Whats the BIGGEST (displacement) engine anyone has put in a fiero?
I have a friend with a 455 that he will give me, that needs rebuilt. I have joked with him about putting it in a fiero, although I know that would add about 1000lbs to the poor little car! LOL
so whats the biggest you have heard of? pictures welcome..
I just cannot imagine a 455 in that car. I had a 455 Poncho in my 1980 Trans Am and it was mildly built. The thing nearly twisted my poor f-body in half. lol
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01:49 PM
2m8 Member
Posts: 115 From: Marianna, FL, USA Registered: Dec 2003
It will fit perfectly, you will have to hook up a remote unit to drive it because there won't be room for you or the seats. But what the heck, you still would have the only one.
You know, just trying to think outside the box here. Instead of putting the engine in the car how about setting it up like an air boat. Just put the engine up on a pedestal and use a pusher prop. It's a light car, might work!
Here's the 455 powered Fiero: Not sure if my crappy quick scan shows it well enough but, if you look real close, you'll see that the rear wheels are not real. They're actually 15 inch rims with a cleverly crafted wheel cover to make the car look stock. Sleeper! Even in the mag it's hard to tell at first glance that those aren't the stock 14 inch wheels. Probably suprised many people on the street. Also of interest; the car is pulling the wheels up off the ground with only 3.08:1 geared tranny. I can't imagine what it would do if it had some low gears!
------------------ Activities Director N.I.F.E. www.fierofocus.com
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03:17 PM
tesmith66 Member
Posts: 7355 From: Jerseyville, IL Registered: Sep 2001
if you want to stay transverse mounted, there are a number of engine shops producing 427 small block (yes, small block 4.125x4.00) chevy engines. course, these go for about $9k for a "crate" engine producing over 500 HP
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08:18 PM
May 21st, 2004
86GT3.4DOHC Member
Posts: 10007 From: Marion Ohio Registered: Apr 2004
hehe... when i first looked at that i thought the weight from the engine was tiping the car back and lifting the front wheels off the ground
quote
Originally posted by Dave Gunsul:
Here's the 455 powered Fiero: Not sure if my crappy quick scan shows it well enough but, if you look real close, you'll see that the rear wheels are not real. They're actually 15 inch rims with a cleverly crafted wheel cover to make the car look stock. Sleeper! Even in the mag it's hard to tell at first glance that those aren't the stock 14 inch wheels. Probably suprised many people on the street. Also of interest; the car is pulling the wheels up off the ground with only 3.08:1 geared tranny. I can't imagine what it would do if it had some low gears!
if you want to stay transverse mounted, there are a number of engine shops producing 427 small block (yes, small block 4.125x4.00) chevy engines. course, these go for about $9k for a "crate" engine producing over 500 HP
I have an issue of Hot Rod sitting here showing a small block 454.
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06:02 PM
STRATOHACKER Member
Posts: 820 From: Columbus, OH U.S.A Registered: Jun 2003
I do not know who's car this is but I saw it on here a long time ago and saved the pic. I assume it is a runner and I am pretty sure it is a big block. Whatever it is it looks insane
------------------ Richey
[This message has been edited by STRATOHACKER (edited 05-22-2004).]
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11:31 PM
May 23rd, 2004
Tugboat Member
Posts: 1669 From: Goodview, VA Registered: Jan 2004
I believe that is Gary Zumalts car, with a 454. Looks rather unfinished, and the tranny would blow on the first launch.
The 455/TH425 is a better solution but the engine is over the axle and the tranny is where the trunk used to be. Cardealer is using that tranny with a smallblock, but has the tranny turned around for better weight distribution.
GL
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10:22 AM
crzyone Member
Posts: 3571 From: Alberta, Canada Registered: Dec 2000
we were doing a cady 500 install into a 87sc... we test fitted it and everything, right before the engine blew up while I was racing the caddy... theres a few other people doing or were doing the 500 swap also. its installed just like it is in the caddy, just turn the setup around then flip the gears in the stock caddy trans, and your basically done. of course you still need to setup the wiring and the cooling.
edit~ because I mistakenly typed 502... twice
[This message has been edited by NSAN1T (edited 05-23-2004).]
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04:37 PM
iced_theater Member
Posts: 1755 From: Green River, Wyoming, United States Registered: Jun 2003
Does anyone know who owns this car? I am really interested in what rims and tires he's running on that thing. The rears look massive, wondering what he had to do to stuff them under the car.
I'm looking for a 472 or 500 atm. There's not much you can't do with the 575 ft. Lbs the 472 puts out. Well, actually.. one thing comes to mind. Unfortunately, I will have trouble keeping my front wheels on the ground.
