The "Ferrari" in Christine's Garage....

[ForcedFirebird]

well, Bob, I happen to own a construction company here in Florida (primarily for insurance jobs), and you should also tell her that she can sue the snot out of her insurance company for not covering her roof under her policy. She should have only had to pay her deductible and the upgrades to conform to the current codes are covered under policy. Depending on her specific policy, hurricane deductibles are from $1000-4000 depending on the value of the home.

I already know what he wants for the engine - $500 if you pick it up (could also possibly meet you since you are only across the state - my mom still lives in Bradenton).

[60dgrzbelow0]

Ugh!!! I cant see the Pics!!!!! My work network will not allow me to see photobucket pics, it blocks me!!!! Ohhh the humanity!!! I guess Ill just have to wait till I get home to see them........"sigh"

So, it turns out that it actually is a Mera, lol and you never knew! Man she has a gold mine sitting in her garage and didnt know it. I love scenarios like this, it sounds like she is in dire need for some cash and nothing could help better than having a collectors car sitting in her garage, but now someone will purchase this car, restore it, and baby it for the rest of its life. Wow I just wish I could see these pics...NOW! haha its ok though Im just glad that it turned out to be a Mera.

FH94... Let me help you out...I'll post the 21 Photos here as attachments and determine if you can see them... Let's try one now and see if it works... Oh...wait...This site is not taking them...even when reduced... I'll have to try a different compression algorithm to squeeze them down from 2megs per image...

[60dgrzbelow0]

Okay... That seemed to work better...

I'll add the rest now...10 at a Pop...

[60dgrzbelow0]

And now for the rest...

[ForcedFirebird]

What's the pics of the 3800 for?

[Firehawk94]

Thanks man that worked wonderfully!! I am just guessing, but the rear fenders look like they are just fiberglass masking the actual Fiero underneath. And that GTS badge kindof puzzles me, isnt there a "cough" import that bears that same badge? (Celica) I will have to dig around on that. The car looks like a Mera, but is it actually a Mera? Maybe you could snag the VIN off the car and find out for sure.

To me, that car screams Mera, I mean it looks identical. And, it doesnt look like it needs that much work. The rust is minimal at best and Im sure with a little cleaning (might as well clean that garage too lol) that car will come back to life in no time.

I wish I could see it in person, but I live in central SC and its a 7-8hr drive to florida.

[Firehawk94]

In reading the brochure that is on the Fiero website that you provided, it lists the 5 speed manual as standard equipment, but it also had the option for a 3 speed auto. Really? A 3 speed? So, I am guessing that Christine's Mera has the 3 speed automatic unless it was swapped with the 3.1 but I doubt that.

I like how they call it: "Built on the Fiero spaceframe" haha that is 80s epic!!

[60dgrzbelow0]

well, Bob, I happen to own a construction company here in Florida (primarily for insurance jobs), and you should also tell her that she can sue the snot out of her insurance company for not covering her roof under her policy. She should have only had to pay her deductible and the upgrades to conform to the current codes are covered under policy. Depending on her specific policy, hurricane deductibles are from $1000-4000 depending on the value of the home.

I already know what he wants for the engine - $500 if you pick it up (could also possibly meet you since you are only across the state - my mom still lives in Bradenton).

The problem with the Kid's roof is that her Mom "knows all these people" who do "Jack-Leg" work on the sly for her...and at the height of the Hurricane Season...she hired some of these un-licensed Mutts to re-do a 24 Year Old Roof job on the home...and the dopes could not lay tar paper and shingles to save their sorry souls...The result was that (Naturally) when the second wave of storms came through...the roof leaked so bad...she had Kiddee Pools all over the inside of the home to catch all the friggin' water! Later...when the county inspectors were prowling the neighborhood and saw all the "Blue Tarps" on top of the house...they paid her a visit and insisted she use proper methods and/or companies to get the job done to code. So its only been in the last month or so that the house has been "Water-Proof"... and her money coffers have been emptied to get the job done right.

