General Motors brought out their Indy Fiero Pace car for display at the 2019 Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit. It is the first time the car has been out in public since the Fiero 25th Anniversary Show in 2008! The car is one of three actual Indy Fieros race prepared for Pace Car duties at the 1984 Indy 500.
Referred to as Pace Car #1, the car was primarily used on the Pontiac Motorsports infield display during the month of May when not employed for on track duties. The car served as pace car for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb later in June 1984.
Pace Car #2 remains at IMS in the Museum Collection. This car was tuned during the month of May to the specific track conditions and performed the actual pace car duty on race day. As of current, Pace Car #2 at IMS is the only car of the three that remains original, un-restored or modified from original form on race day.
Pace Car #3 primarily served as the press and VIP car when not employed on track. In early June 1984, pace Car #3 was sent to participate in PPG's Indy Car World Series Pace Car Fleet.
Jimmy and I were there. One thing I noticed was there were no strobe tubes and the lens was not very clear. Though great to see it come out of storage. RT Historian Indy #305 three parts Indys now trashed.
------------------ signature by F-I-E-R-O (My Indy on right / #1 IMS)
Yes those were the days of proud American made cars. Enjoy looking at that now as eventually the only GM cars made will be those manufactured in Communist China with cheap unskilled non-union labor.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Didn't all the actual pace cars (3) have a hole in the passenger tail light for a hidden camcorder? I see none here.
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
All three of the Indy Fiero Pace Cars were equipped with the camera mount and modification to trunk sheet metal and rear clip for the camera lens through the tail light. Only one RH tail light was modified for the camera lens hole which remains with Pace Car #2 at IMS. The idea for the ABC Wide World of Sports Pace Car Camera came about 9 days before Race Day. The prototyping shop at PMD in Pontiac MI basically had 8 days to engineer and build the camera brackets, tail light assembly, and modifications needed to the three cars already at the track. This also included the provisions for the added electrical load and wiring needed for the transmitter from the camera to the studio truck. The necessary equipment was delivered to the track two days before Race Day. Needless to say, it was a long night for the onsite Pontiac technicians to get the cars modified and ready for on-track testing the day before Race Day.
My Pace Car #3 has what is left of the camera mount brackets that were tack welded to the trunk floor. All of the associated camera equipment was removed when PPG modified the car with updated safety equipment and upgraded strobe light system required by CART to pace at the other Indy Car venues. When I first purchased the car, I thought about making a modified tail light assembly and mock a camera lens just because I could. The problem with the idea was that I would need to disturb the components installed in the car. Since the car is all original unrestored, I did not want to disturb the patina of the abuse the car went through while serving pace car duties with the Indy Car World Series Pace Car Fleet.
On a side note, these three pace cars are not included in the roster of the 2000 production Indy Fiero Pace Cars including one pilot prototype. The three cars have early VIN numbers produced at the factory in early October 1983 and were shipped directly to the engine development division of Pontiac Motorsports. The interesting part of the story on these three cars is that when the cars were built on the assembly line at Plant 17, they were fitted with pre-production Indy aero body panels, Indy interior and associated pace car badging long before the final decisions were made by PMD as to how the production car was going to be offered to the public. The designations of the three-track prepared pace cars 1, 2 and 3 are merely just reference numbers that the guys working at the track for PMD made upon their notes to tell the three cars apart.
Great info RAREW66. Do you know if those strobe lights were off the shelf items at the time or did the mfg of the strobes go into overtime to have them ready in 2-3 days?
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
All three of the Indy Fiero Pace Cars were equipped with the camera mount and modification to trunk sheet metal and rear clip for the camera lens through the tail light. Only one RH tail light was modified for the camera lens hole which remains with Pace Car #2 at IMS. The idea for the ABC Wide World of Sports Pace Car Camera came about 9 days before Race Day. The prototyping shop at PMD in Pontiac MI basically had 8 days to engineer and build the camera brackets, tail light assembly, and modifications needed to the three cars already at the track. This also included the provisions for the added electrical load and wiring needed for the transmitter from the camera to the studio truck. The necessary equipment was delivered to the track two days before Race Day. Needless to say, it was a long night for the onsite Pontiac technicians to get the cars modified and ready for on-track testing the day before Race Day.
My Pace Car #3 has what is left of the camera mount brackets that were tack welded to the trunk floor. All of the associated camera equipment was removed when PPG modified the car with updated safety equipment and upgraded strobe light system required by CART to pace at the other Indy Car venues. When I first purchased the car, I thought about making a modified tail light assembly and mock a camera lens just because I could. The problem with the idea was that I would need to disturb the components installed in the car. Since the car is all original unrestored, I did not want to disturb the patina of the abuse the car went through while serving pace car duties with the Indy Car World Series Pace Car Fleet.
On a side note, these three pace cars are not included in the roster of the 2000 production Indy Fiero Pace Cars including one pilot prototype. The three cars have early VIN numbers produced at the factory in early October 1983 and were shipped directly to the engine development division of Pontiac Motorsports. The interesting part of the story on these three cars is that when the cars were built on the assembly line at Plant 17, they were fitted with pre-production Indy aero body panels, Indy interior and associated pace car badging long before the final decisions were made by PMD as to how the production car was going to be offered to the public. The designations of the three-track prepared pace cars 1, 2 and 3 are merely just reference numbers that the guys working at the track for PMD made upon their notes to tell the three cars apart.
Fred
Thanks Fred I still have some things in my memory yet.
We still need to do a book! This stuff needs to be documented even if it is only on the web.
