I'm considering the purchse of a project that was parked in a garage 15 years ago and hasn't been driven since due to health issues. I'd love to hear what you all are seeing when taking a look through this folder of photos in Google Drive. I'm trying to get the seller to also provide a photo showing underneath the trunk carpet as well as under the hood.
I'm not a very skilled mechanic at all, but I have a pal who has helped me to do some jobs on my current cars like timing chain, engine mounts, belts, thermostat, etc. I'd hope to take it slowly, put the magic miracle penetrating oil (or whatever it's called) in the valves for a few days, drain and replace gas and fluids, try to move crankshaft by hand, replace belts and hoses, and clean out the heater box at a minimum before trying to fire it up. Then it would be on to exhaust, breaks, tires, cosmetics, and probably loads of other stuff I'm not even thinking about yet lol.
This is all part of my never ending quest for my first reasonably priced Fiero now that I've learned to drive a manual. Thanks for taking a look and sharing any thoughts!
I'm considering the purchse of a project that was parked in a garage 15 years ago and hasn't been driven since due to health issues / I'm not a very skilled mechanic at all, but I have a pal who has helped me to...
IMHO Don't to it...as olejoedad said, rejuvenating classic vehicles is an expensive hobby for skilled mechanics.
One member brought a 'dead' Fiero and poured $7,000 into it which he finally quitted; the last time I saw his ad - he was asking $3,000 of the 'ugly' and unfinished project...
To Me, learn the basics on a 'newer' and working vehicle which the parts are widely available and more reasonable than a neglected Fiero.
IF you have substantial financial resources, then "Go For It!"
------------------ Original Owner of a Silver '88 GT Under 'Production Refurbishment' @ 136k Miles
IMHO Don't to it...as olejoedad said, rejuvenating classic vehicles is an expensive hobby for skilled mechanics.
One member brought a 'dead' Fiero and poured $7,000 into it which he finally quitted; the last time I saw his ad - he was asking $3,000 of the 'ugly' and unfinished project...
To Me, learn the basics on a 'newer' and working vehicle which the parts are widely available and more reasonable than a neglected Fiero.
IF you have substantial financial resources, then "Go For It!"
Or get a "good" Fiero and plan to spend money and learn a lot over time, but you'll have more time on the road for the money spent than trying to resurrect a Fiero that doesn't run to start with.
I'm not a very skilled mechanic at all, but I have a pal who has helped me to do some jobs on my current cars...
Have you asked your friend for his opinion on buying this car? If push comes to shove, your friend may tire of using his talents on your project, especially if it becomes long and involved.
I'm considering the purchse of a project that was parked in a garage 15 years ago and hasn't been driven since due to health issues. I'd love to hear what you all are seeing when taking a look through this folder of photos in Google Drive. I'm trying to get the seller to also provide a photo showing underneath the trunk carpet as well as under the hood.
I'm not a very skilled mechanic at all, but I have a pal who has helped me to do some jobs on my current cars like timing chain, engine mounts, belts, thermostat, etc. I'd hope to take it slowly, put the magic miracle penetrating oil (or whatever it's called) in the valves for a few days, drain and replace gas and fluids, try to move crankshaft by hand, replace belts and hoses, and clean out the heater box at a minimum before trying to fire it up. Then it would be on to exhaust, breaks, tires, cosmetics, and probably loads of other stuff I'm not even thinking about yet lol.
This is all part of my never ending quest for my first reasonably priced Fiero now that I've learned to drive a manual. Thanks for taking a look and sharing any thoughts!
Diz
this looks pretty good actually dizzie. if you need any v6 stuff please message me since i have quite a few parts especially grey interior bits im willing to part with though it looks imacculate. consider the mileage and why it got parked. its probably engine or transmission related along with the health issues or its gonna be like doggos and have every brake problem known to man or like my basket case and be a never ending wiring nightmare (i have stuff to fix that if it comes to it. ive accumulated a few harnesses to fix the trash that didnt work on mine since the harnesses werent the issue) honestly i think you got this and at the very least youll learn alot and save it from sitting indefinitely and can get it into better hands if nothing else. but again you got this as long as your learning with your buddy and having fun
Wow, thanks for all the thoughtful responses and viewpoints as usual, everybody! That gives me a lot to consider. I'd like to respond to each individually below. My main takeaways from all this so far are to:
1) Verify that the car really was "running when parked" and that it was running and driving well 2) Be ready to work, learn, spend time, and spend money with no guarantees of success or even condition 3) Keep my eyes open for running and driving alternatives that would be worth spending more on before going with this example 4) Make sure any pals who would be helping are truly on board with this first
In addition, I'll be looking to verify what's under the trunk carpet as mentioned before. I'm really spooked about the rear upper frame rails on these cars - almost enough to buy a plane ticket and go out to the car and try to jack it up and pull the wheels off and pull the wheel well liners down a bit to inspect. But in reality, I probably won't And if the trunk does look ok, I also need to get a look at the title!
Direct responses:
quote
Originally posted by olejoedad:
An old Fiero adage states that a used Fiero will make you a mechanic or bankrupt ....
This rings very true from all the accounts I read here and elsewhere. While I'd like to avoid the second outcome, I wouldn't mind the first! I'd also like to avoid what happened to someone down the road the other day - I saw in the news where their jack stands failed on Memorial Day and the poor guy was killed working under his vehicle (not a Fiero to my knowledge, though). Knew of another young lady whose sister lifted a BMW off her father who she found unconscious underneath a number of years ago, too. I test drove a really nice 2m4 that someone locally was selling. They had purchased it as a fully restored vehicle. Unfortunately, it had only been cosmetically restored. They showed me all the repair bills where they had spent over $7K in two years. It was easy to see that the "classic car specialty shop" had been throwing parts at it until finally finding things like a grounding issue. This isn't to say that I couldn't be guilty of the same, but at least it would be my time spent rather than paying for labor on top of parts costs.
quote
Originally posted by Matthew_Fiero:
It looks decent and complete! Hopefully there are no surprises. Not many silver ones around anymore.
