I actually helped Build the Mease 3" down pipe so there will not be a clearance issue at all.
HA 3" Integral DP - Cheap!
- Thread starter Jerryl
- Start date
I actually helped Build the Mease 3" down pipe so there will not be a clearance issue at all.
Dang it Brian, you may very well make me eat my "no intercooler ever in my hot-air" words. Course, won't be the first time. 
With a integral wastegate 3" dp, and a intercooler setup that utilizes the stock hot air location turbo in your catalog, I've got a feeling you might make out all right on this one. Big concern will be price, I know you certainly can't give this stuff away, or take a hit on manufacturing cost, but if prices are at least low enough that the rational for just converting over to the 86/87 topend is not a concern, then.... success (I hope)
Heck, about the only thing left I'll be able to complain about is bolt-on turbo selection for us.
fwiw, I personally think the poston headers are a good design, but certainly wouldn't complain about having more options. The poston headers where one of the first upgrades I had done to my completely stock (at the time) 84 gn. My stockers where cracked in several places. I looked at feedback on the postons. Some of you guys where happy, some complained of cracks, Some complained of sloppy welds and had the pictures to prove it. So I decided to call postons and asked them to check the welds over real good before shipping. I politely said if I didn't find them to my standards, I would leave them in their packageing and promptly return them. The welds on the headers I recieved where all beutiful welds, I've got about 1300 miles on them with no problems. (knock on wood). I would recomend the same thing I did to anyone else thinking of buying them. If you don't know good welds from crappy ones, then find somebody who does before you install them. I think somebody posted awhile back some pictures for comparison of differant headers. You can easily see just how much better of a flow design they are compared to the stockers. My turbo had a definite quicker spool up, and the car did want to pull quicker, but would stumble until (I'm assuming) the fuel would catch up. A walbro 340 and adj regulator solved that.
I have recently installed a custom made 2.5" all stainless steel 2 piece dp with integral wastegate. That alone made the car feel like it had a huge weight off its back. I had to retune to start getting more and more potential out of it, but, no duhh I'm not going to speak for anybody else, cause I don't know if anybody else is as anal retentive as me when it comes to fitment and tidyness when doing upgrades on my car... (and nobody else works on my car, ever! I even made up a jig from the procedures laid out in the factory service manual to do my own front-end alignments, figured since i've got 3 of these cars, why not?) back to my point,... I sure hope that these 3" pipes that may potentially be built are a good fit. I don't know how the mease pipes fit, but the few of the 3" pipes that lee thompson built that I have seen (in pictures, only one in real life) all have pretty good size dents knocked into them to either clear the control arm, or have banged against it. Lee thompson is A1 pro, and I know builds good stuff. I am assuming the pipes may have been put on cars with really bad motor mounts? And aren't you taking chance of false knock with the pipe right on the control arm? My 2.5 is a pretty close fit, but a 3" can be safely done with enough clearance from everything even with some softy motor mounts (imo).
I dunno, just kind of throwing my thoughts out there, Usually when I have a thought, it gets lonely
I also would nominate to bump this thread weekly, or make a appropriate sticky annoucement. There have been attempts at one-off dp orders before just in the last year and half that I've been around, but they all have been pooed on because of price. if gbody parts can make it happen and make it affordable, and make it a good quality fit, then Jerryls first post is certainly right on. No more excuses
With a integral wastegate 3" dp, and a intercooler setup that utilizes the stock hot air location turbo in your catalog, I've got a feeling you might make out all right on this one. Big concern will be price, I know you certainly can't give this stuff away, or take a hit on manufacturing cost, but if prices are at least low enough that the rational for just converting over to the 86/87 topend is not a concern, then.... success (I hope)
Heck, about the only thing left I'll be able to complain about is bolt-on turbo selection for us.
fwiw, I personally think the poston headers are a good design, but certainly wouldn't complain about having more options. The poston headers where one of the first upgrades I had done to my completely stock (at the time) 84 gn. My stockers where cracked in several places. I looked at feedback on the postons. Some of you guys where happy, some complained of cracks, Some complained of sloppy welds and had the pictures to prove it. So I decided to call postons and asked them to check the welds over real good before shipping. I politely said if I didn't find them to my standards, I would leave them in their packageing and promptly return them. The welds on the headers I recieved where all beutiful welds, I've got about 1300 miles on them with no problems. (knock on wood). I would recomend the same thing I did to anyone else thinking of buying them. If you don't know good welds from crappy ones, then find somebody who does before you install them. I think somebody posted awhile back some pictures for comparison of differant headers. You can easily see just how much better of a flow design they are compared to the stockers. My turbo had a definite quicker spool up, and the car did want to pull quicker, but would stumble until (I'm assuming) the fuel would catch up. A walbro 340 and adj regulator solved that.
I have recently installed a custom made 2.5" all stainless steel 2 piece dp with integral wastegate. That alone made the car feel like it had a huge weight off its back. I had to retune to start getting more and more potential out of it, but, no duhh
I'm not going to speak for anybody else, cause I don't know if anybody else is as anal retentive as me when it comes to fitment and tidyness when doing upgrades on my car... (and nobody else works on my car, ever! I even made up a jig from the procedures laid out in the factory service manual to do my own front-end alignments, figured since i've got 3 of these cars, why not?) back to my point,... I sure hope that these 3" pipes that may potentially be built are a good fit. I don't know how the mease pipes fit, but the few of the 3" pipes that lee thompson built that I have seen (in pictures, only one in real life) all have pretty good size dents knocked into them to either clear the control arm, or have banged against it. Lee thompson is A1 pro, and I know builds good stuff. I am assuming the pipes may have been put on cars with really bad motor mounts? And aren't you taking chance of false knock with the pipe right on the control arm? My 2.5 is a pretty close fit, but a 3" can be safely done with enough clearance from everything even with some softy motor mounts (imo). I dunno, just kind of throwing my thoughts out there, Usually when I have a thought, it gets lonely
I also would nominate to bump this thread weekly, or make a appropriate sticky annoucement. There have been attempts at one-off dp orders before just in the last year and half that I've been around, but they all have been pooed on because of price. if gbody parts can make it happen and make it affordable, and make it a good quality fit, then Jerryls first post is certainly right on. No more excuses
luisturbog
UNDERDOG HOT AIR !!!!!!!
