Fiero Tips for Enthusiasts             Updated for 2007
by Keith E. Risler

Subject Index
1. Ensuring the Engine is Up-to-Date
2. A Dashboard Repair Tip

About the Pontiac Fiero

Fieros in any model year are rare on Canadian roads as of 2007. There were basically only two meaningful Fiero variants--V-6 and 4-cylinder models. The 4-cylinder Fiero faded fast from use owing to its mediocre motor; but the V-6 Fieros soldiered on in general use for a long time.

Although production runs for the mid-engine plastic-bodied Pontiac Fiero were not high and the car was in production less than four years, inexpensive recycled parts for V-6 Fieros are were readily available for a number of years, as many of the cars went to wreckers so quickly.

As wrecker-stored Fiero parts are diminishing in availability in this part of Canada (Southwestern Ontario), owners may have to rely on specialized vendors such as The Fiero Store (discussed below) for parts over time, more and more.

The two-seat Fiero tended to be bought by young drivers and was driven hard, typically leading a short but sassy service life. Part of the drive to an early grave came from the fact that, with only two seats, there was never a huge market for the car, and new Fiero buyers tended to ditch them as soon as they had families to transport. Few original owners had an incentive to maintain them, as most did not expect to keep them over time.

The V-6 Fiero was produced as the GT starting in 1985, and as the  GT and SE after 1985. The GT received a relatively small body style change in 1986--making it a "fastback"--but had few mechanical changes during the Fiero's production history. The 1985 GT depicted here had the highest power motor used by these cars, which was "available" for only the 1985 year. Restyled "fastback" GTs made later had ten less horsepower--or, rather were marketed as having ten less horsepower, as the engine appears to have been identical at its core. 

The 1986 V-6 engine did get a redesigned exhaust manifold treatment, which might, we may presume, have resulted in a lessening of horsepower. All recalled V-6 Fieros--assuming the recall was actually done on any one Fiero (see below for details)--received an update to the 1986 engine configuration, at least with respect to the manifold changes. 

The GT was first sold in 1985, which was the Fiero's second year of production, with the SE in 1986 getting the V-6 of the GT--but not its performance suspension or extra-sensitive steering at road speed. The 4-cylinder model was the first Fiero, and it appeared in 1984.

Produced in Relatively Low Numbers
The 1985 Fiero GT depicted on this page was one of less than 23,000 manufactured in 1985 for sale in the U.S. and Canada, with total GT production in the 1985-1986 model years being only about 35,000 GT models.

From 1985 through 1986 inclusive there were likely fewer than 126,000 4-cylinder Fieros manufactured.

Production was halted for the 1987 model year, giving the Fiero one of the shortest production runs in modern North American automotive history.

Parts, Manuals and Reference Works
While we have never ordered from them, an outfit located in the United States called The Fiero Store sells most of the parts needed to rebuild and maintain Fieros.

OEM and third-party service manuals, Haynes service manuals, plus a variety of Fiero accessories  including cups and T-shirts with the Fiero logo, models of the Fiero, and Fiero books are also for sale at The Fiero Store. You can even get copies of the PBS Motorweek on-air reviews of the Fiero, from the 1980s! To explore--and this is NOT a paid advertising link--The Fiero Store, visit the store online at: http://www.fierostore.com.  

The best way to find other current Fiero resources is to Google "Fiero parts" (or some other related Fiero phrase), which will yield a plethora of Fiero-related and Fiero-specific Web sites.

Do a search in your Usenet newsgroup reader for "Fiero" to find the alt.autos.fiero Fiero newsgroup where you can get expert advice from other owners on Fiero rebuilding, painting and maintenance. This newsgroup is less active than it was; but, there are several Web sites now offering Fiero forums. as these tend to change over time, we suggest using Google to find current forums.

If you're about to restore a Fiero or rebuild an engine in a V-6 Fiero, you'll want to ensure that the engine is repaired or restored to the correct configuration. Doing it right to begin with might mean finding a car that has had the engine recall and has the newer parts already installed. This information may assist the process of restoring one of these truly great little cars. In the U.S., the Fiero is enjoying a growing popularity among enthusiasts who know just how enjoyable and attention-getting a carefully restored V-6 Fiero can be.

