Earlier in the year, I got a tip off from a man who used to convert Pontiac Fiero's into kit cars that he had spotted a black Fiero GT over at a junkyard in Springvale.
I was shocked to hear this, because these cars are very rare in Australia and the thought of one ending up in a junkyard so close by was unbelievable.
Rarely do these ever even turn up to USA classic car shows, so naturally I was keen to go down and check it out to see what was left of it.
Once I had found it, I took all these photos and came back several times to pick parts off it for myself as it costs a fortune to ship trim pieces and windows from the US all the way to Melbourne.
The list of parts I bought is very long and some I didn't need for my own car but may be useful to other fellow owners in Australia, so if you are looking for something let me know.
Unfortunately, I didn't have the room to purchase the whole car to keep for spares. However, a friend of mine was interested in possibly purchasing what was left of it. Though I never heard whether or not he went ahead with that.
It's sad to see what was probably a really mint example with less than 75k miles left to rot away. But luckily I was able to salvage something from it while I had the chance.
I had no idea they were ever made in right hand drive! Anyone know how many were made this way??
They didn't - it is an aftermarket mod that they have to do down under. There are a few threads on here on converting to right hand drive (I'm too lazy to search ).
I would think that with the work involved in converting a Fiero to right-hand-drive - and that there in Australia you have to have a RHD car or it can't be registered - that it would probably be worth your time to get as much of the components involved in swapping to RHD as you can get. Looking at AusFiero's older threads, it seems to be quite an involved modification to perform. And if that car still has a good amount of the work done on it then it may help out someone on down the road who could potentially import a Fiero to Australia. I see it appeears you pulled the dash. I also see the flex HVAC heater tubes thrown on there to replace the stock molded piece and I'm guessing there's a good amount of mechanicals done to relocate the wheel and pedals.
It is quite amazing to see something like though. I would imagine not too many Fieros ended up in Australian salvage yards.
Considering the amount of effort it takes to convert a Fiero to RHD, I would say it's not really worth it unless you are driving it daily. You can put them on club permit plates and drive them as they are in LHD form as long as you fill out a logbook. I think you get about 90 days out of the year you can take it out, at least in Victoria.
My '87 GT has a mix of the original and a Holden Gemini steering rack. Not exactly sure how that works, but it was rebuilt recently and works very well.
Some parts seemed expensive whereas others were a bargain. Might feel like that to us over here though when you compare it to the cost of shipping those bits all the way from the US.
A friend of mine from the Pontiac Car Club of Australia was interested in buying what was left of the entire car, but I'm not sure whether he ended up getting it or not. Will find out soon.
I did. Don't often see those push button radios so I couldn't leave it behind. The car also had the performance sound system fitted, so I took everything from that aside from the subwoofer which someone else must have got to before me.
I did. Don't often see those push button radios so I couldn't leave it behind. The car also had the performance sound system fitted, so I took everything from that aside from the subwoofer which someone else must have got to before me.
Few years back there was a post (build thread) of them converting their fiero to RHD in Australia.... seemed pretty straight forward the dash is same on each side. I remember he used sprockets and a chain for the steering..
Would you be willing to grab the front turn signals and pigtails? There was member here a few years ago from down under that was selling them. But, unfortunatly was no longer able to get that type anymore. I would like them if the cost and shipping wouldnt' be too much. Thanks for your consideration. -Jason
Few years back there was a post (build thread) of them converting their fiero to RHD in Australia.... seemed pretty straight forward the dash is same on each side. I remember he used sprockets and a chain for the steering..
That was AusFiero's car I believe. He was keeping the standard Fiero rack and front suspension to avoid any geometry changes spoiling the '88ness of his car. I wonder what ever happened to it?
That was AusFiero's car I believe. He was keeping the standard Fiero rack and front suspension to avoid any geometry changes spoiling the '88ness of his car. I wonder what ever happened to it?
I tested it a while ago and it worked great except for the tape deck, which does the usual notorious switching sides before ejecting the tape.
If you're still interested in it let me know via PM.
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Originally posted by Fierofreak00:
Would you be willing to grab the front turn signals and pigtails? There was member here a few years ago from down under that was selling them. But, unfortunatly was no longer able to get that type anymore. I would like them if the cost and shipping wouldnt' be too much. Thanks for your consideration. -Jason
Hi Jason,
I really would like to help you out, but unfortunately someone else got to them first. I'm sure I've seen them available elsewhere. Can't remember off the top of my head where I saw them available, but I'll let you know if I come across them again.
hows that beast of yours coming along James driving or close to it? My cassette player does the switch over too but the last tape i bought was in the 80s so it wouldn't make the play list over an mp3. I have bought the bits to put an after market radio in just is a low priority and too much variety to chose.
hows that beast of yours coming along James driving or close to it? My cassette player does the switch over too but the last tape i bought was in the 80s so it wouldn't make the play list over an mp3. I have bought the bits to put an after market radio in just is a low priority and too much variety to chose.
