Ok…In the mall the topic of the parade car Indy Fieros came up and we need to crack this case. Let think about this in a time line. July of 1983 the Fiero was introduced. Let’s assume that it had already been selected as the pace car for the 84 Indy 500. I say that because the pace car for the 09 Indy has been announced. I have always assumed that the first 50 pace cars were the parade cars. If so that Pontiac would have made these cars and let them sit in storage till May of 84. I doubt it. Wouldn’t it make more sense for them to release them to the public then hold back 50 closer to race day. Next clue…it is a safe bet that they were all automatics. Maybe our friends who are familiar with the track can help us confirm this. Are the parade car autos? It would only make sense because not everyone can drive a stick and nobody wants to pop the clutch and dump the queen on the asphalt. We know that 2000 Indys were made. We assume that they were autos, which narrows it down to around 1000. Safe bet that it wasn’t near the beginning of production. Help me out with your thoughts. And yes I have a great interest in this and I’ll tell you why. My Indy is an auto and I purchased it in Muncie Indiana it never had a title issued on it till 1998…to a dealer in Indianapolis.
------------------ Factory Stock… The way God intended it to be.
Well, according to Tony, who if he can provide the documents that he claims to have, is the only original owner of a parade car, this is what happened to them.
He was driving past the auto dealer and saw the car ahuler which had nothing but indys on it, and pulled in. He wanted to buy one on the spot, but they were not for sale at that time. The salesman was eager to make the sale however, and offered to call him when they could sell it. In short they sold him the car and he says that he was the driver of the car as it particapated in the event, including the laps. He also said that he stopped in turn #1, and laid on the ground to snap photos of it on the track. He didn't mention where the white side molding, rims or strobe came from. If Tony can produce documents saying he and that car are legit, the rest of his story is probably true as well. He said he would scan them into the computer and send them and pics of the car itself to me, whic will promptly be posted here for all to see.
Thanks all Mike
IP: Logged
07:00 PM
blakeinspace Member
Posts: 5923 From: Fort Worth, Texas Registered: Dec 2001
You thinking that CenTex sold a parade car to Maryjane...?
Or Ohioindy's is a parade car? But yes, I would agree that the parade car's were most likely automatics (tho I personally think it would have been a hoot to dump one of the queens onto the asphalt), but the assumption that the parade cars were not near the beginning of production flies in the face of the mall listed Indy being #122--unless Pontiac sent out about 100 Pace cars to dealerships early on as part of public relations/advertising campaign. My question would be "When did Indy's first hit the market for sales to the public?" Anyone here have an Indy they purchased new?
quote
My Indy is an auto and I purchased it in Muncie Indiana it never had a title issued on it till 1998…to a dealer in Indianapolis.
Where was your Indy for 4 years?
------------------ http://www.cafepress.com/pffshop 84 se auto-supposedly sold. 84 se 4 spd 88 4 cyl 5 spd 84 Indy #1578 84 Indy #1656
I think you will be able to get some more clues (possibly the entire answer) from John callies at the 25th. I'm not sure if he will know this information, but he may be able to shed light on the subject. The indy pace car was big deal for John.
Tony is going to call me when he gets the pics for his car. When he does, i'll get dates for the events as they transpired. I am looking forward to getting all of the answers I can on this.
Mike
------------------ I have hundreds of uses for for people when they're alive. There are only a few after they are dead.
I can help you guys with what we have confirmed as of now.
1) All the Indy Fiero Festival cars were automatics. Some of the reasons we have been told are insurance liability, driver skill, festival queen contestants sitting on roof. As a matter of fact, we were told by our contact at IMS that all Festival 500 Cars are automatics.
2) No, the first 50 Indy's were not Festival 500 Cars. The First 15 were GM Exec Cars and I know my replica #36 was not one.
3) We know that VIN 248470, 248764, 249388 are documented, confirmed Festival 500 Cars. 248470 was built in March and 249388 was built in April.
4) As per Ron's (Paced 84) last phone conversation with IMS, the records have been found but are not in the IMS archives. So, at last word, we were waiting on the people who have the records to determine a price to obtain a copy of the records of all of the 1984 Festival 500 Cars and Trucks. I have a feeling that it is the insurance company that insures the Festival 500 vehicles who has the records and are not on a computer database.
5) In my last conversation with John Callies, he did not deal with the Festival 500 cars since that part of the Indy Fiero Sponsorship was handled by PMD Marketing. And he mentioned that he had his hands full with keeping up with the three track cars.
That is all I can think of right now.
