Porsche Eater turbo prototypes (Page 1/3)
1985 Fiero GT SEP 21, 11:05 PM
Tell me about the Porsche Eater prototype turbo Fieros, I've heard/read a lot, I've never seen any pictures of the actual "Porsche Eater" taillights from the notchback prototypes (before GM partnered with Porsche, removed that and converted to fastback). I'm very interested in any pictures of that as well as pictures of turbo placement and size in the engine bay.

On a slightly related/unrelated note, the Porsche Eater Fieros were the inspiration to embark on the turbo 3400 I'm in the planning/buying stages of currently. I want to create a build thread before I truely start working, to document everything I have done and will be doing. I would like a "nickname" for my Fiero to include in the title but have not able to think of anything unique. [Last summer at the 40th, it was given the nickname "the blah blah special" because there was nothing unique about it, nothing special, by now it has far outgrown that nickname, as I have put the initial price of the car into it in terms of upgrades (with the economy as it is, Fieros on the rise, and choice upgrades significantly adding value, the value has also doubled, so I actually have technically not lost a penny)] so any idea what I might call my Fiero to title a build thread, only two things I'm considering right now are something related to "Porsche Eater tribute" (but then I'd have to do it right and figure out the Porsche Eater taillights, which I've never seen), or my best friend suggested "red spinel", apparently a jewel or something.

Any ideas are welcome and I would love to see those taillights haha!
82-T/A [At Work] SEP 22, 08:18 AM
I don't really know if this is it... but there were several iterations of the Fiero at the design shop before they ended up cancelling the car. I think you've seen the really, really nice looking one that is a fully running model:






But then there were also these guys that had been made, all three of which have since been crushed:








There were three of them in total (these are the best images I can find of it). One with a luggage rack, one with a spoiler, and one with side markets by the rear taillights, etc. But they were all built on the same Fiero chassis, but just looked a little different.


There's also this one, which has also been crushed:




... and a picture of another one, similar color to the design of the ones above but with fully wrap-around taillights, and what looks like Porsche 944 side mirrors... which has also been crushed:




And then there's this interior picture of the Turbo Fiero from 1985 when they were considering it... it has a unique dash with a turbo gauge, and a super cool subwoofer EQ:

[This message has been edited by 82-T/A [At Work] (edited 09-22-2024).]

1985 Fiero GT SEP 22, 08:31 AM

quote
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:

I don't really know if this is it... but there were several iterations of the Fiero at the design shop before they ended up cancelling the car. I think you've seen the really, really nice looking one that is a fully running model:




Yeah, I saw that one at the 40th, the turbo prototypes were early model cars, 84 or 85, regular notchback with an intercooler in the spoiler, and some kind of specially designed "Porsche Eater"logo in between the notchback taillights (like the fastback has with "Pontiac"), they later partnered with Porsche to tune the 88 suspension, and had to remove that, and also converted them to fastback, I think they have center over roof scoops, and of course an intercooler in the center section of the spoiler.

These are them in early form:


Red one now, don't know about the black one:
hyperv6 SEP 22, 04:26 PM
The red cars is that red GT above and it is now a TTop fast back.

The Black one was some and is in a museum collection in Europe. It is still black and a wide body coupe.

Sorry no photos of the engine or tail lights in their early form.

I will try to find the story on the one in Europe.

The 2.9 was also used in another Pontiac show car. I think it was the prototype of the transport mini van.
hyperv6 SEP 22, 04:28 PM
The other photos above were 1990 coupe and gt. The Gt has a DOHC V6 and the Coupe had a Quad 4,
hyperv6 SEP 22, 04:35 PM
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/098533.html

Here is some info on the black car.
Patrick SEP 22, 05:42 PM

quote
Originally posted by 1985 Fiero GT:

I'd have to do it right and figure out the Porsche Eater taillights, which I've never seen




quote
Originally posted by 1985 Fiero GT:

some kind of specially designed "Porsche Eater"logo in between the notchback taillights (like the fastback has with "Pontiac")



I have seen a photo of what you're describing, and it was probably right here at PFF that I saw it (years ago). I tried running a google search for the image, but alas, couldn't find anything.
1985 Fiero GT SEP 30, 05:24 PM
So I guess the Porsche eater taillights are a lost piece of Fiero history? If there were pictures on the forum, they've disappeared, as I have looked everywhere. I really want to replicate that on my Fiero as a finishing touch to the turbo build I haven't started yet (just buying parts and extensive research/planning). Patrick, do you have any recollection on how it roughly looks? I assume it is the full words, PORSCHE and EATER, is it in a blocky font, or more stylized, normal lettering (like the PON-TIAC taillights) or a more italicized font (like Fiero word/logo)? Sorry for all the questions, but this is certainly a valuable piece of Fiero history to be apparently lost.
hyperv6 SEP 30, 05:43 PM
I have never seen a photo here or any place else.

Best bet is someone who worked on the cars may have a private photo.

If I were at GM and done this I would have just had Porsche eater in the Porsche script cut into a thin sheet of plastic that would fit under the lens. A graphic place could easily cut this for you.

Using the correct scrip makes it more on point.

You just need the light to pass through.

Patrick SEP 30, 05:45 PM

quote
Originally posted by 1985 Fiero GT:

So I guess the Porsche eater taillights are a lost piece of Fiero history?



Even if it was here that I saw those images, and they were lost due to the image server snafu... those images had been copied from somewhere else. In other words, I doubt the original images are lost forever, it's just a matter of them cropping up again. Perhaps start a thread specifically asking for those images. I strongly suspect that someone still has access to them.

And no, I can't describe with any credibility what those taillights looked like.