As some of you may know, I bought Doug Chase's 1988 Fiero GT, 5-speed, gray leather, 107k, great condition.

Anyways I went up and met him today. Great guy with huge Fiero knowledge, very great to talk to. He was very honest, and couldn't do anything but show me MINOR MINOR blemishes, which I didn't care about, I was too busy trying to suppress my excitement. We had a good time, he is missing it I'm sure, but it has found a good home.

As for the car. The Fiero GT in general, not just this one, looks sooooooo much better in person than in pictures. Its stance is so aggressive, it sits so low, and the body looks so good. I couldn't stop staring at it! Also, I am still smiling!!! Driving it is unlike ANYTHING I've ever driven. You feel so in touch witht he car and what its doing, I love it. The suspension, all 88 of course, simply rocks. I took a few hard turns, and it started to roll, but it still held firmly planted, whereas my Z34 would kick the back end out and start to over/understeer. This one kept planted, and kept turning! I love it. I need to get used to the headlights RIGHT through my rear window, and the bigass spoiler cutting my view in half. Also, its weird, and scary, being around the SUV's. I can't even see their windows...It feels like they don't even see me...

As for the 2.8...yah...It's gotta go...Actually, it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. For 135hp, it picks up great. My Z34 totally OWNED it on the highway in 4th (buddy driving it), but around town, 1-3 gears, it held up well. It also sounds good, surprisingly enough. It sounds almost identical to my old LT1 6-speed. Call bs, but this 2.8 sounded like a LT1 V8! But there isn't enough power for my tastes, so a built up 3.4 DOHC is getting prepped, hopefully in by the end of summer, and finished and running bynext summer. I'd like to see mid-high 11s naturally aspirated, so about 400-450hp, which isn't unrealistic, but will take a lot offine tuning and work.

No pics yet, although we took a few while there, he will have them up soon.

Also, I LOVE IT!!! I had no idea this car would make me this happy, I am so glad that farking Z34 is gone!!! Now I see what makes you guys so weird whenever someone disses this car. After driving one, they have no clue as to what they are talking about. I have driven some sweet cars, but this is by far one of my favorites, somehow right alongside a C5-Z06 IMHO.

1) The pedals are all f-ed up, the clutch is in line with the steering wheel, and the passeneger is closer to the gas pedak than I am...But, I rest my knee ont he center, and it works great!
2) It feels unstable at about 75-80. Like, the wheel is really loose, yet still very sensitive. I guess this takes some getting used to, considering the Z34 was stiff on the highway.
3) Gauges take A LOT of getting used to, the tach is like weirdly orientated, and the speedo needs to count in 10s!!! But I'll get used to it soon!
4) Lack of storage space, but that is A-ok by me!

Lastly, I hate it, I can;t just go to the store, I have to GO TO THE STORE. I LOVE DRIVING IT!!! I can;t get enough of it, honestly. Sorry for the lack of pics

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Glad you found a good one. Oh boy, sounds like your hooked really bad !

The doctors tell us, the only hope now is to drive it as much as possible.

Congrads!!! You can now start the process of looking for good ole number 2....lol . Get some pics up, would ya???

John

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Project88GT build up thread

I'd watch out, after you get a 2nd one, then comes the 3rd one. After the 3rd one, they pretty much just start falling into your hands lol. Sounds like the car could use some suspension work, and then you'll REALLY be happy

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ok so i jumped on your case a little in the other thread but we'll leave that there. please look at the suspension. it's true that it's not a car that your used to driving so maybe you are over sensative but i've owned 2 88's, one coupe and one formula and the highway is where the handling shined. very smooth and not unstable until about 110mph where you could feel the car getting light. all fiero's are old and no matter how well it was taken care of you can't beat that fact. rodney's suspension parts aren't that expensive and will make you feel warm inside when you get that new engine in. congratulations on the car.

Thanks Joshua. I will be looking at it shortly here, in the next week or so.

With the engine swap I will be redoing the suspension, with parts from Rodney, and full poly bushings. I will also be redoing the brakes.

The suspension felt stable, the steering wheel just seemed to bounce around a lot. I'll be driving mountaincrasher's 86-87 GT shortly, and I can compare it then. I love the suspension, around town, it is truly awesome, and in corners. But to me, it didn't feel normal on the highway. But I am also used to a 92 Lumina, so it is a lot more firm, and you feel every little bump no doubt, so that is probably most of it. But I will inspect it either way, thanks for the advice!

Congrats you Nut!

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Choptytopped WideBody GT 1 of 1
4.9L-V8-Auto---almost finished

http://calipersonline.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=69 this is the best deal going and i don't know how long it will last.

Lol, he sounds like a good man, who's just fallen for a real BAD girl (a not altogether bad analogy, since these cars tend to seduce people and can be VERY hard on their wallets). Who was it, I recall someone saying something like this about his buddy's Fiero --- "I hate this car, never would own one in a million years, then he let me drive it...Damn..." ?

Hey, AaronZ34, what do you mean "you guys"? YOU'RE one of US now, Ha-haaaaaa!!! (Poor devil.)

hehe thanks, I guess I finally am

It will defiantely hurt the wallet, but it is worth it!

Congrats, Aaron....I TOLD you Doug was a good person to deal with.

Yah he was, and the car was exactly as described.

He had a notebook in the car, and he recorded everything. I mean every time he put in gas EVER since he got it!!! It had the wreck in it, every oil change, etc. That is really anal-rententave, but at least I know its history...

Sorry I'm a little late to this thread. I've been extremely busy lately, that's why I haven't been around much.

Here are a couple photos that Aaron hasn't seen yet.

I took the back way in to Colorado. The first photo is crossing the Wyoming - Colorado border on Hwy 13. That road you can see heads down to Craig where I picked up Hwy 40 and took that east through Steamboat and then Rocky Mountain National Forest. It was a fun and fitting last drive of the car. I got everything from 90mph cruising to tight 25mph hairpins. Wide interstates, wide open two-lane state highways, and narrow two-lane with sharp cliffs with no guard rails.

When I got to Colorado I cleaned the car up from its dirty dusty road trip. Here's the clean car and its new loving owner.

Aaron, it was truly a pleasure doing business with you. I know the car has a good home and that makes it easier to sell it.

A little more caster and a little more toe-in will cure the lightness at 75-80 that you mentioned. It will also make the steering slightly heavier and not quite as sensitive at any speed. I like the steering the way it is so that's why it's aligned that way. Replacing that front upper left ball joint I told you about probably won't hurt either.

I'm glad you're happy with it Aaron. Keep us all updated on the progress.

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Doug Chase
Chase Race
Custom roll cage and exhaust fabrication

I can't believe its mine!!!

It is sitting in the garage right now, hiding from the rain, all dirty as usual (black cars...)

It was a pleasure doing business with you as well, I can tell the car was well taken care of, and it has exceeded my expectations in every way.

As for the steering. After driving it around for a while, its feeling better, more normal. I guess I'm used to a 3600lb Lumina with power steering and a 500lb engine on the turning wheels. I love driving it sooo much. Also, I am continuing that notepad of your's, even though it isn't really my thing, the car deserves it.

I will keep you posted with the engine swap and light bodywork I plan (Decklid cowl, side scoops, and either a cowl hood or a heat-extracting hood vent. I'll be rebuilding the suspension with the swap, using 100% poly bushings, and I might lower it a tad, like an inch or so. I will also rebuild the brakes. I'd like to add bigger cross-drilled/slotted rotors, but the enigne swap comes first.

Thanks again Doug, and I know it is killing you to not have it in your driveway, but it is also putting a smile on my face every day I go to work!