Pontiac Fiero V8: A Crate-Engined Beast | Collections
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- I meet Tom, owner of a beautifully modified 1984 Pontiac Fiero replete with a 5.7 litre (350 cubic inch) crate engine with a Getrag manual gearbox and centreforce dual friction clutch.
*Since uploading the video I’ve been advised the wheels are from a Chevrolet Beretta GTU.
#pontiac #fiero #pontiacfiero #generalmotors #modifiedcars #crateengine
The car should have launched with the 2.8 V6. That alone may have saved the reputation of this car. Going to the 3.8 with supercharger in year 3 or 4 for the GT, would have made this car a legend.
That's how General motors got in trouble in the first place. Launching underdeveloped products and improvement just at the point where they're going to die
They had finally made it a good car the last year they produced it. Had it held out another few years it could have really been something. Any GM car that starts to cuts into Corvette performance territory seems gets killed by them.
A 3.8 supercharged PF would have made the Vette look like a chevette...........GM would NEVER allow anything to out stage the boomer new balance retirement midlife crises vehicle.
@@mankind8088 Buick Grand National, and The GNX, both outperformed the Vette in the same production years. The 1973 - 74 Pontiac Trans Am SD 455 completely annihilated the Corvette.
Top management held the Fiero back. If you ever had the displeasure of working with executives from the GM school of management as I have you’d have witnessed arrogance that was off the charts. Keep your worthless opinions to yourself peon! That’s why GM went from world’s largest corporation to bankruptcy. And to this day is a mere shadow of its former self. The USA is headed in the same direction for the same reasons I’m afraid.
Best idea that never happened. The V8 engined Fiero GTO.
I couldn’t agree more!
It happened. What do you think the C8 really is?
With NOS 😳
GM hates killing their customers? Not everyone is Monte Carlo Grade driver! Look at the early TT-Quattro stats for eliminating the people that buy your car! On the down shift the ass would walk and your sideways.
Heavy. 3.8 turbo would be much better.
The seventies Trans Ams were not boring. Excellent looking and handling and room for mechanically inclined individuals to make them their own.
For me they weren’t as raw is the original Firebirds. To each their own.
@@AutoAtlantica Well that's just ridiculous. My 77 Firebird Formula was more raw than any 1st gen. Stripped down with crank windows, no ac, nothing but light weight. 400 Pontiac, 4spd, 3:43 posi rear. After removing the restrictive emissions crap, the car was every bit my 69 GTO was missing maybe...maybe 10hp due to lower compression. It even had a rumpy cam idle.
My Buddies 78 TA had a 455 in it it was the best damn car ever!
@@JViello to each their own!
75 firebird formula 400 two scoops, yeah buddy, the sound was on another level, decent cam , headers. Chevy's didn't sound like it, yep
worked at a Chevy store in the 90s .. a customer had a 350 powered Fiero with an ISMA widebody kit was really cool
In 1996, a few of my buddies and I crammed a Cadillac Northstar V8 into a 1987 Fiero GT. The engine and trans only has something like 800 miles on them, because the car had been rear ended by a bus.
On hot days, we could lift the front end from a stop.
That sounds similar to my friend’s Fiat 126 with the rear seats removed at a 2.7 litre PRV engine shoehorned into it …
@@AutoAtlantica
That sounds incredibly fun!! That would be as wild as a galvanized washtub with a tornado strapped in it!
Sounds like a blast .... for the next 4000miles the northstar most likely lasted (not talking sh!t I'm speaking from experience unfortunately). While they ran though you'd be hard pressed to find smoother 295hp so I'm positive it was crazy in that little car. My guess for the Fiero in the video is somewhere around 300hp
@@averyparticularsetofskills
I'm not sure how long the engine lasted, but we were on the second trans when it was sold!
I saw one at a car show years ago with a Northstar V8 in it, St. Charles MO area.
I own an 87 GT. Love these cars. Ive had 3!
They are lovely, I’d like one in my collection and I’ve been offered this one!
Why are all these old cars looking better than the new cars of today? I want an old car with a carb I can work on myself like I used to do. That was so much fun back then.
