As the subject says what makes an Indy? In other words, what did Pontiac do a Fiero to make it an Indy? I have been following the Indy VIN thread. There was the following post that started to wheels turning:
**Previous Post** The white Fieros as needed were pulled off the line so the Indy's will not be consecutive. They changed the front and rear bumpers, jack and mount, interior, wheels, gold tone brake boost put on rockers and put a dual exhaust on to mention a few. This is a reason the front and back bumper over time turns yellow as it was done separately and as a new mold set up for prototype. Hope this helps,,Rick B **Previous Post**
When I first got the car I started trying to do some research just to lean more about them. I also have am ’89 TA Indy Pace Car. There is tons of stuff out there on them. I could find little to nothing on the Fiero. Based on comparing my car to a standard ’84 the wheels, interior, nose, and exhaust are obvious. The brake booster (above) caught me off guard. Not sure why they would change that, it’s not something that is typically in view or would make a “difference” unless there is some internal change. I do recall finding they are all supposed to have the high (4.10 or 11??) final drive ratio.
One other thing that I can not figure out, at least on my car, is the engine details. Mine has the silver air cleaner with the decals. I noticed in another guy’s thread (he was looking for a paint code to refinish his) that the valve cover should be silver as well?? Were thy all that way?
My car is a 2 owner, I am the third, with 29K miles. The 2nd owner had the car since ’86, I bought it from his son. There is no indication it has been apart. I have records back to the day it was sold as a new car.
Any info on the Indy in general would be appreciated!!!
IP: Logged
01:58 PM
PFF
System Bot
ig88vsbobafett Member
Posts: 3446 From: Cheyenne Wyoming Registered: Oct 2001
Any pics or VIN of the car (or the 89 Turbo Trans Am, I love those too)? The VIN will also have an F in the fifth position (all Indys were made from SE's) and the 10th position will be an E (meaning 84 model year). Make sure the VIN on the RPO tag matches the one on the windshield. The valve cover should have been silver from the factory, I've never seen an Indy that didn't have a sliver valve cover stock.
I will double check the RPO tag. I can not imagine the car being faked. I have to much of the car's history, and, as best I can tell, it's all the Indy parts, decals, interior, body, and badges, save for the valve cover.
F in 5th and E in 10th for the VIN.
Here are some pics. I will just link to my club's gallery.
Beyond all of that, what was done to the Indy to make it an Indy, and where was it done. Any one truly know? As I mentioned, I know how they did the TAs. IE, they were built as white GTA's to a certain point then pulled from the line and shipped to a vendor, PAS in this case. PAS hand built and hand fit the drive line. The cars were returned to the plant and inserted back in the line to be finished. There was the new owner's kit which included the door decals etc. Then there was a odd deal with "some" of the emblems. The factory installed, on the line, 'vette brakes, etc... That car was a special case due to the drive line and host of special parts. Not realy and apples to apples compared to the Indy vs SE diffrences. I guess the mention of that diffrent brake booster in the origional post has kind of chewed on me. I like to understand what is specific to the car should I ever have to replace the part. I don't want to return something that is special to the car as a core, for example.
Why does that sound like I have to stand up in front of a room of Fiero owners and say something like "Hi, my name is Brent...I have a Fiero" and you all say "Hiiii Brent..."?
IP: Logged
04:18 PM
ohioindy Member
Posts: 2137 From: Wooster Ohio Registered: Nov 2003
Why does that sound like I have to stand up in front of a room of Fiero owners and say something like "Hi, my name is Brent...I have a Fiero" and you all say "Hiiii Brent..."?
I’ve spent more money on my Indy than I ever have on booze. Little is know about the order or the reasoning behind the Indy. Hell no one even knows for sure how many were made. From what I have heard white 84’s were pulled off the line and shipped to another area to be refitted, but nobody is talking. I’m sure you’ll get info as this thread progresses.
Nice Indy
[This message has been edited by ohioindy (edited 09-15-2005).]
Any one else have any info? Even just observations as to Indy specific parts. Again, this brake booster thing interests me. Mine is gold, is that not how they all are? The post I pasted above mentions changing the jack and mount?
BTW, I glanced at the RPO sticker while I was double checking the booster. Y82.
Brent
IP: Logged
11:58 PM
Sep 16th, 2005
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
Someone PMed me a while ago asking me basically the same question. Here is a cut from that PM. Now before this turns into a flame war what I wrote in this is what I’ve heard the most…it is not necessarily 100% fact. (now I’m done with the disclaimer).
For some reason Pontiac either did not keep good records or the records were lost/destroyed after they stopped production of the Fiero. Pontiac planned on making 2000 Indy’s but from what I have read the company that was contracted to make the rear wing, was only able to make 1550 of them. I’ve never seen an Indy without a wing so your guess is a good as mine. Yes, 84 was the only year they were made. To tell you the difference between an Indy and any other 84 Fiero, you should know how they were made. While making the 84’s, Pontiac would pull 6 completed white 84’s off the line, put them on a truck and take them to another building on the Pontiac grounds. There they would remove the interior, the nose and the wheels. They would then install the new interior, the GT nose, the rear wing and the white wheels. And yes, these are the same wheels as any other Fiero just painted white. The GT nose was in development and the Indy was the first to have it. Now like I said Pontiac did not keep good records. I swear I can get more info in Area 51 then I can on the Indy. The story above is what I have heard and read the most. I have also heard many variations of that story so like I said it’s your call as to what happened. Pontiac did not even record the VIN numbers of which cars are Indys. (There is a guy who claims to have a list of the VIN’s but he won’t let anyone see it, so until I see it I aint buying that he has it) The only way you can be sure it’s and Indy is on the front drivers side fender well there is a white tag that had a bunch of codes on it. This is the build tag. To be sure you have an Indy the code “Y82” must be there.
------------------ 85 SE (My first love) 84 Indy 4 Speed 84 Indy Auto 44,000 miles
Thanks for re-telling the story. Wonder if we sould get the Myth Busters involved?
That 1550 number for the wings strikes me as funny, that is the number of profuction '89 Turbo TA (Indys). Prob. just a coincidence!!
I guess I am going to have to start studying '84's I see at shows and in junk yards. I just don't get (like wht GM would change it)that gold tone booster and the jack/mount comment. I can only guess somone has observed the diffrence.
The gold brake booster thing is new to me, but they DEFINATELY changed the jacks. The jacks in the Indys were the same jacks sed in all 85-88 Fieros. 84 coupes, sport coupes, and (non-Indy) SE's had a unique jack.
The more you search, the more you'll see 84's had all kinds of quirky diffrences than the 85-88's. A handful of better things (glass sail panels, fiberglass sunroof wind deflector) and a LOT of PITA changes (door skin mounting, door skin screws, black switches, lots and lots of electrical differences, etc.).
the 1550 number has always been a topic of debate, as Pontiac was supposed to have made 2000. Supposedly it was due to a shortage of parts. I do remember one of the guys with the supposed list saying there were 2001 Indys. the only hotter issue is which was rarer, autos or manuals. If the Indy VIN thread is any indication, it was a pretty even split.
