Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

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Aaron
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Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by Aaron »

I bought a Maroon 88GT that had a 3.4 DOHC swap in it from a guy in Oklahoma a few years ago. I redid the 3.4 swap, drove it for about a year, then sold it to a good friend who drove it for another year or two. Well it developed a few issues, and he ended up blowing the transmission. I found a Getrag in a junkyard for $60, and we managed to find a good deal on a 275hp N* that had just been rebuilt, but never got installed. The N* and Getrag sat around, but my friend came up with the time and money, so we've begun work on the project. For now, the plan is to leave the N* block stock, run it off a 7730 ECU, and I'll be making some trick headers for it (More details in a bit). I would have liked to get a 300hp variant, but this one came up at the right time, for the right price.

In the past few weeks, we got the transmission clearanced for the N* starter, and bolted that up. Today we finished up the cradle modifications, and it goes down to the powder-coaters on Monday. We are using a modified Fiero front trans bracket, that uses a Dodge P/U engine mount. The stock N* front engine mount is being used. The stock rear Fiero trans mount is being used (Except with a RD poly unit). And the back engine mount is custom, again using a Dodge P/U mount (Can't beat them for $5!). I'll be adding a dogbone up top eventually. We got an aluminum flywheel ordered, I'm not sure how or where, but my friend found it for $400!!! That's the price of a stock Fiero aluminum flywheel! It's in, although I haven't seen it yet. We still need a clutch, going to Clutchnet for that (I've heard enough Spec horror stories that I won't ever go back).

The real pride and joy, the headers. My friend gassed up the welder, and said he'd buy all of the materials if I would build him headers. I started my new job, and am aching to get back into working on projects like this, but am saving my own money, so I jumped at the opportunity. It's down to 2 choices so far. Either way, the headers will be long tube, equal length. I'm tossing around the idea of doing a set of 180* headers. I just can't get over the sound they give, it's biblical. However as we all know, that's not going to be easy. So I'm going to order the piping, and see what I can come up with. Fortunately, with the 6500rpm redline and tame 275 cams, the primary lengths will be long (I'm guessing 36" at least), so I've got plenty of distance to get the collectors placed right to feed from both banks. I actually think I'll have plenty of room for the headers themselves, from the looks of it so far, my 3.4 was far tighter on space constraints. My problem with this is going to be the exhaust. I really want to run dual mufflers and a true dual exhaust, as a single muffler is too loud. However, we also want to keep the trunk, which severely limits exhaust options. Since the swap is still in its initial stages, I've got time to plan. I'm open to ideas.

No pictures yet, I'll take some of the cradle and mounts tomorrow. Here's the car:

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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by Xanth »

Looking forward to the build, N* is about the only V8 swap I would consider into a Fiero of my own.
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by Aaron »

Pics of the motor and the cradle/mounts. The motor is dirty and needs painted, but it is fresh on the inside.

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88GT 3.4 DOHC Turbo
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by mcaanda »

Damn, looks just like my 88GT. Looks like a fun project.
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by FGT »

Xanth wrote:Looking forward to the build, N* is about the only V8 swap I would consider into a Fiero of my own.
Agree.

'88 GT, 3800 SC II, IMSA/MC widebody combo, Choptop, Borla exhaust .
'88 Notchback, now parts car


Central Florida Fieros

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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by Aaron »

The cradle and mounts won't be done until the middle of next week, so this weekend won't be too productive. I'm hoping we can clean the motor up a lot, paint it, and start the wiring harness.
88GT 3.4 DOHC Turbo
Gooch wrote:Way to go douche. You are like a one-man, fiero-destroying machine.
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by Aaron »

Now back on topic. Got the cradle back, looks spectacular. Full sandblast and gloss black powdercoat. The prices went up, but with the economy I'm not surprised. Worth it to have it done right. Next step is wiring, and collection of parts/design for the 180* headers.

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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by Xanth »

About that powdercoating, do they manage to get the interior of the cradle as well or just the external surfaces? Looks great in those pictures.
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by Aaron »

They get as much as they can spray into. So it does not get the complete interior, but as much as I can see. If you look closely in the pics, you can see brown in the hole by the front mount, that is powder, it's black underneath that.
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Gooch wrote:Way to go douche. You are like a one-man, fiero-destroying machine.
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by Aaron »

Still no header pipe. Next weekend I guess.

Maybe my friend will stop being lazy, get the engine on the cradle, and get the coolant crossover/water pump on next week too, that'll help with the header design.
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Gooch wrote:Way to go douche. You are like a one-man, fiero-destroying machine.
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by whipped »

/sweep

(if you don't have anything nice to say, go to RFTvW.)

Looks good, but I'm concerned about the weld penetration on the front cradle tubing. A little late, I know... :-/
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by Aaron »

Thanks for the edit!

I got the header tubing in, pics on Saturday.

I too am worried about that, but my friend welded that, and didn't really prep the cradle before-hand, plus welding anything to the cradle can be nasty. As you said, too late now, we'll see how it holds.
88GT 3.4 DOHC Turbo
Gooch wrote:Way to go douche. You are like a one-man, fiero-destroying machine.
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by Aaron »

Update. Got the motor on the cradle, looks fantastic and sits straight and level. The aluminum flywheel came in, and I started working on the headers.

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88GT 3.4 DOHC Turbo
Gooch wrote:Way to go douche. You are like a one-man, fiero-destroying machine.
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by mcaanda »

double post.
Last edited by mcaanda on Sat Apr 25, 2009 11:27 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by mcaanda »

Hey A.aron - what it run ya for all that there pipe?
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by Aaron »

Roughly 400 from www.stahlheaders.com
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by whipped »

Crash may have cracked the case half?

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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by Aaron »

Good eyes, I will have to look closer, let's pray for casting flash!
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by crzyone »

Nothing a little JB weld shouldn't fix.

Looking good so far.
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Re: Northstar 88GT 5-speed BUILD THREAD

Post by Aaron »

It is just casting flash. It's actually all over the block, heads, oil pan, etc, but it's exaggerated because the marks have been rubbed against, and cleaned, while the block gets greasy and dirty. But hopefully it'll all be clean soon.
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Gooch wrote:Way to go douche. You are like a one-man, fiero-destroying machine.
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