There have been some major changes in my life, mostly good ones I must say... but unfortunately progress is painfully slow on the Fiero because of them. I'm currently doing some major upgrades on my house... getting ready to paint every room, replacing worn-out carpet with tile throughout, refinishing the pool and Florida room, etc... I'm a very busy boy!
The Fiero is resting on jack-stands, waiting for for the next chapter to begin...
Today I got the car up on stands and removed the wheels for the inevitable... it's time for some powder-coating! I'm also taking this time to thoroughly inspect the car, as I really haven't since it was bought. I like the idea of catching the little problems before the big ones arrise...
For some reason, I really like this picture. Looks like a jet fighter sitting in the hanger just waiting for the next retrofit! Very cool build!!
Like the interior. Momo wheel is awesome, and the shifter looks beautiful.
Hey man, i saw this thread and started reading. Every break at work, i was back reading this build. Car is looking great and i gotta say, i was happy when you kept with the black and gray interior. Loving the stealth look man. I have subscribed to this thread. Keep up the good work. You are giving me some ideas as well.
Thanks a bunch, Lugnut... I appreciate your kind words, I really do. I've played with many cars over the years, but I think this is the one I will one day be buried in!
I've had 3 Fieros before this one... 5 now in total... I'm not bragging, just saying, because it sounds crazy to me how I could have had so many Fieros when all is considered. I grew up in a Ford family where the Mustang pretty much ruled... and anytime the word "Chevrolet" or "General Motors" was mentioned, a cuss-word usually came before it.
My first Ford (and my first car) was a candy-blue '71 Maverick with a warmed over 302 V8 and other goodies... next was an '82 4cyl Mustang that I converted to a 289 V8 and C4 auto... then came an '86 Thunderbird Elan with a 302/lowered suspension (neat lines on these mid '80's 'Birds).... then there was the '91 Thunderbird Super Coupe, black with a 5-speed/supercharged/intercooled V6. Honestly, the SC is one of the best cars I have ever owned (had a lot of fun in that car!). I'm sure I'm missing one or two other Fords I've had, but you get the point.
I soon expanded beyond the Ford thing though, and found myself enjoying all sorts of cars over the years. The badge and nameplate were not nearly as important to me anymore. But my favorite of them all, by far, has always been our "lowly" Fiero.
Some of us on this forum have money and time... some have very little of either. I'd like to think that my build is more the latter, with a little splash of "blood, sweat and tears."
Thanks again for the kind words. One thing that helps to keep this project going is the encouragement and inspiration I get from PFF.
As always...
...stay "TUNED."
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 08-30-2014).]
Alright... I've been doing a little "house cleaning" on this build thread the last couple of days, most noticeably on page one. It now pretty much sums up the entire project (all within the first seven posts) without having to browse through every page of the build. Those who have been following this build thread will probably notice new pictures, as well as a slightly different layout than before (using the same information). I also did a lot of small things that will probably go unnoticed, like fixing spelling errors, adding a word/changing a word here and there, correcting bad grammar, etc. I will more than likely do editing as time goes by. The goal is to make the information as accurate as possible yet easy to read/understand/navigate, and to be somewhat entertaining at the same time.
I've got some new updates on the way... been working with hammers, drills, grinders and a Sawzall.
Stay "tuned."
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 02-01-2013).]
The Fiero is now on a diet... it's time for some serious weight reduction. What this means is a general tear-down of the car and ridding it of anything that isn't absolutely necessary or needed. Pictures and details on the way.
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 11-18-2014).]
As I had mentioned in the previous post, this Fiero is now going on a serious diet. The goal here is to eliminate the excess "fat" from all areas of the car to make it as light as possible. I won't be taking it to the extremes that other Fiero owner's that I've seen, but some serious weight will be shed none the less.
Here you can see the trunk has been completely removed to make way for the custom exhaust system I will be running, also to shed some weight from the back end of the car (where it needs it the most). Notice the reinforcement brace that was installed under the trunk pan when Archie and the boys did the conversion:
The interior is also in the process of dis-assembly for further weight reduction. I sold the seats to a friend of mine who will be installing them in his C3 Corvette. I will at some point replace them with light-weight racing seats. Unfortunately, most of the interior has already had the Dynamat treatment and the stuff is just too much of a pain to take off so as of now it's going to stay. I may eventually swap these doors for stock ones with no power windows or locks, and coat them with light-weight sound deadener. There is a lot of weight in these doors, so I will eliminate as much weight as possible while retaining strength.
