1985 Grand National. Nothing crazy, just a 500hp weekend driver.

[diponyou]

Well I picked up James's 85 GN as some of you already know. I have already begun purchasing stuff for it in full force lol.

I will start out by saying that I have no intentions of making this thing a show car, or anything close for that matter. I want a fun, good handling, FAST, GN with roughly 500whp that I can take out and not worry too much about getting chips in the paint







Here is a list of what was on the car to begin with

114,xxx miles, although engine, trans, suspension, brakes, etc are all rebuilt.
Sportsroof (moon roof/sun roof), G-80 Posi, Cruise, Power windows, etc all works. AC needs recharged. (Converted to 134)
Rebuilt Engine with less than 20k. I just did new intake, oil pan, and valve covers as it had a tiny leak.
STD/STD Turbo cross drilled crank
Double roller timing set
TRW Forged pistons .030 over
Stock rods, polished beams, shot peened, ARP bolts
Plasma moly rings
Edelbrock 204/214 cam and lifters
New Comp springs, retainers, keepers
Hardened rocker arm shafts with RJC rocker braces
Extreme ported big valve heads. Epoxied floors to smooth/direct airflow
Head cut to use Felpro 1007 lockwire head gaskets (and I do use them)
ARP head bolts
Stock upper plenum, modified w/ epoxy and an aluminum plate curved to direct airflow
New water pump installed with new motor, 160 degree thermostat, hoses, clamps, etc
Brand new gear reduction mini starter installed January 2013.


Transmission:
200R4 (4 speed auto) Rebuilt about 15k ago “Bullet Proof” By Chance & Sons Transmissions in Haysville, KS (of Neal Chance Racing Transmissions/ Converters) (cost almost $3,000!)
Neal Chance converter 3,000 stall
Billet servo, good bands, clutches, etc
AN fittings and lines from trans to cooler
Drain bung welded w/plug in pan
Temp sender bung welded in pan
Just completed trans service in August

Rear end:
Moser Axles with longer wheel studs
Moser C-Clip eliminators
S-10 Rear wheel cylinders
Aluminum brake drums
Big brake pads (all 4 long pads, not short and long, to hold boost better)
Brand new braided stainless brake lines front and rear

Brand New 85 GN Center caps ($200!)
Polyurethane Body mounts (w/ extra GNX location bushings)
Front end completely rebuilt with polyurethane bushings throughout, new tie rods, ball joints, etc
HR Parts-n-Stuff Poly motor mounts
Boxed stock rear control arms (upper and lower) w/ poly bushings
Poly Rear end bushings

Precision TE-44 turbo, (58mm) Jet hot/ polished
Always run through Turbo saver remote oil filter (2 filters, always run WIX)
RJC Biggie oil filter adapter
Front mount intercooler (Eastern Performance)
Aluminum bumper supports front and rear
3” Metal MAF pipe
K&N filter
Alky Control progressive methanol injection
Terry Houston 3” down pipe and test pipe (w/ cutout, or can install cat converter for smog)
60 pound/hr MotoTron injectors from TurboTweak
TurboTweak Chips (91, alky/ 91, E85)
Kirbans adjustable fuel pressure regulator
Hotwired 340 Walbro from Racetronix
Flexible rubber lines in rear replaced with AN fittings and hose, with inline cleanable fuel filter
Pypes Stainless steel dual exhaust 2 ½” Installed October 2012
Dual air bags in rear springs (independent air control for launch)
Line lock on switch panel in ash tray
Dual Ramchargers electric fans, switched at the ash tray
ALRADCO HID lights (amazing!!!)
Brand new Recaro bucket seats, recovered in GN fabric, with Turbo 6 embroidered (have stock seats if you want them too) Recaro's were about $1,200
3 3/4” Autometer Sportcomp tachometer
2 1/16” Stewart Warner Max Performance Oil pressure gauge in console pod
2 1/16” Autometer Sportcomp water temp gauge in console pod
2 1/16” Autometer Sportcomp boost gauge in A pillar pod
2 1/16” Caspers Knock gauge in A pillar pod
Pioneer CD player w/ flip down/removable faceplate, w/ipod input
Pioneer speakers in doors, hatch, etc.
New NOS shifter handle
New bumper fillers front and rear
Stay down fuel door

I will compose a list of what it needs and what I have done to it and update it as the build progresses.

Needs:
-carpet
-floor mats
-door pull handles installed
-various dings
-paint cut/buffed/waxed and fix rust in the doors

Stuff done so far:
-ordered carpet and floor mats from gbodyparts
-120# injectors ordered
-double pumper
-kit(255s) ordered
-tt chip, e85, 25psi ordered
-led tailights ordered
-window tint
-tires
-bilsteins

replaced the knock sensor, and autometer boost gauge with a vdo one that shows vacuum as well and an AEM wideband o2

I got a new Kenwood stereo and replaced all the old speakers
At that same time I got an alarm installed, it is a Code Alarm Pro Comp series.

