V8 Fiero

[SilverPhoenix]

I'm thinking of getting an 88 Fiero GT(the year with the best suspension), and swapping in a V8 using V8Archie's kit, but any1 have any idea what kind of engine I should put in? THe LS1 and LT1 don't work because they are slightly dif than a normal SBC but any SBC will do

[FoxFour]

This may not be something that you want to do, but I seem to remember several years ago in Hot Rod magazine that they did an article on a V-8 Fiero . This guy put in a Northstar engine and transaxle in it. Same owner said that this engine was a cinch to put in, almost as if it was made to put in there. I'm sure there's more than one person that has done this.

[graywolf624]

I second the northstar swap. That is the current method of choice of the fiero.

[FoxFour]

I was doing some looking after I wrote the reply about the Northstar swap. The swap can get a little pricey, for a good quality swap I mean. So, if he wants to save a few dollars then that may not be the way to go.

[SilverPhoenix]

The Northstar option is cool but not really the most effective, the SBC can give me more power and there is a Northstar kit out there made by Design One systems, but the kit price is nearly double that of the SBC kit. So any1 have any suggestions on a crate motor? or should I just do a ground up build. I was trying to stay in the neighborhood of 350-400HP

[gldnboy]

there are two around my area that i know of. one with the northstar and one with a 327 vette engine. i didn't see the northstar one up close, but the sbc one was quite impressive.

[DR.GONZO]

v8 all the way , yes I actaully have some footage of a v8 northstar fiero, I have it at a car show lil walk around and then at the end bailing sounds good , no burnouts or nothing just passing bye! :D

[Garretts_turbo]

can you say oversteer?? thats a lot of engine in the back of those things!

[type x]

id drop a chevy 350 or a northstar V8, but have been fit into a fiero before. Honestly i like the thought because fieros are so exotic looking especially with kits, but ive owned a fiero planned on doing what your after. The parts for a fiero are rare indeed. Its a very hard and long process. I really dont think its worth it unless your head over heels for the idea. Also trust me i owned one, they are fun for turning with because of rear engine rwd but they really arent good for going anywhere but in a straight line. the bodyroll and a light front end makes bodyroll pretty excessive. Ive see na few rugged videos where fieros have had body roll mixed with high speeds and a light front end that lifted the car about 5 feet off the ground and it smashed front down into the asphault.

[DR.GONZO]

I can make a quick clip but, I need a host. :)

[RC45]

Also trust me i owned one, they are fun for turning with because of rear engine rwd but they really arent good for going anywhere but in a straight line.

Kind of a contradiciton there - so which is it - good in the turns or in a straight line? :?

[novass]

Also trust me i owned one

How come you didnt mention the Fiero in your what you drive post? You listed a few of your other old cars.

[RC45]

Also trust me i owned one

How come you didnt mention the Fiero in your what you drive post? You listed a few of your other old cars.

You also smelling something here besides gas fumes... ? ;) :lol: LOL :twisted:

[novass]

^^ Just curious :wink:

Anyway, back on topic, if the kit to put a SBC is cheaper then I would go for that. There are tons of companies that produce reliable and powerful SBC crates at a reasonable price. IMO its one of the best engines out there because there are so many parts available from numerous sources at a good price.

[oscargarza88]

if u havent bought one and u have cash u can buy this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6419&item=2468837147

[gtx28]

I looked at those swaps in the past, according to some of the kit car makers, the transaxle has alot of problems with higher power motors, and they recomend swapping it out for a diff transaxle. Just my two cents

[Nocturn]

The LT1 does fit in a fiero, check out the LT1 stinger on V8archies page.

[jstillwell]

I'm raising a topic from the dead, I hope y'all don't mind it whar noobs do that. If this topic interests you, then this one might as well...
http://www.motorworld.net/forum/showthread.php?t=34396
A little bit about my Fiero with a supercharged 3800 with 277 crank hp, only mods are intake and exhaust. Comes with the 4T65HD tranny, so reliability problems are out the window.


id drop a chevy 350 or a northstar V8, but have been fit into a fiero before. Honestly i like the thought because fieros are so exotic looking especially with kits, but ive owned a fiero planned on doing what your after. The parts for a fiero are rare indeed. Its a very hard and long process. I really dont think its worth it unless your head over heels for the idea. Also trust me i owned one, they are fun for turning with because of rear engine rwd but they really arent good for going anywhere but in a straight line. the bodyroll and a light front end makes bodyroll pretty excessive. Ive see na few rugged videos where fieros have had body roll mixed with high speeds and a light front end that lifted the car about 5 feet off the ground and it smashed front down into the asphault.

