1987 Pontiac Fiero Race Car Progression

[AtomicPunk]

I've been kinda inactive for the past couple weeks cause I've been playing around my my two new toys! I got an '87 Fiero SE 2.5l Auto and a '87 Fiero GT 2.8l 5 Speed. I also got two truck loads and a trailer load of parts for them

The SE is all complete, but doesnt run. It needs a fuel pump, no biggie, got an extra in my parts collection. I cleaned out the interior and re installed everything. it looks like this owner was tearing it apart to start something and never finished, so I just put it all back together. I dont have any pics of it cleaned up yet, but I'll get some soon. It has actually taken the GA's spot in the garage

Here's all the parts i got with them:

The GT is in a very sad state right now. No engine, trans, interior, suspension...nothing. BUT, the suspension and interior came with it in the sale. The GT is going to become my Road Course racing car. Its getting a 3.4 v6 out of a Camaro, a Muncie-Getrag 282 5 speed trans, coilovers and poly bushings all around, racing slicks, a custom built cage, semi-gutted interior, racing seats with 5 point harness, the works. This one is gonna take a while, but with my recent promotion, hopefully i will have this car ready to compete by mid-2011. I dont have a lot of pics of the GT, but its in rough shape.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Win.

Just curious, why you going with an L23 block? LA1s are more common, and most guys with L23s do LA1 or LX9 top swap anyway for better airflow. But the 282 trans is great. You gonna enter the GT in SCCA level racing?

[1BADG6GT]

Nice!

My first ride was a FIERO...

[BANDITCAR]

Awesome...can't wait to see more.

I have always loved the Fiero. Can't go wrong with an American Mid-engine sports car!

[AtomicPunk]

My original plan was to swap in a 3400 with a 3500 top end. However, I talked to a few other Fiero owners, and they each told me that the LA1 is a huge pain in the ass to swap in. The L23 is a very common swap for the Fiero so find swap mounts for it is rather easy. For the LA1 you have to piggyback a engine control system where as the L23 can be run off a factory Fiero computer. You can get just as much power out of a L23 as an LA1, it just weighs a little more. Not to mention I kinda want to keep the Fiero looking fairly stock, even under the hood. With a L23 in it with a ported 2.8 intake, it looks completely stock.

Yeah, the GT is going to be entered into SCCA and EMRA events when I'm ready to race it.

Thanks everyone for their comments!

Oh, btw, guess how much i paid for all of that? 2 car and tons of parts...

$600. Thats right. Six hundred dollars.

I plan on getting the SE started this weekend. Wish me luck!

[Mariachi]

my buddy had a fiero. little things are quick. i dont know too much about the american motors but it does seem like you have a good game plan. good luck on the projects.

[markpetersonii]

UGH! I need a garage so I can do stuff like this!

Looks awesome! I wish I could be doing the same thing.

[Jedi3]

good luck with the resto project.

[AtomicPunk]

thanks alot guys. I'm having trouble getting the SE to start. I'm not getting any fuel pressure. i wish i had my multimeter with me, but its at work and they open again til monday. I think I'm gonna drop the tank and pull the fuel pump. i have another one, but i'm not sure if that one is good either.

[60DegreeVVT]

man... i need to pay off my CCs and get a project SO BAD!!!

i am so jealous!

I love the fiero... they were known as death traps (fires) but i dont give a damn... i love them. too bad when the finally got it right in 88 they quit production.

I always wanted to get a 2.5 U (iron duke) and just throw a 150 shot of nitrous to see what happens then drop a northstar in there...

where do you live? Maryland? (looking at the plates on the GA) i wish i could lend a hand. i would like to learn about the fiero. it is the only GM car i never played with...

[AtomicPunk]

the only Fieros that had widespread fire problems were the 84's witht the 2.5 (only engine the 84's came with) byt 85' they had it fixed, but their reputation was already destroyed by then. the 88 GT was the greatest Fiero ever made, except by that time, sales were dropping like flies, and it didnt make sense to keep making them. yeah i'm in Maryland.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

thanks alot guys. I'm having trouble getting the SE to start. I'm not getting any fuel pressure. i wish i had my multimeter with me, but its at work and they open again til monday. I think I'm gonna drop the tank and pull the fuel pump. i have another one, but i'm not sure if that one is good either.

