I've seen Archie and others doing SBC swaps post detailed pics and info on those swaps, so I have a pretty good idea of what's involved, etc. I've also followed Skitime's buildup that gives a lot of great info on the 3800SC swap.

How about you Northstar fans? Can anyone post some detailed info on your swap? What you've done, the types of fabrication required, etc. Pics.... gotta have pics!! I'm also interested in pics of the finished product with close details around the pulleys, spark plugs, mounts, etc. How about some maintenance questions like what do you have to do to change spark plugs, or a fan belt, or alternator, AC, etc.

I love the N* engine, but since no one has really perfected the swap (such that a one-stop shopping kit is available), it's still a bit mysterious to me. I want a V8, and I like the simplicity of being able to buy an Archie kit and follow the video and put it together with all the parts right there. No, I'm not going to debate one vs. the other, but I haven't seen that kind of info on the Northstar and would love to learn more.

I ask one thing. Let's make this thread ONLY about Northstar swaps. Let's not debate why or what's better. Let's just see some good info on the Northstar.

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Here is some info for you. This includes info for swapping from manual to auto trans. NOTE. This is what I did There are other ways of doing this swap.

1" front sway bar with mounts needed if rear sway bar is used,will use stock bar in rear
350 lb springs 10 " for rear jegs 85 122-10-350
94-95 sts computer could use reg computer from N* junk yard 75
95- 98 caddy engine harness will modify removing extra stuff and adding fiero stuff try and get with engine
95 idle motor and mounting bracket needed if engine is newer than 95 junk yard 80
95 throttle body needed if engine is newer than 95 junk yard 150
95-98 northstar engine trans preferably a 300 hp version junk yard 2000
a/c lines will have to modify at fit caddy compressor 75
air boot from boniville ssei to go from engine to air cleaner junk yard 20
alignment 100
alt belt will have to remove power steering so belt will be shorter parts store 50
radiator copper 4 core (could use an aluminum)
antifreeze parts store 10
auto shifter and cable, parts car
auto trans lines get from inline tubing Inline tubing 120
bend exhaust 150
brake pedal and switches from auto car parts car
brake upgrade recommended, extra 900.00 for big brakes
caddy front engine mount just the steel part that goes on engine try and get with engine
caddy rear mount just the steel part that goes on transmission try and get with engine
caddy right mount just the steel part that goes on engine try and get with engine
Cadillac axles will need to be shortened 3/4 " each junk yard 150
cat convertors catco shortest ones 2" summit 120
chip for computer 365.00
coil over conversion need adjusters will fab the rest 150
console for auto will have to be modified for 4 speed auto, parts car
cruise control from olds aroura just the bracket, servo and cable junk yard 50
four cylinder coolant tubes need complete left side, and right side to cut up, parts car
four cylinder fuel lines could use hose but this is better, parts car
four cylinder thermostat housing need to modify for coolant filler, parts car 10 welding
four cylinder throttle cable need to modify ( 87 or 88 four cylinder ), parts car
fuel line to connect lines to tank, parts store 5
gas strut get from rodney ( duel kit would look cooler ) Rodney Dickman 60 8487 singlestrut kit
heat barier for use inside firewall and outside of trunk summit 36 the 13575
heat tape for around wire harness and cable summit 15 the-14002
heater hose need 10 ft of 5/8 and 3/4 parts store 20
idler wheel will have to remove power steering so belt will be shorter parts store 15
k&n filter for stock fiero summit 45
metal for cradle crossmember and mounts 20
misc bolts 50
modify tach for use with v8 couple of bucks for variable resistor 2
oil and filter parts store 15
oil cooler engine oil cooler (frame mount) summit 35 prm-1004
passkey box about 10 bucks worth of parts at radio shack radio shack 10
resonator tips 2" inlet dual outlet summit 45 HOK-21409
right side hinge need to modify for engine clearance parts car
right side hinge mount need to cut out of car to put in parts car
speedo box another 5 bucks at radio shack radio shack 5
speedo calibration box to correct speedo 75
sway bar mount kit for mounting rear bar summit 25
thermo wrap for wiring for wire harnesses in engine compartmentand on cables summit 20
trans cooler hose for between trans and steel lines to radiator summit 15
trans fluid parts store 15
vaccum line for brake booster parts store 5
wire ends and connectors for computer and factory harnesses pontiac 50
wiring from auto under dash for brake switches and cruise parts car
misc radiator hoses most of these are modified fiero hoses parts car 50
misc hose clamps heater and rad hoses parts store 15
misc P clips for holding hoses wire etc parts store 10
spray paint for engine bay touch up parts store 20
plastic wire loom various sizes for making wire harness parts store 20
rear interior panel cut to cover ecm parts car
extra ecm mount need to cut in half to mount caddy ecm parts car
misc wire terminals for ecm and wire harness 150
wire for making harness (color coded to match factory) 50
parts car 4cyl auto would be cheapest way to get parts then part out the rest 500
urathane bushing kit not required but everything will be apart
a/c conversion kit or could use new replacement r 12 parts store 40
STUFF TO REMOVE
auto trans shift linkage need to modify, parts car
steering colume and cable needed for auto trans lock, parts car
