Need opinion on this car

[Ttype83]

I get 17-21mpg on the 83 city driving and 26 mpg highway @ 70-75mph.

A 1" spacer should help alittle on gas.

I'm guessing that it's a 2bbl carb, so it'll do ok on highway but not great.
I can't find a NA here for that price, they think they are worth more
Spare parts are always a plus

 

[usetaboost]

I'll probably go ahead and get the car as long as there aren't any coolant leaks or major leaking from the rear main. The only thing that concerns me is the the little bit off bubbling under the paint on the pass side quarter. The car does have a few minor dings here and there, but its 20 yrs old. My old 79 sport coupe got terrible gas mileage that's the only reason why I was so concerned about it, I just don't understand why your car, which is also carbed would get better gas mileage than an n/a car. I understand with the od tranny but you'd think with 2.41 gears it would even out. Maybe a quadrajet would up it? I guess as long as the car doesn't turn into a money pit it will be 'aight . My grand am runs great and has great mileage but its just beat to hell. Not even worth puttin a new window regulator in as far as I'm concerned. Any last words from anyone else? Anything I should be concerned with on the n/a cars?

 

[turbofish38]

I've had a few DD Regals like the one you are looking at. The 3.8 2V car averaged 17-18MPG in combined driving. With 2.41 gears the sweet spot is 55MPH. It will be a lot less cruising at 70+. The 4.1 4V with the 200-4R and 3.08s also did 18MPG and an 83 with 2.73s did 16MPG. The Q-jet cars did better at those 70MPH speeds if you kept your foot out of the secondaries. If I had to guess highway was in the 16-17MPG range. My commute was all in town driving so I very rarely drove on the open highways.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

Erics estimates are close to being accurate 17-18 mpg@55mph with the N/A Dueljet, 2.41 gears and 350C

Here's the kicker.....I have a 350C and I just upgraded my rear gears from 2.41 to 3.23.

I've got a Q-jet system and the 3.8.....my mpg went from 16-18@ 70-75mph, to 19mpg@70-75mph after I went with 3.23's. This I like!!

But I don't get it. It spins more at the higher speeds but it's more fuel efficient.

I have'nt seen any posting with those types of results. So will the 200-R4 with the 3.42 rear gears do better, (Jimbo's '83 T-Type),.....I assume it's possible. But I can't explain why.

 

[usetaboost]

is the gearing different with the 350c compared to the factory 200c? Maybe with the different gears its taking less power to go that fast hence the better mileage? Wasn't the aaverage highway speed 55 back then? maybe that's why its the "sweet spot" and the different gears make higher rpm more fuel efficient? If I do get this car I'm gonna just do mods that WON't hurt gas mileage but increase performance. My plan is to start with tune up of course, electric fan, hotter coil, a flowmaster muffler in place of the stocker, or should I go with the flowmaster dual catback I have in the garage?, and maybe down the road a 4bbl with k&n, if price is right and I KNOW it won't hurt gas mileage. Am I ok with this or am I going the wrong way? I want to try getting 87 v8 power with the v6 economy. Oh and keep the ecm.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

You won't make V8 power with an N/A V6 unless you go radical. If you choose radical then what you'll have is an expensive to build ugly bracket racer.

The N/A V6 can only muster conservative to moderate power gains. :frown:
The weight of the car calls for a V8.

The cheap way out is to turbo-charge the V6.

 

[usetaboost]

Won't even be able to make "307 v8" power? :frown:

 

[stack1]

I'm normally pretty decent at tracking down decent deals, but I checked everything in Iowa. You're right, there's not $h|t out there in Iowa. People wanting $5k for a 100k mile n/a Regal.

If he's calling you back to offer a lower price then he's desperate. I've sold dozens of cars and I've never done that. You should be able to get him around $1500. Make up an excuse to go back and look at the car, but don't make it seem like you're too interested. Flash 15 $100 bills in his face and see if he takes it. The sight of the cash is alot better than talking over the phone.

But I think you're better off buying the car and adding the turbo. Unless you're willing to travel out of state to get a decent deal.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

 

[Freddie's Buick]

Won't even be able to make "307 v8" power? :frown:

Nope......

 

[usetaboost]

Yeah didn't think so. a turbo would be the best bang for the buck, which I can hold out on. When I did go look at the car I hinted that it was a little too much, whcih I knew it wasnt, just trying to talk him down. Well he's dropped 300 bucks-down to 1600. From what I've seen around here for 1600 bucks this car might be the deal of the year. I don't have cash, I'm gonna get a loan. I already told him that I have the money sitting. I'm gonna go drive it tomorrow and look it over a little bit more.

 

[usetaboost]

Allright, I 'm buying the car. It's got new tires on it, needs trunk emblems, a haromonic balancer-looked a little wobbly, now I wish I wouldn't have thrown the one I had away, A/C works-for now, power windows go up and down like a new car:biggrin: , needs muffler and tailpipe. and most likely a tune up. The thing was really struggling trying to break 40 going uphill. hopefully a good tune up will eliminate that. But it rides like its on air! Got a small dent in the trunk lid and one on the driver's side below the window, little surface rust on the very bottom of quarter on driver's side too but all in all in good shape. I tend to nitpick everything. I ended up getting it for 1650. I'll post pics after I get it and clean it up. Still don't know where I want to go with it, turbo or just 4 barrel and few mods-decisions decisions

 

[Ttype83]

I think you got a good deal, Congrats
Get it running good, then slowly pick up the parts you'll what..blow thru or draw thru...don't matter as long as you enjoy it.

 

[usetaboost]

has anyone successfully done a blow thru with factory parts yet? Just always wondered. I called the local yard to see how much a 4.1 intake and carb would be, they said 125 for the carb and 95 for the intake- that is freakin insane. I'll wait.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

Try the Edelbrock intake for that price....