Forum Newbie

[12lepler]

Where in PA are you? I'm in the Philadelphia/Bucks County area. You could call Denis Kirban or Injection Connection they both deal with GN's.

I'm about 30 minutes away from Reading. And do they sell GN's? Or could they just help me with what to look out for?

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[psycho6cyl]

Isnt jim dunn down that way. Seen couple of pics of his work and looks.nice..

 

[turbo39151]

If you're looking to buy a GN, especially one that you don't have to work on as a "project" do yourself a favor. Save double the amount you plan on spending. That way if you find perfection, you'll have the cash. If you find a "deal" you'll have the cash to buy it and do all the spring cleaning and mods, etc...

Saving $10k to buy one of these cars won't get you far and as was stated above, what you're looking is not likely to exist at that price. Additionally, make sure you bone up on basic mechanical skills. If you can't turn your own wrench, you will be very unhappy, very broke, or both.

Not trying to scare you away, just want to make sure you know what you're getting into.

 

[12lepler]

If you're looking to buy a GN, especially one that you don't have to work on as a "project" do yourself a favor. Save double the amount you plan on spending. That way if you find perfection, you'll have the cash. If you find a "deal" you'll have the cash to buy it and do all the spring cleaning and mods, etc...

Saving $10k to buy one of these cars won't get you far and as was stated above, what you're looking is not likely to exist at that price. Additionally, make sure you bone up on basic mechanical skills. If you can't turn your own wrench, you will be very unhappy, very broke, or both.

Not trying to scare you away, just want to make sure you know what you're getting into.

I'm not looking for perfection. I'm looking for no body work. Anything mechanical I can fix. I don't wanna deal with rust and body work. I'll get one from the western states and drive it back if I have to. And yes I'm well aware that these cars have bad paint from the factory

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[12lepler]

At 10k I'm gonna START shopping and I'll keep looking and saving until I find one that I like. I ain't stoopid

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[psycho6cyl]

10k is ok. i purchased mine a lil over w 100k mi decent respray astroroof and completely stock. i did get lucky but its possible..

 

[John Larkin]

Where the body mounts bolt to the frame can rust out. The rocker panels and floor pans can also be trouble areas. The back edge of deck lids have problems sometimes. The rear frame rails can get rusty, really bad sometimes. And T-Top cars are the most troublesome because of roof leaks into the roof structure and ultimately into the floors. Cowls that have not been kept clear of leaves and debris can rust and rot the door hinge pillars.

 

[charlief1]

At 10k I'm gonna START shopping and I'll keep looking and saving until I find one that I like. I ain't stoopid

Kevin Selby (KevinS) is selling his car in the cars for sale section right now. His car is a low 12 second car and wouldn't take much to make it mid/low 11's. If I remember right he's wanting $11,800 but I could be wrong.

 

[12lepler]

Kevin Selby (KevinS) is selling his car in the cars for sale section right now. His car is a low 12 second car and wouldn't take much to make it mid/low 11's. If I remember right he's wanting $11,800 but I could be wrong.

I looked at that car, and believe me if I had the money all saved up by now I would already have talked to him haha. I still have about 6 more months of saving to do before I can start shopping. I'm just doing research as much as I can right now. And if that car you're talking about is the same car I looked at, then that is EXACTLY the kind of car I want. I just wish my stupid self had started saving earlier

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[charlief1]

I looked at that car, and believe me if I had the money all saved up by now I would already have talked to him haha. I still have about 6 more months of saving to do before I can start shopping. I'm just doing research as much as I can right now. And if that car you're talking about is the same car I looked at, then that is EXACTLY the kind of car I want. I just wish my stupid self had started saving earlier

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

If you want to know more about Kevin then do a search for baseline suspension. It's Kevin's site.

 

[Heisenberg]

The trunk passenger/driver kick panels,lower door,t-top,astro roof, Floor pans,seat belt striker,frame at the body mounts,lower A pillar,fuel tank strap area,muffler and just about everything else. The ones I listed are from personal experience on most g-bodies. Look over every area possible. I try to look at one in sections to make sure I'm thorough. Check out http://www.gnttype.org/general/buyguide.html its a good article to get your mind rolling. Also kirbans GN guide really gets in depth on the 86-87 cars. Good luck.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

Well, at least the intakes and the valve covers don't rust - so you do have that!

