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iceracer
iceracer SuperDork
3/30/12 10:11 a.m.

There where two "Iron Duke " engines. The throw away one that came in the stock car. The race one produced by Pontiac Performance was quite different. About the only thing the same was the displacement. I heard there were some 3L 's built. Think Nascar. Stock vs STOCK ?

Javelin
Javelin UltimaDork
3/30/12 10:17 a.m.

This is purely a profit exercise, I harbor no intentions of keeping said POS. (In fact Mrs. Javelin flipped out when the flatbed arrived asking if I had bought some POS without telling her until it pulled into the neighbor's drive).

I'm ~80% sure this one's a 2.8 V6 car. It's missing a few body pieces now. Is there any hope of fixing it for a profit, or should we just call the junkman?

glueguy
glueguy Reader
3/30/12 10:36 a.m.

Nothing meaningful to contribute, but I have a piece of an old GRM tacked to the wall in the garage. Article about various cars for LeMons/Chump and why some don't do well. The Fiero was one, it listed some maladies and summarized the vehicle as "it's like playing catastrophe roulette." I love that line.

series8217
series8217 New Reader
3/30/12 10:37 a.m.
Javelin wrote: This is purely a profit exercise, I harbor no intentions of keeping said POS. (In fact Mrs. Javelin flipped out when the flatbed arrived asking if I had bought some POS without telling her until it pulled into the neighbor's drive). I'm ~80% sure this one's a 2.8 V6 car. It's missing a few body pieces now. Is there any hope of fixing it for a profit, or should we just call the junkman?

I don't think it's worth it, but it depends on the market where you live, and how good you are at fooling someone into paying $3k for a $1500 car.

Out here in California, I bought an 88 for $2k in 2001 with 25,000 miles on it, rust free, no body damage, just oxidized clearcoat. When I wrecked that car, I bought another 88 for $250 with a cracked head and put all my parts in it. The chassis had 160,000 miles on it.

iceracer wrote: There where two "Iron Duke " engines. The throw away one that came in the stock car. The race one produced by Pontiac Performance was quite different.

The race motor is called the "Super Duty". "Iron Duke" usually refers to the 2.5L production motor.

Gearheadotaku
Gearheadotaku SuperDork
3/30/12 11:04 a.m.

The 4cyl cars aren't much to get excited over unless you find a clean one for a motor swap. V6 cars move along just fine. Yes, 1988 is the best suspension and brake pkg. I autocrossed a stock one for several years with great success.

You mentioned a Green SE. Green was never a factory color. There was a nice blue in 87. Blue 87 SE would be worth something if in good shape.

The Yellow one 'down the street' is interesting. Yellow was 1988 only is are very, very rare. Yes rare color boost value on these. 88 GT's bring good money for clean examples. Formula cars were only in 88. They were GT's with out the fastback body.

Interior parts are getting hard to find in good shape. Body isn't too bad since they don't rust, but plan on painting. Mechanical bits are easy, very common GM stuff. I haven't found them any harder to work on than any front drive car.

Javelin
Javelin UltimaDork
3/30/12 11:58 a.m.

The green one has been repainted (very, very well when it was done, too bad the car's been wrecked) with the original green to purple "flip-flop" paint. DuPont Illusion IIRC? It's a "notchback" with "SE" on the quarter windows and the giant wing. Had the iconic 80's Pontiac 5-spoke/5-line wheels.

The Yellow one down the street is a repaint too, I would assume, since it's a little bright to be a factory color. It has yellow racing buckets and some hideous chrome wheels on it. "Fastback" body, 5-speed, and I'm ~75% sure it's a "GT".

car39
car39 HalfDork
3/31/12 10:09 a.m.

There are 6 of these that run on a fairly regular basis at my club. Most are heavily modded. The success rate seems to vary with the amount of time and $$, but everyone seems to have a good time with them. There's a scrapyard in CT called Fiero Farm that has most stuff. Biggest problem seems to be keeping front wheel bearings in them.

stanmore
stanmore
11/23/13 3:26 p.m.

I have sitting in my garage a 1984 Pontiac Fiero pace car 71,ooo Kl a wonderful car never any problems and still runs like a charm have it insured by Hagarty $170.00 per year complete cover age next year I have had it for 30 years will jot sell it under any circumstances (well maybe depends) just thought you should know not all cars were lemons if you maintain it or anything they usually last for ever

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