ok here it is 89 base firebird 2.8l v6 5 speed changed to 3.4l vortech supercharged,headers,chip,catback,5 speed,some 99 silver camaro ss wheels w/17.9/2fronts with 275 40 zr17s and some 17 x 11 silver ss camaro wheels with 315/40/zr17s car painted same silver as wheels ,dark window tint,4th gen ta rear spoiler,black leather 4th gen buckets,4th gen shift console,killer stereo.give me some suggestions on what you would do i dont want a v8 cause my parents wont let me drive one.dad said anything v6 was ok hehehehehe ive already got the car but im getting tired of teh 2.8 and teh 2.8 is getting tired also any suggestions would be greatly appreciated thanx for your help guys and gals what should i do what shouldnt i do????

 

1) Don't do the 4th gen T/A spoiler...it'll be a bitch to fit, and you got a 3rd gen, right?? Find a 3rd gen Formula/GTA/TA spoiler!

2) The 4th gen console will physically fit in the car (my friend's '86 Sport Coupe has his '00 T/A console right now for the winter), but there's gonna be a HUGE gap at the dash end of the console. I was shocked how well it fit width-wize, but you're gonna have a hole up front. He's installing a 12 inch Alpine TV screen there to hide it (he's an installer). I would DEFINITELY do the T/A leather seats though!

3) Try a bit smaller tire. 275s and 315s on a car without ground effects are gonna stick way far out, and may not look right. If I was you, go with a 245/50/VR16 tire on a GTA rim. Or if you like 5 spokes, try an AR rim or something, but I wouldn't go to a 17 inch unless it's a 255 or narrower. Also, if you put bigger tires on the back, the car will understeer more in turns than if you put the same size all the way around

4) Everything else sounds great, especially the color combo! IMO, a silver 'Bird with a nice tint job and black GTA rims to accent the tint would look awesome!

Obviously, these are my opinions Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

------------------
Jason E
'89 Camaro RS 2.8
Hypertech chip/K&N filters/Accel 8.8 wires/RapidFires
Eclipse CD and 100x4 amp/Boston plates and 6x9s
Alpine Alarm w/ Keyless entry
IROC tailights/tinted windows

[This message has been edited by Jason E (edited November 14, 2000).]

 

i just like 17" ss wheels as far as the 17 x 11 its just an ideai like the wide tire lookin the back im also thinking of converting it to look like a ta with the conversion kit from tacreations i found a 29000 mile 95 firebird with 5 speed for 1000 its wrecked motor runs like a gem though thats where the seats are from i like the 4th gen console cause of teh cupholders either that or im gonna custom fab my own console with the lights for the gear indicator that light up when your in that gear im also gonna put a full ws6 suspension in it with a disc brake posi rear and a 3.42 rear end i need some thought on it cause im gonna start this project soon bought a 79 firebird esprit for transportation to work while my 89 is down thought ideas appreciated

 

Cupholders are why my friend went with a 4th gen console. You will need to do a fair amount of custom-fab work if you're gonna make it look right though.

Grab that '95! For all the stuff you can grab out of it, its worth every penny. If you do put ground effects on it, then you can get away with 275s. 315s I still don't think will fit though If you like the wider-rear look, try a 245 front and 275 rear. Then it'll understeer less too!

 

ive already got teh 95 in my garage thinking about the door panels too there just too plain lookin in the base firebirds im also gonna have someone stitch firebird or something in the headrests,door panels and dash pocket i have many ideas on this car do you know if anybody makes a supercharger for the 3.4l

 

Dont mess it up too much. I mean "firebird" on the doors, seats, and dash? Thats alot of firebird!

------------------
1992 Camaro RS 3.1L
T5 Manual 5 speed
Open Air Intake
Z-28 Exhaust
8.5mm MSD Ignition wires
TB Coolant bypass

 

im thinking just the headrests any body got in fo on supercharger for 3.4l

 

Graemes can help you there...he had an S/C '89 2.8 'Bird.

The Firebird logo would look great on the headrests and door panels...I agree that the base 'Bird panels look a little bare. Some trim shops will have a pre-made logo that (I believe) they heat up and stick on. It'll look factory once its on there...I was gonna do silver bowties for my light grey seats someday.....

------------------
Jason E
'89 Camaro RS 2.8
Hypertech chip/K&N filters/Accel 8.8 wires/RapidFires
Eclipse CD and 100x4 amp/Boston plates and 6x9s
Alpine Alarm w/ Keyless entry
IROC tailights/tinted windows

 

hmm...first couple tips

1. Dont do it on a stock engine
2. Get it raced prepared
3.Get DOHC 3.4 heads
4. Get a 3.4
5.Try no2 before a s/c'r

------------------
88 Firebird 2.8
MODS (either coming or on):
Flowmaster 80 series, Random Technologies Cat, 3" intermediate pipe, Accel 8.8 wires, MSD Coil, MSD Ignition Module,MSD 6A
Currently Working On:
t5 swap
Next to buy:
Slp dual cold air intake!

 

The 99 Rims wont fit its a different bbolt design...

 

The 99 Rims wont fit its a different bbolt design...

 

Wow, that's going to be a ton of cash in that v6. If you do actually go for it, then be sure to take pictures, and keep us posted.

