1967 Corvair Convertible vs. 1986 Pontiac Fiero - Generation Gap: Cult Classics
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ส.ค. 2014
- Cast your vote here: www.hagerty.com/articles-video...
Today on “Generation Gap,” the guys bring a pair of cars that fall firmly in the “cult classics” category. Davin’s choice, a 1967 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Convertible, has been called “unsafe at any speed.” The Corvair boasts a 2.7L, 2,683cc flat-6 engine behind the rear wheels. Matt’s pick, a 1986 Pontiac Fiero SE, has been known to catch fire at the most inopportune times. The Pontiac has the mid-engine 2.4L “Iron Duke” inline four. Matt and Davin discuss the incredibly passionate following for these classics, and try to figure out the magic behind their cult status.
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My first car was a '67 Corvair 4-speed coupe and I loved that car. Never had a problem with the handling that was so widely publicized. In fact, it was a blast to drive. It was also really easy to work on. Taking the engine out was a breeze and no liquid cooling system to mess with. I found out that the person who bought it from me totaled it and it went to the big highway in the sky.I test drove a new Fiero back in '88 and was not impressed. Needed more power, rode rough and no interior room. Drove a Miata a couple years later and it drove like a dream.
Corvair monza without a doubt. This isn't even a competition
I agree.
Correct all around!!!
Corvair and not just because I own two of them!
MrCorvairGuy 😂😂 "totally not biased"
Fiero
Gotta give it to the Corvair. Timeless good looks and the one time that Chevy broke from the pack and made a truly unique American car. All the other compacts of the 60s were just scaled down versions of the manufacturer's larger cars.
YEAH....EXCEPT FOR AMC...AND THEY HAD A FEW UNIQUE ITEMS OF THEIR OWN UP THEIR ' SLEEVES'...
radial tires and a redesigned swing axle solved corvairs problems, but the car had already been damned by the public
2right4words you are right, but Nader got to the public before GM did!!!!!
Radial tires were essentially non-existent on the American market during the Corvair's production run, and the 2nd gen Corvair doesn't use swing axles.
Nader had to make a name for himself , and he owned one , if it was so unsafe at any speed why would he own one .
I bought. Fiero brand new in 84. 2.5 4 speed manuel. Great car
Had a friend with the automatic it was a dog.
I seen one 2 years back with a V8 in it. Up for sale don't remember price if i wasn't disabled would have been checking it out
Love Both. Spilt also
Wow that Corvair is gorgeous!
Corvair all day long...
I drove a V6 Fiero years ago and it reminded me so much of driving a Corvair with that 6-cylinder roar behind the seat and the light steering.
As a owner of a 66 Monza convertible I think I can safely say that I absolutely LOVE my car
The alleged issue with the Corvair wasn't cornering but roll over. It's a shame, really. Because the Corvair would have been a serious trend setter if it wasn't bashed by Nader.
Screw that Nader! He's the reason cars today are so government regulated.
It was good that Nader bashed the Corvair. not only were they dangerous, also,unreliable. My friend had one that was a real piece of s..t !
and then the camaro (its successor)
I think Nader overstated the Corvair issue-it was more of a "drivers" car and had to maintained more thoroughly than most cars of that era
First this is a gen 2 corvair. Nader book “chapter “ covered gen 1 corvair and was proved that it was no more unsafe than any other car from that time period. All the BAD things said by the host were from gen 1 Corvairs. Gen 2 Corvairs are awesome driving machines
They are both classics. I own an '88 Fiero GT. The turbo in the V6 pushes the car forcefully forward. Makes so fun.
Actually, the turbo pushes air forcefully into the engine. It's the engine that pushes the car forward, that and gravity when you're going downhill. 95+ hp in a car of almost 3k pounds is not fast, turbo or no turbo.
The Fiero is intereting. No matter in how bad of shape one is in you can always find someone willing to buy it.
