I got the first season of Miami Vice.... just for the fun of it. Anyway, the DVD offers some side points about the making of the T.V. show and such. The important info I was looking for was the "date" each episode(s) where produced.

10/28/84 where just one of the dates one episode was produced. Me not knowing the back-ground of what’s, what...where there any Fiero represented as "fake" Ferrari's in the entire showings produced? I thought I heard rumors that a Fiero was in the show? I also noted that no one sweats on the show…. that’s hard to believe.

In any case, Pontiac could have presented a Fiero in at least one episode. I know that I did see a commercial where a guy was driving a Gt. Maybe that was later after the show ended? On the plight, I seen just about ever car made.... but no Fiero.

Okay, end of rant.

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Archie's Choptop conversion #11, #15, Redux & The Stealth

Dont'cha know? They were all waaaay too 'cool' to perspire. Cool cars. Cool boats. cool clothes-the whole 9 yards.

The white Testarossa used later in the show *may* have been a Fiero. I don't remember.
The black Daytona Sypder was a kit based off of a Corvette.

Found this link after a Google search: http://www.ferrariclub.com/faq/miamivice.html

"Crockett's Daytona Spyder was actually a look-alike replica, built using a 1980 Corvette chassis with Ferrari-designed body panels and real Ferrari hardware inside."

"By the start of the third season, Ferrari executives were getting miffed that the ersatz Daytona was gathering so much attention. The television audience was unaware that the show cars were fake. The producers intended for the car to be treated as a genuine Ferrari and Crockett never hints that the Daytona is a replica. Given the constructed reality of television, it is no wonder that the fake car was treated as real. In any event, Ferrari North America offered to provide two bona-fide Ferraris for Miami Vice, and they chose their flagship model, the 12-cylinder muscle machine, the Testarossa."

"Two show cars were provided by Ferrari North America and were originally delivered black, but were later repainted white for better contrast at night. In addition, a stunt car was created by the Roberts Motor Co. by beefing up a 1972 DeTomaso Pantera chassis with salvaged Testarossa body parts.[12] The mid-engined Pantera replicated the Ferrari much closer than the Corvettes which were used to create the Daytona look-alikes."

So, no Fiero, as far as I can tell.

[This message has been edited by Formula88 (edited 07-17-2005).]

quote Originally posted by Formula88: So, no Fiero, as far as I can tell.

Buried in my Archives someplace I have about 100 old issues of the Kit Car magazines. I wish I had time to look up the exact articles but I recall that the T.R.'s supplied by Ferrari North America were used for normal driving scenes & close up's. Roberts Motors built 3 automatic V-6 Fieros for stunt cars. Roberts also put together the Daytona show & stunt cars.

I recall that, in those days, Roberts used to have full page ads in the Kit Car magazines advertizing that you could buy kits of the T.R. & Daytona just "As seen on TV". Ferrari never went after Roberts for building replicas until after the TV show went off the air. Ferrari also benifited because viewers would see Ferraris' (Fieros disguised as Ferraris) doing stunts that you'd never see a Ferrari live thru.

Maybe those "historians" over at the Ferrariclub would rather rewrite history than admit that they've "lusted after" a Fiero.

I need to start going thru those old magazines, I wonder if anyone has cataloged old magazines like Kit Car for what articles were in what issues?

Archie

Wow! This is some good info guys. So Farrari didn't go after the company that made the kits until the show was over...hmm? But they supplied their "flagships" during the showing of Miami Vice. Does anyone have a pic of the replica cars that Archie is referring too?

Come-on you baseball card guys, I know someone has a issue somewhere in the basement?

Another question for those who live in FL prior to the making of Miami Vice, was this the time that FL or Miami was having a city-by-city "make-over"?

Edit: I didn't start collecting Kitkar mags until late 1992.

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 07-17-2005).]

There was a car that Philip Michael Thomas (Tubbs) endorsed. If I am correct it was based on the Fiero and was named Machavelli or something. I think so anyway.