@@Bobby8451 good point!
BACK IN 86 , THE GM ENGINEERS PUT TOGETHER A TWIN - TURBO V - 6 RATED AT 290 H.P. THEY PUT IT ON THE TEST TRACK WITH THE CORVETTE AND BEAT IT , THE EXECS WERE NOT EXPECTING A BLOW - OUT AND HAD TO MAKE A DECISION, THE FIERO WOULD BE PUT DOWN AFTER THE 88 MODEL YEAR !!!! HAD A FRIEND IN OUR CLUB WHO PUT A LT- 1 AND THAT CAR COULD POP WHEELIES WITH A STANDARD TRANSMISSION !!! CRAZY STUFF !!!
Interesting information but why are you shouting!??
@@chrisdooley1184 ARE YOUR EARS CAPABLE OF REACHING MY ENTRY HERE ?????
@@chrisdooley1184 YOU SHARE THE WORLD OVER AND THEY CRITICIZE YOU OR STONE OR KILL , TAKE YOUR PICK !!!!
That seems about right. The fiero had one thing the corvette didnt get until decades later, a mid engine layout. Not to mention being much lighter. 290 hp and turbo torque would make that thing FLY. Wonder how it would have done with the LFX 3.6L V6 in it
@@PlasticRocket2there are videos of people putting the 3.8 L supercharged Motors in them
I remember when the Fiero was first introduced, and a lot of people were putting small block chevy V8's in them.
I stopped by the Fiero Factory in Alabama once. They had a fleet of front wheel drive 4.5 and 4.9 Cadillacs that they would swap into Fieros.
I bought a Fiero there once. Ed, I think his name was, and his wife took us to dinner.
@@chriswallace9113Cool. I wonder if they are still around?
@@LongIslandMoparsThey moved the business to Colorado
@@geoffkeller5337 cool. Thank you!
@@geoffkeller5337,
Some reason, I thought they'd sold all their parts, etc. to liquidate the business to retire but, IIRC, I actually had been recalling the [Fiero Farm?]. Thanks for the heads-up on The Factory's new location - will have to follow up.
I knew a guy 20 years ago, who had a Northstar in one. Even then, it was a kit he bought. He sent out the engine cradle, and they sent it back, modified, with every part to install it.
Was it from Archie's back then?
I bought a new red one in 1984, the honeymoon did not last long, it was aways in the shop. Traded it in by about 45,000 miles. Huge hit on my pocketbook.
Those early cars sadly had problems.
A friend of mine worked at GM at the time those were in production. The original design concept was to be powered with a 350 V8. The 6 cylinder was used because the V8 version would have taken away from the Corvette market. It would have been lighter and faster than the Corvette.
Best fun car ever. Still own one. It’s my last build. 88gt 3800sc 5spd. Owned a car from every year. Done auto to manual swaps. Done 350sb, 3.4 push rod, 3800 na and sc swaps. Fieros we’re ahead of their time.
I bought one several years ago thinking it had to have a 3800 in it and would probably be fun. ( I'm not a GM guy) So you can imagine my disappointment when i found out it was a sorry 2.8. What a dog !
And you can't drive them at night because the car behind you will blow you away with headlights in the mirrors and coming through the back glass.
Was glad to see it go.
Probably one of the coolest Fieros I've ever seen.
I remember Fieros vividly. A guy who bought one was instantly popular. Then a year later it broke and he was a laughingstock. If Pontiac has gotten this model right - everyone would've bought one.
I have a friend who has an 84 2M4 with a supercharged V6 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe engine in it. It runs mid 11's in the quarter mile.
I drove one of these with a suped up V6. Fun cars, took it to a spectator race one night and won. Little oval track with a good bank, they would make us ( 2 cars ) start on opposite sides then do one lap. I Did like 5 total races and the size of the car the banking on the track just made this thing a demon as it would go much faster than everything even the 2 vettes i raced around the corners and the straights were to short for them to make up any ground. Fun cars
Shame on corporate gm...this was the c8 years ahead.....utterly shameful...killing the Pontiac brand."
