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From: rs55611@ihuxk.UUCP (Robert E. Schleicher)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Fiero pace car
Message-ID: <566@ihuxk.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 21-Feb-84 13:48:50 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxk.566
Posted: Tue Feb 21 13:48:50 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 22-Feb-84 02:20:30 EST
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 31

Road and Track's latest issue had a little blurb about the Fiero pace car
for the 1984 Indy.  I'll try to recall some of the info from the blurb, but
I don't have the article handy, so this may be off somewhat.

The pace car will be substantially different from the production, as are
virtually all pace cars.  The biggest change is in the engine, which will
have a special 16-valve cyclinder head, plus some other mods which I can't
recall, giving over 200 hp (I think).  The top speed is supposed to be
about 135 mph.  (A good top speed is very important for the pace car, to 
ensure a fast start.  If the pace car is lapping too slowly, the actual
race cars are more apt to get a lot of wheelspin when they tromp on it
at the real start.  This can lead to accidents, as it did last year.)

Of course, the "pace car" that will be sold to the public will be nothing like
the real pace car, and will just have the usual cosmetic add-ons, and
perhaps fancier wheels, better tires, etc.

By, the way, even though the 300 hp turbo-V6 has been scotched for
the Fiero, plans still call for a non-turbo V6 (presumably the 2.8
liter HO V6 used in Citation X-11's giving ~135 hp?)  This, or a
turbo-4, should make the fiero go pretty good.  I also understand
that Pontiac sells a parts kit to hop up the basic Iron Duke 4,
consisting of the typical things like a header, new cam, etc. that
is supposed to raise the hp to 140 or so (with presumably some loss
of driveability, idle smoothness, etc).  The cost number I heard was
in the $1000 range for the total parts package (it was a lot more than what
I listed).

Bob Schleicher
ihuxk!rs55611
AT&T Bell Laboratories