After a few years absence, the car show at the VA hospital is returning for 2024. On Sunday, July 21, 2024 we will join other antique, classic, and exotic cars at the Car Show for Veterans at the James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (3001 Green Bay Road in North Chicago, IL 60064)! This event always showcases an amazing variety of vehicles with over 200 cars expected, and in years past we have had over fifteen Fieros and their owners participate. Come on out to help NIFE support our military veterans as we show off our Fieros.

We will meet at the McDonald's Restuarant (30388 Skokie Hwy, Lake Bluff, IL 60044) at 9:30am for breakfast and be ready to leave for the show as a group at 11:00am. Show registration opens at 11:30am and ends at 3:00pm. The veterans themselves choose the award winners. There is no entry fee to participate and a free lunch is offered as a gesture of thanks for showing your car!

James A. Lovell Health Care Center             Morning Meeting Location

Please join us as we attend one of the longest-running car cruises in the state of Illinois on Sunday, June 23, 2024. We will be attending the “Gears & Ears Cruise and Corn Festival” at the Kendal County Fairgrounds hosted by the Midwest Street Rod Association of Illinois (MSRA). This is the 46th year of the cruise with the association itself dating back to 1969. This cruise has drawn up to 750 vehicles from the Midwest area and is a most-of-the-day event to enjoy time with gearheads, family, and friends. Gates open at 7:00am with registration open from 8:00am-1:00pm.

Pre-registration for $20.00 is encouraged and available by visiting MSRAOFIL.org, downloading the form, and mailing it in (link on far right of the page). Pre-registered participants will be guaranteed a T-shirt and dash plaque. Registration at the gate is $25.00 and dash plaques are available while they last. All participants will receive free soda, roasted corn, and the option to participate in all games. A $5.00 spectator fee will be charged for any attendees beyond the driver and one passenger. In addition to games, there will be a Split-the-Pot Raffle benefiting the Shriners Hospital as well as other raffles and door prizes. This is not a judged or class event, though MSRA will have some hand-crafted trophies given for specialty awards chosen by their sponsors and board members. Some food vendors will be available while supplies last.

In order for all of us to park together at this large event, we will meet at 7:30am at the McDonald’s on the corner of Route 34 and Route 47 in Yorkville, IL (3 West Veterans Pkwy, Yorkville, IL 60560) where you can grab a quick bite to eat or something to drink. From there, we will depart at 8:00am for the three-mile drive to Kendal County Fairgrounds where we will enter off Route 71, half a mile west of Route 47. You are more than welcome to arrive at the show at any time you wish, but parking with the NIFE group is not guaranteed unless you show up with the group.

NIFE will have a couple of canopies at the event for shade as well as a cooler full of ice-cold water to keep us hydrated throughout the day. If you bring additional canopies, they must have stakes and be tied or weighted down for the safety of all vehicles and participants. This will be a grass parking event, so please be cautious with any low front spoilers/bumpers/side skirts. This is a rain or shine event with no rain date.

Show flyer and Registration form

Kendall County Fair Grounds             Morning Meeting Location

Haven’t been to the Dells Run event in a while? Or ever? You are missing out on our annual Fiero community pilgrimage to the Wisconsin Dells to join Fiero owners from across the Midwest as the Wisconsin Fiero Fanatics host the 31st edition of the “2K24 Dells Run” event, starting Thursday, May 30, 2024, and running through Sunday, June 2, 2024. That’s right; four days of Fiero fun with countless opportunities to meet new Fiero friends, see others that you may have not seen in person since 2023, and experience everything Fiero – from mild to wild!

The host hotel and show site will again be Chula Vista Resort, located off the beaten path in a wooded area north of downtown Wisconsin Dells. Call 888-601-7053 to make your reservations and be sure to call early to guarantee a room. The group discount number is K12145. Consider pre-registering for this event by downloading a registration form on FieroFocus.com, or visit Wisconsin Fiero Fanatics on Facebook for the latest information.

On Sunday, June 4, 2023, we will caravan back to Illinois after the awards ceremony and traditional NIFE club photo. We plan to be on the road headed back home by 10:30-11:00am. Join us for great times and good fun in the scenic Wisconsin Dells!

Chula Vista Resort             Registration form for the show

It’s nearly the time of year to think about getting our Fieros ready to enjoy on the road again! What better way to shake off the cobwebs than a nice countryside drive and lunch with other Fiero enthusiasts?

On Saturday, May 4, 2024, we will travel west from Pottawatomie Park at 8 North Ave, St. Charles, IL 60174 (the Fierorama location) to White Pines Forest State Park in Mt. Morris, IL. White Pines Forest State Park is in the heart of the Rock River Valley and is the southern boundary of the historic Chicago-Iowa Trail. The park is perfect for family getaways to enjoy hiking, fishing, camping, and picnicking. With serene, picturesque beauty and modern lodge facilities amidst a beautiful forest and open space, it's a destination worth seeing.

 If you are worried about this being the first drive of the year and mechanical issues arising, there is no better place to be than surrounded by others who work on and enjoy Fieros; we are there to troubleshoot and help you out! Some participants even carry basic tools in their vehicles and are willing to assist with any issues that occur. This is what being part of the Fiero family is all about!

