New member, 1986 Fiero GT, advice and opinions plz

[agentc73]

Hello Everyone!
I am FINALLY the proud owner of a 1986 Fiero GT!
I have LUSTED after these cars ever since they were brand new. I will never forget staring at the pics of the new fastback in the pages of Motor Trend or Road and Track(or whatev it was) back in school.

I own a potential mid-engined exotic, Yo! Custom widebody and wheels a must!

I am seeking any/all intelligent, experienced opinions and advice.
I haven't much experience with the 60* V6, other than several intake gasket jobs. And NONE with Fieros.

The current 2.8L has been overhauled(wonder why with only 67,000 on car ), and has a set of headers and a cam. I have every receipt since new. I will be driving it daily soon(after clutch), but already know I will want/"need" more power. I have a lot of drag racing buds, and even when I owned my '65 BBF 390FE Galaxie 500, and my '94 9C1 Caprice, I didn't really care how fast any car I owned was. I do NOW. I have a goal of being in the 12's(eventually). This car will be QUICK, not "it's quick cause I think 14's are quick". My buds all regularly go mid 10's (streetable '69 'stang fstbk), or quicker in full chassis cars.

I think 12's are a streetable, realistic goal. All modern exotics are 12 sec cars, or less.

However, I must decide what engine to seek, and to invest my time/$$$ with.

My project goals are:
Ease of swap
Ease of regular serviceability/maintenance
Common/easy to find parts
12 seconds in 1/4 mile

I am fairly certain I don't want a 4.9L or 5.7L V8. Every pic I have seen looks like a servicing nightmare to me, personally. And I have no interest in cutting the car to fit a motor. I am also fairly certain I don't want a 3800SC. The idea of balance shafts do not sound natural at all to me. On top of these concerns, spending a G+ on an adapter and a flywheel to install a hard to service V8 engine, sounds odd.

That leaves me with the 60* V6 family. My initial thoughts are a 3400 from a FWD platform. Install that, get it running. I have an Eaton M90 not being used for anything. So, buy another 3400, build it custom for boost.

Just my initial thoughts, so please don't be too harsh on me. But I welcome any sage advice, input or suggestions to consider.

Thanks in advance!

[ericjon262]

welcome to the club, my 85 Fiero is undergoing a 3500/f23 swap, with a turbo! most of us are pretty easy going on here, this isn't RFT! the only V8 I would consider for my Fiero would be a northstar, otherwise, most of them seem to hackish for my tastes.

Edit:

also, be sure to check out the Fiero owners group!

[pocket-rocket]

Welcome

My opinion would be the 3500 or 3.4 DOHC, both boosted, of course

There is a Fiero owner here that had a boosted 3.4DOHC dyno at 430hp at the tires on a stock engine. It lasted a couple years before a rod bearing let go so now he is building a forged bottom end.

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[ericjon262]

I'm hoping for 450hp at the wheels with my turbo 3500.

[pocket-rocket]

Well, with the interchangeably of parts as well as aftermarket cams , etc. I don't think it's impossible. I suggested the DOHC because most say it's personality compliments the Fiero. The downside is is age and parts availability. It's really not a complex engine like a lot of the more basic pushrod guys think.

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[ericjon262]

I didn't say not to do the TDC, just what I am hoping for with my 3500.

[pocket-rocket]

I didn't mean to imply you said so just gave my thoughts on why I suggested it.

I also hope you hit your goal, reliably

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[LX9Power]

lots of parts can go wrong in a DOHC

comming from an old Quad 4 guy...

[pocket-rocket]

lots of parts can go wrong in a DOHC

comming from an old Quad 4 guy...

What, the timing belt tensioner or pullies? Other than that, is basically the same engine as every other 660 except the vvt ones as far as moving hardware goes.

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[LX9Power]

What, the timing belt tensioner or pullies? Other than that, is basically the same engine as every other 660 except the vvt ones as far as moving hardware goes.

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almost everything is in double so you basically have double the chance something can go wrong over an OHV.

[pocket-rocket]

almost everything is in double so you basically have double the chance something can go wrong over an OHV.

You realize a LQ1 isn't the same thing as a quad, right?

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[LX9Power]

Besides having the same block as a 660 where do most of their idea came from?
Anyways I was comparing the LQ1 to a Ohv, not a quad. I just said I came from the quad4 which share similar principal as a LQ1

[ericjon262]

I just prefer the OHV because it weighs way less.