Help me decide what to do with my 87 GN

[ttribejr]

I have an 87 GN i picked up last year. I was really looking for one with T-tops, but this one was a good deal and local so i bought it. 66k miles. Runs perfect. smooth as glass. shifts perfect. quiet. Only modifications are a "stock appearing" catback exhaust and a TT chip.

Im a car nut. My last 5 cars have had 400+ rwhp. My other toy is a LS powered 94 RX7, very fast street car. I built it and tuned it as I do all my cars.

I cant leave anything alone. bare minimum this car would get a turbo, converter and AI kit. But just like the previous owner I feel like I can't modify it. Like I would be ruining it.

So I have some deciding to do. Build it and play with it. Or sell it.


Everybody who sees the car loves it. And everybody says the same thing: "You gotta leave that car stock"

 

[John Larkin]

The thing about these cars is that stock appearing is overrated. Only an owner or an enthusiast will know if it's modded unless you have a barrage of gauges sprinkled around the interior. You can pop the hood at most any car show and no one would question much of anything. If anything, people into performance cars will assume yours IS modded. So the question is: what do you want?

 

[Turbo Keith]

I have an 87 GN i picked up last year. I was really looking for one with T-tops, but this one was a good deal and local so i bought it. 66k miles. Runs perfect. smooth as glass. shifts perfect. quiet. Only modifications are a "stock appearing" catback exhaust and a TT chip.

Im a car nut. My last 5 cars have had 400+ rwhp. My other toy is a LS powered 94 RX7, very fast street car. I built it and tuned it as I do all my cars.

I cant leave anything alone. bare minimum this car would get a turbo, converter and AI kit. But just like the previous owner I feel like I can't modify it. Like I would be ruining it.

So I have some deciding to do. Build it and play with it. Or sell it.


Everybody who sees the car loves it. And everybody says the same thing: "You gotta leave that car stock"

Hey Man , I got my first GN last september , Stock with 65,000 . I was just like you , Go fast or leave stock . You unlike me have had fast cars , The fastest I ever had is that GN . I went the fast route and at sometimes wish I didn't and then when i spool that turbo up and have fun I'm like that was worth every penny . In a nut shell just do what makes you happy , thats my 2 pennies Keith

 

[~JM~]

Original low mile cars usually retain more value, if that's important to you.

 

[Quick6'n'-K.C.]

Leave it stock and buy another 2 or 7 to modify :lol:

Having one is boring, get another if you can, that way you don't mind tearing up the modded one

Then go back to the stock one and look it over, I guarantee its been modded over the last 30 years. Send pics I'll look it over lol. Once you've had a few, you start to see signs of hidden mods, or removed parts from being modded

Pics to turbov6bryan@live.com

 

[BuickMike]

Do bolt ons and be happy. My friend had a low mile GN that was bone stock and ran like crap. We did a TT chip, HD boost actuator, intake, fuel pump - hotwire kit, 42lb injectors, test pipe, adj FPR, and a couple other small goodies. We hooked up a temporary boost gauge and I welded a WBo2 bung into the test pipe so we could dial in the fueling with the TT chip. That thing ran AWESOME!! I regret not buying it off him. It would have been a solid 12 second car with alky or race gas.

 

[Dialtone76]

As others have said, it is what YOU want. Objectively, getting more fast costs more $$$ both in parts and in repairs (not to mention it gets addictive). If speed is your thing, based off your previous cars i believe that to be the case, several of the mods already mentioned would barely be detectable and pay dividends in hp.

You scored a relatively unmodded GN. You have a solid baseline. You don't have to worry about buying a guys build that he ran out of money to finish and was forced to sell. (Nothing wrong with that if you have the talent and funds to finish/fix). You didn't inherit a headache is my point. If you give that up, you are rolling the dice again.

I completely respect the 'keep it original' guys, and admit I do like looking at the stockers or museum quality show cars when if I see one at shows. However to me that takes a very specific personality that I do not possess. If I married Miss July 2016, you bet you a$$ I am gonna do more with her than just look at her and show her to my friends. I want to be the guy you know who drives a GN, not the guy you know who just owns one. A subtle difference, but important to me and my decision for getting my car. I am not getting any younger and this is my dream car since I learned there was more to cars than just the paint color. If my GN still has low miles when I am on my death bed, I failed my dream.

