Ya, call Archie, your in the garage right now yelling about something on your swap!!!
I am going to talk with the local guy this weekend, we are going to talk about cutting those 12" brake rotor supports, about redrilling the rotors, and about doing a Fiero based Northstar bolt pattern drilled flywheel.
------------------ Bobby from NW Indiana 93 Northstar and 5 speed Getrag thespeedshop@sbcglobal.net My build thread
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07:23 PM
Sep 27th, 2004
Nashco Member
Posts: 4144 From: Portland, OR Registered: Dec 2000
As his last e-mail said they should be shipped Thursday with today being Tuesday I have sent him an e-mail asking him to confirm this. I can't wait to hear what he has to say?
------------------ Bobby from NW Indiana 93 Northstar and 5 speed Getrag thespeedshop@sbcglobal.net My build thread
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09:52 AM
GSXRBOBBY Member
Posts: 3122 From: Southern Indiana USA Registered: Aug 2003
I sent him an e-mail this morning asking him: " Today is Tuesday, are we looking at being able to ship these out this coming Thursday?"
You will never guess what he wrote back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From David at Spec wrote me: "Likely this afternoon."
I am going to work out all the details today with him, price, warranty, shipping and shipping cost, produce a product number, etc...Again I will keep everyone updated.
I just got off the phone with David and I DO have good news. They are done, and they can be shipped tomorrow, today is a little close to there last shipping time of the day. But tomorrow for sure "or so I am told". Each person wanting to buy a flywheel needs to contact Spec directly, I am not going to be collecting any money. There is no part number needed, everyone there knows that the Cadillac Northstar for the Fiero was completed. Here is all the info. to contact Spec:
Spec Performance Clutches, INC. 3420 Davey Allison Blvd. Hueytown, AL 35023 Orders: 1-800-828-4379 "this phone may not be working right just yet" Tech: 205-491-8581 Fax: 205-491-8593 Email: sales@specclutch.com
The final price for the Flywheel is going to be $399
There is going to be a package deal for all of us if you buy the flywheel and a clutch. There are three clutches you should consider, they depend on how your going to drive the car. A stage 2 is going to be an ok setup for people that are not going to be "hot rodding, racing, or alot of playing around". The stage 3 is going to take whatever you throw at it, it will hold the power without any question, however the stage 3 is harder to drive, the clutch is an on or off clutch and what I mean by that is as its let out when it catches it catches, I mean it holds! There is no feathering the clutch, period!!!!!! He did tell me there is a newer clutch called the stage 3 K, he tells me it holds just as well as the stage 3 when its full enaged but has the drivablity of a stage 2, and it just about $20 or $30 more than the stage 3.
Also I was told they will have the standard Spec warranty on both the flywheel and clutch. So, after a long long long time we have it done. Did I do good or what?
------------------ Bobby from NW Indiana 93 Northstar and 5 speed Getrag thespeedshop@sbcglobal.net My build thread
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01:40 PM
Will Member
Posts: 14226 From: Where you least expect me Registered: Jun 2000
And guys, there is going to be an unknown package deal for everyone that buys a clutch and a flywheel. I also e-mailed everyone that I had there e-mail address.
------------------ Bobby from NW Indiana 93 Northstar and 5 speed Getrag thespeedshop@sbcglobal.net My build thread
So, did anybody order yet? I'm very tempted to just call and order mine tomorrow, but I'd really like to hear how it fits before buying. I can't imagine it will be really fast to ship it back and get it modified, considering the months it took to make it in the first place.
Bryce 88 GT
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10:53 PM
Sep 30th, 2004
cptsnoopy Member
Posts: 2585 From: phoenix, AZ, USA Registered: Jul 2003
ahhh but will it also fit the S*? can someone answer that?
you may want to make a specific request about that from Rickady88GT. from his pictures the flexplates look the same but It would be nice to know before you spend the dough...
quote
Originally posted by Nashco:
So, did anybody order yet? I'm very tempted to just call and order mine tomorrow, but I'd really like to hear how it fits before buying. I can't imagine it will be really fast to ship it back and get it modified, considering the months it took to make it in the first place.
Bryce 88 GT
I ordered mine on Tuesday and I am pretty sure I was not the first. I will report what it looks like installed but I am not that knowledgable about clutches and flywheels.