Apparently the Pontiac name brand is returning next year. GM took a full page advertisement out in Car & Driver and MT either last month or this current month. Do a search on YT here there’s no shortage of videos speculating on what this means 😂
@@chrisdooley1184 That was not a GM ad. It was a Car & Driver prank. GM themselves already debunked the rumor of Pontiac returning. All those videos are nothing but wishful speculation, willfully ignoring GM calling BS on it.
I love the GTU wheels . I guarantee it doesn’t make half the power he thinks it does but it doesn’t need to being that light. Overall cool car!
It’s been very well modified. It was dragged raced by the previous owner.
That engine should have a Sniper FI for a unique experience. Nice ride my guy
What a retro mod! The 5.7 is just what this later version Fiero needed. I love the T-shifter.
If I recall correctly, the Pontiac R&D sold this concept as a fuel efficient "Urban Car", hence the 4 banger. The prototype reveal was much sportier than Upper GM management expected, but the car show crowds love, love, loved it.
Years ago ' I had a v6.
Good fun and I had many conversations at the gas pumps.
Nice job, beautiful car.
Roger -
Thanks for watching!
Hot rod magazine have kits you could buy in the early 90s for around $800 dollars to put a small block Chevy in one
Nice corvette engine, take this beast to a drag park 😎👍👍
They older gentlemen is like cut the crap I'm ready to Race!
Even a pushed out 305 in one of these would be a stellar improvement yet alone a 350!! Bet this thing rips when there ain’t old guys in it 😅
I could not take too much of this guys short shifting. He even made a turn at an intersection where he downshifted straight from 5th to 3rd(no throttle blip to rev match) and lugged it around the corner and immediately put it in 4th. He must have been afraid of breaking a Chevy small block.
Sorry you didn’t enjoy the video.
@@AutoAtlantica Neither one of is said we didn't enjoy the video but, what's the point of showing off a V-8 Fiero just to putt around in it like a golf cart. I get it's not your car and don't want to push it but, I doubt the car would break if you revved it a bit. That what I watch Jay Leno's Garage for.
@@RedBud315 not everyone will enjoy the videos I put out. I myself am not a fast driver, that’s mainly because of peripheral neuropathy pain so I’m lucky to even get behind a wheel.
Ladies please! Cool car good vid. Sheesh
I had an '84 and would have killed to have a V-6 or V-8 in it. Still had a blast in it!
I love Fieros! I had a GT in the early 2000s. I betcha you’ve had a blast with the Fiero. You have a nice car sir! If you keep it think about changing the rims to a fresher 18” front and 19” rear 5spoken or mesh/honeycomb style. That’ll give it a modern look but with the classic Fiero design that looks great over time.. change the wing to a sleeker design and you’ll have a different car and you’ll want to keep her longer.
General Motors needs to bring back there performance Division Pontiac !! And Bring back the Pontiac Fiero car with its Mid rear engine, and this time, install a Pontiac V8 engine in it 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💪💪💪💪
I’ve always said they should maintain it as a bespoke division or even a subsidiary for performance engineering.
Today’s GM isn’t worthy of manufacturing a proper Pontiac
Great video Darren.
I have been looking forward to this one as it's such a long time since I've seen a Fiero.
Cheers Mark, this was something refreshingly different. I’m always fascinated by these customs builds because the work which goes into them in the back of someone’s private garage is astonishing.
Lotus put a V8 in the Esprit back in the day. Why not throw one in this too? I bet that Fiero is a hoot. ☮️💙
For some silly reason, GM executives would never, ever support another two-seater in its stable that would approach the Corvette in performance. It then took another 30 years to finally mid-engine it.
GM wood only build the fiero only touted as an economy. commuter car alot of CHEVETTE parts. Fit. 😊😊
Pontiac pulled the engine from the Buick GNX and put it in a Fiero. They had a bumper sticker that said we break for Corvetts the car was never produced but it should have ben!
Wow, a V8, that must have taken a ton of modifications. Always thought it would be cool to drop a Chevy 300 hp V6 in one.
