This is likely a Mera but it has been modified and badged as a Ferrari. He says that he has all the Mera parts but reconverting it could be expensive. The OEM amber lenses are all but nonexistent and the backup lights are fairly hard to find. I cannot tell if the side view mirrors are OEM Mera or something else. That is also true of the power mirror switch and they are quite expensive. The wheels would also need changing to satisfy me and Chromadoras are difficult and expensive to procure. The dash also appears to be a bit clunky for my taste.
The Mera number is posted but you might ask him to provide a picture of the Mera build sticker.
Nelson
[This message has been edited by hnthomps (edited 12-03-2012).]
I just realized that I know this guy and sold him a couple of OEM tail lights a few years ago. It is a real Mera without question but has been "converted" to a F308/328 configuration.
I found this MERA on eBay. I’m sure others have seen it but I have questions to its authenticity. (I knew a post existed here : ) ) Now let me preface this post with, “I normally don’t pick on for sale ads” but this one has things that seem terribly wrong for a car that the seller makes the following claims; “This is one of the rarest cars ever made.”, “has never been wrecked or molested”, “Heat and A/C (no Freon…but who cares! Windows down and cruising!)”
My first set of questions comes from seeing things that you wouldn’t normally see in an 88 model Fiero. The first two items are the tach and speedo. These are the style that comes from the 4-cylinder cars or 85-86 model GT’s? All 88 GT’s and Formulas had the 120 speedo with the gradient readouts on both the tack and the speedo.
Being a six cylinder car where’s the oil pressure and voltage cluster that is normally in the center console? A yellow cover plate in its place so it’s hard to tell if they were ever there in the first place.
This car also has black power window switches and mirror control which I thought were only in 1984 model Fieros. Now, since the owner changed the interior from tan to black maybe they went as far as to change out the switches as well.
Some other inconsistencies that I noticed; one photo showing the tire tread was taken on a red car and not the black MERA. So, the tires were good when the car was red or they were replaced when the car was black?
Next, for an asking price north of 10k for a person would hope the engine compartment was cleaner, look at the oil on the valve cover, all the dirt in the bay, and what’s with the cables running in all non-factory directions? Again, for a fairly low mileage car, where’s the trunk gasket?
I’m no MERA expert, that title is reserved for Rodney but, there are too many things that are inconsistent with this car to think everything is kosher.
Lastly, I would expect the seller would post a picture of the MERA build number for verification. When you look at Rodney’s MERA registry, I don’t see this MERA registered as the owner claims. Maybe I just can’t see the 88 registry list.
Anyway, anyone else have any thoughts on the car?
Nelson, what makes you believe it's a real MERA other than by selling the guy some OEM lights? I'm not questioning your beliefs but anyone can buy OEM parts and put them on a replica.
i did not catch it at first cuz the only pic i had at the time was the cut off one. but this 2nd one does say alot. i guess it was swapped over to the 85 mph with the dash swap. i got a phone# to a dude in NY that was to have been the previous owner of Mera #8019.
[This message has been edited by batousai666 (edited 12-05-2012).]
The odometer and speedometer are usually swapped as a single unit. The mileage "rollers" could have been changed but the builder really wasn't a stickler for detail, now was he? This calls into question the actual mileage on the car.
The odometer and speedometer are usually swapped as a single unit. The mileage "rollers" could have been changed but the builder really wasn't a stickler for detail, now was he? This calls into question the actual mileage on the car.
Jonathan
Especially when the vehicle history report shows 52,000 in 1994 . (not to mention the 68k miles it shows in 1993 ?? )
Nelson, what makes you believe it's a real MERA other than by selling the guy some OEM lights? I'm not questioning your beliefs but anyone can buy OEM parts and put them on a replica.
The external body is Mera in my mind but as previously pointed out there are a lot of mods that have been made to convert it to a F308/328 type vehicle. Those types of mods can confuse vehicle identification quite a bit. As noted by Dan in a previous post, the car was previously in NY based on a PO phone number. The CarFax associated with this specific VIN also indicates registration in NY and PA so that is another positive ID point for the vehicle.
The Mera number is given as #8019 and should be available on Rodney's list. I do not have that list but would be willing to bet that the VIN and Mera #8019 correspond. Rodney can chime in on this if he happens to drop by this thread.
BTW, I have a black 87 Mera that I am reconverting from the F308 imitation back to a Mera and visually it is the same as Ivan's Mera. Does anyone need F308 marker lights and Ferrari letters at a very reasonable price?
To me, that looks great minus the engine bay and a gauge upgrade. That car is begging for a engine swap. No way would I pay more then $5-6K for it though. Yea I don't like the fact that the mileage has been changed either.
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 12-05-2012).]
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12:17 PM
DLCLK87GT Member
Posts: 2717 From: South Jersey, USA Registered: Feb 2009
I’m very interested in that! For the right price of course… as it needs work, especially the interior. I would want to know the true mileage and quite frankly am a little put off by the seller listing it at 54k when it was 67k in 1993.
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12:32 PM
I FAR I Member
Posts: 366 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Jan 2012
As far as I, or anyone else, can see, they are all identical 308 knock-offs and they all are kit cars.
The bodies, the motors, the interiors, the suspensions, the exhaust layouts, the underlying chassis -- are ALL the same.
Corporate Concepts, or whichever company that sold Meras, were just like every other 308 style Fiero kit manufacturer -- so why is a Mera so special?
not true, I'm no expert on them but basically there are kit cars IE you buy the car, you buy the kit, you build it yourself, then there are the Meras that were sold by Pontiac as a "dealer option" and they only sold 247 until Ferrari said WTF so they are a little different than a "kit" car and dare i say, rare.
[This message has been edited by DLCLK87GT (edited 12-05-2012).]
As far as I, or anyone else, can see, they are all identical 308 knock-offs and they all are kit cars.
The bodies, the motors, the interiors, the suspensions, the exhaust layouts, the underlying chassis -- are ALL the same.
Corporate Concepts, or whichever company that sold Meras, were just like every other 308 style Fiero kit manufacturer -- so why is a Mera so special?
In addition to the Mera being factory built instead of a do it yourself kit there are some other differences in F308 kits and Meras even most of the F308/328 molds were splashed off of a Mera. There is also a difference in body quality, form, and finish. These items were visable when I parked my Mera next to a F308 kit that I also owned at the time. BTW, the rebody received a second or third place award at Daytona when it was in the rebody class that year.
The body parts were different in number (example being the rear quarter panels were cast in one piece on the rebody versus the Mera which had two separate pieces, manual and power mirrors were stock on the rebody and high quality Vitaloni on the Mera, quarter panel windows were of a lesser quality material, and the Mera exhaust layout may also be different from a standard Fiero. I could go on for a longer time but this is a sample of the differences in the Mera versus a kit car and that is why the Meras are considered to be worth more on the market.
and when compared to a true replica like a Stinger the differences between the 2 are obvious.
the key here is as Nelson said, most if not all non Mera kits were to have been splashed off a Mera. a Mera is really a bad example of a 308..... the trunk opening and side windows are a dead giveaway.
i feel that without the introduction of the Mera we would have way less 308 knockoffs. hands down
and this is fact also..... kit cars dont get paid for at dealers
quote
Originally posted by DLCLK87GT:
not true, I'm no expert on them but basically there are kit cars IE you buy the car, you buy the kit, you build it yourself, then there are the Meras that were sold by Pontiac as a "dealer option" and they only sold 247 until Ferrari said WTF so they are a little different than a "kit" car and dare i say, rare.
[This message has been edited by batousai666 (edited 12-05-2012).]