Ensuring the Engine Is Up-to-Date

V-6 Fiero GTs and SEs from 1986 onward differed in some external body panels, so they looked different, but were otherwise close to being identical mechanically to 1985 V-6 Fieros. 

RECALL DETAILS
In 1990 certain V-6 Pontiac Fieros were recalled in Canada to reduce the possibility of engine compartment fires. A similar recall was conducted in the United Sates for U.S. Fiero owners, possibly at an earlier date than the Canadian recall. This web page applies to Canada. If you are a U.S. Fiero owner you should visit the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) web site and search for Fiero recalls, to find the equivalent U.S.-applicable recall data.

Transport Canada information noted the Canadian recall applied to 8,919 Fieros in the 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1988 model years, describing the recall (Transport Canada Recall Number 1990101, Campaign Code 0A20/90042), as affecting:

"...vehicles equipped with 2.8 litre,6 cylinder engines. An interaction of the engine compartment environment and maintenance or service related factors could create the potential for an engine compartment fire which could spread to the passenger compartment. Correction: vehicles will have a manifold deflector installed, a PCI system modification, a minor change to deck lid sealing and a general inspection (and repair as necessary) of underhood fluid and wiring systems. Additionally, 1985-86 model year vehicles will have a new exhaust manifold installed to bring them up to 1987-88 specifications."  

ABOUT THE PHOTOS
The photos on this page will likely allow quick determination as to whether a 1985 GT model had the recall done by:

1. Noting the change in the air-cleaner-to-throttle-body air tube (labeled as "intake hose' in the photos below);
2. Noting absence of the decklid seal on the engine compartment lid following the recall. Notice the white dots in the top left of the "after" photo, which reveal the missing seal assembly when compared to the "before" photo.

Note: For info on licensing any other re-use of these pictures, click here.

Photo 1 - Before Recall


Photo 2 - After Recall

A Fiero Dashboard Repair Procedure

If your Fiero has cracked or broken dash corners, you can repair the problem easily using matte-finish model paints.

First, repair the damage using flexible quick-set epoxy available from an automotive supply store. It is often available in small packages that look much the same as the packages for regular 5-minute epoxy. Make sure you get the flexible epoxy though, as it is easily sanded. Contour with care before the epoxy hardens.

Sand the filled surface carefully by hand with appropriate sandpaper grades, rounding to match the dash contours smoothly,

Tamiya XF19 model paint--available at a serious hobby shop--is an exact match for the light gray used on a 1985 Fiero GT dashboard. But you can mix colors if necessary if the dash is not light gray. Do a color match test on a small hidden area before applying paint to the patched area, to ensure a good color match.

If looking for the 1985 Fiero dash light gray shade at a hobby shop, and they don't have Tamiya paints, try Humbrol's paint line.

The Humbrol line of model kit paints does have a light gray color that is an exact match exact as well; in Canada it is listed as matching the Tamiya XF19 color on Humbrol in-store displays. The reason the light gray is relatively easy to find in an exact match is that it matches a US Federal Standard Color Number. Model paints are often issued matching these specific colors.

The best application technique involves very light paint applications with as dry a brush as possible, in several layers if need be.

Tamiya XF19 paint is the best in my experience. On my 1985 Fiero GT one touch-up done ten years ago remains completely invisible, as the paint has not color-shifted or faded.

FINALIZING THE REPAIR
Protectant spray (Armorall protectant etc.) will tend to even out the surface texture should the matte painted surface be too "matte" for the surrounding dash. If you don't use protectant sprays on your dash, you can run a finger over the new paint. This artists' trick will usually transfer enough oil from your hand to lessen the matte finish and give it a slight sheen matching the dash.

CAUTION: Do not spray protectant directly on the dash area. If the spray contacts in-dash speakers the speakers may be damaged. Apply the protectant to a cloth and then wipe the protectant on the dash using the cloth. Also, using protectant might yellow the dash finish over time, so use this final protectant step at your own risk.

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