What's the difference between an 86 Fiero gt and a 86 Fiero se?

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Daddythebig1 thanks you!

a fastback clip.....and maybe some options altho my gt doesnt have power door locks

What about weights? Or the 85gt since its like the 86se. Not intending to steal your thread but its very intriguing info.

Has the exact same body and engine except, the fastback and tail lights. The 86 SE is a 85 GT

I always thought the difference was fastback vs notchie. Either could be optioned out similarly otherwise. Is this not good thinking?

GT is always a fastback, the rest are SE/ 2M4/Formula- all notchies.

quote Originally posted by 86FieroSEv6: I always thought the difference was fastback vs notchie. Either could be optioned out similarly otherwise. Is this not good thinking?

Well this depends on year for alot of things, the 85 GT was a notchie. Either could be optioned out, but the GT always had more standard options like power windows and I think A/C. The fastback is also about 75lbs heavier. The GT models were the only Fiero's to get the V6 standard also (except the 88 Formula). However the Formula was equipped like an 88 base coupe, very stripped of options.

quote Originally posted by nitroheadz28: GT is always a fastback, the rest are SE/ 2M4/Formula- all notchies.

Not completely true. The 85 GT is a notchie...

EDIT: Beat me to it.... Should have hit the submit button sooner I guess LOL....

[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 08-26-2011).]

with the ac option my 86 gt doesnt have it or it doesnt work but when i went to put a new belt on i only had the crank waterpump and alt pulleys there.....is the ac electric or something? i mean napa didnt even ask me if i had ac they just gave me the belt and it was fine.

My car is an 86 notchback. It says gt but I looked at something on the net about bins and it said that a PF was gt and PE was se but it WA in 86 that the hatch was introduced so could I have a notchback 86 gt?

The AC is not electric, it's run off the crank pulley with a belt, but it's a separate belt than the one used for the alt and water pump.

quote Originally posted by mattwa: Well this depends on year for alot of things, the 85 GT was a notchie.

Then it's a good thing a year was specified in the question.

quote Originally posted by daddythebig1: What's the difference between an 86 Fiero gt and a 86 Fiero se?

The 86 Fiero SE is a notchback.


The 86 Fiero GT is a fastback.

quote Originally posted by JohnWPB: Not completely true. The 85 GT is a notchie... EDIT: Beat me to it.... Should have hit the submit button sooner I guess LOL....

Damnit! I knew I was forgetting something, thanks

didnt the 85GT come with wider tires then the 86SE? when i bought mine. they were 215/60/r15.
i had an old 86SE and the tires were 195s.

i cant remember but the GT had different springs rates then the other fiero?

quote Originally posted by nitroheadz28: Damnit! I knew I was forgetting something, thanks

Heheh now and then I like when I see posts when someone says they are looking for GT tail lights. I ask if they are looking for Notchback or Fastback ones

quote Originally posted by joshh44: didnt the 85GT come with wider tires then the 86SE? when i bought mine. they were 215/60/r15. i had an old 86SE and the tires were 195s. i cant remember but the GT had different springs rates then the other fiero?

The 85 GT came with the same tires as the 86 SE from the factory, 215/60/14's. Or at least that was the widest tire you could get from the factory at the time. The 85 GT did not get 15's.

quote Originally posted by mattwa: The fastback is also about 75lbs heavier.

That can't be correct, is it?

The entire fastback clip w/ qtr windows can't weight more then abour 45lbs; notchie rear clip I am sure weighs less, but not 75 pounds less... The tail lights im sure are simmilar in weight. Front & rear bumpers have to be within a couple pounds... The only significant items I can think of that would add weight would be a/c and rear sway bar...

Weights -

86 SE V-6 4 speed 2597
86 GT V-6 4 speed 2696

87 SE V-6 5 speed 2696
87 GT V-6 5 speed 2708

88 Formula V-6 5 speed 2679
88 GT V-6 5 speed 2735

Other trivia

GT's came standard with the over-rated WS6 suspension, it was available on the SE as well as an option. (As the WS6 suspension was primarily achieved by different shock and strut valving, once you replace those components with aftermarket........)

86 and up GT's came with 15 inch wheels, the SE came with 14" wheels.

While the 85 GT and the 86 SE V-6 are both notchies and share the same nose, ground effects and rear fascia,, they are not the same car, as the the 86 had the auxillary gauge pod, sail panel rear speakers (85 GT had the rear speakers in the seatbacks), the third brake light, larger windshield washer tank, larger cowl cover, different gauge layout on the dash, and the gray interior scheme was darker in 86 than it was in 85.