trans cable mount need to modify, parts car
trans cable mount need to modify, junk yard
need to remove dogbone bracket from car 0
need to remove right hinge mount 0
remove tubes for blower 0
modify left hinge for coolant lines 0
shorten right side coolant tube 10 welding
swap steering wheel and ignition switch
remove stock engine and wire harness 0
remove wire harness from engine 0
remove temp and oil pressure senders from stock engine 0
blast and powdercoat cradle 75
fab crossover tube 20 welding
shorten axles 50 machining
sell parts from parts car hood panels seats radiator headlight motors etc -150
sell old engine and trans sell old V6 and trans -250
Stuff from parts car things to remove from car
remove steering colume remove steering colume
remove brake pedal remove cluch and brake pedals
remove shift console cover remove clutch master and lines
remove throttle cable remove throttle cable
remove shifter and cables remove shifter and cables
remove wire harness and
switches from brake remove ecm
remove plug in front wall where
clutch master would be remove throttle cable
remove right side hinge remove brake wire harness
remove rear interior panel remove engine and transmission
cut out right side hinge remove cooling lines
remove fuel lines remove fuel lines
remove coolant tubes and hoses remove right side hinge
remove thermostat housing remove radiator
remove ecm mount remove rear struts
remove wire harness from engine
remove trans lines holddowns
remove dog bone mount from car
remove hinge mount from car
THINGS TO MODIFY
trans cable mount cut off fiero end and weld to caddy mount
steering column
transfer steering wheel and key to parts car
column
struts
cut off spring perch and slip adjusters over.
Weld centering ring on top support wels on
bolts
axles
disassemble and cut new snap ring grooves
3/8 inch in. cut off 3/8 inch off each end Remove outer cv from Fiero manual axles and remove center portion. remove center portion from caddy axles and install in fiero outer,
hood hinge cut both hinges and weld together
hinge mount
drill out spot welds and remove hinge mount.
Mount new hinge mount over to clear engine.
right side coolant tube shorten and aim rear elbow
left side tube replace with 4 cylinder tube
heater lines bend to aim at right side
radiator support
modify if using aluminum rad to clear filler
and upper hose
water manifold drill and tap hole for coolant sender
fender skirting cut to clear CV boot
air filter remove rain trap
trottle cable
cut end off fiero cable and Silver solder ball to end of cable. Wrap cable with
inslating tape near where it comes through
firewall
cruise bracket
cut off end off of fiero bracket cut cable
mount from olds bracket and weld to fiero
bracket mount olds cruise to fiero modified
bracket and use olds cable
modify cradle
cut out front crossmember and weld in a new
one 4" forward remove stock mount. Weld on
trans mount cut out rear crossmember and
weld in new trans mountgrind all welds. Blast and powder coat.
coolant crossover pipe,fabricate crossover pipe from leftover coolant tubes
wire harness
fabricate wire harness from caddy and fiero harnesses remove plastic mount that goes
through firewall wrap with insulating tape and wire loom solder and heat shrink all
connections
thermostat housing cut off at base weld on end from coolant tube to connect hose to
rear inerior piece cut to cover ecm, ecm mount cut in half and mount behind seat
hood strut fab mount for bottom of hood strut
a/c hoses cut fiero hose and splice to caddy hoses
console cover
need to remove window and make slot longer glue in new glass and use decal for numbers
fuel lines fab mount for fuel filter and bend lines to fit
valve cover
cut off filler and weld up hole repaint both covers
trans cooler lines
install lines in car will need to fab hoses from
trans to lines
heat insulation
with seats and carpet removed put insulation on fire wall also put on engine side of trunk
oil pressure sender use fiero sender mounted in stock caddy position
tach ad variable resister to tach to adjust assembly
install fuel lines
install coolant lines
install radiator be sure fan doesn’t rub on radiator
mount engine to cradle
test fit into engine bay
install wire harness to engine
install belt and pulleys
install heater hoses on engine
install axles and spindles
install crossover tube
install thermostat housing and
hoses
install shifter and cable
install throtle cable
install steering colume
mount brake pedel and plug hole foe clutch
install brake switches and wire harness
mount ecm
install engine and cradle
run heater hoses
connect fuel lines
connect vacumm lines
connect wire harness
connect rad lines
hook up and adjust shift cable
hook up cruise cable
hook up throtlle cable
trans cooler lines
hook up a/c lines
install air flter tube
bolt in struts
hook up brakes
fill cooling system
fill trans oil
fill engine oil

Got a little extra time on your hands Tim???

Eric

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Used is such a harsh term. . . I perfer "Previously obsessed over" ;)

quote Originally posted by Racingman24: Got a little extra time on your hands Tim???

All that typing and he didn't even use his new signature...?

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Looking for Fiero posters?

Cut and paste man, cut and paste.

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Wow....

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Bobby from NW Indiana
86 Fiero GT, Looking to ad a 93 Northstar soon
thespeedshop@sbcglobal.net

Now all we need are some pics and popcorn.
Hopefully someone will do an build thread documenting their swap with pics. I'd love to see a N* take shape.