Great video but I think it would have been much more interesting if it was a 1988 Fiero GT vs a Corvair Corsa
Completely wrong as to why the Corvair was "unsafe" ,, not the "pendulum effect" at all ... 1st gen Vairs had swing axles which could "jack" into unsafe positive camber positions in hard cornering... The turbo's had chains restraining the rear axles movement (worked great) and all had shock absorbers with limiters... The 64's had a transverse leaf spring which helped also... what made 1st gen Corvairs flip , twist and do nasty things was that people would unwittingly bypass the safety systems such as the travel limiting shock absorbers by using "big car" chevy shocks which bolted right in and cost less ,, even some Chevy dealers made that mistake. 2nd gen Vairs handled better than the Corvette... and many were converted to mid-engined screamers with a small block in the backseat area.
Also, especially with the 60-64, people were ignoring the recommended tire pressures and I just don't think a lot of drivers understood the different handling characteristics of small rear engine cars vs the larger, front engined cars most people were used to. Things that may not be too different at low speed become quite a bit more important to account for when going faster. The early Corvairs' rear suspension was actually not too different from a Porsche 356.
Thank you Brian Tracy for detailed explanations with facts and experience. Also interesting interview from Jim Musser, former Head of GM Research and Development, at 4'33'' in th-cam.com/video/NI9Hq0_Mhy0/w-d-xo.html
, about this road handling and safety subject Lawier Ralf Nader wrote about years ago. European cars such as VW Beatle, Fiat 500, Renault 4CV, etc..., engineered along fifties to sixties Years, despite (much) more limited weight and performances than Corvair, were designed with similar rear axle engine and rigid oscillating half drive shafts. Millions were driven with appropriate safety, correct tyres pressures and unmodified shock absorbers. I will be delighted to drive a Corvair 1966 to 1969 fours doors, new suspension, 140 hp engine (no-turbo). Engine power rated at 95 hp in MotorTrend video is unappropriate, as such comparison with Fiero or any other cars would be. Jay Leno Garage famous YT channel is able to fairly present cars elaborated by previous clever engineers and their teams, without superficial worthless cars comparisons. All the best :) Michel, automotive engineer
Yes, what this guy said
Brian Tracy Thank you Sir. I grew up through my teen years in the sixties and never owned a Corvair but drove a lot of different ones. The oldest I drove was a 64 and loved all of them. Even the four doors handled different from any other car. You are right about the modifications. Safety is the most important thing in a car. I never pushed one past it’s limit but did take two later sixties to the edge but never felt uncomfortable. They were not built to replace the corvette but to give almost everyone a little sporty action. I had an Aunt that had a four door sixty four and she cried when it was traded.
I just got a 65 corvair. First thing I did is check the tire pressure. Front was too high and back too low (glove box still had recommended tire pressure sticker). The second thing I did was take the added 10lbs of concrete blocks out of the trunk. Even with 61% of the weight in the back a half empty fuel tank is not going to make the front wheels squirrelly.
The real reason the Corvair was dropped from production was GM mismanagement of the Nader accusations. Instead of defending the car they chose to attack Ralph who was actually proven to be wrong about the car by several independent studies. Sadly, just four years after the last Corvair rolled off the line, the gas shortage caused manufacturers to scramble to build shoddy "econoboxes" that were nowhere near as good.
Vicromono sadly, GM really could have kept the corvair going since it was about the same size class as the valiant and falcon, which were both economy cars for the time.
Nader had a significant impact on the Corvair, but he didn't kill it. GM did. When the Corvair was outsold by the Falcon early on (which one has to understand was quite a market upset in the 60's), they panicked and quickly developed the more conventional Chevy II.
All of a sudden, the Chevy II was cannibalizing the sale of the Corvair's economy models. GM was too slow to realize that people were buying Corvair's based on their sporty merits. They failed to understand the which segment of the market the Corvair was appealing to.
As a result, the more genuinely sporting 2nd generation wasn't developed fast enough thanks to waning interest from GM. The real nail in the coffin was the Mustang, as well as the later Camaro and other sporting cars. These rather suddenly ate up its market share, and GM let the Corvair die on the vine after 1967.
