July/August 2012 Volume 21 Number 4 Issue 130

July/August 2012 w Volume 21 w Number 4 w Issue 130
For the fourteenth time in our club’s
history, the Golden Quill Award has been
earned by the efforts of our Fiero Focus
Magazine team. Earning this award
shows the high standards we desire to
maintain in publishing Fiero Focus.
Old Cars Weekly Magazine presents
this award annually to car club publications that serve their membership to
the highest degree, which sets these
clubs apart from the rest. I wish to thank
each member of our Fiero Focus Team:
Mike Kroyer, Scott & Michelle Savage,
Christian Sass, Christopher Sass and
Frank Krawczyk for their dedication to
helping us achieve this award!
One of the ways we serve our membership to the highest degree is by pushing the envelope in offering unique,
innovative ideas to you through Fiero
Focus. Our Art/Web Director, Mike
Kroyer, had a vision to do a Fiero Focus
cover in 3D and this vision has become
a reality as it appears on the back cover
of this issue! Enclosed within the mailing
envelope of this issue is a set of 3D glasses so you can experience the cover’s full
effect. Please hold onto these 3D glasses
as we are planning on doing another 3D
cover for our Fierorama recap issue later
this year. Check it out!
The Dells Run 2012 was a great success thanks to the efforts of the Fiero
Fanatics of Wisconsin. Over 95 Fieros
Fiero Focus is a publication of the Northern
Illinois Fiero Enthusiasts, Inc. (N.I.F.E.).
No copies of any part of this publication
may be made, distributed, or sold without
prior consent of N.I.F.E. “Pontiac,” “Fiero,”
the Pontiac symbol, and the Fiero badge
are all trademarked by General Motors
Corporation. N.I.F.E. is not responsible
for any information provided herein. Any
and all adjustments made or information
acted on are done at the sole risk of the
individual. All submissions for Fiero Focus
should be sent to:
Jim Hallman
2039 Yellow Daisy Ct.
Naperville, IL 60563
630-305-9806
e-mail:[email protected]
Page 2
participated and our club’s events were
well attended. NIFE had over 35 Fieros
participating in this event with over 65
members attending. We had a great turn
out!
Fierorama weekend is quickly
approaching on September 8–9, 2012.
We wanted to graciously thank our
Key Sponsors, which include the Fiero
Store, V8 Archie, Village Buick/GMC in
Naperville, IL and Fox Valley Buick/GMC
in St. Charles, IL for their contributions
to keep Fierorama free to all NIFE club
members. Without their generous support, Fierorama would not be a FREE
event for NIFE club members.
On Fierorama Saturday, September
8, 2012, the Fierorama Poker Run will be
returning! We will begin gathering at the
Holiday Inn Express in St. Charles (our
host hotel) at 2:30pm. The first Fieros
will head out at 3:00pm for a 2-2-½ hour
run around the Geneva, Batavia and
St. Charles area as cards for your poker
hands are collected. Your final card
will be handed out at our traditional
Fierorama pizza party located at Gino’s
East in St. Charles across the street from
the Holiday Inn Express.
On Sunday, September 9, 2012,
Fierorama 17 will be taking place as
we return to Pottawatomie Park in St.
Charles. We are in need of volunteers to
help out with this year’s event. Volunteer
areas include: help with the Poker Run
on Saturday as well as Registration,
Parking Lot, Ballot Counting, Car
Classifiers, and Club Display for the
show on Sunday. Please give me a call or
send me an email (see Board Members
Box for contact info) with your interest
no later than Saturday, July 31, 2012.
Fierorama 17 T-shirts are ready to be
ordered. Check out the flier mailed with
this issue of Fiero Focus or order online
using Paypal at fierofocus.com. A limited
supply is available so order yours sooner
rather than later!
Fierorama 17 will see the return of the
“Park 4 Fun” class. If you cannot commit
to attending the entire day’s festivities,
continued on page 9
Northern Illinois
Fiero Enthusiasts, Inc.
President: Jim Hallman
630-305-9806, [email protected]
Club Secretary: Larry Hall
630-231-3214, [email protected]
Membership Director: Paul Vargyas
630-983-6434, [email protected]
Technical Director: Bill Klicker
815-544-5086, [email protected]
Art/Web Director: Mike Kroyer
815-308-5710, [email protected]
Activity Directors: Dave Kopielski
847-301-2684, [email protected]
Ken Nagel
224-637-0152, [email protected]
Kerry Kline
815-222-3298, [email protected]
Member At Large:
Rich Benanti
623-398-6884, [email protected]
Fiero Focus Team
Editorial Staff: Michelle & Scott Savage,
608-575-0827, [email protected]
Christopher Sass,
248-889-8737, [email protected]
Art Direction: Christian Sass,
[email protected]
Photographer: Frank Krawczyk,
[email protected]
N.I.F.E. Website: www.fierofocus.com
Our Goal: To provide an exchange forum dedicated
to the care, preservation, and positive publication
of the Pontiac Fiero.
Fiero Focus
Welcome New NIFE Members!
Mbr#
Name
City
ST
Car(s)
1531
Daniel Martin
Haskins
OH
87 GT Black
1532
Fabian David Lepe
Mercedes
TX
86 SE Red
1533
Eric Brown
East Amherst
NY
87 GT Black
1534
Jim Schneider
Rochester
NY
86 SE Silver
1535
Timothy Croxton
Hammond
IN
N/A
1536
Jon Salsbury
Battle Ground
WA
88 GT Red
1537
William Meyers
Acworth
GA
88 GT Red
1538
Charles Furgason
Jackson
MI
86 GT Gold Metallic
As of early June 2012, membership
stands at 350 members. This compares
to 332 members as of June 2011, and 310
members as of June 2010. We usually
pick up some new members as a result
of the Dells Run show and additional
renewals as the summer show season
gets in full swing. Plus, we always sign
up several new members at Fierorama. I
anticipate that we will end the year with
close to 400 active members vs. 386 at
the end of 2011. Word of mouth advertising is the best way to get new members
in NIFE! When you spot a Fiero, stop
to say, “hi” and let them know there is
not only a club, but a support organization for their car. It’s hard to believe that
some Fiero’s are now over 28 years old,
and we are looking forward to the 30th
anniversary celebration of the introduction of the Fiero next year! Also, you can
advise any Fiero owner that he/she can
join NIFE on our website (www.fierofocus.com). There is a form to download
and send with payment, or the prospective member can join immediately
through PayPal! We have had numerous
new members join using PayPal through
our NIFE site!
Speaking of Fierorama, be sure that
you mark your calendar for Sunday,
Send membership questions and
comments to:
Paul Vargyas
2600 Longview Dr., Lisle, IL 60532
630-983-6434
[email protected]
Webpage: www.paulvargyas.com
July/August
2012 2006
November/December
September 9, 2012. We are looking forward to an excellent show in St Charles,
IL. Plus we will have great door prizes,
trophies, awards and dash plaques. You
can register at our website (www.fierofocus.com), or by returning the Fierorama
registration form mailed with this issue.
As a member, you pay no registration
fee, get a free door prize ticket, free giveaway’s, fun and a chance to see what the
Fiero world is doing! Where else can you
enter a show, win prizes, have fun…..
all for FREE?! Plus, again this year, you
can visit with your Fiero and just park
it in our “Park 4 Fun” section. Enjoy the
show, leave at any time, and your car is
not judged.
New Member Snippets
Since we have a regular Meet-AMember feature in each issue, these
mini snippets are a condensed version of
some of our new member’s Fiero stories.
We also encourage each new member to
submit an article to become a featured
Meet-A-Member in an upcoming issue.
Carl Paukowic is NIFE member
#1522, having joined in February. Carl
is from Santa Rosa, CA. “My first Fiero
was purchased March 31, 2008. I was
looking for a car to buy for my sister
and saw a 1984 Pontiac Fiero SE for sale
on Craigslist. The ad did not give a lot
of specifics so I took a drive. After talking to the seller I decided to buy the
Fiero (for myself ) and give my sister my
Ford. Four years later at approximately
11,000 miles a year, the Fiero is my
“Daily Driver”. When I purchased it, the
Fiero had 106,459 miles. Currently it
has 146,848 miles. This is the only Fiero
I have ever owned, although I doubt it
will be the last. I really do enjoy driving it as I am the second owner. What
the first owner neglected, I have either
repaired or replaced. My seats are from
a ‘85 GT and are nearly perfect. I also
have BF Goodrich tires, 215/60R14 on
original rims that I had powder coated.
Other changes I have made include a
new throttle cable, replacement power
window and mirror switches, an updated
Monsoon type radio, rear window tint
and reconditioned headlight actuators. Regular maintenance keeps it on
the road. I have made several trips that
totaled 500 miles round trip but would
not hesitate going further. I live in
California and after replacing the catalytic convertor have had no problem with
our state’s smog requirements. The car
is far from show condition but the interior is very clean and comfortable and I
intend to drive it “till the wheels fall off.
Thanks” P.S. Really enjoy the magazine,
“Fiero Focus”. Dan Martin is NIFE Member#1531
from Haskins, OH. Dan bought his first
Fiero in October 2010. He had wanted
a Fiero since 1984 when his roommate
bought one. His Fiero is an ’87 GT black
pearl with silver pearl highlights, chin
spoiler, turbo scoops, INDY Fiero scoop,
17” custom wheels and a silver pegasus
graphic under the clear coat on the
hood. This is the only Fiero Dan has
owned. He likes it because it corners like
it is on rails. The Fiero turns heads! Some
younger generations do not know what
it is! He likes taking his car to car shows.