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2007
please post
please post when you have completed these downpipes; I'm interested.
The intercooler thing is great I'll go for one of those; So I can have one hot air intercooled and one hot air no intercooler. I love my buick's, I also have one w/327 small journal steel crank, high compression, camel hump heads, air gap intake, 650 Mighty demon,and, Hedman Elite headers.
please post when you have completed these downpipes; I'm interested.
The intercooler thing is great I'll go for one of those; So I can have one hot air intercooled and one hot air no intercooler. I love my buick's, I also have one w/327 small journal steel crank, high compression, camel hump heads, air gap intake, 650 Mighty demon,and, Hedman Elite headers.
b4black
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 24, 2001
87GN_ponykillr
Buick addict
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2003
How are the HA DP's comiong along Brian?
BRAD_PADGETT
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2004
Very nice. $850 is a bit steep but it looks like it was worth it. It's hard to explain to people the difference in spool and power especially if you have a big turbo already. I have a shop willing to make something like this for roughly $400 in mild steel but I'm too afraid of any legal problems.
BRAD_PADGETT
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2004
Matt- I had one built using my car as the setup in stainless steel for another guy and it cost $1200! The key as you said is eliminating the turbo elbow. If anybody wants a Hot Air to go fast you have to suck it uo and pay. Jerryl helped me out yesterday and my car is tuned. Running 18 lbs boost no knock on a stock turbo. Putting my TA33C this week and I am done with my car and goals. Take-Care. Brad
I agree, on average the hotair parts are more expensive and as we all know many are custom made. It's worth it in the long run though. I started modding mine at 17 years old when I made $8.00 an hour and on top of that it was my daily driver. Many things were rigged and half-assed. Now that I have my first what I consider "real job" I'm having tons of fun doing the things I've always wanted to do to the car. Can't wait to start a new hotair project with no intercooler this time...
Glad your car is running well but you know the modding never stops, it's a disease lol.
Well good luck with that Brad, I kind of figure my stopping point will be when I'm 6 feet under.
BRAD_PADGETT
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2004
Eric-I am at the point where some serious money needs to be spent and since I do not race now is a good time to stop. If you need help with the new chip let me know. Take care, Brad
Thanks Brad, I was actually at a meet yesterday and that was the exact conversation. There's a lot of guys in our local group that are at that edge where it's going cost a lot of money just to pick up tenths at the track.
Even if I were to call it quits on the performance part of my GN, there's tons of things I could do to make it more presentable.
If the weather cools down some I'll run it and post my times and some powerlogger data. I'm still sitting on my ported heads, they've been back from the shop for a couple of weeks now. My buddy Pat wants to help me with them, but he's got to finish working on a Typhoon first. I've been talked out of the cam upgrade for the moment, seems like changing one thing at a time is a smart thing to do.
Even if I were to call it quits on the performance part of my GN, there's tons of things I could do to make it more presentable.
If the weather cools down some I'll run it and post my times and some powerlogger data. I'm still sitting on my ported heads, they've been back from the shop for a couple of weeks now. My buddy Pat wants to help me with them, but he's got to finish working on a Typhoon first. I've been talked out of the cam upgrade for the moment, seems like changing one thing at a time is a smart thing to do.
Very nice looking down pipe! Just what I am looking for.
Looking at your's do you think a one piece could be possible?
BRAD_PADGETT
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2004
Even if I were to call it quits on the performance part of my GN, there's tons of things I could do to make it more presentable.
If the weather cools down some I'll run it and post my times and some powerlogger data. I'm still sitting on my ported heads, they've been back from the shop for a couple of weeks now. My buddy Pat wants to help me with them, but he's got to finish working on a Typhoon first. I've been talked out of the cam upgrade for the moment, seems like changing one thing at a time is a smart thing to do.[/QUOTE]
Eric- I am about done. My list is puting the TA33C on, body bushings, new hoodliner, and a front bumper filler. The rest is adjusting the TV cable based on my powerlogger runs. Getting false knock based on the TV cable. Jerryl really helped me out on the tune with the WB o2 sensor,TTwb chip and the powerloger. My money slim as it is will be spent slowly on cosmetics. I will go to the track this year and post a time. Take care- Brad
If the weather cools down some I'll run it and post my times and some powerlogger data. I'm still sitting on my ported heads, they've been back from the shop for a couple of weeks now. My buddy Pat wants to help me with them, but he's got to finish working on a Typhoon first. I've been talked out of the cam upgrade for the moment, seems like changing one thing at a time is a smart thing to do.[/QUOTE]
Eric- I am about done. My list is puting the TA33C on, body bushings, new hoodliner, and a front bumper filler. The rest is adjusting the TV cable based on my powerlogger runs. Getting false knock based on the TV cable. Jerryl really helped me out on the tune with the WB o2 sensor,TTwb chip and the powerloger. My money slim as it is will be spent slowly on cosmetics. I will go to the track this year and post a time. Take care- Brad
BRAD_PADGETT
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2004
The answer is that a one piece Hot Air larger downpipe is not cost effectve. Two piece is cheaper. Nobody makes an integrated larger downpipe because of the cost and lack of demand. This part is the one of the most important part necessary in order to go faster on a hot air. Take-care. Brad
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