New here, to consider Fiero (Page 2/3)
82-T/A [At Work] MAY 12, 12:57 PM

quote
Originally posted by Lostpuppy1962:

Question about the Iron Duke motor.
-Good looking Black 1985 2m4, 140,000 miles, $4,500, Manual. Owner describes as: runs rough, when warm it will stall when you take your foot off the gas, after 3hr drive home it runs worse.
-1986 blue 2m6, $4,000, 160,000 miles, automatic. Owner describes: no rust that I've seen. Sounds to me like he was told about the rust but has not looked himself.
Both seem to me to regret purchase they just made?

-Red 1985 Trans Am TPI, $5,500, 88,000 miles. Smokes a little when first started. This sound like valve seal/guides, not to scary?

All three were fairly nice looking. Not knowing anything about the Iron Duke issues I would lean toward the Trans Am, yet I do like that Fiero.

Any words of wisdom?




I think it depends on what you're expecting from either of them. In my opinion, the two Fieros are going to require a complete restoration. Both of those engines are at the end of their lives. Personally, unless the car is totally rotted out under the panels, I'd be far less concerned with rust. A quick check of either will give you that answer. Pull the carpet back, and if you don't see any rust, you won't have any anywhere else (not enough that would actually matter). If it's made it into the trunk, you'll want to take a closer look, like the upper rails. You can fix it... and it doesn't so much matter because the panels cover it. But something you'll want to address.

The 85 TransAm w/ the TPI is one of the nicer looking models... and w/ 88k miles (if that's right), you likely don't have to rebuild the entire engine.


The thing about the Iron Duke is... it's slow. It's the same engine in the mail truck. An automatic version of the Iron Duke would get beat by a UPS truck. But the V6 Fiero is a whole different animal. You can expect roughly the same performance (0-60) from a V6 5-Speed Fiero, as you would have from an automatic 305 TPI TransAm.

Performance parts for the TransAm are much more common and cheaper. There's not a whole lot you can get for the Fiero without spending some serious cash. If you want to keep it stock looking, you can drop in the 93-95 Firebird's 3.4 V6/60 which is basically a drop-in (just drill one hole for a starter, and get larger injectors).

So... you have some options. But again... at the age of these cars... if you want to really enjoy it, you're going to want to have to re-do a lot of this stuff. Back in the day, the kinds of cars you're looking at now, I used to get for $250 to $500 bucks... and I'm talking early 2000s. At that point, I didn't mind spending a little bit of money trying to get them running nice because I didn't have too much into it. For comparison... you can get a BMW Z3 w/ a 2.8 liter straight 6 and a 5-Speed manual sports car for $3,500 all day long (they're everywhere), or even a Porsche Boxster. So $4,500 bucks for a Fiero... that's a lot. At that mileage, you're going to need to redo everything.


I definitely don't want to discourage you, just giving you an idea of what to expect.
Raydar MAY 14, 04:12 PM

quote
Originally posted by Lostpuppy1962:
...
-1986 blue 2m6, $4,000, 160,000 miles, automatic. Owner describes: no rust that I've seen. Sounds to me like he was told about the rust but has not looked himself.



Your owner may be mistaken. Blue 2M6s were only available as a 1987 model. They are quite uncommon.
Or it may have been a GM "experiment" (There are some blue 85s documented), or a repaint.

If you want a bumperpad style, and a V6, you're pretty much stuck with an 85 2M6. They're also not really common.
If you want a V6 (even as a swap), you should mostly avoid the 84s. There are some wiring (and other) differences that make a swap a PITA.

I saw an 87 2M6 SE for sale in FL. The price is fairly reasonable, ~$3K, but it's a project, by the seller's admission.
I almost want it, but not badly enough to go and get it.
https://www.facebook.com/gr...nk/10161364398634636

Edit - Welcome to our obsession. (67, here. Still love my Fieros.)
I had an 88 Firebird Formula. 305 5 speed. T-tops. Was a fun car. Should have kept it, but you can't keep them all.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 05-14-2024).]

Lostpuppy1962 MAY 18, 01:35 PM
A little flustered here.
Cars or boats. Off topic. Found a vintage fiberglass boat and trailer $250, that would not be worth restoring, yet the moment I mention installing a jet drive the forum goes quite.
Camaro's and Firebirds are everywhere. Been there, done that, too easy.
I really like the idea of a Fiero. From reading here though, every one I find that's drivable is over priced. Come down a thousand and they are just 'project' cars. So far appearance wise the one that catches my attention is an 85, manual, Iron duke that won't run good, $4500 OBO.
cvxjet MAY 19, 01:13 AM
It all depends on what you want....A normal car, a special car or a boat....Which forum were you on that went quiet after you mentioned "Jet drive"...? And what make/model boat are you looking at?

I have done all kinds of crazy things to a number of cars- some of my ideas/mods actually worked.....In the end, tho, I bought a special boat that needed work...and made it really work for me- but some of the Glastron forum members do not agree with my custom windshield. I also replaced the floor and strengthened the hull, improved the engine mounts and made a much better rear seat...Most of the Glastron guys do like those improvements...