Sounds like the same exact issue my buddy Chris (Shad0wguy on here) had with his 84 Iron Duke Fiero. A new fuel pump was needed.

I'll see what he knows, if anything, I'll tell him to spend more time on here to help you out, since he pretty much has the same exact Fiero as you.

[Pontiacgt201]

good shizz man.

[AtomicPunk]

' date='Jul 11 2010, 12:30 AM' post='32157']

Sounds like the same exact issue my buddy Chris (Shad0wguy on here) had with his 84 Iron Duke Fiero. A new fuel pump was needed.

I'll see what he knows, if anything, I'll tell him to spend more time on here to help you out, since he pretty much has the same exact Fiero as you.

i guess i'll have to drop the tank. my dad is making a huge fuss about me dropping the tank at my house though. i might have to have it towed to work an put it on a lift. i know i can drop it safely in the garage, but he's been overly cautious.

[markpetersonii]

nah, it'll be fine. Just be sure to use an open flame as a light source when doing it.

[Ringo64]

Great project cars, engine bay is a lot bigger than an MR2 which is a major plus. Helped rebuild an MR2 and about tore the sh*t out of my hands. I love the Fiero, absolutely a great car. I've seen a couple around here and thought of doing the same thing, they needed some TLC though of which I can't provide with my budget so the idea kinda fell. Great cars to work on, even with tiny spaces.

Can't wait to see more of this!

[AtomicPunk]

i just got in a few things from The Fiero Store.

New Fuel pump and strainer

Headlight motor rebuild kit

Brake light switch

I'm currently dropping the tank down as we speak, actually right now i'm waiting for my food to be done, then i'm going back out there and finishing dropping the tank. it probably wont get started today, i need to get a new fuel filter and a few new fuel lines.

also, i took the front bumper off of my SE cause i think its dumb looking. i had an extra GT front bumper that i'm putting on it, but you have to take the hood off to get the front bumper on i'll get pics of the mess i'm making right now in a few minutes

[1BADG6GT]

Im tempted to buy this... http://fresno.craigslist.org/cto/1835591995.html

or this... http://fresno.craigslist.org/cto/1850247725.html

[AtomicPunk]

if i wasnt on the other side of the country, i'd buy them both lol. although i think if i even bring one more Fiero PART home, my mother and my girlfriend are gonna murder me lol.

and btw, fuel pump is in and everything is hooked up. gotta wait for dinner to get finished then run to the gas station and get a few gallons of gas. if it starts and runs, i'll be happier than a pig in shit.

[AtomicPunk]

good news and bad news.

Good: New fuel pump works great!

Bad: Car still doesnt run. The injector isnt pulsing. I'll be taking the injector to work with me tomorrow and testing it, then testing the wiring with my multimeter when i get home.

[AtomicPunk]

UPDATE!!!

ITS ALIVE!!!

Last night I pulled the injector and took it to work with me today. The pintle was frozen, but after soaking it in some rust penetrator, the pintle loosened up. I took it home and put it all back together, and fired it up!

It runs like shit and has a "Service Engine Soon" light on, but I'm assuming since the plugs and wires are 10+ years old, they're suspect for the cause. What I need to do before I drive it:

4 New Tires

4 New Rotors and pads

Install Brake light switch (already purchased)

Install Headlamp motor rebuild kit (already purchased)

Spark Plugs and Wires

Battery Tray Package

I'm debating on throwing the dryrotted tires on right now and taking for its maiden voyage around neighborhood.....

[notallthere]

glad to hear she is alive. I have been noticing a ton of Fiero's in the back of properties around here lately. I am starting to think that they will make a nice CRX killer.

[Killiger2009]

so wats next

[Granite]

Seen one This Morning when I was on my Way to work.

Cool Cars, I would like to own one.

[AtomicPunk]

Well since it runs like shit, I bought new plugs and wires, hoping that will clear it up a little. Next is new rotors and pads, then new tires. Once this one is driveable, its time to start on the 87 GT getting that race ready