new and NEED HELP!!!

[kaj]

so. i'm supposed to picking up an '83 t-type in the next coupla weeks. i'm trying to find out as much info as i can before committing.

i just found out the car is carbureted. not happy about that. all my experience is with fuel injection.

some questions i have:

Block construction?
HP rating for block?
HP rating for crank?
Piston/rod materials?
Price for used short block?
Used long block?
Engine code? (Example: LS1, etc)
how hard is it to convert to fuel injection?

is there anything i should be aware of/beware? like "oh, the '83 has 'this' problem that you need to fix right away", etc.

any info would be a ton helpful. i've been poking around the site for a bit now and haven't quite found the info i need, but i'll keep looking.

i've wanted one of these cars since about 1987 or so... maybe i'll finally have one!

i know it's probably not the proper thing to do, but i plan to paint it black to, YES, look like a Grand National. it's all for fun and (partly) for my dad (he's the one that introduced me to the GN.. sadly i can't afford one). so, i'm not worried about keeping it original, etc.
in fact, the interior will be ripped out, caged, and sheet-metal installed. so.. i'm kinda glad i'm not tearing up a GN, i suppose.

so. any words of advice? wisdom? links?

i'll take all the help i can get. thanks, guys.

 

[mat231v6]

welcome to turbo buick.
go to the before black section on this site.
here is some info
BEFORE BLACK Website
to convert over to lets say a 86/87 setup you need to get the headers,intake, turbo, intercooler,wiring harnest,ecm. then you have to drill the front of the block so the turbo oil has some were to go. it much easyer to convert that setup over to a 84/85 setup because all you have to get is the cam sensor crank sensor, wireing harnest,ecm, intake and ofcourse the turbo. the 83 headers are the same i think as the 84/85. to let you know the 83 setup can be made to runn fast some of our members have there setups in the high 1's and low 12's on the carb draw thru.

if you buy the motor/car and want to part out the engine tell me.
if you need any more info just ask.

 

[mat231v6]

here is some more links that should help.

BEFORE BLACK - Turbo Notes
BEFORE BLACK - About the 1978-83 Buick Turbo V6

Before Black (non-SFI) Tech - TurboBuick.Com

 

[kaj]

great start. thank you!

i won't be parting out, that i know of. i'm told "the engine just needs a timing chain.. then it will run". well... that tells me there is probably some piston and valve damage. i plan to rebuild the engine ASSUMING it's re-usable. i'm hoping so.

as for the carb setup.... i've never delt with carbs before. i prefer no to. i do live in california and smog is a bitch here. i'm looking into what i can get away with and what i can't, as far as swapping to fuel injection.

can i just swap to injection without having to install the rest of the 86/87 parts?
the oil return line flows into the block, not the oil pan?
or.. maybe if i read your links, my questions would be answered? LOL i'll do some reading.

thanks!

 

[mat231v6]

the 86/87 intake and injectors wont work unless you have all the other things. the oil drain does go to the front of the block on the 86/87 setup.
what you can do is find a tbi setup and put it on the drawthru motor. if you dont want to mess with a carb thats the best way to go.

 

[kaj]

hm... then i have to figure out what will pass visual and emissions testing and what won't. living in california pretty much sucks.

 

[mat231v6]

hm... then i have to figure out what will pass visual and emissions testing and what won't. living in california pretty much sucks.

you can always keep it stock for a short time then switch over. i dont know much about california emission testing. i think they would like a tbi setup better than a carb. let me see but i think i have a california emission carb.

 

[kaj]

you can always keep it stock for a short time then switch over. i dont know much about california emission testing. i think they would like a tbi setup better than a carb. let me see but i think i have a california emission carb.

cali likes what makes them money. LOL. if i have the wrong stuff and get popped, i'm in trouble.

luckily, cops here give thumbs up to domestics here, in fresno. they can be as loud as they want. fast as they want.
but if i'm out in a honda or my evo? oh, hell. i can bet on getting my hood popped.

as far as i can think, if they car LOOKS somewhat stock (heat shields over turbo, etc) and doesn't look obviously modified, i can probably pass the visual. i have to imagine smog requirements weren't too strict in 1983, so i'm also sure i can pass the emissions section. especially if i can get some type of EFI setup that i can tune.

they car will not remain stock. as i mentioned, i don't wanna learn to tune carbs.. so it's going. i prefer the EFI/throttle body setup, but will look into the TBI one as well.

 

[charlief1]

Move or sell the car. The kalifornication rules require you to convert it to a later system or nothing. There's no adapting a TBI unit to the car because you it has to be exempt under CARB, and there are none currently made. Learn to work on the carb and you'll be able to make some extra cash on the side as well.

 

[kaj]

Move or sell the car. The kalifornication rules require you to convert it to a later system or nothing. There's no adapting a TBI unit to the car because you it has to be exempt under CARB, and there are none currently made. Learn to work on the carb and you'll be able to make some extra cash on the side as well.

hm... possible to do 350-400whp on the carb'ed setup?

 

[Gary Wells]

Welcome to TurboBuick.com, the biggest & the best of all of the turbo Buick forums / sites anywhere. & welcome to the Darkside, too.

 

[turbo39151]

To pass visual in Cali you'll need ALL of the stock emission stuff on the car. Also, I recommend buying a new gas cap too as they test them as well...
Gotta have the Catalytic Convertor and avoid all the shiney bling stuff and no open element air filters (has to be in the stock canister)... I'm not sure about all the specifics but I would just put the cars to stock to smog them to avoid additional issues or having to fail and come back later.

I had one shop tell me that my turbo was not stock They didn't like the shiney maf pipe either...

If you're close enough, might consider checking with Lou Czarnota if he's still doing business when you call. IIRC he used to smog cars and knows how to tune them so that they will be smog legal.

Good Luck


Oh, and welcome to the Darkside

 

[kaj]

welcome to the Darkside, too.

Thank you! My Evo and civic are white.. So this can balance them out.