Hey guys, it's been a while since I've been online here. I've spent all my time on a Fiero forum, they've been awesome help. I'm also posting this build there, so everyone can see it. I know most of you guys live in England, so you don't have Fiero's there, but this is one helluva project for me (It's my first project car, engine swap, brake job, and restoration ever). You may also be interested since the whole project is being kept a secret from my parents, and I am only making minimum wage so this is quite a balancing act. I'll post some pics in a little bit, but I really want feedback.
Project Fiero
- Thread starter MisterHolaMan
- Start date
Sounds like a good poject mate.
Where's the pics?
Where's the pics?
charger69
Pro Tuner
it sucks cause we don't have a knowledge at all baout the fiero.
but it'll be nice to see what's be coming out of it.
but it'll be nice to see what's be coming out of it.
lutonmatt
The Torque Meister
i have a fiero in at the min for a service a v6 gt one got to be the cleanest one i have seen is the first one i have worked on mot'ed a few before but never worked on them
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
Here's pics!!! I know my interior pics are crap, but the camera is done for.:sad2:
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The last 2 pics are what used to be a trunk, but they're done for. I got this car for $350 this summer, and if you happened to read my older threads, you get a little of the history. The stock 2.8 is trash, but I'll have to make do for now. I think eventually I might make the car look a little more like a Lancia Stratos, since they are similar, but surprisingly of all the kit cars people have done, not one has been of a Stratos. I want this car to be everything proof. I want to be able to rally it if I want, drive across the country, and have different driving modes to make it more efficient. Probably the only thing I'll keep is the Personal racing wheel it has.
javascript:void(0) The last 2 pics are what used to be a trunk, but they're done for. I got this car for $350 this summer, and if you happened to read my older threads, you get a little of the history. The stock 2.8 is trash, but I'll have to make do for now. I think eventually I might make the car look a little more like a Lancia Stratos, since they are similar, but surprisingly of all the kit cars people have done, not one has been of a Stratos. I want this car to be everything proof. I want to be able to rally it if I want, drive across the country, and have different driving modes to make it more efficient. Probably the only thing I'll keep is the Personal racing wheel it has.
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
I think I should tell a little history about Fieros and what happened with me. To be honest, I seriously didn't know anything about them until I bought one. I just saw the car on Craigslist at one point, and because I'm very impulsive, I bought it the next day. All I knew was that Fieros were old, mid engined, and from Pontiac. Period. Now because of this car I know almost everything there is to know about GM's management and how twisted they are. Way back in the early 80's, Pontiac wanted to make a cool, mid engined, efficient, and sporty compact. So the engineers delivered. The concepts that were made were excellent, but because the accounting department at Pontiac was run by monkeys, they wanted it to be made out of the crappiest materials they could find "so anybody could buy said sportscar." So when the Fiero finally came out in 84, it came with suspension out of a Chevette, an all plastic body, and an engine from hell. the dumbasses from marketing thought people wouldn't want to pay as much for oil changes, so they said in the manual to use only 3 quarts of oil, when it needed 4.5, so the car would start on fire. After the first year though, they started to clean up their act. They came out with a proper v6, even though it still only had 140 hp. Of course, being Pontiac they had to make it really nice in it's last year before discontinuing it. Reason? It was going to outsell the Corvette.
charger69
Pro Tuner
the steering wheel looks cool.
so is there any hope for the engine?
i mean to keep the engine that it has.
so is there any hope for the engine?
i mean to keep the engine that it has.
MasterAuron
Very Senior Member
What the frig happenned to the door!? :blink:
Looks like you've got your work cut out though chief.
Looks like you've got your work cut out though chief.
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
For now I want to keep this engine, but later I want to upgrade to a 3.4 v6 from a camaro, since everything bolts up. The door was my idiot brother's fault. We were pushing the car backwards, but he left the door open and it hit the curb
. I'm forcing him to fix it, but he's being an ass.
. I'm forcing him to fix it, but he's being an ass.
pgarner
TC ModFather
how hard did you hit the kerb ???????????????????????????????
I think the question is how high was the kerb??????????
charger69
Pro Tuner
For now I want to keep this engine, but later I want to upgrade to a 3.4 v6 from a camaro, since everything bolts up. The door was my idiot brother's fault. We were pushing the car backwards, but he left the door open and it hit the curb
well, why don't you sell the car at all, or is it a matter of pushing yourself to see til where you can handle with that car?
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
It's more like how low is the car! But every panel is made of plastic, so it tears very easily. As to the last question, Fiero's have a horrible resale value, and when I got the car it was running (my idiot friend's fault it doesn't now), so I would lose tons. I want to see how good I can make this car, that's why I like it so much.
Stick with it. You have great little project car there. You will learn loads getting it back up to road worthiness and beyond.
I wish you every success with it. I had no idea it looked so cool and I can see why you are sticking with it.
The feeling you will get when it fires into life is one of the best feelings around...
I wish you every success with it. I had no idea it looked so cool and I can see why you are sticking with it.
The feeling you will get when it fires into life is one of the best feelings around...
Thread moved to the projects forum, it will get seen by more people in here.
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
Thanks for moving it Waynne! You remind me of my friend, who thought it was a pos Sunbird at first, only difference is you didn't try to pee on it! Today I'm going back (Rented a secret garage to keep it hidden from parents :mrgreen with a hairdryer to peel off the crappy window tint and the bumper stickers! I'll see if I can get my camera back too, and get more pictures of me ripping out the interior!!!
with a hairdryer to peel off the crappy window tint and the bumper stickers! I'll see if I can get my camera back too, and get more pictures of me ripping out the interior!!!
