I was just going through some of my spare Fiero parts, and I noticed a difference between some GT decklid grilles. I've got a pair of early casting grilles (1/86, and 2/86 left and right) that have an articulated tab on the inner edge up near the back window (it goes under the side of the decklid when it's closed). The other two pairs I have (5 to 7/86) have the standard fixed tab with a small rubber nub on it. The articulated tab looks like a hinge of some sort, but clearly shaped for this application. I can try to get some pictures of them tomorrow when it's light out.
I'm wondering if anybody else has seen this, and when the production change happened.
There were three different hold down screws. A slot head screw, a winged screw, and the articulated screw. I and some others have changed in favor of the articulated in all locations.
The notchbacks used the slot head screws on the drivers side vent and one each of the winged and articulated on the passenger side. Fastbacks had a single slot head on the drivers side and an articulated screw on the passenger side. I say this from having seen one each original low mileage notchback and fastback.
Why the different ones? Some have speculated that the slot heads on the drivers side was because that vent is likely to be removed less than the one on the passenger side. Seems to me that the air filter would be changed out more often than a battery or water pump belt.
I misunderstood. But you got me thinking. I have one each 86, 87 and 88 in my driveway so I just walked out to check. All have the fixed tab with rubber bumper. I'm pretty sure my 87 is original and probably the 86 is, too. The 88 is a formula fastback conversion. I also have an extra set of grills in my garage with the fixed tab.
If you look at the underside of the grille at the rear edge (by the screws) there should be a casting date there. It will be down in the first valley. It's a year (in my case, 86) followed by twelve boxes, each one getting a stamped dot for each month that passes. Obviously, if the mold is stamped, the cssting will have a raised dot.
My 87 GT sounds like it has the later design, just a tab with a bumper that the decklid presses down on to prevent rattling.
But my 84 notchback (Indy) has side panels where a "hook" engages with a pin on the decklid hinge. If you don't get that right, you break it off when closing the decklid. I assume LOTS did that the first time they had to get at the battery. It took a while, but I found an unbroken passenger side panel for my Indy.
Not sure if they changed that on later years for the notchback.
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