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Best daily driver options for an European Fiero lunatic by Erwin03
Started on: 11-06-2017 06:40 AM
Replies: 12 (792 views)
Last post by: Iain on 11-23-2017 09:00 AM
Erwin03
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Report this Post11-06-2017 06:40 AM Click Here to See the Profile for Erwin03Click Here to visit Erwin03's HomePageSend a Private Message to Erwin03Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
hello everyone, I am still working on ways to improve on my Fiero and making it up to spec.

First off, I am in The Netherlands (any more euro-drivers out here?) and parts are a bit of an issue.
My car was a V6 auto fastback GT and is now undercover as a 1984 notch (best style imo)
I fixed the interior and it has nice 17 inch wheels.

I know this is the General chat and not the technical forum, I am more thinking in possibilities here now that in actual improvements.
most things on this forum is American based and with an American car that is logical but as an European based member, it brings challenges/possibilities you might not have overseas.
this is meant to be a brainwave before we actually cut up good parts on the car to find out they don't fit.

I guess a lot of people have these issues with the fiero so maybe a common brainwave session is in order?

for me personally, I want a daily driver and here in Holland the topspeed is 130 km/h (80 m/ph)
so the automatic is working overtime on this speed..

My questions witch I know a lot of people share in Europe:

- I am looking into lowering the car without spending tons of money on shipping (in Europe there are no fiero lowering-kits) any options with European struts and springs?
- Where to find a gearbox that fits, I heard Saab and Opel, but witch ones and would they bolt straight in? (bell housing) I heard F40 is in the Saab to? and the F23?
- with relocating the battery to the front, what cables would be usable and what not to do?

please be free to post your European based Fiero questions, curiosities and whatnots here to.
I am curious to see what people came up with.

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Iain
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Report this Post11-06-2017 06:35 PM Click Here to See the Profile for IainSend a Private Message to IainEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Well, I'm converting mine to Suzuki power, very, Very slowly. Simply because I have lots of Suzuki bits and I know their cars/engines.
I did look into fitting 2.0/2.5 Euro GM engine/box but decided against it because of lack of future availability. Same for post 93 Saab engine, easy power but getting scarce.

Lowering is fairly easy at the rear. Honda coilover kits are about E65 on ebay, spring rate is about 325-350 lbs. They are short though. Best idea is cut off the spring perch, weld on the seat supplied, slip on the lower platform, job done. I can't post pics from my phone sadly. Longer or higher rate springs are easily available new or used on European eBay. I actually just sold mine, I'm going to inverted monotube Bilstein which means making my own strut bodies. Now I think on it, I may have a pair of coilover tubes/springs in the garage somewhere, will check.
At the front, not sure, I have an '88, different suspension and I'm converting to coilovers there too. Should be easy to cut the spring to increase the rate and reduce the height if you do it properly. Think there are plenty of posts on here giving rate versus amount removed.
eBay global shipping is the simplest way to get poly bushes, (and other stuff), about to do mine in a couple of weeks. Pics will be on Instagram, look up Madzuki, some pics of the car and bits on there already.

Regards iain


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Report this Post11-06-2017 07:11 PM Click Here to See the Profile for notwohornsSend a Private Message to notwohornsEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
If you want to do it cheap, You can also lower your car by cutting the springs. I cut one coil off of each front and rear springs. I did not notice the vehicle riding any rougher.

[This message has been edited by notwohorns (edited 11-06-2017).]

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Erwin03
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Report this Post11-07-2017 02:15 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Erwin03Click Here to visit Erwin03's HomePageSend a Private Message to Erwin03Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by Iain:

Well, I'm converting mine to Suzuki power, very, Very slowly. Simply because I have lots of Suzuki bits and I know their cars/engines.
I did look into fitting 2.0/2.5 Euro GM engine/box but decided against it because of lack of future availability. Same for post 93 Saab engine, easy power but getting scarce.

Fun fact is that Suzuki made some GM engines what engine are you thinking about?!

 
quote
Originally posted by Iain:
Lowering is fairly easy at the rear. Honda coilover kits are about E65 on ebay, spring rate is about 325-350 lbs. They are short though. Best idea is cut off the spring perch, weld on the seat supplied, slip on the lower platform, job done. I can't post pics from my phone sadly. Longer or higher rate springs are easily available new or used on European eBay.

