Just as the title says how would you do a front engine rear drive setup in a fiero..........

The reason for this is the parts for these setups are very easy to come by and my fiero is pretty well trashed as far as engine compartment and rear frame the front and all of the paasenger compartment except rockers is great. I would rather build something out of it than scrap it.

So how would you guys do it if you were doing it....................... and no posts please about why you wouldn't

Here's a different idea. There are a bunch of kits that require the rear portion of the car to be cut off and "stretched". If you don't know, they basically weld in an extra section of car to make it longer. Now here's two directions you could take along those lines. First you could build a long wheel-base kit car. Second, if you were willing to cut the damaged part off anyway (like for the kit), just weld a good rear section on in the stock location. Maybe you can find a donor that was wrecked in front. I have an '87SE with good cradle and suspension that was wrecked down the driver's side. I think mine might work for something like your project. You can have it if you can come get it. That goes for any other member also.

Jonathan

Most likely a Subaru Boxer style engine. I would think you could get it to fit under the decklid and not have to put some kind of bump in the hood to clear it. Then I would have to find some sort of rear axle to use with it and run the drive shaft where the gas tank is. I would probably place the gas tank above the rear axle setup where the engine would normally resides. Then it would be somewhat protected in a rear end collision and allow me to keep the trunk.

That's the approach I would take. I don't know how difficult it would be. I'd actually like to try it someday.

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[This message has been edited by Khw (edited 12-11-2009).]

Fieros are a little hard to get around here and I don't have a garage so a kit car wouldn't be good idea to tackle....... Good ideas keep them coming.

I forgot to add i prefer using gm products not foriegn.

My current idea is to either use a subframe setup front and rear and mount a 4.3 and say a s-10 rear end or use a s-10 frame and modify it and the fiero body so its not to high.

quote Originally posted by MaverickFiero84: I forgot to add i prefer using gm products not foriegn.

Corvair engine then. Still boxer style and air cooled to boot making it even easier.

lol thats a possibility problem would be most cars older than 1985 have been crushed for scrap around here I just love them so much for that errrrr

Rotary

Depends on what your definition of "tastefully" is? I wouldn't think that staring at the induction system of a small block through the windshield would be distasteful. Maybe a bit over the top, but not distasteful.

My definition of tasteful is done cleanly not butchered.........finished looking like it should be there

A SBC would be a very nice view through the windshield lol but yes a little over the top

I would use the 4.9 (light weight, high torque and low overall profile) mounted up front with a torque tube and rear mounted tranny (944, 928, or even the C5 setup). The torque tube setup would need the least amount of tranny tunnel massaging and help keep the overall balance of the car around 50/50. The rear should remain independent, but converting to an upper/lower a-arm setup will allow removal of the strut towers to maximize available space in the rear for a HUGE trunk or it could be trimmed out as a mini-pickup truck bed (which is how I would do it). A custom made gas tank mounted on the rear firewall section directly under the rear glass would allow nearly 20 gallons of fuel capacity.

If you wanted to spend some $$$ (about 15k+ and then labor), just use an entire C5 setup (engine/tranny/suspension/brakes front/rear) - but would require some engine mount modification, front crossmember modification (engine needs to be more forward relative to the front axle centerline) and possibly modifying the torque tube... but a C5 or C6 engine/drivetrain/suspension/brakes in a fiero body would be quite the ride.

[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 12-12-2009).]

Very nice i love that idea and may pursue it if a can find a slightly wrecked one. I would just have to get a nice tig welder for the aluminum

I know that you would want to use a GM product but if it were me I would use a Mazda 13b rotory motor. it is light weight, small, (only 1.3L) and I have seen them put out 750hp with a turbo. Parts are plentiful and could probably fit behind the front wheels. not to mention look at RX-7 they have a similer front end look to our fieros. So I am sure and engine and tranny set up is easy to come by. Good Luck.

Pull the drivetrain out of an AWD Aztek and use it.

Bob

http://boomtastic.com/
Click on the "Fiero GT Pro Street" link & you may be able to see one. It's Flash & doesn't work on my computer (Opera browser), even though all other Flash files do...
I can't believe no one has posted this link yet.
~ Paul
aka "Tha Driver"

Which do you most can't the least?
What I most can't the least, would be do not a bad job but always a good.

I would go with an F body 3800 with the 5 speed manual and put a nice turbo on the 3800. That way you stary GM with an engine that is proven reliable and one that has after market support. Dan

quote Originally posted by RWDPLZ: Rotary

i like where your mind is at...20b. brap brap brap brap

[This message has been edited by americasfuture2k (edited 12-12-2009).]

Wow I got more of a reaponse than I thought I would. Another question for you guys to ponder............how would you set up the frame or what would you use from another vehicle.

You may have a hard time finding a powertrain low enough to easily see over. Think how high the rear decklid is and imagine driving looking over that all the time. The boxer engine really is a good suggestion. Maybe an Ecotec or Quad Four laid over at a 45* angle?