He also likes the local social group associated with the Fiero. He also is a member of the Toledo, OH Fiero group, which
has fun drives along the river. He has
made several 200-mile trips in his Fiero.
Fabian Munoz is member#1532 and
calls Mexico his home. Fabian joined
continued on page 9
Page 3
Cleaning Up The Fiero For storage
deterioration. It is of this writer’s opinion that wax is a lazy man’s method
For this segment of Bartemeyer’s Bits,
of avoiding using soap, water and
I am going to discuss the preparation
polish on a regular basis. Wax became
of your collector car from a cleanliness
popular in areas of high contaminant
point of view in order to maintain the
fallout from,
appearance
for example,
of the factory
the process of
finishes for
burning high
long term storsulfur coal.
age. Leaving
Additionally,
dirt, debris
the paints
and contamiused on prenants on the
1980’s era
finishes invites
automobiles
the opporwere not as
tunity for
durable as
deterioration.
today’s paint
Consideration
processes
should be
which utilizes
made to visit
the vehicle period- An example of polished, unwaxed paint base and clear coat
processes. A great analogy that was
ically to make sure excessive dust is not
presented to me at a Dupont paint
accumulating and attracting moisture. As
seminar when I was a kid compares
in my last article, I am going to list each
heavy waxing to placing your hand in
point of consideration.
a plastic bag and putting a tight rub1. A thorough polishing of the painted
ber band around your wrist. Waxed
surfaces removes most of the dirt
paint reacts in a similar manner over
and contaminants from the road as
a prolonged period of time. Using a
mentioned in my last article. It simply
tarp to cover the car in an outdoor setamazes me at how fast road grime
ting will also provide the same effects
and tar accumulates on the paint. It is
as described above. Soft flannel lined
inevitable that the car is going to get
cotton car
dirty while on display at an outdoor
covers are
venue. I recommend polishing the
a great
paint with quality products that do
limited
not contain any additives like silicone.
indoor
If the bottle specifies that the prodmethod
uct is body shop safe and paintable,
of storage
then the contents are pure ground
protecclays and natural oils that do not
tion from
block the pores of the paint. Most of
minor
the products available at a retail level
impacts
are not body shop safe or paintable.
and abraPaint requires the ability to breathe to
sions. In
remain stable for preserving the origireality,
nal finish over a long period of time.
other than
Applying heavy waxes that contain
damsilicone and carnauba actually plug
age from
up the pores of the paint and do not
contact,
allow it to breathe, eventually leadcar covers
ing to expedited oxidation and finish
Page 4
do not provide any additional protection simply due to the ability of the
material to absorb and trap dust and
moisture. For those who actually use
indoor car covers, I have to ask, when
was the last time you washed it out? I
try to have my covers washed at twoyear intervals. The local laundromat
large capacity washers on delicate
cycle work great. I am amazed at how
much dirt will come out of them sitting in a perceived clean storage area.
While some argue that outdoor car
covers offer the best UV protection,
they usually contain a layer of plastic
that does not breathe and will cause
the same degradation of the finishes
as a tarp. Additionally, a loose fitting
cover, which can move around due
to wind, can result in abrasion of the
finishes. The best protection is inside
storage.
2. Tires and wheels are usually the easiest to neglect. Brake dust, road grime,
exposure to heat cycles and UV provide conditions that deteriorate the
finishes of the wheels and degrade
the rubber compounds of the tires.
Let’s face it; all of our car’s wheels and
tires are subjected to this, especially
if you have factory aluminum rims on
the car. The urethane coating used to
Fiero Focus
clear coat the rims of the Fiero era was
very hard in nature when dry, sprayed
over aluminum that expands and contracts on a molecular level and flexes
when in use combined with poor
adhesion from the clear coat sprayed
over a shiny surface. Whether
we like it or not,
the clear coat is
going to fail if the
vehicle is used.
Failure to clean
brake dust and
contaminants
from the wheel
surfaces assists
in accelerating
the deterioration. Tires are
often a subject of
great debate and
have provided
some very interesting conversation in several genres
of the automotive hobby. I have yet to
see any scientific research that a tire
has an expected expiration date based
on certain conditions of use. These are
just recommendations made by the
tire manufacturers trying to sell tires.
Naturally, a tire that is used on a daily
basis, run over the numerous hazards
of the road, will wear out much quicker. Keeping the tire clean definitely helps with the longevity of
use. Road grime and chemical
contaminants absorbed into
the pores of the tire with the
combination of heat cycles and
UV exposure are the largest contributors of deterioration. Add
on a thick coat of Armor All or
tire shine and all of that dirt is
trapped in those pores until it
is properly washed out, if that is
actually possible. The solvents
included in tire dressing might
November/December
July/August
2012 2006
look
good in
the short
term, but
actually
accelerate
the deterioration
of the tire.
I have
made it
a practice to remove the wheels from
my low mileage cars for storage and
purchase decent stock rims and tires
for that occasional drive and winter
storage. Another option for long-term
storage (longer than a single winter
season) is to put the car up on jack
stands to prevent break down of the
tire’s structure. Cool, dry basement
storage of the wheels, placed in an
upright position and not stacked on
top of one another provides an environment that keeps the original rims
and tires preserved for the long term.
This tire discussion and tips on cleanliness also applies to the weatherstrips
and the softer thermoset plastics
like wheel liners and the cowl screen
shroud between the hood and windshield. As a general practice, I store
the car with the windows down about
a half inch, doors open latched on the
first catch, front deck lid released and
the rear deck lid released. This allows
the weatherstrips to relax to original
form and prevents deterioration from
extended compression.
3. Undercoating is not necessarily a good
thing. The product, even if applied
correctly, leaves many voids in the
protection that it claims to provide.
This is assuming that consideration
was taken to insure that the car is
clean and dry before application.
There is always a backside to a surface
that is impossible to coat. Moisture
is trapped between the undercoating
and these voids or backside surfaces
that actually promote corrosion. I
am starting to see a trend with Fieros
where the steel brake hard lines are
rusting out on the topsides where the
undercoating stops and the original
finish is uncoated. The same scenarios occur with gas tank straps, suspension and brake components and the
space frame.
As one might read into my article,
preservation of original surfaces do not
require any special method other than
attention to environment and gentle
cleanliness. Seems like an easy task to
undertake, but when one dives into the
chore, it take a lot longer than expected.
Constant visual inspection is required
to identify early signs of deterioration. I
generally spend in the area of 40 hours
per vehicle before I place it into storage with periodic attention in between
when the car comes out for the next
event. This could be years in between
show intervals. For the next segment
of Bartemeyer’s Bits, I am going to
discuss the mechanical maintenance
required to keep the original components from needing to be replaced. For
those that have that special low mileage example, keep it clean; you will
thank yourself in the long run.
Fred Bartemeyer, NIFE Member
[email protected]
Page 5
The Simple Water Pump
a drain screw but it will just drain the
radiator. The last method is to remove
The water pump on a Fiero works
the hose between the
hard to circulate coolant
right side coolant pipe
around the whole car.
and the engine. This is
It lives in a hostile area
best done with the right
filled with hot chemicals
rear wheel and inner
but soldiers on for years.
fender liner removed,
Eventually though you
which you should do
begin to hear a low pitch
anyway. Before drainrumble or you see a little
ing, decide what you
green drip by the right
are going to do with the
rear tire. Soon you must
coolant. Three comget to know the water
mon causes for water
pump up close and perpump failure are acidic
sonal.
coolant, belt too tight
Changing a Fiero water
and old age. Unless
pump looks deceptively
you recently changed
simple. Even the factory
it, I would replace the
manual makes it look like
coolant. Use the old
a two beer job. From the
Image 1
ethylene glycol green cool1986 Helm Shop Manual
ant, not the new “long life” kind. You
the procedure for removing a V6 pump
may test the original coolant if you wish
involves removing or disconnecting:
using Ph factor strips. By the
• Negative battery cable
color change you can determine
• Engine coolant
the Ph. It should be 8.0 or more.
• Drive belts
Before draining, remember to
• Radiator and heater hose
remove the thermostat cap on
• Water pump attaching bolts
the engine and pull out the ther• Water pump
mostat. Dispose of the coolant
If only it were that simple. I will try
properly and don’t let pets or
to fill in some details between the above
children near it.
instructions for both 4 and 6-cylinder
Now differences between 4
engines. Remove the negative and the
and 6-cylinders come in. Which
positive battery cables followed by the
is easier? If only it were that
battery. Perhaps if someone bet me I
simple. Each has variations
couldn’t get a water pump off with the
by year and with A/C or not.
battery in I could, but it would have to
Remove the V-belt on an ‘84-‘86
be a pretty big bet. Draining the coolant
4-cylinder engine without A/C and the
can be done in several ways. The left and
multi V belt on all ‘86-‘88 6-cylinders by
right side coolant pipes have drain plugs
loosening and swinging the alternator.
in them just ahead of the rear wheels.
