Firstpost! New guy and new car.....

**orphancars** · 02-03-2005

Hello fellow sufferers!

I'm new to the list here -- just found it while searching for info on my next car project.....

But a little about me. Guess I'm a typical car guy -- I subscribe to the ethic, "If I had all the money I spent on cars...........I'd spend it all on cars!"

Showing my current and first car project. Yeah, started out as as Fiero, still looks like a Fiero, but hopefully it all stops right there! Partial list of changes includes tubular front/rear suspension, coilovers at all corners, 12" Vette brake swap, limited slip differential. Oh yeah, and a 350 SBC topped with a TPIS intake! Just got it insured and ready for the street and done a few "test miles" around the block! So far, so good. Plans are to get the emissions inspection and re-licensing done in the next weeks and then start driving the thing!
Will also be using the car for local autocross events as well.

Here are a few pics of the car -- looking forward to meeting y'all on the forum!

-jeff d

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**qwik1320** · 02-03-2005

Welcome! Nice car (and nice garage too!)

**Restomod** · 02-03-2005

Welcome! I always liked Fiero's ,been seeing a lot of the supercharged 3.8's in them lately. Hows yours feel so far?

**Ralph LoGrasso** · 02-03-2005

Welcome to the site, Jeff. Bitchin' Fiero!!

**derekf** · 02-03-2005

Sweet ride, Jeff. Welcome to the site!

**ViperBlue68** · 02-03-2005

Jeff,
Car looks sweet!! Motor Swap looks very clean...bet its a blast to drive!

**orphancars** · 02-03-2005

Thanks for the welcome so far folks

......and thanks for the atypical Fiero reception! From the uninformed, I do get my share of "whut? Din't those catch fire a lot??" kind of comments. It's not a bad car and one that I'm surprised didn't get a lot more attention as a possible pro-touring platform. Parts aren't widely available to upgrade the suspension, but they are out there. And as the engine bay pic shows -- there is more than enough room out back to swallow up a V8! I even managed to do a retorque of all the head bolts after the engine was in the car! It really looks like a larger engine was planned for.

So far it's been great to drive......though I've only had it on the road in front of my house for test -n- tune drives. Got the insurance on it this week, then need to do a few things before I take it over for it's emissions inspection and re-licensing (it's been off the street for 7 years). More than enough power in any gear -- just push down on the loud pedal and it just goes forward.......fast! No squeal or spin, it just keeps going!

I am glad I upgraded the brakes though

Getting to a chassis dyno is one of the things I really want to do. According to the folks at TPIS, using their intake/cam/chip on this motor, they estimate 380 HP. I know this for certain -- doesn't feel like the stock 2.8L V6 that used to be back there.

More reports as I get it out on the road.....

-jeff d

**LowBuckX** · 02-03-2005

looks great Id drive it... but my thoughs would be constantly on the tranny/ transaxle... What kind of power can it take?

**orphancars** · 02-03-2005

Shawn -- it's got the factory Getrag 5 speed transaxle, but upgraded w/ a Torsen LSD. Figuring the LSD will give the torque two paths out of the transaxle instead of one

Admittedly, torque is/can be an issue......it's why I decided _not_ to build a 383 stroker motor and instead built a motor that can rev to 6500+.

Hopefully, the weak link will be the Centerforce clutch

Hoping that will slip/break before the transaxle is destroyed.

I'm hoping that the engineers did do a 3x safety factor when they designed the transaxle!

I plan on not doing 5000 RPM dumps continually -- want to get the trans in gear then pound on it! Time will tell if this was a good thing to do. Know of other folks out there with similar drivetrains, so I'm not totally travelling new ground.

Good point -- I'm hoping things last, too!

-jeff d

**Piet** · 02-04-2005

IMHO, it was a mistake to drop the Fiero platform. They handled very well.

Welcome Jeff!

**nitrovette** · 02-04-2005

Yeah i used to love our old fiero,i wanted to drop a small block in ours,but ended up divorced before i could.You got a sweet car,nice job.

