poncho9789

I have found a clean cheep fero for sell very cheep with a rod knocking. The car only has 50k on it and it has been garrage kept. this car only has one door ding on the thing and perfect paint and int. In other words it looks like it just came off the show room floor but it has a rod knocking. I think I can get it for arround $600

TomP

So, what's the question...? Just about differences? As far as I've seen, the Fiero got a larger throttle body than the f-bodies. The Fiero is transverse (sideways) mounted. The exhaust manifolds are stainless steel, and you can find improvent by grinding down the welds inside the manifold.

Crazy Firebird Kid

good *** man, $600 for a mint Fiero with a bad engine!!! BUY IT AND DONT LOOK BACK!!!

poncho9789

Main question is if the engine from a thirdgen v-6 will interchange... I knwo I can get those engines out of a junk yard but that fero v-6 is another story.

Well the guy wants $1000 but I would bet that if I flashed $600 in his face or his wifes he would jump all over it. The car has setup for the past 10 years in his garrage and it is pissing off his wife

TomP

Nope, because the Fiero is transversely mounted. Differnet motor mounts.

poncho9789

Are the blocks the same? are the mounts just different or is it a different block because of the mounts what about hte heads are they the same

KED85

The Fiero engine is an East West FWD engine.
Nothing from the F bodies will (easily) work.
You can get a 3.4 and slip it in there, too.
I read a thread (while back) about a place that does the 3.4 swap into a Fiero. That thread became the basis for my 3.4 into the Firebird swap.
Go get the GM Performance Parts book for the info on the East West 60* stuff.
About the car......it will be a while before you realize a return on your investment.

Ovrclck350

Basically Ked, he just wants to know if the block from my car will be able to be swapped in with all the heads/accessories from the fiero attached......

poncho9789

I just wanted to know which parts would be interchangable if needed to be. this would by my daily driver

poncho9789

KED is there a good site for info on fero's I just figured that for 1k I could have a hell of a daily driver that would be peppy and get great gas milage

Bluerocket

Ok i have worked on both of the v6 in the fiero and the f-bodys The parts from the 2.8 that intercange are the water pumps the ac and alternater the three piece intake and the ingine internals Try to look for parts for the fiero at Fiero store
There is alot more aftermarket parts for the frount wheel drive (or rear on the fiero) engine. Also If the fiero is a gt fastback from 88 then buy it and run that is the best year to get a fiero. Also try fiero massage board

KED85

I realized that detail, Billy.
Fieros are now Orphan cars.
I can honestly tell ya the parts are drying up. Mechaincs, I only know of the engine being an east west engine.
Exactly what parts swaps, I know some & many parts may work.
I can't truly offer secure knowledge I'm not sure on.
Value.
A car sitting is alot to bring back to life. (I own a 1974 Corvette I've basically done a frame on rebuild & knowing old cars . Ask me about my 1967 RS/SS Camaro Convert 4-speed, that's been in hibernation since 1990!)
Brakes/fluids/old lines!
Radiator/fluids/old RUSTED WATER lines (do you know how long the Fiero rad lines are?)
Electrics/cut wires
Fun cars?
I had one for 10 days, 3,000 miles of PURE CALIFORNIA (all miles within the CA state borders). SO bright Red, I got popped by the Calif Highway Patrol (WORTH IT TOO!!) in San Francisco.
I had that Fiero site last year, as again, that detailed knowledge of a Fiero 2.8 to 3.4 swap was great insight what I was up against.
IF this car is a 1988 issued Fiero, THEN BY ALL MEANS GRAB IT!!!
Can this project be a fun project?
For the bucks, find a running one to drive & know the enemy (old age/lack of maintenance problems).
I tried changing the back disc pads on a Fiero once.
I told the guy to take it to a mechainic & pay him. I never saw that design & wasn't about to experiment with him breathing down my neck.
IF I find those papers/email I'll offer the site.
Hey, honest, investigate how much it would cost to bring it back to life as a reliabale daily driver. Then look in papers for a very good, clean, stock one.
I truly wish I could relive those Fiero 10 Days in CA again (in 1985), so much. I even drove that Fiero thru the two Redwood Trees in Avenue of the Giants, Northern CA .
OF COURSE IT FIT THRU EASY!!
I LOVE FIEROS.
Wife's Cousin has a Black 88 GT 5-Speed, flip top factory roof.
I peed when I saw it!
She bought it new, for investment & daily driver purpose.
You'd have to marry her to get that car & she's a BABE
I have Fiero seats in my S-10 Blazer. I love those speakers in the headrests.
I LOVE FIEROS.
Examine your options & wear on that car. Fiero parts, in good condition are not cheap by any means. They are not around anymore. The Fiero is an orphan, as is our 3rd Gen F body (& whole F body line now, too!!).
Don't let me discourage ya, just open your eyes wider, not just your wallet!
If ya score it for free, well.......

