Thread: Measuring Up to the Competition
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Old Jan 3, 2014 | 08:22 AM
  #34 (permalink)  
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Padgett
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From: Orlando
Default Re: Measuring Up to the Competition
V8 Archie is still around. Thing about the Fiero is that it was still the first gen of computer cars (GM CCC) and really did little other than run the engine and activate the TCC, the augtomagic transmission, the 3T40, had little electrics and the manual trans had none.

A sidewindingV8 was really a shoe in install and were a lot around with Carbs rather than FI.

Crossfire is an entirely different issue with near total integration of electronics though not as tamperproof as my WK2. It also has a lot more power in stock configuration than the 80 hp of an Iron Duke Fiero or even the 140 hp Chevvy V6.

Finally, the original Fieros were sub-$10k cars and there were a lot built and frankly the early adopters rarely kept them long, for the first year and a half, the anemic iron duke was the only engine available and the three quart oil capacity coupled with a weak bottom end meant there were a lot of engine failures so a lot of transplant recipients.

True, it is kind of a cult car (the car you wear) and while a rear engine car is cooler in the summer than front (and also had the DA6 a/c compressor which failed regularly) the lack of power steering limited its appeal.

The final nail in the coffin was the lack of height. At 46.9" SUVs often did not see one next to them and tended to change lanes abruptly.

Both the Crossfire and the Reatta (a better comparison) at 51" high do not have this problem though the plain bucket seats and the tilt wheel of the Reatta makes for easier entry.

But both the Reatta and the Fiero were children of the 80s, the Crossfire is a decade later design and the world changed in that time.
 
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