1990 Fiero Build Up

[CaptainHindsight]

1990 Fiero build up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EFKtvBBMWM

I wish this video had more pixels.

[CaptainHindsight]

[ericjon262]

I wonder how much different the 90 would have been compared to an 88, I bet the spaceframe was nearly identical, with only panel and interior changes.

[Jalisurr]

Suspension from the 88 but the high output LQ1 as top engine was the plan from what I've seen. Would have been a good competitor to the miata and second gen MR2 if they could keep the weight down.

Styling wise there is a LOT of 4th gen firebird in that car, wow.

[ericjon262]

Styling wise there is a LOT of 4th gen firebird in that car, wow.

in the GT's, sure, in the base models, not so much, but they're way harder to find pictures of.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Suspension from the 88 but the high output LQ1 as top engine was the plan from what I've seen. Would have been a good competitor to the miata and second gen MR2 if they could keep the weight down.

Styling wise there is a LOT of 4th gen firebird in that car, wow.

You do know that an LQ1 is, like, 90 lbs heavier than the 2.8, right? That car would have been over 3000 lbs.

GM did have Reynolds prototype some aluminum spaceframes. That frame with an LGO Quad 4 powertrain would have been a Mjata kicker.

[Emc209i]

Imagine working on an lq1 in that...

That generation of Fiero would be a legendary headache if it existed, until people started swapping the 3800.

[jelly2m81]

I used to think the 90 was pretty wild looking until I realized the 4th gen F- body ruined it for me. that and as the years passed holy fuck that's got an ass end as long as a Cadillac on it. Every time I see a C8 all I see is that incredibly long /bulky ass end.....

[ericjon262]

Imagine working on an lq1 in that...

That generation of Fiero would be a legendary headache if it existed, until people started swapping the 3800.

I would think it would depend on how easy it is to remove the "sail panels". If they were relatively easy to remove, it might be somewhat easier than a typical GT with an LQ1 swap.

[Emc209i]

The sail panels float up with the decklid, you can see how the engine is designed to be serviced in the video, everything is hinged. That car is noticeably longer so you couldn't reach the engine from behind. You'd only be able to get to the engine from the sides. I imagine they'd do their best to make the engine workable, but doing the timing belt/ water pump in that car would probably have required the engine come out, kinda like the Ferrari 355.

All that being said, I'd own one. Very sad they canned it.

[ericjon262]

I've been pretty busy and hadn't had a chance to watch the entire video yet, but the sail panels moving up would definitely be a godsend from the standpoint of side access.

I get some of the 4th gen fbody vibe, but I definitely see this as a different car, altogether. It's worth mentioning that gm tended to style cars similar to one another in the 90's the 4th gen firebird, the grand am, and the Sunfire all had similar body lines getting into the 90's some just more exaggerated than others, so it makes sense to me that they would try and implement similar styles. Its also worth mentioning the "Banshee IV" prototype (unveiled in 1988) has a much more similar appearance to the 4th gen firebird than the 90 Fiero prototype, and being introduced in 1988, would suggest it and the 90 prototype were developed in parallel.

I do agree the car looks long, both front and rear overhang, but I also don't think it was a bad looking car either. I will say I'm not really a fan of the C8 though, or really corvettes in general, they bore me. I would have been more excited to see what the car offered from a performance standpoint. The LQ1 while being a maintenance nightmare, would have been a massive performance improvement by itself, and the Quad 4 as a base engine would have made the base model so much more enjoyable.

I haven't personally worked on an LQ1, but I have seen several, I would imagine a different timing cover could make a belt swap doable in car, but it may be something to consider doing during clutch jobs when the engine is out anyways. That's said not all cars are built with the correct transmission...