It's going well thanks mate. It's on the road and it's a blast to drive. The mechanic did a sensational job getting it all together and I'm really happy with the result. It makes me appreciate just how much hard work and effort it must take for people on here to perform such unusual swaps. I'll be taking some videos of it soon and posting them on YouTube when I get a chance. Still trying to work out what to do with the old engine, seems like a waste to have it scrapped being that it's only done less than 80k miles.
I would have liked to use the tape player with one of those auxiliary input tapes to play some MP3's through, but I'm fine with the CD's for now with the grand prix radio.
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Originally posted by Carcenomy:
Oh bollocks I completely forgot that I was gonna grab that instrument pod from you!
Still gutting to see a Fiero in a yard in our part of the world though.
Hey Carcenomy,
If you're still after it I'm still happy to sell it to you. Or have you found yourself a replacement already? Got quite a few parts lying around here in storage, might have to make a list in case anyone in our part of the world is needing any.
I really would like to help you out, but unfortunately someone else got to them first. I'm sure I've seen them available elsewhere. Can't remember off the top of my head where I saw them available, but I'll let you know if I come across them again.
I would sincerely appreciate you keeping an eye out for me. I've wanted that set for a while now, your pic just jogged my memory. Anything you can find would be appreciated! I may be in contact in the future also, as I am looking for some Aussie only specific parts relating to the Holden l67 (3800 SC) for a future project I'm comtemplating. Thanks again! -Jason
My 88 is still sitting there 90% converted. Life has been tough for a few years now and it has been on the backburner. I will get back to it one day soon though. Cant stand looking at it and not being able to drive it.
If you're still after it I'm still happy to sell it to you. Or have you found yourself a replacement already? Got quite a few parts lying around here in storage, might have to make a list in case anyone in our part of the world is needing any.
Yeah I am still after it, just haven't had anything like enough money to be buying any amount of Fiero parts recently. Need a full set of stock seatbelts/receivers/bolts for my T-top yet. Was thinking of attempting to use a combination of drilling some holes in the damaged sections, tapping them M3 and screwing it all together with some metal strips then covering it all with JB Weld to get it to stay together. But even with all that patchwork it'll never be as solid as an undamaged original.
I'll flick you a PM when I've got some play money next.
James_GT the fiero 2.8 makes a great upgrade for the 4 Cylinder Torana that is your market there have been a couple done with big performance gain for the car. Have also seen a hilux with a fiero engine in it for sale but other than 4 cylinder fiero owners target the torana crowd.
Might not be enough of it left to sell it since most of the parts were transferred to the 3.4 during the swap. Not sure exactly what potential it has here, but I somehow feel it's not worth junking when there are only so few of these engines in the country.
I hope they got the dash out of it, someone went through a LOT of time and effort to switch it around to right hand drive. An impressive job, as I see no seams around the map pocket, top of dash or anywhere.....
[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 08-20-2015).]
Sorry, it's definitely gone now. The last time I saw it there was in early-2012. It was at Imlachs in Clayton, VIC.
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Originally posted by JohnWPB:
I hope they got the dash out of it, someone went through a LOT of time and effort to switch it around to right hand drive. An impressive job, as I see no seams around the map pocket, top of dash or anywhere.....
You bet I did, and as many other bits and pieces I could afford to carry out of there. I don't know what I'll end up doing with the spare RHD dash, but I couldn't comfortably leave it there knowing how rare it is.
Here's a shot of the interior after I had finished collecting parts. Somebody took the outer door panels, there would've been plenty of other usable pieces on there. Such a shame more of it couldn't be saved. How it ended up at the junkyard with only 72,000 miles is a mystery to me.
I'm curious if you have to reach all the way over to the left hand side to pull the hand brake. I see no evidence that it was moved to the right side.
Spoon
------------------ "Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut
I deal with many American car owners in Australia and it is amazing how much work some cars are to swap. But most are done very well and are often hard to tell they were not factory.
I have found the guys on the west coast can get away with no conversions. I guess the laws are either different or just not as enforced according to the guys I have asked. I get many Chevelles and Camaro's in the west that are still LHD and I wondered why they never changed things per the photo's they sent me.