Im suprised ive never seen anyone talk about this.. someone should start selling tube cradles that are modeled after the 88' cradle. For one, it would be stronger, and the 88 cradles are getting harder and harder to find. There must be some market for that sort of thing?
IP: Logged
10:35 PM
PFF
System Bot
darkhorizon Member
Posts: 12279 From: Flint Michigan Registered: Jan 2006
Not necessarily, if they were custom made to accommodate swaps. (Think LS4 or Northstar.) Someone (don't remember who) was actually contemplating doing this. Don't know what ever became of it.
IP: Logged
11:22 PM
Nov 15th, 2008
G-Man Member
Posts: 271 From: Indianapolis, IN Registered: Aug 2008
Wouldn't the most difficult part of making a repro 88 cradle be in sourcing/fabricating the rear knuckles? The cradle itself seems relatively simple and the trailing and lateral links are all available from Fiero Store.
Gary
IP: Logged
10:05 PM
Nov 16th, 2008
Monkeyman Member
Posts: 15810 From: N. Wilkesboro, NC, USA Registered: Nov 1999
I don't know what a knuckle is (on a car) but it would seem that someone with some mad welding skills could make a few bucks welding the rest of the cradle. I wonder how much money it would cost to convert a pre-'87 to an '88 tube cradle (minus that pesky knuckle thing)? Might still be worth it.
IP: Logged
01:00 AM
kawana Member
Posts: 2329 From: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Registered: May 2007
I don't know what a knuckle is (on a car) but it would seem that someone with some mad welding skills could make a few bucks welding the rest of the cradle. I wonder how much money it would cost to convert a pre-'87 to an '88 tube cradle (minus that pesky knuckle thing)? Might still be worth it.
The knuckle is what the bearings bolt to.
IP: Logged
10:59 AM
PFF
System Bot
fieroguru Member
Posts: 12128 From: Champaign, IL Registered: Aug 2003
Here is the one I have drawn up for the 88's. When I get around to making it, they will not be for sale... just for my personal projects.
If someone wanted to sell and market a custom tubular cradle - I wouldn't base it off the 88 since those parts will continue to become harder and harder to obtain cheaply (and requires more mods to the strut tower). Instead, I would find another GM upright. I was under a later model GM FWD car (can't rememeber what it was) 3+ years ago and it had an aluminum upright at the rear and was a tri link setup very similar to the 88. I do not know how strong it would be (since it was deisgned as a non-driven part), but it would be worth a look and there would be hundereds of thousands of them. I would also enable the use of the S10 4x4 front wheel bearing (to run stronger axles and save $$$ when needing wide wheels).
My buddy Russ Brown has made a couple tubular cradles (has one in is BBC car) that is based on the 84-87 and can accept the stock lower A-Arm or his tri link setup that eliminates the bumpsteer issues (with keeping the 84-87 upright). The one below was setup with all the mounts for the SBC as well.
I would think if one can be made of aluminum guys would step up and buy one. If one was designed of plane old mild steel, I do not think the advantages are large enough for a new market. However, if a guy could build one that is lighter than stock, perhaps saving about 40 to 50 pounds, it would not only look trick, but have other advantgages as well. I am sure guys would pay a premium for something that is "race inspired". Build it and they would come.
Cordially, Kevin
IP: Logged
03:56 PM
Tom Slick Member
Posts: 4342 From: Alvarado, TX Registered: May 2003
I would think if one can be made of aluminum guys would step up and buy one. If one was designed of plane old mild steel, I do not think the advantages are large enough for a new market. However, if a guy could build one that is lighter than stock, perhaps saving about 40 to 50 pounds, it would not only look trick, but have other advantgages as well. I am sure guys would pay a premium for something that is "race inspired". Build it and they would come.
Cordially, Kevin
A stock 88 cradle as shown in the pic weighs 62 lbs total... so saving 40 to 50 lbs will be very tough to do.
I think the venture is over but this page still exists... tag the search king...
That is the site I deigned for them.
They are no longer in business, i believe they sold the business back in 2005.
They did create a complete tubular cradle specifically for V8 conversions. I saw it n person, and it was very well designed. However it was ridiculously priced @ $5000 CDN.
------------------ 1986 Pontiac Fiero SE 3.4L | The Fiero Blog (Since April 2000) ----------------------------------------------------------- My Portfolio site | JustinChristie.ca