A lot easier with a LS4 from 5th gen Monte Carlo ss.
TRY the LQ1, DOHC 3.4 GM had to detune it from it 270 hp, because it made too much hp for then Transaxle Transmissions
Had an 88 Fiero converted to a supercharged 3800 V6. Like a go cart on steroids
Pontiac history know 😊
I always liked the body style of the fiero
Me too, especially the original style.
Those wheels are actually off of on 87 thru 89 Beretta gtu it was a dealer option and they were 16 inches instead of 15 like the z24. The center cap Allen bolts are a dead give away. The cavalier used the design after
Yes, please see the video description addendum as I was advised of this after uploading.
I slapped down 2K in cash and bought myself an 86 silver fiero in 1992 as an 18 year old ; a year later I drove from southern WI to Miami in the thing navigating with no more than a paper map and road signs 😅 that car was one of the most reliable vehicles I have owned!! The only issue was the endless popping out and replacing those darn fuses🤣good times!!!
Good man!
@@AutoAtlantica I'm a woman but thanks 😂
@@christymoran7308 my apologies! “Good woman” sounds horribly sexist! It’s a great story nonetheless!
@@AutoAtlantica haha no worries! thank you 😊
This is the engine that this car should have had. Nice hat Tom and nive car!!!!
I agree!
.... Dunno... The 3800 Buick - especially when TC'd/SC'd - was a great blend of torque/horsepower and, when the foot wasn't mashing the vertical pedal, decent on fuel economy, fewer stops for that small tank.... More boxes checks, too, including relative ease of V6 and accesory belt driven work.
@@That_Handle I agree, the Grand National engine would be just as epic in this car.
I wouldn’t have thought there was space enough for a v8 in a fiero! Holy smokes
I'm 6'3", and my '86 has LOTS of leg room with the seat all the way back. I can stretch out my left leg fully. (With clutch fully depressed) and right leg when it's floored. 12 seconds is taking it easy. My ZZ4 350 swap is similar, but with 4 speed Muncie. I've gotten deep into the 11s. (11.86)
They were gonna put the turbo v6 from the grand national in the fiero but it didn't happen because it would have been better than the corvette
Similar thing happened later with the Pontiac solstice it was originally designed to take the LS3 V8, but the Chevy execs threw a fit because it would have been faster and cheaper than the Corvette.
@@jonf2009 I remember when one of the hot rodding magazines did an LS swap on one. A surprising amount of the swap was bolt-in - like it was designed that way from the factory.
Pontiac fiero looks like the predecessor to the latest corvette
These cars should have had the turbo 3.8 V6. This would have immediately turned these into rocket ships.😇
nicest Fierro I've ever seen no doubts
In the mid '90s I put a Toronado big block drivetrain in one. It was almost impossible to drive. This one looks super nice!
You dropped a big Olds 455 or 425 into a effin' Fiero? Goddamn! I can't even imagine, the torque would launch that little car like out of a slingshot!
@@r.shanethompson7933
It was a 400 out of a junky '68 Toronado. Would do a mean "one wheel peel". The tire actually came off the rim one time doing a burnout. 🤣
@@brianswelding i once rescued a W-30 455 thatd been "boogered" into an early RX-7. Should have had "Shake&Bake" as a sponser. Terrible job and barely holding together, the valve covers were out into fenders. 10 bolt rear out back with wheels way outta wheel well. The damn thing was fast though, scary fast.
I have a 87 gt and these cars really need a roll cage for anything over 300hp... Ive seen what happens when one is crashed at high speeds and it's not pretty.... regardless the v8 archie kit was a popular swap back in the day.... Ive heard negative things about the v8 Archie's components..... If GM would have put the supercharged 3.8 in the Fiero it would have been the stuff of legend... especially back in the late 80s- early 90s where horsepower numbers were still relatively dismal.... with a few exceptions.... the buick GNX comes to mind here..... anyway GM is famous for dropping the ball.... I suspect its largely due to the Corvette, and keeping it the pinnacle of GM preformance..... I guarantee you that if the engineers at Pontiac motorsports would have wedged a supercharged or turbocharged 3.8L in the 88 Fiero it would have smoked a production Corvette of the same year....and at half the cost.....
