The conversation I had just a half hour ago, was just too crazy to not share here.....
I had to take a couple parts for my 3800 swap to a machine shop today. Talking with the guy, when he found out I had a Fiero that I was putting the engine in, he told me to just burn it. Surprised, I asked, really.... why is that. He said due to the engine fires. They can catch fire at any time.
I tried to educate him and explained how the oil would drip onto the exhaust and catch fire, then spread to the wiring harness ect. He INSISTED that it was nothing to do with that, and was because of heat. The engine compartment would over heat and cause it to combust. I tried to get a word in, and he just kept going on and on.
He then, this is where it gets good, proceeded to tell me that GM did a recall because of the heat problem, and they put an air scoop on the car, he explained that it stuck up just slightly above the roof line to force air into the engine compartment to cool it down. I told him that scoop was something done on a very small percentage of wide body Fieros. He was insistent that that was not the case, as he had 3 friends that had to take their cars in, and have that scoop installed. LOL
There was absolutely no reasoning with him what-so-ever, and I just gave up and nodded along, and let him take the parts I needed done, to someone in the back, that HOPEFULLY is more intelligent that this poor guy hahah!
Oh, Did I mention that he said no matter what I did to my car, it could never beat his Mustang, that he pointed through the window to in the parking lot LOL LOL LOL! Ahhhh another Mustang owner....... That pretty much explains everything! LOL
[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 06-08-2016).]
Mustang owner... Nuff said. Only people that hate on my Fiero are Vette guys, Harley guys, and Mustang guys. They don't listen, and go on and on. Everyone else I've met either loves the Fiero, or never heard of it but loves it after seeing mine, or heard the rumors but listen to me when I explain them and end up changing their opinion of the car. I don't think the Fiero is the greatest thing ever, but I still like it. And like it objectively as a car . Don't bother with the dickheads.
Also you will find, many members here are engineers. All the engineers I work with at work love Fieros too. So who cares what some machinist thinks. (Not a knock against machinists).
Also you will find, many members here are engineers. All the engineers I work with at work love Fieros too. So who cares what some machinist thinks. (Not a knock against machinists).
Here is another engineer that can contest to the same thing!
Just remember that the Mustang was just a Falcon with a body kit
And a Pinto, Fairmont, and Lincoln LS, none of which are particularly desireable... :P I love both cars though. I have a 66 C code Mustang convertible and an 87 Fiero GT...
I am not at all surprised by this. I honestly received very good comments and commentary about my Fiero's. Most people said they always liked them or they had one or their wife/mother/girlfriend had one back in the day and loved it. I have had people argue stupid things like this with me before as well. It is quite frustrating even when you are an obvious enthusiast of the car and have read/learned/researched about the car's history and most likely know it better than the average joe. However that never seems to stop stupid people from blatantly making stuff up and commenting like this. Honestly for me I found that the more I tried to dispel the myths or outright lies about it the more aggressive and ridiculous their comments became. It was a race to the bottom in the stupid comment arena for sure. It is what it is, there is an idiot born every other second I just TRY to let it roll off and go on enjoying my car and laugh about the stupidity of it all,
Glad to hear you are getting things done on the car. It's a shame I have not gotten into my house so I could setup my CNC machine shop perhaps I could have helped you with whatever you needed machined but we are just not there yet. Good luck with it.
Pete
------------------ "May the grins begin when you turn the key and hear the engine roar over your shoulder" ......Gall57 (slightly modified LOL)
Pete Matos A&N Precision Machine CNC Machining and prototyping Port St.Lucie, Florida A&N Precision Machine on Facebook!
OK...Let's put the facts down; Basically, Only 1984 Fieros had the fire problem. There were a couple of things that led to this problem, 1) Small oil pan capacity on the 2.5 engine, 2) Improperly marked dip stick, 3) Bad connecting rods on 5000 1984 2.5 engines>>> Combine all of this with not keeping tabs on your oil level AND driving the car aggressively and you COULD possibly starve the engine for oil, which COULD lead to a spun bearing, which could lead to a Seized bearing, which could break a weak connecting rod, which could lead to puncturing the oil pan, which could spray oil on the catalytic, which then could lead to an engine fire......NO V6 had these problems....And the Fiero had only 176 fires (NHTSA Records) or 260 fires (GM records)...Take the 260 number and divide it into the number of Fieros made and the Fiero has a better record than the average for all cars......Surprisingly, the other "Rolling Fire bomb", the Pinto is in exactly the same position; It has a better record than the average for all cars, also.
