This has been going on a long time; 10 years now. My usual patience for a car project is a couple years. This one got interrupted by many other projects along the way, and I added more and more mods as time went on. I thought I should post about the current status since it is pretty much complete (as complete as a car project like this can ever be, there is always something more that can be done).
So, what this is. It started with a 4 cylinder 1984 Fiero. Modifications include:
Small block Chevy engine from a 1970 Vette; 350 cid L82, 4 bolt mains 4 speed overdrive automatic transmission from a GM 3.8L supercharged car (4T65E-HD) CompuShift transmission controller Electronic gear shift indication FiTech fuel injection system Battery relocated to rear trunk Corvette rear view mirrors
Replica Ferrari Dino body with several modifications to give a more modern look: - Vents in hood filled in - Parking lights moved from upper front clip to below headlights (VW Beetle lights used) - Front of door curved inwards to make brake vents - Door handles removed and door “poppers” installed - B-pillar vents removed and mold lines removed and filled in - Rear fender lip extended 2” to fill in gap above wheels - Some vents removed from trunk lid - Trunk lid cut in half to make a trunk lid and an engine lid; electric poppers on both - License plate area recessed for a more modern look - Lip spoiler added to rear of trunk
Custom tail lights fabricated with the look of the originals but with LEDs Miata dash and center console adapted Custom shifter plate and shift knob fabricated (to simulate a manual tranny shifter) Miata interior door handles adapted Instruments from Speed Hut used MrMikes seat upholstery New headliner Front and rear adjustable coilover suspension Wheel spacers front and rear to fill fender width New brake master cylinder, wheel cylinders, disks, booster, lines New wheel bearings, shocks, springs 3D printed badges; the B pillar ones are small scoops leading into the engine compartment
I think that is about it, but I may have forgotten something. There really isn’t much Fiero left on it. Overall it’s been a fun project. It started out as just an engine swap, and grew from there. I put some miles on it around the neighborhood last year while sorting out a few things and it drives very nicely. If winter ever ends this year I’ll be able drive it more and see what it is really like.
I did put some Ferrari prancing horse logos on it which I kind of regret now. I did borrow Ferrari’s numbering system from their early cars, which explains the badges on the back. In most of the pictures the hood/trunk lids aren’t closed and latched so it looks like the fit isn’t great.
What is left to do: Finish wheel center covers (working on some custom logo ones) Add an engine lid prop (to replace my wooden stick!)
That's what I've been busy with for a while. When it is all done I'll likely put a few miles on it to make sure everything is sorted out and then sell it. That's what I do with my cars since I like the planning and working on cars. Once the project is done I have to find something else to do on it or move on to another one.
Rick
[This message has been edited by couldahadaV8 (edited 04-14-2018).]
Originally posted by cam-a-lot: How difficult (I know it is a relative term) was it to make that interior fit? It is stunning...
Thank you very much.
Hard to say, depends on the skills someone has, but more than that you can't be afraid to jump right in and start tearing things apart. I would say that anyone that does mods on their car could do it. It did involve metal cutting, some welding to make mounts, some fiberglass molding, sheet metal work to match the air ducts from car to new dash, lots of wiring. The hardest part was getting the center console to fit. I had to made an intermediate piece from fiberglass to sort of match the difference from the Fiero center structure to the Miata console. The rear piece that normally covers the computer was made from fiberglass too. There is no Fiero computer, but the transmission controller is back there along with a few miles of wire and connectors. I still think it is one of the nicest dashes to go in a Fiero (of course I might be a little bias).
I realize the whole thing is not for everyone. Those that pride themselves in their Fiero being absolutely stock, well, I understand that and there is something really cool about a perfectly preserved car. I wanted something I could do a lot of modifications to, so I used the Fiero only as a starting point.
Oh, by the way, I did paint the car after I did all the body mods, but I wasn't 100% happy with the way it came out. I didn't have it in me to paint it again so I had it wrapped. That's what you see in the pictures. The paint that I did was red, but a little darker.
It is when you are at this stage that you start to ask yourself what the heck you were thinking!!....
Beautiful Car!! Well done indeed! In the picture it looks like you have the fitech throttle body? How do you like it and how was the setup? I'm thinking about getting their kit for my v8.
Originally posted by liv4God: In the picture it looks like you have the fitech throttle body? How do you like it and how was the setup? I'm thinking about getting their kit for my v8.
I had a carb on it when I first did the swap and it worked OK. Always wanting to try new things I decided on a bolt-on fuel injection system. After a lot of research I decided on the FiTech.
Installation was very easy, no separate computer to hook up, just a few basic connections. I had to run a wire inside the car for the cool display/programming unit it comes with. Did it fire up and run perfectly first try? Nope. My fault though. I thought I had the RPM pickup lead in the right place. The car would fire up and then die. I could see on the display that there was no RPM showing, which there should be even while cranking. A quick swap of that lead to another location (from the spark box to the distributor) and then it fired right up. It was really cool listening to it run that first time. A little rough at first and then smoothing out as the computer leaned. It idled and drove perfectly. I could see with the air/fuel gauge that it went from around 12:1 at cruise to 14:1; my fault for not playing with the carb more. You can input the very basics and have it do the rest, or go into the hand-held unit and program all sorts of stuff.
I haven't put a lot of miles on it yet but would certainly recommend it. I also bought their "Command Center" (I think that is what they call it). It takes the fuel from the Fiero tank, using the stock Fiero pump, and puts it into the Command Center. That has a high pressure pump in it that pumps the fuel to the throttle body. 2 gauges let you see what is going on with it.
