What to do next? Cruise? Keyless? Cup holders?

[pgackerman]

Howdy All,

I'm planning my next move now that a new water pump is installed next to the new alternator, with new belts and mostly new coolant, and the hazards, horn, wiper spray, and blinkers all operate, as does the select cable for the manual transmission.

My 1987 GT 5-speed manual is now operating as my daily driver. I took it to work today and ran errands.  Even picked up Chinese food.  Amazing how warm it stayed in the trunk. 

But what should I tackle next?  How difficult, time consuming, and expensive are these options?

1. Cruise Control: The cruise doesn't work, but I'm not doing much cruising, yet.  Is the fix likely to be quick, easy, and cheap?

2. Keyless Entry: Struggled with the drivers side lock today.  Hard to look cool when bending over trying to get your key in an off center lock that doesn't want to turn.  BTW, the power locks require a couple of presses before locking/unlocking - if ever.  How quick, easy, and cheap is this?  Anyone out there convert to keyless entry?

3. A cup holder.  While putting in the select cable I discovered a metal bar just in front of the stick.  If it wasn't there I could have sawed a hole and put in a cup holder.  Any other ideas?

4. Faster power windows.

5. Align doors so they close better.

6. Whatever you want to suggest.

Thanks for reading.  Looking forward to the replies.

[Fierofool]

Just online for a few minutes before going to bed, but I'll throw a couple of things out to you.
Cruise is likely one of 2 things.  The chip inside the stalk is bad or the solenoid just above the vacuum canister is bad. 
Cup holders are already built into the GT's.  Get yourself a thermal cup.  It sits nicely on either side of the instrument pod.  On the left, nestled between the instrument pod and the left side vent, on the right between the instrument pod and the auxiliary gauge pod.  Then they're not in the way of your radio and shifter or your right elbow if one is installed on the center armrest.
Alignment of the doors might be due to worn hinge pins and bushings.  They're available at most auto parts stores, so don't pay the exorbitant prices of the specialty vendors.
Faster power windows--I think there's a thread on how to achieve that, located on this forum somewhere.  You'll have to search.  Maybe a link off the home page.
If you're in the market for custom wheels, Joroma57 on this forum has a full set with tires that he's offering for a really good price.  He said he can bring them up to the meet on Saturday.  See his thread in The Market.

Goodnight all.

[pgackerman]

Any comments on adding keyless entry?  Looks like Advanced and AutoZone have kits for $50.00. 

[Fierofool]

Contact TopNotch about the keyless entry.  He installed a nice unit on one of his cars.  Maybe he could give you some guidance on brand, source and installation. 

To follow up on the cruise and cup holders.  Leave the cruise until last unless you take lots of road trips.  It's seldom used.  For the cup holder, you can place a thermal travel cup on each side.  The left side is for the whiskey and the right side is for the chaser.  Keeps the passenger from drinking your whiskey if you place it on the left.  

[TopNotch]

I put an AutoZone kit on one car. It can lock and unlock the doors, pop the trunk, and roll up the windows. I put a cheaper ($30) Ebay kit on another car. It can lock and unlock the doors, pop the trunk (whenever I get around to wiring that part up), but can't do windows.
You'll need some 12V relays (from Fry's or Radio Shack) along with the kit.

[Roger]

Go here:

http://www.fieros.de/en/main.html

Oliver is a wizard and really nice fellow. Great info on his site. Info on keyless entry and
adding a BCM to your Fiero for lots of luxuries!

One note: Be extremely careful around the vacuum hoses on your Fiero.
They are attached to plastic tubes which by now are more brittle than
you smartphones face!

Don't run out and buy one just yet but on your cruise, the likely culprit is the stalk. They can be had at NAPA for a
reasonable price but look around. You can get them NEW for $35. If you replace the stalk,
tie a 6' length of tough string around the connector before you pull it through the column.
Use it to pull the new connector back through. More on CC below.

Apply lots of penetrating oil to the inside of the door latch mechanism. You will have to
remove the rubber 'filler' at the top of the door to reach in to spray it. Also spray some inside
the lock (where you put the key in). That will also prevent water from freezing in there!
There is a plastic guide in the center of the door in which the lock rod slides.
A good spritz of lithium grease will free that up. That should fix your lock problem.

The grease in your window motor and surrounding mechanical assembly is solidifying from age.
If at all possible, try to wipe off as much as you can of the old grease/lubricant in the mechanism.
Penetrating oil applied in all of the mechanical contact points will help loosen that.
The motor is another topic.

Of course you will have to remove the inner door panel to gain access to all of this. That will
also let you get at the latch mechanism easier.

Before replacing the Cruise stalk, remove the electrical connectors from the cruise actuator and the vacuum release solenoid.
With a brass brush and emory board clean the male and female connectors. Apply some
light bulb grease (about $1 per package) on the connectors and reattach. Check all of the hoses
for cracks or dry rot. Check the vacuum canister for any holes created by rust.

So there you go:
One can of Lithium Grease
One can of PB Blaster
One pack of 'bulb grease'
One brass bristle brush
One emory board
New hinge pins for the door (yet another topic).

Not a lot of expense but you will need a lot of patience and a moderate amout of time.

Above all, be SAFE!

[f85gtron]

you could add two more cup holders (to compliment the two existing holders from the factory) with this setup!
http://www.tlg-auto.com/FIero_Cup_Holder_p/fieroint020.htm
Ron

[pgackerman]

Nice, but for now I'll use my instrument cluster.
Maybe my next Fiero...