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04:24 AM
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10648 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
I have a 3800SC flex plate and the S* flex plate side by side in some pics. They are exactly the same except for the bolt patern. The S* has a much larger bolt cyrcle than the 3800. But if some one could tell me what the N* bolt cyrcle is I could dig up that flex plate and see if they are the same. Off hand I would say the N* and S* have the same bolt cyrcle. They seem to have alot in comon.
can't be THAT difficult to get these guys to take blanks of this N*-Fiero flywheel and just drill different bolt pattern for the 3800 or even the stock 2.8.. a simple bolt circle change and they increase their market
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07:27 AM
Will Member
Posts: 14226 From: Where you least expect me Registered: Jun 2000
SPEC P/N SC82A is an aluminum flywheel for 3800 F-bodies. Call them and either have them cut one of those down like 3800 guys do with production Camaro flywheels or have the 3800 bolt circle and crank pilot bore cut into one of these 60 degree V6 flywheels.
While I wouldn't want anyone but SPEC drilling the bolt circle and cutting the pilot bore, I think any competent machine shop could drill the rivets, remove the friction surface, thin the flywheel down (assuming that the flywheel has enough meat for that) and re-rivet the friction surface. Wether you have a local shop do it or SPEC themselves, you'll want to talk to them about it.
------------------ Turn the key and feel the engine shake the whole car with its lope; Plant the gas pedal and feel in your chest neither a shriek nor a wail but a bellowing roar; Lift and be pushed into the harness by compression braking that only comes from the biggest cylinders while listening to music of pops and gurgles. Know that you are driving and American V8. There are finer engines made, but none of them are this cool.
Luck, Fate and Destiny are words used by those who lack the courage to define their own future
[This message has been edited by Will (edited 09-30-2004).]
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09:00 AM
Nashco Member
Posts: 4144 From: Portland, OR Registered: Dec 2000
Well, I went ahead and ordered the whole meal deal. Flywheel, stage 3 clutch (not the 3K), and lightweight option on the pressure plate was $697 plus shipping, about $715-720 total.
I wasn't going to get the lighweight pressure plate (sounds a little iffy to me), as it's only two pounds, but if David says it'll hold up fine, I'm reducing rotating inertia, and he basically threw in the lightweight option for free, I figured I don't have much to lose. If I get it and it doesn't instill much confidence, I can always send it back and trade it for a normal pressure plate.
I didn't want the 3K option on the clutch because I know the 3 is tried and true. I wanted the "dream" clutch when I bought centerforce's dual friction, I learned a lesson....it's a lot easier to deal with a sticky clutch than a slippy clutch. I can learn to drive differently, but I can't teach the clutch to have more friction. I'm not making any claims about the 3K clutch, just saying I don't want to pay a little more for an unknown clutch.
Bryce 88 GT
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01:06 PM
GSXRBOBBY Member
Posts: 3122 From: Southern Indiana USA Registered: Aug 2003
I had the money set aside 3 months ago but not think this was ever going to happen I bought to many other little toys. I am looking at buying it mid next week, I am hoping the first one to get one can hurry and post some info.!!!!
------------------ Bobby from NW Indiana 93 Northstar and 5 speed Getrag thespeedshop@sbcglobal.net My build thread
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10:30 PM
Nashco Member
Posts: 4144 From: Portland, OR Registered: Dec 2000
For those who are hesitant to buy, David mentioned that these are selling faster than he expected they would. I mentioned this is the ideal solution for those of us doing/with the swap, so it doesn't surprise me. I wouldn't wait too long if you want to guarantee you get one of these, just my opinion, that's why I got mine so soon.
Unfortunately I won't be able to post anything right away, I'll be out of town all next week on vacation...woohoo!
Bryce 88 GT
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11:50 PM
PFF
System Bot
Oct 5th, 2004
cptsnoopy Member
Posts: 2585 From: phoenix, AZ, USA Registered: Jul 2003
well, it's in the fedex system. slated to arrive on Thursday. I will be back home on Friday to take pics and post them... the package is 27 lbs. this includes the aurora flex plate they are sending back.