I thought the same! Looks to be all there and it was "running when parked" as they say. While I've grown to like many different color, body, and engine combinations, silver remains my first love - so this is especially enticing to me (wouldn't mind seeing one in light blue or teal, though!) It does seem disproportionately difficult to find silver manual Fieros compared to other colors - maybe many silver ones have been repainted? The chart in this forum post shows that combining silver and light gray metallic puts it as the fourth most common color behind red, black, and white. I do find that I gravitate towards stock setups rather than cosmetic or mechanical customizations.
quote
Originally posted by Vintage-Nut:
IMHO Don't to it...as olejoedad said, rejuvenating classic vehicles is an expensive hobby for skilled mechanics.
One member brought a 'dead' Fiero and poured $7,000 into it which he finally quitted; the last time I saw his ad - he was asking $3,000 of the 'ugly' and unfinished project...
To Me, learn the basics on a 'newer' and working vehicle which the parts are widely available and more reasonable than a neglected Fiero.
IF you have substantial financial resources, then "Go For It!"
Thanks for being the voice of reason. Could you or someone please direct me to the saga of the dead Fiero you mentioned? Sounds pretty sad, but I'd like to read about it as a cautionary tale. Your comments really has made me think twice and then think some more! It's so true - just look at my anecdote about the 2m4 above. And money spent is no guarantee that the car will actually be drivable and reliable. I don't drive daily, but I would like to be able to get around town and even take it on trips of 200-300 miles every now and then. Any "substantial financial resources" would probably amount to running up debt which I'm trying to avoid. The only things that still have me considering this one are 1) the price would be right about 1/3 of a running model in the same configuration, even after transport. 2) I have a really good feeling about the seller who is a senior, slow to move, and just looking to clear some things out of the garage that have been sitting around. 3) This combo of an 87 SE V6 5 speed in silver is really attractive to me and difficult to find.
quote
Originally posted by 1985 Fiero GT:
Or get a "good" Fiero and plan to spend money and learn a lot over time, but you'll have more time on the road for the money spent than trying to resurrect a Fiero that doesn't run to start with.
This would actually be my preferred way to go! While I don't want to be "penny wise and pound foolish", I think the price difference in this case could make it worth buying to get back in running condition. And, admittedly, there's the thrill of getting a car that's been sitting for over a decade fired back up. It strikes me as one of these vehicles that, were I foolish enough to try cranking it with no preparation, it just might fire up. I wouldn't risk the possible consequences, though! However, I continue to be open to really good deals on a running, driving Fiero, but they are very hard to find in the mid-atlantic area (especially a manual, which is what I want). I probably wouldn't want to buy a running Fiero far away enough that I had to transport. If it's running, I want to thorougly check it out in person first. And then transport adds even more to the cost. There was a four speed 86 GT not too far away with about 190K on the clock that seemed to be in decent working order that a guy was selling for about $4,500 that I passed on because I didn't care for the brown interior. That's about the best I've seen for a manual within 300 or so miles over the year or more I've been looking. Well, there was another GT for two or three thousand that needed paint badly. If it were available now, I'd buy it. But it came up so early in my search, I didn't move on it quickly enough and it was sold within days.
quote
Originally posted by Patrick:
Have you asked your friend for his opinion on buying this car? If push comes to shove, your friend may tire of using his talents on your project, especially if it becomes long and involved.
This is absolutely a valid point. The guy is a friend like no other. I'm always concerned about "wearing out my welcome" and will continue to try and be careful not to. He genuinely seems to get so much out of helping not just me but everyone in the neighborhood with odds and ends. I've tried to return the favor when it's something in my wheelhouse like technology, or by lending items (which he has done too), and even giving him a gift card when he'll accept it. He says that helping out substantiates his tool buying habit lol. He's offered in the past to help me rehab a Fiero and he was the one that introduced me to the Ronald Finger abandoned Fiero restoration videos. I would absolutely talk it over with him before pulling the trigger. I have another friend who works on cars who has offered to help too - I should let him know about it in advance first, too. And if there is any pain in your past where friends have abused your mechanical skills, I'm sorry for that and hope you get the appreciation you deserve if/ when you pull a wrench for someone!
quote
Originally posted by cartercarbaficionado:
this looks pretty good actually dizzie. if you need any v6 stuff please message me since i have quite a few parts especially grey interior bits im willing to part with though it looks imacculate. consider the mileage and why it got parked. its probably engine or transmission related along with the health issues or its gonna be like doggos and have every brake problem known to man or like my basket case and be a never ending wiring nightmare (i have stuff to fix that if it comes to it. ive accumulated a few harnesses to fix the trash that didnt work on mine since the harnesses werent the issue) honestly i think you got this and at the very least youll learn alot and save it from sitting indefinitely and can get it into better hands if nothing else. but again you got this as long as your learning with your buddy and having fun
Thanks for the vote of confidence. I don't want to be overconfident, but I agree that it would be great to get this car back on the road, even if I'm not the one to do it! Great points about the mileage and the "why" of not being driven for 15 years. Mileage is around 60K which I probably should've mentioned. While I'm of the understanding it was "running when parked" from past conversations, I need to confirm that out for sure. I actually do trust the seller to give me an honest account of the vehicle's history to the best of their recollection. That doesn't mean that they could be legitimately forgetting something from that long ago - which is a risk. I appreciate the offer of being a parts resource! Sometimes with Fieros that seems to be half the battle.
And if there is any pain in your past where friends have abused your mechanical skills, I'm sorry for that and hope you get the appreciation you deserve if/ when you pull a wrench for someone!
You demonstrate good insight by picking up on that. The "pain in my past" wasn't me being taken advantage of, it was my mother. She spent her entire life going out of her way for the betterment of others... only to be taken for granted by the vast majority of people that she had assisted over the decades. I could see the disappointment and pain it caused her, and I swore never to be taken advantage of in that manner. That doesn't mean I refuse to help others... heck, I've spent 25 years here helping others when I can (and volunteering with various organizations)... but I have no problem deciding when enough is enough.
