1982 GN Question

[JST A 6]

i still have the transmission that it can with i just dont know what kind it is i havent had a chance to pull it out

If it's the original transmission it should be a TH200C I believe.

 

[b4black]

The trans is a 350 lock up. Keep it, rebuild it.

 

[82grandBeast]

trust me jst a 6 you guys are not offending me i work in a shop i take more crap in a day then people take in a life time so its cool, on the transmission is there anyway to tell i know they came with the th200c but since they were so weak the dealers would put the 350 in it hopefully the one i have is a 350 lock up oh well ima pull it saturday and see i dont have nothing to do anyway

 

[Freddie's Buick]

yeah definetly true but if you dont have the original block and interior its not worth too much i got my 82 for 700 with a blown engine and transmission but body is in perfect condition with no rust

Did it come with a 4.1, or the Sports Coupe turbo version?
THM-350C Buick lock-up trannys are all over the place. If you work in a shop, rebuilding one is easier than rebuilding a Q-jet carb, (I rebuilt my tranny in my back-yard).

Getting 3.8 blocks is easy too. Advanced Auto sold new blocks starting at $700.00 if you give them your old one. Locating upper turbo parts is not that difficult either. Keeping it stock is a cheap endeavor if funds are short. Interior parts are also easy to find at local boneyards.

The turbo dash is the only unique interior item and I've seen those on ebay real cheap. Any other Regal interior will work short of the front bucket seats. As far as the interior Linear seat package that's easily reproduced by any good car upholsterer. Mine were done for $200.00, (but mine are leather and the N/A version). I removed my torn up seats and dropped 'em off, picked up a week later brand new!

Put an N/A intake with a fresh 3.8 block just to get it on the road. Then slowly find the turbo parts. That's what I'd do. I'd keep that body since it's prestine and you'd be one of the few people with a rare car bought real cheap.

It's really not that hard or expensive.

 

[82grandBeast]

unfortunatly mine came with the 4.1 but 3.8 thats so small no replacment for displacement thats the way i look at it besides my first engine i build was a 350 it got 410 horses to the wheel with a 75shot so building a 350 is a cake walk i just never messed with buick engines i gota do some reading up but i know a shop that builds custom exhaust manifolds and intakes so if i do go with the 3.8 ima do a twin turbo set up what u think off that. the guy is offering me two new t4's from turbonetics for 500

 

[82grandBeast]

BUICK
1 2662 97-98 3.8 231 # 029 Roller Except Supercharged 1260.00 N / A N / A
2 2648 95-96 3.8 231 # 287 Roller Except Supercharged VIN K 1260.00 N / A
3 2608 79-84 3.8 231 R.W.D. Even Fire w/ K-S 5/8” or 3/4” Bal. Bolt 635.00

All these motors are 3.8L what is the diffrence and i take it the one i need is the third one the price on it is 710 for a long block or $350 for a block but since i wont to do a twin turbo might as well go with just a block and get forged pistons and crank and h beam rods. the blocks are on citymotorsupply.com

 

[b4black]

i know they came with the th200c but since they were so weak the dealers would put the 350

I'll try again...

All 82 GN's came with a 350C lock up (from the factory).

 

[usetaboost]

Didn't the 350 trans run up to 83???

If you are going to get a 3.8 just get a used 109 block and use your crank and rods if they are still salvageable. Or you could get a 4.1 and at least have it halfway right!

 

[JST A 6]

unfortunatly mine came with the 4.1 but 3.8 thats so small no replacment for displacement thats the way i look at it

Now you sound like my father...not thinking outside the box.:biggrin: You and him both need to let me or any other TR owner with a reasonably healthy 3.8L turbo 6 take you for a ride...

 

[Freddie's Buick]

...unfortunatly mine came with the 4.1 but 3.8 thats so small no replacment for displacement thats the way i look at it.......

Lol!! :biggrin: You've obviously have a lot to learn.
The 'No replacement for displacement' quote is a Carol Shelby, (Ford), classic. But that was back in the 1960's. A turbo powered Gran National will rip a Ford apart with it's intsy wintsy 3.8 Buick V6. Keep reading research material...you'll catch on.

...besides my first engine i build was a 350 it got 410 horses to the wheel with a 75shot so building a 350 is a cake walk i just never messed with buick engines i gota do some reading up but i know a shop that builds custom exhaust manifolds and intakes so if i do go with the 3.8 ima do a twin turbo set up what u think off that. the guy is offering me two new t4's from turbonetics for 500

Sounds like you're going to all out drag this car. Have fun! At least you're keeping it from the scrapyard. Some here at the Before Black forum are pretty traditional. Most traditionalist enjoy the whispering death wine of a stealthy turbo to smoke out the competition. Especially with a classic like the one you may have. That's why we may seem bias.

But it is your ride. Just don't wrap it around a tree with you in it. Be safe and good luck!

 

[82grandBeast]

no not really all out drag i just want to smoke those a-holes that buy 50k doller mustangs and think there fast but lol yeah you guys have convinced me to go with tradition, just twin turbo really isnt traditional but oh well

 

[usetaboost]

Better carry a big stick for those KR mustangs and z06's

 

[Freddie's Buick]

...... just twin turbo really isnt traditional but oh well

That beast was done by Buick back in 1983. Twin turbo 4.1 with a mild 400 HP.

