The questions was never so much to make it look stock. it was to keep it stock or go to town. If I start modding, i wont try to hide the upgrades.
Help me decide what to do with my 87 GN
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The questions was never so much to make it look stock. it was to keep it stock or go to town. If I start modding, i wont try to hide the upgrades.
turbo39151
anycoloraslongasitsblack
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I see. I have a modded car with higher miles and my lower mile car I left more to the stock side.
I like to mod but sometimes I worry about messing up the value. New stuff, I don't care about value. It's these legendary cars that I have a hard time doing too much to. (just my personal opinion.) I also know guys that would buy a GNX and start modding right away. To each his own.
I like to mod but sometimes I worry about messing up the value. New stuff, I don't care about value. It's these legendary cars that I have a hard time doing too much to. (just my personal opinion.) I also know guys that would buy a GNX and start modding right away. To each his own.
You're correct. Not doing that list will leave him with an LS RX-7 and a blown up Turbo Buick.
Quite the buzzkill indeed. You can't build anything worth a damn without a solid foundation.
i also never understood the desire to spend all that extra money and effort to keep a car 'stock looking' while modding it.
The only people that know what stock looks like is us, and we already know about all the stock appearing parts.
The only people that know what stock looks like is us, and we already know about all the stock appearing parts.
Earl is 100% dead nuts on. These are the exact things that we did with my buddy's 10k mile stock GN and it was perfect!!! Seriously it was so smooth and quick enough. You need a better fuel pump, hotwire kit, scan tool, and adj fuel pressure regulator. If you have a WBo2, then get a bung and weld it into the downpipe so you can adjust fueling if you need to. I'm sure that you can scrape high 12's on a good day with that combo and some sticky tires. Hell, I saw a bone stock GN run mid 13's with chip and open filter alone. I promise if you stick to what Earl and I have said, which is the few more mods plus preventative (fix header if cracked, clean IC, good timing set, and new valve springs) you should be really happy with the car as is and be able to fully put it back to stock in a day if you wish.
Also, get some braces like the rear seat brace, joust braces, maybe under hood braces. You will be really happy you did. Oh, and replace the rear upper control arm bushing that the stock downpipe melted. There is a heat shield you can get for it. Maybe fill in the missing body bushings and replace the crappy stock shocks with Bilsteins. That would be the PERFECT GN.
One last thing to back up Earl. You really do not want a T Top car. They are a pain in the ass. Trust me, I know.
Also, get some braces like the rear seat brace, joust braces, maybe under hood braces. You will be really happy you did. Oh, and replace the rear upper control arm bushing that the stock downpipe melted. There is a heat shield you can get for it. Maybe fill in the missing body bushings and replace the crappy stock shocks with Bilsteins. That would be the PERFECT GN.
One last thing to back up Earl. You really do not want a T Top car. They are a pain in the ass. Trust me, I know.
kidsixpack
Active Member
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Very interesting replies here. You are a go fast guy. You should mod the hell out of it! My original intent with mine was to modify it just a little. After getting a closer look at my car I found it to be completely untouched. I'm leaving mine alone. If I owned your car and it was completely untouched I'd leave it alone. I've seen a lot of cars that have had the mods removed prior to being sold.
If it were my only car I may have to mod it up some. Not too much though, there is always someone faster.
KID
If it were my only car I may have to mod it up some. Not too much though, there is always someone faster.
KID
achalmersman
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Ok I have a few parts on the way, should be here today:
Casper HW kit
Walbro pump
Accufab FPR and a marshall gauge for the rail
(remember car already has test pipe/catback/open kn and TT street chip)
I have already done what buick guys call "spring cleaning" when I bought the car
Where am I looking for a crack on the driver manifold? i was looking last night and didn't see anything.
I will do the valve springs. Is there anything else I should do while in there?
Why do you overfill the transmission by 1 QT?
At what power level is the stock intake pipe and MAF a restriction? Upgrade to 3.5" MAF now or later or what?
I live in the country. Kroger is under construction and there is a CHANCE it will have e85 gas station. So I am waiting to find out before I further upgrade my fuel system.
What else? Next 5 upgrades and in what order?
275/60/15 Nitto Drag's ok? I can get a good deal on them.
Thanks for the help guys! Soon my wife will hate most of you.
Casper HW kit
Walbro pump
Accufab FPR and a marshall gauge for the rail
(remember car already has test pipe/catback/open kn and TT street chip)
I have already done what buick guys call "spring cleaning" when I bought the car
Where am I looking for a crack on the driver manifold? i was looking last night and didn't see anything.
