Thanks! And nope I made a lot of money working at a dealership last summer and I'm still floating on it haha, my goal is to be driving it by next week! Page 3 ------------------ 86 Fiero GTX project soon to tear up the street, My build thread! 3800sc, interior, wheels and more! https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/089483.html
[This message has been edited by IanT720 (edited 09-29-2012).]
I started to use my stock shifter and got as far as flattening out the tabs for it to fit, but gave up and bought FOY Racings shift adapter. For axels I used my stock fiero axle drivers side, and had mstangsbeware build my passenger one.
Well great news, my flexplate doesn't line up with my TC the holes are literally a 1/4 inch off. So I need to drop it all out, unmate them, and give the flexplate to my machinest :/
Ha your right, I'm getting good at dropping the cradle anyway, just really not looking forward to the horrible return time of my machinest. At least I know the engine runs and all. I really wanted to be able to drive it by my birthday October 5, which is still totally possible I suppose. Thanks for the insight.
Well got it out new record! 1hr and 15 mins, would have been quicker if those horizontal cradle bolts weren't stuck. And that's about it for today I'm leaving for a nice picnic with my girlfriend and then she's having me over for dinner too, hey free food!
Update- just finished dremeling and bolting my flexplate to the T/C, I put my starter back on, and haven't decided if I want to leave the engine out while I do my belt routing, or just do it in car since I'm still waiting on the parts. I think I will put it in tomorrow . I also got my new brake hoses today, mine were pretty dangerous actually. And I started to cut out the sections under my headlights to release air pressure when going high speeds. Here's where I got the idea... http://www.fierosound.com/m...iator%20Area%20Vents
I plan to put the engine back in today, I got my last tire mounted on the rim today so I will paint it up, and also finish connecting all the brake hoses, cotter pins etc... Now for all you guys wondering how I'm going to use that sweet deck lid... here you go... First a pic of it to refresh your memory.... So I also removed all the hinges, torsion rods and the like. Here's a rough sketch of a hinge I'm going to get fabricated... As you can see It retains the trunk lock but uses hood pins in the front, Its more of a helper to easily set the hood onto the roof of my car solo. It will be assisted by two small struts. It will be hinged toward the firewall, and at the rear of the decklid so it will sit nicely on top of a blanket I lay on my roof. Any Q's, suggestions?
I got my engine all hooked back up yesterday, and I need to finish putting my interior back together, and finish that last wheel. Then it's back to waiting for parts :/
The hinge idea looks sweet, but to me, it looks like the deck lid would have to lift straight up until it cleared the roof, and then slide forward. If you hook it up the way your drawing describes, when you open it, as the arm rotates up and forward, the motion of the deck lid will immediately begin to travel forward (as well as up). Looking at the pictures of your car, it doesn't look like there will be any room for the deck lid to travel forward until it is above the roof line :-?
Thanks! I think it would be close but, once you pop the latch I think there would still be enough room to swing it up on top, it would need probably 6 inches of clearance roughly before I could swing it up onto the roof, so it would be tight but work. Thanks for the advice
what parts did you need from old engine for your swap? i wanna sell my 2.8 and dont wanna sell anything i need like do i need harness from engine, ac compresser/ starter/ alternator etc i know i need cradle i havnt decided if im gonna go w/ 5sp or 4t65e
Let see off the top of my head, save the gas lines, battery cables, shifter obviously, cradle, Trans mounts, thermostat housing. I think thats about it. You could always keep the intake to see too. Let me know if you have any other Q's.
Defintly keep the wiring harness, junk the AC, is your car originally auto? If it is save the drivers side axel too. If it is auto stick with the 4t65 you mileage will shoot up, better than any manual Trans, overdrive is nice. My advice is to clean and paint everything since your probably not going to have it this apart again.
Defintly keep the wiring harness, junk the AC, is your car originally auto? If it is save the drivers side axel too. If it is auto stick with the 4t65 you mileage will shoot up, better than any manual Trans, overdrive is nice. My advice is to clean and paint everything since your probably not going to have it this apart again.
originally i had the 4 speed getrag ya i am painting the whole chasis etc when im done it will be 100% restored
[This message has been edited by 85bluegtma (edited 10-04-2012).]
I mean you have a lot of pros and cons either way, looking forward to seeing your build!
whats the pros and cons of the 4speed getrag vs the 4t65e out of the donor car? im trying to have this as one fast sob but ill probably play on the highway and twistys more then 1/4 mile
Coolness-4 speed Mpg-auto Top speed-auto by a lot Reliability-auto Easyness of swap- tie (auto needs custom axel, mounts,shifter) (manual need flywheel machined, slave cylinder moved) I think. That's about it, I'd do auto
Awesome build I am really enjoying seeing a fellow "young adult" do work on his fiero. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you put your top hats on upside down on your rear struts. I did the same thing two summers ago when I did an engine swap and put kybs on. That's why those dished washers are so far up and out of the strut towers. When you go to put your vents back on you will realize that those washers get in the way of the mounts that the vents bolt to. Haha I was super bummer when this happened but I took them all apart and did it right, it will make your rear suspension a little taller than it is now but I dont recommend leaving it the way it is.
Awesome build I am really enjoying seeing a fellow "young adult" do work on his fiero. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you put your top hats on upside down on your rear struts. I did the same thing two summers ago when I did an engine swap and put kybs on. That's why those dished washers are so far up and out of the strut towers. When you go to put your vents back on you will realize that those washers get in the way of the mounts that the vents bolt to. Haha I was super bummer when this happened but I took them all apart and did it right, it will make your rear suspension a little taller than it is now but I dont recommend leaving it the way it is.