It graces the cover of Hugh MacInnes book 'Turbocargers'.

 

[82grandBeast]

damn it they already did it oh well, you know if this would be the right block "3 2608 79-84 3.8 231 R.W.D. Even Fire w/ K-S 5/8” or 3/4” Bal. bolt and whats the diffrence between the 5/8 or 3/4 anyone know im bout to start purchasing items

 

[82grandBeast]

i just saw that 4.1 twin turbo that beast is sexy

 

[b4black]

A 3.8 (or 4.1) with a blow thru turbo using parts from a 87 GN is by far the cheapest route to go for big power. I'm not sure why more people haven't done it.

 

["Turbo-T"]

Yeah i could do that yall know any sites that sell those blocks. here was one of my ideas for the 383 i was goin to build for it

HEADS-Vitor jr's (PN)EDL-77619
combustion chamber is- 70cc
int/exh runner size-215/85cc
int/exh valves size-2.08"/1.60"
max lift-.650

CAM-crane(PM)CRN-118131
RPM-3500-7000
duration@.050" int/exh-242/250
lift int/exh-.580"/.600" with a 1.5 rocker .618"/.640 witha 1.6 rocker
lobe sep- 106

high rise singlplane intake with a dominator 750cc

That cam is going to be really to big (IMO) unless it's a track only car. You can forget any kind of docile street manners, especially on a 383.

Freddie has it right. A 3.8 or a 4.1 MIGHT sound like a little engine...and yes they are little. But BOOST is a replacement for displacement. So that "little" V6 now under boost all the sudden isn't so little anymore. Especially when you start upping the boost to around the 20 lb mark.

In fact when I bought my car I was talking of it on another web board, and told them how I thought it was "just a little engine"....until one of the board members came up with an equation....I don't remember how it went but a typical carbureted engine runs at 14.7 PSI (atmospheric pressure) and he added how many lbs of boost on top of that I was running....which in turn calculated out a big cubic inch displacement....

Plus on top of that you can still have docile street manners.....meaning smooth idle. Very unsuspecting. And good gas mileage too if you keep your foot out of it.

My last hot rod had a 396 Chevy big block with a slightly smaller cam than the one you mentioned. It idled mean and sounded wicked and it did run but it also required the use of a 3600 stall converter backed by a TH350 auto and a 4.10 gear to make it work. It also got less than 10 mpg. :tongue: And it only managed to push a 3600 lb car with a 180 lb driver into the 13.4's at 102 (I think) mph.

Now my Buick weighs 100 lbs less and I've yet to run it but I'm sure it could put my old Chevelle to shame in a race with it's "little" V6.

If putting in a turbo engine is not your thing, I'll also agree and insist you drop in a 455. Those 455's you can build them up to put out a ton of torque. Just take a look at a 1970 GSX. They only made 370 hp but they also put out 510 ft lbs of torque.....at 2800. Which means you could probably run your TH350 with something like.....a 3.08 rear end gear.....and still have enough balls to put a lot of high winding stuff in it's place.

If you still insist on putting in a Chevy 350 then go ahead. I'm not going to shun you for it....heck GM put 305's in Regals from the factory and everyone and their brother has dropped a Chevy 350 into their Regal/Cutlass/Grand Prix....due to easy fit, cheap parts and "it works". Just know there's other alternatives.

 

[Evans Ward]

Please consider keeping the engine Buick powered for this rare car. You have so many options for Buick power: 350 (Buick NOT Chevy), 430, 455, 3.8 turbo, 4.1 turbo. Yes, it's YOUR car and you have the final say in that matter. There's even a 455 section for G- Bodies over at V8 Buick.com that has a wealth of info for a transplant. IMHO, that car will be worth more IF it remains Buick powered. Most of all, have fun!

 

[dr_frankenstein]

sell it all! go chevrolet.

then sell me all of your old carbed top end.

LOL

Naw..... keep it buick.

A.j.

 

[82grandBeast]

no trust me i definetly wont to do a twin turbo set up its just that finding parts for a 350 is so much easier if you look in like say jegs or summit thats all they have is sbc bbc and ford engines not to say that you cant find stuff for buicks. its just you have the variety of parts to choose from . so if you guys know were i can get some parts let me know.

On the other hand i honestly can say that i dont know crap about buicks. chevys yes about 2 pieace rear main blocks 1 pieace the 400 block with two castings that looked like a 350 i know but buicks on the other hand i dont, i do relize you guys know way more then me on this subject thats why i appreciate all the help you guys give me, so ima go barnes and nobles and pick me up a buick book and read up on it see i wont to go ahead and go buy my block but it dont know if its right they have a option for eaither a "79-84 3.8 231 R.W.D. Even Fire w/ K-S 5/8” or 3/4” Bal. Bolt" see i dont know what a 5/8 or 3/4 bal bolt is or which one is stronger you see what im saying i take it a 3.8 is a 2 bolt main, can it handel real power whats the max stroke see.

i know i am rushing but i am doing a 3.8 v6 twin turbo set up for sure you guys have convinced me to go with it besides i've build chevy engines before time to do something else