3800SC Fiero's

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

RE: 3800SC Fiero's

65Camino · Uber Guru

If the size of the block is the same go with the largest. 6.2 ?

unruhjonny · Guru

the easier swaps are ones from FWD vehicles - the FWD-reversed setup is the key;
I have seen several V8 swapped Fieros, but in addition to the work fabricating how to shoe-horn it in, you also have to figure out how to setup a RWD engine in a FWD setup - and you make it more rear heavy - which takes away from the handling;
Ideally you want a lighter engine in there - this was why at the very same time that 3800SC was a popular swap, just as popular was a Quad4 swap - iirc V8 archie even made a Quad4 Fiero swap kit.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Interesting that the guy who did the LS swap says it only ads 150lb to the rear weight of the car. I suppose relocating the battery etc could help offset this. Who knows if I'll even get to do a project like this. I always have big dreams in the winter and then summer hits and I'm so busy with work and my property that I barely have time to even wash a car lol.

65Camino · Uber Guru

Cold weather creates idle minds.
A dangerous situation

unruhjonny · Guru

/\ LOL

On the subject of swaps, I have always wanted to find (and still do) a nice Acadian/T1000 (Pontiac-Chevette) and put a mild P-350 w/manual transmission in there...

-- Edited by unruhjonny on Friday 28th of January 2022 02:00:13 PM

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Canadian Poncho wrote:
Interesting that the guy who did the LS swap says it only ads 150lb to the rear weight of the car. I suppose relocating the battery etc could help offset this. Who knows if I'll even get to do a project like this. I always have big dreams in the winter and then summer hits and I'm so busy with work and my property that I barely have time to even wash a car lol.

And that extra weight is just above or just in front of the rear wheels, so it won't throw off your weight balance as much as if you were hanging it off the back, like a Porsche 911, or VW bug.

I do a lot of mental builds myself, but without a shop they will stay in my head, or get built in small scale in plastic... The small plastic ones are great because they don't actually have to work, they just have to look good! biggrin

unruhjonny · Guru

I have a box of plastic models, cars AND planes that I have barely touched - only added to - in the last twenty-seven years (since I graduated from high school);
Every now and then I might pick at one, and recently I gave some to my nephew, but one of the reasons why I hessitate, is that unbuilt they have som much potential, and are so cool... but built poorly, they are an immense disappointment.
I still have most of the nicer ones I built in high school - most often they required a mixing and matching of parts from 'kit bashing' to make them acceptable - especially the early 1990's era of AMT or Revell kits.

Recently I bought a slightly busted up 1970 Firebird (Formula 400) promo kit, and parts from other period MPC retail kits;
I haven't yet decided if I will make a dealer kit (fixed/closed hood) or a retail kit version of my car...

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

unruhjonny wrote:
I have a box of plastic models, cars AND planes that I have barely touched - only added to - in the last twenty-seven years (since I graduated from high school);
Every now and then I might pick at one, and recently I gave some to my nephew, but one of the reasons why I hessitate, is that unbuilt they have som much potential, and are so cool... but built poorly, they are an immense disappointment.
I still have most of the nicer ones I built in high school - most often they required a mixing and matching of parts from 'kit bashing' to make them acceptable - especially the early 1990's era of AMT or Revell kits.

Recently I bought a slightly busted up 1970 Firebird (Formula 400) promo kit, and parts from other period MPC retail kits;
I haven't yet decided if I will make a dealer kit (fixed/closed hood) or a retail kit version of my car...

Sitting in a box, they will always just be a collection of parts waiting for you to do something with them. Get them out and start cutting!! wink

Your Firebird project sounds great! There has been a fellow on a modeler's forum that I read who has been working on updating an old MPC Firebird with a newer-release Camaro chassis to improve the detail. He has been posting tutorials in parts:

https://board.spotlighthobbies.com/?md=read;id=342675

https://board.spotlighthobbies.com/?md=read;id=343262

https://board.spotlighthobbies.com/?md=read;id=343393

https://board.spotlighthobbies.com/?md=read;id=343958

unruhjonny · Guru

Neat!

I liked the Monogram '70 Trans Am model, but Revel/Monogram cars were 1:24 scale, while the MPC/AMT was 1:25 - so ever so slightly smaller (or visa versa depending on which kit is being robbed of parts).
I also did some kit bashing to improve on the already great Monogram '69 Baldwin Motion Camaro kit.
I believe that these days the Monogram name has all but disappeared, and that AMT, is starting to reissue older kits under the MPC brand!
Neat stuff!

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Not to derail Todd's thread any further, but years ago Revell bought Monogram, so if you see a Revell-branded kit in 1:24, it's more than likely an old Monogram tool.

Round2 now owns the AMT and MPC brands (as well as Lindberg and Polar Lights). They've done some cool things like reverse-engineering the old '63 Chevy II wagon into a stock version with six cylinder, the moulds had been retooled into a funny car years ago so they had to make a new tool using an old kit as a reference (maybe they scanned it?).

Atlantis is a relative newcomer, and they have purchased some of the old Revell tools (like the fiddly '55-'57 Chevys with opening doors and such) and some Aurora tools as well.

It's a little confusing, and I may even be behind the times a little on the corporate mergers, buyouts and takeovers... wink

Also relative newcomers Moebius Models have put out some really cool stuff and are continually coming out with some great new stuff, like a '64 Chevy II Nova hardtop and a '65 Chevy II 2 door sedan in gasser form.

A company called Salvinos have recently brought out some nice vintage NASCAR subjects, like Richard Petty's '72 and '73-4 Chargers, etc.

Lots going on if you're into it.

Sorry Todd! Back to Fiero conversions!

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Those "fiddly" 55-57 Chevy models from Revel made me nuts when I was 10!

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

Canadian Poncho wrote:
I always have big dreams in the winter and then summer hits and I'm so busy with other hobbies and my property that I barely have time to even wash a car lol.

I substituted your word "work" ... then you sound like me.

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

MC wrote:

I do a lot of mental builds myself, but without a shop they will stay in my head

I have a shop, but it is full of other projects, so I don't have time for car resto work. I keep waiting for the other projects to peter out, but they never do. Right now I'm restoring a 120 lb. anvil, an 1890's Welsh coal-mining shovel, a late 1800s wooden tool chest, etc. etc. I like to restore things to what they were using old ways and parts/hardware.

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

I saw a TV show once (forget the show name) that had a guy from Quebec that was Fiero nut.

The last style Fieros have always intrigued me.

crazytrain · Addicted!

v8 archie makes all the v8 conversion parts u need v8 conversions in fieros are very common, i have the 4.9 cadillac v8 in mine aluminum, weighs almost the same as the stock v6 if you want to see somthing cool go to v8 archies website or google fiero chop top

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Do you have any photos of your 4.9 Fiero you can post?

crazytrain · Addicted!

i will try and find some, car is in storage so can't take any right now

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Canadian Poncho wrote:
Those "fiddly" 55-57 Chevy models from Revel made me nuts when I was 10!

Me too. I wonder how many kids quit the hobby as a result of those kits... biggrin

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Pontiacanada wrote:
MC wrote:
I do a lot of mental builds myself, but without a shop they will stay in my head
I have a shop, but it is full of other projects, so I don't have time for car resto work. I keep waiting for the other projects to peter out, but they never do. Right now I'm restoring a 120 lb. anvil, an 1890's Welsh coal-mining shovel, a late 1800s wooden tool chest, etc. etc. I like to restore things to what they were using old ways and parts/hardware.

Haha... you are making me feel better! If I had a shop I'd probably only be grumbling about how I don't have enough time to build anything in it! biggrin

That said, I love old tools. Especially ones that you can see the wear from lots of use, and thinking of all the people who worked with them. I'm curious as to what restoration an anvil would require, though. Rust removal?

Oops! Here I go clogging up the Fiero thread again. Don't answer my questions! wink

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

MC wrote:
I'm curious as to what restoration an anvil would require, though. Rust removal?

I'll PM you.

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

It's all about priorities Darryl! Is the Anvil and a shovel more important than your Pontiac?

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

Canadian Poncho wrote:
It's all about priorities Darryl! Is the Anvil and a shovel more important than your Pontiac?

biggrin

65Camino · Uber Guru

Anvil is a great band !

LeeRoy · Guru

Canadian Poncho wrote:
Do you have any photos of your 4.9 Fiero you can post?

Have we had a Fiero as car of the month yet???