Ford 5.0 in a Pontiac Fiero, and other GM cars

GM Dude

New Member
Jan 15, 2004
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Sanford, MI
Alright, some may know me from the 2005 Forums, I'm mostly a GM guy, but I'm beginning to like Ford's again. As some of you are aware, I own a Pontiac Fiero, for those who don't know what a Fiero is, it was a Mid-Engined sports car built by Pontiac from 84-88, when GM killed it because of a few little reasons (Insurance rates, less sales, and the creator of the car put in a Corvette 350 small block, and it beat corvettes all day at a race track, and if you know anything of the Corvette division, they get pissed when their's inhouse competition with their car). The chevrolet small block is a very viable swap in the Fiero and other GM FWD cars, there's thousands of them running around just for the fiero. (Some of you guys on this forum have even probably been beat by some of them) www.v8archie.com archie is the main guy for the swap kits. Well there are also problems with having 400+hp engines against the transaxle, so you can see what happens to the high hp crowd. I've brought this topic up a few months ago with a friend on the fiero forums. www.fiero.nl/forum It got a lot of replies quickly with some support, and some flames for creating a kit of putting a Ford 5.0 into a fiero. There was I believe only one fiero out there, that has a body kit on it, and does indeed have a 5.0 in it, owned by a woman, but when she presented herself on the forums she got booed out fast by some of the strict GM guys (long before I even knew fiero's existed myself). I believe if someone could make an adapter plate to mate Ford's standard bellhousing pattern to a GM transaxle, then it would open up some of the GM guys, and having other viable engines to swap in, unlike just the sbc. Anyone interested in making such a kit? (1" aluminum plate, flywheel, clutch, mini starter, front mount, at least for the fiero) Probably not, but does anyone know if such a kit exists? Any support on these forums, or do you think its a crazy idea? :shrug:
 
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Those cars must be pretty light ao I dont think it would be a bad idea. An LS1 in a Fiero would be crazy fast.

I'm not sure of they make that kit though. Are they rear-wheel drive?
 
i saw those cars before to my eyes they are ok but if the body was a little bit different then i'd buy one. i didnt know you could put a v8 in that small car. now my liking of that car has rised. now i want to buy one and put a v8 in it that would be fun. yea are they rwd? oh yea how much do they wiegh? under 2600?
 
Mid engined, rear wheel drive, LS1's will work, but archie's kit needs to be modified to work even more, and there's 2 added bolt holes on the standard sbc bellhousing on the bottom of the Ls1. Yes they are awesome cars when worked right. They weigh in with a full out v8 swap around 3,000 pounds. They will eat some 5.0 Mustangs. Your best bets would be built small block 350's, and 383's, much easier to work. There's over 15 different GM engines that can be swapped in. People also use the cadillac northstars, 3800 supercharged, 3.1's, 3.4's, ecotecs, quad 4's, etc.

goto:

www.fiero.nl/forum
 
There seems to be a guy running around every town with a 350 sbc in a datsun or RX7 or something. I nearly had my buddy convinced to ditch the rotary engine out of his '87 RX7 and go with a 5.0 HO. That would be kind of a neat car. They're so damn light, but that independent rear does kill them for traction.
 
Stock89LX said:
Light cars and big motors always get a thumbs up from me. :nice: I wish I could point you in the right direction. :(

Here's one that would be fun, though.... how about putting a 455 and transaxle from one of the early 70's Olds Toronado's in there? Woooot!


Already done, along with 454's , 502 big blocks, and 500 cadillac big blocks, etc. Also, Fiero's can be had for real cheap, a nice fully loaded 88 GT around $3,000. 84's in somewhat bad shape a few hundred. 2 sifferent body styles, Notchbacks, and fastbacks, the fastbacks look the best.
 
If im not mistaking there WAS a company a couple years ago(when I was into Fieros myself) that actually made a FORD adapter plate.

Check on the Fiero Forums, or contact V8 Archie(who is building a GT40 replica. but he is sticking a CHEVY motor in there, go figure), he is a Chevy swap guy, but he might know where to guide you.

I would honesly just put in a 3.4DOHC and make it a 7.5k rpm screamer. They also sound very exotic also!

Pete
 
For the record GM killed the Fiero because they couldn't sell them -- primarily because quality and performance from the early 4 cyl. models was abysmal at best. I have a friend that lost 2 of them to engine fires during the warranty period (slow learners - him and GM). By the time GM got the big bugs worked out (perf./handling of the last model year V-6 powered cars was quite respectable; quality still lagged), the public had already walked away. Many of them drove away in tight, high quality, good performing, reasonably priced Toyota MR2's. Having said that, I always liked the shape/size of the last model year Fieros.

The swap ought to be do-able; comparing to the GM V-8's that are typically swapped in, the sbf is a bit lighter and a bit smaller dimensionally. But given that swappers usually like to 'keep things in the family' so to speak, I doubt there'd be much of a market now that the GM V-8 is already successfully kitted for the car. The odd-couple swaps usually occur in one of two scenarios: 1) when budgets are extremely tight, someone has an engine from one car and another car that needs an engine, and ultimately figures 'what the heck'; or 2) when budgets are unlimited and someone's trying to make a statement. Case 1) happens much more frequently than case 2).
 
I have a friend with a fiero with a buick grand national twin turbo V6 in it it screams... he also has a 1972 datsun pickup truck sitting on a jeep 4 wheel drive frame and suspension with a Chrysler hemi in it.. you can smoke all four tires off in 4 wheel drive.
 
I get sick of seeing all the SBC motors in old fords....It seems every time i'm at a cruise in an see a 32 ford coupe it has a 350 in....I'm ready to buy a 55 chevy an drop a 351 in it to retaliate...The V8 fiero does sound fun, I know a guy building a Lambrogini copy an he's using the supercharged 3800 out of a wrecked park ave...I'm a ford loyalist but anything small with big power is good to me.