V8 engine swap in my72

[brad302]

Maybe a better picture of a dirty engine

[htchevyii]

What kind of mods did you have to make he the front suspension and steering? The car looks great!

[brad302]

I tried to show you it's not just a show car its driven weekly and raced occasionally. Hence the dirt in many of these pictures. Daniel Thank you for the link, now you created a monster. To add to my frustration i just started using a Mac computer and I'm still learning it. Had to resize a few pictures. Its hard for this old fart to learn.

[FiatMac]

OK, I have to ask---How do you change the spark plugs?

[RRoller123]

Is that a manual shoehorned in there? Or an automatic? Saw a TR Spitfire at a show a couple weeks ago with a 289 Ford installed. It was very nicely done, tasteful, fast as hell, well balanced, but he had to do a LOT of modification to the tunnel to get it in.

[brad302]

htchevyII I lowered the front cross member two inches. Changed upper and the lower A arms two except Chevy ball joints. Also beefed up around the ball joint area. Used a two inch drop spindle from a chevy S10 to bring the body back down. By doing this it also matches the bolt pattern for the wheels used in the Chevy rear end, that was donated by a friend with heavy racing axles. If I had to do over again. I would look at a Mustangs front clip that are available everywhere. and consider cutting off the Fiat front end and adding the Mustangs. In my opinion that my front end could be better. Maybe make or buy custom A arms and I don't have a sway bar, that I feel would help too. On the steering I used a Pinto after market rack & pinion by Flaming River had to make some mounting brackets. not a big deal except it about a inch from the crank harmonic balancer.
Its pretty tight under there. That's part of the problem with finding or making the front sway bar.

[brad302]

Fiatmac I put a hatch door hidden under the side carpet panel. To change the plugs on the driver side. The passenger side are changed from under the hood. not that hard.

RRoller123 Yes, it is a automatic Ford C4. There wasn't enough foot room after cutting the fire wall and dog house out I dropped the fire wall back ten inches and widen the doghouse. Added a B & M ratchet shifter. I can manually shift without worry or just put in drive. as you can get some idea from this

[burgandy81]

I used a rear end from CHEVYS S10 as I stated. It is the correct width 49.5 inches if I remember correctly. I cut all the four link parts from the Fiat rear end and transfered them to the Chevys and the spring seats. Added a pan hard bar from a corvette. A lot of welding. I HOPE THATS THE SORT OF ONFO YOU WERE LOOKING FOR..

Yes, exactly!!

And a couple more.....

1. What year and model was the S10 (if it matters)?
2. What is the offset of the S10 wheels? (the wheels fill the wheel wells perfectly!!)
3. Any pictures of the axle in progress or installed?

Thanks again for sharing. I had heard reference to your car in the past, it is great to have you around to share.

Cheers,

Jordan

[brad302]

Jordan, I want to say it was a mid 90s rear end. But I don't think it would make a difference.
The wheel are from Center line 901 Galaxy 17" front: back space by my note was
5 inch rear back space is 4 .25 inch I think 4.5 would work .maybe even 4.75. I always wanted the rear in a little more but decided to live with it. The front tire size 215/40zr17. Rear: 235/40zr17.
The s10 back spacing is not not going to help you. Measure from your axle flange where you would bolt your wheel, to the frame rail. That is your back space . But you need to subtract approximately a half inch for tire bulge. I don't think I have any pictures Of the rear end, but I'll look. Try going to summit racing.com I seem to remember seeing some info with pictures or diagram on how to get back spacing. Hope that info is helpful.
Thank you Jordan And others for your intrust in my car. Keep the questions coming I'll do my best to answer them. Im not a mechanic, far from it. But this was a great learning process and I it couldn't have been done without my best friend. Ken who health hasn't been very good.
Brad

[Daniel]

Daniel Thank you for the link, now you created a monster.

glad it worked for you!

Nice looking car! I like the color and mods any 1/4 mile times?

[brad302]

DANIEL, THANK YOU. No 1/4 mile runs just 1/8 runs. My best time has been 8.01 at 86mph I'm hoping to get into the 7s. But not bad for a street car. It has beet Mustangs & some vetts. And you know thats fun.
BRAD

[Daniel]

not bad my buddy was running a full tubed cage Tub out well built 65 nova at our local track irwindale
drag strip he was in the mid 7s with low gears well built 350 turned 383 good size cam the works pretty
much. I fig your HP to weight ratio was so good you would do well maybe hooking up would be a issue?
any ideal what she weight with the completed modifications? maybe gained 3 or 4 hundred pounds with
mods?

[brad302]

Power to weight was the motivation for building the car. I was building a drag car in the begining.
Once into it I decided to make it a street car. Knowing it would be a blast to drive. At the time we were racing a S10 ZZ4 small block 350 with a super charger an nitrous. Running 6.90s in the 1/8
Mile.
The weight, I'm not sure. I did check the weight years ago I think it was 2460.lbs I haven't been able to find that weight slip. Maybe I should weigh it again. I can't remember if that was with me in it or not.
Hooking up hasn't b been a problem at the track using slicks. Street tires spin full length of the track. On the street you want to make sure your ready it can be a hand full. But at the same time very driveable.

[v6spider]

Nicely done! I toiled for hours over what powerplant to put in in my spider and v8 was simply not in the running. Too much carving of the firewall involved, loss of leg room, loss of handleing etc...all these things that you are too well aware of.. with that being said I'm sure the vettes and mustangs you raced with it were pretty surprised to have a FIAT Spider beat them! LOL
I should have my 4.3L Chevy Vortec v6 powered spider running sometime this summer if all goes well. How much HP do you think you are making with your 302? My v6 does over 300hp and over 300 ft lbs torque. any who very cool ride you have there.

Cheers!
Rob

[brad302]

[quote="think you are making with your 302? My v6 does over 300hp and over 300 ft lbs torque. any who very cool ride you have there.
/quote]

Thanks Rob. I was thinking the same way with a V6 . Then the Ford 302 short block came to me at a price to good to pass. I kept it pretty mild board 30 over then 10 to 1 compression, mild cam mild intake. EFI TBI Holly. I would guess Im at approx
340 hp . no idea on torque.
Brad