The 86 se I currently have on loan is fully optioned air cruise power mirrors and windows even performance sound.

So my 86 notchback gt is a fake?

quote Originally posted by daddythebig1: So my 86 notchback gt is a fake?

Yea, pretty much. If your car is a 86, and a notchie, with the 2.8, it is either a SE or someone before your did a motor swap with it. Is your gauge cluster a 120MPH?

Someone probably put 85 GT sail panels on your 86 SE.

They are both excellent cars, 85 and 86 had the best build quality.

quote Originally posted by ALJR: That can't be correct, is it? The entire fastback clip w/ qtr windows can't weight more then abour 45lbs; notchie rear clip I am sure weighs less, but not 75 pounds less... The tail lights im sure are simmilar in weight. Front & rear bumpers have to be within a couple pounds... The only significant items I can think of that would add weight would be a/c and rear sway bar...

Yes it is, as compared to the weights olejoedad posted, which are correct. They don't make complete sense though, how does the 87 SE V6 5-speed gain 100lbs over the 86SE V6 5-speed? Combination of the getrag and larger fuel tank? And the fastback tail lights weigh a good 5-10 lbs more then the notchback tail lights, same with the different decklids. Maybe not 75lbs, but I would say 50lbs at least.

My 86 SE does not have power windows/mirrors or cruise. It does have AC, gauge pod and a bleacher seat on the rear deck ... lol. Also, it's automatic (125c) which I adore after spending oh so many years swapping gears in traffic going back and forth to work. One of these days I'll put it on the street, just can't afford the third tag/registration/insurance at the moment but this year makes it 25 years old so when I'm ready there should be a slight discount for the *ahem* antique vehicle *koff koff* tag.

quote Originally posted by 86FieroSEv6: My 86 SE does not have power windows/mirrors or cruise. It does have AC, gauge pod and a bleacher seat on the rear deck ... lol. Also, it's automatic (125c) which I adore after spending oh so many years swapping gears in traffic going back and forth to work. One of these days I'll put it on the street, just can't afford the third tag/registration/insurance at the moment but this year makes it 25 years old so when I'm ready there should be a slight discount for the *ahem* antique vehicle *koff koff* tag.

Yea, those are all optional on an SE, my SE doesn't have power mirrors either. 3-speed automatic!? I hate those things. I have scrapped three of them so far.

The weights listed are with standard features, no options. There were several things that were standard on the 86 GT but optional on the 86 SE (I don't have examples). If you compare a GT and SE with the same features, they will weigh pretty close to the same. It becomes a matter of preference...I think the aero notchback is the best looking of all the Fieros.

The difference in weight between the rear clips, decklids, rear wiring harness, and tail lights is close to 60 pounds.................

If you account for the difference in weights between the 14" and 15" wheels and tires it is even more...............

quote Originally posted by daddythebig1: So my 86 notchback gt is a fake?

You can always decode the VIN http://www.vehicleidentific...pontiac_fiero_2.html

This assumes, of course, that no one has (illegally) changed out or altered the VIN placard.

quote Originally posted by olejoedad: Someone probably put 85 GT sail panels on your 86 SE.

Probably true... I'm reminded of a car I saw in the junkyard a few years ago. It had a V6, a "2M4' decklid, GT notchback sail panels, a mix of gray and tan interior parts, a bumperpad front bumper (and possibly rear also - I don't remember).... VIN number said it was an '86. A real mixed bag, but other than the mismatched interior parts, it looked pretty good. All the body panels were silver.

quote Originally posted by joshh44: didnt the 85GT come with wider tires then the 86SE? when i bought mine. they were 215/60/r15. i had an old 86SE and the tires were 195s. i cant remember but the GT had different springs rates then the other fiero?

The 86 and 87 SE came with 215/60R14 tires IF they had a V6 in them. If they had a 4, they came with 195/70R14 tires.

quote Originally posted by TopNotch: The 86 and 87 SE came with 215/60R14 tires IF they had a V6 in them. If they had a 4, they came with 195/70R14 tires.

The first thought that came to mind was, why would there be an '86 or '87 SE with the '4? You got me there. Didn't know they even existed.
http://www.gafiero.org/docs/fierospecs.pdf

Well done, sirrah.

[This message has been edited by Shyster (edited 08-30-2011).]

I have a parts car 86 SE Duke sitting here with the Aero ground effects and the dual double megaphone exhaust - when I got it I thought someone had added the exhaust, but it's original.

I was surprised.