Zach
Thanks man, yeah there's not a lot of younger guys. Cool what swap did you do? And figures, thanks for the heads up!
Mini update- just finished bleeding my brakes, whoa so much better... There's only a couple inches of travel and they're rock solid . I guess that's what you get with a completed grand am brake swap and all new brake hoses
Okay 1 more giant step towards driving it... Trans line's installed! My transmission never came with any fittings that thread into the housing so after a bunch of screwing around and asking questions I got referred to my local transmission shop, Haas Transmission in Dexter, MI. The guys there where super helpful and he let me take two fittings home with me to test them out, no down payment or anything, talk about trusting anyway one fitting was larger so I had to go back and trade out the other (I had to pay him anyhow) So I payed him 15 bucks (Ouch!) for the one fitting, then he set me up with the other one I needed totally free! . The one had a check-ball in it so I knocked it out not knowing how it goes in, and the guys at the shop said I could do it no problem. I went to car quest and got replacement rubber trans hose, and fuel injection line clamps, I also got 2 hose barb things, 1 straight, and 1 elbow. They're just flared on the end so the hose isn't going anywhere. I started it and ran it for a bit but I noticed the fittings were dripping :/. So after a super messy mess, I put loctite on it, topped up with Dextron VI and she doesn't leak anymore Here's some pics of my lines and fittings....
So as of now, I'm waiting on brackets that hold my supercharger pulley and tensioner, My modified thermostat, and a dogbone. Please FOY Racing I wanna drive her, I collected all the pulleys I need, and blocked off my alternator bracket. Just need to measure for coolant hoses, and get my parts, and belts and that's it! I can taste it!!!
And of course, head over to the alignment shop (wish me luck) and over to the muffler shop... I will be running 2.5 pipe to a Y where is downsizes to 2.25 on both sides, straight back to two cherry bomb resonator tips. Should be loud and cheap, and loud
So as of now, I'm waiting on brackets that hold my supercharger pulley and tensioner, My modified thermostat, and a dogbone. Please FOY Racing I wanna drive her, I collected all the pulleys I need, and blocked off my alternator bracket. Just need to measure for coolant hoses, and get my parts, and belts and that's it! I can taste it!!!
I thought you were gonna recirculate the coolant through the alternator bracket. For the dog bones I bought TFS 4-cyl dog bones and cut them and welded to fit.
[This message has been edited by hercimer01 (edited 10-10-2012).]
I thought you were gonna recirculate the coolant through the alternator bracket. For the dog bones I bought TFS 4-cyl dog bones and cut them and welded to fit.
Yep that's just what I meant in shorter words, I have a small loop set up it looks nice. And I had orderd one already from FOY just waiting on it shipped, thanks for the info though.
Update- I just spent a ton of time sanding and cleaning up my alt, looks perty now Also got my ZZP Breather in the mail, thanks again Topcat. Here's some pictures... I also got my passenger side coolant hoses, will take pics soon.
Been following your build, I like what you are doing plus the fact that you are still young. If you get a chance check out my build, was hoping to have it done this year but Saskatchewan weather did not co-operate.
Been following your build, I like what you are doing plus the fact that you are still young. If you get a chance check out my build, was hoping to have it done this year but Saskatchewan weather did not co-operate.
Ahh so that's yours! And that's all powder coating right? Woah that's a pretty blue there's so much of it haha, what are your plans for the car? And thanks it's always nice to hear, that's cool that your also a youngin. My friends drive crap civics and Taurus's lol so it's good to see someone else who cares about having a cool car and project, seems like your off to a good start! It's all the little things that add up and take time, but once you get rolling you can make big progress quick! Goodluck, might see you at a show?
You made any further progress with the sub box? Engine looks good. Your almost there. Keep chuggin away!
Not right now, I still need to get fiberglass cloth it ain't cheap! And as of now I really want to get it drivable so that's the first priority, thanks though! The box is pretty high on my todo list so it shouldn't be long
Cheap fiberglass. http://www.solarcomposites....iberglass.html#Fiber or go to your local autobody supplier. The resin that can be purchased at places like Homedepot don't work nearly as good from my experience, this goes for body fillers as well. And yes that all powder Smoke Chrome and Translucent Blue over Reflective Chrome powder coat, that I did myself in the back yard. Check out the fiberglass work in Our projects stepside build
Thanks for the info, as far as powder coating you just bake the powder correct? And how did you do the valve covers? I could have lots of fun with that.
Thanks for the info, as far as powder coating you just bake the powder correct? And how did you do the valve covers? I could have lots of fun with that.
. I also got my new brake hoses today, mine were pretty dangerous actually. And I started to cut out the sections under my headlights to release air pressure when going high speeds. Here's where I got the idea... 
So I also removed all the hinges, torsion rods and the like. Here's a rough sketch of a hinge I'm going to get fabricated... _1.JPG)
As you can see It retains the trunk lock but uses hood pins in the front, Its more of a helper to easily set the hood onto the roof of my car solo. It will be assisted by two small struts. It will be hinged toward the firewall, and at the rear of the decklid so it will sit nicely on top of a blanket I lay on my roof. Any Q's, suggestions?
_1.JPG)
_1.JPG)
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I also got my passenger side coolant hoses, will take pics soon.