I will post further updates once I get a little farther into the process.
Stay "tuned..."
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 11-18-2014).]
Today I got some more dis-assembly done on the Fiero, and also began to degrease/clean the engine bay and the rest of the rear frame before going any further with the weight reduction and modifications. For those wondering, I'm not concerning myself too much with weighing everything that is removed and/or lightened... this topic has been covered thoroughly enough over the years by other forum members and is a relatively straight forward process. A simple search for "weight" or "weight reduction" will yield many threads to refer to. Instead, I will eventually weigh the Fiero once it is back on the road to see where it's at. I'm not expecting miracles (like below 2400 lbs), I just want to shed as much weight as I can while keeping the car street-able, enjoyable, and safe. That said... it's amazing how much dead weight you can find on a Fiero... you just have to dig!
As always... stay "tuned!"
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 10-29-2014).]
Well, it's been another productive day (and week) in the garage. I spent some more time removing miscellaneous engine-bay brackets (including the factory dog-bone bracket) and trimming down metal in and around the trunk area of the car. So far, a considerable amount of weight has been removed and things are cleaning up rather nicely. The rear frame is now down to it's basic structural skeleton and is almost ready for a little bracing and overall finishing... it's time to buy that welder I've always wanted!
The the rear clip is undergoing the weight loss treatment. The panels are being modified for a more "easy on, easy off" modular installation and dis-assembly. More on that later:
Next I will be removing the HVAC system while continuing the weight reduction process on the rest of the car. Yes, this means no heat and no A/C. Living in sunny Florida definitely has it's perks... for at least 6 months out of the year we have too much heat, and I frankly don't need anymore of it comin' from my ride! Besides... this Fiero is to basically be a bare-bones, no-frills V8 mid-engined sports car... visceral and raw... you could think of it as a four-wheeled sport bike with a comfortable seat and a windshield. And the need for A/C in Florida is a bit over-rated if you ask me... that's what your cushy daily driver is for!
So this is where things start getting interesting! I am ready to use my welding and fabrication skills to take this project to the "next level."
Stay "tuned."
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 03-15-2013).]
Yet another step in the right direction. Today I received my new Chicago Electric welder... no, it's not anything that fancy, just a very basic 120V/90 amp flux wire unit from Harbor Freight... no gas, no frills. It will weld up to 3/16" steel (advertised, will weld thicker than that), and should be more than sufficient for the projects I have lined up for the Fiero, and most other projects I may have in the future. I could have spent a little more $$$ for a MIG welder, but really this will do the trick for what I need... for now.
I've been a proficient welder for years and have plenty of experience welding MIG, ARC (stick), and even some TIG. I've welded steel, stainless steel, and even aluminum (my favorite)... I just never had my own welder before. So this is going to be fun for me.
On to the next chapter!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 10-14-2014).]
I have been busy doing some major cleaning around the house. I soon will be posting an ad in the mall for lots of parts that I have but don't need... mostly spare parts that have been sitting in the attic, but also some parts that are right off the GT.
As for the project, not much has been happening due to lack of funds. Hopefully I can get a few $$$ from selling those parts so I can put it back into the car. Replacing the transmission is still the major priority... and because funds remain low, now I am leaning towards using the later model Getrag to replace the broken old original.
Anyways... as always, stay tuned!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 10-11-2014).]
I wish I had just loaded that tranny up and brought it to you. Glad to see you are back!!!
Thanks John... good to see things working out for you too, btw! I haven't really been gone from the forum... been lurking/visitng but haven't been posting much. Yes, looking back, I should have taken you up on that offer to help with the trans... at least I could have been driving and enjoying the Fiero all this time! If I remember correctly though, I was still very unhappy how easily the Getrag let go after a mild launch at the dragstrip, and wasn't too excited about putting in another one. At the time, I had my mind set on upgrading to an F40/F23 so I declined your offer.
A lot of time has passed... now I am liking the idea of using a late model Getrag instead. In my case, it's a more affordable alternative and way easier to install than a F40/F23, uses a hydraulic throw-out bearing, better/smoother shifting and has slightly beefier spider gears than the old-school Getrags. Not too concerned with having a LSD unless someone convinces me otherwise (not planning on doing much racing at the strip, if you know what I mean ). Same gearing as the old Getrags tho, which kinda sucks, because 1st gear has a WAY too high ratio for a lower-revving/torquey V8.
