Shortening the shifter is easy. You can pull the plastic shaft out and cut it down/glue it. Cut the shifter arm the same length down and cut/file the arm to the same length. Cut mine down just over an inch. Subtle, and now I can put CDs in my Pioneer when in park
------------------ John DuRette Black 85 SE, undergoing work as we speak!
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10:19 PM
derangedsheep Member
Posts: 3089 From: Myerstown, PA Registered: Mar 2003
Originally posted by RenMan187: You can use the overhead console from a Grand Am, also, as long as you don't mind modifying the headliner. I used one so that I could have a nice, neat driving light switch that looked stock.
Panama Jack/Haagster - what yard do you go to? i might have to take a trip out your way in the near future
Carlisle Auto Salvage on Gasoline Alley. Their prices are pretty decent (ask foxgapfiero). - even a little better when you spend over $900 on parts for an upcoming project
[This message has been edited by Panama Jack (edited 07-30-2003).]
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08:41 AM
Aug 9th, 2003
Smoooooth GT Member
Posts: 8823 From: Lake Palestine, Texas Registered: Jun 2001
Shortening the shifter is easy. You can pull the plastic shaft out and cut it down/glue it. Cut the shifter arm the same length down and cut/file the arm to the same length. Cut mine down just over an inch. Subtle, and now I can put CDs in my Pioneer when in park
If you cut the shifter down this way it normally makes it hard to shift. Plus, unless you thread the top of the shaft, you have to use one of those shifter knobs that holds on with a set screw that never seems to hold...
The best way to shorten a shifter is to take it out and shorten it from the bottom. Just grind off the welds that hold the arm to the bracket, cut the shifter off where you want it and weld it back into the bracket. Very simple...
My Formula had a shifter in it that had been cut off at the top when I bought it. The guy told me that either the clutch was going out of the shift cables were bad because the car would hardly shift. I took the shifter out of my parts car and shortened it the right way and it shifts like a dream. No clutch or cable problems after all.
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01:28 PM
jlhuber Member
Posts: 881 From: Hope, MI, USA Registered: Oct 1999
If you cut the shifter down this way it normally makes it hard to shift. Plus, unless you thread the top of the shaft, you have to use one of those shifter knobs that holds on with a set screw that never seems to hold...
The best way to shorten a shifter is to take it out and shorten it from the bottom. Just grind off the welds that hold the arm to the bracket, cut the shifter off where you want it and weld it back into the bracket. Very simple...
My Formula had a shifter in it that had been cut off at the top when I bought it. The guy told me that either the clutch was going out of the shift cables were bad because the car would hardly shift. I took the shifter out of my parts car and shortened it the right way and it shifts like a dream. No clutch or cable problems after all.
The original post that spawned the above quote was for automatics, not manuals.
Shortening the shifter is easy. You can pull the plastic shaft out and cut it down/glue it. Cut the shifter arm the same length down and cut/file the arm to the same length. Cut mine down just over an inch. Subtle, and now I can put CDs in my Pioneer when in park
Yes, it's very easy...i did mine with a pipe cutter and a file...looks fine, works even better, lol
I got annoyed by how high the shifter was, and I had boughten an aftermarket rice-type shift knob...
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08:07 PM
Aug 28th, 2003
Smoooooth GT Member
Posts: 8823 From: Lake Palestine, Texas Registered: Jun 2001
What about the HUD units from other Pontiac cars. I know theres another thread going on about it and its a little more than a "bolt-on" but its scrap yard fun and they'd look incredible.
------------------ 1986 Fiero SE
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07:40 PM
PFF
System Bot
The_Raven Member
Posts: 203 From: Brantford Ontario Registered: Aug 2003
The Sunbird hood vents are the same part as the Firebird vents.
The Fiero upper plenum will not bolt onto the aluminium head lower intake.
