bought my first Fiero from the factory when I worked for GM in '85. I had it built without a sunroof because I though it spoiled the lines of the car. Ironically, I think the T-top looks marvelous. But I never liked the look of the exterior with a sunroof. Excuse me : "Vista Vent".
Plus, I never have to worry about it leaking. Seriously, when's the last time you looked out of yours? It's just an opportunity to see bird doo close up.
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10:02 AM
badger Member
Posts: 420 From: Leawood, KS, USA Registered: Feb 2004
Originally posted by zMacK:Get rid of those rims guy !
The rims are a "loaner cradle". (You noticed the rims, but didn't see that the engine was AWOL?) You can see a peek of the front rims. That's what normally goes on that vehicle. Although I'm swapping them out for the "hi-tech" aluminum alloy wheels. I've also swapped the three-spoke GT steering wheel for the four-spoke SE one.
The cradle is out because the primary work being done is an engine swap. No, I'm not going to tell what I'm swapping, because you'll all just poke more fun at me!
Actually I take mine out all the time. I wouldn't have one without the sunroof. I'm just surprised you would do that much work changing out the roof just to get rid of it.
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10:10 AM
badger Member
Posts: 420 From: Leawood, KS, USA Registered: Feb 2004
Originally posted by Red86SEautox:Actually I take mine out all the time. I wouldn't have one without the sunroof. I'm just surprised you would do that much work changing out the roof just to get rid of it.
Like I said : I think it spoils the lines of the car. That makes it every bit as important as the body panels not being seven individual shades of red. (O.K., so they are. Next project.)
Oh, and it's a VISTA VENT! lol
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10:46 AM
PFF
System Bot
badger Member
Posts: 420 From: Leawood, KS, USA Registered: Feb 2004
Oh, and an odd quirk of the swap : it's not a "Pontiac" anymore. The old notchie's had the word "Pontiac" embedded in the lower-rear fascia. (A real bugger to keep clean or paint.) The fastbacks have "Pon" and "tiac" in the tail lights. Since I had the upper body swapped, there's no Pontiac anywhere except the one headlight door!
It's not that I'm not proud of Pontiac...no, wait, it is like that. I hate Pontiac. The Pontiac bureaucrats killed the Fiero.
I'm going to go to a boneyard and salvage hood ornaments and decals from five different cars and stick them on my frankenfiero.
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11:40 AM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
It's odd that you are going out of your way to get rid of options that most people want. Would you like me to remove that pesky old 2.8L and put in a trustworthy 4 cylinder instead??
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03:02 PM
donk316 Member
Posts: 1952 From: Red Deer, Alberta, Canada Registered: Mar 2003
It's odd that you are going out of your way to get rid of options that most people want. Would you like me to remove that pesky old 2.8L and put in a trustworthy 4 cylinder instead??
I would do the EXACT same thing if I was stuck with a fatsback....lol! thats spelled right!
------------------ Calgary - August 1, 2004 Fiero Fiesta 1984 Indy Fiero 3.4/3100 Hybrid NA *ALL THROTTLE AND NO BOTTLE* http://www.gmpcm.com/ Killer ECM/ PCM tuning software and information
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03:30 PM
badger Member
Posts: 420 From: Leawood, KS, USA Registered: Feb 2004
Originally posted by jscott1:It's odd that you are going out of your way to get rid of options that most people want. Would you like me to remove that pesky old 2.8L and put in a trustworthy 4 cylinder instead??
I did say that the primay work being done in those pictures was an engine swap. I did say that I wasn't going to tell you what I was swapping because you'd make fun of me. I will say that I'm not removing a duke to put in a V6. Nope, not getting a V8 or a 3800 either.
I tell you, every day this fastback/notchback debate sounds less like "who's the best James Bond" and more like "less filling/tastes great".
I just think the fastback looks like an ordinary, if sporty, car. It looks perfectly in place amongst today's sports cars. You can't tell it wasn't made last year.
A notchback, however, looks like it just drove right out of the way-back machine. It screams eighties. You just look at it and you want to roll your jacket sleeves up to your tee shirt and throw away your socks. (Think flapping flamingos and jai-alia.) The radio won't play anything but Cyndi Lauper. CD? What's a CD? Discover the muddy fidelity of 1/8" cartridge tape: it never skips! And a "cell phone" takes quarters and hangs on the wall in the drunk tank.
So roll down your windows, drop the Jefferson off your Starship, cut off you slauson, and crank up the tunes 'til the fish float. To paraphrase Jackson Browne, "In '88 I was 29, and I called the road my own." Notchies rule! Yeeeahhhhh!!!!!!!
<wipes spittle off corner or mouth> Sorry. I get a little enthusiastic sometimes. I'll calm down now.
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04:07 PM
buddycraigg Member
Posts: 13620 From: kansas city, mo Registered: Jul 2002
badger, funniest post I've read in a long time! (screams '80s). I personally like the fastback, but nothing wrong with doing what you like . Question, though... what's the "AR" mean at the end of your license plate? "FIEROAR"
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07:39 PM
Black-Azz-GT Member
Posts: 2326 From: Florida Keys Registered: Oct 2003
I did say that the primay work being done in those pictures was an engine swap. I did say that I wasn't going to tell you what I was swapping because you'd make fun of me. I will say that I'm not removing a duke to put in a V6. Nope, not getting a V8 or a 3800 either.
