Real Fiero Tech

I need a cheap (<$50) solution to my airbox dilemma.... Basically I want something to cover each bank and lead to maybe 2" tube to dual air filters..... Something "ferrari/lamboesque"...



I like TWM's airbox, but they need to be cheaper (like a factory motorcycle box.....?):

http://www.twminduction.com/airbox.htm

for less then $50? Jesus dude. Materials will esaily cost that much alone if not more. Maybe make your own? I know howard used to sell little carbon fiber kits. Pretty sure they were more then 50 though.

What about making one plenum box with 8 runners coming out of the bottom.

Maybe find some silicone or cheap home depot rubber plumbing couplers, attach them to the tb's, then have the other end attach to the plenum runners. Sheet aluminum will probably be best to use, and finding the right diameter tubing shouldnt' be hard either. Then just find someone to weld it all up.

You can get a sheet of plywood for <$50.

Okay, when I meant <$50, what I was hoping was someone knew a motorcycle airbox that would fit and work... These are spaced out 22mm, so 102mm, which means the stock hayabusa airbox can't be used... I'm considering vacuum forming ABS plastic, but I'd prefer something ready made...... Maybe even a tackle box or rubbermade container or something...... I don't know.

Maybe I'll repurpose some valve covers.....

As I recall, bubbajoe modified some Datsun 240Z air cleaners to fit over his 8 carbs. Could work for you as well.

what about something simple like this?



or this?

Since this is going into his Northstar Fiero, I'm guessing he'd rather duct it from a cold air source.

Motorcycle airboxes are out because none of them have a bore center distance as large as the Northstar's.

However, if you wanted to take some aluminum mandrel bends (not <$50, unfortunately) and lengthen the stacks a little bit on top of the throttles, you could gather them back together close enough to use a motorcycle airbox.

Yeah, hot air intake might be good enough for V8Archie, but not for me... I don't care if the ITB's are hidden, I'd rather go than show.

whipped wrote:Yeah, hot air intake might be good enough for V8Archie, but not for me... I don't care if the ITB's are hidden, I'd rather go than show.

Hot air intake is also apparently good enough for Shaun's Civic, but that doesn't mean it's cool for the rest of us either.
If you'd rather go than show, eliminate the abrupt bend between the "manifold" and throttle bodies. Doing this will get you closer to GM's injector targeting, too. Also, pencil in some dyno time to optimize the stack length, as it will affect your entire powerband.

I have assembled throttle setups with modified linkages, but they're not on my engine yet because I want to duplicate the factory injector targeting as closely as possible using the injector bungs in the ITB's, which will take some thought.

I have thought about bending each bank's stacks down over the opposite bank's cam cover and using a plenum for each bank, BUT I may try a "nest of snakes" arrangement wherein each plenum feeds every other cylinder in the firing order.

Actually, now that I look at the pic on the TWM site, I see that the Shizzaun posted a picture of a hot air intake VW, not a Shitvic.

Anyway, why are you concerned about cheap? Weren't you going to drop out of school and make your millions building grow lights for legal marjuana farmers in CA?

you opposed to the idea of cutting a hole in your decklid for the stacks? If not, then my idea of tiny filters on top can still apply. and be the easiest way. You can also do what will suggested and dial in your runner height by cutting the decklid.

Use a big 3" or 4" PVC pipe to go over each bank, and cut holes in the bottom to go to the TB's, just have to figure out how to connect from that to the TB's, unless you can use boots that connect motorcycle throttle bodies to the airbox. Then you have 2 plenums that you can either join into 1 or keep seperate.

I would like to get a mustang style scoop for the decklid, but for now I think I want some kind of dual plenum. I bought some aluminum valve covers that I'll mount on aluminum plates for a dual plenum setup...

I find it odd that you would spend all that time and money on the ITB setup, just to cheap out on the plenums. It makes no sense.

BTW, I also agree that you should work out your intake horn height before building the air box. The height of the horns will dictate the design of the air box.

That said, I think a sheet aluminum "turkey baster" style pan with a carbon fiber lid would look pretty cool. But I guess it's too late for suggestions.

Well, I'm not using a cardboard box, but I'm not spending $300 a side for TWM's custom airboxes either. The aluminum valve covers should do the trick and look good.

FWIW, here's what I bought: