Subject really tells it. Im going for my associates in Entrepreneurial Studies and then going on for a BA in it but not around here. Im starting to realize that my only really hobby worth making into a profession is with the fiero, or could be translated into alternative fuels/kit cars/engine swaps, etc. As thats where most of my skills are. I dont have a good background of going into far with Alternative Fuels. Although I think with the right amount of investment I could start making a normal Gas E10 engine run on E85, but Ive been unsuccessful with getting federal grants . BUT i am getting off topic so..

How have the few made a living off fieros? I realize the fiero is a 'dead end' in a sence, but most of my ideas stem from them or use parts from them lol.

Gut a Fiero and install those 100k batteries found in that electric sport car and sell the batteries for 10k. Remember, all you need is the batteries.

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"Anyone can make a copy of something, it may look good, but never is the real car. Make something from your imagination, something unique, something nobody has, anything is possible and, ideas can become a reality; Archie and the Crew can make your Dreams into a reality."

quote Originally posted by Fosgatecavy98: How have the few made a living off fieros?

Barely

Brad

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Please help save Mya
rachelnbrad@hotmail.com

I can't imagine many people making a living off the Fiero, but there are few out there who offer a good product and have made a living for many years. I asked the same question about a year ago to my wife and she wasn't sure how they do it, either. To run a legitimate business, insurance, health benefits, taxes, and the overhead must be paid.
Then I look at the flip side.......
My one Fiero has over $40,000 invested into it not including the initial cost of the car
My other will have a little over half of that invested by the time it is done.
My third Fiero which is a stock daily driver that I purchased about four months ago has about $2500 of parts put into it to make it driveable.
....and if you take my prior three Fieros into concideration....well, I won't go there. I don't own them anymore. But, needless to say, I've helped keep the Fiero Store, V8 Archie, Fiero1Fan, Rodney Dickman, Summit Racing, and MANY others in business over the last many years.
Dave
ps....and all labor except paint was done by myself or my wife

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1987 GT (my toy-see above), 1987 GT (wife's toy), 1986 SE soon to be VR6, certified master technician/shop owner
www.njautobahn.com

[This message has been edited by bmwguru (edited 03-04-2008).]

Ed Parks used to say, "the best way to make a million dollars in Fieros is to start with $2 million."

It's a niche vehicle owned mostly by people without a lot of money. Except for a few exceptional vendors, most are working on Fieros or selling parts as a semi-hobby.

quote Originally posted by twofatguys: Buy them in the USA for under $500. repair them get then 100% road ready ship them to Sydney Australia Sell them for $20,000 to 25,000 shipping is 4000 to brisbane , car carrier to Sydney >$1500 making at least $15000 profit for each fiero

I don't know but I'm very grateful to the people that make aftermarket parts or find other parts that work for our cars.

OK proff......if I were to enter into the Fiero trade to Australia, who takes care of the right hand drive conversions? How big is the market for these things? Want to go into business importing Fieros? Does the $25K price tag include teh RH conversion? If not, what does that cost? I am sort of serious......I have nothing else going on so why not?

[This message has been edited by mrfiero (edited 03-05-2008).]

quote Originally posted by mrfiero: OK proff......if I were to enter into the Fiero trade to Australia, who takes care of the right hand drive conversions? I know of one place in Queensland, One place in my area and one in western Sydney How big is the market for these things? Nothing at all. you would have to match it up with other cars types. Want to go into business importing Fieros? I like this idea.... Yeah Does the $25K price tag include teh RH conversion? this is what you can get for the car in something like "Drive.com" If not, what does that cost? $8000 I am sort of serious......I have nothing else going on so why not? If I sell more that 10 cars a year, I need a dealers licence. i will ask baout the cost of that as soon as i can. If you get a RHD convertion in Queensland ot can be done for $4000 ,but then a pit inspection for it to come into NSW

go back in time.

Fiero's are old, and getting fewer & fewer. which means the customer pool is shrinking. daily.
the only hope is to hoard common failure parts & hard to find parts, and sell them at rape prices 5-10 years from now.
the part of this that sucks is: the car aint worth it to most people. it has little "collector" value. it has little "street" value. most the niches have been filled already. you'll see there are a few making it - barely, and the list keeps getting shorter.

Thanks for the responses guys, as much I would rather be doing everything to the fiero its self I think I will be just using the 'fiero spirt' and misc. parts to start on my next designs...

I think there is room for a proficient 3800 swap part maker still, if you can offer an "archie kit" in 3800 style, I think you could make a small profit.

Wiring, alternator setup, mounts, pcm... it wouldnt be that hard even if your not experienced with 3800 stuff.

Come up with some good t-top kits, and t-top parts for folks that already have them.

IMO the only way to barely make a living in the world of Fiero are: Engine/tranny (meat & potatoes), brakes suspension (bread & butter), kits w/unique body modifications (on the side combos), always sprinkled with good customer relationship, and quick turn around times.

Edit: I forgot to add, "keeping up with the changing times." If there's a market, don't procrastinate!

