Found this pic on Ebay. Purported to be a factory photo. Sure wish they had put that one into production. I like it a lot better than some of the aftermarket conversions I've seen in pictures.
------------------ My rides... 1988 GT with a 3.4L V6 automatic 2006 Harley Sportster 'cause I love the twisties on two wheels or four.
For several years during the 1980s, Pontiac featured huge illuminated monoliths that seemed to hover over the cars, including the gold-tone Fiero convertible concept from 1984. Rumored as a production possibility, the Chicago Tribune referred to convertible as a "show stopper." Launched that same year, the production plastic-bodied, mid-engine Fiero coupe was built through 1988, but never was released as a roadster.
I have seen quite a few custom car builders like Chip Foose chop off the tops on cars and finish them as convertibles with no tops. Does anyone make a targa kit for the Fiero, it would seem like a natural thing to do with the way the roof is designed on the notchback.
Originally posted by Csjag: A "Spyder" is a two seat convertible, you won't usually see a four sear convertible referred to as a Spyder.
Mitsubishi Eclipse is a off-the-top-of-head exception I can think of. Also the rather rare 3000 GT Spyders were four-seats. I believe Mitsu used the term more as a marketing tool however. A four seat "Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder" sounds a heck of a lot better than a four seat "Mitsubishi Eclipse Convertible."
Some one up in the northern US has put up for sale every so often a purported factory spyder Fiero similar to the white bumper pad car and that gold tone aero car. It's a red Fiero with aero fascias. Every time it comes up for sale it never seems to actually sell. It's a true spyder roadster so it too doesn't actually have a working top, relegating it to having to be stored in an enclosed space.
(edit because spell-check keeps wanting to change spyder to spider)
[This message has been edited by Fiero84Freak (edited 05-20-2014).]
"As with other automotive terms, the term derives from horse-drawn carriages. A "spider" was a lighter version of a phaeton, having narrower, spindly wheels and two-seat accommodation. The name implied an extremely rudimentary top mechanism originating from a small two-seat horse-cart with a folding sunshade made of four bows; with its black cloth top and exposed sides for air circulation it resembled an eight-legged spider. This term was subsequently applied to automobiles.
[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 05-20-2014).]
Its also a location thing. Europeans always call them spyders or cabriolets. Americans call them convertibles, or roadsters if there is no provision for a top.
There was also a fastback based concept convertible that had a side opening clamshell for a rear clip, complete with fastback tail lights. It is pictured in the Witzenberg book for sure, probably elsewhere too.
As noted already, the car with the humps behind the seats had no roof- it was updated with gt bodywork at some point with more gold-ish paint as well.
I've actually exchanged some emails with one of the concept engineers who worked on the convertibles.
[This message has been edited by FieroFanatic13 (edited 05-23-2014).]