Good luck with the Fiero. Hope it works out for you if you (and your friends!) decide to take on this project.
Originally posted by dizzie: Thanks for the vote of confidence. I don't want to be overconfident, but I agree that it would be great to get this car back on the road, even if I'm not the one to do it! Great points about the mileage and the "why" of not being driven for 15 years. Mileage is around 60K which I probably should've mentioned. While I'm of the understanding it was "running when parked" from past conversations, I need to confirm that out for sure. I actually do trust the seller to give me an honest account of the vehicle's history to the best of their recollection. That doesn't mean that they could be legitimately forgetting something from that long ago - which is a risk. I appreciate the offer of being a parts resource! Sometimes with Fieros that seems to be half the battle.
i try my best. ive had a hell of a time getting the 88 formula functional and the new owner is a bit of a car nut and wants 300 hp. well the darn thing is currently getting outrun by a duke and theres a whole spare v6 sitting around for it. reason i got that spare v6 is i got told "its got a 50k mile motor swapped in" and it was low oil pressure and overheating problems from the start. so just make sure you set aside the necessary budget for a shitty truck and trailer(or have triple a) o get it home when it breaks down and take your time when working on it and enjoy it thats what 80s cars are all about other than being a mechanical nightmare
I'm considering the purchse of a project that was parked in a garage 15 years ago and hasn't been driven since due to health issues. I'd love to hear what you all are seeing when taking a look through this folder of photos in Google Drive. I'm trying to get the seller to also provide a photo showing underneath the trunk carpet as well as under the hood.
I'm not a very skilled mechanic at all, but I have a pal who has helped me to do some jobs on my current cars like timing chain, engine mounts, belts, thermostat, etc. I'd hope to take it slowly, put the magic miracle penetrating oil (or whatever it's called) in the valves for a few days, drain and replace gas and fluids, try to move crankshaft by hand, replace belts and hoses, and clean out the heater box at a minimum before trying to fire it up. Then it would be on to exhaust, breaks, tires, cosmetics, and probably loads of other stuff I'm not even thinking about yet lol.
This is all part of my never ending quest for my first reasonably priced Fiero now that I've learned to drive a manual. Thanks for taking a look and sharing any thoughts!
Diz
My thoughts...
This is a 1987 Fiero SE / V6 5-Speed... which is a fairly rare option / combination. 87 SEs were rare anyway, and it's a V6, plus it has the 5-Speed getrag, so that's pretty great... it has the two things you want. It's also an 87, so parts will be a bit more affordable than 88-specific parts. The paint also doesn't look bad... it just looks dirty, so it's possible that other than needing to repaint the aluminum black parts (grills / mirrors), it's probably still pretty decent.
So, in my opinion, most of the cost of restoring a car comes from all the different pieces you need to source because you're starting with a bad car. I have no idea the condition of the engine or transmission, but everything else seems to be there... so you don't need an interior. I mean... the seats aren't even worn out... you literally don't need to do anything to the interior except maybe vacuum it and use an ArmorAll cleaning wipe.
Just going to be honest... and I know most here will disagree with me. You're not going to find a Fiero with that body and interior condition for less than $6-7k... at least. You're not a mechanic, but as long as you're willing to do everything yourself and learn, this is a fantastic candidate.
Thanks very much for sending those my way. You know, if I were closer to that car, I wouldn't mind checking it out! Seems like it's mostly down to cosmetics at this point. While that is certainly an example of how daunting of a task this can be (even when going in with your eyes open) I'm hoping that there is a significant difference between an example that sat out in a field exposed to the elements for 20 years and one that lived its life in garages, though it hasn't been fired up in the last 15. I'm sure that the degree of difference depends on a lot of unknown factors, though!
quote
Originally posted by Patrick:
You demonstrate good insight by picking up on that. The "pain in my past" wasn't me being taken advantage of, it was my mother. She spent her entire life going out of her way for the betterment of others... only to be taken for granted by the vast majority of people that she had assisted over the decades. I could see the disappointment and pain it caused her, and I swore never to be taken advantage of in that manner. That doesn't mean I refuse to help others... heck, I've spent 25 years here helping others when I can (and volunteering with various organizations)... but I have no problem deciding when enough is enough.
Good luck with the Fiero. Hope it works out for you if you (and your friends!) decide to take on this project.
Damn, very sorry to hear about how Mom was treated after devoting so much of herself to others. She sounds like a saint! I like to think that her reward is far greater than any she could receive here in this dimension, but that doesn't make it any less abhorrent of an experience or make the pain any less gut-wrenching. I can tell that you've taken after her example in your life and yet learned to set boundaries and protect yourself from the ungrateful and worse. I've been told that gratitude is unfortunately one of the weakest human emotions. That's no excuse, but it rings true. Goodness knows I should be more grateful myself.
quote
Originally posted by cartercarbaficionado:
i try my best. ive had a hell of a time getting the 88 formula functional and the new owner is a bit of a car nut and wants 300 hp. well the darn thing is currently getting outrun by a duke and theres a whole spare v6 sitting around for it. reason i got that spare v6 is i got told "its got a 50k mile motor swapped in" and it was low oil pressure and overheating problems from the start. so just make sure you set aside the necessary budget for a shitty truck and trailer(or have triple a) o get it home when it breaks down and take your time when working on it and enjoy it thats what 80s cars are all about other than being a mechanical nightmare
Haha, good luck on that 300hp. I bet you'll make it! Yeah I ended up getting AAA after my timing belt busted just a few miles from home on my little Toyota Paseo that I bought last fall so I could finally learn to drive stick (see below photo). And yes - it seems like you're never really know what you're getting until you spend some time with it.
quote
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:
My thoughts...
This is a 1987 Fiero SE / V6 5-Speed... which is a fairly rare option / combination. 87 SEs were rare anyway, and it's a V6, plus it has the 5-Speed getrag, so that's pretty great... it has the two things you want. It's also an 87, so parts will be a bit more affordable than 88-specific parts. The paint also doesn't look bad... it just looks dirty, so it's possible that other than needing to repaint the aluminum black parts (grills / mirrors), it's probably still pretty decent.
