Ottawa Fiero Club Forum

Newbie here from Kingston.  Bought an '84 Fiero (see attached) last month and I'm waiting for the mechanic to get a chance to start doing some work.

Question:  What is the difference between the '84 coup and the SE?  I'm assuming mine is a play ole coupe as there is nothing on my ownership or on the car (from what I can see) saying "SE".

The reason I ask is that I am looking at upgrading the tires (currently 13" steel rims...hate the idea of putting plastic caps on them) and want to ensure that the tires/rim combination doesn't affect the spedometer.

I'll be asking for help along the way as I'm not a mechanic and I am not sure the mechinic where the car is sitting has worked on one recently.

Cheers, Derek

With the 84's SE doesn't really mean a whole lot just more options. I am Just south of Belleville about an hour from you if you need any thing, I have lots of spare parts and according to most just a little knowledge of Fiero's. Oh yea welcome to the club. Dan

Thank you, Dan.

When searching to find what tires were standard on the '84, the SE seems to have 14" compared to 13" on the "coup".

What rim size and matching tires should I opt for?

My mechanic is up in Parham.  It seems as though I am in charge of sourcing parts.   ???  Hopefully, he'll fax me a list soon so that I can get right on that.  I have tried contacting a parts guy out near Prescott (east of Brockville) but seem to have little luck in getting the guy to return my calls and e-mails.  If I had the skill and ability, I'd load the car onto a trailer and bring it into town (or to some other mechanic).  I think the current mechanic has too much on his plate as he is self-employed and not able to get any help.

Oh well. 

I'm sure I'll be asking you and others for advice.

In the meantime, suggestions on rims/tires?

Cheers, Derek

In my fiero "shed" I have 14's, 15's and 17's. It all depends on what kind of driving that you want to do. Cornering? - 17's. Meat on the ground? - 15's. Economy? - 14's.  Or have sets of each  ::)

In Kingston, but dealing with a parts vendor near Prescott?   ???

I'm guessing that which you need is not available over-the-counter from somewhere local?

Usual 14" tire size is 215-60/14 for stock Fiero's larger tires can be mounted but handling will suffer. Other FWD Pontiac cars had the same 14" aluminum rims but they are usually pitted badly or the clear coat is off. Have your mechanic or your self take a real good look in the rear wheel wells and trunk as well as below battery these are common areas for rust to hide. If it is Salmon Fiero's you are trying to contact get ready to be flat out robbed as his prices are insulting. I visit wreckers quite often if you need some thing let me know and I will look. Dan

Ball joints.  Callipers.  Not sure what else as I have yet to receive "the list".   :'(

The guy in Prescott has a bunch of Fiero's to part out (http://www.ripnet.com/fieroparts/index.htm).

I'm giving serious consideration to having the Fiero loaded onto the back of a trailer and brought to a local mechanic.

Cheers, Derek

 O0

Thanks, Dan.  It is Salmon Fiero's I have been trying to contact.  I told his dad that I wanted to buy some rims and I wanted to know when I could come by.  After a couple of phone calls and e-mails, all without a response, I've given up on dealing with them.

As soon as I get a parts list, I'll be in touch.

I'm feeling a bit bad about the idea of taking my Fiero elsewhere.  I just with the guy would be serious and start working on it.  Does anybody have recommendations on shops in my area?  I'm not looking forward to the tow bill either.   :'(

Cheers, Derek

If you like I completely rebuild Fiero's as well as do engine swaps on them. I am not a liscenced mechanic but I have a garage near by that I take the cars to when ready and he does the safety.
 Ball joints and such parts are still available new would reccomend installing only new parts when its suspension or brake related. Dan

Vanzyulen has Worked on my Northstar Fiero (alignment)  and before the northstar did all the other work on it . (maintenance BS I didn't want to do) They even did the clutch @ one point. We take all our cars there and they do good work .


Hope this helps.

J.McCreery
86 GT , 32V northstar V8 , Nitrous , 5spd , KOni's , Coilovers..you name it , I have it.

I may take you up on your offer, 2ML67.

Ok...here is the list:

Tires (I may as well get nice rims while I'm at it)
Horn
2 lower ball joints (1" lowering ball joints from Rodney Dickman...not much more for the upgrade??)
2 front calipers
2 rear calipers
2 front rotors
2 rear rotors
Muffler and pipes (I was thinking about the shop in Kingston that carries FlowMaster's...but I'm open to other suggestions)
Front Pads
Rear Pads

Is The Fiero Store my only/best option for new/rebuilt parts?  HELP!

Cheers, Derek

FYI since you're also thinking about different rims:  IIRC you need a 15" or larger diameter rim with Rodney's lowering ball joints.  A few people who have tried to use these with 14" rims have reported the LCA binding against the rim when the suspension is loaded.

Thanks for that info!

Giving it some sober second thought (not to mention advice from my wife) I think I'll just put new rubber on the 13" rims and throw on some hubcaps for next season.  Unless, of course, someone comes across some well priced 15" rims.

Cheers, Derek

Would also reccomend replacing the old brake metal and flex lines while you are at it as they are known for rusting. As for 15" rims I am running rims off a newer Suinfire. If you look at www.photosled.com/showgallery.php/cat/631
you will see some pictures of my red 86 SE with the Sunfire rims on it as well as some of the other cars I have worked on. Dan

Did Brian not already say he had 15's in his shed?

Aaron

.

I have 15" stock rims on my 88, and have RD lowering ball joints and have not been able to install them because of clearance problems.

BTW: I use all of my rims - 17 for the 85 and 15 for the 88 and the 14" for the winter storage.   

I have 3 brake pads on the way thanks to GoFast88.   O0

Anybody have a single pad to spare (kind of like the Seinfeld episode..."Help a guy out.  Spare a tissues?")

I think I may also have rims and tires...just waiting to hear back from a forum user who is away on business right now.

Cheers, Derek

UPDATE

• Rims are bought (thank you Gord aka 87GT)
• Tires:  I'll be buying new rubber, but Gord has graciously lent me his tires so that I can get my car into town   O0
• Horn - I'll do that in the spring
• STILL NEED:  Lower ball joints
• STILL NEED:  2 front calipers and 2 front rotors
• Rear rotors, pads and calipers - Thank you to 87GT and GoFast88 (aka Brian)
• Muffler - I'll get that done in the spring (FlowMaster possibly) and have the safety and Drive Clean done all by the same mechanic

So things are looking good.  As soon as I get the lower ball joints and front rotors/calipers, I can get it all to the mechanic and hopefully get it back to Kingston ASAP.

Cheers, Derek
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just to let you know, you dont have to have drive clean done on your car as it is over 20 years old

Are you serious?!  I thought the whole idea of the Ontario Drive Clean program was to target old cars like ours. 

Wait.  What am I saying?!  It was all about the money for businesses operating Drive Clean testing centres.   :P

Thank you for that info.   O0

Cheers, Derek

Caveat emptor:

Just because the car is 20 years old does not necessarily make it exempt!

If for example it requried an e-test at its last licence plate renewal, the e-test was never done and it hasn't been plated since, "they" may still require having your tail pipe probed.

...at least that's how it was once explained to me.  Best bet if you want to avoid a surprise, is to have your favorite MTO office run the VIN and tell you whether or not you'll need to pass an e-test before they'll let you put plates on it.

Why is it I feel as though it is my back pocket/cheque book that is being probed?   >:(

Cheers, Derek

$30 isn't so bad. MTO will ask for more than that every year.

You can check on the ontario "driveclean"site, with your vin # you can find out the last past/fail. And assuming it can be trusted, they also have a spot where you can determine the next due date of your test.. 

One major annoyance now however, is that all 20 year old cars when being registered with a new owner.. is that you must have an appraisal of the vehicles value, the mandatory package that says its worth whatever isnt enough..... heck you might have bought elvis's fiero (it would be blue, with suede interior) and be planning on making a fortune. just went through this with both a car i just bought and one a friend bought, fortunatelly the appraiser was a realistic fellow.

  G A

Hi Derek,

I am from kingston as well. If you need frontend parts I can tell you from experience order them from Odessa Auto Parts out in Odessa. I got all Moog parts at 1/3 the cost from all the others (Autopak, Napa, CDN Tire)

Also for general auto repairs I have taken mine to Robert's on Duff street they are Fiero friendly (I saw one other when mine was there) and the hourly rate is reasonable and you CAN supply your own parts.

I gave MTO an appraisal (the seller happened to have an appraisers licence) to get an unplated permit.  What a hassle!  The seller said I shouldn't need one, but "just in case".  Thankfully he gave me one!

As for having Elvis's Fiero, don't forget that the horn would have a bullet hole in it.   ^-^

Cheers, Derek

Thank you! 

Overall, it was cheaper for the mechanic in Parham to buy the front rotors, ball joints and calipers (though not by much) when compared to Napa (I refuse to shop at CT unless I absolutely need to).  I see that we are getting a new automotive parts store at the RioCan Centre on Gardiners Road (can't remember the name of it).

So you have no Fiero?   :'(

Cheers, Derek

If you were hoping to get it saftied before the winter I don't believe it will pass with a non-functioning horn.


Welcome to the obsession and the forum btw  :)   

Thank you for the welcome.   :D

I'm going to wait until spring to get the safety done.  I need a muffler as well, so I'll do all that at the same time (as well as the tune-up).

What I need to do now is find a job in the city I live in (I currently commute 30 km each way) so that I can justify selling the third vehicle we bought for the commute and use that money to change out the engine in the Fiero.   I'll wait until that happens before broaching the subject with my wife.  :-X

Cheers, Derek

just tell her by changing out the engine to a new one.... it will be better on fuel, so you wont need the third vehicle for commuting  >:D 

I'd have to jack the car up and include 4-wheel drive before she let's me call it a year-round commuter.  You see, I bought the Fiero for commuting, thinking it would serve me for most of the year (minus the snowy season).

Well...that just didn't pan out, so a few weeks later (when it was evident my mechanic couldn't look at it sooner) we bought a '97 Blazer.  I wanted a simple little car but my wife insisted I have 4x4 capability.  Actually, we have all-wheel drive when needed with our Honda Element, but that needs to stay at home in the driveway for nights when she has to take the dogs (all 4 of them) to the park.   ::)

Cheers, Derek

I have an 85se that I have been slowly restoring. It is on the road but I'm always tinkering with something. The new parts store is PartsSource which is owned by CT.

As a side note I found the bills for some of my frontend parts for comparison;
Outer Tie rod $74.75
pair of inner tie rods $73.60 total
upper ball joint $51.75

all moog.

What killed me is I needed a rear tie rod assembly and had to by that from Condie's with a discount it was $213 ouch.

And as someone else had mentioned, because the car had not been E-TESTED I had to pass atleast once.