I'm looking for the dimensions that the strut top is displaced when installing an 88 cradle in an early chassis, I can't seem to find them anywhere, and all the places I've tried to buy the adapter brackets from flakes out or doesn't respond to emails...

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"I am not what you so glibly call to be a civilized man. I have broken with society for reasons which I alone am able to appreciate. I am therefore not subject to it's stupid laws, and I ask you to never allude to them in my presence again."

"The day I tried to live, I stole a thousand beggars' change and gave it to the rich."
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/119122.html

[This message has been edited by ericjon262 (edited 04-14-2017).]

It used to be commonly referenced as 1" forward and 1" inboard, but that isn't exactly right.
1" forward and 1 5/8" inboard is more accurate.

84-87 Trunk wall lip to center of strut:


88 Trunk wall lip to center of strut:


84-87 distance between strut shafts (40 1/4"):




88 distance between strut shafts (37"):

My Fiero has the '88 cradle swap kit from Arraut Motorsports. I had to drill holes in the strut towers, for the custom strut hats. See photo below.



That's the passenger side. I was standing behind the car when I took the photo.

If you want, I can take measurements when I get home from work.

Guru, you're the best, that's exactly what I needed!

Blacktree, thanks, Guru's info has everything I needed.

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"I am not what you so glibly call to be a civilized man. I have broken with society for reasons which I alone am able to appreciate. I am therefore not subject to it's stupid laws, and I ask you to never allude to them in my presence again."

"The day I tried to live, I stole a thousand beggars' change and gave it to the rich."
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/119122.html

Quality post from guru.

Now, here's the million-dollar question.

OP, is your intention to simulate the stock 88 strut tower mounting points in your early Fiero? If you do that, then you'll get stock 88 handling, right?

Are you OK with that? We do perform auto modification (to make things better than stock) on this website... just some food for thought.

[This message has been edited by pmbrunelle (edited 04-13-2017).]

I know a few people have done some completely custom strut towers but has anyone ever tried to swap 88 towers into the earlier cars?

Gary

I saved a set from a car I scrapped years ago, with the idea of swapping them into an earlier spaceframe.

I think it would be much easier to just back half the early spaceframe with the back of an 88.

quote Originally posted by pmbrunelle: Quality post from guru. Now, here's the million-dollar question. OP, is your intention to simulate the stock 88 strut tower mounting points in your early Fiero? If you do that, then you'll get stock 88 handling, right? Are you OK with that? We do perform auto modification (to make things better than stock) on this website... just some food for thought.

Elaboration invited on that topic, please.

The bad thing about the 88 strut towers is they are closer together- cutting into the room around the engine- Not a big deal with stock engines, but it starts to be a problem with V8 swaps.

The 88 cradle plugs in with just coil-overs, strut top relocation, and some work on the coolant hoses....I did it and it was really pretty easy....And I still have 6 and 1/2 fingers left!

quote Originally posted by sourmash: Elaboration invited on that topic, please.

We just discussed this topic recently on the forum:
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/139592.html

If you need to drill new holes in the strut towers anyway, you might as well stop for a moment and think before drilling.

[This message has been edited by pmbrunelle (edited 04-14-2017).]

I'm swapping in an 88 cradle, so I need to move them to at leas the point of the 88 strut tops, I may try and tuck them further, but I'm not sure the early strut towers will allow for it.

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"I am not what you so glibly call to be a civilized man. I have broken with society for reasons which I alone am able to appreciate. I am therefore not subject to it's stupid laws, and I ask you to never allude to them in my presence again."

"The day I tried to live, I stole a thousand beggars' change and gave it to the rich."
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/119122.html

passenger side cooling tube... WTF... so right now, it's almost right up against the trailing link, I've tried bending it to get it off the trailing link, to no avail, before I cut this POS and weld it back together the way I need it, is there some kind of trick to bending it out of the way?

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"I am not what you so glibly call to be a civilized man. I have broken with society for reasons which I alone am able to appreciate. I am therefore not subject to it's stupid laws, and I ask you to never allude to them in my presence again."

"The day I tried to live, I stole a thousand beggars' change and gave it to the rich."
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/119122.html

Mine just touches the washer for the forward end of the trailing link...I have approx' 20,000 miles on it- no problems(I will admit tho that I would prefer to have been able to gap it a bit...I tried to use my head.....But nothing changed position and I have several dents in my forehead now....)(ouch)......

about like this? if I haven't figured something out before I get off work tomorrow morning, I'm going to drop the tube, and drag the TIG over, I'm not ok with it contacting.




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"I am not what you so glibly call to be a civilized man. I have broken with society for reasons which I alone am able to appreciate. I am therefore not subject to it's stupid laws, and I ask you to never allude to them in my presence again."

"The day I tried to live, I stole a thousand beggars' change and gave it to the rich."
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/119122.html

[This message has been edited by ericjon262 (edited 06-21-2017).]

If it is just the washer, then notch the washer.....then the only possible contact would be the rubber bushing at max deflection...Seriously, I get that you don't want any contact- But I have had no problems, and my car has a relatively stiff spring/shock setup and I take it on Mines road/Del Puerto Canyon road- both ranch style backroads- rough at times...No trouble at all after 20,000 miles. Originally, I gave up and just went with getting it moving (Waterskiing season coming)....

I actually had a spare pipe and tried to deflect it using a large plumbing pipe and didn't get anywhere- that stainless is strong....

quote Originally posted by pmbrunelle: Quality post from guru. Now, here's the million-dollar question. OP, is your intention to simulate the stock 88 strut tower mounting points in your early Fiero? If you do that, then you'll get stock 88 handling, right? Are you OK with that? We do perform auto modification (to make things better than stock) on this website... just some food for thought.

Are there pics of this? Thanks