Post by: Raydar on March 28, 2016, 05:14:44 pm
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It's an 88 Western Edition coupe. Comes with tilt, delay, and air, and not much else.
Has 153 K on the odo, and drives about like you'd expect a 150K base coupe to drive. (It pretty much wallows.)
The headlight motors need rebuilt, the parking brakes need adjustment, it has the usual "Duke drip", and the fuel pump sounds like a Cessna.
But it's mechanically quiet. No funny sounds. Clutch is good. Shifts like buttah!
Now the fun begins...
Post by: f85gtron on March 28, 2016, 07:50:24 pm
Post by: Raydar on March 28, 2016, 08:18:33 pm
Is it for sale?
I just bought it. Haven't even got it tagged yet.
Post by: Roger on March 28, 2016, 08:30:19 pm
;D
Post by: Fierofool on March 28, 2016, 08:41:04 pm
Are the wheels as nice as they appear in the picture? Someone might give a good dollar if they want to do an OE restoration.
Post by: Raydar on March 28, 2016, 09:10:23 pm
Post by: Raydar on July 24, 2016, 10:04:06 pm
The suspension rebuild is essentially completed. SensaTracs on all four corners. New lower ball joints. Poly everywhere except the sway bars and trailing links.
Also did the Corvette brake rotors on the front. Still have to do the rear, and tighten up the parking brake, but that's not a big deal.
All the strange thumps and tail wagging are essentially gone. It still needs an alignment, but that's just "a thing".
I have a rear sway bar, but apparently a lot of the "fast" builders are doing without. Haven't made up my mind. We shall see...
Also added my spare set of 17s.
Next I need to address some minor cosmetics, and swap in the V6 gauge setup I acquired.
(Rebuilding the headlight motors was the first thing I did, because I was attempting to procrastinate the suspension stuff.)
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Edit - Since Charlie mentioned it, the stock 14" wheels are probably a 7 of 10. A little bit of curb damage, and a little bit of clear coat peeling. They look really decent from 5 feet. :D
The tires have good tread, but one of them has a slow leak. Anyone need them? They won't fit over my new brakes.
Post by: Roger on July 27, 2016, 03:37:32 pm
It's better to have one if you take tight or fast turns though.
Post by: Raydar on July 27, 2016, 05:09:49 pm
This car, if I remember correctly, does NOT run rear sways.
Not like it will ever be anything like that, but just gives me food for thought.
Now that the suspension is done, it still doesn't feel as tight as my gray car. Although that could be the alignment (or the lack, thereof.)
Post by: Raydar on November 02, 2016, 10:29:27 pm
Took the rear apart, again. Had to replace a damaged axle, and installed the rear sway bar, while I was "in there". (I mentioned that the car in the video was running without a rear bar. It appears he thought better of that, and reinstalled it.)
This is what the suspension looks like with the poly. This was before the sway bar was installed. (Getting the sway bar through the space between the cradle and body ended up being a non-issue. With one strut removed, there was almost enough room to "toss it through" and have it land in place. The only thing I had to be careful of was not tearing the CV boots with the ends of the bar.)
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While it was apart, I installed the 12" Corvette rotors and caliper brackets. Don't have any pics of those, yet. All that's left to do is hook up the parking brake cables and adjust. Oh yeah... and the swaybar end links.
I also cobbled together a set of "almost coil overs". It involved flipping the top strut mount over, for more strut travel with a lowered suspension, and having a piece of 3" tubing welded to the bottom of the strut mount, to locate the new spring.
The "new" spring is actually an 88 front spring that has had one coil removed. This will allow for a lower ride height, slightly higher spring rate than stock, and a smaller diameter spring (for whatever THAT'S worth.)
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The strut bolts are held in with zip ties in the pics. Figured it would be enough to hold the bolts and allow the nuts to be threaded on and tightened. Worked great on one side. Not so much on the other.
Ended up drilling slightly countersunk holes on the bottom, for the bolt shanks to fit into, and epoxying the bolts into place.
Should have done that from the beginning. If the other strut ever has to come out, I'll do that one too. As it is, it's not going anywhere.
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The rubber insulator at the top of the spring is a piece of fuel line, split lengthways, and wrapped around the coil.
The bottom insulator is the stock Fiero insulator.
This is the exact same setup I have on the rear of my blue car.
Post by: Raydar on January 31, 2019, 07:33:01 pm
Going to look at this, Sunday.
Post by: GTRS Fiero on January 31, 2019, 08:01:22 pm
That is a great engine for a Fiero.
