fieros rule

[halfast]

Rob
Don't know if I'm allowed to link to other forums here, so I'm just going to suggest you do a google search for Fiero forums and see what you come up with. Or just follow the suggestion posted above by 1fst2m6. There is at least a couple with vendors listed in their website.

[Robs gt]

yeah i already used google thats how i found this site but thank ne ways i l prolly find some other search engines :bandit:

[Nizmolee]

tempting to buy one, how is the maintance on these guys? I heard they were pretty bad, that orange one looks hot!!!

[halfast]

Maintenance on a Fiero is not much worse than any other car, considering the first one was built in '84 and the last in '88. The v's are hard to get to anything on the driver's side of the eng, but managable.
The '84 only offered the 4 cyl 'duke' engine, so engine swaps in it are mmuch more difficult because of wiring and ecm issues. The later models have a prety wide range of mods & swaps available, including the Cadillac northstar v8. We estimate there about 10,000 still on the road worldwide.
You might want to check out Fiero Forums in a search, & look for Pennocks Fiero Forum. (moderators, if I'm out of line here, edit please)
4000 members & lots of info. They're geting higher each year, for decent ones, but I've seen some recently for $800-$1000. A decent GT-2.8 will $1500-$4000, depending on condition. Good luck. Hope more Fiero owners join in here.

[Chris]

Originally posted by halfast

You might want to check out Fiero Forums in a search, & look for Pennocks Fiero Forum. (moderators, if I'm out of line here, edit please)
4000 members & lots of info.

It is perfectly fine and encouraged to help out fellow members. Obviously, no web site will satisfy everyones automotive needs.

[Cbass]

Originally posted by FieroKyle
Ok, me being a 85' Fiero GT owner, I will clear things up. The fiero stock had 145 hp and 165 lbs or torque. Slighty modded and your in the 160's hp. 1/4 is about low 15's, really good drivers claim hi 14's. But average, 15.5 at 85 mph on 1/4. Not bad for what it is. Cornering, the bitch can zing. There aren't many cars that good. With the engine in the middle, wieght distrubition is really good. My Fiero can smoke most cars on the road. Like 60 to 80%. The 85' GTs are the fastest stock Fieros. 3 reasons, emmission cut down 86' V-6s on up, they got heavier (not much), and the 85's came in 4-speeds while half way through 86, they introduced 5's. Fiero is my favorite car ever.

Actually, 1988 Formula's were the fastest. They had some new things in the engine, the GT's lotus engineered suspension, and the light weight of the notchback body.

BTW, I know everything there is to know about Fieros, from stock stats and maintenance to engine swaps and the ridiculous. If anyone has a question, feel free to ask.

[Cbass]

Originally posted by 1FST2M6
noone makes a 5l ford swap.. Zumalt and zumwalt made hokey SCB swaps and V8 Archie makes the best SBC kit. itve driven V8 fieros and yes their fun but just too rich for my check book right now.

Archie does make the best SBC kit. The Northstar conversion is pretty nice, because of the torque and free revving dohc valvetrain. The downside is you have to use the 4T60 or 4T80-E automatic.

The 2.8 V6 is part of GM's 60 degree V6 lineup. The top of this line is the 3.4 liter Twin Dual Cam motor. This engine has all sorts of goodies like crankshaft timing, Sequential fuel injection, distributerless ignition, and a DOHC 4 valve head. These engines came in Monte Carlo and
Lumina Z-34's, early Grand Prix GTPs, and a few Oldsmobiles. The interesting part is, the engine was to replace the 350 in Camaro/Firebirds, and they planned on using the LT5 ZR1 motor in Corvettes, so the 3.4 TDC was originally tuned to about 280bhp. The Hydromatic 460 series transmissions(older version of 4T60 and 80's) was too weak to handle the power, so they detuned the engine to 205hp for the auto, and 210 hp for the standard. However, they detuned it by simply installing a ECU chip that slowed the ignition and fuel curves.

Ergo, you add a new chip for about $500 from a company like RK Sport, and you have a 300 BHP, 275 FT LB, 8000 rpm monster of a V6, that drops right in to your Fiero. 0-60 times range from 5-5.5 seconds for the stock 3400 TDC, to as low as 3 seconds flat for a tuned motor. Expect 4.5 seconds for a motor with a cold air intake and ECU chip, with the entire swap costing between 1500 and 4000 bucks, depending on how you build it.

Phwew, that was a long rant. You can find out about all the details on this perfect engine swap at www.pelkie.com/fiero.htm.

That conversion was done by Mr Glubrecht, I believe. Many thanks to this page, and the details of how to turn any stock V6 Fiero into a Ferrari thumping Lamborghini eating sportscar that gets 30 MPG, for about 5000 dollars(including car).

[Cbass]

Originally posted by Robs gt
what if i wanted to keep the same transmission and the stock v6 and just do motor work to it how much do you think i could get out of it makes by doing other mods like performance motor parts and racing cams and a supercharger and stuff like that and if youo dont thinkl that would be a good idea do you think i could put an 80 s camero engine in it because i could easily get ahold of one of those or an iroc series car i might be able to get on other question is it at all possible to fit a 50 or cobra mustang engine in the fiero just wondering but i dont think i would do that well let me know what you think

No offense to GM engineers, but the 2.8 was pretty weak by even 80's standards. My advice is to forget about tuning the 2.8

If you're going to consider an engine swap, the V8's are expensive, and add about 160lbs to the V6, and around 220lbs to the 4cyl. If you plan to race you'll go through clutches like dental floss, and the Isuzu 4 speed is not a very stong tranny.

My advice is look into the later GM 60 degree V6's(3.1 turbo's and 3.4s). I think for your purposes, you should consider the Buick 3800 Series II. It's got lots of torque, up to 250hp stock, and lots of room to tune. Better than the V8's, at least in my humble opinion.