I will do the valve springs. Is there anything else I should do while in there?
Why do you overfill the transmission by 1 QT?
At what power level is the stock intake pipe and MAF a restriction? Upgrade to 3.5" MAF now or later or what?
I live in the country. Kroger is under construction and there is a CHANCE it will have e85 gas station. So I am waiting to find out before I further upgrade my fuel system.
What else? Next 5 upgrades and in what order?
275/60/15 Nitto Drag's ok? I can get a good deal on them.
Thanks for the help guys! Soon my wife will hate most of you.
Where 1 and 3 join 5 right in that deep groove.
I guess 6 new intake seals while you're there.
G-forces at launch
The 3" pipe is bigger than the turbo inlet so it's not really a restriction until you start moving some SERIOUS air. That being said a 3.5" LS1 MAF has less flow area than a 3" pipe. It's WELL worth the improvement to go bigger there (even if you up the 3.5 maf on a 3" pipe. If you're still running a stock MAF, flow restriction isn't your issue. Stock MAF's are crap.
no
For what you're doing those tires are most likely too tall. (and will probably look like gumbo mudders on the back of your car. If you're going to run 275's get some 50's and keep your final drive ratio intact.
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Earl means 275/50/15. Those are stock height, but the sidewalls do bubble out a bit on the stock rims though. I still prefer the 50 series and the 275/60's look super redneck. If you want E85, you will need to get a different chip, much bigger injectors, and a bigger pump than what you are looking at. I'd keep it pump gas if I were you. Not saying E85 on a mild build like yours would not be awesome, but dial it in for pump gas and see where you get.
Remind me, do you still have the stock injectors? I just remembered we swapped my buddy's for a set of 42's because his stock ones were causing a lean issue. My stock ones were the same on my GN when I first bought it. If your BLM's are super high and there are no vacuum leaks or issues with the PVC, then you know where to look. 
Yes, stock injectors. I tuned the car with scanmaster when i first got it. BLMs stayed in the acceptable +/- 5% range, but I have not checked them since. I have not decided on injectors yet because of the e85 or not decision i have to make. If i do go e85, i will replace the pump i just got with a dual setup.
I think most people go with a single high vol pump on E85 now. The problem with that or the dual setup is that the return line will then be too restrictive to drop to the correct pressure at idle. That being said, I wonder if the standard 255 LPH pump and 60lb injectors would be good to go on a stock motor / turbo and say 18psi? Hmmmm........
These cars are complete snails on stock boost levels,especially trying to line up against the new stuff.once you decide to turn the boost up with the right fuel components and tune the trans is toast and will need to be built.the stock turbo intercooler,maf with alky injection, in tank pump,tt chip with a strong tune and other odds and ends will run into the 11 sec range with a good hook with 1.5 1.6 60fts.the e85 guys on the stockish combo's are getting it done as well with a few guys trying to chase down ed brewers stock turbo,stock motor 11.3 record on pump gas alky.
Need to have a goal,it's doesn't cost and require to much to run the into the 12/mid to high 11sec range with the right approach to tuning and parts. Beyond that its a different ball game and you will need a more dollar orientated approach.
This is incorrect.. A single DW300 will not be the cause of high fuel pressure..
Go with the E85 conversion.. It puts the car in another league compared to pump
Keep in mind, if you decide on E-85, that one station will limit the distance you can travel. As a rule of thumb, you will be burning ~ 30-35% more fuel. Hence the need for larger injectors, fuel lines, pump/s, etc. The size of which will be dependent on the hp level of choice.
Also if 400 whp is the goal, consider what was stated above concerning the transmission. It will be on life support at that hp level. I personally blew up 2 approximately a year apart(almost to the day) before investing in an after market racing trans. Fortunately for me they were still under warranty at the time.
I also agree w/earl on building the proper foundation, not really changing the intent of the vehicle, just making it more reliable and competitive w/the modern tech-advanced cars.
Also if 400 whp is the goal, consider what was stated above concerning the transmission. It will be on life support at that hp level. I personally blew up 2 approximately a year apart(almost to the day) before investing in an after market racing trans. Fortunately for me they were still under warranty at the time.
I also agree w/earl on building the proper foundation, not really changing the intent of the vehicle, just making it more reliable and competitive w/the modern tech-advanced cars.
I switch from E85 to pump when i have to.. Its simple.. Once you go E85 .. I highly doubt you will ever put pump in again