Here's the 455 powered Fiero: Not sure if my crappy quick scan shows it well enough but, if you look real close, you'll see that the rear wheels are not real. They're actually 15 inch rims with a cleverly crafted wheel cover to make the car look stock. Sleeper! Even in the mag it's hard to tell at first glance that those aren't the stock 14 inch wheels. Probably suprised many people on the street. Also of interest; the car is pulling the wheels up off the ground with only 3.08:1 geared tranny. I can't imagine what it would do if it had some low gears!
If you hold a rule to the screen and put the door trim along it you see that it's making quite the arc with the whole car in the air... .
we were doing a cady 500 install into a 87sc... we test fitted it and everything, right before the engine blew up while I was racing the caddy... theres a few other people doing or were doing the 500 swap also. its installed just like it is in the caddy, just turn the setup around then flip the gears in the stock caddy trans, and your basically done. of course you still need to setup the wiring and the cooling.
Yeah right...just "flip the gears...and you're basically done"...uh, not quite, not by a long shot. you cannot flip the gears, you have to rotate the entire diff 180 degrees and then you have to fabricate quite a bit of custom stuff to get it to work. Not trying to start a flame but you make it sound way too easy. I know because I have done it. It's not a simple conversion and if you do the reverse rotation like that, it causes the engine to be offset further to the driver side and then a big block or large engine like a caddy will probably have clearance issues also.
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12:59 PM
Jul 16th, 2004
cccharlie Member
Posts: 2006 From: North Smithfield, RI Registered: Jan 2003
Good question. I know there are several longitudinal swaps...seems like you could go with a Caddy Eldo setup ...a 500!!
What's out there guys?
I saw this kind of set up at Club BBQ last year. The guy had butched an Indy. Trunk was gone. He shortened the Eldo Transaxles. Car overall looked like crap. Tina advised that it had been a realyy nice Indy when she had seen it a couple of years eariler.
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08:15 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
------------------ If you find my advice useful, then please give me a positive rating, thanks... 1988 GT (Firebird Interior),1988 Coupe (Daily Driver), 1985 SE (Project Car), 1985 Coupe (parts car), Firebird Interior Installation Website
[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 07-16-2004).]
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09:04 PM
Spoon Member
Posts: 3762 From: Sadsburyville, PA. 19369 / USA Registered: May 2004
I have the Fiero and I have a 428 complete hanging on the engine stand for probably 10 years. The swap idea did cross my mind but a voice in my head keeps saying "Just say no"..
------------------
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11:03 PM
v8fiero400 Member
Posts: 963 From: Houston,TX,USA Registered: Jan 2004
IIRC, Gary Zumalt was approached by Pontiac asking if he could shoehorn a big-block in a Fiero and he did. Seems there were numerous issues as it was basically a rush job to get it done and shown. Not sure what engine was used but I assume it was a Pontiac. Tried to research this on the net with no results. I may have an article here but with nearly 100 publications to weed thru, it will take quite a while to find.
It appears this guy did his best to keep some semblance of a trunk! On most of the rest of the longitudinal swaps the trunk/luggage compartment is long gone!
------------------ Tim Red 88 Formula Auto 2.8 100K+ Miles - Hypertech - No Cat - No EGR
Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with confidence!
[This message has been edited by FrugalFiero (edited 07-18-2004).]
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06:08 PM
Machine Member
Posts: 45 From: Colchester, Ct. U.S.A. Registered: Jun 2004
IIRC, Gary Zumalt was approached by Pontiac asking if he could shoehorn a big-block in a Fiero and he did. Seems there were numerous issues as it was basically a rush job to get it done and shown. Not sure what engine was used but I assume it was a Pontiac. Tried to research this on the net with no results. I may have an article here but with nearly 100 publications to weed thru, it will take quite a while to find.
I don't know much about it, only that I've seen that pic before and it was identified as Zumalt's car with a 454. It's definately a BBC.
GL
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09:33 AM
bruce cornell Member
Posts: 124 From: live oak fla Registered: Dec 2003
just wondering, with all that weight in the back, how does it turn, esp in wet weather. my 88/4 is light in the front and does its own thing when braking on wet roads. thought about the big motor but an thinking now about just building up the 2.5 and saving all that weight.
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11:40 AM
PontiacJ8 Member
Posts: 592 From: Clay, New York w/ all the trees & the cars hidden in between! Registered: Jun 2004
I can't imagine what it would do if it had some low gears!
1986 SE 350 V8
