Sally's GN build

[Sally]

So I have been looking for a clean GN for a while and came across this one for a great price and in great shape.

It already had some mods to it so I feel I can start with this and build off it.

Someone before must have had a huge stereo system in this car, I pulled out flip down dvd player and about 100 feet of random radio wire. Also pulled a tach and boost gauge from 1930s out of it. lol

It has a th400 trans with a trans brake but need to fix it.


This is my first turboed car and first none V8, so I'm doing a lot of research before I start my modding.


If you guys can think of anything I should really know or do first let me know. I plan to turn this into a track car to take down a friends LS swapped fox. He is running mid 9s. Yes I do plan to build the motor and bigger turbo.

First off to fix small things.
radio
speakers
tint
ball joints
trunk carpet
Find out why the reverse stay on while in drive
oil leaks

 

[Pronto]

Looks like a good start. List your mods in your sig. It helps when you ask questions.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

A million years ago, that was one of the first things I did to my T-Type. I Pulled out some butcher hack-job radio installed by some ghetto street thug did. Would you believe I still sometimes find wires today that need repair because of this? I never reinstalled a radio. "Turbo" is the only music I listen to now.

Looks like you got a long way to go. You seem to know your way around to getting a fast car built. Keep in mind at the 9 second level it doesn't need to be just a "track" car though. It could also remain very streetable.

 

[Sally]

A million years ago, that was one of the first things I did to my T-Type. I Pulled out some butcher hack-job radio installed by some ghetto street thug did. Would you believe I still sometimes find wires today that need repair because of this? I never reinstalled a radio. "Turbo" is the only music I listen to now.

Looks like you got a long way to go. You seem to know your way around to getting a fast car built. Keep in mind at the 9 second level it doesn't need to be just a "track" car though. It could also remain very streetable.

I'll update my sig here in a few days.


And I know it doesn't have to be just a track car, but its what I'm mostly building her for. I just want her to have a good life and be taken care of.

I'll take some more pictures in a while when I get it up on my lift.

 

[Sally]

Well think I found my oil leak because its the only thing in the upper part of the motor that would have oil coming out of it. The PCV I'm sure is shot. So going to replace that.










Also the transmission leaks and the input shafts leak on both ends of the driveshaft. And is this transmission mount even right? It looks like something someone just made, doesn't look safe to me.





Also the speedo doesn't work. What do I need to make the turbo 400 to make the speedo work?





Some pictures of it on the lift.

 

[Pronto]

Replace the grommet to the pvc while you're at it. Not sure on that trans mount. I know HR makes trans mounts that are stout.

 

[corsair231]

First off to fix small things.
radio........
......... drive
oil leaks

It's a Buick. It's supposed to leak.

No, seriously, congrats and welcome to the "Dark Side". People have always underestimated these cars and their LC2 and when the time comes hopefully your friend will be counted among the converts.

Now for a few questions:
Is that your garage and if it is, can I be your friend?
That's some serious iron in there and I seem to be sensing a theme. Does the GN have a coat of red paint in it's future? If it does, cool, but I hope not. The black adds some contrast and looks much more sinister against the sea of red.

As far as the speedometer, it and both transmissions use cable drive. It should be as simple as hooking up the cable to each end. Most GN's I've seen actually have a two piece cable. A lower from the trans to a box located some where below the wiper motor and an upper from the box to the speedometer head. I'm not sure what the box does but it's there on most of them. To have the speedometer reading as accurately as possible you may need to match the speedometer gears in the trans to the rear gear ratio and tire size. You can see where the cable hooks up to the trans in one of your photos. That housing comes out and the gear is behind it.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

I'm not sure where that trans mount came from or who made it, but I can tell you it don't look like mine! You can probably pick up an Energy Suspensions polyurethane one at Auto Zone.

I don't use a PCV valve. Take off your plenum and look into your intake. You may choose not to as well. Nothing enters my intake but fresh air. And sometimes alky. Plug up the hole. Change the oil often and use breathers. You may hear a few of the members on this forum disagree with this.

No EGR either. I hate that stuff. Yuck!

 

[Sally]

Replace the grommet to the pvc while you're at it. Not sure on that trans mount. I know HR makes trans mounts that are stout.

Ya I'm going to replace that stuff and fix some other leaking things.

 

[EVIL]

Nice looking car. The steering wheel doesn’t seem to have much ware. How many miles.

Is that an 03 or 04 Cobra? I had an 03 with 457 rear wheel HP. What a beast!

At 70 mph i could drop the clutch and roast tires for hundreds of feet. Miss that car.

Nice garage too. Clean.

