I've come to the realization that I have a problem.

[Joe 1320]

sounds like you're getting that itch back.

Perhaps. I had a thought this morning while driving my Fiero. I really thought about how impractical the car really is. I also thought about how much I like the ride and interior room which really isn't bad considering it's a two seater, and wondered how well a supercharged 3800 from a GTP would motivate the thing. If those can be tweaked to get an honest 325 HP with a 4 speed automatic and shoehorned in a Fiero, I could already take an impractical car and make it a little more practical.

Practical in that the 4 cyl 3 speed auto is not very effecient in terms of gas mileage or power output. It gets 25 if I'm lucky and a half hour from 0-60. I'll bet the new 4 Cylinder Turbo from the Solstice would fit nicely. But..... A hot supercharged V6 and 4 speed automatic with lockup converter should fit right in. That would get me 30+ mpg and the power to weight ratio to stomp all but the more expensive stuff. Passing on the back roads will be more safe, and I've noticed that the car is not a magnet for morons. F-bodies seem to draw out the worst in some people's behavior. I've noticed that I get cut off or messed with in traffic far more frequently in f-bodies than any of my other vehicles.

[BrdWAtti2d]

I've noticed that I get cut off or messed with in traffic far more frequently in f-bodies than any of my other vehicles.

Very true, and many times from the most mundane of vehicles.

[MunsonGTA]

Very true, and many times from the most mundane of vehicles.

yeah definitely. i had a guy in a full size excursion try to run with me from a stop light. not a week later, i had a guy in a dodge dually turbo diesel messing around with me, he tried to leave me sitting at a stop light like he had something badass. i knew he was gonna give it hell when the light turned green... i was already in 1st gear for it. he gunned it, i gunned it... by the time i hit 2nd gear i had to nail the brakes from running him down so fast.

some people out there are just plain assholes though.

[MunsonGTA]

Perhaps. I had a thought this morning while driving my Fiero. I really thought about how impractical the car really is. I also thought about how much I like the ride and interior room which really isn't bad considering it's a two seater, and wondered how well a supercharged 3800 from a GTP would motivate the thing. If those can be tweaked to get an honest 325 HP with a 4 speed automatic and shoehorned in a Fiero, I could already take an impractical car and make it a little more practical.

Practical in that the 4 cyl 3 speed auto is not very effecient in terms of gas mileage or power output. It gets 25 if I'm lucky and a half hour from 0-60. I'll bet the new 4 Cylinder Turbo from the Solstice would fit nicely. But..... A hot supercharged V6 and 4 speed automatic with lockup converter should fit right in. That would get me 30+ mpg and the power to weight ratio to stomp all but the more expensive stuff. Passing on the back roads will be more safe, and I've noticed that the car is not a magnet for morons. F-bodies seem to draw out the worst in some people's behavior. I've noticed that I get cut off or messed with in traffic far more frequently in f-bodies than any of my other vehicles.

sounds like a good idea to me. a local guy here has 3 fieros, one being a v6 GT that was converted to a tpi 350.

[FroSSty]

I have seen everything from an LT1 Fiero, LS1 Fiero, 1st gen 350.......they will fit so a nice s/c 3800 should too.

[TraceZ]

Joe -

What if that accident that wrecked your T/A would of happenned while driving in a fiero?

Would you be here to talk about it? A T/A is a tank compared to a Fiero. That alone is the reason I'd vote aginst the Fiero. It's too small and as a result too dangerous. Also note: no airbags, no ABS, no side impact door beams.

[Mirroredshades]

Glad to hear you are coming to your senses Joe. Here are two options.

1. Put a roll cage in whatever car you drive. You'll probably never need it but you'll feel much more confident in your safety.


2. Try something different. I get treated entirely different in the old Acura I drive now. No one cuts me off, never tries to move me over, block or anything else. On the highway people usually move out of my way like I'm a state trooper. (Oops, theres a third idea, get a lookalike copcar). Anyway, the worst risk I run into on the road is people trying to take pictures of my car with their cell phone. It's very surreal. I'm kind of like the Pied Piper of ricers, if I go for a cruise on Friday night I end up with 50 civics following me around like I'm royalty. It's kind of fun.

[Joe 1320]

You guys bring up some interesting points.

The roll cage.... thought about that. The cop car lookalike....... thought about that too. The ex cop car is one heck of an idea for long trip cruising.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

What's funny is I have yet to get cut off in the Vette in the places where I got cut off in the Camaro. I can't figure that one out. There is this one place on my way home where the left lane exits the road and merges onto a limited access road. People pass in the middle lane then cut in the left lane. The left lane has to hit the brakes to keep from hitting them which makes it slow down and more people jump into the middle lane to get around it only to cut back. The left lane will sometimes come to a dead stop because of it and it's 55mph there too. I was cut off Monday in my wife's BMW and Tuesday in the van. Wednesday and Thursday I am in the Vette and I didn't get cut off. About a month ago a new Porsche comes flying up beside me in the Vette, jams the brakes and goes behind me. I didn't do anything either. It was weird.

Hey Joe how about a white Impala SS? Looks like a cop car.

[Joe 1320]

Hey Joe how about a white Impala SS? Looks like a cop car.

something about the new Impalas don't do it for me. Back in 95 I bought a new Impala SS and it drove like a jewel but the build quality for crap. I had the car for a year and 25K miles and sold it for $2K less than what I paid for it. If I could find another one that was a reasonable price I would probably pick one up. people want too much for them and the really aren't that special to command the prices that I see.

[Wild Willy]

I like the cop car lookalike, too- had a refrigerator-white Caprice with the Lt1 for about 100,000 miles- 6 years- ended up with shorty headers, 4.10 gears, shift-kit, 1.6 RR, Eato posi, etc. ect.- was a great stealth car, because most of the other drivers just figured it was Grandpa's Caprice- but, when you wanted to leave cars behind you, it could do so with authority-

(it would almost always chirp the one-two upshift, and could, if under hard acceleration, chirp the two-three shift at around 70MPH- pretty impressive!)

RWD, V-8 power, full-frame- yeah, a safe car to ride around it- 4 wheel disc brakes, ABS, air bags- I loved mine, only got worried when it was starting to rust up here in the northeast- it was 11 years old, after all-

If I stumbled across a good deal on another one, especially a southern car, it would be real tempting....