Anyone here ever do a GN motor in a vega.I corrently have a 76 Cosworth Vega.I was running a 408 smallblock on juice.With the last setup it ran a best of a 10.90 on 26x10.5 et streets through the mufflers.I sold that setup and i'm in the process of getting a complete Gn motor setup.I have a couple of local guys that are willing to help.But i'm sure i'll be here asking alot of questions.Thanks for any input.
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Well there are two in the works in my neck of the woods but neither is finished (or really started on the build end). They are both 73's one a GT and the other a delivery wagon. The GT is getting a hot air set-up but I think I am going to try intercooled. The biggest problem with the intercooled setup is where does one put the intercooler? It gets pretty cramped for space up front. The Hot air motor might reqire a cowl hood to clear the turbo. That motor is almost complete so we should know hopefully this spring. The other big issue is if you still have the factory front A-arms on top is the headers will have to be modified to fit. I think with a set of 3.0L heads though (ala TTA) the headers might fit unmodified. They will certainly give more room and that was my plan anyway. I think that a Buick V6 in a Vega is the way to go. Much less weight and much easier to work on.
I've got a Gn motor on the way,The fun part will be mounting the intercooler.May move my battery to the hatch and run the intercooler through the inner fender wheel there.I wish i still had my 72 Vega much lighter 2680 compared to my 76 wich is 3380 with me in it plus the smallblock.What rearend are you going to run in the Vega?Got a good idea if your interested.A guy is selling 4" cowl hoods on ebay for $269.
I am planning on locating the battery in the "delivery" area which will open up the front area. Also going to run a really thin electric fan. Might even move the radiator towards the engine to free up a little more space. I was planning on running a 7.5" rear in the car (Vega housing with S-10 gears). Probably step the axles up to a 28 spline vs. the stock 26. The S-10 axle shafts are the perfect width. With an auto trans and light weight, it will live just fine. I know of people running 12's in a full weight Regal T-Type with a 7.5 and pushing another 1000 pounds over a Vega. I have not weighed the Delivery but my 77 wagon with a Buick V6 N/A engine weighs only 2450 with a full tank of gas and all steel body/bumpers. I do have a fiberglass hood on it though. With a stock shorblock (8:1) and a set of ported irons it will run an uncorrected 14.58 @ 95. That is at 4500 feet so at sea level it is a high 13 for about 500 bucks in the entire engine. Buick V6 can't hardly be beat in these cars. Still much more in the combo too, maybe a high 13 at my altitude.
If I were going to run this car super hard I would step up the rear to something more substantial but for now the 7.5 should hold up. It is impressive that the rear was able to take 1.5x 60'. That is impressive. Typical failure too, the ring gear. Good tip on the 8 3/4 rear. What suspension do you have in your Vega?
Mines a 76.It's got the torque arm setup.I retained the stock control arms,springs and shocks.But made a tubular chromoly torque arm that mounts to the top and bottom of the rear end housing with 3/4 in heim joints.The front of the arm mounts to the tailshaft just like the factory but with a heim joint also.After i get the v6 turbo setup in i've got a set of air bags i'm going to try.Plus limiter straps in the front suspension.
What trans are you going to use? If you are going to stick with the 200-4R how will you attach the front of the torque arm? I was planning on doing the same (trans) in my 77 but hadn't decided how to do the torque arm. I guess if this will be a drag only car then the OD trans will be less needed. I have basically the stock rear suspension too but I added a set of fabricated lowers I got from ebay. Very nice and fairly inexpensive considering the amount of work that went into them. I also added a HUGE rear sway bar that help lift the front of the car evenly. I installed a Richmond locker in the rear which is great at the track but a bit much around town. Even at my 2.0 60 foots the front end needs limiters. I hope to get a better clutch this season so I can launch off the 2-step a little harder and get the 60's down into the 1.8's or so.
For now i'm going to run a BOP th350.Someone sells a setup for the Camaro that shortens the torque arm and Mounts it to the tunnel.If i switch to the 200 i'll redesign mine to do it like that also.My brother has an 80 spyder that we put a 26 in ladder bar under with the alston subframe connectors.It was a cheap and easy setup if you don't mind cutting the floors to install the connectors.
