Pontiac Mera - impart thy knowledge o wise ones

My latest Automotive ADD lust target is the Fiero based Pontiac Mera.

What know you knowledge base?

I had to look that up...

I was unaware such a thing existed.

Likewise .

http://www.fiero.net/mera/article.html

Interesting, though. Quite a convincing Ferrari lookalike, too.

yes... and sold through pontiac dealers too? that is pretty impressive. I can see why GM wanted no parts of it though, nobody wanted to feel the wrath of enzo

I've been an admirer for a couple of years now, and only discovered them after the 308 replica bug bit me....hard.

What I can't find definitive answers on are power steering. Did the later Fieros have P/S?

I think I've seen one.. a few years ago I spotted what I at first thought was a 308, but when I got closer I could tell the proportions were not quite right, but it looked to good to be a typical kit car. At the time I thought it was a exceptionally well finished kit. I bet it was really one of those.

http://www.searchtempest.com/results.php?location=47203&maxDist=2000&region_us=1&search_string=MERA&keytype=adv&Region=na&cityselect=zip&page=0&category=8&srchType=T&subcat=cto&minAsk=min&maxAsk=max

Here's one. And that seems to be the going rate for good ones. Which is way out of my GRM type budget.

I actually owed two of them. Go after the 88 its a significantly better Mera, though they tend to bring a bit more cash.

If its missing ANY body part that is specific to the Mera run and hid. Things like sail panels are impossible to find.

If you blackout the roof it will help with the ascetics. Soaking all the black trim in back to black seems to be the best way to get them back to looking decent.

The 355 interiors for Fiero's look better in the Mera then the 308 for some reason and they are significantly easier to buy,

mad_machine wrote: I can see why GM wanted no parts of it though, nobody wanted to feel the wrath of enzo

henry-badger didn't give a berkeley!

http://detroit.ebayclassifieds.com/classic-cars/troy/1984-ferrari-308-gt-replica/?ad=15681714&msg=OUT_OF_AREA

This 84 replica on a Fiero lists P/S? I've emailed the seller, but haven't heard back yet.

Never heard on one till now. Do like it though.

guess they aren't planning on selling it in Latin countries under that name.

Sounds like Merda

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/merda

or mierda

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mierda

hmmm...didn't even know what one was until I just Googled it. wonder if they named it the Mera Ferrari on purpose. To an italian that literally sounds like "Sh_t Ferrari"

i saw on at the Ford employee car show in Dearborn last summer. before that, i only knew of it through the wikis.

Is this what Rutledge bought on Top Gear last season?

mthomson22 wrote: http://detroit.ebayclassifieds.com/classic-cars/troy/1984-ferrari-308-gt-replica/?ad=15681714&msg=OUT_OF_AREA This 84 replica on a Fiero lists P/S? I've emailed the seller, but haven't heard back yet.

That should be an '85 or newer. 84 was 4 cylinder only, and the junction box by the battery was not there in 84. That car isn't too far from me if you would like me to check it out. The auto should swap out for a 5-speed with moderate fuss.

No Fiero had P/S from the factory. It was planned for '88 but dropped at the last second. There are even references to it in the service manual. I have heard of retro fits.

Mechanicals are easy to get and service, Mera trim parts, impossible as mentioned before. 1988 model worth the extra money. Rides and handles way better.

If you haven't been to Pennocks Fiero forum, it's a good place to start.

Gearhead - I read about the electro/hydraulic p/s option that died for the '88, and wondered in my little brain if maybe that was to be a replacement for an existing p/s setup.

Links to p/s retrofit please?

I've been all over Pennocks for the last year or so.

I'm specifically looking for an automatic car with p/s because http://www.miata.net/motm/2007/thomson.html

thanks for any help, mark

http://www.westcoastfiero.com/power_steering/power_steering_installed.html

Found a p/s conversion. After seeing that I'm curious how hard to the Fieros steer with the oem non power steering?

failboat wrote: Is this what Rutledge bought on Top Gear last season?

Yep.

...or at least a copy of the Mera. I googled and found a fiero forum going on and on about it actually being a copy of the copy of the 308. And how TG just has to go and ruin ANOTHER fiero...

failboat wrote: ...or at least a copy of the Mera. I googled and found a fiero forum going on and on about it actually being a copy of the copy of the 308. And how TG just has to go and ruin ANOTHER fiero...

I've read that all of the 308 replica kits for the Fiero were molded from the Mera.

Pretty!

It seems to me you shouldn't need power steering in a 2500 pound mid-engine car. But that's just me.

I steer with the right hand and use hand controls with the left, so power steering is usually welcome....but I've never tried a Fiero.

Ahh, I forgot about that! Sorry, and you're right, power steering would help in that case.

dculberson wrote: Pretty! It seems to me you shouldn't need power steering in a 2500 pound mid-engine car. But that's just me.

From everything I have heard the steering in the Fiero is a little on the heavy side.