Nothing a low slung engine and a hood scoop wouldn't fix, plus you have to remember some type of frame has to be added to carry the front suspension and engine

Here is my mock up chassis. Eventually I will put the front crossmember, radiator and locked up 4.9 just to see how it will all fit. I would like to keep the front frame rails stock, but I suspect the crossmember (88) will need some trimming for the oil pan to clear. I am curious how low it could be mounted and with the alternator mounted down low the front of the 4.9 is quite low. The center bulkhead must go.



To make a front engine/rear drive setup, you will have to cut into this bukhead beam for either tranny or torque tube clearance and then weld/seal it all up:

I doubt that it is possible to do this sort of chop job 'tastefully'. Well, you did ask.

quote Originally posted by MaverickFiero84: My definition of tasteful is done cleanly not butchered.........finished looking like it should be there

Nothing in the front of a Fiero will ever look like it belongs there - since the Fiero is not a front engined car.
And "tastefully done" is entirely up to your capabilities and quality of the work you can do yourself.

Lots of projects look butchered because once into it, the guy realizes he's "bitten off more than he can chew",
and then throws it together just to get it finished enough so he can get rid of it.

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World of Wheels Winners
My 3.4L S/C 87 GT
& Super Duty 4 Indy #163

Fieroguru those pics are great......looking at them there really isn't alot that has to be cut out as far as the main stucture goes. Welding is easy for me and this is not my first modified car. Are you going to add a little stretch to the back or keep the wheel base the same on yours.

I was thinking of using a 4.3 vortec out of an older Blazer or S-10 and the manual tranny that goes with it. Not sure on rear end yet as I have to get some measurements on how wide the track width is and match it up. What im trying to figure out is the frame setup, Whether I want to put a full frame under it, a bolt in subframe, or and integrated subframe.

Thats easy...Have the Fiero Factory or Archie do it!

quote Originally posted by MaverickFiero84: Fieros are a little hard to get around here and I don't have a garage so a kit car wouldn't be good idea to tackle....... Good ideas keep them coming. I forgot to add i prefer using gm products not foriegn. My current idea is to either use a subframe setup front and rear and mount a 4.3 and say a s-10 rear end or use a s-10 frame and modify it and the fiero body so its not to high.

So let me get this straight, you don't have the garage space for a kit conversion, but you do have space to convert a Fiero to front engine, rear wheel drive setup? If you don't have the space to do the work but want a front engine, rear wheel drive two seater, why don't you just buy a Corvette and save yourself the time, trouble, and space?

Personally, I've never seen the appeal of doing this to a Fiero. I understand the desire for more power. If you want a big block Chevy, you could just do a longitudinal conversion instead. I'm sure that would be much less trouble. That being said, if you're dead-set on doing this, I wish you the best of luck. Make sure you document the whole process so that it makes it into the construction zone.

[This message has been edited by Iowa GT (edited 12-13-2009).]

quote Originally posted by Iowa GT: So let me get this straight, you don't have the garage space for a kit conversion, but you do have space to convert a Fiero to front engine, rear wheel drive setup? If you don't have the space to do the work but want a front engine, rear wheel drive two seater,

If I understand it right, the back of the Fiero frame is shot and he's trying to "make something" out of what's left.

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 12-13-2009).]

quote Originally posted by fierosound: If I understand it right, the back of the Fiero frame is shot and he's trying to "make something" out of what's left.

Thats exactly it........ To do fiberglass work you need a dry climate controlled area to do it right. If I wanted a corvette I would have bought one years ago but I prefer a challenge something I can get creative with.

I can do the metal work on it without a garage but body work and paint need to be done inside which I have a friends garage that I use for painting but I'm not going to tie his garage up for the whole conversion.

you know i always thought about havin a twin engine twin transmission fiero. have a 4.3 v6 or standard sbc mated to a th325 or 425 toronado trans in the middle of the fiero, and one up front. you will have low torque steer and bump steer to im sure... if you can conduct a reverse rotation in the front area then you can essentially keep the fiero "mid engine" ... i do not know if this is a plausible idea.

Interesting idea and I'm not sure how you would do it but would deffinately different. The biggest problem I see would be the size of both drivetrains fitting into the short wheelbase but that doesn't mean it can't be done.

Build a complete tube frame for your engine and drivetrain. Then add more framing to bolt the stock Fiero body panels to as necessary. You can use the gas tank area as the driveshaft tunnel and mount a fuel cell elsewhere.

I've thought about doing a front engine swap. I would use something like a Porsche 944 transaxle and a small compact alloy V6 up front. Weight distribution would be near 50/50 + the V6 would fit under the hood

quote Originally posted by fierosound: Nothing in the front of a Fiero will ever look like it belongs there - since the Fiero is not a front engined car. And "tastefully done" is entirely up to your capabilities and quality of the work you can do yourself.

I've had a lot of people tell me otherwise...the motor under the hood of my Formula sure looks like it belongs there, as in it looks like it's something that very well could have come from the factory like that, perhaps a GM concept/show car. It can be done to look like it was from the OEM, it just takes a LOT of attention to detail. Here's my under hood as of a couple months ago (the picture doesn't do it justice), it's getting better all the time:



The car looks bone stock from the outside!

Bryce