So, in my opinion, most of the cost of restoring a car comes from all the different pieces you need to source because you're starting with a bad car. I have no idea the condition of the engine or transmission, but everything else seems to be there... so you don't need an interior. I mean... the seats aren't even worn out... you literally don't need to do anything to the interior except maybe vacuum it and use an ArmorAll cleaning wipe.
Just going to be honest... and I know most here will disagree with me. You're not going to find a Fiero with that body and interior condition for less than $6-7k... at least. You're not a mechanic, but as long as you're willing to do everything yourself and learn, this is a fantastic candidate.
I saw those scarce 87 SE numbers and was surprised! And yes - even with all it's wonderful suspension stuff, I definitely don't have the stomach for the scarcity of 88 parts that are still available. I agree fully on the cosmetics. Both inside and out are some of the best I've seen for an example that hasn't been restored and has more than, say, 20K miles on the clock. Your thoughts on value echo mine, too - if we can get it running and driving well and reliably, it should be worth at least 6K as it sits. However, that's a big "if"!
One other update here. As it turns out, I'm going to have an unexpected opportunity to test a running and driving GT this weekend if all goes to plan.
As compared to the 87 SE this thread is about, the cons of the GT are:
- the miles are higher - the interior and exterior are rough - a/c isn't working (so common, right?) - it has been in a couple of minor bump-ups over the course of its life and there is a bit of evidence of them in the panels
The pros are:
- it's close enough that I can go see it and don't have to worry about shipping it (auto transport brokers are an expensive nightmare in my opinion) - total out the door cost should be the same or less than the non-running SE once transport is factored in - it has even had the 3.4 Camaro swap done to it!
There is a very good chance that I could be driving it home this weekend. It's a case of the devil you know v/s the devil you don't. Even though I would regret not having the very nice cosmetics of the SE, it will be a comfort and a bonus to 1) know pretty much what I'm dealing with, 2) be able to drive it as I work on it bit-by-bit, 3) have the 3.4 for a bump in power (and better oil handling from what I have read), and 4) have the fastback styling of the GT which I actually prefer a bit over the notchie look.
I didn't see this coming, but hopefully it will be a little of the best of both worlds! If it does work out, I'll hope to ask permission from the seller of the garaged 87 SE to post contact details here in the forum in case others are interested in what is arguably a very promising project! But, one step at a time...
[This message has been edited by dizzie (edited 05-29-2025).]
You would be better off if you let (pay) a professional mechanic shop do an inspection on it before you buy it. Perhaps you have much faith in your mechanic buddies. A professional shop will every diagnostic tool or equipment necessary. Should cost about $150.00. Money well spent.
Great points about the mechanic inspection and the cost of paint and body work! I'd love to get it up on a lift (using the correct lift points so as not to crush the coolant tubes). And I'm dumb enough to think I could do some prep and painting on my own, bit by bit, as well as using some bondo and/ or replacing a panel myself. I'm not looking to make it a show piece. It may be a fool's errand. Then again, my trying to do mechanical work could be just as foolish. There's a big bonus to having a driving vehicle - my board of directors (wife) doesn't have to put up with it sitting around in pieces while I try to get it running. And I can go ahead and sell my existing vehicle in the meantime to clear up space in the already crowded driveway been my car, hers, my older daughter, and the new driver in my household. You know how it is lol 😂
If I had to choose, I would buy the one with the immaculate interior and good paint.
Having a car painted is VERY expensive.
More expensive than mechanical problems.
For all you know, the first car you posted may not be a big problem, but a car with some body damage and poor paint, you know it's gonna cost.
I echo this too Dizzie... Old Joe is right. I've just gone through the restoration of a 1985 Fiero 2m4 SE 5-Speed with my daughter. I pay for it, she restores it. Financial responsibility wasn't the goal here, it was teaching her how to work on a car. We've spent in excess of $23k on the car. A big portion of that was on restoring and replacing parts that were missing and / or damaged.
That silver 87 SE... for all you know... it just needs all the fluids changed, with a new battery, and it might literally start right up.
My restoration project ballooned quickly from a busted transmission, the bad cam, to iron issues, poor paint, and a bunch of other things. It was however drivable and I put 30k on it before taking on my endeavor.
I've come a long way in getting my car where I want it. Time, money, and personal satisfaction are just some of the things to consider.
The choice is yours, hope you have a good outcome.
I'm considering the purchse of a project that was parked in a garage 15 years ago and hasn't been driven since due to health issues. I'd love to hear what you all are seeing when taking a look through this folder of photos in Google Drive. I'm trying to get the seller to also provide a photo showing underneath the trunk carpet as well as under the hood.
I'm not a very skilled mechanic at all, but I have a pal who has helped me to do some jobs on my current cars like timing chain, engine mounts, belts, thermostat, etc. I'd hope to take it slowly, put the magic miracle penetrating oil (or whatever it's called) in the valves for a few days, drain and replace gas and fluids, try to move crankshaft by hand, replace belts and hoses, and clean out the heater box at a minimum before trying to fire it up. Then it would be on to exhaust, breaks, tires, cosmetics, and probably loads of other stuff I'm not even thinking about yet lol.
This is all part of my never ending quest for my first reasonably priced Fiero now that I've learned to drive a manual. Thanks for taking a look and sharing any thoughts!
Diz
2 years ago, I purchased an 86SE, sight unseen from The Mall. It had been sitting in a carport in Mobile, AL for almost 10 years. I paid $1000 for it, figuring that if worse came to worse, I could strip it for parts and get my money back. I had the car shipped to my property in NC and then began work on it when I visited the U.S. I installed new brakes all around including disks and wheel bearings, new rubber lines, plugs wires, new distributor & ECM, fuel tank, filter, & pump, air filter, battery and tyres. All up, got ~$3,000 in the car. High cost for and '86 SE auto? Maybe, but it purrs like a kitten and feels better by the seat of the pants dyno than my 2 '86GT's. So, I think it was worth it. So much so that I’m shipping it home to Australia in July.