I almost discount geographic area any more.
I've seen complete basket cases that have lived their whole life in Florida.
Texas too. (Nuttin' against Texas; you Texas guys; so simmer down )
Even those warm climes can take their toll
I think garaging is the one big factor - if the car has been kept outside - it's a concern.
And an owner that can show the maintenance and such of the car over a period of time is a big plus.
If he "just picked the car up last year" and "doesn't really know a lot about it" - a little red flag.
If it has T-Tops - assume the worst - and the worst is real bad - no matter how the rubber seals might look..

Just remember - everything is for sale for a reason.

 

[Heisenberg]

Well since one of you asked, I'm from Pennsylvania. I'm planning on spending $10,000 on a GN to purchase it. I figured that 10K would be enough to get myself a good example. I don't want a "Project car" that I'm gonna "restore as I go" because that never works. My brother tried that with a 71 Chevelle and now it's been sitting in our garage for the past 10 years so I don't wanna go through that.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Ignore all these people. I mean Earl.
I say that with the utmost affection though.

I bought this from a State Trooper in Delaware.
Sight unseen. Except for pics.
9500 bucks.
Flawless.
And an amazing example of a WE4.

So it can be done.
You just gotta stay sane.

 

[Heisenberg]

Instead of wacking off into a sock or towel head to the local sperm bank and get paid for that baby batter hahhahaha

LOL - ok - I was trying to see exactly where this thread took such a disturbing turn - and now I found it - here...
Note to self: Do not let daughter read these forum posts about buying cars.

And oh - By chance - do you happen to have the directions for this "bank" to which you refer?

 

[12lepler]

Ignore all these people. I mean Earl.
I say that with the utmost affection though.

I bought this from a State Trooper in Delaware.
Sight unseen. Except for pics.
9500 bucks.
Flawless.
And an amazing example of a WE4.

So it can be done.
You just gotta stay sane.

THANK YOU. I know for a fact it's possible but I'm just glad someone else on here knows so and isn't telling me otherwise. Just hearing what I need to hear to keep me motivated.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[Heisenberg]

I also think a few admonishments are in order for this young man.
1 - You do have a daily driver - yes?
2 - You do know this car will be on jackstands as much or more than it is on the road?
3 - You do have a storage place to store this car - yes?
4- Since you don't exactly live in Oz - You do have the immediate financial means to add security to the car? GPS, Alarm; Column Guard, etc. - 1000 bucks give or take - Yes?
That's before you go off running out and buying a front mount intercooler too.
5 - You are mechanically inclined? - And I'm not talking about knowing the difference between a phillips and a straight screwdriver either. If no, do not pass
6 - You are inclined to be able to invest in some of the basic tools and such to help you properly work on this car? It ain't no small block chevy.

There are more - but that's a start.
There have been many a younger guy come along and want to buy of dese der dream GN cars.
And many have failed and bailed.
I would hazard to say the average age of a TR owner is somewhere between 35 and death.
Some like me - closer to death.
Most being mid to late 40's, 50's and older. It's really a man's car and takes a lot of financial resources and patience.
Not counting Earl - he still has the libido of a 16 year old. He's an outlier.

 

[earlbrown]

LOL - ok - I was trying to see exactly where this thread took such a disturbing turn - and now I found it - here...
Note to self: Do not let daughter read these forum posts about buying cars.

You have a daughter?

THANK YOU. I know for a fact it's possible but I'm just glad someone else on here knows so and isn't telling me otherwise. Just hearing what I need to hear to keep me motivated.

I paid $5500 for my GN from a friend 6 months after he paid $7000 + $1500 on PM and upgrades.....


oh yeah.... that was 15 years ago.

 

[robzombie]

Or you could do the smart thing.

When your ready to buy look on craigslist or any other source of your choice south of the mason dixon. N. carolina on down and you should be fine.

I live in south cackalacky and drove five hours to Tennessee for my GN that was a florida car most of it's life and got a smokin' deal.

Zero rust, original paint, built motor [look at my sig] with less than 3,500 miles on it and it also came with stock components to put back to stock if I so choose, including the original motor with only 46,000 on it.

I'll give you a hint, it wasn't much more than what you want to spend.

I looked for over six months before I bought this one and I saw everything from roaches to 70,000 mile mint original untouched examples in the ten to twelve thousand range.

