I first saw my 84 sitting for sale. It took me two weeks driving by it to finally pull the trigger and buy it. Only to find that I was too late, a friend of mine already picked it up. Two weeks later he needed the cash, so I brought it home.
He wasn't kidding, it needs LOTS of TLC and the brakes really didn't work right at all.
Looks pretty good for a 30 year old car.
Our first date out in the new TC (Toy Car) as my kids call it.
Of course the fuel filter plugged solid and it had to be towed home. An expensive date night.
As i always say, everyone is entitled to a midlife crises and welcome to the 84 world, I have 2 of them myself their just not normal ones.
------------------ Better to be judged by twelve than carried by six. (84 IMSA) garage queen (13 Veloster) daily grinder (86 basterdized mera) fake ferrari (84 fastback IMSA) confused lil one The forums Youngest CDL driver
Welcome to the madness. Hope the missis is not the jealous type!
Expect to spend some time and money getting it right but once you have made up for the probably 15 years of 'keep it running' so called 'maintenance' that it's probably suffered they can be really fun cars. Just be sure to carry a cell phone and a AAA card LOL!
------------------ Anything I might say is probably worth what you paid for it, so treat it accordingly!
Congratulations! Looks like a sweet car. Funny how it's love at first sight with these cars. I didn't even know what a Fiero was until I walked into a Pontiac show room and saw my first one. I was hooked and ordered one right away. It's funny to think now how expensive the car was for me at that time. The payments seemed huge. It has never let me down - not even once! Ordered it late Nov. 86 and it didn't arrive until Feb of 87. I have built all kinds of cars, trucks and bikes but always come back to my 87. Take goo care of your new friend. You'll have a friend for life.
It was last registered in 2001 and appears to have been stored inside. It ran terrible when I bought it, and there were lots of parts that had been replaced in obvious effort to correct the poor performance. I properly routed the vacuum lines and replaced some rubber boots. I had instant success with that. I've got a lot of work to do to repair damage done to the wiring harness by a PO who should have his tools taken away from him.
This past week I've been working on the rear brakes. I also replaced the passenger side axle, and ball joint. I'm struggling with the rear calipers. Fortunately I have a friend with the proper tool, so I hope to be able to finish it up this week. Just in time to park it for the winter.
(with so many engine swaps around you never know.... )
I don't know, sometimes I miss our 84 4cyl. 30+ miles to the gallon never gets old.
welcome aboard the nuthouse. lets face it you have to be out of your mind to want to drive a 30 year old car when all the kids just out of college are driving nothing but brand new. that right there makes me feel old, but then I am.
I fell in love with these little beauties back in 82 when I saw the space frame with nothing on it up stairs in our GM plant. that right there sold me. but add 30+ miles to the gallon and a sporty little body and they had me forever.
enjoy your new toy,
the only difference between men and boys is the cost of their toys.
Steve
------------------ Technology is great when it works, and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Congrats! I just did the same, but with me coming back into this little Fiero world at 36.
Was it "wife approved"? My fiance, after my lengthy back-story and history with these cars, gave me a blank stare and said, "you're right...I don't get it". Granted, the pop-up headlights finally mustered a laugh out of her
Good news is that for a midlife crisis, the entry fee and total repair costs are minimal compared to other crisis cars out there!
My wife is totally on board with my new toy. She was a bit ruffled that the cruise still works on the 84, but not on her 2004 minivan. I've always been a mechanic by trade or necessity, so fixing the daily drivers has lost the fun factor. I'm rediscovering the fun in backyard wrenching again.
I got a chance to drive a prototype in 1983. An engineer who worked on the Fiero project drove one to church. I was 17 and had my license, so he let me drive it around the parking lot. I was hooked way back then.
Tonight, armed with a borrowed caliper tool, I was able to assemble the passenger side rear brakes. I'll tackle the driver side after work on Friday. I'm beginning to understand why the draw to upgrade the brakes. Some day I may do just that. For now I'm having fun playing with the stock 4 cyl.
Looks like I'm going to have to get moving on setting up my garage heater. I suspect that I'm going to be spending some evenings out in the garage tinkering on it this winter.
Thanks for the warm welcome, and the wealth of information you all contribute here.
I know what you mean about taking your work home with you. I am an electrician, and for the life of me won't go into my attic to install the rest of my florescent lights and garage heater.. So I freeze in the dark of the garage working on the car. haha.
I did the heater and new garage with lots of light last year. Two must as you get older.
It is ice to go out and wash a car in a blizzard in shorts at 70 degrees and not lose the feeling in your fingers. Also it s a must to have the lights so you can see what you are doing anymore. Getting or is better than dead but makes you appreciate being young.
Sweet find there, Dave! Looks very nice from the pics.....If you do decide to do the brake upgrade, the 11.25" LeBaron conversion is pretty easy. It will also throw you through the windshield if/when you ever have to stomp the pedal!
I may really regret not having just gone ahead and doen the upgrade. I was hoping this was going to be a quick cheap fix to get me through for now... So far the expense has been reasonable, but it has not been as quick an install as I was hoping. This was all so much easier on my lower back and knees 20 years ago!
My midlife crisis was in 1997 when I purchased my 96 kaw. Vulcan 800. It now sits next to the 1987 fiero GT so life is good in my garage in florida . Enjoy your car, in this place I learned how to fix my own car. Great forum and welcome
Nice car Dave! You and I look alike except I have even less hair! Thought I was with some other woman. Your living the dream. Just got a lot of suspension stuff for christmas (bushings, ball joints etc. All I need now is a new body to work on it. Got a cheap propane heater from harbor freight, hope I don't gas myself or burn the garage down. Have fun working and driving that beauty. Long live the midlife crisis!!!!
Congrats on your Fiero purchase! Your gona just love it. I was 53 when I got sucked in. Be sure to check the trunk for the free Fiero luggage bags possibly left behind by previous owners. Some even claimed to of found a "total flame engulfment" suit included. :
Couldn't resist mentioning that...
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
if you install thermo quiet brake pads or other top quality pads on the front this will improve your braking. people have a tendancy to install the cheapest brake pads on thier cars .especially older cars ,, the installation of top quality pads seems to vastly improve Fiero brakes flush out the old fluid the cheapest upgrade is to install grand Am calipers on the rear I was surprised how great the grand Am upgrade was,when I did this ,it is a straight replacement you loose the E brake if you are having problems with the rear calipers I recomend you do the grand Am upgrade unless you need E brake to pass inspection you need new calipers ,rotors & pads autozone has great quality rotors .get calipers from rock auto,, you can use cheap pads here to compensate for the front brakes you can use search to find info on install or goggle " fiero sails " then click fiero secrets
want bad braking ,,just install the cheapest pads
[This message has been edited by uhlanstan (edited 12-30-2013).]
Rick B
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