OK, I am.."The New Guy," so go ahead and ask me to get a left handed screw driver. In truth its nice to find a page that deals with "My Car," I was starting to feel like I was the only Mera owner out there. Here is the short story: After looking at Ferrari 308 listings on E-Bay, and doing some research, there was no way I could risk what little time I have left in my life on a car that might spend months waiting for a freak'n part, not to mention the cost! But being a Magnum Pi devotee I still needed my 308 fix. It was a Ferrari dealer who put me on to the Fiero/Mera, which meant more cruising on the internet, by which I left a trail, and a owner in Texas was able to track me down. We shot numbers back and fourth and he agreed to take my 1998 Mercedes SLK 230 in trade (I never really liked that car), so last March I drove my SLK to Texas, and drove home a Mera, in a snow storm. The car is #8002, its red (88590L) with tan leather interior. It is a 5 speed, V6 with 45,000 miles on it. Additionally it has many "Ferrari" upgrades, and several performance upgrades which make it even more fun to embarrass Tuners, and chase Corvettes (not Z06's). Anyway, its nice to find more Mera Owners, who can answer questions when they come up, also, since my car is an early 1988 maybe I can compare my cars set-up to yours, should you need any answers. Until then, I am still looking for that "left handed screw driver."
It's great to have another Mera owner on the forum. Please join us on the "Mera in Paridise" thread in general chat.
I own an 88 MERA 5-speed #8011. Mine is one of the six 88's built on a GT platform instead of Formula. It is also red with factory beechwood leather, GT steering wheel. factory Performance Sound, and sunroof. It is stock appearing with the original Chromadora wheels, and has all Mera emblems intact.
I recently swapped in a 3.4 originally built by West Coast Fiero for more power that allows me to keep the stock engine appearance. I am pretty impressed at how much difference the 3.4 PR made in the performance of my car. The Mera's are heavier than a stock 88 GT. I could tell the difference between the 2.8 in my yellow 88 GT 5-speed, and the Mera with the same driveline. Now with the 3.4 the Mera is significantly quicker than my GT was. There are a number of Mera owners on the "Paridise" thread that have much more powerful engine swaps already or in progress.
Please post some picture of you car in either thread. Welcome to the madness!
[This message has been edited by Rick 88 (edited 12-27-2010).]
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08:07 PM
Rick 88 Member
Posts: 3914 From: El Paso, TX. Registered: Aug 2001
It's great to have another Mera owner on the forum. Please join us on the "Mera in Paridise" thread in general chat.
I own an 88 MERA 5-speed #8011. Mine is one of the six 88's built on a GT platform instead of Formula. It is also red with factory beechwood leather, GT steering wheel. factory Performance Sound, and sunroof. It is stock appearing with the original Chromadora wheels, and has all Mera emblems intact.
I recently swapped in a 3.4 originally built by West Coast Fiero for more power that allows me to keep the stock engine appearance. I am pretty impressed at how much difference the 3.4 PR made in the performance of my car. The Mera's are heavier than a stock 88 GT. I could tell the difference between the 2.8 in my yellow 88 GT 5-speed, and the Mera with the same driveline. Now with the 3.4 the Mera is significantly quicker than my GT was. There are a number of Mera owners on the "Paridise" thread that have much more powerful engine swaps already or in progress.
Please post some picture of you car in eithet thread. Welcome to the madness!
By the way, you are going to need an Italian left handed screwdriver.......
[This message has been edited by Rick 88 (edited 12-27-2010).]
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08:09 PM
Danny Member
Posts: 65 From: Lawrenceville, GA. USA Registered: Nov 2010
WELCOME FELLOW MERA OWNER!!!! you are welcome to join us in the mera in paradise thread in general chat. i own a 1987 mera 7071. it is extensively modified. come join the maddness... mike in oklahoma
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11:04 PM
Dec 28th, 2010
Indiana_resto_guy Member
Posts: 7158 From: Shelbyville, IN USA Registered: Jul 2000
Welcome home! Don't forget to make sure your Mera is in the Mera registry ran by Rodney Dickman (.com). He is also a Fiero Vendor of parts and upgrades (the best out there) should you have the need.
welcome.......over in the Mera In Paradise.....we had a little discussion on this Mera #8002. i have 3 pics. but one is from the days when i did not know you cant save the thumbnails and see anything.....heres what i have.
the 3rd is of the drivers door sticker.....i wont post that.
seems it was sold thru a dealer?? i hope you got a good deal.....these will soon start to go up. cant wait to see what you plan to do with it.....
Later Daniel- Mera X
[This message has been edited by batousai666 (edited 12-28-2010).]