On ‘87-‘88 4-cylinders the automatic belt
GM planned to have us use a 3/16” Allen
hex socket to remove these and drain the tensioner needs to be retracted to release
the belt. These tensioners are failure
coolant from these low points. If only it
were that simple. I have rarely gotten one prone, expensive and rare (image 1). ‘84‘86 4-cylinders with A/C will need the
to come out without heat and/or damA/C V-belt removed also.
age. Four cylinders have a drain plug on
The GM instructions say to remove
the front of the block you can’t get to, and
the water pump attaching bolts. If only
6-cylinders have a drain plug on each
it were that simple. The pulley is in the
side. You can use these. The radiator has
Page 6
way of some of the bolts. If you have a
2.8L, the pulley bolts on. Use a 13mm 6
point wrench to remove the bolts while
holding the pulley from turning by fitting a long square cross section screw
driver against two of the four bolts while
loosening another one. You gain more
working space by removing the EGR
solenoid and the brackets that support
the wire harness just below it. The 4-cylinder has a pressed on pulley. ‘84-‘86
engines without A/C has a single groove,
‘84-‘86 engines with A/C have a dual
“V” groove and ‘87-’88 engines have a
“multi V” type. You will need special
tools to remove and reinstall this pulley
or take the pump to an auto shop and
have them switch it. The Kent Moore
remover is part number J-25034B and the
installer is part number J-25033B. Other
tools are available from MAC, Snap-on,
Lisle, etc., and are often listed as being
used for power steering pump pulleys.
Image 2
If you have the tool, put in on the pulley and remove it? If only it were that
simple. There is not enough room for
tools and hands as they must go under
the welded on battery tray. Here again I
might be able to win a bet to remove the
pulley with the pump on the car but the
winnings would get spent on bandages
for my hands. Instead, using an offset
wrench loosen each bolt behind the pulley and back them out while pulling the
Fiero Focus
Image 3
pump back to make more room as the
bolts come out. This is for non A/C cars.
If only it was that simple with engines
with A/C. These engines have a bracket
covering some of the bolts. Take out the
front bracket bolts and loosen the rear
one to swing the bracket away. Don’t
lose the spacers. Now remove the pump
with the pulley attached. Note that you
do not have to remove the 90-degree
adaptor behind the water pump. Most
new pumps come without a pulley. If you
do get a rare one with the pulley already
pressed on, remember there are three
different ones. On 6-cylinder engines
remove the twelve mounting bolts. ‘85‘86 cars use hex heads while ‘87-‘88 use
three different torx heads and a 15mm
hex. They are three different diameters
and various lengths. Have the new pump
sitting nearby and as you remove each
bolt drop it in the same hole in the new
pump. When the old pump is off, transfer
the bolts to it and they will get reinstalled
in the new pump in the correct positions
one at a time (image 2).
A heater hose needs to be removed
from a pipe on the pump of ‘85-‘86 6-cylinders only. ‘87-‘88 6-cylinders will have
a pipe plug in that hole. The new pump
will usually come with a new pipe but
not the plug. Transfer the old plug if you
have a ‘87-‘88.
Now you are onto cleaning the gasket-sealing surface. Peel off any loose,
old gasket material that stayed on the
engine, then use spray gasket remover
such as Permatex #80646 to soften the
rest (image 3). A gasket scraper can be
too aggressive and damage the surface. I
use hand held, single edge razor blades.
Tie a string or wire around the blade in
case you drop it. A razor blade can fall
into the hose opening at the bottom of a
V6 timing cover and sink to the bottom.
July/August
2012
2006
November/December
Don’t ask me how I know this.
Use proper size taps to clean
the threads of the water pump
boltholes. The threads must
be clean and dry, especially
on the V6. Put a thin film of
glycol resistant RTV sealant on
both sides of the gasket. I recommend Permatex # 22071.
Get a new pump, not a rebuilt
unit. Also buy a new gasket
as the ones supplied with the
pump are often poor quality
and damaged. For the V6, be
sure the new pump has a metal, NOT a
plastic impeller. For 4-cylinders put the
bolts through the pump and hang the
gasket on them. Tighten the bolts on the
pump behind the pulley using the offset
wrench. The V6 is a little harder as the
gasket is bigger and floppier and there is
less room to work. I use two guide stud
pins to hold the gasket on and position
the pump. The ones I use are 10mm X
1.5 X 90mm exhaust manifold studs with
a small hex drive on the end from some
V8 (image 4). You could cut the head
off a 10mm bolt to use too. Screw the
two guides into a front and rear 10mm
hole and slide the RTV coated gasket
onto them. Now slide the pump onto the
guide studs. Here is where a potential
leak problem comes in. GM thought it
would be good if four of the boltholes
went into the coolant passages. Some say
this was reduced to one in 1988. Apply
RTV sealant to the bolt threads in holes #
2,4,8,9 and 11. I don’t take a chance and
seal all twelve. Torque the bolts in the
order shown (image 5). Unlike the 4-cylinder where torque is not critical, on the
6-cylinder it is important. Borrow torque
wrenches if you have to. A 3/8” drive one
for the 22 ft/lbs and a 1/4“ for the 7 ft/lbs
(84 in/lbs). Now bolt on the pulley using
the square screwdriver to hold it from
turning.
Image 4
Put on the belt and tighten it, except
on ‘87-‘88 4-cylinders with the auto tensioner. With the radiator cap off and the
heater lever on “HOT” add coolant into
the thermostat housing until it runs out
the top of the radiator. Put the radiator
cap on and continue to add coolant to
the thermostat opening until it overflows.
Then push in the thermostat and install
the cap. Reinstall the battery and wiring
etc. and start it up. Check for leaks and
run it until the radiator fan cycles on and
off. Not as simple as the books say but
not as bad as I may have made it sound.
Ray Dyreson, NIFE Member
[email protected]
Image 5
Page
Page 77
QD Myth Or Reality?
Wayne’s Way
Did I get your attention? Well, some
purist, car show aficionados refer to
them as “Spray Waxes” but the majority
of us who detail cars at shows or cruise
nights call them “Quick Detailers”. Using
a “Detail Spray” is probably the easiest
way to improve the overall appearance
of your car. They will elevate the luster
of your ride by removing the dust, dirt
and smudges that got deposited onto the
car’s surface on your way to the event.
I would never recommend to anyone
that they spray any quick detail product
on any part of your car when the temperature is tropical enough to fry an egg
on the hood of your car! For example;
its 95 degrees and you made it to the
show with your BLACK Fiero and want
to make it look perfect. You spray the
detailer onto your car’s hood and after a
few seconds attempt to remove it. OOPS,
it doesn’t come off and you have little
spray residual marks on your paint job
memorializing your mistake.
True story: when I owned a ‘93
Camaro Pace Car that was black and
white with a lot of garish striping I did
the above. Fortunately, I only sprayed my
black bumper but it didn’t come off. No
matter what I did with a new microfiber
towel, it could not be removed making
the car look as if it had acne. Not exactly
the look that I had in mind for the show.
I had to go into my car show bucket, pull
out some Meguiar’s wax and apply it to
the adversely affected area. No problem,
and I terminated the use of the quick
detailer for the day. I learned from the
above and would suggest the following:
1. Don’t immediately apply any quick
detailer product to your dusty ride
when you get to an event. Many of
you have seen me with one of my
Windex spray bottles marked H20
spraying water on portions on my
Fiero and wiping them down with a
clean microfiber towel.
2. After you have cleaned your car use
your quick detailer of choice.
3. Take a clean micro towel, spray some
of the quick detailer to the towel after
shaking it up - please don’t forget to
do this otherwise, it won’t work - and
apply to your car.
4. If you have a dark colored or black
Fiero, don’t apply the quick detailer
that is on your micro towel in circles.
Instead, apply in straight lines and
you will get the desired result.
5. If it’s a long show, apply as necessary
Products
I went online to see how many
detail sprays were on the market other
than Meguiar’s NXT Generation Speed
Detailer and Mother’s California Gold
Showtime Instant Detailer. Would you
believe over 40 and counting? The prices
ranged from a high of $24.99 for Pinnacle
Crystal Mist Detail Spray to Mother’s at a
cost effective $6.99 retail (you can get it
cheaper at Farm & Fleet). Is the additional cost of the pricier products justified? I
can’t tell you since I’m not going to shell
out $24.99 to Pinnacle to see if it is better.
Besides, I couldn’t be happier using the
Mother’s products! There are also a lot of
‘mom & pop’ detail shops with no online
advertising that have formulated their
own cleaning and detailing products,
some of which I have tried, and which
are good. Sometimes you really just have
to experiment and see what works best
with the finish on your car.
Application
The instructions for these products
tell you to spray and wipe and that they
can be used on the hood, door jams,
trunk lid, bumpers and glass. I don’t recommend that you use any QD on glass. I
tried it once and I didn’t like the results.
The product smeared and made the
windshield glass look wavy and I don’t
think that I had any tasty beverages that
may have adversely affected my vision.
Page 8
with the micro towel.
Even if you are not at a show or cruise
and just want your car to shine, using a
QD is a lot easier and less time consuming than giving your ride a complete wax,
hence the name – Quick Detailer!
I hope that the above will give you a
little edge at an upcoming car show or
cruise night. You don’t have to spend a
ton of money on a quick detailer to get
a super look. I use Mother’s California
Gold Showtime Instant Detailer. I love
this stuff. It is the last thing that I do to
my ride when I’m at a show. It works and
gets positive results.
Hope to see you at an upcoming show
or cruise night.