Back in the 90's a Fiero was for sale by a private seller who kept the car in the parking lot of his AC repair shop. I lived close by and seen the car. I wanted it to be my first car. I inquired about the car and the seller wanted 3k for it. It was red it ran and was in good shape. So, I got a job at a grocery store. The store was about 7 miles across town, and I was 16 years and still rode a bicycle everywhere. I was making $4.75 or $5.15 an hour or whatever the minimum wage was back then. I would get out of school and ride straight to work and work till 11:30pm.
It was kind of rough with the long day's homework and the 14-mile round trip.
I worked 32 hours a week, but I would see the car every morning on my bike ride to school and my head would fill up with fantasies of me driving the Fiero with various girls, so I had plenty of motivation to achieve my goal. After about 4-5 months or so the day came that I could buy the car.
I rode by the car and went to school very excited. When school ended, I raced to the grocery store to pick up and cash my paycheck and take out the money to buy the car from the bank that was in the store. I raced to the AC repair shop where the car was, and the car was gone.
I went inside to speak with the seller, and he had sold it a couple of hours before I arrived. I was very upset. My dad told me that it was probably for the best as he knew more about those cars and the problems they had than I did. I ended up getting a 1987 Nissan Pulsar. It was a cute little car and it lasted me a few years. Perhaps I will get another opportunity to get a Fiero, I'd even settle for a Chrysler Laser as I have always wanted one of those as well.
they should have shoehorned the 5.7 liter TPI v8 in these! instant 80s super car killer. slap on a turbo and do it fer dale!
Had a friend that put a Cadillac v8 from a1991 coup Deville in one, it was scary.
That GEN two Fiero looked sick.
I had a 87 gt and loved it for the m9st part, I had to get rid of it
When a man tells you to drive his car the way you want...respectfully nail it.
@@scottwright388 we drive respectfully on public roads on this channel. The safety of ourselves and other road users is paramount.
@AutoAtlantica with all due respect, you can drive safely and respectfully without endangering anyone.
@ we don’t exceed posted speed limits and always respect the fact we’re in someone else’s car. As I’ve said, we’re not going to put ourselves or anyone else in a potentially dangerous situation on this channel. Any car can be appreciated without driving aggressively.
About the wildest project I've ever come across was an 87 with, get this, a Mk VI 502 in³ with a line of injector stacks on the intake. It looked frightening just standing still.
I’ve seen a silver v8 swapped fiero in Portland Oregon. I asked the seller if he built it and he replied; “I did”. I asked; “do you like it” to my surprise he said; “no, the engine in the back feels weird” lol
The 2.5L Iron Duke was modified by A.H.Bell IV, in an effort to eliminate weight. The result of removing the block “beefiness” was the broach operation on the block at the head surface, setup microscopic cracks from the bolt holes to the water jackets. Harvey went on to teach automotive engineering to U of M students, ensuring this madness will continue in the next few generations.
The Fiero plant was at the end of my street W.Tennyson st in Pontiac Michigan
Tom, great job buddy !
This car could have become so much more. But GM killed it before it ever made it. The final GT model showed the right direction they were heading. My bike was painted that same Corvette color.
I had a fiero 2M4 and loved it.
The snap oversteer must be nuts if you let off the throttle in a corner with that big motor sitting back there.
It was the dream of every hot rodder in america to stuff a V8 into one of these , it was the first thing to get brought up when assesing the car . a V6 came stock I think , no 4 cylinders IDK Idont have a clue but I like this one .
I had the 87 gt fastback. It was fun.
Nice car!
@@AutoAtlantica yessir, regret selling her.
350 v8? Thats awesome!
@@jond1965 it really is!
My sister had one. She loved the car.
After doing one Archie conversion, I found it easier to modify the carriage of the donor car to the Fiero. Unfortunately I didn’t document the process.
The 2.8 V6 was also famous for self-destruction.