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
Okay, so it turns out I can't take the tint off with a haidryer -.- I'll have to find another way. My friend got a couple pictures, I'll post them later on...
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
Oh my god, I finally have time to be on here! I know it's been awhile, but I have been crazy busy in school and work. I've also been talking around, and I've been cutting deals and making friends, so I might be able to get the Fiero sponsored. I don't know if anybody's still watching this project, but god dammit I'm gonna keep up on this site. Oh yeah, and that's me in the leather jacket :mrgreen:
Now for a technical question, my potential sponsors are doing some research on good swaps for this car, and I think the best idea for the money would be a vh45, since that engine is the sh!t. Has anybody done a swap like that onto a front wheel drive platform, so I could know if it's even possible? Would a fwd vg transmission just snap?
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charger69
Pro Tuner
here's a good sample bro that i found googling online:
charger69
Pro Tuner
these cars look better than i thought, but as you say, it seems that their engines suck.
i wish i could help ya bro, so if there's something to ask, feel free.
i wish i could help ya bro, so if there's something to ask, feel free.
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
here's a good sample bro that i found googling online:
I do like the look of that, except why would they even try to go for the fake hood scoop? That's what makes me wonder since it is mid engined. I think that's an IMSA bodykit, which nowadays are really hard to come by.
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
That is the kind of look I want for the Fiero. My could-be sponsors and I think that the most I could use my Fiero for in my area is street driving and drag racing, but I think if I get enough money, I want to take on something a little funner, like rallying the thing. That would require lifting the car and a custom suspension, but it would be totally badass, and at that point, I'll have some money. But at some point, I'll have to do some sort of top speed test, because that car would HAUL with a 3.8 s/c v6.
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Thanks for the updates, glad to see you are still making progress. It can be painfully slow at times but we're all behind you. Keep on it and you will get there. It's pretty cool if you can get a sponsor, money is one thing you really need.
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
Sooooo.... Anybody know about my vh45 question?
charger69
Pro Tuner
for getting a sponsor you need first to show something from your car, just do some mods and take it on the street so people can see it, and prove yourself.
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
But the thing is I don't have enough money to get it running, let alone modded. The sponsors know this too, since I told them I'm still a Junior in high school. Since they just opened shop about a month ago, they don't have much money yet, but they do have a ton of tools and the fabrication skills, knowledge of swaps, etc. The deal as it stands now goes like this: They HELP build the car, give me the space I need, help on fabrication, and maybe a little bit of financial help on some of the less expensive things (Needs new mirrors which go for about $10 apiece and a new brake system for about $200-$300) And I help with marketing with the usual, painted up car thing. I don't need much proof of my abilities, since this car is so unorthodox, even here.
charger69
Pro Tuner
new things are always expensive.
why don't you try by going to junkyards?
i am sure you can find there a camaro or something, cause americans throw away even their best cars.
and take some of their usefull parts you can find and i am sure it'll cost you cheaper.
by the way is there any junkyard near you? and if it is, go and check it out what cars are there, and what you can take from them.
charger69
Pro Tuner
except school, do you have a job, or what are your incomes?
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
I've gone to the junkyard, but the problem is everything has already been picked over, there's nothing useful left. I do work at a bank, but I'm only working 3 hours after school on minimum wage, 2 or 3 times a week.
Loving them pics.
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
I'm still trying to figure out what engine to get though, so here are my parameters: It has to be really cheap, transverse, it has to weigh around 350 lbs or less, and has to have good potential. I've been doing some more research and I think I could do an SR20, but I think I'm missing something. Does anybody else have any better ideas?
Transverse is probably your biggest problem over there, IIRC most american cars are inline engines.
MasterAuron
Very Senior Member
Yes SR20DET without a doubt. Has everything you want and massive, massive tuning potential. Parts don't have as much of a jap-tax on them as other cars too. Over here they can be picked up for pennies.
What do you mean you think you're missing something?
What do you mean you think you're missing something?
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
That's actually not that big of a problem with GM. The thing is, since GM is trying to make as many cars for as cheaply as possible, a lot of the engines are not diversified. The engine mine has now is actually the same one in 90s Camaros and Firebirds, but those are bored and stroked, and it's the same one in the S10. The 4.3 v6 that's in the Chevy Blazer is actually a 350 smallblock, but with 2 cylinders shaved off. The nice thing is a lot of gm's engines bolt directly onto my transmission too.
And by "missing something", I meant that I don't know if there might be a better engine to consider for the swap that I haven't thought of yet.
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
UPDATE FOR EVERYONE: The sponsors said no since the fab work would get it into 5 figure prices. Gentlemen, I am officially #!#!#!#!ked.
charger69
Pro Tuner
that means you got still more to do before seeking again for sponsors.
is there anyone that can help you about cars, your dad, friends?
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
My dad's a loser, which is why my car is kept a secret from them. If they knew about the car, project Fiero would be over. As for my friends, I am the only one of them who knows/cares about cars, so they're not much help. The only thing that they'll help me on is rent, but that's when they get money. I am pretty much alone on the Fiero, but I will not give up.
How about getting a part time job in a local garage? You can pick up some essential skills and they would probably let you use thier tools.
MisterHolaMan
Torque Junkie
Can't do that either, I don't want to give up my job at the bank, since I'm also getting school credit for it, which I also need so I can have an hour and a half for lunch AND get out of school an hour early. I have thought of one good idea though, have you guys heard of "cash for clunkers"?
pgarner
TC ModFather
yeah is it not the same as the scrappage scheme over here. used the old car as govt backed deposit for a new car
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