I have a friend that had an 86 GT. This is one very slick and clean Fiero. This is the cleanest non-show car I've seen.
The motor though is toast. The car was sitting in my friend's basement shop where it has been for 4 or 5 years. He's offered to sell it to me but, I only buy 88s.

Regardless, that's the history. My friend is selling his place. He therefore sold the car to a mutual acquaintance. The new owner is not a mechanic so, he takes the car to a nearby shop to have the engine pulled and sent to a local Speed Shop to have the engine evaluated and rebuilt if possible. The shop that is pulling the engine is only removing and then re-installing the motor. The Speed Shop will determine if the engine is salvageable. The car has been in the removal shop for about two weeks. I happen to be driving by and see the GT up on the two post lift. So I stop.

I expected to see the car being finished up and wanted to ask how the process had gone. Instead, I see that the car has only the wheels removed and not much else done. At least from my vantage point, I can't see anything but the underside of the car.

I asked the owner and main wrench turner what's going on. He starts off by telling me he's having trouble dropping the exhaust off of the car. Now remember, the car is up on the lift, the engine, transmission, cradle, everything is still in the GT. I asked my why he was trying to remove the exhaust prior to dropping the cradle, he stated that, well, that's what we always do. I explained to him that the exhaust would drop with the engine and cradle when he pulled it down.

I then asked him how he was going to drop the cradle, he started off by describing how he intended to dismantle the suspension starting from the bottom and working up.

At that point, I couldn't contain myself any longer and asked if he'd like me to come over on Saturday and help. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't pretend to have all the skills many on this forum have but, this guy didn't have a clue as to how to drop the cradle out of this GT. At that point, he told me that he'd never worked on a Fiero before and would gladly let me take the car out of his shop if I wanted to do so. I told him that I didn't have the time or inclination or room to undertake a project like this. But, I can and have dropped a cradle before.

My question is would you have called the current owner and advised him of the issues?
On a side note, I should mention that this shop is one of my part time job's best clients. I don't need to be rocking that boat.

Ron

[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 02-08-2010).]

Dam right I would Ron and right NOW.

The guy obviously doesn’t even have a repair manual for it and shouldn’t be working on it.

As rare as these things are up here I have run into several mechanics, ( I still like to call them mechanics) that have done clutches and more and every one of them knows you have to drop the whole thing at once.

Engine, cradle, exhaust, suspension.

Call the owner. And at least recommend a shop that has a clue.

NOW

Steve

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Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't.
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

If they didnt give him a price on the removal and install then yes you should say something just be nice about it.

There were instructions floating around that have step by step instructions. With a lift I dont see it taking more than 4 hours.

Ron, I'd call the owner. Then explain your situation , pretty much as you did in your post here. Also tell him if he has to replace the engine, it would be best to go with a 3.4, since at this point there is almost no cost difference.

That shop prob already crushed the cooling tubes on the lift,

Gents,
Thanks for concurring with what I already did. I called the owner and told him of my concerns. Then offered to help him if he could find no one else but, I knew of the ideal shop to accomplish this and much more. Unfortunately, the owner of this slick ride is not convinced that the 2.8 currently in the car is toast, though I don't know why. The car was driven approximately 30 miles after it got hot. I'm advised that 5 years ago, the motor wouldn't turn over, maybe time has cured it but, I doubt it.

I've tried to offer objective opinions on what options are available to this gentleman but, as I said, he wants to try and salvage the current motor. Who am I to argue, it's his car. I tried to get him to understand that even if the 2.8 is salvageable, he will most likely want more ooomph later and now would be the time to move on to something providing that ooomph versus putting a bunch of money into a 2.8 and then later doing something else. I have not pushed for any particular conversion, I sincerely believe that is something that is wholely dependent on the expectations and desires of the owner.

Regardless, I'm picking up and transporting the car tonight to one of the best and most knowledgeable shops I know of in this part of Kentucky. The owner was the senior mechanic at a Pontiac dealership until he went out on his own and built his own shop. He is very experienced with Fieros though, he doesn't appreciate most of my conversions, he will help me out when I come upon something I can't fix.

Doing the right thing can come at a cost though. If I haven't done this tactifully, the shop owner could feel like I stuck my nose in where it wasn't welcomed.
Life is like that sometimes.

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback.

Ron

[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 02-08-2010).]

I would absolutely tell the owner. Try to be as helpful as you can because it's obvious they're not familiar with a Fiero. It will save them a ton of time and the owner a ton of money if someone shows them a few tricks on how to work on a Fiero. If you offer to help the garage, I imagine they'll be quite grateful for the help. Working on an unfamiliar car can be a nightmare and you may just same them a ton of headaches.

quote Originally posted by Formula88: I would absolutely tell the owner. Try to be as helpful as you can because it's obvious they're not familiar with a Fiero. It will save them a ton of time and the owner a ton of money if someone shows them a few tricks on how to work on a Fiero. If you offer to help the garage, I imagine they'll be quite grateful for the help. Working on an unfamiliar car can be a nightmare and you may just same them a ton of headaches.

Well, I offered to come in on Saturday of this past weekend and help them (him) drop the cradle, his reply was not a positive one.

Ron

He should be happy that you got it the heck out of his garage.
You did him a huge favor, whether he knows it or not.
If not, he would have been up to his armpits in something he knew nothing about.
Everyone has their favorite horror story of a hack job perpetrated by someone who bit off more than he could chew.
And the new owner would have paid probably more than he paid for the car, to have a substandard job done.

(Does anyone else have visions of a cradle swinging (or coming crashing) down, out of a Fiero, still on a lift?)

I pretty much know what I'm doing, and still find a way to goof up something when dropping a cradle.

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Raydar
88 4.9 Formula IMSA Fasback..........................88 3.4 coupe -soon to be something other than red

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