Most Fiero people know this story, but it never hurts to get the facts out there. I show people the info in Wiki, etc and they are quite often surprised. I also enjoy showing them the different opinions in the Brookland books Performance portfolio.....Car & Drival would hate on the car almost laughably, while the 1985 GT tests in R&T and MT were very good....Lots of contradictory opinions, overall.....My favorite test is Peter Egan's test for the R&T Sports & GT car compendium in 1987. One tester in a foreign rag couldn't get out of the car with the E-brake set.....Holy batsh;t!!!
The man who made the comments on why Fieros all burn should have been asked the question; why have many 30 yr old Fiero's and many rear engine cars like old VW beetles survived all of these years? When you deal with ignorance, its best to just give the same type of answer back. I would have said, you know you're right I get a fire in this car every day, can't you tell, look there's the fire extinguisher.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
[This message has been edited by Dennis LaGrua (edited 06-09-2016).]
The man who made the comments on why Fieros all burn should have been asked the question;
I just would answer, "Yup, mine burned to the ground twice today".
FYI, GM recalled many cars with the 2.5l, for the connecting rod issue. The problem is that the '84 fiero only had this engine, and they were the new car (on the block)... so bad press followed.
Didn't more ford explorers burn due to ignition fires, or something like that??
I remember when I first got into Fieros, telling my own mother, "see this hump in the middle between the seats, that's the gas tank". She eye rolled and huffed like that's a bad thing. But its in the middle the most protected area. Logic about cars just doesn't come to non-car people.
I'm used to that kind of ignorance. Before I got my Kelmark that was put on a Fiero, I had several Corvairs. That was another car that was singled out because it was different. As for the gas tank being between the seats in a Fiero, my response has always been that if you get hit hard enough to rupture the tank you're already dead.
I'm used to that kind of ignorance. Before I got my Kelmark that was put on a Fiero, I had several Corvairs. That was another car that was singled out because it was different. As for the gas tank being between the seats in a Fiero, my response has always been that if you get hit hard enough to rupture the tank you're already dead.
I'd be more worried about rupturing the fuel lines or fill tube, than the tank itself. Doesn't much matter where the fuel tank is, if the lines get cut and start spraying fuel all over the exhaust.
I remember when I first got into Fieros, telling my own mother, "see this hump in the middle between the seats, that's the gas tank". She eye rolled and huffed like that's a bad thing. But its in the middle the most protected area. Logic about cars just doesn't come to non-car people.
She may also thought it's INSIDE the car's cabin. It's that logic thing again.
Some people also think the ENTIRE CAR is plastic (just the body).
As for the fuel tank location.... ask them if they would rather have it mounted on the outside of the frame, like they used to do with trucks.... or in the center of the car, where it is protected. BTW, I know of someone who died after hitting one of the side tank trucks and it caught on fire (truck lost control and hit him).
I was telling this kid at Autozone about my car since he asked. Told him about the engine swap, turbo etc... He said "Well it's still a Fiero". I asked what he drove... "A cavalier, until I finish college" I told him to not to talk crap until he has a faster car then me. He asked about the HP. I told him I'm shooting for 500whp. He just said "Yeah that's pretty good". Pissed me off...
As for the fuel tank location.... ask them if they would rather have it mounted on the outside of the frame, like they used to do with trucks.... or in the center of the car, where it is protected. BTW, I know of someone who died after hitting one of the side tank trucks and it caught on fire (truck lost control and hit him).
Isn't the expansion tank in the 87-88 cars "outside the frame," and just between the frame body on the passenger side?
I drive an 88 formula and my best friend drives a 63 corvair. Both of us are in high school. All kinds of insufferable morons like to rip on our cars but most non car people have no idea what they are so they either say that they look cool or are ugly. Lol I've learned to not let it get to me.
I was dropping parts off that I needed work done, so I kept it a little civil, and not insult him too bad. I NEED those parts done, and done right hahaha! It may be a different story when I go back, and have the parts in my hand after paying
In the past, I had a guy at a gas station tell me the typical "Ahhhh a Fiero, I thought they all burned to the ground".