Because money has been so tight for so long (bought a house, got married, have kids, etc), not much has been getting done on this project the last couple of years. I now have a lot of Fiero parts for sale in the mall... hopefully I can round up some $$$ to get this thing back on track. Anyone in the central Florida area who's needing/wanting Fiero parts, check it out:
Brett and tony..... This is getting pretty ironic now. I went thru a nasty 2yr divorce as well while owning and building this project. One things for use is that this car kept me in sync. The light at the end for us all should be our dreams made real. Keep the faith and that glistening of light at the end of the tunnel. Your cars will be your therapist as it is mine
The search is STILL on for a replacement transmission... now I'm looking for a 5-Speed Getrag, preferably a later model FWD from a 1992-94 Beretta/Corsica/etc.
Getting ready to remove the engine and transmission from the cradle...
As of right now, I'm planning on ditching the factory TPI and Vortec base for a Weiand Stealth Ram to extend the SBC's usable RPM range for the low-geared Getrag. I would like to swap out the 262H cam for something with a more aggressive grind, or I may just use full roller rockers with the same cam. Not sure yet on this, as there are clearance limitations with stock Vortec heads when going over .470 lift and I wasn't planning to pull the heads. If I start going that deep, I may as well start considering building that 383 stroker that I want.
I'll be loosing a little low-end torque doing all of this, but that will help ease the load on the fragile Getrag a little, which is what I'm aiming for. Ultimately though, the extended RPM range should also make the car much more enjoyable/drivable, not to mention quicker. That's the goal.
I'm not building a drag car here, but I do want the transmission to last a while behind the SBC.
I can hear some of you laughing already.
Stay Tuned!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 10-29-2014).]
For the camshaft, I think if you switch to the LS1 valve spring retainers you can get up to .525 lift w/o machine work to the vortec heads, so the GM hot cam (roller cam with .525" lift) would be a good upgrade and worth about 425 fwhp with the right intake and exhaust.
For the camshaft, I think if you switch to the LS1 valve spring retainers you can get up to .525 lift w/o machine work to the vortec heads, so the GM hot cam (roller cam with .525" lift) would be a good upgrade and worth about 425 fwhp with the right intake and exhaust.
I've been watching that build, VERY nicely done. I've always admired your work and your knowledge here on the forum, I really appreciate your input.
I just recently learned about the use of LS1 retainers, but I just haven't found a lot of solid info on the subject. Sounds like it's the way to go for using my stock Vortecs. Also heard good things about the GM "Hot Cam" on other forums.
Note taken.
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 10-08-2014).]
Unfortunately I didn't make it to Road Atlanta this year to watch the 'Vettes rock Petit Le Mans, so I spent a good part of the day in my garage streaming it live from imsa.com while wrenching on the GT. It was a helluva' race despite some unfortunate luck for the Corvette Racing team. They wound up in 3rd place in points overall for the year... not bad considering the new C7R's early-season bugs that took a few races to work out, along with TUDOR's ridiculous "Balance Of Performance" crap and bad luck they've dealt with all season long. Next year is going to be very interesting.
As for this ongoing Fiero project... some things are just better explained with pictures instead of words.
I'll start with a ridiculous teaser pic. Yes, it's a cardboard box with some words on it. Deal with it!:
Stay "tuned."
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 04-26-2015).]
Firewall and trunk clearance is the real issue to deal with when installing these headers into a stock Fiero, as some trimming is required to fit. FieroGuru has been down this road before... check out his thread from the archives:
The following video features the same headers I used, only in a stretched Fiero chassis for a Lambo replica. Notice when you watch it that there is plenty of clearance from the header tubes to the firewall because the frame is stretched, which moves the cradle/engine back about a foot or so from it's stock location. Works fine in a stretched chassis, but having this kind of clearance is obviously not the case in a stock Fiero which I will demonstrate in upcoming posts. Also, when the gentleman talking in the video says "modification" is required to these headers in order to clear the Fiero strut tower, what he really is saying is that the straight ends of the primary tubes going into the collectors need to be shortened before the collectors are slipped on. This is a very simple thing to do. Shortening the straight tube ends this way also keeps them equal length, retaining 100% of the headers efficiency and sound.
