Red 88 GT LS4 / F40 Build (Page 2/5)
GPickardt JUL 01, 08:59 AM
Back to posting, been working on some of the drivability issues and getting the rest of the interior put back in.


So now that I had everything up to this point, it was time to put it all on the cradle. The next series of pictures show us building the engine cradle up so we can pull the original 2.8 and just swap out the cradles. That was the nice thing about having the spare cradle and just building the new installation as an assembly.


Actually, before we put the engine on the cradle, I built a top alternator mount and worked out the belt routing. Photos below are of us working on that portion before installing the engine and trans on cradle.

























One of the other things we had to intall was the steam port dump on the water pump housing.







Now we are ready to install on the cradle.









More later. Next, brakes and suspension.
GPickardt JUL 01, 09:23 AM
Test Drive
motoracer838 JUL 01, 10:58 PM


Joe
cam-a-lot JUL 01, 11:26 PM
Sounds and looks great! Nice build
GPickardt AUG 04, 09:11 AM
Duplicate Post

[This message has been edited by GPickardt (edited 08-04-2018).]

GPickardt AUG 04, 09:12 AM
Been a while since last build post but made a few changes. Clutch is definitely starting to hold better so I think it may actually get to stay in. For how long, I guess we will see. I am still hoping that I can reevaluate the upper mount location for the alternator later to support installing ac compressor install back to the stock location.

Back to the build though. Posting more photos of the cradle, brake upgrade to 12 corvette brake rotors with stock 88 calipers, stainless steel brake lines, and added a bigger brake booster using the old bracket from OEM booster and brake pedal adapter from Rodney Dickman. Summit Racing booster part number listed in the beginning of the build. I have to say, we have had numerous discussions between me and my sons, and other Fiero builders / owners and I have to say that this setup is very effective. Especially for the cost. The CARQUEST brake rotors are 15 lbs, so not a lot more weight than the stock, and with the addition of the Green Stuff brake pads, there is a significant difference in braking performance.









I will post more later. Next is pulling the stock 2.8, cleaning up the engine bay, and getting ready to roll in the LS4.
GPickardt AUG 04, 10:10 AM
Another test drive video (Yes, it is vertical). Clutch seems to be settling in, more hopeful now that it will actually retain clamping force and not slip like it did initially. Changing alternator to low mount, will post later, then off to the DYNO.
GPickardt AUG 26, 07:00 PM
Been driving the car a lot and running in to a lot of Fiero fans here in SOMD. Car is doing well and as soon as I get the car tuned, I can finish putting the interior back together.

Here is some more of the build from where I left off. Car was running all the way until the day we were ready to start the swap. So, here is out with the old...










Now that we had everything out, I wanted to remove all of the excess clips and brackets and old heat matting.











So we got the engine bay cleaned up and painted, fuel line in with wix fuel filter that I will show you from a bottom shot what it looks like a little later, and relocated the evap canister where the battery previously was. We also ran the front vacuum line for the brake booster and had it on the rear frame rail to trim and install once the engine was in. I swapped out the high flow fuel pump, and the tank looked clean. I did leave everything else stock except the fuel pump. May go back later and upgrade the fuel sending unit for better accuracy.

I we have an old house with a small garage, so we have done all of our work outside, sometimes under an easy-up. But there is gravel between the garage and driveway where the car is parked, so we had to put he engine on wheels and roll it to the car.







And here she sits, eagerly awaiting the new power plant.
GPickardt SEP 04, 11:55 AM
Time to install the engine. I didn't take photos of the fuel pump replacement while we had the engine out, but there are a ton of PFF posts for info if you should need it. We pulled the brakes, and upgraded the rotors to 12" corvette rotors using the bracket kit from another PFF member (refer to parts list in beginning) and the larger brake booster listed on Rodney Dickman when you also buy the booster adapter. We got ours from Summit Racing and along with the Green Stuff pads, stainless steel braided brake lines, this braking system is light weight using stock 88 calipers, and really works well. I can't see spending a ton of money on upgraded brake systems unless you have a purpose built race car. My only complaint would be the amount of brake dust from the Green Stuff pads, I may try another version next go around.











After repeated tries to get the front cradle bolts in, then lower the car to get the back of the cradle up, we kept running in to interference issues. FINALLY, after some careful consideration, we took the front cradle bolts out and kept the cradle flat on the cherry picker and lowered the whole car down on the cradle. MUCH BETTER!!!















Brake upgrade photos









Finally Installed, now to hook up all the systems and bleed everything.
motoracer838 SEP 04, 03:01 PM
I just realized you did the hard work outside, I've done enough of that in the last couple of years to last me a lifetime (shop's too full of crap and now I'm moving )... I feel your pain. Have you got it tuned yet?

Joe