picked up a rough 87 Grand National - how to approach project?

[paradigm]

Picked up an 87 Grand National clean title car with 98k miles from NJ. VIN checks out as does the RPO sticker / WE2 code. The car is a bit of a mess, with the wrong trim bits on it, rotted areas on floors, areas cut out of the rear driver fender, doors not in good shape with holes along the bottom, and original drivetrain is gone and an incomplete LS swap sits in it. Frame looks solid, most body panels look decent, trunk is solid. A lot of the wiring has been modified due to swap, unsure if the motor and transmission are operable (5.3 LM7 + 4L80e with no driveshaft). Not sure what condition the brakes are, and how ready the fuel system is.

How would you guys approach this project?
Work on the floors first? then drivetrain?
Before I get the motor running, I want to paint the engine bay which will be a good bit of work on its own removing the inner fenders, other metal bits, preparing everything, and priming / painting. I have never done metal work or welding. I am hoping to buy a mig welder and learn on the floor.

driver floor looking forward:

driver floor looking rear:

passenger floor looking rear:

Areas of floor suspected to be rotted out:

 

[paradigm]

Engine bay (this will probably upset many here):

 

[TexasT]

Goal for the project?

I'd do the floors and look for a series II v6 and 4l80e and aftermarket ecu/tcu and make it run and drive. Nothing kills a project faster than loosing interest. If it is running and driving way harder to loose interests.

But you do you.

 

[Turbo6inKY]

Goal for the project?

Yup. You haven't provided enough info on what YOU want out of it.

Sure, the rust needs to be fixed no matter what you're going to do, but beyond that, what do you want?

You bought a basket case, that much is clear. The only way you get anywhere is set a goal. If you set a goal, we can help you get there. If there's no goal, we're not taking the engagebait.

 

[Buckshot G/N]

What ever desire that drove you to purchase that hodge-podge case GN, I'm for sure you where aware the endeavor ahead. As stated above addressing the severe rust first and not loosing focus on the task at hand. These are fun cars and will eat a hole in your pocket. But in your case to restore car just adequately, you're still dealing with a money pit. Wish you well and joy on your project.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Put the engine/trans in an S10 and part out/junk the rest.

 

[paradigm]

Goal for the project?

I'd do the floors and look for a series II v6 and 4l80e and aftermarket ecu/tcu and make it run and drive. Nothing kills a project faster than loosing interest. If it is running and driving way harder to loose interests.

But you do you.

Goal is to get the body cleaned up, get all the trim and interior restored back to original, and get the LS drivetrain running. Basically have a clean rust free painted GN with the LS drivetrain. If I keep the car long enough I could eventually look to swap back in the original drive train but that’s way down the road. I’m unsure if the rear end is the factory 8.5” - how can I tell?

 

[paradigm]

Yup. You haven't provided enough info on what YOU want out of it.

Sure, the rust needs to be fixed no matter what you're going to do, but beyond that, what do you want?

You bought a basket case, that much is clear. The only way you get anywhere is set a goal. If you set a goal, we can help you get there. If there's no goal, we're not taking the engagebait.

Goal is to get the body and interior cleaned up back to near factory spec, but get a he LS drivetrain running for now. Then if I keep it longer term, look to swap back in the factory drivetrain.

 

[paradigm]

What ever desire that drove you to purchase that hodge-podge case GN, I'm for sure you where aware the endeavor ahead. As stated above addressing the severe rust first and not loosing focus on the task at hand. These are fun cars and will eat a hole in your pocket. But in your case to restore car just adequately, you're still dealing with a money pit. Wish you well and joy on your project.

I’ve always liked the look of the GN since I was a kid and these cars were new. I recently owned a clean Monte Carlo SS with an LS swap and I always preferred the Regal / GN body style.