This style of 180 header is available from Schoenfeld in two variations, with different angled collectors and selected primary size being the only major differences between them. I chose the #179-2 because it has the 45 degree elbows that are needed to clear the strut tower, and because it has 1-5/8" primaries which are plenty big for even a heavily modded street SBC.
Here's the video. The Dr. Gas "Freq-Mod" mufflers sound like crap in this vid, BTW. SpinTechs would be interesting to hear:
And as for good 180 degree header sound... self explanatory! There's lot's of videos on YouTube featuring 180 headers. It's a sound I've loved since I was a child.
This vid shows the same headers I am using... wide open, no muffs:
Some more great sounds... here's a gnarly-sounding outlaw dirt-track car with a high compression SBC and 180's:
Kelmark GT with a 355 & 180's... built on a Fiero chassis... don't know which headers were used. COLD start:
Wicked De Tomaso Pantera with a BMW Alpina V8... not 180's, but a custom equal-length 8-2-1 system achieving a very similar sound:
Same Pantera, longer vid. Notice the almighty Ferrari hardly getting noticed, and the loud applause when the guy with the Pantera rolls in and does his thing... awesome!:
More info and videos of this wicked Pantera can be found here:
From Guru's archived thread... this pic shows you the firewall clearance issue almost perfectly:
The first clue as to how I made these headers work in my Fiero, is understanding exactly WHERE the headers would hit the firewall if nothing was trimmed.
As it turns out, they would hit on the upper firewall area located directly BEHIND the center console glove box.
My, my, my... how convenient.
Second clue: if you are one of those individuals who absolutely has to keep the full trunk space in your Fiero, these headers are not for you. Luckily, I'm not you.
At the very least, simple strut tower bracing is required for these headers to fit properly and to retain the frame's rigidity. The front trunk cross-bracing has to go.
More details and pics to come.
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 10-10-2014).]
I spent a LOT of time examining pictures on the internet, watching YouTube videos, taking measurements and doing some serious eye-balling before I came to the conclusion that these 180 headers could fit with some creativity. After getting the headers bolted onto the engine while the cradle was out, I could see that I was in fact good-to-go with fitting them into the car based on actual measurements I took.
The first step was trimming the firewall behind the center console glove box so that I could put the cradle back in for the first test fitment for clearance. I decided to cut above where the shift cables pass through in an attempt to leave them as they were without modification. The rectangle-shaped cut was made all the way to the top to the rear window lower support, based on the overall height and position of the headers relative to the firewall. Again, I wasn't positive they would clear without slightly more trimming, but I was confident that it was close enough to try it out before removing any more metal. My hopes were to be able to reinstall the center console back into the car and retain the Fiero's "stock" look, so I cut accordingly. If it didn't quite work out that way, I would just have to make a custom center console... which didn't matter to me. Either way, these headers were going in the car.
BEFORE CUTTING:
AFTER CUTTING:
With the firewall trimmed behind the center console, it was time to drop the body back onto the cradle for the first test-fit. The headers actually fit great on the first try, with no more trimming necessary:
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 10-29-2014).]
Here's a few more shots showing the actual firewall clearance. Soon I will be rerouting electrical wires and building a shallow steel box to cover the hole in the firewall:
More details and pics on the way!
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 10-10-2014).]
I never took the time to figure out the firewall bulge was only needed behind the center console! Once I figured out there was no room for them, I started modifying them...
I never took the time to figure out the firewall bulge was only needed behind the center console! Once I figured out there was no room for them, I started modifying them...
This exhaust project is quite interesting!
Your previous efforts with this style of header and your old mock-up pictures contributed immensely in helping me make the decision to go ahead and put these headers in. I'm not so sure I would have tried to do it without them! Thanks for helping to pave the way.
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 10-12-2014).]
I'll get into more details about the rear header fitment this weekend.
This part of the installation was pretty straight-forward... the remaining structural metal connecting the two strut towers, without question, had to go:
Stay "tuned."
[This message has been edited by ITALGT (edited 11-21-2014).]
Besides... this Fiero is to basically be a bare-bones, no-frills V8 mid-engined sports car... visceral and raw... you could think of it as a four-wheeled sport bike with a comfortable seat and a windshield. 
). Same gearing as the old Getrags tho, which kinda sucks, because 1st gear has a WAY too high ratio for a lower-revving/torquey V8. 