Ok that sounds like an option.. the thing I am afraid of is Making the trafel of the strut to short. I was hoping to find someone that has had some european shocks from an opel or even a pontiac transport easily converted or something

 
quote
Originally posted by Iain: I'm going to inverted monotube Bilstein which means making my own strut bodies. Now I think on it, I may have a pair of coilover tubes/springs in the garage somewhere, will check.

please do elaborate on that option.. how does that work? and please, do check if you still have those, are they good quality?
 
quote
Originally posted by notwohorns:
If you want to do it cheap, You can also lower your car by cutting the springs. I cut one coil off of each front and rear springs. I did not notice the vehicle riding any rougher.

I don't mind cheap, but I rather do it right.. cutting the springs to me is a last resort option as mine is a daily driver and I don't drive it slow ;-)
I tried getting a company to make the springs, but with 4 cm in the front and five in the back, I do need to adjust the struts to retain at least some travel.
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Iain
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Report this Post11-08-2017 06:51 AM Click Here to See the Profile for IainSend a Private Message to IainEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Suzuki and GM had badge engineering tie up since the 80's. Had shares in each others companies at one time.

I'm using the current M15 1.5, 16v out of an Ignis Sport with a 6speed Swift Sport gearbox.

I'll try and get on an actual computer at the weekend and post pics of my coilover setup. I set mine very low and still had enough travel. The Bilstein route is expensive, time consuming and a bit unnecessary for a road car. Mine will get some Hill climb and Sprint outings, which is why I'm going that route.

Had a quick look, do have the tubes and platforms, I think the springs are. . . Somewhere. Will get a better look at the weekend.

I'd still cut one coil off the front springs. If you use a 125mm X 1mm Inox disc it goes through in 10-12 sec. Generates little heat, heat is what gives spring cutting a bad name, the end then snaps off. I sold or gave away all my springs (3 sets), so people could do exactly that
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Erwin03
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Report this Post11-08-2017 08:50 AM Click Here to See the Profile for Erwin03Click Here to visit Erwin03's HomePageSend a Private Message to Erwin03Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
If you would be so kind.. I would love to get my hands on the coilover option for the rear.
If I can buy yours that would be awesome.

I think I need to find someone for cutting of my springs, I have never done that and I do want it to be done propper, it is important for the handling
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Report this Post11-08-2017 02:57 PM Click Here to See the Profile for PatrickSend a Private Message to PatrickEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by Erwin03:

My car was a V6 auto fastback GT and is now undercover as a 1984 notch

I guess a lot of people have these issues with the fiero so maybe a common brainwave session is in order?


I believe the English word you're looking for is brainstorm.

It would really help (when you're looking for ideas to modify your Fiero) to mention the YEAR of yours. There are differences between years, especially with the suspension.
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Erwin03
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Report this Post11-08-2017 04:15 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Erwin03Click Here to visit Erwin03's HomePageSend a Private Message to Erwin03Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by Patrick:

I believe the English word you're looking for is brainstorm.

It would really help (when you're looking for ideas to modify your Fiero) to mention the YEAR of yours. There are differences between years, especially with the suspension.


Brainstorm it is then ;-)

Mine is a 1986 former fastback automatic, But the idea is more to make this a general list, to find things all European drivers can have benefit from.

I did a rough check and discovered metric sizes for regular fiero springs. when I cross reverenced these I found that both the Mk IV and V Golf are a close match but the springs are a bit shorter.. would these work? (lowering wise) and would I have to swap front to back (and reverse) since the fiero is a rwd car and the Golf is fwd? also in the rear a Golf2 rear spring could work as a Audi A3 and Golf with 4wd.

also for the front springs the Nisan Almere are a close but shorter match,
would regular springs be good or should I look for lowered or heavy duty versions?



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Report this Post11-08-2017 04:48 PM Click Here to See the Profile for PatrickSend a Private Message to PatrickEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by Erwin03:

...the idea is more to make this a general list, to find things all European drivers can have benefit from.