Pefecting and upgrading to premium cuts (meat and potatoes).

LSx F/W (V8Archie).

[This message has been edited by madcurl (edited 03-06-2008).]

quote Originally posted by madcurl: IMO the only way to barely make a living in the world of Fiero are: Engine/tranny (meat & potatoes), brakes suspension (bread & butter), kits w/unique body modifications (on the side combos), always sprinkled with good customer relationship, and quick turn around times. Edit: I forgot to add, "keeping up with the changing times." If there's a market, don't procrastinate!

And don't forget to do it all off the "Dollar Menu"!!!

"How Do People Make A Living Out Of Fieros?"

I make mine by using it to drive back & forth to work 5 days a week.

Isn't that how most people use their cars to make a living?

I can't make a living off of the Fieros but it is a nice little side business! Mostly used to support my nasty little Fiero habit!!

quote Originally posted by madcurl:

hey where's the clutch surface?????

I would call Ed or Rosie Parks at the Fiero Factory and interview them for your project.

On the other side !
nice piece.

You have to be an intrepremanure,come up with an idea that will also work with another market,, read the want to buy.. could you rebuilt the axles,, the new chinese axles suck,, look at rodney dickmans site what is it he does not have.. a quality performance distributor is needed but how many could you sell, are there berretta fanatics?? with a V6 fetish,, you have to figure out what 10 parts can you sell??? also look at the ms, lori window project,, Gas is going to $4.00 a gallon what product would increase mpg AND give a few ponies,, darrel morse has ridden off into the fiero sunset could you replace him with a better product?? flow bench a set of heads and duplicate,,sell ported exhaust and manifolds..how about a book on the 5 most popular swaps with a 100 part section of the problems caused ,sputters, back fires ,then what will repair this with a list of little known suppliers (like distributor,performance module.header) with a dyno section on what works for the V 6.. could you adapt the new performance distributor or the mini vip to a fiero V 6,, a kit for battery front mount that includes a small battery,, what plugs work best in V 6 you would carry this brand.. the dynabatt is a hawker battery much less cost than dynabatt,your battery kit would have fiero on the battery,,how about a stencil to use on spare tire cover sell cheap felt tire cover with fiero logo,looks as good as custom covers to me.. develope an ECM that vastly improves fiero electronics(difficult) find a header close to the duke that can be modified easily ,,and see if the manufacturer would do a 100 for you at a good price , a kit that alters automatic into higher geared 3rd for highway use .. a simple modification to improve look of dash make more modern could a pertronix or msd or pro tech or summit blue print distributor be adapted to the V6,, no window wipes you immediately adapt an existing product to work the smaller aternator,, the smaller more efficient compressor ..a unique brand name and logo so interesting that every teen ager in america will want one think von dutch,, hollister ect

[This message has been edited by uhlanstan (edited 03-08-2008).]

How Do People Make A Living Out Of Fieros?

Become a tow truck driver and follow Fieros around town?

I make my living (worthwile) by driving a Fiero as much as possible . Living IS Driving a Fiero

I'm making inner and outer dew wipes. I have yet to turn any profit. Took Many sales just to cover the tools. I still have several other tools to purchase though. I haven't even been able to pay myself for my labor. And I probably never will. But having something that I can do that others don't is a nice thing. You can also look at it like you're saving others money, time, etc. I've got hundreds of hours involved in R&D of the 4 Products that I make and in the 5 products that I've tried to make.

Most of us do it as a labor of love and a great way to make friends that we normally wouldn't have.

Here's an idea I just had. It would Not turn any substantial profit but would definitely be a neat item. Use a HUGE press and make Fiero Coins. Aluminum could be used. Copper too but it's very high priced.

quote Originally posted by uhlanstan: intrepremanure

cool, new word!
inter=between
pre=before
manure=fertilizer
so inter-pre-manure would be...

several years ago i made shifter boots. seemed like a good idea, since i had to replace mine and once you have a pattern the hard part is done. only the manual boots, both styles. black vinyl.
i discovered that most of the potential customer base;
(1) doesn't/can't read
(2) wants you to spend hours doing unrecoverable r&d on 1-off products
(3) there aren't that many of them

[This message has been edited by lurker (edited 03-08-2008).]

Lurker is correctamundo, he forgot my favorite customer ,, he recieves the product yet says that he has not recieved it and wants a refund,, Ya gotta have an idea and never give up (unless it does not work out) ha ha the effort in the fiero market would be good experience,most entrepremanures do not succeed the first time

My mind is a real scheme engine, You could make money by purchasing the ashes at the crematorium,bottle or can , and selling to cannibals as instant people

[This message has been edited by uhlanstan (edited 03-08-2008).]

I don't make a living from Fiero's. More like something I like to do, altough sometimes we do get backed up. Orders tent to come in in batches, danged if I know why?. Too small a market to really make much unless you offer a lot of dif products and services. With each year the market gets smaller too as cars get wreaked etc.