My 1986 Pontiac Fiero SE

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I don't think the Iron Duke which was a 2.5 was ever offered in the Cavalier, pretty sure anyway.Yes the Fiero was a parts bin commuter car.
 
and I think with our Energy Crisis, boy in CA it was fun! they found the Chevette in Brazil,very related to the Kadette. Mine was bottom of the line, so prob the 1.4 1 barrel, I got it in that energy crisis as my Buick Wildcat had a huge thirst along with Huge thrust! I was visiting my bro in SF most weekends, just over a 2 hour drive. Wild kitty could not make it down and back and drive around there on one tank, it was 27 gallons. Ironic it did about 17 highway on premium. The Chevette would travel 75-80 wide open and did no better, but a much smaller tank, I was screwed! Gas stations then were mostly closed on weekends. Such fun.My next car a Datsun 210 could do it no problem
 
That Cavalier had the Iron Fluke in all it's cast iron, push rod, four cylinder glory. I looked under the hood to see what was powering, or maybe I should say underpowering, the car.
 
Marks_here

Hi! Thanks for thinking about dear Goldie! She's kinda been on hold for awhile now. We are so busy that we are behind on our daily lives! Right now we are trying to take down 2 12 by 10 sheds and put them up at our house so we can clean out the garage. Once we get the garage more organized then we will regain full steam on Goldie! So far though, Sammy and I dropped the transmission out of the parts car, he dropped the trans from Goldie, and got the parts car trans in Goldie. Now she needs typical maintenance and reassembly on her engine. Also, my husband's boss, who we got Goldie from, had another Fiero identical to mine except it's an automatic, one of the other guys Sammy works with just bought it! He's in the process of fixing the other one up as we speak! The rims on our Fieros are different. He has a fan type pattern and I have honeycomb. He doesn't like his and wants the honeycomb, so we are going to do an even swap here pretty soon! Yea Goldie will have a different pair of shoes!!! Ha Ha! BTW, my hobbies are constantly being shifted around!!! We were working on chainsaws and cut a neighbors tree down not to long ago. Now, I started a new hobby of collecting vintage multimeters to calibrate them! I have a stack of those in my living room awaiting me! I just got another little AM tube radio I want to fix up and turn into a guitar amp! Been messing around with the oscilloscope too! Also, been making oscillators on breadboards! Just rebuilt a GE hand mixer that I just used to make homemade mashed potatoes with! Just bought a Sears cassette recorder probably from the 70's today for $1.00! I want to check that out as well! Those are just a few of the things I can think of off of the top of my head!!! Ha Ha! I just got some new batteries for my camera, so I can FINALLY take pictures of all of my stuff! Thanks for wanting to know!!!! :) -Michelle
 
Good to hear you & hubby are doing great, winters comin & supposed to be another hard one here in TN. I'm glad to hear about all those projects, you should get the medal of projects for all your undertakings!! Simply amazing & I know your having fun with the tube radios. My soldering isn't that great I need more practice, but I know everything your talking about. Those oscilloscopes come in handy, my dad used to use one among many other instruments for making a Heathkit tv in the late 70's early 80's which worked great until lightning struck the entena & fried everything inside. Stay well!!
 
Michelle, you're just like me! Buying cool stuff all the time and tinkering with it! I need to get a shed myself, there's crap spilling over everywhere down here! 
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Radio as a "G" fiddle amp---CAREFUL THERE!!!Try to use a radio with a power transformer in it-or at least put a polarized cord-plug on the radio.Make sure the chassis is connected to the NEUTRAL pin of the plug.We dont want you to end up playing "Hot music" on an electrified guitar.And--electric guitars need HIGH gain for them to work-a radio audio section will not have this kind of gain.You will need a Guitar preamp.I would look around for a single stage guitar amp designed for guitar use-it would have the proper safety isolation and gain.These types of amps are not real expensive.Often sold as "practice" or "Studio" amps where the recording studio will place a microphone in front of the amps speaker.This type of amp will have a single tube in the output stage-like a 6V6 or 6L6 or similar.The single tube will put out about 5-8 watts.And the "G" fiddle amp will have the proper tone controls,too.And the jacks needed if you want to add an "effects" pedal-"Stomp Box".
 