Man! I have never felt this welcomed at any other site I have joined!!!! Thank you all for your welcome, I am happy to be here. Those are photos are of my car, I didn't buy from the dealer, but rather the owner. It's hard to say just what I paid for it because of the trade. But because I bought the SLK as a repo, I didn't pay that much for it, all things said my best guess would be between $12,000-$13,000. I added a Nardi wood wheel, rubber chicken, Robbin 1 plate, carried the darker tan across the entire console and arm rests, and changed the dash to a brushed metal. So far, so good.
Say have any of you added a "gated" Ferrari style shifter plate, and if so, how well does it work?
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11:38 AM
DLCLK87GT Member
Posts: 2696 From: South Jersey, USA Registered: Feb 2009
Man! I have never felt this welcomed at any other site I have joined!!!! Thank you all for your welcome, I am happy to be here. Those are photos are of my car, I didn't buy from the dealer, but rather the owner. It's hard to say just what I paid for it because of the trade. But because I bought the SLK as a repo, I didn't pay that much for it, all things said my best guess would be between $12,000-$13,000. I added a Nardi wood wheel, rubber chicken, Robbin 1 plate, carried the darker tan across the entire console and arm rests, and changed the dash to a brushed metal. So far, so good.
Say have any of you added a "gated" Ferrari style shifter plate, and if so, how well does it work?
i am experimenting with a gated shifter i made. not completely satisfied with it yet.
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01:21 PM
Dec 29th, 2010
Rick 88 Member
Posts: 3914 From: El Paso, TX. Registered: Aug 2001
Man! I have never felt this welcomed at any other site I have joined!!!! Thank you all for your welcome, I am happy to be here. Those are photos are of my car, I didn't buy from the dealer, but rather the owner. It's hard to say just what I paid for it because of the trade. But because I bought the SLK as a repo, I didn't pay that much for it, all things said my best guess would be between $12,000-$13,000. I added a Nardi wood wheel, rubber chicken, Robbin 1 plate, carried the darker tan across the entire console and arm rests, and changed the dash to a brushed metal. So far, so good.
Say have any of you added a "gated" Ferrari style shifter plate, and if so, how well does it work?
From what I recall, the "gated" plates that were available were just decoration. The shifter would not go thru the "gates" Do you have the "Ferrari" look shift arm and ball? I like the Robbin 1 plate. Of course you must wear a Hawaiian shirt when you drive it.
Yes I do have a mustache (my own!), about 20 Hawaiian shirts, a Detroit Tigers baseball cap (from the 70's) AND....a copy of Magnums driver license. To make things worse I also belong to "Magnum Mania," which has some good info on the car. Its there that I found out that a "kit car" of the 308 was used for the rougher scenes, I have been trying to determine if it was a Mera or not, but details are few and far between, maybe our "Hawaiian Eye" might know?
As for my shifter, it is the shorter chrome shaft with chrome knob. My car attracted the attention of a "real Ferrari 308" owner, actually a nice guy, we compared cars and darn if their not real close, sure there are little things that give the Mera away, but if you don't know what to look for, you would swear she's a real Ferrari. The funny thing is that his car has the gated shifter, and he is not all that happy with it.
A question: Are your outside rear lights red or amber, and which one goes on when you put on your brakes? On mine its the amber's which are on the outside, and they go on with the brakes??
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05:56 PM
farming for fieros Member
Posts: 72 From: hilbert Wisconsin Registered: Oct 2009
Welcome to the madness. We have one Mera owner down here in central Oklahoma. Interesting thing is that his son had one as well at one point and the two cars had consecutive S/N.
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08:34 PM
Rick 88 Member
Posts: 3914 From: El Paso, TX. Registered: Aug 2001
Yes I do have a mustache (my own!), about 20 Hawaiian shirts, a Detroit Tigers baseball cap (from the 70's) AND....a copy of Magnums driver license. To make things worse I also belong to "Magnum Mania," which has some good info on the car. Its there that I found out that a "kit car" of the 308 was used for the rougher scenes, I have been trying to determine if it was a Mera or not, but details are few and far between, maybe our "Hawaiian Eye" might know?
As for my shifter, it is the shorter chrome shaft with chrome knob. My car attracted the attention of a "real Ferrari 308" owner, actually a nice guy, we compared cars and darn if their not real close, sure there are little things that give the Mera away, but if you don't know what to look for, you would swear she's a real Ferrari. The funny thing is that his car has the gated shifter, and he is not all that happy with it.
A question: Are your outside rear lights red or amber, and which one goes on when you put on your brakes? On mine its the amber's which are on the outside, and they go on with the brakes??
