You might be surprised to find out there was an auto museum for just the Pontiac Fiero, but if that piques your interest you might be too late. During some intense rain this week two dams gave way in Michigan causing flooding. Caught up in that flood was Fiero's Forever, a museum dedicated to Pontiac's quirky mid-engine sports car. The building has collapsed and the Fieros have been washed away or water damaged.
America's Mid Engine Sports Car
While the Corvette has grabbed all the headlines by moving its massive V8 to the middle, this isn't a first for American sports cars or even for GM. Back in the mid-eighties they introduced a mid-engine sports car with styling cues from the then current third generation Trans Am. The designers managed to get the unique sports car green lit by selling it as a fuel efficient offering that just happened to be sporty.
Forever Fiero
Founded in 2000, Forever Fiero was a museum dedicated to the mid-engine runabout. Founder Tim Evans housed a few historic Fieros including one signed by one of the designers, Hulki Aldikacti, and a Fiero Pace Car. The museum also contained memorabilia and Fieros that were being restored including one that was awaiting a $15,000 engine transplant.
Bad Timing
Flood or no flood, the window was closing on when you could knock the Forever Fiero Museum off your bucket list. Evans had already planned to auction off most of the collection in the summer before the floods claimed the cars. Insurance has agreed to pay the pre-flood values but not collector values for the cars. So, is it a loss or not? I'll let you be the judge.
Sources: ABCNews, Hagerty
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