I've been just playing around with the idea of some EXTREAME bonneville modification that goes beyond simply replacing the motor. If your gona swap the engine why not the drivetrain too.

I've been playin with the idea of truning the FWD bonneville into a RWD or 4WD car. Now even to turn it into a RWD car would take some chassis modification. You got to fit a driveshaft down there. It'* also been sugested to me if you want to chage a car that much start with a chassis that is already RWD or 4WD and pull the bonneville body off it'* old chassis and on to its new one.

What do you guys think of the idea of a 4wd bonneville and what are you thoughts on actually modifying one? This is all new territory to me but the prospect seems interesting to me.

Yes it is fun to play and dream up ideas. As for merit just look into the cost to rebuild your 3.8l and the fact you will have to take out both the engine and the transaxle to do so.

So the cost and involvement is left to those who want to modify there engine somewhat extensively but the merit is great. This is especially true if you live in California where the two ways around smog are upgrade to a V8 or buy your smog test from a guy in LA for 300.00.

I like to keep it legal as possible.

So when i pull my engine and transaxle I will replace it with a new caddy unit. I have experience fabricating parts for large vehicles and the issue of fabricating a sub frame out of steel or aluminum is not a problem. That kind of ability does reduce the cost quite a bit.

So back to the point of the thread.

If you have questions or ideas around a Northstar transplant feel free to share.

I like the RWD idea. Sounds fun and it is doable. The AWD reliability portion is an issue though. I think the GP RWD AWD unit fell apart when they tried to drive it. Lol

I figure if you use GM parts then the AWD system will need some serious beef to handle real HP.

Ty

AWD is no problem but it comes down to cost of fabricating the frame. I would find a local shop that fabricates tube chassis to do it for you.

It will become a "kit" car at that point so you will want to look into local law around these types of cars and insurance costs.


Good idea.

Ty

Sorry 56Kers for the large pics


I have already mentally tryed to fit on in there, but I'm not sure. I borrowed my nieghbours 1996 STS, and took it into the garage and stripped the plastic on the top of the engine, and looked around took some measurements. Then I looked at the trofeo, and took some measurements and the mounts where obviously way off. My friend who happens to live a fair klick away(try victoria island/vancouver) has a 1992 Cadillac Allante, and he seemed to think they where alot alike, and could house the same engine easly. I still have to get engine specs but it could be the easyest way to fit a V8 in there.
Not dubble overhead cam though I know thats the point to have a DOHC so I was thinking, the 1993 allante has a 4.6. So there has got to be a way...

1992 trofeo


1996 STS


1992 allante


1993 allante


1992 bonneville

1992 trofeo

putting a 4.6 northstar in your car is VERY possible, its been done before

a guy had it for sale (can't remember what year, 90, 91 or 92) on ebay a year ago. he had pics showing the northstar in there, close up, far away, proving that he did actually have it in there. I emailed him about it, he said there is a company that custom does chips for fiero northstar swaps, and they made his chip, chip cost was about 1,000. i had all this info on gmforums w/ his email......but gmforums went bye bye :(

And northstar from GM is 12,000cdn, so I would have to shop around lol..

Hey Victoria and Vancouver are my old stomping grounds.

The obd1 chip is available for the Northstar swap for alot less than 1000.00 now.

I was also thinking of how much fun a N* would be in a two door early late 80'* GM would be.

lol imagine 700hp in a Trofeo. lol

Ty

speedguy, so it is possible now to put a 4.6 in a 95 aurora w/ this chip??? don't leave me hanging!!! lol

when you guys do it, or find out someone did, let me know....aurora'* will always be the sexiest gm car....(ducks for cover).....they just need some bigger cojones, a drop, tint, rims and possibly the gfx kit.

Just have the 1995 aurora and caddy chip done. The caddy 1995 did not have the vats done but that is in the works. I have had alot of sandrail and fiero swap interest so we are working with our computer guy to get a obd1 solution while the vats are being done on the obd2. The longest part is the donor car setup. I should have the car set up in about a week or two.

Ty