JoshHefnerX

It's all back in the car again. You gotta be getting excited.

ryeguy2006a

iTrader: (27)

That's a great feeling having the motor back in the car.

LSswap

Really enjoy the build !!!

Jimbo1367

I remember really liking the power of my 07 Monte SS back in the day. This Fiero is half the size, this is gonna be a fricken riot to drive !!! Once he’s done, He could write a book like showcasing the whole build process. I bet it would sell

fieroguru

iTrader: (1)

Been working some on an OEM brembo brake upgrade that has the same piston area as the stock 88 calipers


I have also been working on the design for the new front knuckle that will accept the larger wheel bearing, brembo calipers, and allow clearance for the future AWD. I incorporated a 1/2" drop as well as increased the space between the upper and lower ball joints by 1/2 and made some preliminary changes to the location of the tie rod to account to the increased knuckle height as well as the caster going from 5 to 8 degrees. Overall the concept is to use 3/16" plate for inboard and outboard with a 3/4" gap between them. All holes sleeved and all sides capped to box in the knuckle. Here is the outboard plate:



Here are several comparisons to the stock 88 front:



Different bearing offset accounted for, so the wheel flange to the lower ball joint remains the same:

JoshHefnerX

I've never had enough ***** to make a knuckle. Be interested to see how it holds up.

Teddy-2000RS

Those vice mounted press brake jaws are sweet. Do you have any plans of bracing/boxing the knuckle further?

Jimbo1367

I would imagine boxing it in. This build is friggin amazing

fieroguru

iTrader: (1)

First time for everything!

They are OK, but I need to find one with a larger nose radius. I ground this one down some already as it was a sharp point, but something in the 1/8" radius would be better. These vice brakes are also very, very hard on the vice. Even with the bend slots, I have to use a 24" cheater bar on the vice handle - definitely need an old school beefy vice.

Yes, the knuckle will be fully boxed and a couple of angular reinforcement tabs will be added to the lower ball joint ear to help stabilize it as it will see the highest loads by far.

I guess we could call this take 3... getting closer, but still some details to work out.




To give a better visual of what the end knuckle will look like, I wrapped it in painters tape. The lower ball joint ear will carry the majority of the load on the front end, so there will be some triangulation flanges on the sides (also shown poorly with the the tape).

Teddy-2000RS

What style ball joints are you using? The knuckle is looking good. In all the knuckles I have done I have had to ream the holes in order to get a taper or for them to line up.

fieroguru

iTrader: (1)

I am planning to use stock fiero ball joints ball joints and I have a reamer for the sleeves that will be welded between the two plates.

fieroguru

iTrader: (1)

My new Brembo caliper also showed up (it won't stay red...). Looks like there will be just enough room for the brake bracket to bolt to the wheel bearing bolts and have the bolts clear the C5 CV.

fieroguru

iTrader: (1)

I also picked up the parts for the water manifold from the machine shop. I think they tried to machine it too fast and left some chatter marks that I will sand smooth:



The fully assembled water manifold (I still need to polish the center tube - it is just mill finished):

Jimbo1367

I like it. Is it cost effective to offer it as a swap item? How are the round tubes connected to it?

Capt Fiero

Damn it, and I am struggling to make a simple bracket to re-mount my meizer pump into the inner fender. That water manifold is amazing. I just sent off my water distribution block to be drilled and add have proper radiator cap bung tig welded to it. I do have a tig welder, but not really proficient enough to risk damaging my waterblock that I got from Archie.

I love your build its been awesome to follow along. Side note, I have Pickardt performance in Maryland building me a complete new turbo hot side, including manifolds, downpipe and V-Bands for the wastegate. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

fieroguru

iTrader: (1)

The tubes are sealed inside the blocks with o-rings.

The definition of cost effective is highly variable depending on who is asked and the application the part is used in, so who really knows...

I like the simplicity of this one with the 3 hose connections and built in thermostat and fill point. When installed in the Fiero, the lower hose will be hidden and the heater hose from the side will likely be hidden under the hose from the coolant fill... The single visible hose connection will just be another one of the things that make you go hmmm...

Thanks!

fieroguru

iTrader: (1)

On vacation this week for dedicated garage work...
Before I can finish up the front knuckles, I wanted to complete the power steering rack swap. 88 Fieros has 3.35 turns lock to lock with a manual rack, works but is pretty slow when autocrossing. 4th Gen Camaro has a rack that is 2.25 turns lock to lock, so that is what I choose to swap.

Detailed out both racks with the inner tie rod pivots aligned. The Camaro rack is narrower, so some spacers are needed. They are not the same side to side as I wanted to shift the rack to the passenger side for better column connection clearance.


Made some brackets to locate the 3D placement of the Fiero rack before it was removed:






Camaro rack would not clear the factory rack brackets, so they were cut off:






New rack brackets designed and cut:








Then I started detailing out all the suspension components...


I think this needs to be sent back for recalibration...

Jimbo1367

Looking real good. This is gonna be a monster when completed

Teddy-2000RS

You may have mentioned earlier but what software are you using to lay everything out in?

fieroguru

iTrader: (1)

AutoCAD. I started with R12 and have been using it almost 30 years. In college I did an internship for a year designing semi trailers and spent 8 hrs a day/5 days a week using it as well as creating manufacturing routings and programming of the CNC punch and burn machines. The last 25 years the primary focus as been on machine layouts withing mfg plants for equipment installs and relocations, which can be pretty boring, so my Fiero work has been my creative outlet.