Be patient and don't jump on the first one you see unless it's a great deal and a great car. They are out there, you just have to look and be patient, since you know so little about these cars you could take advantage of the good people on this board that will offer their time to check out the car before you buy it.

Go to the cars for sale section and check out this sticky ;
Anyone thinking about buying a car! READ THIS!

Good luck with your search for knowledge on these weapons of fast destruction young sky walker and may the force be with you!!

 

[12lepler]

I also think a few admonishments are in order for this young man.
1 - You do have a daily driver - yes?
2 - You do know this car will be on jackstands as much or more than it is on the road?
3 - You do have a storage place to store this car - yes?
4- Since you don't exactly live in Oz - You do have the immediate financial means to add security to the car? GPS, Alarm; Column Guard, etc. - 1000 bucks give or take - Yes?
That's before you go off running out and buying a front mount intercooler too.
5 - You are mechanically inclined? - And I'm not talking about knowing the difference between a phillips and a straight screwdriver either. If no, do not pass
6 - You are inclined to be able to invest in some of the basic tools and such to help you properly work on this car? It ain't no small block chevy.

There are more - but that's a start.
There have been many a younger guy come along and want to buy of dese der dream GN cars.
And many have failed and bailed.

The answer is yes to every one of those questions. I've had the privilege of learning from the mistakes of others. my friend bought a 1994 Buick Roadmaster sedan for $1000, (you know the ones with the LT1 engine, and that are pretty much just an Impala SS with cushy suspension, rear drums, and an old man face ) and he claimed that he was gonna make it a "nice sleeper" 2 years and about 10k later it's still a rusty pile. A really FUN rusty pile, but a rusty pile none the less .
He wants to get rid of it and sell it, but since it looks like crap and it's a car nobody wants he won't get a dime for it no matter what. So that taught me not to waste my money on worthless cars. My brother thought he could restore a 1971 Chevelle SS but he got only as far as tearing the front off and pulling the drive train out, and now it's been sitting for the past 10 years, taking up 1 bay of our garage. So that's taught me that if I want a nice car, buy a nice one in the first place because restoration projects never work out if you're the average person who has a job and other things to do. And my dad has a 1995 Mustang GT convertable that he bought as his Mid-life crisis car haha. And it was really slick and clean when he bought it. But since our garage was taken up by garbage and clutter and unmovable cars, (that didn't get cleaned out until I was 18 and I cleaned it myself) he didn't bother garage keeping it. Now the paint peels and the top is ruined.... plus our cats climb all over the cars and I HATE it . So that taught me that if I have a nice car, you should have a place to put it.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[12lepler]

I also think a few admonishments are in order for this young man.
1 - You do have a daily driver - yes?
2 - You do know this car will be on jackstands as much or more than it is on the road?
3 - You do have a storage place to store this car - yes?
4- Since you don't exactly live in Oz - You do have the immediate financial means to add security to the car? GPS, Alarm; Column Guard, etc. - 1000 bucks give or take - Yes?
That's before you go off running out and buying a front mount intercooler too.
5 - You are mechanically inclined? - And I'm not talking about knowing the difference between a phillips and a straight screwdriver either. If no, do not pass
6 - You are inclined to be able to invest in some of the basic tools and such to help you properly work on this car? It ain't no small block chevy.

There are more - but that's a start.
There have been many a younger guy come along and want to buy of dese der dream GN cars.
And many have failed and bailed.
I would hazard to say the average age of a TR owner is somewhere between 35 and death.
Some like me - closer to death.
Most being mid to late 40's, 50's and older. It's really a man's car and takes a lot of financial resources and patience.
Not counting Earl - he still has the libido of a 16 year old. He's an outlier.

And by the way this isn't no young guy failing and bailing crap. I've been saving up and doing research for a long time and I'm in it to win it haha. And this is where I'm sure I'm gonna get a lot of criticism... but I'm 19 and I'm sure I'm gonna get nothing but "oh this kid thinks it's gonna be some easy dream car" but I've heard it all before. Like I said, I ain't stoopid . Why do you think I'm into Turbo Buicks and not ricers?

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[earlbrown]

It's not that age that makes the newbies bail. It's getting a car then blowing it to bits while they're out of money that makes them bail.

There's also a small percentage that gets a car, make a huge parts order, loses 100hp doing it then decides these cars of POSs.