Also put a fresh rebuilt 360 out Cherokee in my CJ7 nothing out of ordinary but what a power difference from the wore out 304 it shredded the t150 3 speed had get another cj pRts one for the t18 four speed brute it was.
The Toyota MR2 interior was so much better looking then the Fiero, my dad was looking at both cars, along with the Celica GTS in 1984. He said the Fiero interior was too plastic and boxy looking, he liked the Celica GTS in the end and that was what he purchased because he traveled a lot, the Celica had a back seat.
Early 2000s. Auto tech program at LBCC oregon stuffed a caddy northstar engine in a fiero. It sat for a few yrs til i got my hands on it. I was the one who got it running. Never saw it driven tho. Curious if it could handle all that power 😮
Yup that 2.8 six was quick
When I saw this at first I assumed it had a LS4 and transmission from a FWD Impala, seen a few of these and they are amazing, so are the supercharged 3800 V6s from Gran Prix GTPs
wow beautiful car I wish I still had mine.
Very much so!
At Carlisle I spoke with two former GM engineers that worked on the Fiero project, Both said that the Getrag transmission can hold a maximum of about 170ft lbs of torque reliably. Here is a guy with a swap with an engine that puts out over 250 ft lbs of torque. You know that's not going to last long.
Very nice.
I got to drive a Fiero GT with a Cadillac Northstar swap. Stupid fun. That is the way GM should have built it.
I always said that it be nice car with v8 but really didn't think it could be done well that good
It really surprised me with how smooth it was to drive.
Looks like fun
I know a guy thats got one with a supercharged 3600 of out a buick regal gsx in it
Nice!
Dont forget popular, in its day it was everywhere 😮
The truth is the fiero was built with left over chevette parts and a collection of electrical components common to GM cars at the time.
The only part of the Chevette used in the Fiero was its rear suspension, modified from the front suspension of the Chevette.
I can’t think of a single mainstream production car to feature completely bespoke electrical components.
There were a couple of Fieros that had Big Block Chevys installed in them.
How can I get in touch with Tom? I’m building a 87 with a 3800 super charger. I would really love to pick his brain on some things that I am struggling with. Thank you
Tom didn’t build this car and he has it for sale. I can get a message to him if you’d like to email autoatlantica2023@gmail.com.
wow I bet you were excited to find this video, yes you should contact these guys to pick their brain of any knowledge worth knowing.
🤔 ...
Pennock's Fiero Forum had many convo.s over the years.... Not sure who all still checks in nor what activity is exchanged for Q&A. A lot ot build video playlists on YT nowadays, though, with plenty of respondents.
Nice Fiero ❤
We need a coyote powered Fiero GT project.
I always thought the fiero was a great looking car it's a shame they didn't build them like this one
The Mighty Mouse emblem is perfect.
Thank for video
Thanks for watching!
89 prototype waxed the vette in testing. GM killed the car. Corvette always the baby.
So with a Chevrolet small block 350 with some performance upgrades I like to take it out occasionally around the neighborhood at 300+ miles per hour. Just occasionally.
He’s 82 years old and has had a number of serious surgeries to save his life. Being able to understand people is a virtue.
I already saw the Pontiac fiero was cool
I wish Pontiac kept going with the Fiero a few more years. They stopped when they started to get it right.
Blame high insurance rates at the time as one of the reasons Pontiac debut it with the Iron Duke 4 cylinder engine.
The gm engine building manual had a crazy 2.8 on the cover. That would have been the PowerPoint to be in it
At least you didn't stomp on it. That Getrag would have exploded into a million pieces.
He said Chrome cam cover....🤦🏻♂️... It's a valve cover sir as the cam in a normal V8 is inside the engine
Correct, it is. When I edited it I forgot to add a text to denote that.
GM execs had their heads up their asses! They couldn't have anything beat their precious Corvette 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
This is beautiful.
The weight you would have to add to allow actual steering? Good Luck?! Want to drive with a 300 pound safe on the hood?
I enjoyed how it drove. I thought the work on it was very well done.