Vicromono the corvair, cost as much to build as the impala, so the problem also was, "cost to much to build."
@@jeffcarter1610 As with any specific. Standardized parts were the cost early on. GM had absorbed nearly all of the forward investment but as bean counters can and will do, intervene with quality. Like the Vega and all of the insane cost cutting measures once wrought upon the lowly Corvair, given full force upon a half baked GM project that Chevy employees had no say in the development of and hated throughout production to the point of sabotage. Cost analysts are nearly as worthless as politicians and lawyers. The Corvair needed no power steering, power brakes, radiator or water pump, no body on frame. It was and is a simpler car that is fun to drive with good looks, performance and economy. GM could build that car today and have a winner. And the horse you rode in on.
The Corvair became too costly when the changes the independent supposition
I bought an '87 Fiero GT new. I still drive it. It's my only car. I still love driving it, I still think it's a beautiful car.
I LOVED MY 66 COVAIR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND MY EX HAD A 86 FIERO THAT HE LOVED TOO
Fiero easily. The people that say "the fiero is shit" have obviously never driven one, and think they "all catch on fire."
I've had corvette owner's drive my 86GT and they absolutely love it, and can see how it was starting to scare Chevy. Throw an 3800SC in the car and your running 10-12 second quarter mile times, and then auto crossing the next day and winning.
See, the fiero isn't an "Throw a big V8 in it and then go straight."
It's a car that is practical and will turn corner's like it's on rails.
Corvair in my book. Both are odd ducks though.
Corvair, most people have never heard of a Fiero.. I owned two Corvairs, 63 Monza Spider and 66 Monza Coupe, I loved them both.
Corvair all the way!
I prefer the fiero because it looks agressive and a bit like a race car!
I'm the former loving owner of two Fiero GTs, but id take the Corvair lol. That SE has the small engine, its an automatic, and its a notchback not a beautiful fastback. I'm looking to buy my third Fiero, but I wouldn't spend 100 bucks on this one.
Maybe its because I owned one, but I love the nonaero nose and notchback configuration from 84. Combined with the Iron Duke and a Muncie 4speed, it made the car a class of it's own that hasn't been done since; it's an eco lightweight fuel saver that is exciting and looks exotic. The later years and GT models looked like shrunk down Trans AM, but the original body had a Lotus or Porsche feel. It was the slowest, most inconvenient, and hardest to drive vehicle I've owned, but it was definitely one of, if not the best.
How's this for Passion, I was conceived in the back seat of my Dad's 1965 Corvair, and the only "roll over" that ever occurred in that car was when he was finished. ;-)
I miss my 86 Fiero. I would still have it today if it had not been rear ended and the insurance company totaled it. :( I am hoping to buy the GT version someday.
god a fiero with the iron duke.. talk about a dog... I have to hand it to the monza, if you would have picked say an 88 GT with v6 and a 5 speed, it would be fiero all the way
Also a little known fact, through GM Performance you can make your Iron Duke up to 400HP
Friend used to have a 89 Cutlass with an Iron Duke. Getting it to do 70 mph on the highway was a stretch.
hence the performance parts, it's supposed to be expensive, you think
But then put that V6 Fiero up against a Corsa with the 180 HP turbocharged engine and see who wins.
David Eagle you are right dave iron duke runs great in my 84 ..an used in all mail trucks ..i have 6 corvairs too love them ..both cars were not made to be race cars ..but fun to drive cars
Corvair
I've owned a few Corvair both EM and LM and I love them all.
My vote to the Fiero!
Doesn't hurt that I own a silver 86 SE in the middle of an engine swap either ;)
I so wish I grew up in the 60s: Today's cars are sh*t...
The cars are cool. But the faux my-car's-better-than-your-car competition makes this unwatchable.
I had 3 fiero ' s when I was 17, very fun, sporty, and very upgradable with all of gm's powertrains.
This was wonderful. Two rare American-built cars that did not have their engines in the front, and yet from totally different eras. Lovely piece. Needs to get award for weirdly balanced banter, it's comical and mathematical and interesting. These guys are basically physics professors talking about different types of early "beam me up Scotty"
The Pontiac Fiero represents everything I love about the US auto industry. They try to produce a modern, mid-engined car and then lumber it with one of the worst engines known to man. Way to go, guys !!!!
+MrKeyboardCommando When I was test driving fieros I found a showroom condition one with a 2.5 in it. What a horribly boring car to drive. Then I tried out a high mileage 2.8 . Needless to say I went with the 2.8. Looking back I should have bought the 2.5 one and thrown that boat anchor away and shoehorned in a sc3800. my 1986 se was still my most favorite car I ever owned . If my vette didnt ride like crap I would have that at the top of my list.
wistech A lot of us have missed out on cars we should have bought, and a lot more of us have bought cars we should have missed out on.
a V-6 version finally came out: 2.8 Liters.
I have owned 3 Fiero GT's and one which I modified radically, 13" C4 Vette brakes, Turbo, and much... a whole heck of a lot more. My favorite car to own and drive. Even though I have a Corvette and love it too, I have been and will be more passionate about the Fiero.
3800 SWAP ALL THE FIEROS!
Michael Angelo Montenegro look up crown conversion corvair if you want to see a a fantastic performance car
That's the way to own Fieros! Try as I might, I didn't like mine much, although I did own it 11 years.
we had a red corvair monza i think it was a 60 i was a kid so it was fun to be driven around at night to a fast food joint in los angeles in the 60's i wish i had one right now i think i liked that the front looked so different with no grill
Own a black 84 Fiero. Amazing first car, would never let it go. Garage all winter long.
I'd rather have the Buick in the background, but anywhoo... this really is a close call - maybe the closest they have ever done on this series. By the end of the day though, between the two and only one could stay, I'd rather have the Corvair in my garage (with a drip pan under the engine). I am old enough to remember them new, and I'd lean toward a later production one.
Monza
I had four Corvairs, a '61 Monza 900 which was traded for a '65 Monza 4 door, a 66 Monza that had very little body left and a non-Corvair turbo charger on a great running engine.
I found a 65 Corvair 500, with an engine on it's last legs, but the body was in great condition. Swapped the engine from the 66 to the 65, and I had a great sleeper. That 65 500 was a great car to drive, and drive it I did, in a more spirited manor than most people cared for.
I've never owned a Fiero, but I've always liked them. Choosing between the two, I would definitely choose the Corvair over the Fiero.
But let's face it, this is looking in the wrong direction. Both cars are a product of their time.
I have been a Fiero fan since I bought my first in 1988! The Fiero wins in my book!!!!
I wish they would have tested one of the V6 5 speed Fieros. Much more to work with.
I vote for covair all the way....with a 4 cylinder Subie STI turbo............
Tim Dunn your telling me you would put a Subaru boxer in a classic timeless car with one of the most wacky engine ideas. Go back to 2019, you my friend are mistaken
🤮🤮🤮 sti no way if I were to put anything in it beside it’s original motor it would probably be a 350 v8
Fiero, hands down. I've owned a 4 cyl '86, and i still own an '87 GT fastback. Beautiful, beautiful car.
Corvair all the way. GM fixed it when they changed the swing axles and it is styled like a 65 corvette!
Should have compared the performance versions of both cars! The 180 hp corvair vs the fiero GT v6. I have never seen a corvair roll over but I did see a fiero burning to the ground at the side of the road.
That was only the early 4cyl. (84) NO fires after that!
They later made the Fiero with a 6 cylinder. its outrageously fast and very fun to drive.
sorry but 'outrageous'? A 3.4L swap in a fiero can produce up to 200HP and that isn't even 'outrageously' fast.
@@zzzhuh The 2.8 isn't too bad. You have to remember the Fiero only weighs about 2100 pounds. The 2.8 could hold it's own for the most part.
