A good friend of mine has the 2.8 v6 in his 84 firebird & performance on acceleration between 0-50 mph isn't too hot he says ! Now I've tried it out & have to agree it is sluggish in comparison to my wife's 88 dodge caravan 3.0 v6. Is it just the 2.8 ?

 

84 is a carbed 2.8 and that firebird is heavy. the caravan with the 3.0 has about 70 hp more than him

theres not much he can do without spending alot of money that is better spent on a faster car- if he wants the car he drives to be fast

 

Go get a set of salvage MPFI 2.8/3.1/3.4 heads, polish the casting burs out, have shop rebuild them, new seals, better springs if he wishes.

Slap them on.
While doing that, pick up some cap-pep 1.52 or 1.60 rockers and slap on.

 

know this would cost a lil more, but after he got the heads, i'd say buy the eddlebrok 4bbl intake and a carb combo. After doing that, it'll really utalize the bigger valves of the later model HO and Fuel Injected v6.

 

We've consired the conversion to a v8, but I reckon it's a lot of work involved & would best to sell "as is" cause the firebird is in real good shape, provided that my buddy wants a v8.

 

yeh boydee, unfortunately most friends aren't keen on the ideas of "sell it and buy a v8" , know i wasn't, infact i'd look at that as eh, not a nice thing to say (least not a good idea). In all truth and honesty it'll be easier for him to get the ponies he wants w/ the v8, and less trouble than swapping one. Earlier model birds and camaros are actually easier to swap v8's into, as they dont' have all the fuel injected mambo jombo to complicate the swap, at the same time it's still and engine swap. If the car is clean, and ur friend truely LOVES the car, it might do him best to do a v8 swap himself. If done properly, and looks to be "near factory" no one will argue the difference, (aka, keep it clean) don't do a butcher swap with hoses lying here and there, tubes on this side, lines on that side, and a rusted out engine compartment, infact that'll destroy the resale more than increase it, however if it's clean, looks good, and runs good (body , interior, and engine) then it'll actually help his resale, as a carbbed v6 isn't exactly a desireable motor....but it is going to be some work.

 

What would need changing ? Rear axle, suspension etc ?

 

front springs
motor mounts
engine
trans
radiator

Possibly rear gears later if so desired.

While at it, install the dual eletric fans like the 350tp. That will get rid of some rotational mass.

 

nope. Motor mounts. Pull the v6 ones off , more the break line, put the v8 mounts in the rear holes that are already there. Since you are carbed already im guessing you wont need a fuel pressure reg like i did. SOME say you need to change the front springs, i didnt (along with others who didnt) and i have no problems.

I just did the swap along with a friend, the biggest PITA are the motor mounts.

Everything else is just a bolt it back togather thing.

Get a vacc advance hei dist. One wire hookup, then you'll have the three starter wires. Set the timing, hook up the exhaust and fuel lines and drive away.

But them mounts are a major pita!!!!

 

ahh yes you will need a new or different rad.

I wish i could post a pic and show you how my car sits now. The car will drop a little but not much. My car doesnt bounce at all or bottom out.

Electric fan is a good idea. I reused my v6 one.

didnt the v6s come with 3.42's? i wouldnt worry so much about a gear swap as i would a posi.