Just found this searching Google
http://www.ferrariclub.com/faq/miamivice.html

Edit: Actually the car Thomas endorsed was based on a Firebird

Here is a video of when they blew up Crockett's car
http://www.thunderranch.com/images/Miami%20Vice.mpg

One more Edit:
http://www.carsnet.com/ferrari.html
Here is what the Machiavelli looked like

[This message has been edited by Zero 260 (edited 07-17-2005).]

quote FERRARI-FIREBIRD V8 This reproduction of the Ferrari GTO is so close to the original design that the Ferrari attorneys forced the Machiavelli Corporation to stop making this car.

I've seen these Machiavelli things, I can remember when they used to be for sale. Make no mistake, even before you take into account that the Firebird was a front engine car & proportioned accordingly, You'll be able to tell that it's not even close to being a exact replica of a 308 or any other Ferrari. In fact the difference is so obvious that even a Lawyer could tell the difference.

Many of the replica makers used to advertize that Ferrari was after them, because they felt it would inhance their sales. When Ferrari finally did come after them, they (Ferrari) were able to use the advertizers' own words to shut them down.

Many of the replica makers used to advertize that Ferrari was after them, because they felt it would inhance their sales. When Ferrari finally did come after them, they (Ferrari) were able to use the advertizers' own words to shut them down.

I'm glad this topic came up, it brings back memories about how rotten the Kit Car industry used to be. The Kit Car industry was (& still is) the only industry to not have a regulatory body overseeing ethical business practices. Every other hobby industry has associations to oversee the businesses operating in that industry. The NSRA, SEMA & others help oversee the Kit Airplane, Hot Rod, Boating Manufacturing & other industries. The thing that straightened out the Kit Car industry & served to regulate the industry is the Internet chat rooms & Forums.

As far as the Miami Vice information, I've already started sorting thru old magazines & have set asside 47 Kit Car magazines from '84 thru '91 but it's gonna take a long time to take them all to the reading room to look thru them.

Archie

The Fiero was in one show of the first season of Miami Vice (Yes Madcurl I have the first season too) and the episode where they were breaking in to homes and working as a valet at a mall. The girls detectives take back two hookers to ID the suspects and in the parking lot is a Fiero. A short shot but it is a white Fiero. I was shocked when I saw it. And in the boat race with Crocket there is a another Fiero in the background driving down the road.

Damn we have too much in common here Madcurl........ LOL

Have fun watching the first season, I really want the last season when the mood turned dark on the show. And people had beards and longer hair....

Damn I am so 80's !!!!

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Thank you,
Robert Ver Halen
Winston-Salem, NC
(IZA-TOY)
88 Custom Formula

quote Originally posted by rverhalen: The Fiero was in one show of the first season of Miami Vice (Yes Madcurl I have the first season too) and the episode where they were breaking in to homes and working as a valet at a mall. The girls detectives take back two hookers to ID the suspects and in the parking lot is a Fiero. A short shot but it is a white Fiero. I was shocked when I saw it. And in the boat race with Crocket there is a another Fiero in the background driving down the road. Damn we have too much in common here Madcurl........ LOL

Darn it! I thought that was a Firebird. I need to go back and see it again.

quote Originally posted by Archie: As far as the Miami Vice information, I've already started sorting thru old magazines & have set asside 47 Kit Car magazines from '84 thru '91 but it's gonna take a long time to take them all to the reading room to look thru them. Archie

I look forward to seeing those pics. Thanks Archie.

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 07-17-2005).]

The show was number 19 ..4th from the last for season one..called "The home invaders"..I to have owned the 1st season of MV since it came out ..check out miami-vice.org they even have info on the new MV movie that there filming right now in Miami.. I love the 80's

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Thank you Kev, I pulled the jacket to look but you have to watch the previews to remember which on it was.... good work!
and thank you.

The white stunt "Ferrari" was built on a Pantera chassis using the Ford V8 and NOS and a whole lot of other trick components.

They had an article on just this topic the other day on the net. The Ferrari Daytona kit was built on a Corvette, they even went as far as a custom interior to make it look more authentic. After a couple of seasons Ferrari donated a couple of Black Testarossas to the show. These were eventually painted White so they would be more visible in night shots. These are also the ones that were replicated in kit car form to perform stunts.

Hmm...looks like the car from "Magnum P.I." I'm guessing Ferrari went after kitkat builders too?

Here is what the Machiavelli looked like

I found the article again, it is here: http://site.aol.com/autos/article/2.adp