DETROIT, 12:33 AM, SAT MAY 17 | 35 POSTS IN THE LAST 24 HOURS | tips@jalopnik.com | SUBMIT A TIP | RSS
Posts Tagged “

Fiero

”
choose your eternity

PCH, Northstar Swap Edition: Toyota MR2 or Pontiac Fiero?

Since yesterday's Packard Straight Eight Swap Edition (which was won by the '37 Pontiac) was so much fun, we're going to stick with Alternative Powerplant Hell for another day. All engine swaps are fun, of course, but the best ones involve stuffing an engine much, much larger than anything the car's designers ever considered. When you accomplish such a swap, you get respect; when you start with the knuckle-shredding, sanity-destroyingly tight engine compartment of a small mid-engined car (say, a Fiero or MR2)... well, that's when folks start treating you with the deference reserved for the truly mad!
More »

5:20 PM on Fri Apr 18 2008
By Murilee Martin
5,022 views, 50 comments

Latest by Turboner: @BillStrong: Do what I did, get a wife who values torque over square footage... Wait, that came out wrong, I've got plenty of square "footage" where it counts! more »

novelties

CNN Revisits Italian Fauxrrari Forgeries

Proving once again the speed with which stories are cycled through in a 24-hour-news-cycle network, CNN has decided to run coverage on the gang of Italian Ferrari forgers we brought you back in February. The in-depth coverage includes pointing to, and comparing pictures of, a real Ferrari 328 GTS against the real fake example. Italian-accented experts remark on how good the outside is, then point out how poorly-executed the interior and engine are. Honestly, as far as Fierarris go, this one isn't too bad, and the dimmer among us would probably fall for the fakery unless giving it a more than a passing glance. [CNN]

5:00 PM on Fri Apr 18 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
3,878 views, 26 comments

Latest by danielm26: what is the point of faking a 328, they go for $30k anyway more »

down on the street

1986 Pontiac Fiero GT

We saw a DOTS Fiero a few months ago, and the mid-80s are recent enough that the Fiero may be something of an iffy candidate for DOTShood. However, nice ones are getting fairly rare nowadays and I figured we're due for a GT model in this series. That's the reason we're going to take a look at this very clean '86 Fiero GT I spotted on the island's East End, and it should provide us with fuel for a spirited debate on the contentious Fiero issue. Do we love the Fiero, even though the General bean-countered a great concept into something, well, somewhat less than great?
More »

9:00 AM on Thu Apr 10 2008
By Murilee Martin
4,271 views, 78 comments

Latest by thatguy01: Isn't the Fiero the infamous one-quart-low I4? more »

found on ebay

When A Regular Fierrari Is Just Not Enough: Fierrari Limo!


The Fiero Ferrari we saw recently was pretty nice, all right, and there's no denying the appeal of a Fieroborghini or the Fierenzo. But if you crave a Fiero-based Italian supercar, yet also need the VCR and mirrored ceiling of a limo... well, today is your lucky day! We've found this fine Fierrari that's been stretched and converted into full Limo Overload (and we mean that "Overload" part literally, because this vehicle still has the stock Iron Duke four-banger, which isn't quite working; the seller states "really dont exactly know? could be major eng? or Minor?"). But so what? You've got room for a GMC Twin Six in that easily-expanded engine compartment! [eBay Motors]

8:00 AM on Thu Mar 13 2008
By Murilee Martin
933 views, 47 comments

Latest by JoSCh: Yeah, this is ugly. His 8 seater roadster is the tits however... Bowchickabowwow! more »

media

Stephen Colbert Steals Fierarri Story...Again

We know we already told Stephen Colbert not to steal our stories. Apparently he's not listening. That's right, last night the propagator of "truthiness" yet again snatched up a story from our pages to splay across the basic cable airwaves. Last time it was "Our Country, Our Truck" and this time it's the Fiero Ferrari story. Stephen Colbert, just a reminder that this does nothing to help you get off of our "On Notice" list. Watch yourself there Frenchie — the only ones who should be doing any splaying whatsoever will be us.