Speedos, could be pulled from any Pontiac (to keep the same illumination colour) that uses an electronic signal, such as the Sunbird, from '87 to '94, you will have to make sure Sunbirds from '87 to '91 have the electronic speedo, some base models, although rare, use cable driven speedos, GTs use electronic. '87 Sunbirds have 190 Km/h (115 MPH?), while the '88 ('89 for sure) and up GTs use a 200 Km/h speedo (120 MPH).
------------------ The Raven :Under Construction "James" 1985 GMC Jimmy, 3.2L turbocharged intercooled hybrid
"Speed Costs, How fast do you want to go?"
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08:43 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
What about the HUD units from other Pontiac cars. I know theres another thread going on about it and its a little more than a "bolt-on" but its scrap yard fun and they'd look incredible.
The Bonneville HUDs are electrically bolt on...but if you have the stock "pod" dash you are going to be hardpressed to install it without significant modification to either the HUD or the dash.
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09:33 PM
Aug 31st, 2003
bamman Member
Posts: 314 From: Brooklyn, Nova Scotia, Canada Registered: Mar 2003
You can use the cavalier rotors on the front of the 88's as well as the rear if you have the hub/wheel-bearing machined to the size of the rotor. I have seen jelly2m8's set up and will use it my self if I need to replace the rotors. $20 cavalier conpare to $100+ for fiero.
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06:17 AM
Sep 19th, 2003
derangedsheep Member
Posts: 3089 From: Myerstown, PA Registered: Mar 2003
You can use the cavalier rotors on the front of the 88's as well as the rear if you have the hub/wheel-bearing machined to the size of the rotor. I have seen jelly2m8's set up and will use it my self if I need to replace the rotors. $20 cavalier conpare to $100+ for fiero.
I thought the '88 rotors were the same all the way around?
Originally posted by The_Raven: Speedos, could be pulled from any Pontiac (to keep the same illumination colour) that uses an electronic signal, such as the Sunbird, from '87 to '94, you will have to make sure Sunbirds from '87 to '91 have the electronic speedo, some base models, although rare, use cable driven speedos, GTs use electronic. '87 Sunbirds have 190 Km/h (115 MPH?), while the '88 ('89 for sure) and up GTs use a 200 Km/h speedo (120 MPH).
Any of those just 'Plug/n/Play??
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12:28 AM
Sep 30th, 2003
Smoooooth GT Member
Posts: 8823 From: Lake Palestine, Texas Registered: Jun 2001
I put seats from a Comaro in mine. Swap the tracks and they bolt right in. I'll be shimming mine up in the front since they don't hold my skinny butt very well. They lower you down about an inch as well.
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10:41 PM
Oct 17th, 2003
css9450 Member
Posts: 5500 From: Glen Ellyn, Illinois, USA Registered: Nov 2002
I went looking for the LeBaron sun visors today; found the Shadow/Sundance visors work just as well, although some fairly new ones are of a different design. The challenge is finding a pair that's still in good shape and the right color.
Finally found a Dodge Daytona, with really nice, clean visors, with built-in mirrors. Bought 'em, mounted them in the Fiero, and they look great. The color doesn't match the old visors or the headliner, but instead it matches the grey map light console almost perfectly. Looks great, and they seem to be a sturdier construction and will likely hold up much better than the stock ones.
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06:00 PM
Oct 25th, 2003
Smoooooth GT Member
Posts: 8823 From: Lake Palestine, Texas Registered: Jun 2001
Speaking of sunfire... I remember some member putting sunfire seats in a Fiero. The question is.... Do any sunfires come with leather seats????
Why in the world would you want to ?. Sunfire seats are butt ugly, the stock fiero seats are far superior. Designed by Recaro apparently. If your seats look like crap just get them recovered. Doubt any sunfires ever came with leather but some beretta's did. They may bolt in. Sunfire = cheap crap.
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04:02 AM
css9450 Member
Posts: 5500 From: Glen Ellyn, Illinois, USA Registered: Nov 2002
Hey, did anyone know bonneville auto shifters fit in fieros too? They're real easy to find and generally in great shape. I got my vinyl one for free at the jk in mint shape!
and they'd look incredible. 