------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

oh im going for it and yes i am going to take picures of the entire process and yeah it will be quite a bit of money but i think my bird is worth it i bought her to recscue her and thats what imn going to do,as far as the dohc 3.4l heads i didnt know they made those,,will there be in increase in horsepower with these heads,also im not going to use nitrous at all,the motor will be beefed up where it needs to be in order to take the added stress of teh supercharger keep the ideas coming though there helping me alot

 

yep actually an engine building race company i talked to is working on an engine idea for me..(its NOT NRT)

3.4 v6
race pistons for use with no2 AND s/c'r
DOHC Heads
and some other crap... he said he'll also try a tt engine...

------------------
88 Firebird 2.8
MODS (either coming or on):
Flowmaster 80 series, Random Technologies Cat, 3" intermediate pipe, Accel 8.8 wires, MSD Coil, MSD Ignition Module,MSD 6A
Currently Working On:
t5 swap
Next to buy:
Slp dual cold air intake!

 

would you guys mind if i scanned a polaroid pic i dont know how it will look but i need to get film for it i dont have a regular camera i have a polaroid though well see im gonna take pics and scan them into the computer then post em somewhere

 

there is only two GM 5bolt designs, large and small spacing.. 99' rims have the same bolt pattern as ours..

 

Also, if you go with fourth gen rims, you'll need some serious spacers on the front and rear of your car for those rims to fit right. If you plan on doing ANY form of racing, I'd avoid using spacers, and just get thirdgen Z rims, or aftermarket rims for your car.

To those of you who suggested DOHC heads... Why? Are you telling him to get DOHC heads and run them on a non DOHC 3.4L? I don't see how that would work...

 

the DOHC heads would work fine on the 3.4L OHV motor.

the 3.4L DOHC motor actually has five(5), count em, five crankshafts. there are four overhead, and one called a "jackshaft" that sits in the middle of the block to drive the oil pump and that is connected to the crankshaft (timing reasons) that then has a pulley on the end of it that runs a belt up to the DOHC's. so yes, if the bolt pattern is the same it is toally possible to run DOHC heads on a 3.4L OHV engine.

IF the bolt pattern for the DOHC - OHV heads are the same. otherwise you are sol.

-R

 

I'd like to hear some more on these DOHC heads... projected power etc. I was eventually gonna get my heads worked, but maybe this is a avenue to pursue, anyone able to fill me in here?
-pods

------------------
88' Sport Coupe W/ T's
2.8->3.4 5-speed, accel coil-8.8 wires w/ bosch platinums
black and silver, grey interior, w/ 95' cloth seats, 3way power driver

 

The reason I'm asking for more info is because of this: Do the DOHC heads have the holes for the push rods? I mean, why would a DOHC head have provisions for pushrods that are driven off of a cam in the block?

I seriously don't know a thing about DOHC 3.4L engines, so maybe my ignorance is really making me seem like a goober here, but DOHC heads on an OHV designed block doesn't make sense to me...

 

Dan,

According to Motor Trend, the OHV and DOHC 60 degree motors used the same blocks...whether that means it has all the provisions within it or not, I don't know...

But I DO know GM wanted to keep this engine very similar to the OHV motor to save on tooling costs. I wouldn't be surprised if the blocks are the same...although I admit I don't know much about the conversion either.

 

well..that engine builder i mentioned before said he'd guess a 20 hp gain due to the fact the heads flowed better... i dunno though?

------------------
Flowmaster 80 series, Random Technologies Cat, 3" intermediate pipe, SS Hand Made Tips, 3 1/4" out, Accel 8.8 wires, MSD Coil, MSD Ignition Module,MSD 6A Box
Currently Working On:
T5 swap
Next to buy:
Slp dual cold air intake!

 

hey graemes firebird you got pics of your 2.8s/c firebird thanx would love to see what it looked like do you know what horsepower ya had thanx hey read my reply on what im doing says alright heres what im gonna do

 

ok heres the deal..
OHV looks like a V..in other words, there are rods that form a v in the center of the engine to drive the rockers
in a DOHC motor, the rocker arms are tied DIRECTLY to the camshafts.

basically in the 3.4L DOHC, they took an Overhead Valve (OHV - with pushrods) engine, and took out the camshaft in the center, and then put in a straight shaft, with no "lobes" (things that push the pushrods up and down) called a "jackshaft" which only has a gear on the back to drive the oil pump. the "jackshaft" also has the OHV standard timing setup with a wheel that is connected via a timing chain to the crankshaft...

so the crankshaft turns the "jackshaft" which turns the oil pump..nothing more..

on the end of the jackshaft, near the front of the motor, they put a wheel that can accept a rubber belt, and loop a belt from this pulley to each side of the motor's heads, to turn the Dual OverHead Camshafts (DOHC) which turn the rockers that are integrated into the camshafts. there are a set of two rockers for each intake, and a set of two rockers for each exhaust, making a total of 24 valves (more efficient breathing) for a v6 3.4L DOHC.

any more info you can email me @ Russell@Adwire.com or you can contact me on AOL IM : Camwire

-R

 

It's not the blocks I have the questions about... it's the heads! Do the DOHC heads have the provisions for pushrods sticking through the head into the block or not?

Since they're overhead cam driven valves, why would they need those holes for the normal pushrods? That's my reasoning and why I'm asking if they actually would work without modifications for an OHV engine.