5:50 PM on Wed Mar 12 2008
By Ray Wert
2,398 views, 30 comments

Latest by TR3-A: Hey, he's doing a parody of Republicans, part of which involves being unoriginal and stealing stuff from other people. He is very good at it. And yes, I thought it was funny, I laughed out loud which isn't real common more »

found on craigslist

Fierenzo Makes Way To CraigsList, Get It Now For $7500

Yes friends, while not quite as hot as the Fieroborghini, we've found the Coyote 3-kitted Fiero up on Tampa's Craigslist that gives our Enzo-saving hearts a warm and fuzzy feeling. Although the seller's doing a fine job, we've put together how our own ad would have read. Here goes:
"Have you always wanted a Ferrari Enzo, but just didn't want to put up the top dollar or found yourself not on the list to buy one? Well friends, who needs the Italian stallion when you can buy yourself a re-bodied 1986 Pontiac Fiero with the same level of reliability as a real Ferrari. Best of all, no one will ever know the difference. At least anyone with absolutely no knowledge of cars. And if they're blind. And if they lack both the sense of touch and hearing. Basically, if you're trying to impress a corpse on the cheap, the Fierenzo is the way to go..."


More »

10:40 AM on Tue Mar 11 2008
By Ray Wert
5,113 views, 74 comments

Latest by something_unique_and_descriptive: This is one of those cases where it would be really fun to be a rich douchebag. I'd love to buy this thing and then reenact Eddie Griffin's "N***er can't drive" (his words, not mine) incident within view of the current more »

down on the street

Fieroborghini, With Bonus Kit Car Identification Poll

Even though only 11% of you chose the If only they'd put Lamborghini bodies on them at the factory poll choice in Friday's DOTS Fiero poll, I feel compelled to share this fine example of a "Lamborghini Countach" that I spotted in the island's East End last week. Sure, the fit and finish isn't quite up to Yugo standards, but at least it's not another boring Camry or Malibu! I'm pretty sure it's based on the Pontiac Fiero chassis, but its smog check records indicate that it's registered as a 2000 model. That's why I'm including a poll, so that all of us have a chance to debate this car's identity.
More »

9:30 AM on Tue Jan 29 2008
By Murilee Martin
7,407 views, 55 comments

Latest by FuzzyPlushroom: The license plate isn't exactly accurate, now. more »

down on the street

1985 Pontiac Fiero SE, With Bonus Fiero Judgment Poll

When we had the Detroit Malaise Poll (which, by the way, was won by the beautiful T-top-equipped '78 Eldorado), I realized that I had no Late Malaise Detroit cars in this series. In fact, other than the '80 IHC Scout, we haven't had any 80s American vehicles here. To remedy this situation, I grabbed my camera and started walking, intending to shoot the first DOTS-worthy 80s Detroit car I found... and I didn't have to go far before I spotted an example of GM's coulda-been-a-contender mid-engine car...
More »

9:30 AM on Fri Jan 25 2008
By Murilee Martin
4,764 views, 104 comments

Latest by donkeyassman: hoho my 91' sunbird had the same rims... FUN BIRD!!! more »

choose your eternity

PCH, Kit Car Edition: Fieroborghini or Bradley GT?

With the unregisterable JDM WRX pounding the daylights out of the turbocharged SE-R in yesterday's Choose Your Eternity poll, you'd think we'd find a couple of nice Japanese cars for you. A couple of sweet deals on, say, an AE86 that was only driven to church on Sundays and a fully restorable Fairlady. You'd also think that bolts never cross-thread, circuits never short, and mushrooms never grow on car carpeting! No, this is Hell, where you take what you're given, and today you're given kit cars!
More »

5:30 PM on Thu Sep 20 2007
By Murilee Martin
5,104 views, 36 comments

Latest by athodyd: Question: exactly how terrible are Fieros? I've been poking around for a cheap, fun RWD car and I was looking at first or second-gen MR2's but they're not common in Tennessee and those that do exist aren't ever for sale. more »

fiero of the day

GT-Fiero?

