WTB: '88 V6 5-spd for $500 or less

[Chase Race]

I've been doing 24 Hour of LeMons for a couple years now. First in an '88 Peugeot 505 turbo and most recently (this last weekend) in an '87 Merkur XR4Ti. It's time for a Fiero to be represented well at LeMons.

Fieros show up every now and then and do poorly and subsequently have a reputation of poor handling (they spin out a lot) and unreliability. I figure this is because nobody builds an '88 and because the people campaigning them are not Fiero experts. I know enough about them, and racing in general, that I figure I could build a reliable top 10 car.

If anybody knows of one within a day's tow of Seattle let me know. My primary criteria is that the car is mechanically complete and structurally sound. I don't need any interior. Crashed cars are ok as long as none of the suspension is damaged beyond repair. Non-running or dead transmission acceptable depending on price.

Now before you all tell me that I'm crazy for trying to find an '88 V6 5-spd for this price let me tell you that I've personally seen two cars fitting this description - one I purchased about 7 years ago and another I just missed out on a couple weeks ago. I know it's a long shot but these do come around once in a while so let me know if you hear of anything.

[The Dark Side of Will]

I bought my Formula 5 speed for 4-500 depending on how much the other thing I bought with it is worth ($900 for both).

[jelly2m81]

I think you will do well with a 88, most people just drive them wrong, drive them like an earlier year where you just have to muscle the fucking thing through a corner. 88's you let them do the job, don't go yanking that steering wheel like an idiot like you gotta in a pre-88.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Yes, '88's are *MUCH* easier to drive than early cars. My Formula hardly feels like the same chassis as my Northstar '87.

I have Koni struts set full stiff on the rear. With the factory rear bar, it still has some "tail wag" when sliding the rear due to the struts matching the springs, but not the extra roll stiffness from the bar.

[CincinnatiFiero]

Yes, '88's are *MUCH* easier to drive than early cars. My Formula hardly feels like the same chassis as my Northstar '87.

I have Koni struts set full stiff on the rear. With the factory rear bar, it still has some "tail wag" when sliding the rear due to the struts matching the springs, but not the extra roll stiffness from the bar.

My 88GT and 87 3800SC don't even remotely drive the same. Wish I'd done the SC in an 88.

[Nashco]

I'll keep my eyes peeled down here Doug. The deals are out there...my Grassroots $2009 car started as a $500 Formula and had a great body and interior. Of course, for LeMons/Chump, the body and interior don't matter. If you come across a smokin' deal on an earlier car and feel like swapping the cradle, let me know, I've got most of the parts needed.

If you end up doing a crapcan Fiero and there's space on the team, I would be interested in building and driving. I'm right there with you...I know Fieros well, I have done enough racing to know how to make a car hold together, and I get a good chuckle out of most of the Fieros at LeMons/Chump car.

I can't recall if you've done any Chump Car stuff yet...I'm trying to recall if you were at their PIR event on halloween but my mind is blank. If not, you should definitely check it out. I enjoyed Chump Car much more than LeMons, and there's a 24 hour event in Spokane this summer. Even if there's no time to build a Fiero before then, it might be worth dragging one of those other cars out to Spokane for a TRUE 24 hour race. 24 hours straight is WAY more fun than the banker's hours racing, in my opinion.

Bryce

[eHoward]

Wow, chump car seems like a cool series! That's the first I've heard of it.

[Shaun41178(2)]

86se 4 spd with poly everywhere and corvette brakes? shipping would kill you though from florida.

[Nashco]

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/1767500965.html

$1200 for an '88 GT. Keep in mind that if you (hypothetically) buy an '88 GT for $900 and sell off $500 worth of stuff, you've got yourself a $400 car. Also keep in mind that LeMons doesn't give a crap about your actual budget anymore...they call it BS judging for a reason. Personally, I still stick to the $500 rule because I find it more fun...it's no fun to do well if you know you're cheating. On the flip side, it's also no fun when you know the other guys are cheating and you're not.