I tell you, every day this fastback/notchback debate sounds less like "who's the best James Bond" and more like "less filling/tastes great".
I just think the fastback looks like an ordinary, if sporty, car. It looks perfectly in place amongst today's sports cars. You can't tell it wasn't made last year.
A notchback, however, looks like it just drove right out of the way-back machine. It screams eighties. You just look at it and you want to roll your jacket sleeves up to your tee shirt and throw away your socks. (Think flapping flamingos and jai-alia.) The radio won't play anything but Cyndi Lauper. CD? What's a CD? Discover the muddy fidelity of 1/8" cartridge tape: it never skips! And a "cell phone" takes quarters and hangs on the wall in the drunk tank.
So roll down your windows, drop the Jefferson off your Starship, cut off you slauson, and crank up the tunes 'til the fish float. To paraphrase Jackson Browne, "In '88 I was 29, and I called the road my own." Notchies rule! Yeeeahhhhh!!!!!!!
<wipes spittle off corner or mouth> Sorry. I get a little enthusiastic sometimes. I'll calm down now.
Money says you have a killer mullet and a pack of camels rolled up in your sleeve.
------------------ -Chris - Custom Gun Metal 86 GT 3.4 5spd 3.4 SOLD & 4.9 PURCHASED "It's too low, too rough, too loud, drinks gas, it's totally impractical, but damn good lookin. In other words, It's almost perfect!" Build up tread or MODS w/ Pics
[This message has been edited by Black-Azz-GT (edited 06-24-2004).]
Personally, I think notchies are MUCH better lookin...I don't want to get into details as not to start a flame war, but in MY opionon the overall shape is not 80'sish, personally I'd take it over a vast majority of cars other than a fiero...An believe me it isn't because I like fieros either. I look at what other companies are making and you know something they all begin to LOOK alike... One fad after another..Whereas the fiero has 80's birth but can still outdue most cars on the road in terms of class... Keeping in mind that you need to refreain from using stereotypes, like well this is what cars are looking right now.. The fiero is CLASS! It has styling, well the 2.8 has power, and the duke is great for curves to! Also it has handling, and a grace about her that just swoops more than another car out there.....There may be more flat lines in her construction, a wedge shape rather than some curvy exotic with fender flares, sloping lines front to back, a curve from front to back...BUT the Fiero has enough curves in her to be GORGEOUS, she's a timeless car, holds her own in todays world, as well as yesterday, and for certain tomorrow! That's not including what mods are out there either, , though they do help....
Other than fieros I love exotics, its not a kit thing either. To me a car has to have somthing in the looks of the car, class, elegance, aggression, there needs to be a harmonious blending of shape on the car for me to like, not so different from others, just individual different, handling, an idea or 2 about aerodynamics (lol), beauty, powerful motors, and last BUT not least mid-engine! TO ME the notchie just has that extra more ummmpphh than a GT...
LOL...This is my longest post in terms of written language so far...
[This message has been edited by pavo_roddy (edited 06-24-2004).]
I happen to have several of them in my back yard. I have even done a notchback conversion myself. But it was only because the fastback parts were damaged or missing, Not really by choice.
So having said all that I have to tell you I prefer the fastback. I love the 80's as much as the next person, but back in 1986 I preferred the fastback.
wow!..............hmmm.................thats uhh...........interesting! haha just playin! the car looks great! i wonder what kind of engine swap you must be talking about.
quote
Originally posted by Black-Azz-GT: Money says you have a killer mullet and a pack of camels rolled up in your sleeve.
LOL!!!!!
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10:46 PM
GT86 Member
Posts: 5203 From: Glendale, AZ Registered: Mar 2003
I prefer the fastbacks myself, but the notchie is more identifiable as a Fiero. Probably because so many more notchbacks were made than fastbacks. But an 88 aero notchie is a cool idea. You've created a new model, an 88 SE
Speaking for myself, I would have just added the aero panels to a base coupe 88, since you're doing an engine swap anyway. Then you'd just have to add the swaybar, and maybe swap in different springs. It does look nice, though.
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10:55 PM
buddycraigg Member
Posts: 13620 From: kansas city, mo Registered: Jul 2002
Originally posted by tjfennel:badger, funniest post I've read in a long time! (screams '80s). I personally like the fastback, but nothing wrong with doing what you like . Question, though... what's the "AR" mean at the end of your license plate? "FIEROAR"
Why does no one get this plate? I thought it was obvious :
code:
FIERO-- ---ROAR
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11:38 PM
badger Member
Posts: 420 From: Leawood, KS, USA Registered: Feb 2004
Are you looking to sell the GT clip? I like GT's. I love notchies. The only GT I'll probably ever own (unless of course the price is one I can't refuse) is an 87 or 88 Coupe/Formula with the GT rear clip. It's an entirely different looking animal. Much lighter and more nimble looking. I have an 88 Coupe that's sort of looking for a rear clip.
------------------ Notchbacks RULE
"It's cool to have a car you just have to look back at."
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12:06 AM
madcurl Member
Posts: 21401 From: In a Van down by the Kern River Registered: Jul 2003
