My '88 Fiero - The Never-Ending Saga

[GTRS Fiero]

Ha.  I'd rather follow someone.  I'm notorious for getting lost.

Just to be clear on my car, my goals are as follows, in no particular order:
1. Keep car mostly original, with tasteful modernizations that remain true to the car
2. Restore the car to newish in areas I work on, as I am able
3. Provide for some driveability improvements
4. Maintain the car
5. Enjoy it!

I have no intention of making the car fast.  I want lower RPMs on the highway, I want the engine to breathe better, and I want to fix some things the factory didn't get right.

[GTRS Fiero]

I've been thinking about my steering wheel.  I am not a fan of the way they look when the goo has leaked out, and have no intention of letting mine deteriorate to that condition.  I'm mentally weighing several options.  I really like the steering wheel stereo, but I rarely listen to the radio, which is why I have not replaced the speakers, and have the antenna off.

What did you do, with your steering wheel?

[Fierofool]

My 86SE has the GT style 3-spoke, but it's made of hard rubber.  My first 85 had dripped most of the stuff out of it before I got it and the leather was twisted around the core until it was pretty tight.  I never replaced it.  There's a guy in NC, I believe his handle is irrationable, that restores and re-covers steering wheels.  The pictures I've seen and the reviews are excellent. 

[f85gtron]

I re-stuffed mine. http://www.gafiero.org/bbs/index.php?topic=1948.msg18065#msg18065

[GTRS Fiero]

There is that.  You're a man of many talents.

I have a sun spot on the top of my wheel.  It seemed that you used the original leather.  I'd replace my leather.  I'd probably acid-dip the wheel, also, to get rid of the rust on the spokes.

[f85gtron]

There's a guy on pennocks that is earning a good reputation refurbishing steering wheels. I think txgood does a fat one, or do I have that wrong? 

[GTRS Fiero]

Irrationable.  He does good work, but is also going to school.

[GTRS Fiero]

Here's a wheel I have.  I'm not sure it would work with the plan for this Fiero.  It will fit, and I used it on a different Fiero for a few days (until a Fiero steering wheel arrived), but I never tried to hook up the horn.  I'm sure the horn could work, but I've never tried it.

[Fierofool]

Other than Pat's mod to the horn paddles, this is the only answer to the broken paddled.  I like that wheel.

[GTRS Fiero]

I liked it, too.  That's why I bought it, but this was only part of the deal.  I figured to use the center from a GTA wheel:


Then there's all the fun of wiring it up.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find a center in good condition.  I'd also have had to mould a cover that had a Fiero logo to replace this Pontiac one.  There were other demands on my time.

[GTRS Fiero]

Something I've been thinking about is wheel thickness.  My SE had a thin brown 4-spoke wheel, but the black 4-spoke wheel I ordered was thicker.  My GT's wheel is as thick as the black 4-spoke wheel I put on my SE (I changed all the controls on the SE to black, because I didn't like the dirty black marks on the brown).  Which is better, thicker or thinner?  Why were the wheels different thicknesses?

I know I drove a Saturn with a wheel that was too thick.  Or, much thicker than I was used to.

[Raydar]

Thick vs thin... It's all a matter of preference.

The main difference between all of the Fiero wheels, and all of the other wheels, is that the Fiero Wheels are "flatter". The others have what amounts to a thicker hub, which places the wheel closer to the driver. ~3/4 inch closer, I believe. 

[GTRS Fiero]

I've heard that the Fiero's exhaust manifolds are poorly welded and thin, so I'm having them welded in all the connecting and thin areas.  Does the Y-pipe require this also?  I hate to damage the heat shield.

[GTRS Fiero]

Here's my wheel.  It's a bit different.  I didn't like the unstitched flaps in the back, or the exposed spokes, so here's my solution.

Before:


After:




Reality didn't quite meet expectations, but it's done.  I think this one is unique, as of this posting.  I haven't shown this elsewhere, or posted it elsewhere.  Better?  Worse?

[GTRS Fiero]

No one?

Looks as if Don K. used this wheel, but did he get the horn working?