Marks_here

Thanks for the compliments!!! Technically I wish I had another me so I could get ahead with my never ending projects!!! Ha ha! That's cool that your dad built a heathkit tv! That's very neat! I like anything that has little parts, bright colors, lights up, and/or goes bing! Ha Ha! The oscilloscope was my husband's, but I now have acquired it because I named it, so therefore it is mine! Ha ha! Next, he's gonna bring up his frequency balancer and I have an inkling that I'll end up taking that away from him as well! Ha Ha! Hope all is well with you in TN!!!???!!! :) -Michelle
 
Alex

You are too funny my friend!!! I know exactly what you mean!!! We have a 2 bedroom house and the front bedroom you literally can't walk but a few steps into because of all of our collections!!! I really enjoy the hunt for new old things that I've never heard of or don't know who made them! I love researching and then learning all about it! For example, we just went to this HUGE car show/swap meet, it was so big that we just did the swap meet because there wasn't enough time in the day to do both! Sammy bought me a Tung-Sol radio/TV tube carry case from back in the 50's for $5.00! I know for a fact that I could resell that for $100, but of course I won't because I wanted to have one and use it for it's intended purpose; already got all of my tubes and multi meters in there! Anyways, the example was that I knew nothing about Tung-Sol and researched it and found out that Tung-Sol being a tube manufacturer, produced the low and high beam headlights for vehicles and also developed the turn signal! Nice little tid bit to know I thought! Got that RCA AM radio working! I'm going to have Sammy show me how to post videos on here because I have a crap load of them to share! :) -Michelle
 
Tolivac

Thanks for the info, we got it all under control. We got that little RCA AM radio up and talking again! I will be posting a thread of him soon!

Oscilloscopes are awesome! I'm eyeballing one that's from the late 60's that still runs on tubes! The one we got is solid state, I think my husband said from the 80's or 90's. Next thing he's gonna bring up his frequency balancer! Can't wait to play with that guy! :) -Michelle
 
Michelle, I've got a story for you!!


 


Years ago,I was wondering around the woodland behind my house.I went off into a new section with some friends.guess what I found? A 1960s Zenith tv set! It looked like some kids reeked havoc on it years ago, the screen was busted it.regardless,I, with help from my friends, dragged that thing home (they thought I was crazy, who could blame them!). I got it home, and not only did I find a vintage Westinghouse lightbulb stuck in a lamp socket (wonder if it still works? Never tried it!), but ALL of the vacuum tubes were still intact, despite the rusting circuit boards underneath them! True quality! 
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That tv is sitting in the barn, the vacuum tubes are in (of all things!) A vintage Kirby Suds-O-Gun jar, off a Classic III! I can get pictures, if you want,I took another step into the 21st century last month with a new Kodak camera (although my Kodak 35mm still sees plenty of use! 
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"Roadside" TV's Many years ago I went with 2 of my freind to do a RF proof of performance for a radio station in Baltimore.You drive a mile-stop,take out your feild strenght meter and take a reading.You have to do this until you are 30 miles out from the stations transmitter.One of the guys with me came up with a game to aleviate the boredom-it was trash day,too.He says"First one that spots a TV gets it!"So we are driving out of town in a country area road to the next point.Low and behold I spot a TV by the road.We stop to check it out.It was an older DuMont in a blonde color wood case.Excellent shape!!So I bagged one-we put it in the car and moved on.Now we get to a neighborhood of homes with trash cans set out for pickup.OH-NO I see ANOTHER TV!So we stop and pick it up-was an RCA "Acu-Color" model.So we go to my place and try the sets.The DuMont worked GREAT-we even watched the horror movie "The Thing" on it from my Laserdisc player-perfect set to watch that on-made it more creepy.The RCA worked after replacing a loose circuit board that fell out of its socket-probably why it was thrown out?Let my freind who devised the "game" keep the RCA.Don't know what happened to the RCA-My DuMont and several other old sets got stolen.Haven't replaced them.The others came from trash piles and dumpsters behind TV repair places.
 
Alex

That's awesome!!! I would love to see pictures of that baby!!! Such a nice story of saving a dear Zenith TV!!! That's so cool that all of the tubes were still intact! BTW, I have a camera question that I KNOW you can answer! I was playing around with the idea of getting an old polaroid camera. My question is: can you still get film for those types of cameras? Also, I'm getting interested in the reel to reel players! I may have to find one here in the near future! The next thing I'm looking to collect are records! In a nut shell, after my mom passed away last year, I've been collecting vintage things that I remember her having. I remember fondly using her Technics turntable from the 80's. Let's see, I would have to say about 5 years back she said it quit working and she threw it away! Very sad, because I would have loved to have fixed it and to have used it! So, now I'm on a quest to obtain one! What sucks is that now record players are cool again and people selling them want a small fortune for them! I've got my eyes set on a few, but we shall see! :) -Michelle
 
Michelle,

I'm sorry to hear about your Mother! I'll be glad to answer your questions!


