This is a project a lot of us are either doing or considering . The Stage 2 engines are as rare as chicken lips these days. The cost of building a 900-1000hp Stage 2 could fund a nuclear weapons project for a third world country. That being said the cost of a really nice turbo LS just makes it a lot more desirable. So, once finished do you think it kills the value of our beloved cars? I'm not talking stripped racing hulls. I'm talking about a well done street car with A/C, heat radios. A car that can be driven across country or driven everyday if one desires.
Converted To Turbo LS. Does it hurt value?
- Thread starter Bakn2Gns
- Start date
Rafs-T-Type
Not so Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2009
Just like any modified car the value of the car is going to be dependent on what buyers think it's worth. Personally I would have dropped some good coin on a turbo LS Buick. Being able to basically through in a $400 junkyard short block sounds pretty damn sweet.
Go for it. Does it impact value, sure. The market demand for a GN is more for its natural state being a V6 turbo, especially if it's lightly to not modified at all. But if you want to go fast for cheap and with a product that has a HUGE aftermarket, can't go wrong with LS. If my 109 breaks, I'm fairly certain I'll go LS. I have little patience with the market of S2 blocks, TA blocks, heads, etc...
Funny comment BTW about funding nuclear weapons.
TR Custom Parts
Mark Hueffman - Owner
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
Screw the next guy, do what makes you happy. I didn't buy my GN for an investment, mod away!
- Joined
- May 28, 2001
What Mark said..........don't approve?? Tuff.
Agreed do with it what you will but LS everything is so boring now...here is how most my conversations go with new fellow enthusiasts I meet
Me: Hey man what car you racing?
Them: Oh that blah blah blah with an ls1 over there
Me: could have guessed *yawn*
Yeah they make easy power...there cheap...but its so crackerjack cookie cutter anymore...but thats just me ill stick to my oddball stupid unreliable motors....just my opinion...and just thinking about the future of the turbo buick with a TURBO V6....which if yall remember is why these cars are what they are...
fuggit im off my soapbox
Me: Hey man what car you racing?
Them: Oh that blah blah blah with an ls1 over there
Me: could have guessed *yawn*
Yeah they make easy power...there cheap...but its so crackerjack cookie cutter anymore...but thats just me ill stick to my oddball stupid unreliable motors....just my opinion...and just thinking about the future of the turbo buick with a TURBO V6....which if yall remember is why these cars are what they are...
fuggit im off my soapbox
phil_jordan
Active Member
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2012
The nuclear project funding statement is extremely accurate and hilarious!!! I'm still laughing. Good one
Thanks guys plenty of good points both ways. My plan is a LS in my cage car (87 GN) as a father son project. The car was a Stage 2 car but a divorce ate the engine back in 2002. I did manage to save the roller. Never got to run the car. I sold the S2 to STGMAN (Bob) here on the board. He's gone 4.96 @ 143 1/8 mile last I heard. So, I'm planning a pro touring LS. It's more to teach my son fab skills and share some good bonding time. We have a really nice 86 T to play with also
dirtymax731
Member
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2013
That thing is awesome! The black interior
Did you paint the plastics?
Sent while napping in a walnut orchard
Did you paint the plastics?
Sent while napping in a walnut orchard
Yes. My paint and body guy painted all the plastic trim black as well as the dash. It's done with really expensive stuff and the prep was very in depth and a real PITA. It won't chip or fade. I can get the info on the stuff if anyone is interested. Thanks for the complement. I'm really proud of the car. Next is to install the new NVU gauge cluster. It should really clean up the interior a lot more.
Bull crap, a turbo LS1 swap if done nicely would probably add value since it adds reliability and more power. Not only for those reasons but most cars that are swapped to LS1's do not lose value.
Yeah a perfect low mile like show quality GN would not be worth more swapped but to say people are into grand nationals because of the v6 is not true. More so because of the turbo, and it was such a fast car for its time period, the V6 barely sounds good, I like the way it sounds, kinda like an acquired taste but its not an engine thats known to sound oh so amazing, not like the fox body 5.0's with flowmasters.
