Well I got some work done on my 86 SE Today. When I got the car it didn't have any keys at all. The steering column was unbolted from the dash so the wheels could be turned, and there was no cluster. Today I got a chance to work on it. I installed a new ignition switch, cluster, and a D- Shaped steering wheel. I got the trunk open by hooking up jumper cables to the battery cables and using the trunk release switch that I found on the floor. Thankfully the vents were not installed but they were in the trunk and one was touching the positive and negative terminals of the battery which drained it completely. I got it to turn over but not fire up. Which is probably good. The car has sat since 08 at least so I should probably drop the tank, change the oil, flush the coolant system, and clean out the vents in case anything made a home in there....
I started it fo rthe first time in a month and put my new insurance card in it. About a month before Fiero Driving Weather begins again in earnest.. waiting for the snow and salt to go away and then she needs new shocks, struts, sunroof gasket and tracks, and new headliner installed. Then I am ready for the 30th anniversary show.
Removed all the cloth covers on speakers, cleaned and painted bare covers gloss black. Look like freakin new awesomeness. I like I can see my new speakers threw the mesh. This will now become another standard practice for all my acquired Fieros.
Late Friday night until about 1:30 Saturday morning. Changed the inner/outer tierods and the tranny mounts. Steering wheel is now centered and she don't wander all over the place. 36 more days til' SPRING!!!!!!!!!
Late Friday night until about 1:30 Saturday morning. Changed the inner/outer tierods and the tranny mounts. Steering wheel is now centered and she don't wander all over the place. 36 more days til' SPRING!!!!!!!!!
Way to go Tony!
I continued the garage rehab so I can get my next project Fiero inside! Come on Spring!
I uncovered my 87 GT which has been in storage on wheel dollies since July (on a batterey tender) and moved it to the open door and took it off the wheel dollies. Checking for paper work, install 2013 tag, can't find the insurance card, call the insurance company and they emailed me the card. The car fired right up and I drove it around for about 25 miles. It is such a fun the car is to drive with the five speed. Maybe I'll take it to the Palm Bay cruise in tomorrow.
I was having issues with the passenger side headlight motor.. It wouldn't go up by the switch, but would manually lift and close when lights turned off. I figured I'd switch motors as I had a rebuilt one in storage. I put the "new" motor in. It goes up with the switch, but doesn't go down.
So I figured I'd take the old motor apart and check the innards. I knew that one side is a PITA, the passenger side. I had to disassemble the top end to get the plastic gear out and to find that the innards were all good. There are two "floating" magnets that are held against the rotor with two small springs. What a real PITA to hold the magnets in place with the springs pushing them out, then insert the worm gear.. I can't remember how I did that in the past. No matter, I dropped one of the springs, even though I was working on a towel. I can't find the spring.
I put all the parts in a plastic ziptop bag and come back when I find another spring.
I'll try to fiddle with the "new" motor in the assembly, later.
I bought a fuel gage sending unit ( tired of running out of gas ) will install when garage warms up. now looking for a gray seat cover . and need to get new shocks and struts and tires to get ready for spring and the 30th in Indy.
[This message has been edited by kendallville (edited 02-22-2013).]
I swapped steering wheels. I like the looks of the standard wheel better. Plus the three spoke one was oozing goo in the heat, I had to keep a rag under the seat because my hands would get all mucked up when I was driving it.
Bought a decklid support strut, ( no more getting hit in the head ) from Rodney Dickman. ended a week that also got me a new gas gage sening unit, courtesy lights , horn paddles and seat cover. time to warm up the weather.
Installed 97 Chevy C1500 wipers/wiper arms from the local pick-a-part. Had a chronic issue with drivers side wiper coming off during even the lightest precip. New style are the hook and loop type. Already had to use them. They work great!
[This message has been edited by flimbob (edited 03-11-2013).]
Not a darn thing!!!!!! Had to run to Culpeper, VA (325 miles round trip) Saturday and sick in bed Sunday. It was a beautiful, warm & sunny weekend. The first of the season.
I installed the Hurst shifter that I made for my car.
I bought a short shifter online, cut the stock handle out of the shifter plate and had a friend weld the new handle in place. The rubber boot is just an off the shelf item from Auto Zone, and it is held in by friction, no glue or screws holding it in. It feels real nice and falls right to hand when shifting.
It passed California smog with flying colors. In fact, the owner pointed it out on the paperwork and said it was outstanding. CO was .00 at idle (average is .10) and at high idle it was .04 (average is .20).
------------------ Jim Martin White '86 GT Monterey, California
Drove my 88 coupe till it ran out of gas. Fortunately I was 1/2 a block away from the gas station headed down hill so I coasted it in. When I filled it up, it took 9.9 gallons and I had driven 238 miles.
Drove my 88 coupe till it ran out of gas. Fortunately I was 1/2 a block away from the gas station headed down hill so I coasted it in. When I filled it up, it took 9.9 gallons and I had driven 238 miles.
Is the capacity and mileage OK? (I
Something is amiss with your coupe. You should be getting 30-35 MPG and you should be able put in almost 12 gallons if you run it dry.......400 miles per tank is not unheard of (I came close to 400 miles in a Formula once). Anyway, 238 miles from 9.9 gallons is only about 24 MPG.....even with an automatic Duke you should be getting better mileage than that.
As for the topic at hand.....I put in a new fuel pump & injectors in my '86 SE. It runs great, but still needs a new clutch to be driveable (that's coming up this weekend).
This past Friday night. Replaced the struts. (Those things were worse than shot). Front ball joints, shocks and in/out tie rods recently replaced. Alignment tomorrow. $50. (Brother-in-law operations manager at Chevy dealership).
Worked on my 86 GT today. Swapped out the buttons on the window switched from ones out of a Firebird. My dash lights had stopped working so I took of my gauge cluster to find out the housing was shattered and barely held to the dash. When I looked at the circuit board on the back I saw this.
So I took the printed circuit board from an 84 cluster and swapped it over
I believe this is a first for any vehicle except the truck I had it in before. I installed a rear view mirror from an aircraft (I think it was ordered for an AV8-B Harrier but might have been a Prowler)
This is the view from the drivers seat, I may need to make some adjustments but will try it like this for a bit.
Wow is all I can say! Started removing the other pieces of my roof panel/ a pillar panel, came off in four pieces. And found out the reason my car leaked in the rain, the only area of the windshield still glued was the bottom! Both sides from top to bottom and all the way across the top was just sitting there! Never drove the car in rain, just noticed wet floor boards after it rained, just figured it was the sunroof leaking!
Test drove the 3800 SC Series III fresh engine swap! Was so nerve racking, because it was the first time I had ever driven the car since purchasing it last summer.! It was a short shake down run, but all seemed to be working properly. Next is finishing the exhaust and putting the interior back together. Whew! Any 3800 Fieros in Minnesota shoot me a PM!
Last night I installed the summer tires and changed the oil. Adjusted the exhaust for a little bit more clearance. Tonight I adjusted the drivers side sunvisor