The point is... the year of Fiero for any "option" that is discussed is still necessary. Not much point suggesting particular springs for example if the year of Fiero they're intended for is never made clear.
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Erwin03
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Report this Post11-09-2017 02:35 AM Click Here to See the Profile for Erwin03Click Here to visit Erwin03's HomePageSend a Private Message to Erwin03Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
I gave you the year of my car in the post above.

they made some adjustments between the years, but for instance with redesigned (metric) gauches all years could benefit.
interiors remained the same for all years as did most of the bodies.

Springs were different in 1984 and 1988 but 85-86 and 87 were roughly the same, hence the eibach kit for all these years.
BUT i want to have this brainstorm about possibilities for all Fiero's it might be possible that this could work on an 88 or 84 as well,
but we need to have ideas to test first before we can say on witch cars this can and can not work.

[This message has been edited by Erwin03 (edited 11-09-2017).]

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Report this Post11-09-2017 02:50 AM Click Here to See the Profile for Erwin03Click Here to visit Erwin03's HomePageSend a Private Message to Erwin03Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post

Erwin03

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Member since Jun 2007
what about just other springs to lower the Fiero, we use others with coilovers, why not shop around to see what we can get?

I noticed that the F23 manual gearbox was also used on the Opel/Vauxhall Corsa,Astra and Vectra.. would this fit the Fiero?

I never realised that the bellhousing could be the same.
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Report this Post11-19-2017 06:15 AM Click Here to See the Profile for cebixSend a Private Message to cebixEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by Erwin03:

hello everyone, I am still working on ways to improve on my Fiero and making it up to spec.

First off, I am in The Netherlands (any more euro-drivers out here?) and parts are a bit of an issue.
My car was a V6 auto fastback GT and is now undercover as a 1984 notch (best style imo)
I fixed the interior and it has nice 17 inch wheels.

I know this is the General chat and not the technical forum, I am more thinking in possibilities here now that in actual improvements.
most things on this forum is American based and with an American car that is logical but as an European based member, it brings challenges/possibilities you might not have overseas.
this is meant to be a brainwave before we actually cut up good parts on the car to find out they don't fit.

I guess a lot of people have these issues with the fiero so maybe a common brainwave session is in order?

for me personally, I want a daily driver and here in Holland the topspeed is 130 km/h (80 m/ph)
so the automatic is working overtime on this speed..

My questions witch I know a lot of people share in Europe:

- I am looking into lowering the car without spending tons of money on shipping (in Europe there are no fiero lowering-kits) any options with European struts and springs?
- Where to find a gearbox that fits, I heard Saab and Opel, but witch ones and would they bolt straight in? (bell housing) I heard F40 is in the Saab to? and the F23?
- with relocating the battery to the front, what cables would be usable and what not to do?

please be free to post your European based Fiero questions, curiosities and whatnots here to.
I am curious to see what people came up with.


I drive it everyday here and I don't see any problems with what you posted. Yeah, the auto at 130-140km/h is geared pretty low but aside from noise I don't see a disadvantage. Lower gearing won't make your MPG that much better and swapping to a manual is probably a pain especially without parts on site. I wouldn't lower the car - it sits pretty low for our roads anyway. I don't see a reason for relocating the battery unless you're looking for space for an engine swap. Rain really doesn't do anything to it through the vent.

Not to discourage you or anything but I like it for what it is, it makes it pretty unique that way for our roads. And I think it will be worth more as an original car in the years to come.

Did you buy yours locally or did you import it from the states?
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Iain
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Report this Post11-23-2017 09:00 AM Click Here to See the Profile for IainSend a Private Message to IainEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by Erwin03:

what about just other springs to lower the Fiero, we use others with coilovers, why not shop around to see what we can get?

I noticed that the F23 manual gearbox was also used on the Opel/Vauxhall Corsa,Astra and Vectra.. would this fit the Fiero?
I never realised that the bellhousing could be the same.

Any I've seen just used the 2.0 Redtop with the box attached, only 5 wires to get it running. I think the later version is 11 wires.

PM me an address and will send pics and get a postage quote, my only windows pc refuses to boot so I can't post pics to here. I don't have seats, but if you cut the lower platform off carefully you don't really need them. The springs I have finally found, probably a little too short 7"@ 325-350 lbs. Not 100% sure of the rate, had to work it out.


Read your other post, you do know your wheels are BBS RX? If you want wider rears you just need wider barrels from a BMW, cheap upgrade.
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