Ah, the ceaselessly amazing world of Fiero-based exotic replicas. Which DNA has been implanted in the Fiero cell this time? Yes, it is indeed that of the Mk1 Ford GT40. V8 Archie's GT4T has V8 power, front and rear clamshell lids and um, uh, no Gurney Hump. Still, for a mere $45k, you can go out and shame Enzo Fiero all over again! We're totally buying one to go with our A.J. Foyt mask. Now we just need to find an ersatz Mulsanne straight in some sprawling Central Valley mixed-use office-industrial complex. More »

5:00 PM on Wed Jul 11 2007
By Davey G. Johnson
3,504 views, 20 comments

Latest by nytmare: @crewcutkid: You'd prefer, what, a Corvette look-alike Fiero-based kit car? Or maybe a short-and-skinny 57 Chevy? more »

fiero of the day

V8 Fiero Shakers Us All Night Long!

After a few days of being tortured by depressing kit-car Fieros, now it's time for a modified Fiero that isn't lame. The 4.9 Cadillac V8 swap is becoming a fairly popular one and, while scoring much lower on the Rad-O-Meter than a Northstar swap, we like it for its junkyardy bang-for-buck simplicity. Here's an '88 Fiero (the one with the good suspension) that's been treated to a Caddy 4.9, Muncie 4-speed, and body modifications that retain the car's essential Fierosity while not triggering an intense urge to projectile-vomit. We'd like it a lot better with some form of forced induction, of course. – Murilee Martin More »

4:30 PM on Thu May 10 2007
By Murilee Martin
6,327 views, 32 comments

Latest by null: Comment on V8 Fiero Shakers Us All Night Long! @jayP71 I got to ask, just how big a boy are you? I'm 6'6", and far from skinny, and the Fiero was actually quite comfortable for long trips. I can more »

fiero of the day

Yet More Fieros Sacrificed On the Kit Car Altar: JISOD 8F402

Really, we're going to start putting good Fieros (i.e., ones with actual Fiero bodies and plenty of horsepower) up real soon, but the can't-stop-staring morbid fascination with the world of hideous faux-talian-supercar Fiero-based kit cars has us hooked on the horror for another day. Here's the JISOD 8F402, a Fiero conversion that's somewhat Ferrari-ish, in the same way that hanging a Playboy air-freshener from your rearview mirror makes you sort of Hugh Hefner-ish. Better move fast if you want one of these kits, though, because as the dude selling them says: "Only 3 glass bodys left when there gone their GONE." You heard the man! – Murilee Martin More »

1:30 PM on Wed May 9 2007
By Murilee Martin
1,880 views, 27 comments

Latest by Turboner: @v8killer: How about the low, low price of $26,000 for a turnkey replica F40? more »

fiero of the day

Elevate Your Social Status Now!

Maybe the best thing about this eBay listing (aside from the surprising lack of ALLCAPS) is the fact that the seller never mentions that this car is, in fact, a Fiero (however, the VIN tells the whole story). No, see, that's an "88 GM chassis" underneath that half-installed crypto-Lambo body kit and photographed with such careful ineptitude. But hey, quibbling about the chassis' origins won't stop this Fieroborghini and its pushrod V6 from following through on the seller's promise that it will elevate the winning bidder's social status. It's even got a genuine Diablo gas cap cover! Because chicks dig a man with the right gas cap cover.– Murilee Martin More »

1:30 PM on Tue May 8 2007
By Murilee Martin
3,378 views, 27 comments

Latest by lolskylar: Why is everyone so negative? the car is a work of art. i'de pay 20k-25k for a complete lambo replica if the work has been done properly, the interior is even nice. its not a half-kit with the boxy incredibly 80's more »

retro

Fiero of the Day: Adventures In Car-Selling Optimism

So here's a fairly clean '86 Fiero, with 173,000 miles and some balls-not-to-wall mods. The price? $12,000. Just to put that in persective, feeding the numbers through the Inflation Calculator produces a result of $6644.31 in 1986 dollars, somewhat more than half the $11K a V6 Fiero SE cost new. So either the Fiero is the King of Low Depreciation Rate or maybe there's some confusion about the going rate for Fieros these days. Oh, and it's an automatic. – Murilee Martin More »

