You often lose your e-brake with brake upgrades, although that's the rear--not the front.
The '88 front suspension is not a direct swap, but allows for a tighter turning radius and more stable steering. This in turn allows for the steering dampener to be removed, but requires a very different front end setup. The '88s have a different steering rack, different wheel bearings/spindles, different ball joints, a different front cross-member, and longer tie rods. I think the control arms are also different.
There used to be drop spindles available, but many people use cut springs or coilovers to lower their Fiero, to help handling. I guess the important thing is knowing your intent and your budget.
Before swapping the earlier Fiero front end out for an '88, I'd choose something else. '88 Fiero parts are getting hard to come by, and are still '80s technology. Even then, the '88 Fiero was not the best handling car. I'm not putting it down, but let's call it what it is. The spindles won't stand up to heavy track use, and good replacements aren't available. Personally, I'd pull the front from something like a '97 Firebird, maybe the rack from a Vue, and start there.
Of course, then you would HAVE to upgrade the rear suspension in a similar fashion, starting with a big sway bar, better brakes, better shocks, and basically the '88 setup. R Runner used to sell an adjustable rear sway bar, but I believe he quit offering them.
With this type of setup, you would need different wheels, and low-profile tires. Then you'd need venting from the hood, a bigger engine, and a better radiator.
It never ends. You have to be very careful about upgrading just one end of the car--particularly something with a short wheelbase, like the Fiero. The Fiero is very well balanced, also, so anything you do to one end of the car will upset that balance, and could be very dangerous.
