I am looking into a 88 GT body. I have posted before interested in doing the 3800SC swap into the '84, but are there any major differences in doing the 3800SC swap into the '88? Will I have to do anything special for this year? If it is just as easier, if not easier I may go with this year and just buy the '84 to have on the side.

The pros for getting the '88 ($1000) are:

5 speed Getrag
No Cradle change
Nicer body style

Pros for the '84 (Less than $500):

Dirt Cheap
Walk across the street to pick it up
Clean Body from what I can tell
Runs great

Would like a little input!

Thanks
Billy

Don't forget that the 88 has better suspension, better brakes, better headlight motors, rear swaybar, already has 15 inch wheels.

Those are things I like to hear!

No engine swap is easy no matter what anyone here tells you. So get the best car to do it. An 88 is much better investment and will get much more money back in case you may need to sell in the future.

I've done engine swaps so its nothing new to me. There will always be complication, but knowledge wise its easy enough.

84's are the most difficult to do a swap, the wiring is totally different and not well documented. I have done 2 84 3800's now and they are frustrating. 88's have the updated brakes and suspension, but replacement parts are harder to get and cost a lot more. But I would go for the 88 over the 84 !

88 Fieros have a little less room due to the upper struts being in closer and when mounting the engine low watch out for the axle shaft boot clamps hitting the brackets for the lower suspension other then that the 87 and 88's are easier due to one less heater hose needed.
Wiring wise the 85 to 88 are pretty much identical and the 84's just need the C500 relocated further to the driver's side for clearance of the exhaust manifold. Dan

Fiero Flyer is correct about the slightly lessened room between the strut towers on an 88. However, you can get a very nice looking installation in the 88. I have a 3800 SC Series III in a 1988 GT that looks very nice (IMHO).



Nelson

Looks great! You guys have me excited! Me and a buddy got the integra running and about ready to sell. Hopefully I will have it sold in the next couple of weeks.

Nothing about the 84 fiero would worry me over the 88....

The 88s will have the better "street" rear suspension giving it a bit better manners day to day... The 88s also come with what I consider to be more than enough brakes..

Maybe I will just buy both of them. The 84 is probably only going to run me a few hundred bucks. I'm sure if I ran into issues I could sell/ part it out and make money off of it with no problem. I mean it does have a running 4 cylinder in it. It just needs the brakes redone from sitting so long.

I would leave the 84. You could sink a lot into the brakes and end up just breaking even when you sell it. The 84's seem to sell for a lot less than 85 and up.

quote Originally posted by 1fatcat: I would leave the 84. You could sink a lot into the brakes and end up just breaking even when you sell it. The 84's seem to sell for a lot less than 85 and up.

It's just crappy seeing an old car, that was only made from 84-88, sit there and waste away. Someday these things will be worth something. Especially a completely original one. There were just under 400,000 of them made (If my sources are right). I wonder how many are left now? With wrecks, careless car owners, and other factors I bet a good amount have seen the junkyard over the past 20 years.