Here is how it looks at the moment.

I know the carpet looks like poop but that will be swapped out as soon as I get my package from gbody parts

 

[diponyou]

what is the deal with the font?
I never changed it once and it kept getting bigger and smaller and wouldnt let me fix it

 

[Squid4life]

Man that dark tint makes the car look so much meaner... How's she hook with the new tires and back on the e85?

Cant wait to see how she runs when you get the new setup in and turn up the boost.

 

[diponyou]

How's she hook with the new tires and back on the e85?

she doesn't
lol

And you and me both man, believe me.

 

[longball]

for some reason....not seeing the pics....been happening a lot since the migration?

 

[diponyou]

After installing my aem wideband 02 I noticed that the car would idle at like 12-13:1
It smelled noticeably rich, even while at cruising speeds it would be at like 13-13.7

I swapped out the old coil pack with a new echlin one from napa

and at the same time changed out the o2 sensor that has been on there for a little while now.

It now idles at a pretty steady 14.5-9

idle seems much more smooth and revs a lot cleaner

I didn't get to take it for a spin because it was pouring rain and I had to remove my ecu to send to Bob to get modified for the low z injectors


Plan is to order some new 3"-3" black couplers and get rid of the blue ones, and either get some black plug wires or possibly red msd ones.
I have never really been a fan of the bright blue color scheme. (sorry James)

Also cleaned up some of the wiring for the efan, it was bothering me lol

The turbo shield is getting polished and then it will go back on this weekend.

That is it for now

 

[diponyou]

My double pumper setup cannot get here fast enough lol

 

[trailinjake]

Nice buy! She looks real good... Agree with the blue delete...Sorry James. In these cars, I like black, chrome, black, black and black!

 

[diponyou]

Double pumper and 120# injectors showed up today.
I was going to have Nick do the install for me since I am pretty new to GNs and would kill myself if I wired something up wrong and destroyed my engine.

Nick originally said he would do it but he has been MIA for the last week, I hope everything is ok with him.

James talked me into doing it myself. I have done injectors and fuel pumps in other cars tons of times so in theory I should be ok, lol. Famous last words.

Wiring the hobbs switch seems easy, the racetronix kit comes with a few extra connectors that I am not 100% where they go(I already joined the forums, just waiting approval) So I need to figure out where they go.

And of course I just filled the car up so I have to figure out what to do with 16 gallons of e85

I am going to go nice and slow and make sure I do everything properly. I am waiting on my chip and ecu anyways so I have at least a week to get it together.


I am going to start with injectors tonight and then go from there.

Wish me luck guys

 

[diponyou]

Got the old pump out and the new pumps in, holy shite was that fun figuring out how to get those things in there lol.

Got the tank back up and starting to route the new harness.



One of the upper plenum threads stripped out so I have to helicoil that, shouldnt be too hard.



Next update will hopefully be of it running

 

[Squid4life]

Looking great brother. You are getting to do all the stuff i wanted so badly to do with that car. It is going to be killer on high boost with all the supporting goodies for sure. I never cared for the blue either, much preferred black but those came for free in with some other parts so i threw them on.

Like i said, car is looking great and i am so very happy she went to a good home.

 

[highboostgn]

nice car! put some tire shine on

 

[diponyou]

Looking great brother. You are getting to do all the stuff i wanted so badly to do with that car. It is going to be killer on high boost with all the supporting goodies for sure. I never cared for the blue either, much preferred black but those came for free in with some other parts so i threw them on.

Like i said, car is looking great and i am so very happy she went to a good home.

Yeah man it should be pretty fun here in a little bit, just waiting on a few parts to come in the mail. i will definitely post a vid once its running again

nice car! put some tire shine on

I got some new wheels and tires coming for it so I am gonna wait on the tire shine

 

[Squid4life]

nice car! put some tire shine on

No need to, at least not on the rears. They won't be on there long.

 

[diponyou]

No need to, at least not on the rears. They won't be on there long.

picked up some clean 86-87 gn wheels with 275-50-15 bfg drag radials

 

[diponyou]

but i will definitely do some monster burnouts on these wheels lol. As a matter of fact these will now be my burnout tires.

now I am going to get off the internet and finish the double pumper install

 

[Squid4life]

Take good notes and pics! I will be doing one sooner or later.

 

[diponyou]

So far it has been pretty easy man. I just got done routing the harness, now I have to start connecting stuff.
Honestly the only hard part was getting the tank straps back on, and getting the damn double pumper in the tank lol.

I routed it on the driver side not the passenger side like you did.

 

[diponyou]

Well double pumper is in and everything works as it should

Also got a few goodies in the mail today

 

[USMC_Turbo6]

Look Great man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where did you get the carpet and mats?