I just have to comment here because I owned a 1965 Corvair Corsa 140 in high school and I now have a 1988 Fiero GT . The Corvair had ram air, tuned headers and 14" 60 series tires on the rear and Sports Indi racing tires on the front. This car leaked oil from every pushrod tube and I lost a valve seat a couple of times from the extra heat generated. A lot of costly repairs for a high school student to afford but I loved every mile that I put on that car. The troubles were well worth the fun that I received in return. Now I have a 1988 Fiero GT with a few mods and equally loud exhaust note and this car reminds me so much of my Corvair, it's amazing. If I ever found my old Corvair I would snap it up like a frog eating a fly but that does not dilute my passion for my Fiero. A side note: Dreams of a V8 transplant in both still haunt me but I've grown to love the sound of the sixes.
I am glad this is back, I think they are melding together alot nicer than the previous episodes
I love both my 84 & 88 Pontiac Fieros.
Corvair!!!!!
I have a 1985 Fiero gt! 107,000 original miles. Runs great!!! All factory original v6
I have to put in my vote for the Corvair I grew up around a guy that had a monza with a Four barrel it was lowered and handled pretty damn well.
My secret dream car is a modded corvair.
I daily drive a 2014 Subaru STi, but I absolutely love my 84 Fiero I've had for 10 years. You also will not find a more passionate group of enthusiasts than Fiero owners.
rwdplz1 us Corvair fanatics would disagree! I have honestly seen more random Corvairs driving around than Fieros!
Johnny Deville well, duh. Did you hear the production numbers?
I own and daily drive a 1965 Corvair Corsa Convertible, 4 carb 140 engine with 4 speed manual trans and powered convertible top to name a few features. I also own a 2012 Camaro SS and I prefer to drive my Corvair. The CORSA organization is a huge car club for only Corvair owners. I absolutely know that Corvair owners are more passionate about their cars.
Your both wrong. Trans Am and GTO owners are the real Pontiac/car guys. Fieros are junkers from the 80s
A flat, air cooled engine, on a car years before anyone wanted to put money on (except and, kinda sorta, VW)... are you kidding?
The Fiero (while sexy), was a production car that people could follow the bloodline. The Covair was unique. It stood that way back then, it stands alone that way, now.
I would love to have a unique motorcar... over something that kinda reminds me of something else.Corvair.... has my vote!
I have a 1988 Fiero GT with 55,000 miles.I ordered it from the factory in late 1987. I owned a 1984 Indy Fiero which looked great but had the iron duke. I also had a 1986 Fiero SE with the V6. The 88 GT is a great car. I would rather have it over a Corvair any day.
i can go right now and buy a working corvair for 1200 and a fiero for 3000
LOVE the Fiero!!! He was right to say that people are very passionate about the Fiero. It was an amazing design and its sad that GM had to end it when it was getting good.
Back around 1969 in collage, I used to visit home with a friend to the high desert back country of eastern Washington. Not a lot to do, so he used to take his mother's Monza convertible. We'd go drifting through the gravel back roads. The main problem: cattle on the road had the right of way. That last generation Corvair was a lot of fun.
This is a great spot. Totally sold me on taking over my father's 1st owner 1965 Corvair. Something unique and out of the norm. Thanks for sharing.
Hilarious that this video came up because I was just behind a Pontiac Fiero in the drive through at Taco Bell, kicker was it had historical plates on it lol
You aren't the only person surprised to see historical on a Fiero, lol.
Jeffrey Morgan My dad has a totally restored 1987 Toyota 4x4 pickup with the 22R engine. Great looking truck. But it seems weird to see it wearing antique plates.
hawkermustang I hear you. Seeing cars my buddies had when we were younger now qualified as collector cars is strange.
I saw a jdm'd out 89 civic with historical plates
JERACERX That's awesome!
Every time I see this show I always say they've chosen the wrong variation of the car. Why would you not use the Fiero GT?
Stunned... That this show is still being produced.