**bnoon** · 02-04-2005

I don't care for the color combo or wheel choice, but that is still one hell of a car! There's a guy in town here with a 406 in his '86 Fiero GT that has a better power to weight ratio than almost any supercar. He ran against a GSXR 1100 and a ZX11 on a highway out here and beat them both to 150+ MPH!!! I know, because I was on the GSXR!!!!

BTW, you need to find some better looking exhaust tips. The forth gen Camaro SS reproduction tips (the rectangle ones) would look awsome in there!

**orphancars** · 02-04-2005

Bnoon - I was trying to go for the stealthy look with the paint scheme -- you don't think it'll work?

I wanted something simple and yet different.......decided on the paint scheme a few years ago. Fast forward to today and it seems that yellow is the popular color (along with metallic orange!)

You also hit on something with the exhaust tips! Want to change them, and I'd also like to get the rectangular Camaro tips out back. Only thing is that the off the shelf ones have the outlet centered in the tip, and I had to move the tailpipes to the outer edge of the openings in the fascia to get the flowmasters and the cats all packaged in there. Yet more fabrication! BTW -- it is a true dual exhaust out back -- dual cats/dual mufflers!

Was that 406 a smallblock?

thx!

-jeff d

**68BNUT** · 02-04-2005

That thing looks great cant wait to see it around town!!!!!!

**bnoon** · 02-04-2005

Originally Posted by orphancars

Bnoon - I was trying to go for the stealthy look with the paint scheme -- you don't think it'll work?

I wanted something simple and yet different.......decided on the paint scheme a few years ago. Fast forward to today and it seems that yellow is the popular color (along with metallic orange!)

You also hit on something with the exhaust tips! Want to change them, and I'd also like to get the rectangular Camaro tips out back. Only thing is that the off the shelf ones have the outlet centered in the tip, and I had to move the tailpipes to the outer edge of the openings in the fascia to get the flowmasters and the cats all packaged in there. Yet more fabrication! BTW -- it is a true dual exhaust out back -- dual cats/dual mufflers!

Was that 406 a smallblock?

thx!

-jeff d

There was a place that had offset rectangle tips that resembled fourth gen tips. I'll see if I can find them.

The yellow might be stealth if you're driving through a field of daisys, but outside of that I think you failed the stealth look! LOL!

Yes, the 406 was a small block with 6" rods, aluminum heads, and some type of circle track intake for high RPM breathing. He had a small hood scoop on to clear his air filter because the intake stuck it up so high... It also lowered the low RPM torque enough that the stock running gear survived...

**Matt** · 02-05-2005

Welcome!
I always liked fieros too, it's nice to see one in good shape with a proper powerplant as opposed to the ones I see daily in disrepair. I'm not sure if it's the yellow but it reminds me of a Lotus.

**orphancars** · 02-05-2005

Thanks bnoon! PM me if you find out or remember where those exhaust tips come from.......and I'd'a thought that 406 would be a torque motor -- that's why I stayed away from putting a 383 in mine.........figured the transaxle wouldn't have lasted very long.

Matt -- thanks! Yeah, maybe I too see a bit of Lotus in there....always thought the GT's looked like little baby Ferrari's when they first came out.

68BNut - PM me if there are any good car shows/meets that happen on the weekends........the weather is finally looking up!

Thanks all -- more later,

-jeff d

**skeevay** · 02-05-2005

Nicest Fiero I've seen. Looks to be a wickedly fun little car. Nice job!

Skip

**MoeBawlz** · 02-06-2005

Nice Fiero... I live right by V8 Archie so i see a lot of his crazy cars out at local shows and stuff.

**Zefhix** · 02-06-2005

Originally Posted by orphancars

You also hit on something with the exhaust tips! Want to change them, and I'd also like to get the rectangular Camaro tips out back. Only thing is that the off the shelf ones have the outlet centered in the tip, and I had to move the tailpipes to the outer edge of the openings in the fascia to get the flowmasters and the cats all packaged in there. Yet more fabrication! BTW -- it is a true dual exhaust out back -- dual cats/dual mufflers!

-jeff d

Oh, you mean like these? I only know because these are the ones we're using

Very cool car. I like the wheel/color/stripe choice.....

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Thread: Firstpost! New guy and new car.....

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Firstpost! New guy and new car.....