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07:58 PM
Oct 8th, 2004
cptsnoopy Member
Posts: 2585 From: phoenix, AZ, USA Registered: Jul 2003
By the way, he was going to be charging us extra for the bolt but I talked him into including them, they had to go out looking for them. Be sure they bolt into the Crankshaft, and I am glad to see there is enough meet on them and that they are not to short. Should be fine?!?!? I just wanted this to be a complete set up deal so we did not have to get anything from anywhere else other than one ship ment! ------------------ Bobby from NW Indiana 93 Northstar and 5 speed Getrag thespeedshop@sbcglobal.net My build thread
[This message has been edited by GSXRBOBBY (edited 10-08-2004).]
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02:38 PM
fierogt455 Member
Posts: 282 From: Goldsboro, NC Registered: Jun 2004
By the way, he was going to be charging us extra for the bolt but I talked him into including them, they had to go out looking for them. Be sure they bolt into the Crankshaft, and I am glad to see there is enough meet on them and that they are not to short. Should be fine?!?!? I just wanted this to be a complete set up deal so we did not have to get anything from anywhere else other than one ship ment!
Hey Bobby it looks great!
it looks like the bolts are about the same length going into the crank... i still need to take my trans back off the engine to see how the flywheel bolts up...
thanks
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02:59 PM
KissMySSFiero Member
Posts: 5541 From: Tarpon Springs, FL USA Registered: Nov 2000
here is the flywheel sitting on the crank. the crank is smaller than the centering hole in the flywheel.
this is the diameter of the crank
this is the diameter of the new flywheel centering hole
this is the diameter of the aurora flexplate centering hole
this is what the flywheel will look like when it is bolted on
I don't know if a concentric <sp>? ring would be a good idea or ask for a new flywheel. I would prefer a new flywheel. I will talk to David about it on Monday if I am still at home.
Can anyone verify that the caddy 4.6 crank measures the same as my aurora? thanks
[This message has been edited by cptsnoopy (edited 10-09-2004).]
What is the bolt spacing/cyrcle? My S* flex plate center hole is exactly the same size.
When you say your flexplate center hole is exactly the same size, do you mean it is the same as my aurora flexplate or the new flywheel?
the bolts line up great if you lift the flywheel up about 5/64" or so.
I don't know if you mean across or one hole to the next so I will give both.
3 1/16" across (centers) approx. 1 5/32" bolt to bolt (centers) approx.
these measurements where taken from the aurora flexplate because the flywheel/clutch/pressure plate and trans are all mated to the engine at the moment. I wanted to see if there where any other clearance issues. I did not see any other problems. just as a related note, i am not ready to turn over this engine so i did not get a chance to rotate the engine with the flywheel bolted on. I just turned the flywheel while holding up agains the crank and it did not rub or catch on anything.
I sent David an email explaining what I saw and included the pictures. I also sent GSXRBOBBY a copy of the email. I imagine we will get a response on Monday. It really looks like a good flywheel. I expected something like this to happen so I am not too disappointed. I hope that David will agree to make another one that has the correct hole size. the friction surface is bolted on so it should be easy to transfer that over to the new flywheel. it looks like the ring gear could be used again but I am not sure.
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04:58 AM
Master Tuner Akimoto Member
Posts: 2267 From: South Florida,USA Registered: Jul 2003
Your problem can be solved by getting a concentric ring to fill the space and you are good to go with no ill effect,all it does is just to center flywheel and has no pressure to harm any thing.
[This message has been edited by Master Tuner Akimoto (edited 10-09-2004).]
Wrap the crank with duct tape and it will fit fine? Joke, I think there has to be an easy fix with some type of spacer or shim type think? We will work it out somehow with him!
------------------ Bobby from NW Indiana 93 Northstar and 5 speed Getrag thespeedshop@sbcglobal.net My build thread
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05:45 PM
cptsnoopy Member
Posts: 2585 From: phoenix, AZ, USA Registered: Jul 2003
Wrap the crank with duct tape and it will fit fine? Joke, I think there has to be an easy fix with some type of spacer or shim type think? We will work it out somehow with him!
I have no doubt that there is an easy bandaid fix. the only bummer is that they had an example right in front of them and still....
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06:30 PM
stalen88GT Member
Posts: 472 From: Southern, California Registered: Oct 2004
I finally caught this thread and boy you guys have been through the pooper on this one. my condolences to you for the head ache and final achievement. Sorry one of you had to sell your N*, that sucks, better luck next time, though. Galen