 We ask that everyone begin meeting at Pottawatomie Park at 9:00am for a 9:30am departure. It’s about a two-hour drive to White Pines, which will include a drive along the scenic banks of the Rock River. We will then enjoy a nice lunch at the White Pines Lodge. After lunch, we will head a little farther south along the Rock River, then turn east to head back to Pottawatomie Park, where we will conclude our day around 4:00pm.

Typically, we have 10-15 vehicles on this type of cruise with about 20-30 people attending and would love to see those numbers increase. If you cannot make the whole day event, you are welcome to meet us at the White Pines Lodge and Restaurant for lunch to enjoy the second half of the day, or enjoy the event with us for as long as you are able and break off from the group when needed.

Meeting locaiton             White Pines Lodge

Meeting start time - 9am CST

We all love driving our cars, and typically enjoy them more when our cars are performing well – but sometimes “performing well” on a stock car doesn’t satisfy the hunger for more performance!

There are a lot of engine options available, but if you desire an LS4 for your Fiero, you will generally hear the name Pickardt Performance (2P’s). They are a small, family-owned business in Maryland that began by building and making parts to support their own LS4 swapped Fieros. If you’re like me, once you see one of their builds, you want one for yourself! I vividly remember talking to Gary’s son Jestin at Fieroama in 2021 while admiring his gray GT; it is a work of art. They have performed many swaps and are now offering packages and limited runs of high-performance parts.

When Gary met his wife Jennifer, she owned a red ’88 Fiero GT. This was the first car for which Gary performed an engine swap, installing a naturally aspirated 3800. Years later, their son Brice started driving this car, and not long after that, their other son Jestin got his own Fiero. One day, Gary saw an article on Pennock’s Fiero Forum (Fiero.nl) regarding the LS4 engine swap, and everything took off from there. We are honored to have the Pickardt family share their time with us and give us an insight into the LS4 engine swap process.

The giveaway prize for this meeting will be an AutoBio Tag! What is an AutoBio Tag? Think of it as a website for you Fiero. Anyone who stops to look at your Fiero can learn your Fiero’s story by scanning the QR code tag you place on your windshield. Once you receive your tag, simply register on their website, upload your Fiero’s information and pictures, and you are good to go! The QR code tells your Fiero’s story for you! This meeting’s prize is valued at $49.00. The winner must be present at the time of the drawing or a new winner will be selected.

Meeting start time - 9am CST

We can all agree that the Fiero is incredibly fun to drive, but did GM make them fast enough to drive in this day and age? Do you have a Fiero that you wish had a little more punch when that Ferrari pulls up next to you at the stop light? Ever thought about doing an engine swap, but not sure where to start? Please join us for our March NIFE Zoom club meeting where James Brown of P-Body Motorsports (on Facebook) will discuss the most popular V6 engine swap for the Fiero, the supercharged 3800.

James is probably best known for his beautiful work on his wiring harnesses, but he also spends his days modifying cars and building street rods. If you have talked with James about his wiring harnesses or about doing your own engine swap, you already know how generous he is with his time and knowledge. James started back in the 1990s wiring old muscle cars while also running his car audio shop. Although James has built several show quality muscle cars, his first engine swap was actually an ‘87 Fiero GT with a supercharged 3800. James still has a few Fieros, including a 512tr replica, and my personal favorite, a Diablo replica. During this meeting we will spend some time talking about the 3800 V6 engine swap, some of the parts needed, and processes involved in doing this swap.

The giveaway prize for this meeting will be the very last 2023 NIFE Illinois special events license plate celebrating the 40th Anniversary Celebration – a value of “Priceless”! Winner must be present at the time of the drawing or a new winner will be selected.

Our new giveaway feature will continue at this meeting, where we will award the lucky winner a 40th Anniversary Special Edition Plate #39! Winner must be present at the time of the drawing or a new winner will be selected.

Meeting start time - 9am CST

Is your Fiero overheating or having cooling issues? Are you wondering what aftermarket options are available for your Fiero while maintaining a factory appearance? Well, do we have a treat for you! Please join us for our February NIFE Zoom club meeting where Fiero Austin (Austin Thomas) will walk through how to diagnose, repair, and even upgrade parts of this system to get your Fiero back on the road and running in top form.

Fiero Austin is well known for his 3800 engine swap parts lists on Pennock’s Fiero Forum (Fiero.nl), and his “how-to” videos on his YouTube channel, FieroAustin. Austin owns a white ‘88 Fiero GT that began life with a stock 2.8L V6. This car now sports a supercharged 3800 and Lambo doors. Fiero Austin is highly recognized in the Fiero community for his wide range of knowledge in aftermarket parts, including Lambo door hinges, factory-looking radios, Fiero electronics, brakes, suspension upgrades, Sunbird tachometers, body mods, and 3800 engine builds. Watching Austin’s YouTube videos is where I personally learned about rebuilding my 3800. It is my pleasure to have Austin share his knowledge on the Fiero cooling system with us for this meeting.

Our new giveaway feature will continue at this meeting, where we will award the lucky winner one $50.00 gift certificate to the Fiero Store (FieroStore.com)! Winner must be present at the time of the drawing or a new winner will be selected.