Bluerocket

Yes they may be orphans but when gm stops making the parts some one elese will start up soon and always try to find a parts car. Strip the parts car and then sell it to a company thet uses them as kit car bases. Some of the parts from fieros are from other makes and models and some use parts very simmiler to the fieros. in fact you can put the disk brakes from a firebird on them.
I am getting one of the four clinder ones for 300 +250 for the plastic needed on the back of the car. and I plan to swap in a v6, mabee even a 3.4 liter. The 60*v6 was ment to move this cars fast!


P.S. If the fieros engine is bad dont buy it for 600$ try to lower the price. There was a recall on that year that was for the four clinders. If the car got low on oil it would trow a rod trough the block and cut some fuel lines and bang a bad engine fire. You should be able to talk the guy down to 300$. The one Im looking at they wont 300$ for one with a replacement engine.

GhostRider84

"Friends don't let friends drive Fieros"

Fieros is a combination of the two words - FIRE & Fiasco
Something like 8 out of 10 of the orignal ones caught fire!!

when the engine starts leaking oil - it dripps down on that 'plummer's nightmare' exaust system, flame on.
GM was givn' away free oil changes so they could check for fire hazzard.

Weak parts that break down all the time,
I wouldn't pick it for a daily driver; but I love to have one for wk end cruzin.
Would I buy the car? H*** Yea! - just be careful.

lykwiphyde

random question....will the top part of the fiero 2.8 intake fit on the 2.8 intake on my firebird?

KED85

TB exits diff angle, so no true gain or difference, expct cable aggrivation ya given yourself.
Valve covers easy swap.

TomP

Weak parts? I didn't know about that. And the "fire years" were the early Fieros, with (I think) the V6's.... I thought it had to do with the wiring harness.

91L98Z28

there is one major difference, the fiero block will have the starter on the opposite side than an F-body block.

I know that in order to put the 90's 3.4 into the fiero, you have to actually drill the block so that you can mount the starter in the correct location for a fiero (the opposite side of an f-body).

the guy who does lots of work with fieros (Ed Parks down in alabama, anyone want a 3.4 v6 or caddy 4.9 v8 in a fiero?) has actually had a custom template / pattern made for drilling these holes for the swaps he does.

i'm sure there are other differences as well but that's a big one.

KED85

If anyone wants a FWD 3.4
THAT MEANS A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE 3.4
I found one for $700
San Fernando Valley, CA (outside of LA)
U pick up.
I found a 100K 3.4 for $700
REAR WHEEL DRIVE 3.4
Out in Fontana, CA w/90 warranty.
U pick up.
I'll pass ya the numbers if you like.
Email me.

GhostRider84

TomP, I don' know but I was told by a Pontiac Service Manager that GM was giving away free oil changes so that they could check for oil leaks. And you're right, it was the early ones - but Hot exaust + oil will start a fire in a heart-beat ,, I know!

Deviate4420

I don't know much about fieros except there a dime a dozen,and the're death traps.I know this girl who has one and i had her pop the hood lol or trunk i should say and looked at the engine this was a while ago and i didn't really know much back then but it looked like it should have a wind up key on it so her's must have been a 4 cyl.So i guess it was the Fiero GTs that had the same engine as a firebird.I bet they would run cuz they have to be way lighter.lol i just can't get past this one guy who lives in my town who drives around in a fiero and thinks it the most badass car ever made.lol he has a curly ****** and wears all 80's clothes and like bigass sunglasses that look like he bought them at a gas station.Every fourth of july he dresses up like batman and drives it in the local 4th of july parade cuz i guess since it's black he thinks it looks like the bat mobile.That guy kills me.......Andy

I'd bet the fiero was where they got the idea for the honda del sole, it's basically just a modern version of it with 4 cyl engine in the front

91L98Z28

deviate4420, you're right, you don't know much about fieros! No flame intended though. The early ones had problems (owner mal-maintenance + design defects) which did lead to some engine fires, but in later models they got them right (and all the "bad" ones were recalled and fixed anyways). If you ever have the chance to drive one, you should..especially an 88. their agility and handling will really suprise you, they are a fun car to drive. I own both an 88 fiero w/ upgraded suspension and a 91 Z28, so I am pretty familiar with both.
but to get (a bit) more on topic, the 2.8 in the fiero had a special intake and was the highest-HP rated 2.8 GM put out. The 85 GT with the 4spd manual was a high 15 second machine. Not exactly fast, but not shabby either for what it was. The fiero is about a 2600lb-2700lb car so that's why it's in the 15's. Otherwise it'd be just as slow as the F-bodys with the 2.8.

