The seller has this project 1985 Pontiac Fiero in front of a nice little Buick Special in a double storage unit and it looks like something that I would do, and have done. A lot of us have squirreled away project cars and this one is listed here on eBay in Martinez, California. There is a single bid of $100 and no reserve.
The Pontiac Fiero was introduced for the 1984 model year and they were made up until 1988, just five short years. According to most sources, Pontiac got it almost exactly right just as the hammer fell on the model and they were discontinued. I do like the early cars like this ’85 but at 6′-5″ tall it’s not the most pleasant place for me to be for an extended period of time. No cross-country road trips for me in this car.
Actually, nobody will be taking a cross-country road trip in this car anytime soon, if ever. The seller bought it as a project car and they don’t say how long they’ve owned it or how long it’s been off the road. The title is missing but they’ll provide a bill of sale. They were going to create a race car of some sort so a title wasn’t necessary and they say that it’s been out of the California DMV system for so long that it may not be in the system anymore. I don’t know if that’s the case but unless your state is uber-harsh about titles, hopefully that isn’t a deal-breaker.
Speaking of squirreling away, the two-passenger interior looks like it’s been eaten by squirrels. I’m guessing that’s mostly sun damage but I don’t know for sure. Whatever it is, it’s pretty well gone. Seats can always be fixed and reupholstered but the dash cracks are a bummer and who knows what else is going on in there. Check out the photos to see the full extent of the interior damage if you dare.
I think this is a photo of the engine bay, sort of, although it’s a mid-engine car but bits and pieces of it are poking out here. The engine is a version of GM’s Iron Duke 2.5L with just under 100 hp. The seller thinks that it may be locked up but they aren’t sure. The wheels alone are worth more than $100, how much would you pay for this Fiero and what would you do with it?
I want a fiero but this one is in sorry shape.. glwta!
One thing to remember about the early Fieros, they had no power steering. I was a car jockey when they came out, and the manual cars were tough to park in tight spaces.
They were certainly fun to drive, though. Too bad this particular example is so far gone. You can buy a running iron duke out of a junkyard for a couple hundred bucks, don’t even bother with trying to revive that engine. The tougher part will probably be the trim and interior bits. Would be a fun project.
We once took delivery of five of these that had been in a flood at the dealer Dad managed. Pontiac was going to scrap them, but dad was on an advisory board at the local tech school. He brokered a deal to remove the VINs and donate the cars. Wonder if they still have them.
My school had a donated Fiero, black, with a manual and the Iron Puke. It was fun to get sideways in the parking lot. It could have been Pontiac’s Corvette with the right support… I love the later GT.
This one will remain underwater when all is said and done. (And BTW, don’t call me Poncho!)
I know it doesn’t matter much in this condition, but it’s not an 84, based on the later rear deck lid
Rik, you’re right! You have a very good eye, sir. I neglected to run the VIN and it decodes to being a 1985 model, my apologies. I have edited the year in the article.
A guy on YouTube took 3 years restoring one. He was pretty thorough. I binged the whole series. Here’s a “shorter” version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3yPJ8RHq7w&t=1015s
Thanks, Mike! I just watched that and it’s pretty amazing how much that guy knows at such a young age. Or at any age.
Given the price of Fieros in 1+ condition, you’d be a fool to buy this for anything but spare parts. What a waste of money it would be to try to restore it.
Auction update: this Fiero sold for $305.