 

[TIMINATOR]

Sell it to someone you are mad at or part it out, and find another project car closer to your end goal.
These cars contain so many rare, unavailable, and specialized parts that you don't have and I would guess you can't afford or you wouldn't have bought this car, hopefully inexpensively.
Its also my guess that you don't know anyone that has intimate knowlege of these cars, or they wouldn't have recommended that you purchase it.
No offense intended, but you are waaaaay over your head here, and I believe you would have 2 or 3 times more in it than what the car is worth when or if it's finished.
The less you know about these cars, the more time you need to spend finding a near perfect specimen.
I own a machine and fab shop, have owned 2 other GNs, and have spent the last 5+ years and countless $$$ making my "I thought this would be an easy to finish project" finished.
Someone would probably like to make a drag car out of yours, and I think that's how you should market it.
Not to rain on your parade, but I don't believe you could break even on anything you spend on it before you decide to give up on it
I have spent over $24k on my "running, driving, close to finished as purchased project." And I'm still not satisfied or finished 5+years later. At $32,500, if I can get that, it won't cover my expenses, and my labor was free. JMHO
TIMINATOR

 

[paradigm]

Sell it to someone you are mad at or part it out, and find another project car closer to your end goal.
These cars contain so many rare, unavailable, and specialized parts that you don't have and I would guess you can't afford or you wouldn't have bought this car, hopefully inexpensively.
Its also my guess that you don't know anyone that has intimate knowlege of these cars, or they wouldn't have recommended that you purchase it.
No offense intended, but you are waaaaay over your head here, and I believe you would have 2 or 3 times more in it than what the car is worth when or if it's finished.
The less you know about these cars, the more time you need to spend finding a near perfect specimen.
I own a machine and fab shop, have owned 2 other GNs, and have spent the last 5+ years and countless $$$ making my "I thought this would be an easy to finish project" finished.
Someone would probably like to make a drag car out of yours, and I think that's how you should market it.
Not to rain on your parade, but I don't believe you could break even on anything you spend on it before you decide to give up on it
I have spent over $24k on my "running, driving, close to finished as purchased project." And I'm still not satisfied or finished 5+years later. At $32,500, if I can get that, it won't cover my expenses, and my labor was free. JMHO
TIMINATOR

You bought your car originally for $8500? What kinda shape is was it in back then?

Yeah I know the car is in rough shape, but after going through a MC SS with an incomplete LS, and also not fully back together, and being my first Gbody project, for some reason I am not too intimidated.

I don’t see this one as being much worse other than floor needing to be patched and the rear driver fender area needing metal work, the rest doesn’t seem that bad. It’s going back as an LS car. But as you said I wasn’t informed so let’s see.

I don’t believe the car is part out worthy and I would like to save it. In terms of affordability, I could absolutely afford better but chose not to, the challenge is part of the fun.

I hope to make some sort of cool looking restomod out of it. Or maybe I’ll come to a hard realization that I am in way over my head as you said, and it’s not worth it, and sell it as a running beat up GN.

 

[TIMINATOR]

I wish!!!!!
Bought it for about double that in 2019. It had fresh body and paint, freshly tinted windows, good tires, near new turbo, fresh engine (by what turned out to be a "lesser grade" machineshop, and kicked out both headgaskets within 12 miles!) functioning A/C, new aluminum radiator (cheap and soon failed), new shocks (incorrect length), big (but chineese) fuel pump, recently rebuilt posi rearend (7 1/2" 2.46 gears! not an 8 1/2" 3.42) my fault. I didn't crawl under there. A "rebuilt" trans that soon failed, with a stock V-6 convertor.
Incorrect driveshaft, (too long).
I can go on, but you get the picture, and I am (in the business!)
All of this from a 20+ year "friend" that sold it to me.
It also had a portfolio of recipts from work he and the previous owner had done. Neither of them are "car guys."
So much for recipes and friendship.....
I'm buried in this car. The next guy will get a bargain, I built it for a nice, fast, good handling "weekend mountain cruising" car for the wife and I.
The wife died a week and a half after I purchased it, and never rode in it due to the soon after purchase headgasket issue.
I put a lot of time and cash in this car, and with running a business and the memories attached to the car, it's going to a specialty car consignment dealer once I am confidant of its reliability. I am an old experienced car guy and look at all I missed. Good luck with whatever you decide!
P.S. 12 lbs, premium gas and no detonation signs....
TIMINATOR