The YouTube channel Out of Spec Renew recently met up with the Classic EV Conversion team near Denver, CO to check out their 1980’s Pontiac Fiero GT conversion. The auto shop specializes in preserving the character of classic cars while electrifying them for the modern age. This well-executed Fiero GT conversion is the one that put them on the map.
The Pontiac Fiero is powered by the 85 kWh pack and dual motor drive unit from a wrecked 2014 Tesla Model S. The battery was split into two segments, with a smaller pack placed under the hood and the larger one taking up some of the trunk and former engine space. The low-voltage components and high-voltage wiring run through the center of the car where a transmission tunnel would typically be located. Although on the mid-engine Fiero, this is where the gas tank was originally housed.
While they have not had the opportunity to test the Tesla-powered Fiero on a dynamometer yet, they estimate it outputs between 350 and 400 hp and about 400 lb-ft of torque. This is a massive increase from the highest-powered Fiero GT of the day, which output 140 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque.
After its launch in 1984, the Fiero was a surprisingly big hit and received multiple updates over the next few years. But by 1987, the original 1984 units were beginning to catch fire at an astonishing rate due to not one but several faults including the engine, oil pan, and wiring. Hundreds of Fieros caught fire in just a few years, one of the highest failure rates ever seen for a mass-production car up to that point. No one was killed or seriously injured due to the fires, but the vehicle’s unfortunate name and reputation led to Pontiac retiring the model by 1988 and eventually recalling every Fiero ever delivered.
So considering the original vehicle’s reputation, why would they choose to do a Fiero conversion? “I had this exact car.” Explains Tim Bradley. “It was at that time in my life the best car I ever had. It had a sweet spot in my heart.” As time went on and Tim started a family, he had to sell the tiny two-seater. But he always wanted to be back behind the wheel of a Fiero again.
When he found a used, well-maintained example with only 14,000 miles on the odometer, he immediately jumped on it as a hobby car. After driving it around for a few years, he decided it would be the perfect candidate for an EV conversion.
The conversion shop began its build in March of 2020 but was frequently halted due to the pandemic. According to Nick, although the team only spent about 180 days actively working on the project, those days were spread across two years. It took them several months just to find a donor car for the EV components. The electric Fiero GT was finally completed in 2022.
Considering all the extra power and weight of the vehicle, the brakes were going to need a major upgrade as well. “This is a hydraulic brake booster that produces about 2,000 psi of hydraulic pressure. It’s actually from Speedway and is used in race cars.” Nick explains. The original factory brakes were apparently “terrifying” to use after the upgrade. The regen braking also had issues kicking in on the stock brakes. “It’s a good alternative that produces enough pressure for racing brakes.”
The build is quite clean and well executed including custom gauges to match the original look, a Tesla badge on the front, and “Electric” spelled out on the rear light bar. So it’s a bit odd that they chose to retain the quad exhaust from the original Fiero GT package.
Turns out they did this purely for aesthetic reasons. “The GT is so known for the beautiful quad-tips on the back of the car. And we took it off but there was this gaping hole. It didn’t look right, it didn’t fit.”
What do you think about this EV conversion? Is there a special car from your youth that you dream of converting to an electric powertrain? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