Post by: scottb on January 31, 2019, 08:46:43 pm
Post by: GTRS Fiero on January 31, 2019, 08:48:12 pm
Post by: Raydar on January 31, 2019, 09:29:45 pm
You suck
The good news is that the "package" comes with a spare crate engine. (I'm probably buying out a "project" that has gone in a different direction.)
Once I am satisfied that the one in the pic isn't going to frag itself, I'll probably sell the spare.
Post by: GTRS Fiero on January 31, 2019, 09:39:14 pm
Post by: Raydar on February 01, 2019, 07:44:51 am
As I said, his project is going in a different direction.
Post by: GTRS Fiero on February 01, 2019, 07:46:19 am
Post by: Raydar on February 01, 2019, 07:50:46 am
Another guy who I've talked with, (an impartial observer who has built one of these engines) said that this one, as built, should be worth 8000 RPMs. I'm not so sure about that, but it ought to do 7200 all day long. :o
Post by: Raydar on April 28, 2019, 11:12:15 am
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The story behind this, is that it came from a running Fiero swap. The engine was purchased, and then rebuilt with enough upgraded hardware to withstand a turbo, but is basically a stock (compression and cams) engine. So it should run pretty well on a stock tune. (PCM and harness came with the package.)
The seller decided to go in a different direction (LF3 twin turbo 3.6, from a Cadillac ATS-V, I think) so all this stuff was up for grabs. Most everything has already been "gone through".
I should be able to bolt it all together and bolt it into the car, with minimal welding/fabrication.
It won't happen quickly, however. I think we're anticipating a move. I may not even do the swap here.
Once I'm satisfied that I'm not going to break anything, I'll probably sell the spare engine, to recoup some of my funds.
Also still have to finish the Odyssey (background in the 1st picture) but with a little bit of luck (and motivation) I could have it running today.
Post by: GTRS Fiero on April 28, 2019, 12:31:45 pm
So, would you rather drive the honda to the new location, or tow it?
Post by: Raydar on April 28, 2019, 12:39:26 pm
...
So, would you rather drive the honda to the new location, or tow it?
The Honda will be out of the way, long before we move. Regardless.
Even if my top end / timing belt replacement ends up being a disaster. (It has been a learning experience, if nothing else.)
Post by: GTRS Fiero on April 28, 2019, 12:57:15 pm
Post by: Raydar on April 28, 2019, 01:30:58 pm
I'm a Show-Me person, so I'll have to see your Fiero with this engine in it.
And barring anything unforeseen, you shall.
It's not the first swap that I've ever done, but it may be the most complicated. (I didn't do the 4.9, but I've done a Duke to a 2.8, and then to a 3.4. Also two auto to manual swaps. THOSE are a PITA.)
Funny thing about the 4.9... I was about to source a 3800SC, and swap it into my blue car.
Tammy (not looking forward to again having a disassembled Fiero in our basement) said, "Why don't you just take it to Ed and have him put in a V8?"
"Well... allllrighty then!"
Little did she know the depths of the sickness. :D
Post by: GTRS Fiero on April 28, 2019, 09:48:10 pm
I'm a Show-Me person, so I'll have to see your Fiero with this engine in it.
And barring anything unforeseen, you shall.
Great! You realize that I already made the trip down there, so you'll have to bring it up here?
Post by: Raydar on April 29, 2019, 05:29:53 am
Great! You realize that I already made the trip down there, so you'll have to bring it up here?
Whenever the club meets up there, I'll be there. :D
Post by: GTRS Fiero on April 29, 2019, 07:21:30 pm
Post by: Raydar on May 07, 2019, 06:54:28 pm
...
So, would you rather drive the honda to the new location, or tow it?
The Honda will be out of the way, long before we move. Regardless.
Even if my top end / timing belt replacement ends up being a disaster. (It has been a learning experience, if nothing else.)
The Honda lives. It hasn't made any ominous banging/knocking noises, or dumped out any of its vital fluids. Seems to run as well as it ever has.
It has cleared enough OBD2 readiness monitors to pass emissions (which I'll have done tomorrow) and then I'll get the tag renewed.
Post by: NoMad on June 24, 2019, 09:00:28 am
Post by: Raydar on June 24, 2019, 12:34:03 pm
Post by: GTRS Fiero on June 25, 2019, 06:34:31 pm
Great! You realize that I already made the trip down there, so you'll have to bring it up here?
Whenever the club meets up there, I'll be there. :D
A short little drive up here would be a good road test.
Post by: GTRS Fiero on May 12, 2021, 08:53:20 pm
Post by: Raydar on May 12, 2021, 10:39:55 pm