Georgia Fieros received this from one of it's members. The 64 Banshee prototype will be going up for auction. Whether it was a forerunner of the Fiero or a concept that was modified into the Corvette, it's still an interesting vehicle.
"Like so many GM concept cars, the Banshee coupe and convertible had been slated for the crusher after their auto-show careers, but a group of Pontiac insiders hid them away in shipping containers for nearly a decade. Then each was sold to members of the Pontiac design team who had created them."
"...fears from Chevrolet that it would cannibalize sales of the similar Corvette – doomed the car to the scrap heap of dead-end prototypes that would never reach production."
Both Pontiac 2-seater coupes that look as much the Fiero as the Corvette looking one listed before. Could be.
Kevin
Thank you for all the great sarcasm that was immensely useful to the Fiero discussion in this thread...
But if you can read past my own sarcasm... There IS a connection between the Banshee and Fiero, and without Mr Estes interest, neither car would probably exist.
This car has been to auction several times since the original Barrett Jackson auction where it was first sold. The reserve is high and for some reason it just has not drawn the collectors like the owner expects.
It was a steal at the first auction but either too few know about this car or just have no interest. It was the only non Corvette invited to Bloomington Gold. It influenced the C3 and Opel GT.
The push for this car was more Delorean than anyone. He wanted a 2 seat sports car in the worst way. He tired it here with this car and later the F body was a 2 seater so late that he had to base the Firebird on the Camaro so much that they were not all that different. Even the front fenders were interchangeable. Later as we know he went on to do his own 2 seat car.
Estes and Bunkie more than anything supported John in his desires but the it is true the Corvette people were against it as they fear that if they lose too many sales they are at risk of not making a business case. They have come close several times and the threat is real.
The convertible has not traded hands and is still out there too.
Delorean broke many rules and got away with it for years under Bunkies protection but later on it caught up with him and he got blames for the Vega a car that was really Ed Coles love and those who hated Delorean used it against him. By then Bunkie had gone to Ford and was even gone from there by then.
What is funny is the Mid Engine V6 Idea was done by GM engineering back in the mid to late 70's and was rejected by the Corvette people. GM keep the idea at the tech center and when Hulki was looking to lower the cowl of the car he was offered their proposal and he used it to make the cowl lower on the Fiero. Before that he was faced with a taller more upright car that would never had been as low. This solved his problem. So in a way a proposed Corvette plan lead to the Fiero being Mid Engine. This was in the book Inside the Corvette.
Looks like a Corvette and an Opel GT got together and had a baby. I like it other than the 6 banger. If it wasn't so expensive, someone should drop a V8 in it (or a turbocharged V6).
Both Pontiac 2-seater coupes that look as much the Fiero as the Corvette looking one listed before. Could be.
Kevin
Back in those days, the coupe was more for traveling salesmen and businessmen. They weren't really considered sports cars and used the very same suspension and engines as the big sedans. My Mom's 34 Chevy Coupe had the very same engine as my Dad's 38 Chevy two door. Obviously, with the Banshee, their intent was a sports car, though it was a front engine. The precursor to the Fiero was intended to mean simply in the realm of sports cars, not meaning to be in the same layout or appearance.
The precursor to the Fiero was intended to mean simply in the realm of sports cars, not meaning to be in the same layout or appearance.
Oh, it was my understanding, and had read on this forum even, that the Fiero was marketed as an econo/commuter vehicle in its day. With the 4 and the might 6 cylinder and all. So which is it? Fiero a "Sports" car or economobile?
In 1964, the Banshee was ahead of it's time. I'd love to have it but at $600,000 - $650,000 it's a little out of my range.
After reading the linked article above, I had to smirk - in-line 6 cylinder, 165 hp - typical friggin' GM
Wasn't that the same overhead cam 6 they used in the Pontiac LeMans? The Sprint 6 was originally based on the Chevy inline 6 cylinder and DeLorean used in several prototype projects. It went into the late 60's LeMans, and I believe it was also available in the Tempest.
Oh, it was my understanding, and had read on this forum even, that the Fiero was marketed as an econo/commuter vehicle in its day. With the 4 and the might 6 cylinder and all. So which is it? Fiero a "Sports" car or economobile?
Kevin
Hulki sold it to GM brass as a commuter vehicle, but it seems pretty clear that he always wanted it to be a sports car, and it was clearly sold to consumers as such. The Duke was a concession to the production budget, which took a 25% hit after it was approved. He wanted to launch the car with an aluminum block V6.
After reading the linked article above, I had to smirk - in-line 6 cylinder, 165 hp - typical friggin' GM
Yup - GM introduced a new "parts bin" car in 1953 the same way... ... it had an under-powered 105hp straight-six engine they massaged to 150hp ... was only available with a slow 2-speed automatic transmission ... it had a 0-60 of 11 seconds and did the 1/4 mile in 18 seconds ... it just had regular Belair steel wheels with wheel covers ... to save cost$, they decided not to use metal stamped, but a fiberglass body instead ... it didn't have rollup windows (you removed "side curtains" and stored them in canvas bags) ... the quality was lacking and the things creaked and squeaked ... it was threatened with cancellation - but saved by the introduction of the small block V8...
Yeah, and I think before they were finished with it, that inline OHC 6 got massaged to well over 200 hp, too. I had a neighbor and co-worker who had one and it had a whopping big 4-barrel carb on it. It was a blue Firebird with a raised area on the hood with an emblem with something about the engine. He kept newspapers in the floors to keep the carpet and mats clean. Blankets on the seats to prevent wear. They carried rubbermaid totes when they went grocery shopping and everything had to fit into a tote that went into the trunk. A totally babied car.
[This message has been edited by fierofool (edited 08-19-2015).]
<---- did you buy Cliff a beer? 
