Restoring an 85 GN????

[evo81]

i'm going to check out this 85 GN,here in town.i'm very new to this site.i going to be doing some research on restoring the car.just wondering if anyone here can post some good links or good website to help me in my quest to fix this car,if some how i over look some threads on here.
i'm buying the car with no enigine,for 1500.if anyone has any input on,please post up.all comments are welcome.here's a pic on how it sits right now.

 

[broke1]

I have some info for you,DONT DO IT!!!

Youre gonna be over $20k in the hole if you do it right and you still wont be able to out run a 86-87 model.

$1500??You can get a rough,running 84-85 for that kind of $$$.

 

[evo81]

alright,sounds good.

 

[broke1]

I just clicked the link,that car might be worth $500

Be patient and you can find a really nice car for a good price

ps,I bought a rough,running 85 GN a few years ago.Car had been converted to 86-87 status already.To date ive spent $50k+ on it.I shouldve bought somone elses money pit....

 

[evo81]

update:i've been reading.86-87 seems to be a better choice.also something that is running.i think i'm going to look on spending more money for somthing that is up,and running.i hear what your saying broke.thanks for posting your replys.i have a cleaner understanding now.

 

[cool 84]

I see you're in Vegas. GNs are everywhere here. I went in for an alignment today and ended up parking next to another GN. I see one nearly once a week. Look around for what you want. If you want to see what a slightly modded 84-85 GN can do, let me know.

 

[BRAD_PADGETT]

I agree with Broke1 on the $20,000 statement. I have a beautiful 85 restored GN that will only achieve stock 87 status performance after 20k. If you want to go fast-get an 86/87. Brad

 

[racemybuick]

While I agree that it can cost an extreme amount of money to get a hot air to the 86-87 status, the car that evo was looking at has no motor. It can be estimated that he can find a intercooled set-up for under 5 grand, and be at the status you all seem to hold high, without sinking another 15 grand in mods to a motor he doesnt even have!!!

john

 

[cool 84]

Originally posted by BRAD_PADGETT
I agree with Broke1 on the $20,000 statement. I have a beautiful 85 restored GN that will only achieve stock 87 status performance after 20k. If you want to go fast-get an 86/87. Brad

20K to restore I can see. 20K to achieve stock 87 performance is a joke. Spend $100 on a chip, filter, and boost, and you have stock 87 performance.

 

[TType84]

Originally posted by BRAD_PADGETT
I agree with Broke1 on the $20,000 statement. I have a beautiful 85 restored GN that will only achieve stock 87 status performance after 20k. If you want to go fast-get an 86/87. Brad

wow, i have a beautiful 84 t-type that i restored myself and managed to run mid 13's for under $100 in mods. I just put a new shortblock in it and i still havent spent over $6k on the entire car, restoration included.

just because you didnt go about it the right way doesnt mean no one else can.

p.s. my car looked 50x worse than that.

 

[BRAD_PADGETT]

I got into the 20k range because as a new comer two years ago I had no knowledge of these cars. I rebuilt two motors(blew the first one up with an adj waste gate act.),body work, and four turbos. My mechanic and I could'nt figure out that I had a pressurized block which love to trash turbos.

The car really runs nice now. The mods are Poston Headers, Hooker Hi-flow exhaust, no CAT,Ultra chip, hot wire kit, cold air kit, and 30lb injectors. I can really break the tire loose now. Brad

 

[junction34]

Man this post scared the hell out of me. I just bought an 84t-type here in houston from my friend then saw yall saying that 20k to get to stock 86-87 performance man dont do that to me i nearly pissed my pants.