Plan on new brakes all around, tyres, a battery, wires and plugs and a good tune up. Flush and refill the cooling system. Change the oil and filter a couple of times. I changed mine every 500 miles for the first three times and I'm back to every 6,200 miles (10,000 km.) now. Change the air and fuel filters, too.
If you've not done it, check for rust in the engine cradle and the rear frame rails. Surface rust if not too bad is O.K. Just clean it or convert it with POR-15. It the rust has penetrated the frame, depending on how bad it is, you may want to reconsider.
Check compression in the cylinders. About 125PSI is what you would see at 8.5:1 when new. If you see ~110PSI in all cylinder, sweet. You may see lower but the real check is that the compression should be the same or close to the same in all cylinders. A really low compression reading in one or more cylinders could mean you have a blown head gasket or ring problem. Oh, when checking the compression make sure all of the plugs are out and the accelerator is wide open. Also, since the car has been sitting for a while, the rings may be stuck. This will affect the compression ratio. I used marvel mystery oil in the cylinders before staring my SE. Added a bit to the cylinders and let it sit overnight. It smoked like a chimney but then it stopped.
Good luck if you decide to purchase. Fiero's have a few quirks but they are a hoot to drive and you don't see many on the road anymore so expect attention.
Originally posted by Mike in Sydney: ... Check compression in the cylinders.
They say owning a Fiero will make a mechanic out of you / owner. I learned on this forum that one should make a "leak down" check on compression, on any car.
Wow Déjà vu! Bought a 53K 86 sitting for ~ 15 years almost identical to this except an automatic and the owner had it up and running when we went to pick it up in Nyack NY. When my wife & I arrived w/o a trailer saying we would drive it home (to Flemington, NJ ~ 78 mile trip) he was like uh..you sure? I said yep, it runs and drives right? It made the trip OK. Some thoughts:
1st, where is it located? If the north or northeast, I'd definitely want pix under the truck carpet.
2nd, brakes- I'd replace all the rotors, calipers and pads from a reputable source even if they appear to work like mine did but were totally unbalanced. One corner at a time & flush a lot of fluid through the lines while bleeding. Check the e-brake cables if you want a working e-brake.
3rd, something I didn't expect rust in the gas tank. Maybe the PO shoved a lot of dry gas into the tank over the years. Bought as used tank and had a locate guy with a lift swap it out. Not that bad.
4th, as mentioned- check for rust, like under the battery & apply POR 15.
I'll respond to all the great additional remarks below. First, I'll tell you what happened yesterday. I got to drive a Fiero for the first time! It was exhilarating. I'd ridden in one before, but at the time I wasn't really comfortable enough on a standard transmission to get behind the wheel. This thing yesterday was a beast. That 3.4 block had been bored, stroked, and cammed, and I have to imagine the hp and torque specs were significantly above what's listed for that engine.
However, I passed on the car. The only Fiero I'd ridden in before was a 2m4. This GT felt like an entirely unrelated model of car - the difference was night and day. I decided that it was a bit too much car for my first rear-mid-engine stick shift. My pal was understandably nervous when I was taking it around curves. Plus, it was a project and a half due to many, many odds and ends on the interior and exterior that the sellers were very forthcoming about, as well as ball joints. It also obviously needed tires and the shocks/ struts would have needed some love at some point in the near future.
So as it turns out, I"m back to looking at the SE that has been parked for 15 years! I'll be waiting on further photos from the seller first.
Question - does your left leg ever feel a bit cramped when driving a Fiero? Pulling the seat back for more general legroom helped a lot, but the driver's legroom did seem surprisingly more narrow than in my little Toyota subcompact.
quote
Originally posted by Stingray92:
I'll just put my 2 cents in on this,
My restoration project ballooned quickly from a busted transmission, the bad cam, to iron issues, poor paint, and a bunch of other things. It was however drivable and I put 30k on it before taking on my endeavor.
I've come a long way in getting my car where I want it. Time, money, and personal satisfaction are just some of the things to consider.
The choice is yours, hope you have a good outcome.
Really appreciate that, Stingray. Wow, that sounds like a journey! It seems like there's always surprises and challenges with these vehicles, but that they're worth it and I'm sure the sense of accomplishment is off the charts when you can get the car in a state you're comfortable with. Glad to hear you were able to drive it in the process - that's what I was hoping for!
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Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: I echo this too Dizzie... Old Joe is right. I've just gone through the restoration of a 1985 Fiero 2m4 SE 5-Speed with my daughter. I pay for it, she restores it. Financial responsibility wasn't the goal here, it was teaching her how to work on a car. We've spent in excess of $23k on the car. A big portion of that was on restoring and replacing parts that were missing and / or damaged.
That silver 87 SE... for all you know... it just needs all the fluids changed, with a new battery, and it might literally start right up.
Wow, now that is a restoration! To me, that's basically building a brand new car that's practically in showroom condition. I applaud that and always really look forward to seeing those great examples at car shows. Admittedly, I don't ever see myself going to those pro-level lengths of quality (although you never know lol). I'm more of a mind to get it good enough to feel safe and look reasonably nice inside and out. My little Toyota Paseo has a few too many warts for my taste, but I can accept it. The SE would be a really nice step up in condition as-is (not that it can't be even better). And you're right - with fluids, battery, gas change, and a turn or two of the crankshaft by hand, my hope really is that it will come to life! Who knows?
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Originally posted by Mike in Sydney:
2 years ago, I purchased an 86SE, sight unseen from The Mall. It had been sitting in a carport in Mobile, AL for almost 10 years. I paid $1000 for it, figuring that if worse came to worse, I could strip it for parts and get my money back. I had the car shipped to my property in NC and then began work on it when I visited the U.S. I installed new brakes all around including disks and wheel bearings, new rubber lines, plugs wires, new distributor & ECM, fuel tank, filter, & pump, air filter, battery and tyres. All up, got ~$3,000 in the car. High cost for and '86 SE auto? Maybe, but it purrs like a kitten and feels better by the seat of the pants dyno than my 2 '86GT's. So, I think it was worth it. So much so that I’m shipping it home to Australia in July.
