STEERING COLUMN

[oldone]

I HAVE A 88 FORMULA THAT THE STEERING COLUMN HAS NOT BEEN TREATED VERY WELL. THE IGNITION IS GONE,THE TURN SIGNAL STALK IS FLOATING IN THE WIND,THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE AND FLOPPING AROUND, THE TILT WORKS. WILL ANY YEAR COLUMN WORK OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE ONE FROM A 1988 FORMULA?     THANKS   DEWEY(OLDONE) IN C'VILLE.

[RobsFieros]

They'll all work you just need to make sure they have the same options as yours and switch your steering wheel. And if it's automatic try and get an automatic or you'll have to do a couple of mods.

[oldone]

thanks rob , i know a junkyard here in town that has whast left of a 85gt and a complete 84 fiero maybe one of these will have a column that is in decent condition. is there anything in particular you have to watch for or a part you want to make sure you get?      oldone in c'ville

[oldone]

well i just came back from the junkyard and they were closed, darn, also just remembered that 84 is a 4cyl automatic, guess that won't help my 88 is a 5-speed, that old 85gt in the junkyard is a 4-speed maybe that will work, have to wait till theyr'e open, monday    oldone in c'ville 

[Fierofool]

The 85-88 columns are the same.  I think the 84 is different internally, as it relates to the turnsignal and cruise control stalk circuitry.  The one from the 85GT will work.  I don't remember if yours has cruise, but if it doesn't, you can use a column from a cruise equipped car.  You can get a complete set of key cylinders for the ignition and doors, but the trunk cylinder isn't available any more.  It would be best to have the trunk cylinder re-keyed to match any replacement door cylinders you install.  Maybe the cars you're looking at have the keys and cylinders you need.

When I tested your trunk lock, the key I found inside would turn the cylinder, so that must be the correct key.  The trunk latch was in the locked position.  You may try turning the key and inserting something into the latch to try to unlatch it, but until you're absolutely sure the lock is going to work, I wouldn't lock the trunk, especially since you don't have a remote release. 

[oldone]

you are absolutely right, i've got the lock to open with the key if i push on the inside with a screwdriver and it would close and latch, but i wouldn't be able to use the screwdriver with it closed. the key turns a rod and the rod slides another part , but that part comes up a little short of releasing the latch. i'm not quite sure what the prevouis owner did to keep the key from sliding that part all the way open, i keep checking my 85 lock but the selonoid is in the way, probably going to have to take it off to compare them better. also on the 88 there is a black plastic piece mounted on the lock right where the latch is, it has 2 or 3 wires going up into the trunk lid i'm not sure if that is factory or aftermarket without a manual? supposed to get off work at noon so maybe i can make some headway this afternoon. i wonder how they started this car without an ignition or a clutch? charlie did you see a ignition key or a window crank for the drivers side door?     oldone in c'ville   

[Fierofool]

I never saw an ignition key.  I asked them how they moved the car around and they said they pushed it.  But there was a window crank lying somewhere in the car.  Could have been the one for the right side, but window cranks aren't that hard to find.  Bill should have an ignition key.

The black plastic piece you see is the switch for the trunk light.  85's had the button on the left side of the trunk lip, but in 86 they went to the switch on the latch.  It could be that the flat metal rod has been twisted and bent so that the back end doesn't make full rotation.

[oldone]

the kid in the garage say he had driven the car and it made a knocking sound, normally i would say you could get it rolling and pop the clutch but you know how the clutch is, i think bill said the car was originally across from the doors on the garage but they had to move it, so the kid drove it to where we saw it. i'll have to look under the seats for the crank, i wonder what the red wires in the spare tire area are? i plugged the headlights in and they work kinda, the drivers side light comes up but makes a sound like somethings rotating and banging, it lasts about 5 to 10 seconds and then quits. i've found that the light switch has a problem because you have to wiggle it to get the lights to come down. another thing i didn't realize is that the honey-comb wheels on the front are different from the rear ones. the front rims are flush around the lip and the rear ones are wider at the lip. i would like to know if you can get another set and make two sets of all the same type or do they have to be different on the front from the back.   oldone in c'ville

[TopNotch]

On 88's, the honey comb wheels are different in front, from the ones in back. All other years are the same all around. The 88 front end is different, with a little wider track, so they made the wheels different so they wouldn't stick out too far. If you want to see what an 88 car looks like when you put the same wheels all around on it, check mine out at the Christmas party.

[Fierofool]

I saw the red wires, but didn't investigate them.  Probably part of whatever that is he has on the right side of the instrument panel.  The headlight motor may need a rebuild.  Sounds like the internal bumpers are gone.  It's not a hard job if you get the kit from Rodney Dickman.  One of our former lady members rebuilt hers, and I even rebuilt one of mine.  So it can't be that hard.

The kid also told me that the clutch pedal had never worked on the car.  Bill told me that it knocked so bad that he wouldn't recommend starting it, since it hadn't detached itself yet, and the rest of the motor was still intact.

When you revisit the junk yard, get the light switches from the 2 cars.  The 84 will be a different color, but if it works, it works.

[oldone]

charlie i forgot to mention something, i charged up the battery after i cleaned up the engine compartment just to see what worked. when the battery was connected the battery light came on and wouldn't go off. i had to disconnect the battery to get it off. do you thing this has something to do with the missing ignition? i started to clean the outside off this afternoon, the dirt coming off a lot easier than i thought it would. when it dried off it looked like basecoat without the clearcoat. it looks like you could just spray it with clear and it would look good.   oldone in c'ville

[oldone]

thanks topnotch, do you have a set of the rears on or a set of the fronts on? i kind a like the wheels sticking out a little. which set would be the widest? don't know if i'll make the xmas party i really don't know many people in person.     oldone in c'ville

[TopNotch]

I have aftermarket wheels. It's harder to find aftermarket wheels with different offsets front and back, like the stock wheels have.
And you'll be welcome at the party whether you know anybody or not. You will by the time you leave.

[Fierofool]

I don't know anything about electrics.  I can't help you there.  

You're right about the paint.  I don't believe the car has ever been repainted, but it looks like the clearcoat just dissolved.  There probably is a process where you could recoat it with clear.  ThaDriver might be able to help you with that info.  

On the tires, you could throw on a pair of 215's up front on the stock wheels, and a set of 245's on the rear and they'd stand out pretty good.  Kevin McFall has larger same size tires on stock rims on his Formula, and they stand out pretty good.  

A good way to get to know people in the club is to come out to the meets and the events.  

[TopNotch]

i charged up the battery after i cleaned up the engine compartment just to see what worked.

How did you clean it? If you got anything electronic wet, that could have caused your battery light.