 


By Poloroid, I assume you're referring to those lovely little instant cameras that take the 600 style jnstant film! in short, YES and NO!


 


In 2008, Poloroid stopped making instant film (Well, they still make it, but the film is the size of a business card, and is not compatible with 600 style cameras). HOWEVER, this Hipster company came along, called "The Impossible Project", the "P" in "Impossible" is backwards for some trendy reason! anyhow, they still make film! both in color, silver shade, and i think black and white! however, this stuff is expensive! they charge you $25 for 8 photos! I don't even think that includes shipping! I love my Poloroids, but until the instant film pops up at Walgreens, I'm sticking to my 35mm cameras! 
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oh, and Poloroid isn't the only one, I'd love to use my old Kodak Instamatic, if they still made film for it! forgot what style it was, "Panachromic" or something. on the bright side, it came with an original demonstration film cartridge (No film, just transparent plastic, but cool and likely rare!), and a NEW box of film! only catch is, the film expired in September 1971!! 
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surprisingly, Reel to Reel is still available too, but also expensive! perhaps you'll find some older NOS tapes on eBay? I see them all the time, but i don't do eBay! 
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Gosh, be careful with the Reel-To-Reel tape players, I've had bad luck with them! my first one was a Sony, look up "THE SONY CURSE" in the Household archives if you want the story, but in short, it blew a capacitor, i re-soldered a capacitor, and it still didn't work, but was kind enough to shock me when i, for whatever reason, poked at the capacitor! I should mail the thing to you, you know a thing or two about this stuff, maybe you can teach me! I stick to mechanical and basic electrical stuff (You should've seen how i made a Sears and Llyod's 8-Track player into one perfect player!).


 


I'll be sure to get you pictures, It's sitting in the barn! 
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Michelle,
Do you happen to remember the model turntable? I have an SL-D2 that I might be getting rid of, works fine, I have my 2 pioneer Turntables that I use so I no longer have a need for it. Also if you do get a turntable make sure to grab a decent analog receiver. If I may recommend pioneer's SX line. the SX-780 should fit any budget and perform beautifully with accurate clarity :)
 
Alex

Thank you very much! It's only been just shy of a year since she died and it's very hard to accept it! My dad is still alive in the house they own in Minnesota, but 4 months after my mom died my dad got a girlfriend (one that my mom didn't like around my dad) and now she lives in their house! Needless to say, I don't speak with him and can't ever go into that house again! Anyways, with that being said, he still has a lot of their old stuff that I remember as a kid, but there is no way that I'll ever get it! So, that's why I just find the exact stuff on EBay or garage sales now. I bought this summer a Zenith digital alarm clock/radio that I remember my parents using for years! I know he still has that somewhere, but I found a nice one on Etsy. Also, bought a vintage Hamilton Beach Scovill electric knife that I remember my mom using on special occasions too! The record player is the newest thing that I want to get!

Thanks for the answers about the cameras!!! I don't think I will venture into that now that I know about the film cost and the rarity of it!

The Reel to Reels just look like fun! I would take a look at yours if you would like?!? Just let me know! BTW, yesterday I went to an antique store in town and bought a little Zenith Royal 13 pocket transistor AM radio! Doesn't work though, we messed with it last night. We cleaned up the battery terminals from corroded battery acid and Sammy started re-soldering his antennae wires back on, but I think in all honesty that we will have to remake his super heterodyne! I will post pictures of him soon! Can't wait to see your pictures! Take care! :) -Michelle
 
Aww Michelle I'm so sorry to hear hear that, it must be gut wrenching know all those things you hold close in your heart you won't be getting... I just wish they made a book on how to raise parents!! They have books out on everything else but that! 😛 would make things so much easier all way round too!
 