Without missing a beat, I told him that it was only the ones from the factory that were painted green that caught fire. He paused a moment to try to rationalize that.... I waited a couple seconds and went on to educate him.....I explained that is the reason why you see so few green Fieros on the road now days..... He was like Ahhhhh ok, nodding his head..... I just finished my business, hopped in the car and drove away....
It is still my favorite come back when someone says that to me.......
The best part, is if they are stupid or naive enough to believe that all Fieros burned to the ground, they are easily susceptible to actually believing that it only happened to the green ones. I have used this line 3 times now, and not one of the 3 people disputed it, or told me that it made no sense.....they seemed to take it as fact.... Unbelievable, but 100% true!
[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 06-09-2016).]
Don't say a word. Just stroke his ego about how his car is much better and faster. Wait until your car is complete and then ask him if he will race you quarter mile so you can gauge how fast your car is against a really fast car. Make sure you bring a crying towel for him and give it to him after the race.
Hummmm, a lot of interesting stuff here. All I can say is that since I moved on down here to the lovely state of Georgia, just about everybody ,and I mean everybody, really likes my Fiero ( 88 yellow Formula ). And like somebody else here said, so many of them mention how they knew some girl who had one back in the day. The only guy who likes to bust my chops about my car is my boss. And yes, he owns a Mustang ! Another interesting fact .... I actually was gonna buy a Mustang instead of my Formula. But before I did, I just wanted to find out what the Fiero was all about. That " little goffy car", as I described it. Never even took it seriously. One used to hang out down the street from where I used to live. So I decided to test drive one. I had so much fun driving this car , within the hour I knew I'd own one. Buy the next day, the decision was made...my next hobbie car, the Pontiac Fiero. Since then I owned about 5 of them. My 88 Formula is now here to stay ! Editors note - I eventually plan on giving my daily driver, a 97 T-Bird to my son, and I do intend on replacing that with a Mustang, Lord willing of corse.
Mustang is just a nameplate like most cars. A lot more matters than that. There were some pretty gross puney ones, also they came out originally marketed to women, but for some fans its just the name that matters. Anyway, to each their own. Its the ego know it all idiots that ya really gotta just walk away from sometimes.
[This message has been edited by 2.5 (edited 06-09-2016).]
I drive my car to new Jersey to a reunion of the rock and roll band I worked for a few years ago. I met a person who worked on fiero's back in the day and he told me Iwas crazy for driving the car so far. I just looked at him like he was crazy and changed the subject. For me, if you don't have anything nice to say you say nothing at all. My first car caught on fire but it was not the car's fault.
Dang it, 2.5, you test for a gas leak(Either kind!) with a lit match....Don't you know nuthin'?
The fuel tank between the seats- I get that response from almost everybody; I say the car that hits the tank would have to go thru me to hit the tank....That usually makes some sense to them. In the mag tests, they complained about the car being heavy- There are few cars I would feel safer in than a Fiero. Interestingly, when Toyota built the second gen MR2(Which is actually the same size as the Fiero) it came out just as heavy as a GT- with the small 4 cylinder engine. Have you ever checked out the doors on a 1st gen MR2- Sound like they're made out of garbage can lids!
And the Corvair thing- The NHTSA tested a FIRST gen Corvair(W/ Swing axle rear) against the new cars in 1973 and said it was SAFER than the new cars! As for Ralphy Nader, He NEVER owned a license and never drove a car- Arrogant idiot!
Oh yeah- That "Only green fieros catch fire" thing is hilarious! I'll have to try that some time....
Thinking about the whole "Flammable Fiero" thing and testing for gas leaks...I'm reminded of Colonel Blake on MASH when someone tried to blow him up in the latrine....He survived, and as they led him away(With a toilet seat around his neck!) He went, very quietly, "booooooooomm".........Haha
I was dropping parts off that I needed work done, so I kept it a little civil, and not insult him too bad. I NEED those parts done, and done right hahaha! It may be a different story when I go back, and have the parts in my hand after paying
Yeah but when you get them back they may only fit a Mustang...
. Don't bother with the dickheads. 
