I'm a fairly new owner of a 1988 Pontiac Fiero leading base model that I had bought from a junkyard fully complete for $1,400 for whole taxes, title, and license on 3/23/2021. It's been kinda love at first sight because I knew someone who owned one and it was gorgeous, the junkyard had this model that I bought for a bit over a year and they wanted way more than what it was worth with 244k miles ($3,200) and a few blemishes on the front bumper. Got it to a buddy's home for him to give a prognosis of the car and help me get it on the road. He had then informed me that the engine is seized and I have engine/tranny waiting to be replaced (going with the original 2.5 Iron Duke as I'm ironically using for fuel economy). It's all automatic, but that's ok...haven't learned a standard and this would still get double the MPG as my Jeep (Jeep isn't about MPG, it's all about the Smiles Per Gallon)

Now, here's a few things that I'd like to brush up on with mine is that I would like a remote start/immobilizer unit installed, cruise control, and an electronic latch motor. There is also the matter of my cluster gauge, I would like to have a custom cluster backdrop that needs to be printed from scratch. I have no equipment or the software to create the designs and put what I want for the backdrop. I had come across someone who does it for specific cars, but he didn't even seem to express an interest on doing for a Pontiac Fiero (or anything outside a Mazda Miata). I've run into a few others (one was prototyping on his Forerunner) that are potential candidates, but I would like some guidance and recommendations on who will do this for me for my car.




Included in the photos is the day I got Soarin picked up, others are examples uploaded by the guy who does custom cluster backdrops. Thank you in advance and hope to be able to enjoy the many wonderful people and my Fiero soon.

Custom graphics on gauges for our cars is a no-go. No one makes those. You'll have to find someone who has the basic layout and see if they can print a background for you. The person who made those in your photo is a Miata person and doesn't want the headache of making something for our cars. Currently you can get white overlays but nothing with graphics.

John from Florida on here started a project similar to what you request and honestly, I think they turned out great but he had other things going on so you can contact him if you like. Here is the thread:
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/094001.html

As a first time fiero owner too (now 2.5 years in) I can offer some suggestions for your car.
Go through everything that moves. New shocks, brakes, bushings, Check the radiator, new hoses. Things have deteriorated over time.
KYB shocks & struts work well. ROck Aut oseems to have good prices on brake rebuild kits from Centric, about $4.00 per wheel.
The steering rack may be an issue and you can't find new ones.
If you are after fuel economy then look elsewhere than a 2.5 Duke with the 3-speed auto. It is not an efficient engine and the 3-speed auto gives a cruise at 70 MPH of almost 4,000 RPM. Engines of that era are early fuel injected designs that are antiques compared to anything modern. If you do a swap a 2L inline 4 with a 4 or 5 speed auto would work wonders for fuel economy and probably be much quicker. My 2.8L V6 is lucky to get 20MPG at 70MPH. I doubt that the Duke engine, only 0.3L smaller, would be much better.

My car was a 2M4 1988 also. Looks the same as yours only red and now has a GT nose. The prior owner did a swap for a 2.8 V6 and then ran out of time due to job, wive, divorce so it sat for 12 years. I'm now in the midst of a V6 swap from a 2018 Impala, LFX 3.6, 6T70 auto. Most everything else has been fixed and updated since I bought it. I'm expecting a cruise MPG of 30+ with the final ratio being 2.77 with 5th & 6th gears being overdrives. My biggest issues were the steering rack was crap, replaced with an earlier Impala power unit using a MR2 Spyder Power Steering pump. Vacuum leaks that never seemed to go away. Took a long time to find all of them. Ignition problems since the old disty was crap, the modules don't last due the stupid engineering that put it in the disty which runs 150F+ when the engine is hot. Finally a blocked Cat Converter.

Best of luck, keep reading the Forums since there are lots of guys out there who have found ways of making the cars last and run much better.

[This message has been edited by MikesFirstFiero (edited 04-22-2021).]

I'll be the first to say it...

Swap in a 3800na Series 2 with the 4T65E auto. I got 30mpg on the highway, 25mgp on the back roads and was never easy on the pedal... I know others are going to say it is the same work as doing the 3800 supercharged motor, and that is true, but this was a daily driver for me and used 87 octane which for me was a big deal with the 10 gal tank. You also get ODB2 which is nice.

------------------
-Brian

My 87 GT Poly Suspension Upgrade (all pics) thread
Removing the roof panel
My HUD install thread
Modified stock air canister and base to 3.5 inch for 3800na

IMSA GT, I had reached out to John via his post/forum. It appears he hadn't been active in the past 4-5 years, at least on that post. Hoping he had pursued further and gotten some sort of success on his project. I hadn't realized how much of a market there was to modify and print out cluster gauge overlays. Honestly, if I had the knowledge to do so, I would LCD convert it so that I could even go as far as a static/dynamic background with "needle simulation" and static/dynamic numbers depending on my mood and what I want. Unfortunately, I'd want everything shaped just right to make it look good and somewhat "stock" if I can even call it that without chastisement. Haha

MikesFirstFiero, I will have to get a feel for my Fiero to determine what all needs replacement. I was told everything looks good, well....perhaps, but I also want it to feel good too. As far as my 2.5L paired with a 3sp Auto, I don't plan on driving faster than 65MPH in it, as it sits, it should still get about 30-35MPG which I'd be happy with. Aside from the performance issues, I couldn't complain with the cost of the rebuilt engine and transmission being as that I couldn't shell out for a 2.8, much less a 3800. Now, if I can spot a 4-5sp auto tranny that can be matched up to the 2.5L, I might consider it at the right price. At this point, I just want a running Fiero.
I do agree about RockAuto, it can save your butt in a pinch for parts.

MulletproofMonk, I might consider a 3800 with that transmission later down the road, but for my budget as of now, I'm fine having to settle for a 2.5L with 3 sp auto as long as it runs under its own power. If it gets bare minimum of 25MPG, that's still good in comparison to my gas guzzling Jeep with a 3.7L V6 sucking 17 on a good day....is it bad to admit I'd kill to shoehorn a HellCat engine in it? Lol

quote Originally posted by 88Soarin2.5: IMSA GT, I had reached out to John via his post/forum. It appears he hadn't been active in the past 4-5 years, at least on that post.

He was sending out decals as of last month. Here is another thread of the products he sells:
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum4/HTML/067168.html