Real Fiero Tech

Okay, I have decided to begin Project Fiero... within 6 months I'll have found a new donor Fiero (likely an 88 GT) and will have completed the swap, that's the idea anyway.

I'd just like to put a bunch of questions past any members out there who are running a Chevy 350 in their Fiero.

Roll call, I know you smallblocks are out there...

Small Block Chevy?? Werent they cool back in the 70s and 80s? :scratch:

?You try driving 5.7L of ass-whoopin' in a Fiero and let me know?

Dude, have u ever driven a sbc fiero??? Oh and as far as I know there is only one person on this board who has a SBC and that is "MNFatz"

S8n has one too i think...

i HAVE driven a SBC fiero... yawn. when it wasnt overheating...

My question was directed at nfswift, btw.

This should probably have been posted in non-tech.

S8n has a Gen III (LS1 family)... NOT a small Chevy.

My advice is to find an aluminum block and a 3" crank. Build a CHEVY 302... it has the displacement and RPM characteristics more suited to the Fiero.

Or a N* with displacement and rpm characteristics of a fiero :thumbleft:

Gotta love a dohc 279ci V-8

crzyone wrote:Or a N* with displacement and rpm characteristics of a fiero :thumbleft:

Gotta love a dohc 279ci V-8

I was thinking the same thing, but if he wants a SBC then he's probably looking for a simple swap.

product1620 wrote:if he wants a SBC then he's probably looking for a simple swap.

Simple.... but rediculously pricey for what you end up with.

If you go with a 240 HP crate engine, then it's overpriced... if you build a decent engine, then it's right in line with cheap ass swaps like the 3.4 DOHC. :bootyshake:

Simple.... but rediculously pricey for what you end up with.

I agree, thats why its not for me. Hey that rhymes.

donk_316 wrote:

product1620 wrote:if he wants a SBC then he's probably looking for a simple swap.

Simple.... but rediculously pricey for what you end up with.

I don't think its overly pricey if you go with an early 90s N* and have Will build a harness from the stock harness. Would be much cheaper than going the way I did.

crzyone wrote:

donk_316 wrote:

product1620 wrote:if he wants a SBC then he's probably looking for a simple swap.

Simple.... but rediculously pricey for what you end up with.

I don't think its overly pricey if you go with an early 90s N* and have Will build a harness from the stock harness. Would be much cheaper than going the way I did.

SBC, not the N*.

I suck at the internet.

No, I havn't driven a SBC Fiero... sadly.

I understand that my swap would be both difficult and simple at the same time, but what I am looking for is the simplicity of the engine... a straight up 350 Chevy 4 barrel carbed V-8 (which I happen to have sitting in my yard). The other benefit of this swap is the possibility of doing a 383 next rebuild and stepping up the whoop-ass even more later on.

Once I finish with bolt ons IE aftermarket camshaft, custom exhaust, an exhaust dump, cold air, new intake manifold, MAYBE new carb and valve heads I'd be looking at a conservative 275HP and likely over 300ft-lbs torque at peak. Not much to yawn about there, especially considering what the powerband looks like and the ability to crack open those secondaries...

Getting the engine installed nicely and handling well on the road is the tough part. But I'm looking to drag it, not autocross and the like, on the other hand, I still want it to handle like the sports car it's meant to be.

Don't get me wrong, the twin-dual cam (minus lack of aftermarket), both series 3800s, the 4.9 caddy, and the Northstar are all fecking awesome once you have them built... I'd prefer to have a supercharger or EFI too but this is just the convenient build for me, and when it's tuned up good I'll have great power and still respectable gas mileage, and I'm willing to settle at that.

Plus I get the V-8 sound... "RRRRAAAAAAA!"

I'm it for SBC around here at the moment. S8N has a northstar.

Mine's an 85GT ZZ4. My build thread is around here somewhere.

NOT an easy swap--far from a bolt in. There's about 1/2 an inch of clearance on the driver's side and somewhere around 1/4 inch on the passenger side. No frame cutting. Uses stock axles.

It's carb'd (edelbrock's version of an old quadratoilet) and I don't like to admit it. I've got a dual Throttle body setup that I'm about to try and megasquirt (look for the thread those of you who know)

p.s. The 4.9 is not, nor shall it ever be "kick ass" unless it's powering a garden tractor.

Cool MN. These questions may sound stupid but bear with me.

How much of a pain was it to get installed, custom engine mounts? Engine cradle mods? You used the stock V-8 tranny right? How difficult was it to mount the tranny to the differential and what diff did you use? How well do they play together? Any idea how much horsepower you're putting down?

Does it go fast? :thumbleft: