I have been on here for a few years and have heard many times that a Fiero is not a good platform for racing.

Is it because of the tranny? Is it the whole FWD setup?

I love my fiero, but I have yet to hear of anybody that has come up with a way to make the stock tranny handle a high tq or hp motor.

[This message has been edited by goatnipples2002 (edited 10-25-2007).]

I'll bet one of those G6 6 speeds would make a fine racing tranny. Doc John? You ever race your beast? (He has an LS2 and the G6 6spd in it)

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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...

The answer can be summed up in three words,

Weight, weight, weight

If you want to go road racing, find a Fiero GTP book and build a tube frame car. They were very lightweight, but needs a competitive modern engine, which would probably be against the rules. Fieros can still do very well in Autocross, though.

If you want to go drag racing, might as well go tube frame and use the Ecotec or 3.6 VVT + turbo and built 4t65e HD in the rear, unless you are bracket racing.

Stock Fiero spaceframe makes a nice street car though, don't you think?

The answer can be summed up in one word- no.

several reasons:
first is the stock layout is underpowered. many types of racing dont allow much modifying.
next is the weight. for their size - Fiero's are dang heavy. they weigh as much as a mid size car.
next - the hand brake. no explanation needed. you just plain old cant grab the hand brake then grab a gear.

there are of course many more worse choices. and much depends on the rules.

It's true, we race fieros because we love them, not because they win a lot. There are too many other cars in stock classes that weigh less, handle better and have more power.

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yellow 88 GT, not stock
white 88 notchie, 4 banger

They are good for fun, but they are not that competitive depending on what class you run in.

If it has more than ONE seat, it is not a race car. (stirrin the pot, lol)

I do great when i autox my fiero, only in raw time though. It's modded up the wazoo so I get put in Emod class or something like that, but raw time is the only thing that i care about because it's the only thing that can say this car is actually faster than that one.

you must plow a lot of cones :P i autox mine every month. it does great with a set of hoosiers on it. i race f prepared with race tired miata's. with an auto tranny i usually do better then most people think i will.

Anything that requires you to fit in a class, no a fiero is not good for racing, because it is either put in the "heavy mod" classes, or the "wide open" classes, where you will be competing against hand built stuff, that will whoop on you.

The only thing I think fieros are good for is straight line racing, if you can build a decent automatic transmission. The amount of traction available, is quite unbelievable, you will have a huge leg up on cars with your similar horsepower/weight, just because of the balance of a fiero. At the strip, the class you run in will be limited by what power adders, motors, dry weight, and tires you are running, and not by what make or configuration your car is.

My friend with a manual swap races down at some curvy road racing track in ohio, I think its mostly for fun, but it works very well for him.

quote Originally posted by darkhorizon: Anything that requires you to fit in a class, no a fiero is not good for racing, because it is either put in the "heavy mod" classes, or the "wide open" classes, where you will be competing against hand built stuff, that will whoop on you. The only thing I think fieros are good for is straight line racing, if you can build a decent automatic transmission. The amount of traction available, is quite unbelievable, you will have a huge leg up on cars with your similar horsepower/weight, just because of the balance of a fiero. At the strip, the class you run in will be limited by what power adders, motors, dry weight, and tires you are running, and not by what make or configuration your car is. My friend with a manual swap races down at some curvy road racing track in ohio, I think its mostly for fun, but it works very well for him.

well said... my thoughts exactly!

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1986 Silver 5 speed Fiero 3.4 DOHC
Bored .30, Fully balanced and blueprinted
13.93@101mph as it is on the street. FOR SALE - MAKE OFFER!
... ... !
355cid 400hp/tq N/A SBC, 4 bolt main
Nitrous Oxide: 1st stage - 125shot direct port. 2nd stage - 75shot plate.
87 GT, Cryo Treated 5-speed Getrag, Gr8grip LSD, Spec Stage 3 clutch.

Now what about with a Fiero manual? The reason I ask is because I want to make more power than the stock tranny was meant for and I want reliable power so that I am not changing trannies every month. I may change my mind on making it fast because it doesn't seem I can make the 4 or 5 speeds reliable.

The general consensus is that the Fiero is a FUN car, UNLESS you swap to an auto tranny (not an option for me) than it can be a monster. I want to make serious power with a manual.

[This message has been edited by goatnipples2002 (edited 10-25-2007).]

I always thought the F-35 would make a great tranny for racing. Side benefit: The stock LSD it comes with. They use that tranny for the U.S. version of the Ariel Atom. I talked to Brammo, and they don't seem to have any problems with that tranny for racing applications. Quaife, I think, also has a 6spd fully synchronized straight cut conversion kit. The LSD version can be had for $1100 used from carparts.com. IIRC somebody made an adapter kit for the Fiero.

-M

see that comment isn't true. the car does pretty well in the stock and prepared classes. 2002z28ssconv i think that's his name, does pretty good in the race class he's in. you can do a motor swap and stay out of the street mod class. with my conversion i'll be A race which is against vettes and what not. but if i didn't up the displacment and add boost i would have only been in C race. auto x is something that huge power doesn't mean they are going to kick your ass. hence a miata.