12:45 PM on Mon May 7 2007
By Murilee Martin
1,811 views, 14 comments

Latest by Sketch242: I believe the only mid-engined Ferrari with a V6 is the Dino. more »

kit cars

Burning-Hot Fiero Kit Car Could Be Yours: Archie Finale!

The Fiero was a sales disappointment for GM, but it was a godsend for kit-car makers! Of course, we all know there's nothing like a Fiero-based sports car that looks like a Lambo that got left in the dryer too long (especially when it has a vaguely V12-ish plastic engine cover), but here's yet another variation on the theme: Archie Finale! According to the seller (who's bucking the kit-car eBay listing trend and eschewing the usual ALLCAPS style), "The car is Viper blue—in other words the same color thats on the Dodge Viper." Yes, folks, thats (sic) got to mean the car is as fast as a Viper! This Alabama-based ride has been bid up to $7,109.99 already, but for some reason the seller's very optimistic reserve price hasn't been met. – Murilee Martin More »

5:30 PM on Fri May 4 2007
By Murilee Martin
7,198 views, 38 comments

Latest by Sketch242: I don't know about the website, but the Zimmer is real. I didn't think they were still available though. I've seen a few pictures, but in over 10 years of attending Fiero shows, I've only seen one in more »

classic ad watch

1985 Fiero GT, Now With Burning Hot V6!

Of all the forehead-slapping what-might-have-been heartbreakers perpetrated by The General over the years, the Fiero really stands out. Undermined by the bean-counters' insistence on the Iron Duke engine and Chevette-based suspension, the Fiero that was grunted out of the factory in '84 bore little resemblance to the Ferrari-esque vision of its designers. For the '85 model year, however, a (somewhat flammable) 140-horse V6 was available, boosting performance from "sluggish" all the way up to "not so bad." Fly, Fiero, fly! Fry, bean counters, fry! – Murilee Martin More »

10:30 AM on Fri May 4 2007
By Murilee Martin
2,861 views, 33 comments

Latest by leighton: I still have an SEV6 as a daily driver. The thing IS a blast to drive in a retro kinda way. You feel like you are driving a low tank with all the weight of the space frame and V6 more »

ad watch

Wicked Winnipeg Fieros, eh?

Winnipeg, 1986. Folks sunning themselves at what appears to be a drainage pond at a rock quarry realize they need to make a little excitement part of everything they do. And we all know how to do that: FIERO! – Murilee Martin More »

11:34 AM on Wed Feb 14 2007
By Murilee Martin
530 views, 7 comments

gossip

Oh Noes: Pontiac Fiero Coming Back?

Arguably, GM killed the Pontiac Fiero just as it was getting all the kinks worked out — the fires, the Chevette front suspension (and Chevy Citation rear), the Revellesque build quality. By the last year of production, 1988, the plastic wonder was actually a decent driver that barely ever burst into flames. But could it be coming back? The Left Laneers did some rooting around the US patent office yesterday and came up with this bit. It seems GM reregistered the Fiero name earlier this year. LLN speculates it could be used for the on-again-off-again Pontiac Solstice coupe, though we have out doubts. No matter. Something may or may not be in the works, and we'll be paying attention. Oh, and Pontiac's in the process of re-upping "Firebird," just in case you thought that was the more important story. More »

8:36 AM on Fri Sep 8 2006
By Mike Spinelli
3,209 views, 15 comments

Latest by carguy8t8: I have owned several 1988 fieros since I purchased one new in 1988. I still love them today as much as I did back then. There isn't any other car I would rather be driving on a sunny Sunday afternoon more »