Lots of exhaust leaks. The muffler back is original. Pulling the engine makes it easier to remove headers. I have been running FOCOA Headers for about 60,000 miles and they are cracking at the collectors.
Just bought this in August. This will be my 3rd Fiero total and first in over a decade. I finally found the one I was looking for. 88 Fiero GT 5 Spd Sunroof Red w/Beechwood Interior. Got it from the original owner with just shy of 25k original miles. I'm quite happy with it and the condition. It even has the rare lumbar support.
My tires were WELL past replacement time as they were dry rotted BIG time. I took the car out for a short drive because it was a couple of months since last driven.
Above is a pic of the left rear that really got FUBAR trying to get to the side of I-75 at 70mph.
All 4 were replaced with Hankook Ventus V2 Concept2
Cost in Miami was $117 per tire with FREE stems, balance and mounting. Tire Rack wanted $111 per tire with free shipping. The rest would have been out of my pocket.
My tires were WELL past replacement time as they were dry rotted BIG time.
Above is a pic of the left rear that really got FUBAR trying to get to the side of I-75 at 70mph.
Lucky nothing bad happened.
I see it frequently with my occupation (evaluations and on-site mechanical failure inspections).
Here are a few brief facts for future readers on tires and their importance of everything riding on them...
1. Check your 4-digit DOT tire date codes like this... https://www.tirebuyer.com/e...ge-of-your-tires-old ( note: if there is only 3-digits that means its 1999 or older, for example date code 208 could be 20th Week of 1998, or 1988, or 1978)
2. Most tire manufacturers recommend replacement after 6 years, but there are many environmental factors involved. I've seen tires that were dry rotted with cracking sidewalls at only 4 years old due to cold/hot weather exposure and lots of UV ray exposure. I've also seen 30 year old tires with no cracking at all. The biggest risk due to dry rot and/or cracking is blowout at high temperatures or highway speeds (like shown above).
3. The most common mistake I hear from vintage vehicle owners is... "well there are no cracks so there is nothing wrong with those tires" which is a popular misconception like this post here... https://www.fiero.nl/forum/...HTML/099070.html#p18 The reason why old tires are unsafe even with no dry rot or cracking is because the rubber compound gets harder every year, so every year they have less adhesion ability. This can vary greatly depending on the type rubber compound used when tire was made, region, environment, and so on. What people don't understand is those old tire knobbies get hard, they're no longer soft, have no flex, so they act like skis on ice when tested (examples: emergency evasive maneuvers if deer or child jumps out in front of you, if its raining completely lose control / hydroplane on a bend even when driving responsibly, driving aggressively or irresponsibly, and so on).
Those facts aside, personally speaking, when it comes to vintage hobby cars that are stored indoors and see limited weekend use, my opinion is to closely inspect your tires annually. Once they are over 4 years old you have to use a light and magnify glass to look closely for cracking, not just at sidewalls but in-between the tread as well. Also use your finger and finger nail to push on the knobbies to see how much softness and flexibility they have, and compare that to the newer tires on your daily driver. I run mine for approximately 10 years if they have no cracks and knobbies still have a good amount of softness.
[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 10-09-2021).]
Took my '87 4.9L to a car show today in Daytona Beach. Had steady interest from younger guys. Mostly from the hot, tuner crowd. "Wow, what's that?" "It's mid-engine?!" "Oh, man, that's motivating me to build one!" etc.
After some problems getting pictures to post, I'm giving it another try. Since rainy Oregon Fall/Winter is nearly upon us, thought I would get the Fiero's out for a group picture. Don't think this group has been pictured together in the past years.
If you "click" and the first new window or tab that appears is a modestly larger photo with some other "junk" around it--an "imgur post"--you could close that and click on this thumbnail image again. The second time has been the charm. That should cause a new tab or window to appear with a dramatically larger photo and you could even click on any part of that photo and zoom in--say, if you wanted a closer view of one of the newly-installed Laufenn G FIT A/S tires. That's what prompted me to use my iPhone 8 to take this photograph the other day.
I am the third owner, and am not acquainted with the first owner or the second, whom I only met briefly when I bought the car in a private transaction. A 1988 Fiero GT and all original, as far as the body, wheels, seats and upholstery and any other parts that are visible without looking inside the engine compartment or jacking it up or putting in on a hoist to look from below--except the radio, which I had replaced after it failed with an aftermarket "Newport" model from RetroSound. Almost 61,000 road miles, of which just over 17,000 miles are "mine."
The quarter windows have suffered the most. The passenger side, covered with cracks, and the driver side, also with cracks, but not as much. It seemed to have happened almost all at once, and fairly recently--seems like it was only about three years ago when that became really obvious. In the many years that I've had the car, it's always been garaged.
As far as the mechanicals, it's the factory V6 and 5-speed manual setup, but I have had, mostly by necessity, just about every major parts replacement and servicing or refurbishment of the engine, clutch, transaxle, brakes, cooling, suspension, AC and motorized headlamps that is possible. I think I'd like to have it Dyno Tested, although that's not anywhere near the top of the things (things in general) that I ought to be be doing. I think it must have measurably more torque than when it was factory new.
[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 10-31-2021).]
I have been running FOCOA Headers for about 60,000 miles and they are cracking at the collectors.