Plan on new brakes all around, tyres, a battery, wires and plugs and a good tune up. Flush and refill the cooling system. Change the oil and filter a couple of times. I changed mine every 500 miles for the first three times and I'm back to every 6,200 miles (10,000 km.) now. Change the air and fuel filters, too.
If you've not done it, check for rust in the engine cradle and the rear frame rails. Surface rust if not too bad is O.K. Just clean it or convert it with POR-15. It the rust has penetrated the frame, depending on how bad it is, you may want to reconsider.
Check compression in the cylinders. About 125PSI is what you would see at 8.5:1 when new. If you see ~110PSI in all cylinder, sweet. You may see lower but the real check is that the compression should be the same or close to the same in all cylinders. A really low compression reading in one or more cylinders could mean you have a blown head gasket or ring problem. Oh, when checking the compression make sure all of the plugs are out and the accelerator is wide open. Also, since the car has been sitting for a while, the rings may be stuck. This will affect the compression ratio. I used marvel mystery oil in the cylinders before staring my SE. Added a bit to the cylinders and let it sit overnight. It smoked like a chimney but then it stopped.
Good luck if you decide to purchase. Fiero's have a few quirks but they are a hoot to drive and you don't see many on the road anymore so expect attention.
Thanks very much for sharing your journey with the SE, Mike! Mine would likely be very similar. I think that your total investment into is is a bargain for what you now have. I hadn't really thought about replacing the brakes and rotors, but that might be a good idea. I've read that the calipers are prone to locking up when the vehicle has been sitting and that the master cylinder can get really gnarly and gross when just sitting around, so I have no idea how we'll tackle that. Question - did you replace the ECM proactively, or was it giving you a problem? Thanks also for the tips on compression specs. That's for the 2.8, right? I've just recently been watching videos on how to compression test. Marvel mystery oil - that's the product name I was looking for in my original post!
I'm very worried about the rear upper frame rails you mentioned - almost enough to buy a plane ticket and go to the trouble of seeing the car in person, but we'll see.
Appreciate the well wishes and I'm in total agreement - they're a hoot. And guess what? When I was test driving the GT yesterday, I saw someone else driving a GT on the same road!! I was flabbergasted and took it as a good sign. It was the first time I have ever knowingly seen another Fiero being driven out and about.
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Originally posted by cliffw:
They say owning a Fiero will make a mechanic out of you / owner. I learned on this forum that one should make a "leak down" check on compression, on any car.
That seems to be the consensus, Cliff! Thanks for the note about a leak down test - I hadn't hear of it but will do some looking into it. I see that Ogre posted some resources about the test in this thread and they are all still valid links!
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Originally posted by MarkS:
Wow Déjà vu! Bought a 53K 86 sitting for ~ 15 years almost identical to this except an automatic and the owner had it up and running when we went to pick it up in Nyack NY. When my wife & I arrived w/o a trailer saying we would drive it home (to Flemington, NJ ~ 78 mile trip) he was like uh..you sure? I said yep, it runs and drives right? It made the trip OK. Some thoughts:
1st, where is it located? If the north or northeast, I'd definitely want pix under the truck carpet.
2nd, brakes- I'd replace all the rotors, calipers and pads from a reputable source even if they appear to work like mine did but were totally unbalanced. One corner at a time & flush a lot of fluid through the lines while bleeding. Check the e-brake cables if you want a working e-brake.
3rd, something I didn't expect rust in the gas tank. Maybe the PO shoved a lot of dry gas into the tank over the years. Bought as used tank and had a locate guy with a lift swap it out. Not that bad.
4th, as mentioned- check for rust, like under the battery & apply POR 15.
If it works out, you can end up with this:
(pic redacted - see it in the original post)
That is such a sweet looking SE - cool and exciting to see it! And wow, what a similar experience. Glad to hear that it worked out for you, and that does give me some level of hope about the possiblities. It is up north, allegedly never driven in the winter, and I definitely want to get photos under the trunk carpet. The brake work sounds daunting and messy to me. RIP to my mother-in-law's carport where the repairs would likely be taking place. Thanks for the tips on flushing/ bleeding. I'm really hoping the tank is clean, but I'm not getting my hopes up about that. Getting it out of the underbody sounds like a tremendous headache. I do luckily know a guy locally who probably has clean tanks in stock. The POR-15 stuff does sound really good, and I keep forgetting about the battery tray - good call. I've also read that some people have had good results using fluid film as a coating rust preventative. Maybe it could go on after the rust treatment does its job.
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Originally posted by olejoedad:
Mechanical can be expensive, but a good paint job without any panel work or replacement will run $10K.
Buy the nice one.
In the end, if nothing else, you will know how to work on your car .
I think your wisdom has come to bear, Joe. Yep - if things do work out (and that's still a big if at this point) hopefully I'll have an nice looking car, a lot of new repair skills, a wife that hasn't left me over the time spent on the car, a friend or two who haven't stormed off in a rage at me, and a penny or two left to my name
It's really not that bad at all. If you try and rebuild the old calipers and such, it could be. Replacing with quality out of the box parts, it isn't. I think your mechanic friend would agree.
Question - does your left leg ever feel a bit cramped when driving a Fiero? Pulling the seat back for more general legroom helped a lot, but the driver's legroom did seem surprisingly more narrow than in my little Toyota subcompact.
Everyone's built a bit differently... but I'm 6'3", have owned/driven much larger vehicles in the past, and have never felt the legroom in a Fiero to be restrictive in any manner (and I don't have the seat anywhere near all the way back). Over the years, there has been mention occasionally made in the forum of the floor perhaps being a little narrower on the driver's left side, but it's definitely something that is not even noticeable after driving a Fiero for any length of time.