90% of GNs are 100k + needing paint, some are probably clean and are good candidates for mods and maybe to turn into a show car so either way they're not like 20k GNs.
Look at when people swap LS1's into irocs, they usually become worth more. That goes for a lot of cars. But it depends on what shape the car is in when you start, and where it ends up when you're done.
LS1's do not depreciate cars... Maybe if t was a rare car like a 1970 chevelle SS 454 LS6 car, or other rare muscle cars...
Yeah a perfect low mile like show quality GN would not be worth more swapped but to say people are into grand nationals because of the v6 is not true. More so because of the turbo, and it was such a fast car for its time period, the V6 barely sounds good, I like the way it sounds, kinda like an acquired taste but its not an engine thats known to sound oh so amazing, not like the fox body 5.0's with flowmasters.
90% of GNs are 100k + needing paint, some are probably clean and are good candidates for mods and maybe to turn into a show car so either way they're not like 20k GNs.
Look at when people swap LS1's into irocs, they usually become worth more. That goes for a lot of cars. But it depends on what shape the car is in when you start, and where it ends up when you're done.
LS1's do not depreciate cars... Maybe if t was a rare car like a 1970 chevelle SS 454 LS6 car, or other rare muscle cars...
Like an iroc...that's a funny one...
There is absolutely nothing unique about an iroc or an ls1....period...
It's a dam sbc at the end of the day....
I enjoy embarrassing majority of street driven LS powered cars with my underdog motors....I have a sense of pride standing out from the crowd rather than bandwagon shit...
There is absolutely nothing unique about an iroc or an ls1....period...
It's a dam sbc at the end of the day....
I enjoy embarrassing majority of street driven LS powered cars with my underdog motors....I have a sense of pride standing out from the crowd rather than bandwagon shit...
Whatever makes you happy. I'm sure there are more LS1's in the 9's then all the turbo regals combined. You can make anything fast with enough money, you think you're an under dog because you have 6 cylinders? There are some pretty fast Evos and other small engine cars too. How about Supras? The 2Jz engine came out in '93, they are only 6 years newer than an 87 GN.
Its ok you can like what you like.
What makes an LS1 so great is its fast, small, light, and reliable. You can't say that about your Turbo 3.8!
This is by far the best thing about LS1's, you could never do this with your turbo buick 3.8
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/hrdp_1109_stock_gm_ls_engine_big_bang_theory/
Want to learn more here ya go!
http://www.hotrod.com/howto/113_0504_chevy_ls1_engine_basics/viewall.html
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Lol you must not have seen the bottom of my signature
I have a high ten second capable 4 cylinder...
It has won me money and HANDED A LOT of ls1s there ass and would destroy my regal....is it a better engine than my 3.8 ? Probably....but you don't see me swapping it into my more VALUABLE CAR just cause I could....
I understand about better engine designs...if you don't like the one that came in the car maybe you should have chosen a different platform
I have a high ten second capable 4 cylinder...
It has won me money and HANDED A LOT of ls1s there ass and would destroy my regal....is it a better engine than my 3.8 ? Probably....but you don't see me swapping it into my more VALUABLE CAR just cause I could....
I understand about better engine designs...if you don't like the one that came in the car maybe you should have chosen a different platform
I've had an LS1 car before. I loved it and never had a problem with it. Ever since the forum update I don't see signatures when on my phone(I don't use the app).
Gbodys are great plateforms for making a fast car so I'm pretty sure I didnt pick a bad one..... and whats great about them is you can put whatever engine you like in them as long as you have the skill or $$$.
I'm sure you're not saying your cars are unbeatable and I'm sure you have been beatin by some ls1 cars in the past... And if not you must be affraid to race the fast ones in your area... They're just so common you know
Gbodys are great plateforms for making a fast car so I'm pretty sure I didnt pick a bad one..... and whats great about them is you can put whatever engine you like in them as long as you have the skill or $$$.
I'm sure you're not saying your cars are unbeatable and I'm sure you have been beatin by some ls1 cars in the past... And if not you must be affraid to race the fast ones in your area... They're just so common you know