I had a white 67 convertible Corvair, red interior I got for $75 in the mid 70's . Drove it all over the east coast. A bad oil leak I didn't know about coated the clutch plates, on a long steep up hill road, she went up in smoke. Sad day in my past. I Loved that car, it was like taking a high powered go cart out on the open road. So cool
Motor Trend Channel great episode. I have liked all of them so far. But this one was the best so far, in my opinion.
Could i suggest a few topics? How about supercars or high performance cars, Economy cars, and Family Cars. Thanks! :)
I was 8 years old when the Corvair was introduced in the 1960, If wasn't for Ralph Nader it would have never died. It was unfairly attacked because of its rear swing axle design, If Nader had been fair he would have included the Volkswagen, Porsche, and Mercedes too, because they all had rear swing axle designs. Nader, a lawyer, was unqualified to make his accusation, he wasn't and engineer.
Nader also set back small, economical car production in the United States by a decade, setting up American car companies to be ill-prepared for the 1973 oil embargo. US manufacturers were nervous about trying something innovative. Additionally, by the time his car-hating, self-promoting book came out, GM had already re-engineered the suspension he found so unsafe. Great job, Ralph.
But he was a self opinionate no it all.
Thanks for setting the facts straight for the most part, I love Fieros because they're so different. Most people do not know what my car is, ones that do talk my ear off haha. I love that they're cheap because I can build it the way I want too and not feel bad. Always wanted a corvair too...
I'm fortunate to have one of my best friends, who owns one of each. I spent all my free time rebuilding his engine with him, as he had it bored out .40 over, put in chrommolly rings, decked the head, and did other mods. When it was back together he let me take it for a spin, and I must say it was great fun, and very quick for a little 4 banger. Toss in a short throw shifter, and a performance clutch, and my vote goes to the Fiero.
Corvair is the easy winner, That Fiero has more plastic parts than my computer
zzzhuh
That's if it doesn't catch on fire...lol. 2nd Generation Corvair was ahead of its game. Nothing like a 60's body style, not a wanna be Import.
So, it was ahead of its time? I mean have you even seen modern cars? All plastic....lol
killerracernos
-.- im assuming your just kidding.
I agree, 60's firebirds, mustangs, camero's, gto's the whole lot looks great. But this car almost seems a bit 'mis placed.'
It doesn't necessarily have the aggressiveness as the car's mentioned, but it doesn't have a conservative look either. It's like the car itself doesn't know what it is. And that tends to happened when car makes try to make something different.
With the fiero on the other hand, you know what it does, it knows what it does, and people know what it does.
This car is a cruiser, it turns corner's like there is no tomorrow, and it get's great MPG even in today's standards.
Actually Fieros were made of fiberglass. That's one of the things I remember when they came out, that was made a big deal out of.
VL123
Your right, with a space frame.....
I like the Fiero better :)
What a fun job you guys have! This time I'd give the Corvair the nod by a point:
I grew up in a Corvair family. Corvairs were cost effective and super easy to work on. We had the "greenbrier" van, the (rare) "Lakewood" wagon 4 speed, "Spyder" convertible, "Monza" and "500"s sedans and coupes, old style, new style, turbo and multi-carb, My first car in 1980 was a 65 Monza sedan that I got for free (wasn't running) - we got it running with a barely streetable engine my brother built. He took the 140 heads milled them to 12:1 compression. we put a Holley 390 on top. half-race camshaft....glass packs (I had to cut the heater shrouds around them then seal them up with high temp silicon for the heater to work).
As the 80's rolled on, I thought of the Fiero as the modern Corvair because of the unusual drive train placement. AND just like the Corvair, GM made the best versions of Fieros in later years - again, too late to save their fate. I was very tempted to buy aFiero GT back in the day but 2 seats weren't enough.
The Corvair without a doubt. I love that year.
Isn´t the Ford GT also a mid engined US car?
Lol it is, these guys don't know shit.
not really a cult for them. cause if it was everyone would have one in their garage collecting dust and wiping it with a diaper.