The really nice things about the boat are A) It is much simpler than a car (No brakes, no suspension and (Basically) no transmission...and B) You usually have 4-6 months of down-time during the winter to work on it.
Vintage-Nut MAY 19, 11:06 AM

quote
Lostpuppy1962:
every one {Fiero} I find that's drivable is over priced. Come down a thousand and they are just 'project' cars.



Yes, the Fiero value is climbing especially the '88; parts are harder to find as many are discontinued, plus manufacturing support for the car is in decline and Rodney is about to disappear too!

I like TheDigitalAlchemist comments:

quote
Like any "vintage" automobile, it will cost money to keep it running / lots of issues / expensive hobby



If your desire is to purchase a Fiero, you need to really understand the outlay or expenditure as of effort or sacrifice of owning a fairly rare mid-engine classic sport car....

------------------
Original Owner of a Silver '88 GT
Under 'Production Refurbishment' @ 136k Miles

82-T/A [At Work] MAY 19, 07:52 PM

quote
Originally posted by Raydar:


Your owner may be mistaken. Blue 2M6s were only available as a 1987 model. They are quite uncommon.
Or it may have been a GM "experiment" (There are some blue 85s documented), or a repaint.

If you want a bumperpad style, and a V6, you're pretty much stuck with an 85 2M6. They're also not really common.
If you want a V6 (even as a swap), you should mostly avoid the 84s. There are some wiring (and other) differences that make a swap a PITA.

I saw an 87 2M6 SE for sale in FL. The price is fairly reasonable, ~$3K, but it's a project, by the seller's admission.
I almost want it, but not badly enough to go and get it.
https://www.facebook.com/gr...nk/10161364398634636

Edit - Welcome to our obsession. (67, here. Still love my Fieros.)
I had an 88 Firebird Formula. 305 5 speed. T-tops. Was a fun car. Should have kept it, but you can't keep them all.




Hey Radar, I don't have a Facebook account, and it seems to be totally private. Any chance you can post a couple of pictures?


Thanks!
Patrick MAY 19, 10:04 PM

quote
Originally posted by Raydar:

I saw an 87 2M6 SE for sale in FL. The price is fairly reasonable, ~$3K, but it's a project, by the seller's admission.
I almost want it, but not badly enough to go and get it.
https://www....364398634636






Lostpuppy1962 MAY 20, 10:04 AM
@82-T/A, That white T/A is nice.

@Raydar & Patrick, Good looking Florida car.

@cvxjet, fiberGlassics.com, I went there because a poster asked what people liked. Restore or restowmod.
I saw a 14.5' 1959, fiberglass 'Whitehouse' runabout. It would need transom replaced so I thought, I will just install a Sea-Doo jet drive.
82-T/A [At Work] MAY 20, 12:27 PM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:







THIS IS MY CAR!!! I mean, not "my" car... but it's the exact same model as I have.


For the OP, this actually is not a Fiero 2m6, it's an 87' Fiero SE V6. They're fairly uncommon. Any Fiero that has "2m" in the name is the black bumper-pad style. This Fiero here was sold from 1986-1987 as the "SE" model... which was the "aero" style Fiero from the 1985 Fiero GT the year before, and the Fiero Indy the year before that. They no longer sold the SE in 1988... and instead that model became the Fiero Formula (which shared the body with the 4 cyl "coupe" model.


You guys are saying this is only $3,000? This is a steal. Unless it's totally rotted out (which I doubt because it's in Florida), this is a really well optioned car. Would you guys mind sharing the contact information here?


This is mine... it's an OLD picture from 1999... it's basically been in storage since 2011.




The wheels came from a 1986 Fiero GT in the junkyard. Got the whole set of wheels for $200 bucks, which wasn't bad.

[This message has been edited by 82-T/A [At Work] (edited 05-20-2024).]

1985 Fiero GT MAY 20, 01:42 PM

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


For the OP, this actually is not a Fiero 2m6, it's an 87' Fiero SE V6. They're fairly uncommon. Any Fiero that has "2m" in the name is the black bumper-pad style. This Fiero here was sold from 1986-1987 as the "SE" model... which was the "aero" style Fiero from the 1985 Fiero GT the year before, and the Fiero Indy the year before that. They no longer sold the SE in 1988... and instead that model became the Fiero Formula (which shared the body with the 4 cyl "coupe" model.





I forget when exactly they got rid of the 2m6 name, but I know my dad's 86 SE has Fiero 2m6 on the back, I think coupes, sport coupes and SEs had 2m4 and 2m6 up till 1986, Indy said Indy Fiero, 85 gt said Fiero GT, and fastback GTs just had a small GT in the trim. I don't know what 87/88 coupes, sport coupes, and SEs/formula said on the back, if anything.

[This message has been edited by 1985 Fiero GT (edited 05-20-2024).]