i was on the corvette forum and someone asked about a daily driver. i suggested a fiero. of course power came up and i said i like the car and want to change engines some day. same person comes back and says a v8 change is around $8000. i couldn't argue because i don't really know how much it is, but going by what i've read i've been assuming it's not near that much.

so, could you v8 owners give me a cost estimate for a v8 swap. i'd really like to refute that price ( and give my own hope back to eventualy making the change).

how about a little ammo i can take back.

If you go to the V8 Archie site, there's a page where he lists the various costs of installing a V8 with his kits. The most expensive is about $9600.00 which includes a new "crate" engine, and all parts and labor. You drive in with whatever and you drive out with a professionally installed V8. The least expensinve method is probably getting his least expensive kit and supplying your own V8 (small block chevy) but you have to come up with a lot of parts yourself, I think. I think this least expensive kit costs about $1500.00. Check his site to be sure.

It's about $5000 for the "Master kit" that includes everything but the engine. $1500 for the basic kit. Motors start at $4000 and go up from there depending on what you want. $4000 gets you a 4bbl carb and add about $2200 for TPI. The TPI systems are expensive just by themselves + you need the computer to control the TPI. These are the basic costs.

If you're a real mechanic and experienced engine swapper and just happen to have a complete small block V8 shoved into a corner of the shop, the cheapest the swap could be done is probably two grand, that's doing all of work yourself and assuming you're a pack rat with a shed full of spare parts you might need. In reality, even doing most the work yourself will cost about three grand not including the engine. Farming out the labor could easily run thousands of dollars. Still cheaper than most Vettes!

And faster.