Georgia Fiero Club Forum

General Discussion and Announcements => General Discussion => Topic started by: TopNotch on June 22, 2010, 04:00:36 pm

Title: Where the name "Iron Duke" came from
Post by: TopNotch on June 22, 2010, 04:00:36 pm

If you try to find the answer online, you get conflicting answers.
However, I have a memory in my mind of a Pontiac TV ad from the late 70's that used the name "Iron Duke" to describe their "new 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine". I never found anything to substantiate that until now. Below is an ad for the 1977 Pontiac Sunbird from Road and Track Magazine:

Title: Re: Where the name "Iron Duke" came from
Post by: Fierofool on June 22, 2010, 08:24:54 pm

I wonder what the bolt pattern on those wheels is.  Always loved the Snowflake style wheels.  I also wonder if the 3.8 that came in some of them had the same tranny pattern as the Fiero.  It was rear wheel drive, but had a separate bellhousing from the transmission and used a cable activated clutch.

I've worked on the Monza versions with the V6 and V8 and just changing the starter on the ones with dual exhaust is a major task. Worse than changing plugs on a Northstar in a Fiero.  Aside from removing the exhausts, I think I had to remove the crossmember, too.  It was a right side starter like the 3.4.

I wonder why the 84 Fiero had so much engine trouble if the engine had been around for 7 years.

Title: Re: Where the name "Iron Duke" came from
Post by: TopNotch on June 22, 2010, 08:37:11 pm

Quote from: Fierofool on June 22, 2010, 08:24:54 pm

I wonder why the 84 Fiero had so much engine trouble if the engine had been around for 7 years.

The usual explanation is a batch of bad rods. By then, the engine was no longer "Pontiac's exclusive" engine, and they were making zillions of them. Quality control probably slipped.