If you could do it all over again.....?

[Wardlaw]

Hopefully I'm posting this in the correct area:
I am fast approaching joining the ranks of the fortunate TR community. I am a former 4th Gen LSx F-Body guy with a drag racing background who will soon be fulfilling a long time dream of owning (and modding) a GN / T-Type. With the household income a far cry from what it once was and two rug rats to feed (both boys thank you very much) I do not have the time or disposable resources to race and maintain 9 sec drag cars. So, my venture into the Buick world will be in the form of a street friendly car leaning towards a Pro Touring flavor. I plan on starting with a fairly low mile GN with a few tasteful engine mods and as close as humanly possible to stock interior, save for a few properly located and necessary gauges. I will admit now that I WILL NOT be able to leave a stock engine alone. But I’m also not looking to build another race car. Just something with the ability to put a C6 Vette in its place on occasion and drive the wife and kids up to get ice cream. (Which they WILL NOT be eating in the car!!)
With my title question, I hope to learn from those who have gone before me and save potential headaches down the stretch. I’m not new to cars, just new to this platform. So with that said, and rather than ask the typical "What are the 1st mods I should do" question, I’d like to ask my forerunners if they/you were able to go back in time and do or un-do things you have done to your beloved G-body, what would that be? Whatever area; engine, driveline, suspension, bracing, fuel system, turbo size/type, wheel selection, etc. And not specifically relating to preserving the “collector value”.
So, if you don’t mind sharing, what would YOU do if you could start over?

 

[need boost]

The one thing I would have done is as soon as I got it home, the flat tappet cam would have come OUT!!! Mine wiped a lobe less than 3 months after buying it! These cars have a history of this problem. It costed me a motor build which got totally out of hand lol. 1000 bucks then would have saved me 6000! Of course mine is not a stock build either lol. With a few parts these cars are very fast and I have no problem crushing a C6 vette in a straight line but not in the curves. Do yourself a favor in my opion and snatch out the flat tappet cam and get a roller cam set up. Lots of guys have ran the flats for years with no problems but I went roller so I would not have to do another motor build due to metal grindings EVERYWHERE, also costed me a turbo rebuild to. Daniel Ray

 

[TurboTnZ06]

Bought my first T in 2000, in 2001 bought my Z06. I should have sold the T, should have never bought a GN in 2007 and just modded the Z06... Now you can pick up C5 Z06's for under $20K.

 

[psycho6cyl]

Start w a strong foundation. I would def invest in a scanmaster. That is the first thing you should do even before you buy the car. Put the right terminals on it plug in and see if car has knock etc. Once you buy the car get a boost guage of course install scanmaster and prob due a fuel pump. If the chip is stock upgrade to a turbo tweak chip. I would also buy a set of injectors w the chip. The rest of the combo pretty much is up to you and what you want to do..

 

[jpratt]

Champion ported heads, roller cam, 60's for injectors, alky control, turbotweak chip, RJC 3" exhaust.
All of those items I listed had been replacements for lesser quality/smaller size units. Go big to begin with otherwise you just wind up spending money twice for the same thing

 

[Grumpy]

Having owned both ends your talking about I'd go with a nice stocker and do a few mods and leave it alone.. It would be a mid 11 sec car with a few bolt on's. An say like 9 sec street car will take some $$$$ . NO WAY WOULD I BUY SOMEONE'S CAR THATS ALL DONE UNLESS IT WAS PROVEN PERFORMER AT THE TRACK !! And I would still be leary. Lots of 9/10 sec cars in here that run 12/13s.

 

[EVIL]

I would do allot of research on all the Buick forums and do as much of my own work as possible. Unfortunately i haven't met a mechanic that actually knew everything he was talking about and most of them are biased towards money and will not sway you in the proper direction at all times. As lots and lots of questions and then make your own decisions.

I also agree with a roller cam.

 

[22lbChevelle]

Get a powerlogger setup right away, it will save you so much headache being able to read a graph of everything the engines doing. I was afraid to boost over 15psi for years until I got that thing.

Also make a quick tool to pressurize your intake system with compressed air using a peice of 3in pvc, a 3in pvc cap, and a bike valve. Hook it to the turbo inlet and shoot compressed air into it and find all the leaks, this helps a ton.

I would also stay away from cars that other people modded.

 

[DJ Red Barron]

I, too, went through a few F-Bodies before my GN. I had wanted a TR of some sort since 1986 and finally found the right car a couple of years ago.

If I were to start completely over, I can't say I would change a lot of what I did. I wanted a pro-touring styled car with GNX flavor. So far, that's where the car is heading. The suspension setup is about the only big ticket item I have left to do. Hopefully that will be completed sometime this winter.

As far as performance stuff goes, the car is about where I want it. While I don't have an actual time slip, a couple of seasoned vets to these cars have driven mine and say she's very strong.

So I guess all of that to say I'd do it all over again the same way.

 

[Wardlaw]

All very valid points and good advise. I appreciate the response. (Meant to put a "thumbs up"!)

 

[we4Mateo]

Never stop loving the car and get used to the search function on this message board. I'm right with you and I'm trying to maximize a stockish combo. I drive my car 10k miles per year. Alky, modern chip, good fuel pump with adj fuel regulator are all you need to have a fun reliable car. If upgrading a turbo is in your future, then get 60# injectors with the chip and be done. I have 5 chips. My turbo also ate my tranny so plan on a 200 build too.

 

[INEEDAGN]

Ditch the powermaster electric brakes. The day you get it home. You decide what to change it to, but ditch the powermaster.

Do it right, once.

 

[lnkncontiverto]

I just noticed you're in metro detroit, which puts you in relatively close proximity to Aggressive Auto, which is a great local shop that specializes in building turbo buicks if you plan on needing engine work done. Also, I see quite a few low mileage unmodified turbo regals listed on craigslist for the area.

But to answer the original question, yes. I've not stopped loving my car. Do alot of research on here and other boards before buying, so you know what you're looking at.

 

[Tom Tom Turbo]

read, research, and ask many many questions before you start buying parts. I have changed my setup so many times it makes me sick. Most of the cars on this board are plenty fast....unless you're going to competitively bracket race or something, just find some modded Turbo Regals in your area and ask the owner if they'll take you for a ride, or even let you drive their car. Find one that feels great to you, and try to build something similar.

Many people chase a certain time like "I want to run 10's" but they have no idea what it takes to get there. It doesn't take much money to make one of these cars run 12's....reliable easy 11's usually takes a decent cam and some porting of the heads...but it takes a serious amount of money to do 10's with any reliability and safety. Trust me, for 90% of the street cars out, 11's will beat them.

Also, if you buy parts on price only, you will end up buying the part again, and probably spending more than if you'd just buy the quality part first.

 

[jasjamz]

I would have had two cars. One to race and one to cruise and show. I think the race car would have been a T-Type or a Turbo T.