Recently I was working on an 88 Formula T-top that ultimately I decided I didn't want to finish. I decided that T-tops weren't for me, and I really wanted the GT body so I parted out the Formula and purchased this 1988 Fiero GT with only 57,000 miles on it. I paid $5200 off of eBay which was probably a little too much, but it had exactly what I wanted. It was a low mile GT, it was an automatic, and it was all original except the previous owner put Borla exhaust on it quite some time ago. It was located in Cleveland, so I flew in and drove it back to Houston. Here it is at a rest stop on the way home.
Here it is in the garage.
It had a few important issues that I had to immediately address. The first and most important is that it had a small leak in the radiator. I luckily had a spare from the Formula so I swapped them out. Eventually I plan to upgrade to a aluminum core radiator. The second issue was that the A/C needed a charge. I wish I would have done that before I left Cleveland with it because it was a long drive to Texas without A/C in the middle of June.
The next issue I felt the need to address was the radio. It had the original Delco AM/FM Cassette in it. When I picked it up, the two dash speakers didn't work. I didn't know if it was the radio or the speakers until I looked under the dash when I got home, and for some reason the wires had been cut and the front speakers weren't hooked up. They were the original factory speakers. I had been collecting all the parts to put Performance Sound in the other car, so I finished acquiring the rest and decided to install it in this car. While I was at it, I decided to change the head unit to a Pontiac Monsoon head unit with factory CD changer controls so I could hook up an iPod adapter. Unfortunately, I bought the wrong one off of eBay that didn't have the CD changer controls. I found out that they look the same, and they all have the plug, but they don't all have the same internals. Luckily the volume knob was defective so I returned it and purchased the correct one which should be here today. I put new front and rear speakers from Kicker in while I had everything apart. They sound great with the performance sound.
When I ordered a replacement factory subwoofer from Rodney, I picked up some replacement speaker grill cloth. I it amazing how much the original cloth fades over time. Here is a side by side.
Unfortunately when I took out the drivers side A-pillar trim to run the new Performance Sound overhead console wiring, I noticed the headliner was sagging. The only thing holding the fabric to the roof was the trim pieces, the visors, and the sunroof gasket. I took the sunroof board to a local upholstery shop and they are going to redo it and redo the visors. This car also had the sunroof sunshade with it and its headliner was sagging as well. Since I brought the parts to them, the are only charging my $90 to recover everything plush about $30 in materials. That should be done by Friday.
While I was messing around in the interior, I decided to install a Cadillac Homelink unit that a few members here have done. I took quite some time to cut and file the hole to the right size. It isn't perfect, but I think it came out pretty nice. I tied the electrical in to the passenger power window switch so it won't work without the key in the ignition. I don't leave the car parked outside very often, but I prefer nobody to be able to open my garage door if they get into the car.
The biggest part of my plan for this car is to install a 3.9 with a 4T65E. I acquired the engine and transmission last January from a place up in Michigan that disassembles test vehicles for GM. It has 26 miles on it. Here is the 2006 Uplander it all came from.
Here is how I found it on eBay.
Since my original plan was to put this thing in the 88 Formula, I had already mounted it to the cradle with FieroX transmission mounts and a stock 88 engine mount with a modified 88 engine bracket. I kept extra Formula cradle so I could drive the car while working on the engine swap.
Two of the things that need to be addressed are the oil filter and the A/C compressor. A remote oil filter will need to be used because the stock oil cooler is pitched down instead of out so there is interference with the cradle. The A/C compressor hits the hump where the exhaust passes under the forward crossmember. I'm going to have somebody who is a better welder than I am cut off the top of that hump, and then reinforce it.
I have lots of plans for this car. Stay tuned.
[This message has been edited by UND_Sioux (edited 10-25-2011).]
:PLEASE for the love of GOD...Do not take this car apart then parts it out........Just enjoy driving the car how it is.......Buy a $300 88 Coupe to do the swap in so you can get it done, bugs worked out then put it in the GT.....Just some advice but your car so build on....
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09:05 PM
josef644 Member
Posts: 6939 From: Dickinson, Texas USA Registered: Nov 2006
:PLEASE for the love of GOD...Do not take this car apart then parts it out........Just enjoy driving the car how it is.......Buy a $300 88 Coupe to do the swap in so you can get it done, bugs worked out then put it in the GT.....Just some advice but your car so build on....
I am happy to see oyu back to doing the swap. I do, however, agree with MstangsBeware. Get all the bugs out first. Mounting it onto the cradle is the easy part.
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09:25 PM
UND_Sioux Member
Posts: 319 From: Houston, TX, USA Registered: Dec 2009
First of all, a couple of weeks ago I drove up to the Dallas area and paid a visit to MstangsBware and he let me cut one of his 88 chassis' in half before it went to the scrapper. I hauled the back half home and it is leaning up against the wall in my garage getting ready to be used to mock up my new engine. Here is the car before it was cut in half.
I had the cradle hump cut out and a square tube welded and reinforced in its place. There was a clearance problem with the A/C compressor. This allows me to still use the factory setup for the e-brake.