[Robs gt]

Actually i dont think izuzu made and iroc car but i may be wrong but i actuall meant something like a 1980s chevy camero v8 small block 350 or 305 which ever it is. because i already found one that i can get and get installed from some one on the web. then i would be able to race and i hate 4 cylinders and i wouldnt burn out my clutch cause i know how to driva a standard well enough not oto burn out the clutch.

[Robs gt]

I dont know there is way to many things to consider right now so i may just end up leaving it a regular v6 5 spd tranny

[b85gt]

to those who think the 88 formula was lotus tuned or whatever it wasnt it was a rumer that people had. and for whoever said the 4 spd was made by isuzu your wrong it was made by munic and the 5 spd was isuzu. so check into these things more before you open your mouths. i have been reading everything on fieros for about 4 yrs now. i also have an 85gt and have not been beaten so far. mods include new high performance cams, 85 hypertech chip 4 stage turbo ported to 3.1. new exhaust by oscelot without cat. aridium spark plugs 10mm plug wires, and a custom air intake made by autobahn racing with k&n filter. has ram air scoop on top of car. if you look at the origional indy pace car the one that was actually there and you will see what it looks like and many more mods. some parts like exhaust was purchaced through www.fierostore.com and the rest purchaced from my local racing store called autobahn racing in wichita ks

[Cbass]

Originally posted by b85gt
to those who think the 88 formula was lotus tuned or whatever it wasnt it was a rumer that people had. and for whoever said the 4 spd was made by isuzu your wrong it was made by munic and the 5 spd was isuzu. so check into these things more before you open your mouths. i have been reading everything on fieros for about 4 yrs now

Um, hate to tell you this, but I've been into Fieros since I was 10. The 4 speed tranny was assembled by Muncie(in Indiana I think), and so was the 5 speed. The 4 speed was an Isuzu design, entering GM productin when in '79 or '80 GM came out with the Chevrolet Citation, which donated the drivetrain for the Fiero. The 5 speed was a Getrag design(Getrag also design trannies for Corvettes, K-Cars, Porsches like mine), but again was built by Muncie for GM. The whole Lotus tuning thing has nothing to do with the engine or drivetrain. Lotus input was only in the suspension, which was designed especially for the Fiero in 1982. However, do to General Motors penny pinching, which ultimately doomed the Fiero in the first place, they only used the Lotus collaberated suspension in the 88's, and by then it was too late.

This is the same thing with the engines. In 1984, GM management over ruled the designers and engineers on the matter of the base 4 cylinder engine. The engineers wanted to use the Oldsmobile DOHC Quad 4 mill, which is a good engine by todays standards, and phenomal for early 80s American cars. Many of the so called unreliability problems and fire problems often associated with Fiero's were because the Chevette/Citation 4 cyls had faulty connecting rods that broke, blowing the motor.

[Cbass]

Originally posted by Robs gt
but i actuall meant something like a 1980s chevy camero v8 small block 350 or 305 which ever it is. because i already found one that i can get and get installed from some one on the web. then i would be able to race and i hate 4 cylinders and i wouldnt burn out my clutch cause i know how to driva a standard well enough not oto burn out the clutch.

That can be done easily enough, but you'll have to use the 5 speed, unless you want to do a whole lot of work, and spend a whole lot more money. I learned all about the V8 swaps from a guy outside of Chicago, going by the name of Archie.

Visit his site at www.v8archie.com

Don't buy any other kit than his, because they all cost about the same in the end, and his works a whole hell of a lot better.

You're going to end up about a 150 pounds heavier, so you might want to beef up the suspension just a little too. For not a lot of money, you can go to UAP/NAPA, and get replacement Firebird rotors for your brakes. They don't cost any more than Fiero rotors, but they're bigger, and cool better. Be sure to get the NAPA ones, because they're actually better than OEM Firebirds.

But you'll still need a good clutch.:sun:

[1FST2M6]

www.barrettraceway.com i'm car of the month!

theres virtually NO maintenace to do.. the timing components are good for well over 100k miles... the only thing that may fail is the cruise control solinoid or the EGR solinoid.. and both can be replace or band-aided for under $50. they handle well and under proper tuning will run 12s in the 1/4 with a V6!



(12.92@109 commerece Raceway in Atlanta)

uum firebird rotors DO NOT WORK the back spacing for the rotor face is wrong.. the bolt pattern is incorrect.. new 87 Grand am front calipers and front dics will work on the back of the Fiero (pre-88).. don't replace the front you will loose braking power and INcrease your stopping distance.. only change the back brakes.

the archie clutch is great for street applications.. i had a 4puck ACT with and extreme pressure plate that held well over 300lbft and over 500lbft with shock load (in a shift) and never flintched.

my former 86 SE Clutch. would chirp 4th well over 80mph.

http://www.fiero.nl/uploads/1fsttime9701.jpg - best 1.8th mile time I'm #350.. = 12.78 in the 1/4 but i've yet to break 12.92. (NHRA states 1/8mi time X 1.56=1/4mi time. )

[Cbass]

Originally posted by 1FST2M6
www.barrettraceway.com i'm car of the month!

uum firebird rotors DO NOT WORK the back spacing for the rotor face is wrong.. the bolt pattern is incorrect.. new 87 Grand am front calipers and front dics will work on the back of the Fiero (pre-88).. don't replace the front you will loose braking power and INcrease your stopping distance.. only change the back brakes.

Really? I was told that the later Firebird rotors, which are about an inch or two bigger in diameter and half an inch in thickness, would fit the fiero bolt patern. I know you have to relocate the caliper with a bracket, but any good exhaust shop will fabricate that in 5 minutes.

I don't actually own a fiero, so I haven't tried it.