As for the engine... I have not had the chance to speak to her since the photo-session last night...but I'll mention the asking price ($500.00-Firm) and see what she thinks. Right now... doing anything with that car...however ostensibly valuable it may turn out to be as time goes by... is the farthest thing from her mind. I had to practically get on bended knees to beg her the chance to take pics of that thing! If I see her over the weekend, I'll try to shoot a live video of the machine... inside and out and her too, in a sort of interview and let everybody get a closer look at it...in particular at the VIN . Since her Father died when she was a minor...I don't even know whether or not she holds a clear title on the car... I'll ask when the time comes. Please remember that the girl's husband is stuck over in Iraq...and her focus is blurry about things that HE would normally attend to as the Man of the House...

[60dgrzbelow0]

What's the pics of the 3800 for?

I only took those shots so some of ya'll could poke fun at me ......Here I am struggling to be "IronMan" and wring just few more HP out of Scotty's 3.4L Engine and yet...I'm surrounded by neighbors who have engines that are absolutely BLEEDING the stuff. So I took a couple of shots of her Supercharged 3800 GTP to give you all some ammunition!

[Firehawk94]

Here is another car that has fallen to a Ferrari kit



There is actually a Toyota MR2 under all of that fiberglass. So, all in all you have two flavors. You could go the import route and get a MR2 or keep it all american and get the Fiero. I think....hmmm 660? or 4cyl import crap?.....decisions decisions......60V6, final answer..................................Your are correct! You just one a million dollars!!

[Firehawk94]

Whoa!!! That is big. Sorry Mods, could you please resize to a more reasonable level?

[bszopi]

I'd be looking for any records or whatnot to prove that it is in fact a Mera before trying to go any further. Unfortunately, you've already got her thinking is worth a ton, when if it turns out to only be a kit car and not an actual Mera, the price drops significantly.

EDIT - Missed the fact that there was another page of posts when I wrote that...

[60dgrzbelow0]

Whoa!!! That is big. Sorry Mods, could you please resize to a more reasonable level?

FH94....

If you are looking for an EZ-2-UZ Photo Image Re-Sizer that works quickly on BULK Images and has enormous flexibility in the compression density..."FastStone" is the one for you...

http://www.faststone.org/FSResizerDetail.htm

[Firehawk94]

Thanks man. Yea the image was waayy smaller than that so I figured it would be good, but I guess the original upload was whole lot bigger than the preview. I will download that indefinetly.

[60dgrzbelow0]

I'd be looking for any records or whatnot to prove that it is in fact a Mera before trying to go any further. Unfortunately, you've already got her thinking is worth a ton, when if it turns out to only be a kit car and not an actual Mera, the price drops significantly.

EDIT - Missed the fact that there was another page of posts when I wrote that...

Actually Brad... All I've done so far is repeatedly describe her present reluctance to take ANY action regarding this car ...and my participation has been limited to glomming the photos your see here and providing her with the printed information from the Pontiac Fiero Mera Club. She now has a hard copy reference with their phone numbers and email addies. If she so desires, she can investigate the matter with them and I'm sure that with their unique and specific knowledge on this odd car (and the fact that the $$$ Value comes to the conversation because of what they wrote), they will be able to tell her what she's got... one way or the other. The only other actions I anticipate engaging in when I next see her, is to ask whether or not she's interested in buying John's (FF) Fiero Engine at what I think is an exceptionally fair price for a reasonably low mileage, running engine. That about does it.

As for knowing EXACTLY the differences between the <250 Production Pontiac Fiero Mera Cars and whatever kits might have been available over twenty years ago...she STILL might make a little money on that car (if that is what she intends to do...) just because of the numbers alone:

http://www.azfieros.com/2009/03/mera-gallery.html

http://www.ironmanarmory.com/merarrari/index.html

With < 250 Meras...divided into a population of 310,000,000... That comes out to be One (1) Mera for ever 1,250,000 Americans! THAT ratio alone should make even the rattiest looking Mera out there worth SOMETHING! And as for the "Kit" Cars...The same thing might apply...if for no other reason than the lawsuit from Ferrari that stopped their runaway production of these "kits". I guess the only way to find out...is to Google for any that might be out there and available to buy....Yes?

As an "Off Topic" ...Non-60* Topic that is...Take a look at this Amazing Lunatic's Fiero....

http://www.hotrodder.com/emarsh/

It looks like something Ben and John would cook up (and NEVER mention a THING about building it......)