Thanks very much for sharing your journey with the SE, Mike! Mine would likely be very similar. I think that your total investment into is is a bargain for what you now have. I hadn't really thought about replacing the brakes and rotors, but that might be a good idea. I've read that the calipers are prone to locking up when the vehicle has been sitting and that the master cylinder can get really gnarly and gross when just sitting around, so I have no idea how we'll tackle that. Question - did you replace the ECM proactively, or was it giving you a problem? Thanks also for the tips on compression specs. That's for the 2.8, right? I've just recently been watching videos on how to compression test. Marvel mystery oil - that's the product name I was looking for in my original post!
I'm very worried about the rear upper frame rails you mentioned - almost enough to buy a plane ticket and go to the trouble of seeing the car in person, but we'll see.
Appreciate the well wishes and I'm in total agreement - they're a hoot. And guess what? When I was test driving the GT yesterday, I saw someone else driving a GT on the same road!! I was flabbergasted and took it as a good sign. It was the first time I have ever knowingly seen another Fiero being driven out and about.
I replaced the ECM with the distributor. For some reason, the distributor had gone kaput and I figured as long as I was there, I’d replace the ECM.
Brakes and rotors area a “must do” if the car’s been sitting for a ny appreciable length of time. After all, it’s your life. I didn’t replace my brake master cylinder or booster but doing so is not a bad idea. Check Rock Auto for rebuilt or new replacement “chinesium” callipers. I’ve heard good things about them but I don’t have personal experience with them.
Depending on price, you may want to view the car personally. Being in Australia, that wasn’t an option for me when I bought my SE. (I’ve got a bad habit of buying cars sight unseen. I’ve bought 3 of the 4 Fieros I’ve owned without seeing them in person, first.) Check the rear frame rails by pulling the inner fender liners off to get access. Pulling the carpet out of the rear compartment and looking there is a good indicator. If there’s no holes in the floor, chances are the rails will be okay BUT there’s no replacement for looking. If you can’t do it, consider having a friend or an independent person do it for you.
Paint jobs are expensive but because the body is non-metallic, rust through is generally not an issue. If it’s been stored inside, chances are the clear coat is okay. If that is the case, you can change colour with a vinyl wrap. You can do it yourself for the cost of the material or pay a professional to do it for you.
(edited for clarity & grammar)
[This message has been edited by Mike in Sydney (edited 06-02-2025).]
Everyone's built a bit differently... but I'm 6'3", have owned/driven much larger vehicles in the past, and have never felt the legroom in a Fiero to be restrictive in any manner (and I don't have the seat anywhere near all the way back). Over the years, there has been mention occasionally made in the forum of the floor perhaps being a little narrower on the driver's left side, but it's definitely something that is not even noticeable after driving a Fiero for any length of time.
I’m the exact same height, and the Fiero has always been the most comfortable car I’ve ever owned. I’ve had maybe 40 cars of varying years and styles. It has as much leg room as my grandfather’s Crown Victoria that I inherited.
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: I’m the exact same height, and the Fiero has always been the most comfortable car I’ve ever owned. I’ve had maybe 40 cars of varying years and styles. It has as much leg room as my grandfather’s Crown Victoria that I inherited.
i drive my fieros wearing **** kickers personally lol. never liked driving in tennis shoes and the boots make it a little difficult to clutch in sometimes before i fixed the pedal alignment issues it had. dizzie needs to know that fiero pedals are supposed to be 2 inches apart and not almost touching like the 88 formula was and the pedals bend in all sorts of ways over the years
It's really not that bad at all. If you try and rebuild the old calipers and such, it could be. Replacing with quality out of the box parts, it isn't. I think your mechanic friend would agree.
Ok cool, glad to hear it's manageable. Yeah it seems to be the consensus that the calipers stick over time. I do remember Ogre talking about some problems with the calipers and how there were TSBs on them for design flaws that were maybe on the verge of a recall and that new parts didn't have some type of vents in them that they needed to have or something.
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Originally posted by Vintage-Nut:
IF to decide to buy this Fiero...
ALSO Plan to Replace the Clutch Master Cylinder and Clutch Slave Cylinder.
Sounds like a good idea. That's really what I thought the messy part would be - lots of coagulated junk and disintegration in those cylinders and in the brake lines.
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Originally posted by Patrick:
Everyone's built a bit differently... but I'm 6'3", have owned/driven much larger vehicles in the past, and have never felt the legroom in a Fiero to be restrictive in any manner (and I don't have the seat anywhere near all the way back). Over the years, there has been mention occasionally made in the forum of the floor perhaps being a little narrower on the driver's left side, but it's definitely something that is not even noticeable after driving a Fiero for any length of time.
Glad to hear it's worked well for ya! I'm under 6' so hopefully all will be good. Yeah I don't think I put the seat all the way back either, just back some from where the prior driver had it. Sounds like a few others may have had similar sentiments about the least side but that, like a lot of things, you get used to it and comfortable with it.
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Originally posted by Mike in Sydney:
I replaced the ECM with the distributor. For some reason, the distributor had gone kaput and I figured as long as I was there, I’d replace the ECM.
Brakes and rotors area a “must do” if the car’s been sitting for a ny appreciable length of time. After all, it’s your life. I didn’t replace my brake master cylinder or booster but doing so is not a bad idea. Check Rock Auto for rebuilt or new replacement “chinesium” callipers. I’ve heard good things about them but I don’t have personal experience with them.
Depending on price, you may want to view the car personally. Being in Australia, that wasn’t an option for me when I bought my SE. (I’ve got a bad habit of buying cars sight unseen. I’ve bought 3 of the 4 Fieros I’ve owned without seeing them in person, first.) Check the rear frame rails by pulling the inner fender liners off to get access. Pulling the carpet out of the rear compartment and looking there is a good indicator. If there’s no holes in the floor, chances are the rails will be okay BUT there’s no replacement for looking. If you can’t do it, consider having a friend or an independent person do it for you.
Paint jobs are expensive but because the body is non-metallic, rust through is generally not an issue. If it’s been stored inside, chances are the clear coat is okay. If that is the case, you can change colour with a vinyl wrap. You can do it yourself for the cost of the material or pay a professional to do it for you.