Wayne ‘Redline’ Dzien, NIFE Member
[email protected]
Fiero Focus
President's Message
continued from page 2
you can come for as long as you want
and enter the Park 4 Fun class. This class
will not be judged; simply park your
Fiero and leave when you must! We want
all NIFE members to be able to participate in the Fierorama experience, even if
you can only stop by for an hour or two
to take in as much as you can. Can you
feel the excitement for Fierorama building? You can read all of the details about
this year’s Fierorama in the Beyond The
Headlights section in this issue.
A new feature at this year’s Fierorama
that I wish to highlight is the opportunity to have your Fiero appraised for
insurance purposes. At our January
2012 NIFE club meeting, Dennis Parus
of Ride On Appraisals provided a presentation on the importance of having
your Fiero appraised so that should
you have an accident, you receive the
proper value for your Fiero and not
the “Blue Book” value. Visit rideonappraisals.com for more information on
Dennis’ auto appraisal background. If
you are interested in having your Fiero
appraised, we need to hear from you
prior to Fierorama as you have to sign up
to participate. Please check the box on
the Fierorama registration form, which
is either included with this issue or
available online at Fierofocus.com. The
regular appraisal rate Dennis charges is
$250.00. If you have your Fiero appraised
at Fierorama, the cost to you will be $225
or less depending on how many Fieros
participate.
After you have your discounted
appraisal conducted by Ride On
Appraisals, sign up for some discounted
insurance at Rally Insurance! As noted
in the Bits & Pieces segment of this Fiero
Focus, Rally Insurance Group, Inc. is
Membership Update
continued from page 3
NIFE in May. Here is Fabian’s “Fiero
story”. “The first time I saw a Fiero was
when I was around 17 years old; it was a
4-cylinder, grey Fiero. Since then my dad
till this day tells me that I fell in love with
the Fiero when I was telling him to buy a
Fiero instead of a Trans Am. One day as
I was surfing through the Internet I came
across a Datsun 280ZX and as I spoke
July/August
November/December
2012
2006
offering NIFE members a discount on
their classic/special interest auto insurance needs. The discount ranges from
7-10%. Contact Ellen or Lars Anderson
for details at 800-801-1823 or visit www.
rallyinsurance.com. When signing up, be
sure to mention your NIFE membership
to receive your discount.
The Midwest Fiero Clubs (MWFC)
2012 show circuit has begun. Each
show on this year’s circuit is honoring the ‘85 Fiero GT by presenting an
award certificate to that show’s “Best
Interpretation” of a ‘85 Fiero GT. The
“Best Interpretation” could be either
a completely original Fiero or a wildly
modified Fiero; it is up to you as this
will be a peer judged award so you get
to choose what you feel is the “Best
Interpretation” of the winning car. The
winning Fiero must be based on the ‘85
Fiero GT. Why the ‘85 GT? The ’85 GT
was the first performance oriented Fiero
made available to the public with the
introduction of the 2.8L V6 engine.
As in the past, the final stop on this
year’s MWFC Fiero show circuit will be
Fierorama. At Fierorama, all of the winners from each of the previous MWFC
shows are invited to compete for the
Best InThe Midwest Competition where
a trophy will be awarded. There is no
entry fee for Fierorama for these winning
Fieros to participate in this competition,
simply show up ready to compete!
To date, the winners of the Midwest
Fiero Club’s Best Interpretation of a ‘85
Fiero GT include:
• Kevin Lindeman of Minnesota who
won at the Dells Run show in Wisconsin
• Wayne Hudson of Minnesota won at
the Summer Drive-In in Minnesota
mailed with the May/June 2012 issue of
Fiero Focus or visit the MWFC website at
www.fieros.us.
Here is the latest up to date information available regarding the 30th anniversary show that is being hosted by the
Midwest Fiero Clubs. The event dates are
June 27 – June 30, 2013 in Indianapolis,
IN. Though not yet finalized, we are
negotiating with the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway (IMS) to host a full day of track
events at the famous speedway.
A website for the 30th anniversary
event is just about ready to go live. We
will let you know when it is up and running. Several other activities being worked
on include a possible track day at Putnam
Road Course in nearby Greencastle,
IN, a go-cart night, a site-seeing tour of
Indianapolis among several others. Also,
we have the unique opportunity to have
indoor car show display spaces available.
The details of the events are unfolding
as the days progress. As more information becomes finalized, you will see it
here! Mark you calendars now, this will
be the “no miss” Fiero event for 2013!
The cruise night and car show season
is upon us once again. Now that your
Fiero is over twenty years old, it is more
important for you than ever before to
show it off to other car enthusiasts and
help them learn what the Fiero is all
about. Be sure to check out our cruise
night links on our website at fierofocus.
com under the Events tab. Don’t let summer go by without taking the opportunity
to show off your Fiero.
Keep Fiero-ing,
For a complete listing of each show in
the 2012 Midwest Fiero Clubs Fiero show
circuit, please see the MWFC brochure
to the owner he mention that he had
three Fieros; an ’85 GT, an ‘85 SE and
was currently driving a ‘86 SE. Of course
I like the idea of owning a Fiero better
so we set up a place and time where I
could see it and I liked it. I still need to
work on quite a few things but it is coming along. It is red with 18” black rims.
Since I live in Mexico I still have to have
it legalized but it is worth it since it is a
head turner. I am very happy to own a
Fiero, especially knowing it is quite popular on the market. I find it easy to purchase parts now that I became a member
of NIFE! Well, it’s really a unique car; I
love spending time working on it so that
gives you an idea of how much joy I get
from driving it. Even if it is just around
the block!”
Paul Vargyas, NIFE Membership
Director
Page
Page99
There were 87 Fieros in the show and
over 95 counted around the Chula Vista
resort. Last year’s numbers were in the
mid-70’s. The Fiero Fanatics did another
fabulous job making this event come to
life, yet again!
Many thanks
to NIFE Activity
Directors Kerry
Kline and Ken
Nagel for planning
the NIFE activities,
which included a
very well attended
lunch and winery
tour event planned
by Kerry that took
us to various points
in and around
Adams County
Wisconsin. Over
40 people and 23
Fieros participated
Tasting at the Fawn Creek Winery as we gathered to eat at the Stagecoach
Café in Rome, WI. After lunch, we reasinterior is beechwood with leather seats.
sembled at the Fawn Creek Winery for
Other alterations were the installation of
some tasting of their various wine selecGrand Am brakes, along with stainless
tions.
steel brake and oil cooler lines. The body
Ken Nagel planned our dinners on
lines are complemented by the fact that
Friday and Saturday nights, both of
the car has been lowered three inches
which were very well attended. Friday’s
and has highly polished, 16-inch chrome
dinner was at the Cold Water Canyon
wheels. In the last six months the car
clubhouse, and Saturday’s brought us
has been driven thousands of carefree
back to Monk’s Bar & Grill, which has
miles including trips through the states of
been a tradition in the Dells since 1947.
Michigan, Florida and even to Wyoming.
The weather was absolutely perfect,
with temperThe 2012
tures in the high
Dells Run, which
70’s and with
took place May
barely a cloud in
31 – June 3, 2012,
sight the entire
was a huge sucweekend; there
cess. Whether
was nothing but
it is a sign that
blue skies! This
the economy is
year marked the
turning around
21st year for the
or that it was just
the excitement
Dells Run event.
of participating,
For our review,
the attendance
we have asked a
increased in
few of our NIFE
2012 versus 2011.
members to proMaggie and Greg Dauterman
Our 3D back cover: Chuck and Linda
Furgason of the Capitol City Fieros of
Lansing, Michigan own this sleek 1986
Fiero GT. The car has a 4.9L Cadillac
engine under the newly painted body
color of Atomic Orange Metallic. The
Page 10
vide responses to some questions drafted
by our own Frank Krawczyk. We hope
you enjoy their comments.
How often have you come to the Dells
Run?
Maggie Dauterman - We attended
the first Dells Run in 1992 and every year
since.
Sue Wack - We’ve attended the Dells
Run 11 times (since 2002).
Fiero Focus
NIFE Members at the 2012 Dells Run
Judy Goodwin – We started coming to
the Dells in 1994
Rhonda & Gabe Peters - We have
been coming to the Dells for eleven years
(since 2002).
What brings you back each year?
Maggie Dauterman - Through the
years the Fiero has been the common
denominator linking us
to so many great people.
Having upwards of 100
Fieros all in one place for
a few days gives us the
opportunity to:
• See lots of Fieros
• Cruise around with
other Fieros
• Talk to Fiero people
about their Fieros
• See our Fiero friends
• Take advantage of lower
room rates
NIFE Member Chuck
Itzenthaler – Class
Winner and Best
Of Show Non-Stock
Winner
November/December
2006
July/August 2012
Sue Wack - We love
coming back due to
the great setting. It is a
fun vacation destination, during a good
time of year with great
camaraderie.
