19Cutlass94 Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Build the HELL out of a 34x and you can get 300 horses out of it. I know you want the sound, but thats just not practical to do in our cars. I agree. And its a fairly easy thing to do. Depending on what generation SBC you go with, some made no more power than the 3.4DOHC! Not only are you going to spend at the very least about 7 times as much for a SBC, it will be shitty on gas, you wont be able to drive this car for many years, and by the time you get it all done, something better will have came out! To me, it is different, yes Ill give it that, but its a waste IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAMDIT Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 That sounds like a hell of a lot of money and work, all to have a fwd v8 w? FWD+V8= TIRE SMOKE.... If you want something with a v8, go rwd and use ure W as a winter beater. -Sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z34Conv Posted October 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Even though its still raining I wandered over to the yard today and took some measurements. I had a stroke of luck and was able to measure a SBC, Z34 Lumina, and a Fiero. The engine measures at 2ft +/- a couple of inches depending on accessories. The lumina AND the fiero both have a transflange to frame rail dimension of 2ft so if it fits in the fiero it'll fit in the lumina. Now I just have to figure out exactly how. I'm pretty sure I'll be buying a Wbody for this years winterbeater and if it makes it to spring I just might have to put some money into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z34Conv Posted October 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 I just got done reading through a fiero swap guide and I'm now confident I can get the sbc in there. Now I need to decide if I acctually want to do it, I probably will because it will be so different. but I've got some time to think about it so I'll start another thread if and when I do get started. If anyone has more suggestions, comments, criticisms, I'll be around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 I read up on an SBC install into a Fiero once, and they had to cut away some metal. I think it was non-structural in the Fiero??? I would NOT do any cutting on a W-body. I guarantee these cars being unibody it WILL be structural. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z34Conv Posted October 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Its called a fenderwell, very little structure involved. A four inch hole is not going to affect it much. btw, the fiero is unibody too. Construction is very similar to the w-body. I cant run that water pump system anyways since the wheel will hit it everytime you turn left. I'll have to run an electric waterpump, as long as I can find one that doesn't protrude past the frame rail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patgizz Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 actually on a w-body it's called a strut tower and formed framerail - very very structural. put the sawzall down and go play with something RWD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 V8 W-body??? doesn't the new Monte SS have a 327 in it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 actually on a w-body it's called a strut tower and formed framerail - very very structural. put the sawzall down and go play with something RWD Go ahead and try it if you want, but I wouldn't be surprised if you end up with a lot more vibration and stress cracks down the road. Not to mention that's not a car I would want to be in, in an accident. V8 W-body??? doesn't the new Monte SS have a 327 in it? Yeah. Whether a V8 fits in a W-body isn't the issue. V8's definitely can fit. The issue is he's pretty dead-set on making an RWD SBC fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z34Conv Posted October 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Yup I'm just a crazy redneck with a sawzall. Have a nice day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patgizz Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Yup I'm just a crazy redneck with a sawzall. Have a nice day. nobody said that, but you're talking like you're ready to just cut out anything in your path. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z34Conv Posted October 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Sorry, I'm a little more sarchastic than I should be. I'm not sure you guys are seeing where I need to cut, Its a four inch (approx) hole just above the frame rail on the centerline of the engine which, from every pic I've seen, is ahead of the strut tower. Obviously since I dont have the car or the parts I cant say for sure where exactly where, but its in that area somewhere. Plus I know enough to reinforce the area. If I feel there is a need for a tubular reinforcement then I'll weld it up, no questions asked. I dont just cut everything in my way, I've known better than that for a looooong time. I am probably going to be getting a 3.4L car to play with since I like power and I might as well have the big engine until I get around to swapping in the v8. and if I like the 3.4 I might as well stay with it, I'll have to see how I like it. Besides I've got lots of body work to do before I get into the mechanicals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 You can't just go reinforcing stuff willy nilly either. That area is in a crumple zone and it has to react in a precise and calculated way in an accident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z34Conv Posted October 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 I seriously doubt its that critical, besides If I got in an accident I wouldn't be worried about what's under the hood. and if you really are that adamant about it, I'll have a chat with my brother, father, and grandfather who are all engineers. I'm sure that some acceptable conclusion can be reached. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 http://www.w-body.com/images/LuminaV-8.jpg I think before anyone continues you should re-read this article. altought IMO you could do something better with a proper engine, Gm did it somehow, twice, so if you really really want to... read up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 hey, i got that issue... its also got a twin engine citation right? and they call it a corvette? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Cutlass94 Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 That would get that car moving! But GM's Engineers dont sit at a desk deisgning nothing. They dont do crash tests for nothing. If that structure wasnt needed, they would not have reinforced it as much as they did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z34Conv Posted October 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 All Citations are twins... I've read that article a few times, it was part of my inspiration. That and I'm apparently the only one crazy enough to try it. Gm did a few things to fit that engine that I wont have to do. Notice they modified the block so it had clearance around the body. I wont have to do that, I can bolt everything in around the body, and take my time to get everything fitted correctly. They were more geared for production rather than a one off like I'm doing. I thought it was funny that the longitudinal version was still fwd. Which means they used a truck driveline and transfercase to get the power back up front because they specifically meantioned a 4L60e transmission. Not the way I would have done it but GM's been doing oddball things for a long time. Like I said, I dont have the car yet so I have no idea what I need to do to get it to fit yet, I might not have to cut at all. I simply wont know for sure until I get my hands on all the parts. If and when the time comes to cut the body up know that I will design some sort of reinforcement for it. It might not be exactly like what GM designed for it but I'll make sure its safe and no one will die because of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IRONDOG442 Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z34Conv Posted October 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 You mean one of these? http://www.falconerengines.com/prod05.htm Or are you trying to imply one of the street engines? Not a bad engine by any stretch of the imagination and definately among my choices of powerplants. Time will tell which I pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IRONDOG442 Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 no one of these they are really for sale. http://www.race-cars.com/engsales/other/1111621336/1111621336ss.htm http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/IRL-Aurora-V8-Indy-Car-Engine_W0QQitemZ4538206889QQihZ002QQcategoryZ6755QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem That "chevy" engine is basically an "Aurora" engine rebadged. FNBS Top of page 4 FTMFW~! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbird232 Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 http://www.w-body.com/images/LuminaV-8.jpg I think before anyone continues you should re-read this article. altought IMO you could do something better with a proper engine, Gm did it somehow, twice, so if you really really want to... read up. Remember how people said Z34 had nothing to do with the 3.4L engine it had? That article pretty much shoots it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 http://www.w-body.com/images/LuminaV-8.jpg I think before anyone continues you should re-read this article. altought IMO you could do something better with a proper engine, Gm did it somehow, twice, so if you really really want to... read up. Remember how people said Z34 had nothing to do with the 3.4L engine it had? That article pretty much shoots it down. I've pointed that out several times myself, but got little agreement. in the end, no other Z package was offered based on the displacement of the engine... so people think what they want to think. are you going to have a carbed engine? or go with some sort of modern FI chevy motor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z34Conv Posted October 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 IRONDOG442 - If you want to send me a check for the cost of one of those I'll gladly put one in the car! It'll be fuel injected. I'd like to put an LT1 in it but I'll probably just put a TPI Fbody engine in there. They are easy to come by and cheap to get parts for, pretty much everyone makes a wiring harness for them so it wont be too difficult to get running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IRONDOG442 Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 If you guys would buy my cars I have for sale we could afford one of those for your car, sell more cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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