AACA Senior Winner

1941 Chevy 1/2 Ton

 

AACA Senior Winner

1965 Mustang Coupe

 

1964 El Camino

 

1985 Fiero SE

Now with LS3 engine

 

AACA Grand National Winner

1988 T-Top Formula

 

1986 Grand National


 

Other Links

* QSY To My Shack

* Capital City Fieros

* AACA

* The Fiero Store

* Pennock's Fiero Forum

* V8 Archie's Shop

 

 

 

 

My wife refers to me as a hobbyholic

I have always enjoyed cars.  As a teenager in the late 1950's until the day they take my license away I will always be fascinated with cars, or anything that has wheels on it.

 

I was lucky to be able to get into drag racing in the early 1960's.  I raced a 1955 Ford with a 292 cubic inch motor and a four barrel carb.  I enjoyed this hobby until 1969 when I was sent overseas for the Navy.

Life after drag racing

After returning from Guam Is. I decided to try and do a restoration on a vehicle. Drag racing got to where the little guy did not stand a chance.  I found a 41 Chevy and started a restoration.  This truck was a Senior winner with the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA).

One is good, two is better

In 1988 I came across a 1965 Mustang.  One thing led to another, a lot of time and a few dollars and I had another AACA Senior winner.  In 1992 I sold the Mustang due to a tranfer with to California.

Back to my teenage days

I had to fill the garage up with something.  I found a somewhat rust-free 64 El Camino.  All was needed was a little repair on the body, a built 350 cubic inch engine, and a 200-4R trans. It screams!

Last but not least

In 2000 I decided to sell the 41 pickup after owning it for 25 years.  Here comes the Fiero.  This is a fun car to drive, but a bear to work on.  I have put together some repair/mod tips for the Fiero.


* Upgrade gauges to a GT package 

* LED parking and tail lights 

* Battery tray replacement

* Sail Panel Replacement

* Oil Cooler Installation

* Carpet Replacement

* 6 Speed Installation

* Starter for the 4.9

* Painting my Fiero

* Installing a 4.9

* Odds and Ends

 

Once again if one is good then two must be better. I came across an 88 Yellow Formula  that was in show room condition.  So now I am up to two Fieros and have promised my wife that this will keep me busy for a long time.


The time has come to sell the El Camino, I had completed just about ever thing I wanted to do. In late 2005 I put a for sale sign in the window. It did not take long before she found a new home. I really did not need another car, but then I started looking. I thought maybe a Honda S2000, but I already had a daily driver. Then I started looking at Buick Grand Nationals,  but hard to find one not modified to race or rusted out.  Then after about three months of driving all over the midwest I found what I was looking for, The fastest production car built in 1986.


After 7 years of running the 4.9 in the 85 Fiero I started to notice that the oil pressure light was starting to flicker when the engine was up at operating temperature and idling. I checked the pressure with a calibrated gauge and it revealed that the the engine was operating with about 5 PSI of oil pressure. The 4.9 engines have a normal oil pressure of 10 to 12 PSI. I replaced the oil pump, but that did not help. Now I started thinking about replacing the engine and decided to go with the 435 HP, LS3 engine.  I already had the F40 6 speed transmission installed, so that part was done. It did not take long after talking with Archie that I brotght the car over at his shop. The installation took about 3 weeks. If you ever get the chance to take a ride in a LS3 powered Fiero, do not pass it up, or if you see me, do not hesitate to ask.

 

 

 

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