Colinb17's Little Red Rocket Build: 1988 Fiero

Looks like that last one changed his lights as well.

Guess you'll find out, the first time you get a wink. lol

 

Yes, some of the guys have changed them out for recessed projectors. Obviously the light output is fantastic, but with how recessed they become, the light doesn't hit the ground until about 20 feet in front of you. Since I'm not a huge fan of always driving with your fog lights on, in going to stay away from that. What I would love to do though, is build a frame to house a flip-up projector. You can then limit how far up the light raises. And if a motor or gear box ever goes out and gives me a wink, there are a couple of reasonably priced aftermarket replacements.

Stock vs low profile. He used a halogen, but it would looks the same as a projector.

 

Welded up a bumper stiffening frame that ties the lower bumper/splitter, back to the front crossmember. This should be a huge improvement to the splitters rigidity. All of the strength is now provided by the frame, and the turnbuckles are solely there to fine tune the angle of the splitter.

I did manage to take it for a 65 mph spin out to dinner. You can hear that there is more air rushing around the sides of the car, vs under the car. This a good thing, as it the high pressure air going around the sides. The canards should be coming in tomorrow. These should keep this air flowing around the sides, doing so in a relatively laminar manner. The goal is to reduce high pressure turbulent flow.

 

Well done sir.

 

I am jealous of your project. These are GREAT cars! I came across one on campus last week, and while it was raining and 40 degrees, I couldn't help but stand there in the rain taking pics and video. The owner did a very clean resto, painting the thing electric blue with a fresh interior and Grand Prix turbo wheels..
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNsKhQIglktSP2rFHeYs-KBWZuHLKPNwwr9INo0/?taken-by=dadburgers&hl=en

I'm sure you've seen it, but here's the Regular Car Guy review for an '86 GT:

https://youtu.be/-X4pvsoZ35k

 

I've actually never seen that before. That was fantastic.

Unfortunately, the Instagram link you posted isn't working

 

that is bright!

 

Small turn buckle, vs the ones I actually need for the center two

 

Where did you get those?

 

They're just some cheapies off Amazon. Supposedly that are all stainless, with the sleeve being aluminum.

 

Loved the Fiero as a kid and wanted one...stumbled across your thread and ended up reading the whole thing Love your build

 

Thanks! I think some of the pictures have stopped working, so I need to go back and update some posts with unbroken photo links. hopefully most of it was still visible.

it's been a really fun build so far, and I've certainly learned a lot; both about the Fiero, on-road performance in general, as my experience prior to the feiro was 100% off road related.

As with the Tacoma build, there is definitely more to come

 

I wish we had more mid-engine coupe options here in America. At least once a week my mind drifts to Fieros, with their low center of gravity, short wheelbase and weight distribution. The MR2 was around for awhile, but that car got straight dangerous at the end of its run. Then came the Miata and S2000 era. Can you imagine how sick a modern American Low displacement turbo mid-engine coupe would be? There's been a lot of technical innovation over the past 30 years.

 

For some reason I can't get off of lotus, reading this post. Move the cab forward a foot and stuff a small V6 back there!

Is is a shame that you have to essentially go Lamborghini/Ferrari/Porsche to get a mid engine these days.

 

I guess Audi is another high dollar option as well.

Truly too bad there isn't a mid engine out there for under 50k. That would be a market changing car.

 

The Corvette is going mid-engine, but that's up around $70,000-$100,000+
I wish there were an entry-level mid-engine "commuter" like the Fiero these days. The BRZ/FRS is the nearest toy I can think of off the top of my head. Imagine if Ford had kept the Probe nameplate around with a turbo Ecoboost mounted behind the driver. They've been sitting on the Reflex concept for a decade. They'd never explore this venture because it would dig into the Focus RS pot.

 

Ooh, Canards



They'll be goin on the very outside of the splitter, right in front of the tires. Mounted to the underside of the splitter, coming up around the edge.

 

All this Aero, the engine is going to need some love too.

 

don't tell my wife that.