electroluxxxx

Hi there! I will include a picture of the Technics that I found on EBay. It's the exact one my mom had, except that I will never know the exact model! I'm not sure if it was an SL-J2 or 3 or whatever others were the same! I know she had the digital number track selector and the gold tag that said quartz. I would love to find the one she had, but they cost a lot of money! Go figure, the one she had has to be sought after! Ha Ha! I did just look up the one you have and I've never seen that one before. Besides my mom's turntable, my great grandma had a ginormous console record player that we would use. Don't know what ever happened to it though! Anyways, if I don't find one like my mom's, does yours work and how much would you want for it? Thanks for the info on speakers too! I believe we will hook the record player to my 1964-65 Zenith AM FM stereo I have! I think he was the better model back then because he has 6 tubes instead of 5. Something like that. He's crystal clear and I can't even turn his volume all the way up because it would make you deaf! Ha Ha! Thank you! Take care! :) -Michelle

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Marks_here

Thank you very much!!! I would buy that book right now if it existed! Ha Ha! I don't want to sound like I'm harping on my dad, but he just chose a path that I'm uncomfortable with and am not ready to accept yet. Everybody is different in how they grieve and I've already been yelled at by my dad's mom (my grandma) in how I just need to deal with it and accept my dad and talk to him. My family's thought process is what ever is right is wrong and what is wrong is right. Not making it up, totally how they are! I choose to live in a life that's as drama free and wholesome that I can! I like collecting and building things, never thought I could and now that I know I can, that's what I want to do! I just have a different value system than my family. Everybody in my family has a weird or dysfunctional marriage, I do not, and I value my marriage very highly, I can't fathom the thought of my husband dying and getting a boyfriend 4 months later and moving in too! My dad is a grown man and if that's what makes him happy he can have it, but I don't have to choose to like it or have anything to do with it! I'm going to be 30 here on November 20th, I can't believe that I have the rest of my life to go without my mom in it! It's a hard reality that I just realized the other day and it sucks! My mom was the only one in my family that I truly was close to (as I got older the closer we got). Sorry, don't mean to rant, but had to vent!!! I feel better now! Thank you again for all of your kind words! I truly don't hear them that often! :) -Michelle
 
Hay, that's what we're all here for, in a way we are all connected may not be through blood but through collecting. About everything else this IS about you this time not them...when you're ready it will all happen, don't push or rush anything & you'll find out you did the right thing. you can't put a time limit on grieving as I am still not over Troy's passing since Jan. don't know if I'll ever be right but I'm just doing the best I can. Yeah I do have my moments doesn't everyone but I'm still in control of my life, at least I think I am...lol just know you're not alone & this hobby does help quite a bit, doesn't take away the pain, sorrow or hurt but it does help. Now gotta jet & get ready for possible snow, also I think you're amazing how well you keep everything in control & your husband is a lucky man, some people never do get to experience what true happiness & love really is, I did, lost it but he was needed for a bigger assignment.
 
Marks_here

Thank you so much for the kind words!!!! That's exactly how I feel about people! I feel more closer to my husband's dearest friends than I do my own family! Blood doesn't matter, it matters how you're treated! I learned that the hard way! My husband doesn't have much of family either, very dysfunctional life like mine! So, we have his friends that are our family and any other person I feel a connection to then they become apart of my family! I feel fortunate to have learned what true love is, in a romantic way and in a family way! I'm soooo sorry to hear about your partner!!! How long were you together? If you don't mind me asking?!? That sucks so bad!!! I know your pain and hate it!!! One good, positive thing is that I live far away from where my parents are at, so that's good in the fact that I don't have to see it and face it everyday! I actually am getting excited for Christmas though! I have a lot of stuff from my mom and great grandma. Back when my mom was little in school (she was born in 1963 to give perspective), she made ceramic Christmas trees that you put the lite brite lights in, well she made 2 (one for her mom and one for her grandma). My mom's mom just gave me hers a few years back and then when I was up at my dad's for my mom's funeral, I took the one she made for her grandma. Also, got a bunch of ornaments that were my mom's and great grandma's. Plus, my mom was a very good quilter, she made me a couple different tree skirts. The last one she made me was a hello kitty tree skirt with a matching table runner. Those things mean the most to me and can't wait to put them out! I will take pictures for everybody on here of my little Christmas memories! I don't have a lot due to living in a 800 sq. ft. house! I can only have a 4' tree on an end table because of space, but I make the best of it! Again, so sorry to hear about your loss, I can't imagine that! Well if you ever need someone to talk to I'm here for you! You can email me as well if you like! I'll have to post pictures of my great grandma's kitchen too! It was so 50's!!! I know everybody would get a kick out of that! Take care! :) -Michelle
 