Bryce

[The Dark Side of Will]

The only unfair fight is the one you lose.

[Atilla the Fun]

Every Fiero lover on earth wants an '88 for $500. Or just the cradle and rear suspension for $1000. If I find one, I'm that much closer to challenging the Enzo. Sorry. But I don't have that kind of luck. I'm too much of a loser. Or I'd already have an '88 GT.

[Nashco]

Every Fiero lover on earth wants an '88 for $500.

Yeah, but every Fiero owner isn't trying to get it for $500 specifically because of class rules, they're just plain cheap. Doug has plenty of experience racing Fieros, so he's trying to use his powers for good and hoping like minded Fiero owners (such as me!) want to help him out. The deals are out there...just have to spread your search window and hope for a little luck. Keep in mind the car can be completely beat cosmetically...the interior and body can be in absolute shambles, he just needs some good usable bones.

Bryce

[fieroguru]

Every Fiero lover on earth wants an '88 for $500. Or just the cradle and rear suspension for $1000. If I find one, I'm that much closer to challenging the Enzo. Sorry. But I don't have that kind of luck. I'm too much of a loser. Or I'd already have an '88 GT.

I have been given (yes, as in FREE) an 88 coupe with a bad 2.5,purchased a wrecked 88 formula for $100 with a good 86K mile engine/tranny/cradle, purchased my two current 88's for $800 each and there are 3 88 fieros within 50 miles of me I could purchase for $500 or less... just do not have the space (and already have 3 front/rear 88 suspensions/cradles on the shelf).

88's are far from rare or hard to locate right now.... but cheap KY cars are of little use to people in WA.

[CincinnatiFiero]

Fieros are just cheap on the whole, my '87 was $200. That's why I liked them, very accessible.

[Atilla the Fun]

Chase, I hope you check this morning and night, because I've changed my mind, I'm not playing. For $30 cash you can buy my '84 Fiero. Why? Because today I found not 1 but 2 '88 Fieros with salvageable rear cradles and rear suspensions, but on both of them, I had the left rear bolt out about 1/2" when the weld nus started spinning in the frame. GODDAMNIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One was cherry, not a thing had been loosened until I took my wrenches to it. That includes the complete front suspension, which I did NOT touch. The only catch with that one, is that the right rear link was bent.
The other was $75 for the cradle and suspension, but the front was gone. And that cradle was slightly rusty, for competition use you'd probably want to grind to bare steel and add new welds.
This offer expires this Saturday night, so be here with the cradle in your truck and a trailer behind your truck by then. I'm about to PM you a link to this post, and my street address for you to MapQuest, as well as details on the locations of the '88s. The title is clear and signed. there's no engine or trans. It does have 4 wheels and tires. I do have the keys. But no cradle, no sale. I don't want the cradle, I want to see that you seriously did manage to extract it somehow, with just hand tools.
After twice today watching my 20-year dream slip through my fingers, I'm going back to my Trans Am and my Mustang. Fuck this Fiero shit.

[Atilla the Fun]

Well fuck it, the PMs are broken, I guess I'll just have mine hauled away to be crushed. 'bye everyone, it ain't been fun.

[CincinnatiFiero]

So you gave up on fieros because of a stuck bolt? Wow... You cut a 1x2 rectangle in the side and put some vice grips on it. Also, if nothing is supporting the cradle you and use the weight of the cradle to hold it down as you socket it off, OR have a buddy with a prybar pry the cradle off the frame to load up that rusty bolt as you crank on it with a socket. All three have worked.

Or shit, get a billionth of an inch of space and use a hacksaw.

[jelly2m81]

I'd crush it too, thats what I do with 84's people give me.

[Emc209i]

'bye everyone, it ain't been fun.

Bye.

[Nashco]

Doug, are you watching this thread at all??? Since you haven't posted after your initial post, I'm wondering if I should email direct.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/cto/1820498799.html

$1000 for a Formula 5 speed driver! If you get the sale price down a couple hundred more, you could easily sell off some parts to get it down to $500 (or less).

Bryce