To do a full build: ls swap, trans, converter, , driveshaft, rear diff, fuel system, cooling system, suspension, brakes, tires, interior, bodywork, paint, tune, etc, etc not including the car will easily cost 30k, probably 50k is more realistic. That's with you doing all the fab and install. Have at it, if you have the time, money and skills.
I fully expect to have 30k in this when I am done. I already have at least 10k in parts in the garage for just this build. Not including the cash i just laid down for the car. I will do everything that I can do without a shop myself. I do not have access to stuff like a oven to powder coat the frame or an alignment machine. I have welders, I fabricate when I need to and I have access to a welding shop with bigger welders and buddies that do all types of welding and work for beer
I'm sure many of you are thinking I just decided yesterday to buy a g body not knowing anything about them and I'm ruining a perfectly good turbo buick. Or I am the average dreamer that starts a project without a realistic plan or the funds which happens all of the time on the forums.
This build has been going on for 20 years. I have been building regals (and a few cutlass and own a 442) for almost 25 years, I have owned, bought, sold and parted out more of these cars then I can keep track of. At 13 years old I was obsessed with g bodies and grabbed any magazine that I could find that had anything to do with them (before the internet). My first car at 15 was a 78 regal limited gold and brown 2 tone 3.8 that had a old carbed turbo kit in the trunk when I got it. I use to go to the salvage yard 3 times a week grabbing parts, keeping what I needed and reselling the rest, like allot of stuff. I have kept all of the best parts over all of these years. I still hit the yards when a g body makes it in. My original shell that I was using a 84 hard top car that had rotted rockers that I replaced and then added a shaved and molded ASC moonroof to, shaved firewall, handles and all of that all done by me. I bought that car at 17. I had it done up well, full air ride suspension, several sets of wheels, fresh paint done by me, lots of custom stuff. I realized that what I wanted at 20 was not what I wanted at 35 so I sold that shell since it was already at the point of a frame off. Then I had a astro roof 86 shell that was pretty solid but it had vin/title issues, long story. I did not feel good about dumping a ton of cash into a car with the vin issue. That car was being built pro touring style which is what I am currently after and collected allot of parts for. I want a car that can handle. Now in in my current place in life, I make good money with all of my toys, daily driver, tow rig, boats all paid off and I am sitting well enough that I had enough money sitting here to throw down cash for a clean lower mile turbo buick, FINALLY! And I chased 4 or 5 turbo buicks around seriously just to get blown off by the owners that did not want to deal with out of state buyers. I drove 21 hours round trip to buy what I thought was "thee" car only to find that the aftermarket paint was good but not as good as I was looking for. That drive home with the woman is what put me here, there was no way that I was getting the car I want without building it myself, end of story. I have been trying to find a T top regal shell for literally years with no luck, there were times that I would find one when I didn't have spare cash or they were somewhere like California. I have tried buying turbo rollers so that I am not ruining a good turbo car and eventually I started looking at hot air project cars which is how I acquired this one. This car was the result of a ebay auction that ended at 2am, I threw a bid on it at 11pm the night before expecting to get out bid at the last second. I woke up and told the woman that I bought a car while we were sleeping, the look she gave me was priceless lol.
Last night after considering every thing, I decided that this car is going back black with stock interior. I can't bring myself to change it being a GN. I will save my navy interior for another build in the future (shhh, don't tell my other half!)
So what this car is getting done to it. the objective here is to have more of less a modern feeling car but stock appearance
allot of this stuff is already in the works and parts purchased over the years, I have a rust free bare frame in the garage with the engine, trans and allot of the suspension stuff either done or is there.
I am anal about paint, it will be taken apart and painted piece by piece and reassembled
obviously being a beat up project it will get all new bushings, weather stripping and all of that fun stuff (already own OEM GM T Top weather stripping
)
frame is getting boxed, re enforced, blasted and powder coated
spohn arms all around
eibach springs
billstein shocks
corvette c5 brakes on blazer spindles
camaro 1LE rear discs off a early 90s F body
all poly bushings
all of the F41 and similar bracing
eventually AFX spindles but that's after the car is done
I have staggered 17s for now, that may change
8.5 3.42 posi
stock sway bars to start with. I want to get a feel for before and after i go aftermarket
Engine for now- it could become a debate to keep the hot air engine if i can get it running but....
I have a low mile 5.3LS 4l60E-I know its not a turbo engine, sorry
Fitech EFI setup-intake and everything to make it all work
holley/hooker parts-pan, mounts, exhaust... the only way to do it all correctly in my opinion, at least as of now
camaro LT1 dual cooling fans mounted to a 307 radiator bracket, it looks stock
I like the idea of a front mount supercharger, my buddy is pushing a turbo. we are going to start with no boost so we can know the before and after and not take money from other aspects of the build
interior will be all stock for the most part
dakota digital gauges
it will get a high end audio setup, I have been a car audio nut since I got into cars and I already have everything for it
Maybe in some peoples eyes, I am hacking up a good car as mentioned previously, maybe I am saving a car that was scrap yard bound? I am not sure, everyone has the right to their opinion. All I know is I want to have a nice car built the way I want it and something to show for the 25 years of time, money and research I have put into this hobby.