86bird_28v6_5spd_ramair

If i came across a good deal on a running fiero i would buy it to build a dune buggy/sand rail.

I mean **** it all there. just strip off the fenders and hood. give clearance for shocks and tires. leave the nose cone and the inside alone.

just slap a roll cage around it, shocks,tires and go.
also street legal.

it almost all there just needs a cage and traction.

krazycracka55

i got a perfectly good 87 feiro GT sittin in the driveway only problem is the engine has 250,xxx + miles on it. me and my friend were both looking at it one day and were thinkin (LS6!)
but the whole money thing came up of which we have none of cuz we cant do anything to our cars but hopefully we wil still have it when we come into some

Galen

http://www.fiero.nl
and
http://www.fierosite.com


only two sites you need. Lots of knowledge at both places.

Deviate4420

I have a subaru gl hatchback that i rolled over a hill and totaled due to body damage and the low value of the car but it still runs good and the frame and everything's all good so i thought about building a dune buggy out of it.It would be a beast, that thing was like a 4 cyl tank.It was slow as sh*t on the road but u could take it anywhere.And susbaru's never die it sat behind my house for a year not ran and my bro stuck a battery back in it and it started right up and ran.......Andy

GTFiero1

Let me fill you in about the Fiero. the Fiero was released in 84 only with a 4-cyl 92hp engine. The next year (85) was the into of the 2.8 V-6. This engine is basically the same as the 2.8's that came in the firebird/camaro. The main difference is the Plenum. The plenum on the F-Body 2.8 has the the throttle body on the front of the engine over the belts, where as on the fiero it is on the back near the distributer. If you get the car, you may not want to bother with the 2.8. A 3.1 from an early 90's GM minivan will drop right in, you just have to re-use the fiero plentum and valve covers. You may need to use the Fiero cylinder heads because some 3.1's have a low compression design. The 3.4 from the early to mid 90's F-bodys is an almost "drop in". Basically you need to get the starter holes re-drilled in a new location and get an 88 Fiero flywheel (different balancing in 88 and up).

OR you could go all out and go to this man: www.v8archie.com

Now to address the "death trap" issue. The truth is, your camaros and firebirds are more of a death trap than the Fiero (no offence ment). During the Fiero's production years it recieved a very high saftey rating and was only second in saftey against Volvo's. This was because of the steel space frame. Under the fiero's plastic body panels is a very solid steel skeleton. When you sit in the cockpit of a fiero you basically have a cage around you. The Fiero was and still is one of the safest cars on the road. So when you strip of the fenders an hood for your dune buggy, you'll be glad to see you dont have to spend money on a roll cage because its already there.

Ok, now the Fire issue. In 1984 GM was shipped 30,000 bad connecting rods for the 2.5 Iron Duke 4-cyl. now this problem was in ANY GM CAR THAT USED THE 2.5 IRON DUKE IN 1984. BUT the fire was more common in the Fiero for this reason: If the engine got low on oil the connecting rod would be thrown right through the side of the block, and for the fiero, the whole exhaust system was right there with the engine so oil from the engine would spill out all over the hot exhaust system and "poof" a fire. There were only a few cases in which this happened. GM issued a recall on all 1984 engines and they have all be replaced. So, no need to worry about the Fire issue.

Well, you say, what about the other fire recall for 1985 V-6's? I have seen the actual recall letter. It stated the it was for the additon of heat sheilds for the exhaust, because if a flammable material got into conact with a hot exhaust a fire may occur. Now this can happen in ANY car. If you walk out side and say... sit an oily rag on your exhaust manifold and let your car run, will it not eventually catch on fire?

Now just some basic facts. all 84 fieros that had the 4-speed manual trans were equipped with 4:10 gears. The 5-speed trans was released in late 86, with some 86 modles having it but all 87's and 88's. There are two types of 5-speeds. One is the Getrag found in all V-6 5-speed equipped fieros. The other is the slightly weaker Izuzu found on the 4-cyl. All Fieors have fully independent suspension. 88 was a complete re-design for the suspention and is the best handling Fiero. 85 was the first year for the GT. 86 was the first year for the fastback GT. 88 was the only year of the Formula which was basically a GT with a coupe body (wolf in sheeps clothing). Factory T-Tops were only available in 88 but C&C installed aftermarket T-tops in other years.

www.pennock.nl/forum.htm

KED85

Thank you for making me miss that 1985 Fiero I drove for 10 days & 3,000 miles, more.
Atleast my 1974 Corvette has the same steel cage design.