Not everyone is me. There are all kinds of owners out there who do different things with their cars. Some build race cars, donks, bass generators, or rolling murals. The only owners I tend to hold a mark against are those that neglect these cars to the point of disrepair. If you haven't already, link up with TB owners in your area or check out their shows (well okay, you may have to wait until next year to do that). You will get a good sampling of what people are doing, and what results they have had so far. Every show I have gone to I have walked away things things I do and don't want to do.

If you are always gonna be envious of the TB's with T-Tops, then it wont matter what you do with this car you may not be truly happy with it. It is your money either way. You are spending it for a purpose. If your current car doesn't meet that purpose, ask yourself what would, then make it so!

Good luck whatever you decide!

 

[Turbo Keith]

As others have said, it is what YOU want. Objectively, getting more fast costs more $$$ both in parts and in repairs (not to mention it gets addictive). If speed is your thing, based off your previous cars i believe that to be the case, several of the mods already mentioned would barely be detectable and pay dividends in hp.

You scored a relatively unmodded GN. You have a solid baseline. You don't have to worry about buying a guys build that he ran out of money to finish and was forced to sell. (Nothing wrong with that if you have the talent and funds to finish/fix). You didn't inherit a headache is my point. If you give that up, you are rolling the dice again.

I completely respect the 'keep it original' guys, and admit I do like looking at the stockers or museum quality show cars when if I see one at shows. However to me that takes a very specific personality that I do not possess. If I married Miss July 2016, you bet you a$$ I am gonna do more with her than just look at her and show her to my friends. I want to be the guy you know who drives a GN, not the guy you know who just owns one. A subtle difference, but important to me and my decision for getting my car. I am not getting any younger and this is my dream car since I learned there was more to cars than just the paint color. If my GN still has low miles when I am on my death bed, I failed my dream.

Not everyone is me. There are all kinds of owners out there who do different things with their cars. Some build race cars, donks, bass generators, or rolling murals. The only owners I tend to hold a mark against are those that neglect these cars to the point of disrepair. If you haven't already, link up with TB owners in your area or check out their shows (well okay, you may have to wait until next year to do that). You will get a good sampling of what people are doing, and what results they have had so far. Every show I have gone to I have walked away things things I do and don't want to do.

If you are always gonna be envious of the TB's with T-Tops, then it wont matter what you do with this car you may not be truly happy with it. It is your money either way. You are spending it for a purpose. If your current car doesn't meet that purpose, ask yourself what would, then make it so!

Good luck whatever you decide!

My friend you nailed that right on the head

 

[turbo89]

I have an 87 GN i picked up last year. I was really looking for one with T-tops, but this one was a good deal and local so i bought it. 66k miles. Runs perfect. smooth as glass. shifts perfect. quiet. Only modifications are a "stock appearing" catback exhaust and a TT chip.

Im a car nut. My last 5 cars have had 400+ rwhp. My other toy is a LS powered 94 RX7, very fast street car. I built it and tuned it as I do all my cars.

I cant leave anything alone. bare minimum this car would get a turbo, converter and AI kit. But just like the previous owner I feel like I can't modify it. Like I would be ruining it.

So I have some deciding to do. Build it and play with it. Or sell it.


Everybody who sees the car loves it. And everybody says the same thing: "You gotta leave that car stock"

Leave it stock and toss a turbo on the LS powered RX7

 

[ttribejr]

Everyone has some good advice, I appreciate it.

I think, for now, I am going to hold onto the car for a while. I really like the car. I have dreams of a BBC 68 camaro, but i'd have to sell both my cars to get a decent one.

 

[MCH86GN]

Give it to me, I'll give it a nice home. You can visit anytime you want.

 

[earlbrown]

You just think you want one with T-tops... trust me, you don't.

As far as leaving it stock, don't even think about it. A truly original 100% stock GN can't be trusted to do anything more than take pictures of it or brag about owning one that's stock. There's just too many weak links in the chain. Some are from things like outdated gas, some are design flaws from the factory and some are just because the car is almost 1/3 of a century old.

Do all the basic free stuff, then do all the preventative maintenance/upgrades, then enjoy having a 12 second ACTUAL 12second street car.