Oh, this is classic. I just had to comment.

"The parts for Fieros are rare indeed."

This kind of comment is usually followed by commentary about how the car is inferior due to using parts from many other GM vehicles. While it's true that some 88 parts are tough to track down, an earlier model can be upgraded with aftermarket parts including entire bolt in suspensions to handle at least as good as the 88.

"i owned one, they are fun for turning with because of rear engine rwd but they really arent good for going anywhere but in a straight line. the bodyroll and a light front end makes bodyroll pretty excessive."

All I can say is you had a dog, if you indeed had a Fiero at all. They are 20 year old cars after all, American cars from the eighties. Not everyone treated their Fieros with the love and attention they deserve. There a cheap used car, and I've seen too many of them that had the snot driven out of them. Any 20 year old American car will be a POS if you don't maintain it. The emergency manuevers I've been able to pull off in my car, I have no doubt my car has saved my bacon on many occaision.


Anyhow, my only advice to you is avoid Archie like the plague.
He is an evil bitter man.

[RC45]

Are there any decent V8 Fiero swaps?

[ZfrkS62]

^ i seem to remember seeing a SBC 400 swap a couple years back. obviously they did some wacky shit with the headers, but it seemed to fit alright.

[jstillwell]

Why go V8? There are so many superior V6 platforms coming out know that will be plug and play, no adapter.
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/272690/fullsize/IMG_2495.JPG

Look at this for example. Supercharged 3900 in a Pontiac G6. There's a six speed manual transmission hooked up to it by the General, not someguy named Cletus. In naturally aspirated, stock form the factory quotes preliminary 240 HP [179 kW] @ 6000 rpm, 241 lb.-ft [326.5 N-m] @ 2800 rpm) <Pontiac website>, and that would drop right in.

The technology is just going to keep on getting better and better for FWD powerplants as long as General Motors remains committed to FWD platforms. Why go back in time and throw some taxi motor swap from twenty years ago when the Fiero will keep accepting factory engineered powerplants that will shame all but the maximum cubic dollar spent V8 Fieros. The aftermarket is there for factory engineered drivetrains as well, not some hacksawed and rat-tailed shoehorn job.

Now, that's not to say that V8s from the factory aren't an option. The Northstar is a nice motor, but the transmission is a heavy bitch. The Impala SS is available with a 5.3 V8. All kinds of better options if you're willing to pony up with the ca$h. But I strongly feel that 300 hp is plenty for a Fiero. If you throw much more horsepower in it, you are getting up to supercar acceleration in a car that was intended to be a commuter car.

Thanks to the kitcar market there are complete bolt-in chassis, brake and suspension upgrades that will give you the confidence to go ultra wild, but I'm curious to see if I'll have an appetite for more horsepower after I go to a 3.4 pulley. According to all anecdotal evidence, that should bring me to 300 crank horspower.

[RC45]

Why go V8? .... but I'm curious to see if I'll have an appetite for more horsepower after I go to a 3.4 pulley. According to all anecdotal evidence, that should bring me to 300 crank horspower.

Why?

You can never have too much on tap... ;)

And there is no law that says commuters cant have 500hp underfoot.. :)
I guess I would miss the instant response of a big torque V8.. ;)

ANy chance of getting an LS1/2/6 in that spot? :twisted:

[jstillwell]

It's been done, but your mating it to a transmission that stock only had to deal with 160 pounds of torque and 140 hp. In order to make the swap fit, you're notching the frame and cutting the wheel liner so the water pump can fit, so it's hanging out exposed. The intake doesn't really allow for the intake of cold air, you're just sucking the ambient temperature under the hood.

The L67 motor can be safely run with 350-400 hp with intercooling and proper boost. Here's an interesting site to look around. Check out the videos.
http://www.fierox.com/
(Not my site, not my car.)

[jstillwell]

I guess I would miss the instant response of a big torque V8.. ;)



Even with the weight transfer coming right over the drive wheels on take off, I still smoke my tires if I'm not careful. Pushrods are pushrods.