Fred
IP: Logged
09:52 PM
paced84 Member
Posts: 915 From: Woodhaven,MI 48183 MI USA Registered: Sep 2004
I talked to Ellen at Indy Monday. She is still working to get the festival Vin s and has the badge info. This has been an on going issue. However she told me I will get this info. Just not sure when this will happen. All we can do is wait paticently. I do not want to press this issue to much. Fred and I have a very good Friendship with Ellen and IMS. We want to keep it! Ron T
------------------ signature by F-I-E-R-O (My Indy on right / #1 IMS)
I talked to Ellen at Indy Monday. She is still working to get the festival Vin s and has the badge info. This has been an on going issue. However she told me I will get this info. Just not sure when this will happen. All we can do is wait paticently. I do not want to press this issue to much. Fred and I have a very good Friendship with Ellen and IMS. We want to keep it! Ron T
We fully understand, and appreciate all ya'll do and have done!!
IP: Logged
10:49 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
This is from Moorwine who sold his Indy last year (#258 vin 1G2AF37R8EP250095) and automatic..
Own a piece of Indy Racing History! This car was originally used for the Indy 500 parade and festivities. It was then delivered to an Indianapolis area dealer who then sold it to the only retail owner (whose name appears on the title). I accquired the car from him and never titled it, as I am a pontiac dealer.
***** Only 27,269 original miles *****
John
IP: Logged
11:15 PM
Jul 10th, 2008
CenTexIndy Member
Posts: 3061 From: Waco, Texas, USA Registered: Mar 2006
Fred, you might have missed it with all your other activities. But Car sequence no 249388 (vin 1G2AF37R7EP249388) was at the 25th. The owner was Denis out of Wind lake Wisconsin and he had all the documentation to show that he had a parade car. He had Indy license plate number 121 and documentation to go along with it. The buid date on his car was 2/84. We keep getting pieces to our puzzle.
After seeing your post above and actually seeing the car show up was pretty exciting, and he had other photographs from the race.
Johngee
IP: Logged
10:20 PM
paced84 Member
Posts: 915 From: Woodhaven,MI 48183 MI USA Registered: Sep 2004
I plan on calling IMS WED. Hopefully I can get some more info on the parade cars, and the track Indys. Ellen does have the badge info, but getting it has been difficult. Fred and I will not give up. We are going to have to pay for the Vins, but that is not an issue. Will post anything I get. My parts car that was trashed was #244 on the list . Could that have been a Festivel car? Wow I wonder.
Wish I could have spent more time with you Indy guys, but to much running show day.
R T
------------------ signature by F-I-E-R-O (My Indy on right / #1 IMS)
IP: Logged
11:01 PM
Aug 6th, 2008
olejoedad Member
Posts: 19088 From: Clarendon Twp., MI Registered: May 2004
I saw an Indy in Bob Steiger's (Twin Lakes Fiero's) wrecking yard in early 2003 - don't know if it had been documented on the database. Any NIFE members know?
IP: Logged
10:10 AM
PFF
System Bot
paced84 Member
Posts: 915 From: Woodhaven,MI 48183 MI USA Registered: Sep 2004
According to Rick B. my indy vin #1G2AF37R7EP248676 car #113 plate # 80 was a parade car and has a four speed.
Then there is simply two things that could have happened here....
1) Rick is wrong 2) Your transmission has been swapped.
The one thing for certain that has been confirmed over and over and over is that 100% of the Festival cars were automatics. Period.
Sorry - I don't want to p-off Rick as I think that his work has been great, and I don't want to p-off you either, but the odds of your car with a four-speed being a Festival car is 0%.
This is a fun topic and I am thrilled to see it bumped back up, as I think that it is not something that should be forgotten. I hope that we are able to hear more from IMS about the VINs that were used.
IP: Logged
07:52 AM
6752dan Member
Posts: 46 From: Indianapolis, IN USA Registered: Jun 2008
As far as cars and wikipedia goes... the Fiero entry is awesome... but it is lacking a pic of one very important thing... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiero
a pic of an Indy. Very few car models ever get to pace this prestigious event... seems like we should have a photo of one in there. Maybe even a description on the differences btwn an Indy & non Indy Fiero...
6752dan, if you have a pic of the RPO sticker from under the hood, we can tell you what transmission the car originally came with. It's on top of the driver's side wheel well, has the VIN number, and a bunch of codes like AAA, A01, etc.
CenTexIndy says that Rick B. is wrong and Rick B. says the opposite, that my car is indeed a parade car with a 4-speed in the Vin thread. Please let me know who is right. The lady I bought it from seven years ago assured me everything in the car is exactly original except the battery, and tires, even the original radio is in it although the diode is bad. Just got it out of the barn today after five years of storeage, will get it cleaned up this weekend and get some pictures on here.
[This message has been edited by 6752dan (edited 05-15-2009).]
IP: Logged
04:18 PM
May 16th, 2009
thefierofarm.com Member
Posts: 1017 From: CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA Registered: Jan 2004
There may be some information in this link that you Indy owners and enthusiasts may be interested in. It's from McClellan Automotive. They have all kinds of literature like press releases, dealer literature and collectors memorabilia. This link is from that website. There are several items relating to the Indys. You can go back to the home page and search under various categories for other info.
<---- did you buy Cliff a beer?