Just whatever you do, don't fall for the ''I need, headers, heads, gearz....' mindset. You'll only go backwards.

 

[ttribejr]

What are the free stuff and preventative?

So far i have:

Pypes race muffler exhaust with test pipe
Open KN filter (wow, what a difference over the stock airbox)
TT street chip 16psi

Previous owner had problems with the powermaster, so converted it to vacuum booster.

I am kind of thinking about setting this car up for street / strip. My rx7 is a street car but more a street / track car (road coarse). Have the best of both worlds.

You just think you want one with T-tops... trust me, you don't.

As far as leaving it stock, don't even think about it. A truly original 100% stock GN can't be trusted to do anything more than take pictures of it or brag about owning one that's stock. There's just too many weak links in the chain. Some are from things like outdated gas, some are design flaws from the factory and some are just because the car is almost 1/3 of a century old.

Do all the basic free stuff, then do all the preventative maintenance/upgrades, then enjoy having a 12 second ACTUAL 12second street car.

Just whatever you do, don't fall for the ''I need, headers, heads, gearz....' mindset. You'll only go backwards.

 

[seanconnery]

why not do bolt on mods and hang onto original parts

 

[earlbrown]

Preventative and maintenance include a new fuel pump with a bigger power wire ran to it, Modify the pump hanger for better flow, new valve springs (you think that filter made a difference, wait until you see what new springs do), new timing set, new injectors with matching chip, Weld up the crack on the drivers side header and add a gusset, replace all the vacuum hoses and small check valves,
Remove the intercooler, fill it 1/2 full of gas and slosh it around. Repeat that until the gas comes out clean. Oh yeah, get rid of that hose that runs from the PS valve cover to the turbo inlet. That's the reason the intercooler is full of gunk. Bypass the hot water lines on the throttlebody, put a zip tie on the throttle cable at the pedal so WOT is actually WOT. Install a drain plug on the trans pan, refill with Dextron IV, make sure to go 1 quart over the full mark.
Then get some sort of scan tool and turn for maximum boost (minus a pound or two) with NO knock.

With these cars street and strip are pretty much the same thing when done right.

 

[turbo89]

Preventative and maintenance include a new fuel pump with a bigger power wire ran to it, Modify the pump hanger for better flow, new valve springs (you think that filter made a difference, wait until you see what new springs do), new timing set, new injectors with matching chip, Weld up the crack on the drivers side header and add a gusset, replace all the vacuum hoses and small check valves, Bypass the hot water lines on the throttlebody, put a zip tie on the throttle cable at the pedal so WOT is actually WOT. Install a drain plug on the trans pan, refill with Dextron IV, make sure to go 1 quart over the full mark.
Then get some sort of scan tool and turn for maximum boost (minus a pound or two) with NO knock.

With these cars street and strip are pretty much the same thing when done right.

don't have em do this .. he has a LS in a RX7 .. a turbo buick running around on pump fuel is gonna be a buzz kill even with all the stuff you mentioned ( which I 100% agree with btw )

my 2 cents ... if your not on E85 / Race Fuel / ALKY Control kit on a turbo buick your wasting your time ...

Fuel / tune let these cars be all they can be .. and its a big difference from stock.

 

[turbo39151]

Who says stock appearing is slow? Check out the TSA section. There were guys cracking the 10's with stock appearing cars.

 

[ttribejr]

Sounds you are suggesting all that as a starting point. Where does the crack appear on the exhaust manifold?

Yea, I already thought about e85, but no stations near me. I'd have to buy a 55g drum and a pump and keep it at my shop. Bare minimum I would need a turbo/converter and e85 or AI.

Yes, turbo89, the LS rx7 is hard to beat. It hurts feelings every time i run somebody in it.

 

[turbo89]

Who says stock appearing is slow? Check out the TSA section. There were guys cracking the 10's with stock appearing cars.

Sure at what expense ? ... the avg Joe isn't gonna do this ..

Just look at all the clowns with heads, cams , intakes, built motors, converters, front mounts , fuel systems , exhausts that cant break into the 10 second zone let alone a newbie ..

 

[turbo39151]

I suppose the cost is the cost either way. I was thinking more along the lines of keeping the car looking stock while also going fast. I think there's a few guys that have been experimenting with squeezing the most out of what the cars came with without going and buying a bunch of random parts.