Also not really mass produced. Had a very limited production. I think it's also considered a 'Supercar' rather than a sports car, although I don't think anyone would argue the GT as an actual supercar with that truck motor.
Guitardrumr
They said that the Fiero is the "First and only mid engined sports car by US Manufacturer", they didn´t say anything about mass production. Wether the Ford GT is a Supercar or not is a philosophical question. Since it is a sporty car i consider it as a Sportscar... And there are other cars too. Think about the Saleen S7, SSC Ultimate Aero...
WasstschoBasstscho All those cars you mention are rear engine Why? Simple no trunk aft of the engine. The fiero has a trunk aft of the engine. Mid engine really means mid in this case as in center of car. in thoese cars like the Ford gt the trani is behind the engine. In a fiero the engine layout is that of a front wheel drive car and the trani is next to it in the bay.
collectibility... 18 million vs 300,000? huh?
This episode was better than previous ones. Keep it up, its getting better.
Corvair Spider Convertible, always wanted one along with an early Judge with side exhaust dump. Love them both.
this was classic vs classic. i wanna see classic vs modern!
There are no affordable modern mid-engines (like in "less than 30 kilodollars"). But I agree, there should be a third guy that represents 60s-80s.
We need a new fiero
We need a NEW Corvair!
I have an 84 Fiero SE with the Duke motor and a 4:10 4 speed transmission with 232,000 miles on the original motor and tranny. Owned it for over 15 years. Just had it painted. I've turned down offers of $5,000 on it and that was before it was painted. I'd never sell it until I'm unable to drive anymore. I truly enjoy this car.
Gotta go with the Corvair on styling alone..
Only massproduced rear engine car? How about the DeLorean. First and only mid engine car by a us manufacturer? How about the saleen s7
DeLorean isnt a US made car, and Saleen isnt a mass manufactured car for the masses.
The DMC-12 is an Irish car isn't it?
Delorean is produced in ireland by an ex Gm chief engineer.
You caught it Fam. Vissers. That should have read the 1st and only Mass Produced mid-engine sports car by a US manufacturer.
Raw7s, I think he was talking about the Corvair.
The Corvair was the only "mass-produced, rear engine,
air cooled, 6 cylinder, made in the USA."
steve
I believe that the ford GT is also mid engine ...
Generally considered a 'supercar', rather than a sports car. Nevermind the fact that with that truck motor it can't even outrun a normal sports car.
Guitardrumr I don't think you know what you are talking about.
Guitardrumr I hope thats a joke... 3.5 second 0-60mph means it can out run the majority of "normal" sports cars on the road as of 2014. Overpriced maybe... not slow by any stretch of the imagination
Guitardrumr Lamborghini seems to be doing all right with their tractor engine.
The ford gt is rear engine, what makes the fiero a mid engine is there is a trunk aft of the engine. What they fail to say in their test here is the Fiero gt's has a 2.8 v-6 and in 1988 a totally redesigned suspension and in 2 known cars eps steering but gm removed the units. I own a 1987 Choptop Fiero gt and stock 1986 Fiero gt I love both of them. Easy to work on and fun to drive.
Chevrolet even built an electric version of the Corvair. I wish that I had owned one, but I was still in high school at the time, and did not get a license until 19 years of age.
my 1st car was almost a fiero
but my mom didnt want me driving it because it had no power steering and she thought it was dangerous in a crash because theres no engine in front to protect you
The engine in the front is one of the things that can kill you XD.
number3665 Old world logic, eh? Just like "Seatbelts are dangerous, theyll entrap you in an accident, making it hard for first responders to get you out, that is if they don't strangle you." Hehehe
***** Man it's a car everything about it is dangerous in the right conditions lol. Those damn bench seats are extremely dangerous XD.
No power steering on Fiero was a deal killer.. I drove one of the first ones made.. When I tried the steering wheel I couldn't believe it. JFC !
I like the Fiero a lot, i really do, but if i was going to buy a small mid engined car i'd go for a MR2.
