Fiero in Paradise… I had BL, (he’s the guy who painted the car), modify a few things before he shot the paint. He filled in the original antenna hole, side marker light holes and the back-up light holes with fiberglass work. At the same time I had him fill in the first 5 slots of the “grill” over the headlights. I had seen this done to a 308 kit car in Europe that was based on the MERA and thought… “That’s a good idea”. It looked more correct to the actual 308 configuration. Simple enough to reverse if I ever want to switch it back someday, but I think it looks great now.
The side mirrors are stock powered mirrors. The control is between the electric windows switches which you can see in one of the interior photos. I’d love to see some photos of your MERA as well. You should post a topic of “The MERA in Paradise”! Is it the only one on the islands?
Mr. PBody… The Dash is a Pisa “Artero” dash kit. Mr. Mike’s has a link to PISA products I believe.
Formula88… I’ve only had it in two shows which took place late last fall … one was more like a Cruise In event with no trophies and the other was a regular type of show so I don’t have a lot of feed-back for you. They both let me enter the car as a stock Pontiac MERA, (I think they did not know what to think, to be honest, because they had never heard of it before.) As I get into the up coming season and attend some higher end shows, I may learn more about their general feel regarding its classification.
-Alan.
[This message has been edited by Barkaroo (edited 02-12-2008).]
IP: Logged
02:19 PM
Barkaroo Member
Posts: 100 From: Dacula, GA, USA Registered: Apr 2007
The MERA makes its public debut at a Cruise-In in the town of Hoschton, GA in October of 2007. Hoschton is a small town not far from Road Atlanta and just down the street from Year One.
The following week the MERA takes part in the Auburnfest Car Show in Auburn, GA and came home with a TOP 10 trophy!
It’s a good day when you can come home with two trophies! My other show car is a Herbie the Love Bug Replica that won 3rd over all.
To help inform the public, I created a two sided sign that tells the history of the MERA on one side and shows the before and after pictures on the other.
...And now here are a few “beauty shots” of the finished MERA 8020.
So now my story has been told….at least up to this point. I plan to add more photos and reports on our adventures together in the coming year so stay tuned for more....
Same Mera-Time… Same Mera-Channel…
-Alan (MERA 8020)
[This message has been edited by Barkaroo (edited 02-12-2008).]
IP: Logged
05:52 PM
Julian Member
Posts: 515 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Nov 2000
Way cool. You sold me on the tire size. By going to 60 series you fill the wells with 2 more inches and it looks BOSS. I think a few Ferrari shields on each front quarter panel is all you're missing.
I got to ask.... what's the key slot above the gas cap for? Just show?
How about a few picks of the bug?
Great job.
------------------ Julian - MERA #8071
IP: Logged
06:09 PM
Barkaroo Member
Posts: 100 From: Dacula, GA, USA Registered: Apr 2007
I think the Ferrari shields would look like I am trying to hard, besides I read somewhere that those sheilds should only be added if the car has actually raced on a track before.
The key slots are just for show. The ones on 308s of course are real so that you can open them up to put gas in the car or clean the glass.
I'll try and post some pictures of "Herbie" in the off-topic section in the near future.
Thanks! -Alan.
IP: Logged
06:19 PM
Julian Member
Posts: 515 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Nov 2000
Merrari!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahahahahahhahahahahahaha I just saw that. It didn't load the first time around. Sounds better than Ferrero or Firrari.
IP: Logged
06:31 PM
May 22nd, 2008
Barkaroo Member
Posts: 100 From: Dacula, GA, USA Registered: Apr 2007
Took my MERA to the YearOne Experience at Road Atlanta this past weekend and boy what a BLAST it was!
Here we are in the pit area getting ready for our “Parade-Laps”. It was still early in the morning and not that many folks in line so they were letting us go out with only two or three cars at a time. Our “Parade-Laps were more like “Hot-Laps”. I know I got up to 90 MPH on the back straight-away. What a RUSH!
After my laps I headed over to see the car show and ran into the Smokey and the Bandit Car Club. Sweet!
Thanks, -Alan.
IP: Logged
03:50 PM
May 23rd, 2008
Fiero-in-Paradise Member
Posts: 540 From: Honolulu, Hawaii USA Registered: May 2006
I noticed your older photos of the door handle area, looks like you have the stock "tabs."
I added these over the past weekend. They're actually lapel pins, some guy sells them on e-bay for $7.95. They're sanctioned by Ferrari, so pretty nice quality. I just cut the two pins off in the back, filed it flat, and stuck it on the door tabs with two drops of gorilla glue. I worked on it by first removing the tabs carefully so not to break them. I put a small piece of cardboard over the painted area and kept two small clamps on it while the glue was drying. Then snapped them back in the next day. Inexpensive little bling mod...
Now if I can only fix that hunting idle! Aloha, Tom
IP: Logged
05:09 AM
Barkaroo Member
Posts: 100 From: Dacula, GA, USA Registered: Apr 2007
Were you there on Saturday? I was there from about ten to eleven on Sunday. Wanted to do a ride along in one of the Year One cars. But when they said they weren't starting that until two o'clock, I headed home. I had a six hour ride ahead of me and I really didn't wanna wait until then. But some of the cars at the show were really nice.
------------------ Whade' "The Duck Formerly Known As Wade" Duck '87 GT Auto '88 Ferrario '84 Indy
IP: Logged
01:51 PM
Barkaroo Member
Posts: 100 From: Dacula, GA, USA Registered: Apr 2007
Yep I was there on Saturday. In fact I was doing my laps around 9:30 and then met up with some Fiero owners that came down from NC and photographed their laps at 10:30. I left around 2 to head home and get ready for the Eagles concert that night.
IP: Logged
03:37 PM
steve308 Member
Posts: 3970 From: Stafford VA Registered: Jan 2008
Looks like you earned your fender shields!!!! CONGRATS on the outstanding restoration. OBTW Does anyone know what happened to the mera molds? I've heard "legend" that they ended up in Canada at ONYX while they were still in business. Any truth to the story?
IP: Logged
10:06 PM
PFF
System Bot
May 24th, 2008
RTNmsds Member
Posts: 1104 From: Woodruff, SC Registered: Oct 2003
My understanding is that the original Mera molds were destroyed as part of the law suit. There have been several new sets of molds made by splashing some off of cars, but I don't know who might have a set anymore. Pat K was the last man I knew that had a set, and it looks like he might be out of business now.