My ambers are on the outside and are turn signals and flashers only. They should not go on with the brake lights. You have a wiring issue you will need to address.
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09:16 PM
mera7 Member
Posts: 1355 From: piedmont oklahoma usa Registered: Sep 2009
Welcome to the madness. We have one Mera owner down here in central Oklahoma. Interesting thing is that his son had one as well at one point and the two cars had consecutive S/N.
i also am in oklahoma and own a mera. i would like to meet the father son mera team.
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10:16 PM
J-Holland Member
Posts: 708 From: Norman, OK USA Registered: Nov 2010
Pizza Inn at Rockwell and I-40 a week from this sunday at 430. I can't guarantee that either of them will be there or that one of the Meras will be in attendance. The father has a white Formula as well.
[This message has been edited by J-Holland (edited 12-29-2010).]
My ambers are on the outside and are turn signals and flashers only. They should not go on with the brake lights. You have a wiring issue you will need to address.
mine too cept they only light up half. like half moons....both reds and ambers, so i off set them.
you may only have to switch to pigtail and bulb assenblys. you should not have to rewire per se, just switch the whole thing.
my reds tho are real F-Car Carello. so thats half my problem. but the Mera1 ambers are half shine too.
later D
[This message has been edited by batousai666 (edited 12-30-2010).]
WAIT!!!!!! nope after checking out a video i have i realize i too have all the taillights light up when applying the brakes and when using the turns they both, blink depends on the stalk direction. huh? i vid i used is from last spring but, i have changed nothing cept the offset.
hmmmmm.....what to make of this.
D
[This message has been edited by batousai666 (edited 12-30-2010).]
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09:48 AM
Wayne Wm. Peterson Member
Posts: 378 From: Muskego, Wi, USA Registered: Dec 2010
It's great you have a video to check, lets face it most of can't see our tail lights when were in the car, anymore than we can bite ourselves on the forehead. In my case I got razzed by "friends" who called me on it. The strange thing is the real 308 has the reds to the outside, but if you watch Magnum pi his reds are inside AND work with the brake lights?? I think I will play it safe and go to Auto Zone, buy some trailer lights and sheet metal screw them to the rear fenders.
yeah.....since the "eyes in the back of the Head" did not pass from my Mom to me gentically.....it will do.
i am stumbled.....i cannot see why they all light/blink. i will have to follow the wires.....if and when the bloody sun would come out.
it is cool because when they all light up, it screams HEY STOP! to the guy behind me. thats a good thing around here. "no fault" INS. is just that "no fault".....but if one should hit me watch out! its gonna come hard! it better be my fault
anyway thanks for the post....this gives me something to do.....its actually above freezing here after the low 20's for a month. well you know....later
getyasum!!
D
[This message has been edited by batousai666 (edited 12-30-2010).]
Yes I do have a mustache (my own!), about 20 Hawaiian shirts, a Detroit Tigers baseball cap (from the 70's) AND....a copy of Magnums driver license. To make things worse I also belong to "Magnum Mania," which has some good info on the car. Its there that I found out that a "kit car" of the 308 was used for the rougher scenes, I have been trying to determine if it was a Mera or not, but details are few and far between, maybe our "Hawaiian Eye" might know?
hahahaaaaaa!!!!! i was concieved in HI does that count? in the past, last year this time, i have stared me some youtube Magnum PI vids to see the same thing.....so far they all have the real 308 rear deck lids......even some pretty harsh driving scenes....well i looked again today and found this......says its an early intro. starts off with a 308 bang. its cool......off for more. later
[This message has been edited by batousai666 (edited 12-30-2010).]
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11:11 AM
Wayne Wm. Peterson Member
Posts: 378 From: Muskego, Wi, USA Registered: Dec 2010
seems there is two cars as well......notice the black accents. that is the spolier car too.......probabally different seasons. different cars. dam logic will get me every time
i gotta get the box sets for the full affect.
D
[This message has been edited by batousai666 (edited 12-30-2010).]
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11:30 AM
Rick 88 Member
Posts: 3914 From: El Paso, TX. Registered: Aug 2001
its cool.....Tommy could have fun playing "Magnum!! where you at Now???". such many scenic adventures await you know all this magnum talk and we should have the Mera reunion in Hawaii.....wonder if they discount when you ship bulk?? shorts, shirts and Detroit hats for all.....i got the hats covered GETYASUM!!!
d
[This message has been edited by batousai666 (edited 12-31-2010).]
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04:00 PM
Wayne Wm. Peterson Member
Posts: 378 From: Muskego, Wi, USA Registered: Dec 2010
dont forget to post pics.... 
third double post ever.....i am slippin! sorry