Try to find one that did'nt rusted itself to the ground ! I liked it too but expensive and fragile mechanicles.
How I accidentally stumbled upon this video Idk, but I liked it! The fiero is a dream build of mine since I'm a passionate 3800 guy and the mid engine corvair is my dream race car build I'm pursuing. Good video!
These videos started pretty rough but are getting better and better, keep it up guys.
Both are classic, but the mid-engine Pontiac is a winning. Timeless lines, good gas mileage and fun to drive.
Why not use an MR2 instead of the Fiero? Pretty much better in ever way.
Hey JLMC, the MR2 wasn't as polarizing as the Fiero. While all collector cars have fans, these two have cults. :-) The MR2 is sure sweet though. Maybe we can do a Japanese Mid-engine episode...
Fiero is better looking to the vast majority of the human race. Almost everyone that buy these old mid-engine cars engine swap them anyway and don't get me started on how easy it to actually do to both cars in the first place. My dad has a 1988 Turbo Mr2 and a 1988 Fiero GT, everyone I know likes the Fiero more except for my uncle because he had an Mr2 in the 80's. Everyone has a pretty bias opinion toward these matters. Here's the bait: Miata's better than the Mr2, why get an Mr2 when its better in almost every way?
See how rude and asshole-ish it is?
One of my friend's brothers was one of the car fire victims. Fortunately, he had taken the firewall out of his sister's (my friend) Fiero to put in his to create a double firewall. It kept the fire in the engine compartment. Kept him from having a total loss. He replaced the engine and got it back on the road.
No contest...Corvair all the way. Love my '66 vert!
Much better intro
Thanks!
i have a fiero 1988!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm amazed at how many people who pit down the fiero know absolutely nothing about them. I really like the corvair. It's one of my favorites and has a bad rap it doesn't deserve much like the fiero. Let me clear up a few facts about the car as from reading the comments I see not many people who criticize and insult the car don't know anything about them. First the fiero was not a copy of the Mr 2 as it was developed and sold before the mr2. Second for its time it was one of the most advanced cars because of its construction . Also as stated in the video the 2nd safest car in America while in production only beaten by volvo because they had air bags. Third the number of fires was less than the number of fires from Ferrari and porsche models recently based on number of cars built.
I love my Corvairs! Love love love my Corvairs!! I'm the proud owner of several Corvairs including earlies, lates and Foward Controls!
Corvair is pretty. And classics. Fiero is simply a load
Fiero
Fiero is the winner. I'm 50, grew up in soCal, love cars, even sold cars for a few years in the ninety's, and I've never even seen a Corvair in the flesh. I think Ralph Nader got them all. The Fiero was the Miata of its day, kinda sporty but mostly bought new by chicks and posers who really wanted but couldn't afford a 911 or E30 M3.
A much better episode guys. The guys seemed more confortable and relaxed. Only wish I saw more driving like the previous episodes.
Monza>Fiero; Corvair WINS!!!!
Fiero all the way baby!!!
mahoromatic02 The Monza was a car ahead of its time, having a four wheel independent suspension and a great mpg before the oil crisis, and a styled by Fischer (Same people who took cues from this car and made the Camero), Corvair WINS! Also, what's Pontiac? Is that suppose to be a brand name that made a car from spare economical cars and wielded them together to make a even more terrible car? No competition. Sorry.
killerracernos You do realize that Pontiac was a GM brand, right? So you're arguing Pontiac (which is GM) builds shit cars, but Chevy (which is GM) builds great cars. That doesn't seem off to you?
Lol true.
Guitardrumr
Pontiac was a GM brand, really? lol. Kid, I grew up with Pontiac's and Chevy's. One thing is for certain; Pontiac wasn't going to last, and the Fiero was a disappointment and not even ahead of its time in any regard. Pontiac is to Chevy what Plymouth was to Dodge. Doesn't seem off to you that, you are arguing over a statement that I purposely sarcastic about? Or is it just me? Monza>Fiero.
Fiero!