Which route did you take to convert the front to 5 lug? On my 77 I am still up in the air because I am trying to save weight wherever possible. On the 73 Delivery I was planning on using a complete G-body set-up and just modify the arms to accept the G-body ball joints. I am sure using the ball joint spacers would also be fine but to me it will be just as easy to modify the arms. Do you run exhaust? How did you put in a driveshaft loop with the torque arm in the way? I want/need to do both but the stock unit is very large. I too was planning on making my own torque arm to free up some space.
Bought a set of Monza rotors off the H-body website.Ans switched to monza caliburs and master cylinder.With the 8 3/4 12x2 drums it stops on a dime.The safety loop mounts to the tranny mount and comes straight back.Not as strong as bolting it to the floor but meets nhra rules.I run a pair of 3 in 3 chamber mufflers and about 4 feet of pipe with turn downs at the axle.When i get the GN motor in i want to run a single 3 in exhaust out the back.
I did this swap to a Monza with a friend of mine. The only bolt in part of it is the motor mounts. Everything else is custom fab.
An 84-85 Hot air engine would probably work fine with mods to the down pipe. The intercooled engine wont work. The headers not only wont clear the firewall, but also the steering shaft.
Custom headers are a must as wheel as a custom down pipe as there is absolutely no room on the passenger side (unless you want to cut into the firewall).
The stock serpentine accesory bracket wont clear the power steering box so a conversion to a manual box is a must. There is plenty of room for a front mount on those cars though. So intercooler fab should be a piece of cake.
My friend still has the custom 304 Stainless headers and cross over as well as a chrome moly trans cross member for mounting a th2004r in to an H body.
He also has a stock hot air wiring harness as well as an 86-87 harness and a few H body manual steering boxes laying around.
An 84-85 Hot air engine would probably work fine with mods to the down pipe. The intercooled engine wont work. The headers not only wont clear the firewall, but also the steering shaft.
Custom headers are a must as wheel as a custom down pipe as there is absolutely no room on the passenger side (unless you want to cut into the firewall).
The stock serpentine accesory bracket wont clear the power steering box so a conversion to a manual box is a must. There is plenty of room for a front mount on those cars though. So intercooler fab should be a piece of cake.
My friend still has the custom 304 Stainless headers and cross over as well as a chrome moly trans cross member for mounting a th2004r in to an H body.
He also has a stock hot air wiring harness as well as an 86-87 harness and a few H body manual steering boxes laying around.
Car has manual brakes and steering.I would be interested in the headers if the will work with mt 87 setup.Give me and email with a price khamnmer@neo.rr.com.Fabrication is not a problem.Planned on sitting this season out and having it out for 06.
If you are serious, contact Brady at i_BILD@comcast.net
He is the one who has the stuff. The headers he has are beautiful! Just make sure you are serious as there seems to be a lot of H body guys who have caviar dreams and K mart budgets.
Many guys dream of attempting the turbo Buick swap, but never complete it once they see they have to get into fabricating headers, down pipes, etc.
Not trying to be negative. Its just a very involved swap!
He is the one who has the stuff. The headers he has are beautiful! Just make sure you are serious as there seems to be a lot of H body guys who have caviar dreams and K mart budgets.
Many guys dream of attempting the turbo Buick swap, but never complete it once they see they have to get into fabricating headers, down pipes, etc.
Not trying to be negative. Its just a very involved swap!
I'm personelly not new to these H-bodies.I've owned 6 vegas with various v-8 combos.Including my Cosworth i have now.My brother has and 80 Spyder with a 406.And my friend Jim has a 468 powered Spyder that runs 10.20s on a 8.5in slick.So we have fabbed up alot with these cars.The Gn v6 in my vega is going to take alot of work but in the end will pay off.If i need the extra room i'll remake the firewall.I greatly apprecite all of your input so don't think your discouraging me your helping greatly.
Basically i'm going to run the 87 motor with very few internal mods and mostly bolt ons and tuning.A fellow i just meet on my local car club message board has an 87GN that runs 9.00s at 153 and has been dealing with these cars for awhile is also helping me.His name is Chris Lyons.I'm trying to get as much input as possable from different points of view.
Basically i'm going to run the 87 motor with very few internal mods and mostly bolt ons and tuning.A fellow i just meet on my local car club message board has an 87GN that runs 9.00s at 153 and has been dealing with these cars for awhile is also helping me.His name is Chris Lyons.I'm trying to get as much input as possable from different points of view.
http://home.woh.rr.com/brucesgn/intercoolerdelete/
add some alky injection.
http://www.t6p.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1991
The ultimate is using a huge F/M and intercooling, but *just* alky can be very effective if done right.
