I ran into an old friend who used to race Buick GN's several years ago. He had broke the 200r4 tranny in his car and replaced it with a 700r4. I asked him how because the 3.8 has a different bell housing pattern than a 700r4 has. His explanation was this: The 200r4 has a dual pattern bell housing to fit both the 90 and 60 degree motors. He took the broken 200r4 to a machine shop and they cut 3/4 inch off the end of the bell housing and finished it so both sides were parallel. He now had a 3/4 inch thick aluminum plate with both a small block and a v6 pattern on it. This plate is sandwiched between the 700r4 and the Buick v6. Now- why cant we flip this plate around and bolt a 4.3 Vortec or 3.8 to one of our transmissions? The local tranny shop gave me a 200r4 with the dual pattern on it, so we may get to find out.
[This message has been edited by Terrybogin (edited 09-19-2000).]
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09:57 PM
PFF
System Bot
HYPTNOTiSE Member
Posts: 504 From: frederick, md 21702 Registered: May 2000
I went to Terry's shop today and explained to him that a Buick V6 does not have the same bellhousing pattern as our V6's do. Then I smacked him in the back of the head for getting our hopes up for nothing!
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04:47 PM
Jul 8th, 2000
Vader Member
Posts: 87 From: A long, long time ago... Registered: Jul 2000
The proper term is "BPO - silent C":Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and of course Cadilac" Although most transmissions they make now are interchangeable for the most part. 350's, 200-4r's were some of the last chevy - BPO trannies. 700-r4's have different ones only for the V8 patterns and the 2.8 pattern
Those plates that summit and Jegs sell will not work with the Fiero trans. As stated previously they are for the BOP patern and the Fiero does not have a BOP pattern. They WILL NOT work! The 3.8 in the Buick GN has a different pattern than the fwd 3.8 that is commonly swapped into Fieros. I'd check with Advance Adapters for a plate made to put a V-8 into a 2.8 S-10. It may be a lot cheaper than the ones available for Fieros, and should be the same.
Originally posted by rockcrawl: ... I'd check with Advance Adapters for a plate made to put a V-8 into a 2.8 S-10. It may be a lot cheaper than the ones available for Fieros, and should be the same.
While you are checking into that type of adapter plate, make a note of what side of the engine the starter is on. Make sure the starter is on the left side of the engine otherwise it too will be a tremendous waste of your money.
After you've wasted your time and money on a few of these ideas you've read in this thread, you'll realize that you could have just bought a properly designed V-8 Fiero engine conversion kit and had it over with.
Hey Archie, you know I'll end up comeing to you! I just like to explore other options to A. learn more about what I am doing. and B. to ensure I am getting my moneys worth! If I get the kit from Archie I will not only be getting an awsome V8 kit but will also be buying years of experience! (something to consider) I recieved from a source this link: www.iserv.net/~strdream/ aluminum adapter for 149.00 steel adapter for 249.00
These are fiero/SBC specific adapters with the starter on the correct side.
Anyone delt with this company before?
P.S. The aboved mentioned adapters will not work!
[This message has been edited by FIEROCIOUS (edited 09-13-2000).]
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01:37 PM
pollock Member
Posts: 424 From: denton, texas, usa Registered: Sep 1999
Before i get ragged on, I never said they'd work for a fiero. I just said that terrybogin's buddy could have bought one instead of cutting up an old tranny.
I wasn't raggin' on you Pollock. Archie, I'm not in the market for a V8 Fiero adapter, so I won't be wasting any time or money by buying the wrong one. I just wanted to make it clear that the BOP adapter wouldn't work, which is why I made that post. Advance Adapters doesn't make one, they switch the trans cases instead, sorry for the bum lead.