Judy Goodwin –
There are so many
things! First is the location. We like the Chula
Vista; they make us
feel welcome and do a
good job providing for
us. The Fiero Fanatics NIFE Activity Director Kerry Kline changing his fuel
of Wisconsin made us
pump on the show field
feel so welcome the first
great cars!
time we came in 1994. Seeing all of the
Judy Goodwin – Enjoying the fact that
cars each year and showing our own car
I could be at the Dells Run. I had a good
is always fun. The various places we go
time on the cruise Thursday evening to
in our Fieros during the events make the
the Park Lake Lodge for dinner. I also
trip worthwhile. But most of all, it’s the
enjoyed watching from my hotel room
people that keep us coming back; they
window on Friday morning Jim Hallman
are a great group of friends that we have
and Kevin Lindeman (Minnesota) having
and we support each other.
a nice conversation out in the parking
Rhonda & Gabe Peters - You never
lot. Also seeing Larry Wheeler and Frank
know what exciting adventure is going
Martin who both came up from Florida
to happen each year. Or what The Prezzz
to attend this event; I knew they were
(Tom Podziemski) is
both having a good time.
going to do each year.
The kind heart of Ann
Knoll (Wisconsin) who
traveled from Florida to
What did you like the
make the long journey
most about this year at
back for Sheila Walker as
the Dells Run weekend?
we honored her late husMaggie Dauterman
band, Del, who passed
- For us, cruising with
away earlier this year.
other Fieros at the Dells
Also, I just love hearhas always been one
ing the roar of the Fiero
of the best elements of
engines as they left to go
the weekend. Cruising
on the Friday afternoon
Thursday evening to and
winery tour. Throughout
from dinner, the winery
the entire weekend,
cruise on Friday and the
that pleasant roar filled
traditional Dells cruise
John and Sue Wack
the air of the parking lot.
after the show all added up
to a fun weekend. We would have driven The Fiero spirit was alive in the Dells!
We had a great meal on Friday night at
the Fiero Power Tour but vacation days
the Canyon Club House. We had such a
ran short.
good time eating, laughing and enjoying
Sue Wack – I always enjoy the Dells
each other’s company. A good meal with
Run cruise through town at the end of
laughter is what we all needed! The day
the show. It really draws attention to our
Page 11
Congratulations! You have attended every Dells
Run event since 1992!
of the show the weather was great! Paul
Vargyas counted close to 100 Fieros in
attendance. Another good memory was
a little Fiero fan by the name of Zoie who
helped her mother wash her car to get it
ready for the show!
Rhonda & Gabe Peters - Meeting
everyone again and going out to have
some fun with them. We rented a condo
at the Chula Vista this year and it made it
a lot more fun with the kids.
Do you have a favorite memory from a
previous Dells Run event? Please tell us
about it.
Maggie Dauterman - We always liked
Ray Dyreson’s road rallies the best…even
when we went through Lyndon Station
about six times from six different directions with Fieros meeting from every
direction in downtown Lyndon Station.
Sue Wack - The first year we attended,
we cruised over to the Circus World
Museum for a circus show and tour. It
Saturday on the show field
Page 12
was wonderful entertainment.
Judy Goodwin
- Where should I
start with this one! I
could rattle on, but I
would rather purr! It
was the first year my
husband Gerry and
I came to the Dells.
We came a day early
so we could take in
the Upper and Lower
Dells Boat Tours. After
the show on Saturday,
Gerry said, we are
going on the cruise! I
the NIFE winery tour cruises; you don’t
know where you are going, but you do
have fun all the way. There was also the
group tour on the Ducks when they came
and picked us up at the Chula Vista.
There is so much more that it makes it
hard to just pick one.
Do you have a unique experience that
occurred at a previous Dells Run event
that you would like to share with us?
Maggie Dauterman - In 1994 or
1995, the Prezzz’s car (Tom Podziemski
(Wisconsin)) “quit running” and
blocked traffic just out of the Pizza Pub
Restaurant parking lot so all the other
Fieros could get out of the lot. An officer
replied, “I don’t think
we should pay to go
on another boat ride!”
He replied, “Dear, just
come along”. Was I
surprised to say that I
was catching on that
“cruise” meant with the
car down the main drag
of the Dells! I went from
middle-aged women to
feeling like a teenager
in a matter of minutes!
From this first Dells
The chop top reunion class, new at this year’s show
Run on we have crisscrossed the states – Illinois, Michigan,
showed up, turned on his lights, talked to
Florida, Iowa and more participating in
the Prezzz and told him he has to have it
Fiero shows and meeting new people. We towed! When the last Fiero left the parkkeep coming back to the Dells because I
ing lot Tom said to the officer, “I’ll try it
need to stay young!
again.” His Fiero “started” and Tom told
Rhonda & Gabe Peters - Rhonda:
the officer to “have a nice night!” then
The year we had our late night go-karting drove away!
event and it rained. We were picking
Sue Wack - We came up to the Dells
sand out of our eyes and teeth and we
with a newly purchased ‘86 SE. It was
were soaked to the
bone, but it was a most
fun night. It was funny
watching the workers
shake their heads at us
while we were slipping
and sliding all over the
track laughing all the
way.
Gabe: There are
so many memories I
can think of. The time
Ho-Chunk Casino
came and picked us up
at the Chula Vista and
even gave us money
to go gambling. Also
Judy Goodwin
Fiero Focus
"Freedom" Fiero by Pete Grosz
“needy” and we did not know how to
get to things that needed replacing or repair. It was great to pick
the minds of the best in the Fiero
world to get the answers we needed to get the car back in good,
running condition. It didn’t stop
there, we still are finding out new
things every time we meet with
our Fiero friends.
Judy Goodwin – You can call
it “unique experiences”, I call
it addictions! One year Gerry
went into the Fiero show with
one Fiero, then after the show he
July/August
November/December
2012 2006
ended up buying a
Fiero GT which eventually turned into the
White Knight. From
that point on I swore
I would give Gerry a
control pill before he
went into the show
and that I would also
be waiting for him
after the show! But,
seeing what Gerry did
to that car is really
something special. I
guess I am addicted
too! The Dells Run has that effect on
some!
Rhonda & Gabe Peters – One year on
the way to the Dells we were leaving the
Cave Of The Mounds and decided to take
the back roads to the Chula Vista; it had
some nice twisty roads and the GPS even
got lost!
Which Fiero was most intriguing to you
at this year’s show?
Maggie Dauterman - Definitely
the “Freedom” Fiero by Pete Grosz
(Minnesota). This Fiero speaks volumes
not only to the Fiero community but also
to anyone lucky enough to view it.
Sue Wack - We really liked the
“Freedom” Fiero owned by Pete Grosz
(Minnesota) with the mural on the back
fin of the 9/11 Twin Towers and
the WWII battle scene. The story
behind it was touching too.
Judy Goodwin – The blue car
with patriotic American graphics
(the “Freedom” Fiero).
Rhonda & Gabe Peters - I
liked the white widebody, chop
top Fiero with the custom front
fascia.
Best Display winner, NIFE
Member Eric Dyreson
Page
Page13
13
Which innovation would you most like to
incorporate into your Fiero that you saw
at this year’s show?
Maggie Dauterman - Vented hoods
behind the radiators. There are always
unique ideas and concepts on display at
the Dells Run show. Seeing such a wide
field of really nice Fieros is pure motivation to get at that project car.
Sue Wack - We would like to install
the on/off switch for the trunk light.
Page 14
Judy Goodwin – The custom headlight design of V8 Archie’s latest chop
top creation. Also, the Fiero trailer cut
out of the Fiero chassis that Rob Bartlett
(Minnesota) brought; I loved the look
with the sporty sun umbrella!
Rhonda & Gabe Peters - I would like
to do a widebody, chop top Fiero someday!
Final thoughts
Maggie Dauterman - We would like
to take this opportunity to thank all the
Fiero clubs and everyone who helped
them at the Dells Run. Especially, we
would like to thank Tom Podziemski
(The Prezzz) for another great weekend
in the Dells!
Sue Wack - I would love to see more
events to do as a group like visiting the
Circus World Museum, or one of the
shows like the Tommy Barlett show, or
even a dinner cruise. I know some of the
clubs have done them individually and I
really like that.
Fiero Focus
The Rear View Mirror:
2) are: The
had a probType 2 reserlem with the
voir is between
time delay
the mounting
feature.
flange
and
Rodney sells
NIFE Club Meeting: February 18
the
vertical
a kit that
Our third meeting of the 2012 seafluid outlet
replaces the
son was held on February 18, 2012 at
at the end of
capacitors
the Schaumburg, Illinois Library. Three
the cylinder.
on the time
members of NIFE gave presentations.
The Type 1
delay circuit
cylinder
outlet
board to fix
Clutch Master Cylinder Operation And
is
at
an
angle
this problem.
Replacement
between
the
A replaceNIFE Technical Director, Bill Klicker
NIFE Technical Director Bill Klicker
ment wiper
gave the first presentation on clutch mas- reservoir and
the mounting flange. Replacement cylin- control switch is also available.
ter cylinder and slave cylinder operation
ders are available from Rodney Dickman
If the problem is mechanical, the
and replacement.
(rodneydickman.com) or the Fiero Store
obvious indication is the overrun of the
Bill showed a schematic of the opera(fierostore.com).
wiper motor past its “home” position.
tion of the Fiero hydraulic clutch system
There are three different designs for
Nick showed the correct stopping posiand discussed the difference in comthe slave cylinder. The ‘84 had a unique
tion with the crank between two mountponents for the various model years.
design. The ‘85-‘88 4-cylinder and ‘85ing bushings and the incorrect position
The clutch hydraulic master cylinder
‘86 V6 4-speed had a second design. The
28 degrees beyond the stop position.
is mounted to the frame in the front
‘86-‘88 V6 5-speed had a third design.
