Hey guys-

I got out of Fieros and have been away for a little while, but I've been working with late model Passats and I found that what's called the B5 Passat, which is from around '97-'03-ish, has a FWD longitudinally mounted configuration. I know a lot of folks want to attempt a longitudinal Fiero setup so I thought I'd pass this along. I was into Fieros for 16 years and I had never heard of using the VW Passat B5 5-speed. I don't know if it's possible even, but I thought I'd pass the idea along to the Fiero continuum. I've seen them on www.car-part.com for as little as $250. Here's a picture in case anyone might want to try it. All I ask is that if someone tries it, please let me know, it would be great to see!



-Rick Stewart

looks really close to the audi a4 tranny.

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S.W.A.T.

AFAIK the Passat and A4 trans are the same. They are too long to fit in a Fiero unless the wheelbase is extended. I have seen one used in a Diablo replica with a Northstar engine. Most guys have been using the older Audi 5000/ Porsche 944 transaxles, but they are getting harder to find.

[This message has been edited by rockcrawl (edited 10-21-2007).]

You sir are correct. The A4 and the Passat share the same platform in this year and car-parts.com shows them as interchangeable. I was a little concerned about the length as well, but evil geniuses like Jon L and Bubba can make just about anything work.

quote Originally posted by rockcrawl: AFAIK the Passat and A4 trans are the same. They are too long to fit in a Fiero unless the wheelbase is extended. I have seen one used in a Diablo replica with a Northstar engine. Most guys have been using the older Audi 5000/ Porsche 944 transaxles, but they are getting harder to find.

Hmmm I am wondering if they are too long for a v6

When I saw that transmission, I immediately thought of this:





The car pictured above is an IMSA Fiero with a 4.3 liter V6. The chassis is not stretched. The general size and shape of the transmission seems to be similar. So such a thing may be possible with the VW tranny.

I got audi 500 tranny in my car behind my v6, and it is too long. Needs to be stretched a few inches or some major reworking of the firewall.

Blacktree, you got any more info/pictures of the car you pictured

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S.W.A.T.

quote an IMSA Fiero with a 4.3 liter V6. The chassis is not stretched

The wheelbase may not be stretched, but that is a tube frame car and the engine is protruding into the area that would normally be inside the cabin on a stock Fiero chassis.

I won't argue with that.

Hey, isn't the Mazda wankel engine pretty short from front to back?

NOW yer talkin!

was thinking maybe one of them Subaru boxster motors would be a nice fit too.

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S.W.A.T.

quote Originally posted by SpeedWorksAutoTuning: was thinking maybe one of them Subaru boxster motors would be a nice fit too.

I seen one in a Porsche Speedster Replica ..it fits real nice

any quattro should be the same, the fact that you found a passat 5spd quattro is amazing really, theyre really hard to find. mostly the awd 5spds came in audi but if you really really wanted one you could find one in a passat. the man. trans dont have to many problems but the autos can depending on who made it. have fun adapting it to a fiero, mabye try and squeeze the 30v in there while ur at it, be tons of fun.

there is a adapter to put a 12a rotary on vw/porsche tranny and I have installed a 12a putting about 230 to the wheels on a vw bug, man that car can pull the front end off the ground at 3000rpm take off.

The other thing to notice is that the centeriline of the diff housing is about 2-3" behind the centerline of the wheels, so the halfshafts are running at an angle.

I am not saying this is a bad thing, just that they are not centered and possibly giving more room for the engine and passenger compartment to co-exist.

[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 10-22-2007).]

I have my axles the same way for my mockup, it is still pretty tight. I wish I could do it without a stretch.

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S.W.A.T.

I don't think the VW trans will hold up to the torque of a V8. That's why people go with the Porsche 911 and 914 trans.
Dave

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450hp 1987 Fiero GT, 1986 Fiero SE, certified master technician/shop owner
www.njautobahn.com

Chrysler makes a trans in that layout, too, I believe. Of course, it's a Chrysler, so...

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1984 Fiero SE, White, first love, sold...
1986 Fiero SE 2M6, gold
1988 Fiero 2M4, the Fox
1987 Fiero GT, Blue, 3.4/4T40
Still looking for that perfect CJB 88 GT...

quote Originally posted by fierodeletre: Chrysler makes a trans in that layout, too, I believe. Of course, it's a Chrysler, so...

it's also an [cough choke] au-to. still interesting however. I've done some checking on them myself actually.

umm the passat had a W8 and VR6 that put out there share of power I think it can hold up to a v8 with out breaking a sweat.

quote Originally posted by crytical point: umm the passat had a W8 and VR6 that put out there share of power I think it can hold up to a v8 with out breaking a sweat.

I'm putting a VR6 in my wife's Fiero. That is a different transmission (transverse). The W8 is normally found in the 4 motion (all wheel drive). The FWD Audi A8 only runs an auto. All the M/T transmissions are quattro....except the 2.8 and 1.8 A4.
Dave

I have driven a W8 and a VR6 passat with 4 motion and the trans does work on the1.8. I believe the 6spd manual with AWD is the same for the VR6 and W8 and I have seen a 5spd with AWD in a passat. I think it would be cool to make a fiero AWD using a front mount engine set up.

quote I think it would be cool to make a fiero AWD using a front mount engine set up.

Novel, yes, but you'd still end up with a Fiero. Why not just get a nice AWD A4 or Passat?