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Newb With hot air!!! Any help?

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Camfreek

Thanks Rob!!!
Joined
Apr 16, 2008
Messages
333
Ok I recently just got two cars, The first is a 1984 Grand National with T Tops and not to bad of a car, but the drive train is remaoved, claimed it was rebuilt and never run yet?? I have seen rebuilt motors and this one looks like it took an oil bath. That will be a projct for a later time. The other car is a 1984 Regal T Type WH1 it has 151,000 on the motor and runs real strong! But it does smoke like hell at wot, anyways this is the car I plan on tinkering with. I would like to get it into the 11's and be a good drivable car if at all possible. May 12's is more realistic? How or where can I get an upgraded but a factory looking turbo? What else should I upgrade when I go to upgrade the turbo, and Can these cars be intercooled or is it way to much hassle and headache? I have about $2000.00 to work with at the moment, so where would be a good place to start? Oh yeah this car is bone stock. Any help from you guys would be great. I had posted on the general sections and some of those guys are real helpful and others seem like my cars are not good enough seeing that they are not 87's. :cool:
 
Welcome to the "dark side of the dark side". :cool:
Sit back, be enlightened, and enjoy the ride. :biggrin:

Start with these three.
1. Spring Cleaning - The Grand National / T-Type / Turbo Regal Buick Spring Cleaning Guide
2. Sticky op top of this forum - http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/hot-air-non-intercooled-tech/33080-basic-hotair-info.html
3. Performance recipe's - Turbo Buick Performance Build Ups/Recipes

Than go back and read, read, re-read, ........... and read some more. :eek:

Regarding the $2000 budget - Start with the basics;
1 - boost gage
2 - Knock gage / Scantool
3 - Upgraded chip if not yet done
4 - Fuel pump / HW kit
etc etc ............


I am not going to get any futher ..... don't want to know how much I spend. :eek:
 
Thanks Jeeryl

That is some great info and I now have a game plan brewing in my head!!!! I notices that some of those cars had a lot of miles like mine does, so that is good. I know the motor sounds tight it my car, but does have a few small leaks here and there, but what old cars don't! So I get starting this project I should do all the basics, fluids, brakes, hoses, belts, and so on. Then start with the fuel system for a good foundation. Does anyone think When I am fixing the leaks in the motor I should just change the valve sprins and timing chain or just wait till I blow it up and rebuild it with better parts? The one thing I have to ask, I did not see anywhere in the posted articles. So I take it they are running stock turbos? Or are they upgraded? How much power is it going to take to get my car in the 12's? :biggrin:
 
I saw that one

Jerryl sent that one to. Real good info in there. Thanks. But are they using a stock turbo????
 
You guys are so cool!!!

Really Those articles are great. I have a hot air car and I want to keep it that way. All the other guys with the 86/87's say convert it. I do know for a fact my car has less production numbers then theres do!!! I see hope in my future with these cars. I thanks you guys alot for the help.
 
Kind of a dumb one but...

IBack in the day before I ntercooled my Ranger I had came up with a way to up it run cooler. I took a coffee can and a piece of hard brake line and coiled it up and put it in the coffee can. I then hooked it up on the incoming side of the fuel line. I would just stop off before hitting the strip and grab a few bags of ice and pour the ice inthere and it cooled down the fuel witch in turn cooled te hot air mixture. Just wondering if anyone has tried this on there Buick???
 
I have not heard of this setup before. Most people buy the Razor Alky kit and turn up the boost. If you ever need help I am around one hour away. Welcome to the hot air world. Brad
 
Yeah its a cheap no frills!!!

Yeah its a cheap no frills way to help cool it down a hair!! I really don't know the exact gains or benifits from it but it seems to work. You know how you drive you car out on a coll summer night and it seems to have better pickup and response? That is what it did to my truck when it was ike 90 degrees out side!!! Cheap but it did work.
 
Welcome to the TR world.

Listen to these guys, they know what they are doing when it comes to HA's. When I had my 84GN I did a ton of reading from this site just to learn.

As stated earlier, start with a good aftermarket boost guage and a knock guage. If you have the digital dash (or dashes since you have 2 HA's) the idiot boost light is worthless. Know your boost before you monkey with anything. Also make sure you have a good adjustable fuel pressure regulator and fuel pressure guage. If you want more boost you need more fuel.

BTW, did you pick those 2 cars up off of craigslist? I see there were two TR's listed and one was a WH1. HA or not those will be nice cars when finished. Also keep in mind the 84GN, if the seats are in good shape dont mess them up. They dont make the material anymore.
 
It is good info

I have been going over this site all day and learn something new every minute!! I really thank you guys for all your help and I am really coming up with a good game plane for this car, and yes that is where I got them perfect timing great guy, and a great deal if you saw the add you know why!! Plus there are tons of extra parts!! But for now I am going to due a god tune up and go thru the fuel system first and see where that takes me. Byron is not that far. I know it runs mid 15's in the 1/4, but a little faster would be nice:D
 
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