D

 

[t-typinator]

If he's running mid 9's, and you want to take him down ,i'm assuming you are shooting for a low 9 second car.
You might want to start thinking about going with a stage motor, or if the funds are available a T/A block is even better (all aluminum and very stout, but expensive).
when you start getting to the hp numbers it takes to go low nines, the 109 is really aproaching it's limits,it can be done and has been done, but if i were spending the $$'s it's going to take to make a low nine second car,i'm not sure i would want to go with the stock 109 block,i'd want to build a motor once and with the strongest possible parts , it costs more up front but it beats building it twice, and all the down time etc.
You may want to Check the stage-2 parts for sale section,lots of goodies in there.
Food for thought.

 

[ttypewhite]

Nice project. Enjoy. I would add a new exhaust system to the list as well. That one looks so restrictive.

 

[dirtymax731]

Wow that's my kind of garage! You definitely got some toys. Good luck with your project, I'm sub'd up

 

[czimpel]

Looks like you're going to need to paint the GN red.

 

[REAPER231]

I a

I'm not sure where that trans mount came from or who made it, but I can tell you it don't look like mine! You can probably pick up an Energy Suspensions polyurethane one at Auto Zone.

I don't use a PCV valve. Take off your plenum and look into your intake. You may choose not to as well. Nothing enters my intake but fresh air. And sometimes alky. Plug up the hole. Change the oil often and use breathers. You may hear a few of the members on this forum disagree with this.

No EGR either. I hate that stuff. Yuck!

I agree block off that PCV. Just run two open breathers n be done with it, my car been fine for 10 yrs like that , otherwise you'll be sucking oil into tb and intake .

 

[Sally]

Now for a few questions:
Is that your garage and if it is, can I be your friend?
That's some serious iron in there and I seem to be sensing a theme. Does the GN have a coat of red paint in it's future? If it does, cool, but I hope not. The black adds some contrast and looks much more sinister against the sea of red.

As far as the speedometer, it and both transmissions use cable drive. It should be as simple as hooking up the cable to each end. Most GN's I've seen actually have a two piece cable. A lower from the trans to a box located some where below the wiper motor and an upper from the box to the speedometer head. I'm not sure what the box does but it's there on most of them. To have the speedometer reading as accurately as possible you may need to match the speedometer gears in the trans to the rear gear ratio and tire size. You can see where the cable hooks up to the trans in one of your photos. That housing comes out and the gear is behind it.

LOL no not painting it red. My mercedes and lambo are black. But I will be painting my 94 lightning red.

Ya I unscrewed the cable out of the trans and was going to look and see if the gear was broken, but I didn't know these cars and the gear box behind the dash so I'll look at that too.

 

[Sally]

I'm not sure where that trans mount came from or who made it, but I can tell you it don't look like mine! You can probably pick up an Energy Suspensions polyurethane one at Auto Zone.

I don't use a PCV valve. Take off your plenum and look into your intake. You may choose not to as well. Nothing enters my intake but fresh air. And sometimes alky. Plug up the hole. Change the oil often and use breathers. You may hear a few of the members on this forum disagree with this.

No EGR either. I hate that stuff. Yuck!

The trans mount is so off center and I thought since it had a th400 in it that the mount had to be made. I guess I'll dig into that some more.

I did breathers on my lightning and after a few years I hated the smell of oil. I could do the same and run a catch can, no problems with that right?



I didn't think this car had EGR on it? If it does it looks like nothing I have seen because I don't see it..

 

[Sally]

Nice looking car. The steering wheel doesn’t seem to have much ware. How many miles.

Is that an 03 or 04 Cobra? I had an 03 with 457 rear wheel HP. What a beast!

At 70 mph i could drop the clutch and roast tires for hundreds of feet. Miss that car.

Nice garage too. Clean.

D

Its a 2 owner, and it has 74,400 miles on it. Lived her whole life in Chicago.

Mine is a 03 with a stoker and a 2.9 and she just rolled 12000 miles. I have owned her since she was new. She is my unicorn.

 

[Sally]

If he's running mid 9's, and you want to take him down ,i'm assuming you are shooting for a low 9 second car.
You might want to start thinking about going with a stage motor, or if the funds are available a T/A block is even better (all aluminum and very stout, but expensive).
when you start getting to the hp numbers it takes to go low nines, the 109 is really aproaching it's limits,it can be done and has been done, but if i were spending the $$'s it's going to take to make a low nine second car,i'm not sure i would want to go with the stock 109 block,i'd want to build a motor once and with the strongest possible parts , it costs more up front but it beats building it twice, and all the down time etc.
You may want to Check the stage-2 parts for sale section,lots of goodies in there.
Food for thought.

I'm thinking of spending no more the 50k in my build. I want to stay 3.8 and turbo but I would stroke if I have too. I'm just a noob when it comes to turbo and 6 bangers.

I will be doing some shopping and lots of reading on here. I want to have a 9 second time slip by july 4th.

 

[Sally]

Nice project. Enjoy. I would add a new exhaust system to the list as well. That one looks so restrictive.

Once I get all the same stuff worked out the exhaust will just be a 3 inch down pipe and thats it. Well thats the plan.