We were together 10 years, we met Dec 26 2003 moved to Nashville bought a house (nobody liked us in the neighbourhood because we are gay) everything was great.....until he wasn't feeling right went to the Dr. Found out he had large B cell lymphoma in his brain which effected his vision on the right side, did chemo for a year, found out he was in remission the day before Thanksgiving... Was doing good until chest pains. Now since he worked for HCA & was out longer then 6 months lost his job/insurance soooo with that said the last scan showed it came back with all over. I had him sign the last check (which I still have) before he had a stroke to be followed by many mini-strokes & put on life support only till I could get his family here & passed away Jan 22 @ 5:515 p.m. This all happened in just 3 days. Every time he would hear my voice we'd watch the moniter & his heart would start back so they asked me not to talk so I just held his hand as he left. It was soooooo peaceful & beautiful & I just sat there for 2 hours looking at him just thinking what the hell am I going to do now. Fast forward because nothing was signed over into my name because we didn't think this was going to happen...... I lost everything which I really didn't care, why stay where your not wanted or liked so I left. Didn't have to say bye to anyone which was good & I really don't miss the house because without him, it's just another empty house, not a home. I could go on to tell you that many people promised & vowed to help us with anything...but they didn't. They were going to write to Ellen...they didn't & Troy didn't figure they would either, just saying stuff to him so he wouldn't worry.
 
Marks_here

So sorry to hear your story!!! I'm truly and deeply sorry for you!!! I'm glad you don't have to live in the house you both shared!!! I know I couldn't be in my dad's house again! I'm actually glad that the last time I was at my dad's, it was just a few days after she passed away, so it was still in the exact way she left it! I couldn't imagine going into it now knowing that the woman my mom despised is not only with my dad but got rid of all of her stuff so her stuff can be there now! I'm not a fighter, but if I saw what it looks like I would probably break down crying and punch my dad in the face, no lie! I'm also glad that I wasn't there when she passed away at the hospital! I've seen and dealt with a lot in my short life that most non-dysfunctional people couldn't fathom! I don't know if I could have mentally gone thru being there at her passing. I've heard it all too! I'll always be there for you! Don't worry it'll get better! If you ever need me! A big bag of BS is what that is!!! It wasn't even quite a year yet when my grandma snapped on me saying that I'm acting like a child and to get over it and what not! But, in the same breath after I got off the phone with her, she texted me and said how much she loved me and I only have one family and need to remember that! I was incrediulous with anger, why would my grandma treat me like that? No one in my family lives by their words! It's do as I say not as I do! Point the finger, but they never do anything wrong! My husband refers to my family as a bunch of animals! Ha Ha! It's cool when you have an outsider looking in because it's funny to see what I had to live with! That's also why I miss my mom. We would talk almost everyday on the phone and vent about how the family acts! Let me set you up with another little scenario about my evil family about 2 years ago. I had to have all my teeth pulled when I was 27. Had issues my whole life, glad to not be in pain anymore! My dentures don't fit right, another story, so I go around with no teeth. I've accepted me and my husband actually said he thinks I look cuter without them! So, I was dropped off at my grandparents' house because I was riding up with my grandma to see my mom because she was in the hospital due to a very bad car accident! SO, I'm freaking out in my head about my mom and waiting to leave that night and my grandpa is there and this is as follows: My dad's dad (my grandpa)said that I shouldn't be in the kitchen while he eats because I make him sick! Also, is known for calling me fat a lot too. Thus, I just now associate with people that like/care/love me! I don't judge anyone, who am I to judge anyone anyway? I'm the same as anybody else. After all of my families BS I like anybody who genuinely likes me! That's why I love this forum! I finally feel like a fit in somewhere! I have found people who are just like me and like collecting materialistic things and being happy! I've dealt with enough hurt and being made fun of my whole life. Every year I was in school was teased and bullied. Never really had friends until now being an adult. SO, very picky about who I let in to my life! Just wish some people on here lived closer, I would totally hang out with and love to see other's collections! :) -Michelle
 
Even though I have learned so much from this eerie nice & about myself what I'm capable of doing/handling....I wish it on no one. It would be great if we all did live closer together would be a blast! 😀 oh it's snowing out just a bit Oct. 31st 7:04p.m. CDT
 

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