Thread: Fiero Powertrain in rear of '29 half phaeton

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I'm working through the details of planning a project I'd like to do and I'd want to weigh the pros and cons of putting a Fiero V-6 rear powertrain in my '29.

The front of the car would be a traditional looking front half of a phaeton (that's all I got in the pile of rusty sheetmetal from ebay). And under the front would be a 2x3 (or 2x4) steel tube frame like a T-bucket, but with a traditional '32 I-beam axle with split wishbones.

I really want to try and incorporate the GM V-6 Fiero setup in the rear. After all, it's a very compact way to get a modern engine, tranny, and IRS all in one package. One could probably pick any front drive unit and put it in the back, but the Fiero already has the special calipers to cover the e-brake function.

Has anyone done this? I've seen a nice CADDY NORTHSTAR crosswise in the back of a '32, but it doesn't seem very common. Any advice?

Thanks.

--Matt

Not very common because it takes up the room where the back seat goes thus,is not very practical.........noise,heat & cooling problems. IMHO
Don

There was a thing called a Volksrod back in the early 70s. It was a T-bucket with a VW engine and transaxle. It was a crossover of dune buggy technology applied to a hot rod. They never got very popular. Doing a search for Volksrod might bring up something.

Another thing to consider is that a V6 isn't a big enough engine for a hot rod. The E-brake thing isn't enough of an incentive to use it. If you were going to put the Fiero setup in a Honda Civic it would be more interesting.

If I was building a rear engined rod it would have to be with an old 70s Toronado setup with a 455 engine to make it worth the effort.

The V6 no matter how nicely done would be underwhelming. Much like the Volksrods.

To build on Al's suggestion, back in the early '70's, Russ Meeks built a Model A roadster with a Toronado drive train in the rear. He set the body to tilt up ala a funny car, except it went forward rather than back. Easy access to the drive train. If I recall correctly it won AMBR at the Oakland Roadster Show.

Maybe one of the guys living where the weather still sucks has time to do a web search for it. We're having a gorgeous spring day so I need to get back on the yard.

Originally posted by Streets
Looked and didn't find nuthin' but his LSR "salt" car BBBob.. Mebbe if ya put another Fiero engine in the front you'd have twice as much fun...

Thanks for lookin', it's probably out "there" somewhere, just not in an easily found site. I spent some time this morning with some offbeat discriptors and came up empty too.

As for the other idea, that would make it a pushmepullme, eh?

My advice is to go for it. Hot rodding /street rodding is as much about uniqueness and creativity as it is about going down the 1/4 mile like a big assed bear. Yes, you may not have the fastest car in town, but in creative pleasure and as a crowd stopper you will be miles out in front. Do some research, build it safe, and have fun.

I know a guy who is doing a rear engined rod using a Falthead ford and putting in under a turtle deck T. So far his technology looks great.

Thanks for the tips, warnings, and encouragement.
Don’t worry about the power, I think a supercharged 3.8 might just do the trick.
Since my car is only the front half of a phaeton, the back seat bodywork area is completely missing and will hopefully provide the space for the powertrain. Good reminders about the heat and noise. I’ll make sure to include some sort of radiation shielding and I’ll make sure to keep the headers pointed far away from my ears. ;-).

Transverse flathead? Cool! Can you post some pictures?

I hadn’t heard that Meeks car yet. Interesting!

Here are a few I’ve found, but not a lot of recent street rod stuff.

In the 60’s there was Chevado:
http://www.geocities.com/chevadoraci...orePhotos.html

There were a couple of cars by Bill Porterfield in the 70’s:
http://www.jcn.com/durkee/ME1.html

And Boyd’s Aluma Coupe:
http://www.showrods.com/showrod_pages/aluma_copue.html

An old belly tank racer:
http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/48038/index.html

And recently there is the SoCal/GM Ecotec belly tank:
http://www.automobilemag.com/news/03sema_lakester/


You guys are a great wealth of info.

Thanks!

--Matt