The mechanical problem usually is
compartment of the Fiero. As the clutch
Both Rodney Dickman and the Fiero
related to old, thickened or dirty grease.
pedal is depressed, hydraulic fluid is
Store sell rebuild kits and replacement
Bad grease can cause the switch to not
forced through a hydraulic line to the
cylinders. Bill went through the steps
function or not act quickly enough causslave cylinder in the engine compartrequired to rebuild the cyling the motor to run-on or coast past
inders. If you have the skills
the correct stop position. If you have the
and tools, you can save
skills, the wiper motor assembly can be
approximately 40% in part
taken apart and repaired. You will need
costs by rebuilding the cylinto drill out the cover screws to remove
ders yourself.
the cover and clean the gears and switch.
The gears should be lightly coated with
new grease and the cover reattached
“Phantom” Wiper Repair
NIFE member Nick
DiMonte gave the second
presentation on the repair
of the “phantom” wiper
condition. The problem is
a single sweep of the windshield wipers when the
ignition is started, interTop: Type 2 Clutch Master Cylinder
mittent swipes, and wipers
Bottom: Type 1 Clutch Master Cylinder starting by themselves or
ment above the transmission. The pisworst case, the wipers not turning off.
ton in the slave cylinder pushes a rod
As usual Nick’s presentation was very
attached to the clutch fork that releases
detailed; this is a synopsis.
the clutch.
The two possible causes of the
The visual differences between clutch
“phantom” condition are either electrimaster cylinder (Type 1) and the (Type
cal or mechanical. The ‘85-‘86 Fiero’s
NIFE Member Nick DiMonte
July/August
November/December
2012
2006
Page
Page15
15
with screws, lock-washers and nuts.
Replacing Seat Covers
Fiero GT will be chosen by popular
vote so the candidate could either be a
stock or modified Fiero. Each of these
“Best” Fieros will be prominently displayed at Fierorama and only one will
be chosen by popular vote to be the Best
Interpretation Of A 1985 Fiero GT In The
Midwest. Attend
as many or all of
these shows on
this 2012 show
circuit!
Kerry Kline, NIFE Activity Director,
covered the replacement of seat covers
for our third presentation. Kerry had
installed “Mr. Mikes” seat covers in his
Fiero. He demonstrated the steps required
to disassemble the
seat, repair problem
areas of damaged
foam padding and
make the necessary
NIFE July Event –
cuts into the padding
Lombard Cruise
to reassemble the
Night: July 14
seats. He was guided
One of the
in the re-upholstering
finest cruise
by the excellent video
destinations in
Mr. Mikes provides
northern Illinois
with each replaceturns 14 this year
ment seat cover kit.
and NIFE is planYou can go to www.
ning a visit. On
mrmikes.com for
Saturday, July 14,
additional informa2012 we will gathtion.
er together and
For additional
cruise to downNIFE articles on the
NIFE Activity Director Kerry Kline town Lombard,
subjects covered at this
IL to take part in
meeting, go to www.fierofocus.com and
the festivities. The Stingrays, a ‘50’s, ‘60’s,
“click” on the Index Section. By subject,
and ‘70’s rock ‘n roll and oldies band,
the index lists past Fiero Focus issue
is scheduled to be the night’s musidates and page numbers.
cal entertainment at this cruise night.
Options for food include Capone’s Pizza,
Larry Hall, NIFE Club Secretary
The Main Street Cafe, Dairy Queen, and
many more.
At 4:15pm we will gather at the
Beyond The Headlights:
Crowne Plaza Hotel at the Northwest
corner of Roosevelt Road and Finley
NIFE Events Calendar At A Glance
Road. The Crowne Plaza is East of the
• July 14 - NIFE Cruise Night in
I-355 exit at Roosevelt Road and is
Lombard, IL
located at 1250 Roosevelt Road in Glen
• July 19 - POCI Cruise Night in
Ellyn, IL.
West Chicago, IL
The cruise night in Lombard will fill
• July 21 - POCI National Convention
up
quickly so we will depart from this
Car Show in St. Charles, IL
• August 19 - Village Buick/GMC Event
staging area promptly at 4:30pm to arrive
in Naperville, IL
to the cruise night around 5:00pm. The
• Septmber 8-9 - Fierorama Weekend in
“official” cruise night runs from 6:00pm
St. Charles, IL
until 10:00pm. Parking for the cruise
• September 16 - Fall POCI Event in
night is along St. Charles Road from
Lemont, IL
Main Street to Elizabeth Street; several
other designated “cruise zones” are
Events of the Midwest Fiero Clubs
located along St. Charles Road.
Check out the Midwest Fiero Clubs
events listed in the brochure mailed
Ken Nagel, NIFE Activity Director
with the May/June 2012 issue of Fiero
Focus or visit Fieros.us for details about
all of the Fiero only car shows taking
Pontiac/GMC Cruise Night – West
place around our Midwest area. At each
Chicago: July 19
show, the Best Interpretation Of A 1985
On Thursday night, July 19, 2012,
Page 16
Augustino’s Rock and Roll Deli located
in West Chicago, IL near the intersection of Route 64 and Route 59 will host a
Pontiac/GMC cruise night from 5:00pm
until 9:00pm. As part of the national convention for the Pontiac/Oakland Club
International (see below) taking place at
Pheasant Run in St. Charles, IL. Double
K Productions will provide the musical
entertainment for this evening for what
is anticipated to be one of the largest
gatherings of Pontiacs & GMC’s ever for
a POCI National Convention. Grab a bite
to eat for dinner at Augustino’s Deli or
the Steak & Shake next door. This cruise
night will be BIG. Overflow parking will
be in the Menard’s parking lot.
Jim Hallman, NIFE President
Pontiac/Oakland Club International’s
National Convention Car Show – St.
Charles, IL: July 21
The Pontiac/Oakland Club
International’s national convention
will be taking place from Tuesday, July
17 through Saturday, July 21, 2012 at
Pheasant Run Resort on Route 64 in St.
Charles, IL. This event is being hosted by
the Cruisin’ Tigers GTO Club. In addition to this all Pontiac car show, other
events include seminars, racing events,
swap meets, cruises and tours. You must
be a member of the Pontiac/Oakland
Club to enter your Pontiac in this event,
but anyone is able to be spectator to the
car show. Visit www.POCI.org or www.
cruisintigers.com for all of the event
details.
On Saturday, July 21, 2012 the national convention car show will be taking
place and spectators are welcome. There
will be both a points judged show as well
as a popular vote show. See Pontiacs,
Oaklands, and GMCs of all years!
Jim Hallman, NIFE President
NIFE August Event: August 19
On Sunday, August 19, 2012 come
on out and join your fellow club members for a trip to the “Village”. We will
be attending the 2nd annual “Trip to the
Village” gathering at Naperville’s Village
Buick-GMC dealership located at 1585
West Ogden Ave in Naperville, IL. First,
we are going to meet for breakfast at
The Steak & Shake located at 1620 North
Route 59, Naperville, IL (at the southeast
Fiero Focus
corner of Route 59 and Diehl Road at
the I-88 exit #59) at 8:00am. Following
breakfast, we will then drive over to the
dealership as a group. They will be hosting a car show (you do not have to enter
the car show if you do not want to). The
entry fee for the car show is $5.00. The
Winfield Boy Scout Troop #575 will be
selling donuts, coffee, hot dogs, chips,
and cold drinks. So come join us for a
nice summer day looking at cool cars
and talking with fellow club members.
You can download the show flier from
our website at fierofocus.com. See you
there!
Dave Kopielski, NIFE Activity Director
2012 Fierorama Weekend: September
8-9
This year’s Fierorama will be our 17th
year! The Fierorama show will be taking
place on Sunday, September 9, 2012 as
we return to Pottawatomie Park in St.
Charles, IL located at 8 North Avenue
along the wooded banks of the Fox River;
northwest of the intersection of North
Avenue (Route 64) and Route 25.
Pottawatomie Park is forty-seven
acres of beautiful scenic woods, with
an enjoyable walk along the Fox River.
Leisure activities include a professional
9-hole golf course, a super fun 18-hole
mini-golf park, a softball/baseball field,
swings, tennis courts, and paddleboat
rides on the river. The large picnic areas
will be open all day for your enjoyment.
Enjoy travel from the paddlewheel
era of Mark Twain on one of the three
afternoon sightseeing trips. The boats
have enclosed lower decks and open-air
upper decks for unobstructed sightseeing. The four-mile sightseeing trips of the
scenic Fox River Valley are about 50 minutes long and depart from Pottawatomie
Park at 2:00pm, 3:00pm and 4:00pm.
No reservations are necessary. Tickets
are: $7.50 adults; $6.00 children 15 and
under; and FREE for children 2 and
under. Something for everyone awaits
you, your family, and friends.
Our host hotel will again be the
Holiday Inn Express located at 1600
East Main Street (also known as Route
64 or North Avenue) in St. Charles, IL.
Call 630-584-5300 to make reservations.
Remember to ask for the “Fierorama
Special Rate” of $82/night, which
includes a free, hot breakfast bar, newsJuly/August
November/December
2012
2006
paper, fitness center, playground, and
heated outdoor pool. Please call by
August 18, 2012 to guarantee your room
and rate. There are several car washes
located minutes from the host hotel for
your convenience. Tyler Wash at 503
Tyler Road is located a block away from
the Holiday Inn and has both manual
and automatic touch-less facilities.
Join in for two days of fun with your
Fiero friends from around the country.
St. Charles and its neighboring city,
Geneva, both offer a variety of antique
shopping, skate parks, and delicious dinning experiences. For 2012, we have the
return of our Fierorama Poker Run that
will begin at the host hotel starting at
3:00pm; so please begin gathering in the
parking lot starting at 2:30pm. Join us for
this fun event to help you get acquainted
with the area as we travel to scenic and
historic sites around the St. Charles,
Geneva and Batavia areas. The poker
run should last around 2 - 2-1/2 hours.
The final stop on our poker run will be at
Gino’s East for our traditional Fierorama
pizza party beginning at 6:00pm across
the street from the host hotel.
On Sunday, September 9, 2012 you
can plan on arriving anytime after
9:00am to enjoy a full day celebrating
the Fiero at our Fierorama show. The
car show hours are from 12 noon until
5:00pm at Pottawatomie Park. Please
pre-register for this event; it is so much
easier for all involved to plan activities
if we have a good idea of attendance in
advance. There is a registration form
located within this issue of Fiero Focus
and also on our website at fierofocus.
com. If you plan to have your Fiero
appraised for insurance purposes by
Ride On Appraisals, you must sign up
ahead of time and arrive at the show at
9:00am. The cost will be $225.00 or less
depending on how many Fieros participate. You must check this box on the registration form to notify us of your interest
in having your Fiero appraised.
All NIFE members and spectators can
participate for FREE. Other non-NIFE
members choosing to enter their car in
the show are welcome with a registration
fee of $10. Or for $25, become a NIFE
member and receive our award winning Fiero Focus magazine for the balance of 2012 and all of 2013 and attend
Fierorama for FREE. Feel free to participate in our Park 4 Fun class if you will
not be able to be with us the entire day.
Displaying your Fiero in this class allows
you the flexibility to come and go as you
please. You do not need to enter your car
in the show to attend! All are welcome.
Directions: St. Charles is located in
the Fox Valley area about 35 miles west
of Chicago. It is easily accessible via several local roadways including Route 64
(North Avenue), Route 25, or Route 31,
all with easy connections from I-88, and
I-90. Please see the map located on our
website. Look for the Fierorama signs!
This is one of the best and largest
Fiero shows of the year and always a fun
and exciting time. We look forward to
seeing you and having you join us for
some great times and good fun in St.
Charles! See you there!
Thanks to our generous Fierorama
Key Sponsors for 2012: The Fiero
Store, V8 Archie, Village Buick/GMC
in Naperville, IL and Fox Valley Buick/
GMC in St. Charles, IL. Because of their
significant contributions, we can keep
Fierorama a free event for our club members.
Jim Hallman, NIFE President
Web Links:
Pottawatomie Park: www.st-charlesparks.
org/Facilities/PottawatomieCommunity-Center.asp
St. Charles, IL: www.st-charles.il.us
NIFE September Event: September 16
Join us for a club group breakfast at
the Burger King in Lemont, IL located
at 1276 State Street beginning at 9:00am
on Sunday, September 16, 2012. After
breakfast we will check out the Illinois
Chapter of the Pontiac-Oakland Club
International’s 17th annual Fall All
Pontiac and GMC show taking place in
the parking lot next to the restaurant.
The show hours are from 10:00am to
3:00pm. Registration is from 9:00am till
noon with awards at 3:00pm. You can
download the show flier from our website located at fierofocus.com. Feel free to
either enter your Fiero in the show or just
check out the selection of fine Pontiacs
that will be on display along with your
fellow Fiero club members!
Jim Hallman, NIFE President
Page
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17
Meet A Member Stats:
City
Farmington
State
Illinois
Year
1986
Model
SE
Engine
2.5L 4-Cylinder
Transmission
5-speed Manual
Milage
120,000
Exterior Color
Bright Red
Interior Color
Gray
Power Windows
Yes
Power Locks
Yes
Power Mirrors
Yes
Sunroof
Yes
A/C
Yes
Garry Kay
My name is Garry Kay. I work for
Caterpillar as a blast
operator in the foundry
in Mapleton, IL and I
love to drive my Fiero.
The first Fiero I
noticed was in 1988.
I just ordered an ‘88
Berretta GT and was
waiting for delivery.
There were delays of
months in delivering my
new car. I went to the
Pontiac dealer to look
around. They had a ‘88
Fiero GT that I drove, the
handling was great and it
was so fun to drive. The
cost was about $500.00
more than the Berretta;
I just about stopped my
order and bought the
Fiero, when my car came
in. I bought my ‘86 SE
in May 2010 and paid
$1,200 for it. It is a 2.5L,
5-speed, red exterior,
gray interior, with A/C
Page 18
and sunroof.
I picked the Fiero because I always
wondered about the one I did not buy,
and it looked to be a fun project and save
some gas at the same time. I always wondered if I should have bought the ‘88 or
not. After owning the ’86 SE, I now wish
I had. I have driven about 16,000 miles
with the ’86. Since buying the ’86 I have
not had any unusual problems. I’ve had
the run of the mill problems, like headlight motors, TPS, blown head gasket and
e-brake lockup.
The first road trip I took was to the
Heartland show in Davenport, Iowa in
2010.
I did not enter the show; I had no idea
about how shows worked or what to do
to get ready for a show. I just loved walking around and talking to everyone about
their cars and talking about mine. I met
a lot of real nice people that day. In 2011,
I went back and put my car in the show
and had a great day. I am still just learn-
ing but I think I’m hooked.
The only modifications I have added
are a cold air induction, a modified catback system, carbon fiber vents, dash
and shift panels, driving lights, and
changed the radio for a Kenwood AM/
FM/CD player.
Other cars I own are an ‘85 GT that
I just picked up, but it is going to be
my parts car. If I could have any car it
would be a ‘67 Corvette ragtop, or a ‘69
Roadrunner Super Bird. Would I buy
another Fiero if I sell mine? I don’t think
I will sell my ‘86, but I would like to buy a
Formula when I get my ‘86 to the point at
which I think it should be.
Send Meet A Members and
Comments to:
Mike Kroyer
221 Macintosh Ave.
Woodstock, IL 60098
815-308-5710
Email: [email protected]
Fiero Focus
Parts & Service
Aftermarket Fiero Glove box, improved design, choice of
colors, $179.00; ‘86-’87 SE, ’85 GT front bumper cover,
stripped, sanded, primed ready for paint and install,
$325.00; rebuilt & tested V-6 EGR solenoid valves,
$75.00; outer door skins, $25.00; fenders, $35.00; GT
rear decklids, $75.00; wings (spoilers), $109.00; new ’88
rear struts, $85.00/pair; tan dash, $95.00. Contact Paul
Vargyas 630-983-6434 or email [email protected].
‘84-‘86 headlight rebuilding service. NIFE member Bill
Kennedy will rebuild your ‘84-‘86 headlight motors for
$59.00 with exchange, or $79.00 outright (if available in
stock). Both prices are plus shipping. Bill will also answer
any questions on your headlight motors or headlight wiring
system. Bill is located in Roselle, IL. and can be reached
(only by phone) at: 630-894-8573.
Fiero literature, collectibles and parts: approximately 3,000
items including dealer brochures, Owner’s Manuals, Shop
Manuals, magazines, pamphlets, Service Bulletins, Pace
Car literature, models, die cast cars, slot cars, Matchbox,
Hot Wheels, etc. Also many body and interior parts,
wheels, steering wheels, sunroofs, ashtray covers, etc.
Contact Tom Derr at 717-763-5748 or email at tom6derr@
yahoo.com.
Golden Eye Graphic specializing in car show sign boards.
I am a car enthusiast like so many others. I spend a lot
of time at car shows and cruises with my car. What is the
best way to get your car noticed? With a Car Show Sign
Board! These boards help bring your car’s little details to
a larger picture; other car enthusiasts are able to see and
learn about your car. Golden Eye Graphic custom makes
all sizes of boards with as much detail or as little detail as
the owner desires. For more information please contact
Mike Kroyer at 847-791-5630 or e-mail at [email protected].
Fieronews.net is your one-stop-shop for restoration parts
for your Fiero interior. We produce remanufactured sun
visors that can be custom made with your personalized
embroidery on them. We also offer shifter boots, sunshades, sunshade cover bags, e-brake boots, shift boots
(both manual and automatic), T-Tops bags and spare tire
covers. We offer a wide variety of materials to either match
OEM or we can custom order just about anything you can
think of like carbon fiber or ostrich skin. New for 2012! We
are now reproducing all of the Fiero decals for your car in
a vinyl material that has a long outdoor life span to keep
your car looking new. From windshield banners to the
“Formula” lettering on your door, we can do it all along with
custom jobs as well. Please download our catalog at www.
fieronews.net for the full list of items that we produce to
help restore and personalize your Fiero at very affordable
prices. You can contact me on PFF as Fiero Thomas or
call 224-715-7933. We have been in business for 5 years.
We are available 7 days a week.
RW Upholstery offers custom upholstery and upholstery
restoration services. Products include: rear trunk covers,
front compartment covers, mirror covers, headliners, sunvisors (with and without pockets), sunshades and more.
Visit rwupholstery.com or email Russ Wormuth at info@
rwupholstery.com or call 765-469-2330. Russ is an NIFE
Member and his shop is located in Denver, Indiana.
