I've just bought a transfer case from an eclipse gsx on ebay and was doing so to see if it is possible to do an AWD mid engine fiero. Any thoughts on this or if anyone has ever attempted it let me know.
The subject has come up before. I think one of the problems is the fact that the engine is not rotated around and put in back, its moved back in the same orientation as a FWD car. So the AWD transmission would have the AWD aimed to the rear, rather than to the front where you'll need it.
You'd need to somehow flip everything around, then get it to rotate the correct direction. Or perhaps mount the engine in front.
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11:49 PM
Sep 1st, 2008
Fiero redux Member
Posts: 135 From: Asheboro, NC Registered: Dec 2007
You would also need to consider the fuel tank is right where the driveshaft would need to be. It would be cool to work it out, but it sounds like a VERY in depth challenge. Good luck
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12:15 AM
86GT3.4DOHC Member
Posts: 10007 From: Marion Ohio Registered: Apr 2004
The Fiero allready has great off the line traction, and other than trudging through snow or racing on a dirt track, AWD is just extra weight and extra drag. So if you're having trouble hooking up, get a LSD, if you want to drive through 12" snow, get a truck.
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12:54 AM
vamper Member
Posts: 291 From: belvidere illinois 61008 Registered: Dec 2005
i have a 96 gsx turbo sitting in the garage, fun car but not a fiero, im not really sure what you would gain from having awd on a fiero, hell my front wheels are off the ground around a corner and skid more than i like with out the wheeles spinning, and that was before the 3.8, not to many mid engine cars are awd/4wd except the lambo. but it would still be fun/cool
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04:58 AM
fieroguru Member
Posts: 12479 From: Champaign, IL Registered: Aug 2003
4.9 Cadillac mounted in front mated to a T56 6 speed. Wheel base extended (not chassis) to make room to divorce mount a Bravada AWD transfer case at the rear and clocked so the front drive shaft will go down the passenger side vs. the driver side and the transfer case will be behind the gas tank tunnel. An IRS setup based on upper/lower a arms mounted in the rear to eliminate the rear struts (there are a bunch of these now days that just bolt in place with 4 bolts and could be modified to be mounted using the stock fiero rear cradle mount locations). The front suspension converted to struts (like a cavalier/sunfire) complete with power steering and a toyota front diff mounted in front (drive shaft on passenger side). The fuel tank will be custom and fit between the double firewall lower section and the rear glass. The rest of the old engine bay will be trimmed out in diamond plate making a small pickup bed.
This fiero ute would then replace my full size 4x4 truck. It would have a small bed for stuff and have the power and stability to pull a small trailer when the bed was not large enough.
Still several years away...
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08:08 AM
hklvette Member
Posts: 1439 From: Roanoke, VA Registered: Nov 2007
I had toyed with this idea a while back. The way to do it (if you have the $$$) is to use a porsche AWD transaxle, G50 IIRC. Everything is setup to rotate the correct direction, just gotta move the fuel tank and work out the shift linkage. Like others have said though, the cost far outweighs the benefits unless you are racing on dirt or in snow.
[This message has been edited by hklvette (edited 09-01-2008).]
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10:29 AM
87GT_97114 Member
Posts: 566 From: Dayton, Oregon, USA Registered: Mar 2005
------------------ '85GT Indy clone 4.9 4T60E '78 Toyota longbed, parts runner '05 Aztek daily driver (The Great Pumpkin) '87 30' Kit Classic TT, living in it.
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10:45 AM
fierosound Member
Posts: 15232 From: Calgary, Canada Registered: Nov 1999
It would be easier to graft the Fiero body panels onto a 4WD car of similar size.
Audi TT? That is the only AWD car that I can think of that is even close on the wheelbase.
A friend and I have been trying to work something out for this but we always get stuck on the front end. Most AWD cars use some kind of struts in the front, not shocks like the fiero has. We were toying with the idea of using an 85-87 fiero cradle and finding a way to mount it in the front. Since part of the setup originally came from a front wheel drive car it may be possible. Tierods for mounting to a steering rack are still there. We also toyed with the idea of using electric motors to run the front wheels but this brings a whole new set of problems to the table.
What we figured out for the driveline is to offset it to the passenger side and actually make a small tunnel for it to pass through. Run it right under or near the passenger side seat. Lots of ideas, but so far nothing that wouldn't require a complete re-working of a fiero. In the long run any minor performance increase, if any, just would not justify the cost involved. And when we totaled up the weight involved in a conversion we found that it would probably tip the scales at around 3400-3600. In the long run it looks like any way you do it, it will only hurt performance.
FYI, early Dodge Caravans have a very compact, all mechanical transfer case that would fit great mounted in the small area between the engine block and cradle. Everything else would have to be custom made. But it seemed a good place to start for us.
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01:35 PM
PFF
System Bot
Philphine Member
Posts: 6136 From: louisville,ky. usa Registered: Feb 2000
subaru? i remember those older sub's that had the spare over the engine. if the engine sits that low maybe it might fit under the fiero front hood. then go from there.
i was thinking a hybrid design with an electric motor and differential power the front wheels in a manner similar to izuzu's torque on demand. the front wheels would only engage when needed and would base it off of the wheel speeds of the rear wheels. it could also have regenerative functions when not in use. this way you can have all the fun of a real engine with the handeling and acceleration of all wheel drive, plus you wouldnt have to use any gas at all in the neighborhood or in traffic.
[This message has been edited by megafreakindeth (edited 09-01-2008).]
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10:06 PM
Sep 17th, 2008
matchmade Member
Posts: 435 From: Nashville,TN USA Registered: Sep 2004
One of the parts cars that I bought was cut up to do this. he was going to use a Cady set up with the motor in the front he had gotten as far as cutting the floor out and striping the car and then it died. it sat in his shop for 2 years when I bought it from him for parts for 50 bucks.
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01:16 PM
82-T/A [At Work] Member
Posts: 25069 From: Florida USA Registered: Aug 2002
If I was going to seriously consider this, I would recommend trying to see if you could figure out how to get the Pontiac 6000 STE AWD setup to work with the Fiero. The transmission has the same bolt pattern. I think you would need to have a transfer case made or modified since the output shaft for the rear (front) wheels is in the opposite direction.
Got a Transfer case given to me the other day by the mechanic that I'm rewiring his shop in Elm Springs, AR and helping build his new dyno. The transfer case is out of a newer caravan very solid and more compact then the Eclipse unit.
My plans are to bolt a block and crank to a tranny, line up the transfer case and see if it will clear the crank. The lambo uses a drive shaft the passes through the oil pan. If the output on the transfer case will clear, hurdle one is cleared. Next is to use a front diff from like an S-10 or rear diff from an older Corvette, use modified rear spindles and hubs from an '84-'87 Fiero in the front, or even modified S-10 4x4 front end. Keep the car low and make it look as stock as possible on the outside. (as much like a normal MR Fiero as it can)