Loyde

Well, this tread is interesting.

How about a RWD east west install..........





Heres a 3800 RWD F-body from 1998 installed in my 88 GT with a 4T60e transmission. I am currently working on a 3800 RWD with a 5 speed GETRAG trans setup.

I also install the 3800 SuperCharged, and 3.4 V6 93-95 engines.

Now, how many Fieros can you have in 10,000 square feet? 36.. I have 36 Fieros here at my house today. I have owned 108 todate.

So, if this car is in Longview, please tell where and I will buy it for the $1000, and pay you a finders fee.

Loyde
dallas texas
http://www.fastfieros.com

KED85

:hail: :hail: :hail:
You do exceptional work.

86bird_28v6_5spd_ramair

Have you ever stood back at and look at an early body style fiero and see a sandrail/dunebuggy just waiting to be let lose?

keep the nose cone,rear section [so its street legal] and interior, then build a frame/cage following the body lines.

it talks to me more than a vw does. it has that RC car off road shape.

Loyde

So, do you read Kitcar?

Here is what it had on the cover last year........

http://www.cybercars.com/mnfr/fierohq/jalapeno.html







That already says OFF-ROAD here I come.

Loyde

FieroGTWV

The f-body's 3.4L 60* v6 is very similar to the fiero's 2.8L

to put a 3.4L into a pontiac fiero you must drill the starter for the opposite side of the block, many fiero venders sell a plate that allows you to drill this yourself without the fear of doing it wrong,

once this is completed you must add the fiero's intake assembly onto the f-body's 3.4L block the fiero's intake assembly is more restrictive, therefor your upper end horsepower is alittle lower, but your torque increases, normally a fiero will have 140HP at the wheels and 180ft/lbs torque at the wheels with a 3.4L install and runs the 1/4 in under or around 14 seconds, and with a turbo added it can normally run in the mid 12's

and the person who claims fiero's were fire traps is full of the 1984 pontiac fiero had a recall which was due to faulty push rods, when the oil got low on the car (owners fault) they pushrods would weaken, then when they broke they would go through the block causing oil to spill onto the exhaust, when this happened they normally caught on fire, out of the 136,000 fiero's made in 1984 about 1000 of them had this happen, and less than half of them caught on fire, but it was a big enough reason for them to issue a recall on them.

As with any car, a fire can happen if the owner doesnt treat the car well. fiero's having plastic/fiberglass bodys they dont rust, normally when a car starts to rust the owner is knowing its getting old, and will need new parts and maintenance soon, well scince the fiero's dont do this, most owners dont do the maintenance that they need.

if you want to look at different fiero's please visit these sites

www.v8archie.com
www.fiero.nl
www.fierowarehouse.com
www.fiero.org

or search on the net for

ed parks fiero factory
twin lakes fiero

ACE fiero engineering

popular engine swaps include

3.4L f-body's
3.8L and 3800 supercharged
4.6L 32 valve northstars
4.9L caddy engines
5.7L small block chevys.

some people even ventured into big blocks, but i wont get into that.

matthew

Galen

Have you ever seen whats under the body of a Fiero? theres a complete subframe there. No what you're talking bout CANNOT be done. and a Fiero is street legal without any of its body panels.

86bird_28v6_5spd_ramair

Thats looks neat but it does not look very functional. you only have about what 1 1/2 of clearance between the tires and fendars?

im talking off road, 2 feet of wheel travel, 2-3 4 foot shocks for each tire,forget all the fancy body pieces to crack and fall off when you roll it down a hill.

it looks nice but not really off road worthy.

tomanyfieros

:lala:
hey 86bird_28v6_5spd_ramair, if you want to build one, i got 11 of them, and i got one that would be perfect for you.. all the body panels are stripped. the interior is mostly there, and it needs an engine.. i got all the stuff to put it back together... email me if you are interested..
tomanyfieros@aol.com
thanx Jason

krazycracka55

LOYDE!!!
i have a 87 fiero sittin in my driveway that is dieing for a new engine, the engine in it has 250,xxx +!! I saw that u were over in Dallas and was wondering more about the 3800 SC v6. That sounds like it will make the thing get up and go. I am over in fort worth and me and some friends were wanting to fix it up anyways!

Loyde

My email address is FastFierosDallas@aol.com

Fire one off to me and I will send my phone number and chat about it.

My website is http://www.fastfieros.com

Thanks for checking.


Loyde