(edited for clarity & grammar)
I understand about the ECM. I'm hoping the distributor is still good but who knows. Yeah I'll definitely be on Rock Auto, which I've placed a number of orders on lately for work on the Paseo and now my younger daughter's vehicle. I need to start a parts list with costs on a spreadsheet! Definitely toying with the idea of a plane ticket to see it in person - I'd love to pull those rear wheel well liners down. Actually prefer silver so any wrapping I'd do would be PPF/ clear.
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Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: I’m the exact same height, and the Fiero has always been the most comfortable car I’ve ever owned. I’ve had maybe 40 cars of varying years and styles. It has as much leg room as my grandfather’s Crown Victoria that I inherited.
Great to hear that! I drove a Lincoln Town Car for a number of years so I hear you about the leg room.
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Originally posted by cartercarbaficionado:
i drive my fieros wearing **** kickers personally lol. never liked driving in tennis shoes and the boots make it a little difficult to clutch in sometimes before i fixed the pedal alignment issues it had. dizzie needs to know that fiero pedals are supposed to be 2 inches apart and not almost touching like the 88 formula was and the pedals bend in all sorts of ways over the years
Thanks for the tip on pedal spacing/ alignment. I think I read that the 87s generally have better luck since their pedals have all-iron shafts rather than some aluminum, but I'm sure they all bend and flex over time.
[This message has been edited by dizzie (edited 06-03-2025).]
Someone should have mentioned that the heater box under the front deck lid should be cleaned. Old leaves can collect there and have been know to start fires.
Someone should have mentioned that the heater box under the front deck lid should be cleaned. Old leaves can collect there and have been know to start fires.
The seller sent another batch of photos, along with one of a clean and very old title. As it turns out, the car has about 87K miles on the clock. I'm good with that. Furthermore, the under-the-carpet photos in the trunk look pristine - some of the best I've ever seen over the past couple of years in a Fiero.
Under the front hood looks very nice, too - there's even a tin of carnauba wax and a box that contained "STI super silicone spark plug wire" sets along with the jack and spare tire. In addition to the poly bushings around the dog bone seen in the photos linked prior, I think it's easy to tell that the owner took pride in maintaining the car.
It may be the late night whiskey taking, but I'm inclined to buy this nice stock survivor example at this point. I have a family friend I've been introduced to who will be helping me to get it transported if all goes to plan. Thanks a million to each and every forum member who has offered their valuable viewpoint on this potential purchase, regardless of opinion. It was truly helpful.
While all this could still fall through, I'll plan to update this thread either way!
The seller sent another batch of photos, along with one of a clean and very old title. As it turns out, the car has about 87K miles on the clock. I'm good with that. Furthermore, the under-the-carpet photos in the trunk look pristine - some of the best I've ever seen over the past couple of years in a Fiero.
Under the front hood looks very nice, too - there's even a tin of carnauba wax and a box that contained "STI super silicone spark plug wire" sets along with the jack and spare tire. In addition to the poly bushings around the dog bone seen in the photos linked prior, I think it's easy to tell that the owner took pride in maintaining the car.
It may be the late night whiskey taking, but I'm inclined to buy this nice stock survivor example at this point. I have a family friend I've been introduced to who will be helping me to get it transported if all goes to plan. Thanks a million to each and every forum member who has offered their valuable viewpoint on this potential purchase, regardless of opinion. It was truly helpful.
While all this could still fall through, I'll plan to update this thread either way!
Diz
do it man. you wont regret a fiero unless its broken more than 5 months out of the year
The seller sent another batch of photos, along with one of a clean and very old title. As it turns out, the car has about 87K miles on the clock. I'm good with that. Furthermore, the under-the-carpet photos in the trunk look pristine - some of the best I've ever seen over the past couple of years in a Fiero.
Under the front hood looks very nice, too - there's even a tin of carnauba wax and a box that contained "STI super silicone spark plug wire" sets along with the jack and spare tire. In addition to the poly bushings around the dog bone seen in the photos linked prior, I think it's easy to tell that the owner took pride in maintaining the car.
It may be the late night whiskey taking, but I'm inclined to buy this nice stock survivor example at this point. I have a family friend I've been introduced to who will be helping me to get it transported if all goes to plan. Thanks a million to each and every forum member who has offered their valuable viewpoint on this potential purchase, regardless of opinion. It was truly helpful.
While all this could still fall through, I'll plan to update this thread either way!
Diz
I don't think you're going to find a better example. Depending on, it may not take too much to get it running either. Did the seller actually say what was wrong with it?
do it man. you wont regret a fiero unless its broken more than 5 months out of the year
Hahahaha 😂 Oh man, I sure would love to keep the downtime to under a month or two out of the year!
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Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: I don't think you're going to find a better example. Depending on, it may not take too much to get it running either. Did the seller actually say what was wrong with it?
You know, they just said it was parked 15 years ago and not used. I think there were maybe medical issues? I do still need to confirm it was running when parked - thanks!
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: I don't think you're going to find a better example. Depending on, it may not take too much to get it running either. Did the seller actually say what was wrong with it?
Ok, looking back through some old email conversations I see that, according to the seller, it was driven right up until when it was stored.
Ok, looking back through some old email conversations I see that, according to the seller, it was driven right up until when it was stored.
Well, I'll put it this way... if you're not going to buy it... then let me know, because I'll buy that car and have it running in a weekend, and then turn around and sell it for twice that. I'm dead serious...
If I were to buy it, I'd change the plugs, belt, oil, coolant, battery, tires, etc... and then just start driving it.
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: Well, I'll put it this way... if you're not going to buy it... then let me know, because I'll buy that car and have it running in a weekend, and then turn around and sell it for twice that. I'm dead serious...
If I were to buy it, I'd change the plugs, belt, oil, coolant, battery, tires, etc... and then just start driving it.
Now that's a ringing endorsement! 🔔✅
If all goes to plan, I'll have it delivered some time this summer, but if it falls through I'll be sure to let ya know. We'll see how it goes 🙏