Rick
[This message has been edited by couldahadaV8 (edited 04-16-2018).]
I also did the Fitech tbi on my sbc swapped Fiero. It work pretty well.
But i heard people are having problem with the fuel commander overheating. If it is ever the case with yours, you can replace the Fiero fuel pump with one from a corvette and completely remove the fuel commander.
Originally posted by Jon350: But i heard people are having problem with the fuel commander overheating. If it is ever the case with yours, you can replace the Fiero fuel pump with one from a corvette and completely remove the fuel commander.
Yes, I read all that. They have tweaked things a little and either eliminated the problem or minimized it. It was the high pressure pump in the command tank recirculating the fuel and overheating. They have reduced the voltage, or the stepping pulses or something like that to let the pump slow way down when high flow isn’t required. Something like that anyways. When I start to put some mileage on it I’ll know if it works well now.
[This message has been edited by couldahadaV8 (edited 04-17-2018).]
Really great job, beautiful car, but I still cannot figure out how you were able to use a SBC with the 4T65eHD transmission. I once did a measurement and any engine longer than an LS4 would not fit with this trans.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Really great job, beautiful car, but I still cannot figure out how you were able to use a SBC with the 4T65eHD transmission. I once did a measurement and any engine longer than an LS4 would not fit with this trans.
Well thank you. And yes, that combination of engine/tranny is VERY tight. I didn't realize when I started this that it was not done before; maybe it was but I couldn't find any reference. The frame needs to be notched for the engine pulley on the right side of the car, and the cradle needs to be notched for the tranny on the other side. With very careful positioning, and about 1/2" to play with, it does fit. There are some details on a web page I started a while back. I didn't keep it up to date so it sort of fades out as I started the dash swap.
What engine insulation are you using? Does it work good for you and the 350ci heat?
Sorry, I don't remember exactly, but I think it is EZ Cool in the engine compartment.....2 layers. I put a layer of the felt stuff under the carpet on the other side of the firewall. How well does it work....not sure yet, but it should be good.
Well thank you. And yes, that combination of engine/tranny is VERY tight. I didn't realize when I started this that it was not done before; maybe it was but I couldn't find any reference. The frame needs to be notched for the engine pulley on the right side of the car, and the cradle needs to be notched for the tranny on the other side. With very careful positioning, and about 1/2" to play with, it does fit. There are some details on a web page I started a while back. I didn't keep it up to date so it sort of fades out as I started the dash swap.
It looks like you found the solution for the SBC V8 guys that want to have a transmission that can stand up to the power When you notched the cradle, I assume that you added some metal to the cradle in those spots. Axles must also be quite short and very custom????. Last question; how are you controlling/shifting the 4T65eHD. Beyond the questions this is still an amazing build and I am envious of your ingenuity.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Originally posted by wftb: Really nice car, I have always wanted a Dino body. I was just wondering if it still has a trunk? Thanks for sharing the pics.
Yes, still has a trunk. And another shallow tray behind the trunk. This is when I was fitting the panels back on after painting.
Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua: It looks like you found the solution for the SBC V8 guys that want to have a transmission that can stand up to the power When you notched the cradle, I assume that you added some metal to the cradle in those spots. Axles must also be quite short and very custom????. Last question; how are you controlling/shifting the 4T65eHD. Beyond the questions this is still an amazing build and I am envious of your ingenuity.
Thank you very much.
Yes, I welded in metal where ever I notched something out. Added more or thicker metal in most areas. For the cradle notch, the A-arm fits in on the opposite side so I couldn't notch it out too much. I also ground a little metal off the A-arm flange beside the bushing to gain a little extra clearance. Like I said, it is tight, but doable.
I put a ton research into the axles. From my notes, here is what I ended up with. Basically ended up making them from several stock ones. The 4T65E-HD has a larger spline on the passenger side than the Fiero tranny, so I used the tripot from the 4T65E-HD. A passenger side bare axle from a Pontiac Grand Prix GTP is close to the correct length. I reground the snap ring groove in it and then cut off about 1/2". Not sure if I had to do that or not; might have been OK with it being 1/2" longer. The GTP tripot is too big for the Fiero wheel bearing so I used the GTP parts and rebuilt them into the Fiero tripot. Drivers side is a '95 Beretta auto tranny passenger side axle with the Fiero CV joint and tripot. Simple, eh? And yes, they are pretty short. Awful, messy, greasy work.....I was glad to be done with that stage of the build.
The transmission is controlled with a unit from CompuShift. They didn't advertise a controller for that tranny, but when I called them they said they had it, just didn't advertise it. Works beautifully. Even has a cable for paddle shifting if I ever decide to add that. All the leads were very clearly labeled. Made me laugh since one said "do not cut this lead shorter no matter what anybody tells you". With the controller box, which I have in the center console, you can adjust shift RPM, pressure, torque converter lock-up, and a bunch of other stuff. It also displays all sorts of data, including what gear the tranny is in.
Thanks for explaining about the powertrain install , the cradle, the shifting controller and for satisfying my curiosity. . Extremely interesting post and very impressive work. On the 4T65eHD's the shifting signals were changed in 2003 so there are two different version of this trans early and late. Assume that you used the pre-2003 trans as I haven't seen any aftermarket controller advertised that can shift the later models but maybe one does exist. I must say you are a true automotive craftsman.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
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