Marvin’s Motor City in Morris, IL offers maintenance and
restoration on all year Fiero’s and other GM cars. Painting
& body repairs, detailing, AC service and conversions,
brakes, mechanical repairs, etc. Marvin is a Fiero enthusiast, he owns multiple Fiero’s! Owned by Marvin Minarich,
Jr. Located at 9550 #C, Sandridge Industrial Ct, Morris,
IL 60450. Contact him at 815-521-9566 or gtomarvin@
If you plan to submit a FREE advertisement
for the “Bits & Pieces” Section – whether to
sell your Fiero, your parts, or your services,
or if you wish to send in a Letter To The
Editor to be published in the next Fiero
Focus, please have them submitted to
Michelle and Scott Savage (608-575-0827
or email at [email protected]) by
August 5th to be included in the September/
October issue. Any submissions later than
this date will be included in later issues.
November/December
July/August
2012
2006
hotmail.com.
Sinister Performance, LLC. (Ryan Gick - 9011 Muldoon
Rd. Fort Wayne, IN 46819). My company offers the following services: Engine/Transmission Swaps and Custom
Chips / Computer Reprogramming; OBD-1 and OBD-2 for
1984 to present GM vehicles. I am pleased to announce
that I am now offering a 10% discount to all current NIFE
members for custom chips and PCM reprogramming services; please notify me of your membership when placing
your order. I also do engine swaps for the Fiero using the
Ecotec 4cyl, 3100, 3400, 3.4 DOHC, 3800, 3800SC, LS4
V8, and numerous others. I will also do conversions as
simple as Auto-OD transmission upgrades or the 7730
ECM upgrade. In addition, I can install performance
modifications, turbo and superchargers, custom build
engines, port cylinder heads, and perform chassis dyno
tuning services (in conjunction with a local dyno shop). My
experience, education, and certification credentials can be
found on my website along with my contact info. My website also contains lots of Fiero-related information. Check
it out at: www.gmtuners.com.
The Fiero Warehouse offers an expanded list of used
parts, plus new Fiero parts, fiberglass accessories, reproduction GT quarter windows, and on occasion a restored
Fiero. The Fiero Warehouse is located in Wheeling, West
Virginia. Contact Doug Kinney at 304-845-4769. Check
them out at www.fierowarehouse.com.
ACE Muffler & Brake – located at 7157 W. Irving Park
Road in Chicago. Dave Armstrong (formerly of Jacobs
Twin Buick/Pontiac), a GM-trained Fiero mechanic with
over 30 years of experience as a GM Mechanic is part
owner of this service facility; call (773-282-1444) for any
of your Fiero mechanical needs!
G Force Automotive. Fiero mechanic, all Fiero work
performed, engine replacements, upgrades, etc. Stock
Fiero clutch replacements only $520.00 labor! Contact
Ed Grzeszkiewicz. Shop is located at 22829 Mustang
Rd., Frankfort, IL 60423, 708-299-4998. (Frankfort is
Southwest of the I-80 & I-57 intersections).
Fiero Conversions (Jimmy’s Automotive & Custom, Inc)
– we have the 355 Ferrari bodies, Mera parts, 308 and
328 kits available for purchase. We also have a sea
container full of used Fiero parts and many aftermarket
parts; call with further inquiries. NIFE members get a 5%
discount on all parts in stock. Our website is www.jimmysautomotiveandcustom.com. We are located about 10
minutes from Detroit, Michigan. Our full address is 2957
Walker Rd. Windsor, Ont. N8W3S4. Phone 519-259-3886
(ask for Sue). Or contact our shop Mon. thru Sat. at 519972-6403.
Delco CD radios for the Fiero. Looking for a ‘stock’ looking
CD radio for your Fiero? Visit www.replacementradios.
com. Contact Kevin Kruger at radios@replacementradios.
com for full details.
Fiero Store—free 40 Page catalog. Located at 60A
Progress Drive, Manchester, CT 06042. Contact 800-3437648 (order), 860-684-6762 (tech info), 860-684-6785
(fax). Website: www.fierostore.com.
V8 Archie – V8 conversion kits and installations, Fino &
Finale kit cars, in stock, ready to ship, and ‘Big Brake’ kits
& installations. Complete pricing, pictures & Fiero tech tips
at http://www.V8archie.com. The shop’s NEW ADDRESS
is: 5328 Forest Hills Ct. Loves Park, IL 61111. 800-8913608 or email [email protected].
C & J Motorsports – powder coating services. NIFE
Members Chuck & Jeff Wessel. Please contact us for
quotes. Chuck (630-926-2948) or Jeff (630-532-4295) or
via email at [email protected].
Fiero parts and accessories by Rodney Dickman. Headlight
rebuilding parts for all years, spare tire covers, Getrag 5
speed parts and misc., replacement subwoofer speakers,
shifters, leather shift boots, engine parts, apparel, stickers,
tools etc. Reproduction and hard to find replacement parts
for the Pontiac Fiero. Contact Rodney Dickman – 7604
Treeview Drive, Caledonia, WI 53108, 262-835-9575. Visit
the Website at www.rodneydickman.com.
Leather seats for the Fiero. Samples available. Contact
Mr. Mikes 941-922-5070 (FL). Website: http://www.
mrmikes.com/
Fiero parts discount location. Now get our club discount
at Jennings Chevrolet 241 Waukegan Road Glenview, IL
60025. Our contact is Jim Norman. Phone: 847-729-0820,
fax: 847-729-9181. Phone orders are ok. Pick up only,
no shipping. This is our official NIFE parts source. Get
new GM Parts for your Fiero at the best price available
anywhere. Hours are: M-F 8-5, Sat 8-3.
Source for wheel refinishing. Wheels Of America 1535
Brummel Ave Elk Grove Village, IL 60007. Phone number
is 888-943-3518. Our contact person is Paul Moreno
(Manager). For the price of $99.00 per wheel for any style
Fiero wheel, your aluminum wheels will be refinished and
minor damage repaired. You can choose any custom color
if desired. For $10.00 extra, you can leave your tires on
your wheels and the tires will be remounted and balanced
after refinishing. Be sure to tell them you are an NIFE
member to get this discounted rate.
Fiero Parts at up to 45% below List Price! Order your Fiero
parts over the Internet with no sales tax. Enter your part
number and see your actual purchase cost with shipping
and handling charges. Parts ship from Flow Chevrolet/
Buick/GMC/Cadillac in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Website: http://www.gmpartsdirect.com.
Manual Mirror Control Repair Plate Kit. This kit includes
instructions, a replacement hex nut for the mirror control
bezel, two white trim panel fasteners and the bezel reinforcement plate. Kit repairs the mirror control housing that
pops out of the door panel. Kit costs $9.00/each. Contact
Tom Derr at (717) 763-5748 or [email protected].
Sail panels, decals, and shift boots for the Fiero. Decals
are for all Fieros and sail panels are for the notchback
body style only. View at www.fierosails.com or contact
Paul McKibben at [email protected] or 770-4090719.
The Fiero Factory contact Jeremy Biggs at 256-420-5391,
8710B Highway 53, Toney, AL 35773. Over 200 Fiero
parts cars at any given time! Call for the parts you need.
Website: www.thefierofactory.com or email: Fierofactory@
juno.com
Hot Rod Auto/Truck Collision & Restoration, Inc.
Specializing in original & custom painting, original &
performance upgrades to brakes, engine, suspension
and transmissions. Appraisals. Contact Mark or Ron
847-678-2490. Located at 4655 N. 25th Avenue, Schiller
Park, IL 60176.
Appraisals & Insurance
Auto Appraisal Group, Inc. – Jim Evans. PO Box 3430
Glen Ellyn, IL 60138-3430. Email: [email protected].
Phone: 630-858-5728. Website: www.autoappraisal.com.
M&M Automobile Appraisers, Inc. – Mike Grippo. Special
interest/collectible/antique appraisals. 584 Broomspun
Street Henderson, NV 89015. Phone: 702-568-5120. Fax:
702-568-5158.
Rally Insurance Group, Inc. Ellen or Lars Anderson.
Classic/special interest auto insurance specialists. 5105
Tollview Dr. Suite 211, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008. Phone:
800-801-1823. Visit www.rallyinsurance.com for details.
NIFE club members receive a 7-10% discount. When
signing up, be sure to mention your NIFE membership.
Books & Literature
Enthusiasts Guide To The Pontiac Fiero - new, updated
version 2.0 with over 45 new items added and 34 more
images! The most in-depth, comprehensive, documented
information on the stock 1984 to 1988 Fiero in a 48
page, 8.5”x11”spiral bound book. Up to date Fiero facts,
statistics, numbers built, colors, VIN decoder, and specifications with over 116 full color images. Cost is $15.00
each plus $2.75for S&H. Order via credit card or Paypal at
www.fierofocus.com or make checks payable to Northern
Illinois Fiero Enthusiasts and mail to NIFE c/o Paul
Vargyas 2600 Longview Drive, Lisle, IL 60532.
Pontiac Service Manual—1984-1988. A comprehensive
300-400 page manual describing parts removal/replacement procedures, diagnostic check procedures, and
electrical schematics. Prices from $60.00-$90.00 (plus
$6.00 handling fee) depending on year. Contact Helms,
Inc. 800-782-4356, P.O. Box 07130, Detroit, Ml 48207
(MasterCard, Visa, Discover accepted).
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