Crazy Idea? Fiero Front End?

SportyBug · Post by **SportyBug** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 4:37 pm

Here is my crazy idea...
Is there any way to make this Tubular front end from a Fiero work on a beetle or any VW to improve its handling with more modren parts that are readily available? Michael
http://www.heldmotorsports.com/slalomf.htm
http://www.heldmotorsports.com/sport.htm
http://www.heldmotorsports.com/suspen.htm

SportyBug · Post by **SportyBug** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 1:00 pm

It would make a beetle handle really well, I'm told that a Fiero with one of these setups can do close to 1g in a turn

. That beats a Beetle. But it is some hair brain idea or can it really work?

Shadowbug · Post by **Shadowbug** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 5:00 pm

use parts from a chevette, ist the same car under the plastic skin.

if you want to use suspension parts other than VW on your beetle, consider a toyota MR2, suspension designed by Lotus, and that do handle sweet (for a j-car)

bugninva · Post by **bugninva** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 5:37 pm

Shadowbug wrote:use parts from a chevette, ist the same car under the plastic skin.

if you want to use suspension parts other than VW on your beetle, consider a toyota MR2, suspension designed by Lotus, and that do handle sweet (for a j-car)

the 88 fiero had similar (to the mr2)suspension also designed by lotus....

miller · Post by **miller** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 9:25 pm

I would first ask around and see if theri are any bad points to the fiero suspension. Also make sure it will work for the tires you want to use and stull like ride height and such. Are the components on the site stock fiero suspension parts? Another thing to remember is a front end swap might need a good amount of suspension adjustment and you gotta know how adjustable the suspension is of the fiero.

metropoj · Post by **metropoj** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 4:19 am

Fiero parts were using not the Chevette platform, but the Citation line from the 80's .... Close

The 6 cyl came from that line and powertrain too ....

SportyBug · Post by **SportyBug** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 11:50 am

Fiero's are truely under esamated cars. I didnt think much of them until lately when I started to help a friend fix up his 85/86' GT. But we got it all fix up and took it for a drive. It has a 4 speed and a V6. But it goes like nothing else like can. It can still embarrass the newwer mr2's from toyota. The handling in of this car is great too. There is a sharp turn on the Highway out of town where i live that everyone takes at 40-50mph because it is a little sharp. I hit it in the fiero at 80 and speed up through it and it never noticed.

And to answer Miller's questions the only bad point to fiero's suspension is bumpsteer from the rear (still not too sure what that is) and that was fixed in the 88 model that also had the suspension tuned by Lotus. I really what to drive one of those to see

.
And I know that I have seen adjustible ride hight shocks out there. Just have to find them again. A big plus for the Fiero is that is came stock with disc brakes on it! And you can swap to bigger discs and such from most any new Pontiac! But also right now tires arent an issue because i'm just tring to get things going. And I can have the dics/drums redone with the same bolt pattern if i need to.

I guess my question now is how would i go about putting the suspension in and getting working right?

Post by **Marc** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 1:16 pm

metropoj wrote:Fiero parts were using not the Chevette platform, but the Citation line from the 80's .... Close The 6 cyl came from that line and powertrain too ....

I realize you have some different names and different combinations up there, but isn't your Citation also a FWD car?
The Fiero used Chevette front end parts until `88. The finally put a proper suspension under it just before the bean-counters cut off production.
The Chevette stuff really isn't that bad considering its sh*tbox origin; it's a real, unequal-length double A-arm design as was once found on most conventional cars. I had a friend who built a Chevette street-stock circletrack car and the front end proved to be quite robust.

Shadowbug · Post by **Shadowbug** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 1:17 pm

a buddy of mine has a 1st generation MR2 (very different car from second generation) I've helped with a lot of work on it.

a set of stiff springs and sticky tires, driving at about 70kmph turned the wheel to full lock wheels didn't even squawk.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 1:22 pm

Yes, i think that the Citation is a FWD car, but the Fiero is not. It has a FWD setup midengine. Leaving only a gastank and a spare tire in the front. Making the front light and simmialar to a Beetle and that is what got me thinking about this as a swap. Now as for the front suspension being used from another car, I have yet to find anthing that backs that up. Maybe some parts are shared, it is GM they do that, but it is still a very good performer. Honestly i think that it is sad that they stopped making the Fiero because they where becoming quite a sporty little thing.

Post by **Marc** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 1:34 pm

Anonymous wrote:Honestly i think that it is sad that they stopped making the Fiero because they where becoming quite a sporty little thing.

I agree. All that was left to do was find a decent engine that wouldn't require partial removal to change sparkplugs like the 6 does. I would've liked to see them tap Olds for their Quad 4.

Anonymous wrote:Now as for the front suspension being used from another car, I have yet to find anthing that backs that up. Maybe some parts are shared, it is GM they do that.....

Really? It took me all of 2 seconds on Google to find a description:
http://www.trifocus.net/~fws/overview/

Shadowbug · Post by **Shadowbug** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 2:06 pm

I'm told that since GM owns opel they are going to sell the opel speedster in the US as the Fiero.

not sure whn they will begin

miller · Post by **miller** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 2:43 pm

I too liked the concept of the fiero. Too bad they never really had a long enough run to make a real 2nd edition and make real refinments. It would be competing agian mr2/miata market today at autocross.

Post by **Piledriver** » Sat Jan 17, 2004 11:49 pm

I hope they DO sell that speedster here.
(Although it looks eerily like a current Toyota MR2)

But I seriously doubt they would call it a Fiero...

Perhaps a Camaro (next gen) or Firebird---

Or Buick Wildcat.... Yeah.
Perfect mid-life crisis name.

Those are popular models they are/have killed off...

The Fiero sort of just died with a whimper.

Sad, too, the last couple of years they were great cars.

Miller---is your avatar the guitar player from Guar? (Gwar?)

SportyBug · Post by **SportyBug** » Sun Jan 18, 2004 12:54 pm

I guess the only question left is how would I go about making the fiero front end go in and work with my beetle? I have never done anything like this. Michael