I've been spending the past couple of weeks building a wiring harness and simplifying everything. Initially, I'm planning on using the BCM, with the key transponder in order to make the thing start. I've eliminated most of the BCM systems, but I can go and re-pin them in the future If I want to. I probably won't though. Today, I finally got around to installing the remote oil filter. The placement of the oil filter does not work on the 3900 without hitting the cradle due to the factory oil cooler. I wanted to keep that, so I used a remote kit.
My next step is to get the newer style transmission cooler fittings adapted to the Fiero steel lines and then finish the wiring harness. I'd like to have it running by the end of the Thanksgiving weekend. We'll see.
[This message has been edited by UND_Sioux (edited 10-24-2011).]
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11:18 PM
Oct 26th, 2011
UND_Sioux Member
Posts: 319 From: Houston, TX, USA Registered: Dec 2009
Things move pretty fast when you have a few days away from work. I hit a big milestone tonight. I actually proved that I could get all of the computers, BCM, and key transponder to talk to each other through the data network. I don't have the fuel tank hooked up yet, but if you turn the key, it actually turns over. I was shocked that it worked. I had only one plug out of three plugged into the back of the massive fuse block and then just two other wires into two pins where one of the other harness connectors used to be. 75% of the BCM wires have been removed.
Also, I was able to get a transmission cooler line from GM that fits the newer style fittings. It was the same on both ends with a rubber 3/8 hose in the middle. I cut it in half, used some hose barbs in the middle and looped in back to the transmission so I can test everything without spraying fluid everywhere.
The next big step is to hook up a fuel pump, and build the fuel lines. I have an extra tank, so I'm going to try to start it right on the stand and make sure it runs.
After that, I'll carefully remove the remaining wires from the fuse block plug, and wire the fuse and relays into a much smaller fuse block. I pulled a fuse block from a 93 Camaro from the local parts yard. It is set up for 8 relays and 12 fuses. That should hopefully be enough. The 3900 needs a lot of fuses that the Fiero fuse block was not equipped with.
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11:54 PM
Oct 28th, 2011
UND_Sioux Member
Posts: 319 From: Houston, TX, USA Registered: Dec 2009
I can't believe it worked. I actually got it started tonight. Here is a video of me running it for a few seconds. It was my first attempt at starting it, and it was loud! When I operated the electronic gas pedal, I got a quick pop from the exhaust and I jumped a little. I was able to use some AN fittings for the fuel line from a Corvette C5 filter regulator and some AN hose barbs to run some rubber lines. When I actually get this in the car, I'll take off the barbs and thread on some braided stainless steel line.
The first start up is alwasy the best...espically when it is a swap like urs that is not ordinary like say the 3800...>Good to hear it running and hope to see it on the road soon....
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05:58 PM
josef644 Member
Posts: 6939 From: Dickinson, Texas USA Registered: Nov 2006
I can't believe it worked. I actually got it started tonight. Here is a video of me running it for a few seconds. It was my first attempt at starting it, and it was loud! When I operated the electronic gas pedal, I got a quick pop from the exhaust and I jumped a little. I was able to use some AN fittings for the fuel line from a Corvette C5 filter regulator and some AN hose barbs to run some rubber lines. When I actually get this in the car, I'll take off the barbs and thread on some braided stainless steel line.
I can't believe it worked. I actually got it started tonight. Here is a video of me running it for a few seconds. It was my first attempt at starting it, and it was loud! When I operated the electronic gas pedal, I got a quick pop from the exhaust and I jumped a little. I was able to use some AN fittings for the fuel line from a Corvette C5 filter regulator and some AN hose barbs to run some rubber lines. When I actually get this in the car, I'll take off the barbs and thread on some braided stainless steel line.
Say What? I am sure there is good reason to have to sell so I will not even ask...Good luck with the sale and hope it goes to someone that will complete it.
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05:41 PM
UND_Sioux Member
Posts: 319 From: Houston, TX, USA Registered: Dec 2009
And nice 3900, whats the differences in stats for the 3900 as opposed to the 3800?
The 3900 is a 60 degree v6. The block is the exact same length as the 2.8. The rated HP is 240 and TQ is 240. The engine has VVT and electronic throttle.
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05:55 PM
UND_Sioux Member
Posts: 319 From: Houston, TX, USA Registered: Dec 2009
Say What? I am sure there is good reason to have to sell so I will not even ask...Good luck with the sale and hope it goes to someone that will complete it.
The reason is the unstable industry I work in. Also, I decided that having two cars is rather unnecessary right now.
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05:58 PM
Raydar Member
Posts: 40963 From: Carrollton GA. Out in the... country. Registered: Oct 1999
I just found this thread, started reading through it and got excited, and then I see the project is off
How far did you get with this? I've been wondering how hard it would be to get a newer-style GM remote start system to work in a Fiero?
I'm near 100% sure that it would work. All you'd have to do is get a remote start module and matching fob and pin it to the appropriate pins at the BCM and I'm pretty sure that it would crank.
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08:43 PM
Dec 15th, 2011
UND_Sioux Member
Posts: 319 From: Houston, TX, USA Registered: Dec 2009
