What or who is V-8 Archie? Well, V-8 Archie started out with one man, C. Archambault, or Archie as most people have come to call him. His story starts out back in 1982 when Pontiac introduced the finalized Fiero design to the public. Right off the bat, he liked this car. Mid-engine, two seat, space frame, 4-wheel disc brakes, rack & pinion steering, non-structural body panels, and other unique features caught his eye. He felt that this was going to be the "55 Chevy" of the next generation. The only thing he didn't like about the design was the 4 cylinder engine. But he knew there was rumors of a power upgrade targeted for the next year.
The story of the first V-8 Fiero starts in 1985. Ever since the original announcement of the Fiero he was excited about the car and couldn’t resist talking about it with anyone who would hold still. Archie has a "non-car-guy" brother that had heard so much about the Fiero that he bought an ‘85 GT and a few months later he bought an ‘86 SE. Every time his brother (with wife and kids) would come to visit they would drive both Fieros. During these visits, and while the families were visiting inside, Archie would just pour over these 2 cars studying each and every feature. These cars became the inspiration for the first V-8 Fiero.
Of course Archie wanted a Fiero, he couldn’t afford a new "loaded" Fiero and wouldn’t have a use for a lesser Fiero. Finally, without the knowledge of his brother, Archie and his wife decided that he should buy a used ‘84 Fiero and swap an extra V-8 engine from one of his Camaros into it. The first swap took 5 months to complete and was completed in April 1986. The motor that was being transplanted into the ‘84 was a 327 out of a 1967 Camaro. After a lot of hard work, it was in and ran like a charm. Now it was time for him to surprise his brother. One afternoon his brother and wife came over in their Fieros. Archie put his monster in his garage and closed the door. As his brother pulled up and made his way to the front door of the house, Archie quickly opened the garage door and the monster flew out with the tires spinning. That was the last time both of those Fieros were ever driven over for just a visit. After people heard and saw the monster he created, they wanted to know how to do it. Archie had found the demand for a V-8 Fiero and designed a kit.
Well, many years later, he's still selling his kit. Not only has he sold nearly 2500 kits, he also installed about 400 V-8's himself. Along with Fieros comes kit cars, another business he worked into. Currently the primary business continues to be V-8 Fiero Engine Conversion Kits and some other body and mechanical items.
V-8 Archie on the internet has helped many Fiero owners by fulfilling their dreams for a faster, quicker Fiero. Also with the efficiency of email, any questions can be quickly answered. Archie has also helped out with many members of the Fiero community with his knowledge in various Fiero components. Today Archie is still crazy about Fieros. I'm sure we'll see much more of him. With his reputation stronger than ever and his customer service still great after more than 20 years, he'll be helping the Fiero community for years to come..... Visit his Pennock's Fiero Forum Page via the button below.