 

[BRAD_PADGETT]

I would look on GNTTYPE.ORG for their recipe's for making a hot air go faster. These are proven approachs to these cars and should keep you out of trouble. I would also go slow and do one step at a time. My turbo problem was caused by the stock oil fill cap plugged up and pressurized the block. Get a new KN oil fill cap with the breather. Thanks- Brad

 

[boosted84]

BOUGHT MY 84 T-TYPE $900 SPENT 8,000 AND HAVE BETTER THAN STOCK 87 PERFORMANCE IF YOU LIKE WORKIN ON YOUR CAR AND TUNING IT GET A HOT AIR IF YOU DONT CAR ABOUT THE MECHANICS OF YOUR CAR AND JUST WANT TO GO FAST THEN GET AN IC CAR I HAVE A HOT AIR CAR AND HAVENT REGRETED ONE DOLLAR PUT INTO BECAUSE OF THE PERFORMANCE BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE KNOWLEDGE I HAVE FOR MY CAR NOW IF IT BREAKS I CAN IDENTIFY IT AND FIX IT EASIER BECAUSE I TUNE IT AND BUILT IT EITHER WAY YOU LOOK AT ANYONE WHO OWNS A TURBO REGAL IS LUCKY IC OR NOT JUST MY OPINION

ANTHONY

 

[FWD turbo]

Hot air cars can be fast, an intercooler just makes it easier. From just that one picture, it is hard for us to tell if that car is really worth $1500 though. Is it pretty solid? The picture looks like it may be a little rough.

My really important question for you is this: Are you sure that car is really a GN? Looks like it has t-type wheels. Make sure it still has the right trans and rear end in it before you buy it. I would hate to see you buy a GN that really wasn't!

 

[boosted84]

I agree with fwd turbo i would also check to see if it is a gn those rims are from an 84 t-type find out if its a gn and if it has any rot on the body or floor its still alittle pricey for a turbo regal without a motor in that condition just my opinion

good luck Anthony

 

[Mike70gtx]

I ended up with my 84 from one bid on ebay. Before that, I was getting advice to just go with an 87. So I've done both. I got the 84 into the 13's and added a spearco intercooler and got into the 12's. That's no motor work, just bolt ons. But the bolt ons are a little harder to come by. I had to buy a lot of them new. Turbo, headers, dowpipe, etc. I bought it for $4300 (I was new to GN's and E-bay) and I probably put about $2500 to $3000 in it. What's good about the 87 is you have a lot more options. More used performance parts available. My goal was to get the engine bay looking real nice. I think the 87 is set up better to get it looking good, with the intake and turbo setup. I bought the 87 for $3600 with a lot better body and it ran alot faster for about 2 weeks and spun a bearing on a non-turbo crank. With the price of the car, I'll probably have $15k in it.
You can get quite a bit of your money back on performance hot air parts, since there not as many out there.
Good luck

 

[turbo6x2]

Originally posted by broke1
I have some info for you,DONT DO IT!!!

Youre gonna be over $20k in the hole if you do it right and you still wont be able to out run a 86-87 model.

$1500??You can get a rough,running 84-85 for that kind of $$$.

In what universe? I don't have even close to that much into my entire set up and that includes the car itself. And I manage to hand plenty of intercooled cars theirs. Sure seem to outrun quite a few of them intercooled cars without an intercooler, but hey if you've never really owned one and do your own work and restoring I guess you really don't know what these cars are capable of.

 

[turbo6x2]

I do have to agree with whomever said that car though isn't worth 1500 with no motor. Keep shopping you'll find something better then that. Something with a motor and you can work from there. Doesn't really matter hot air or intercooled either just matters what you want to accomplish and what goals you set out to do. Don't let anyone tell you you can't do this or discourage you from purchasing a hot air. There's a lot of people who can tell you just about anything. A Select few who actually know what they're talking about. Once you weed them out you'll have a lot of information and can make a good decision.

Good Luck!

 

[racemybuick]

Originally posted by turbo6x2
I do have to agree with whomever said that car though isn't worth 1500 with no motor. Keep shopping you'll find something better then that. Something with a motor and you can work from there. Doesn't really matter hot air or intercooled either just matters what you want to accomplish and what goals you set out to do. Don't let anyone tell you you can't do this or discourage you from purchasing a hot air. There's a lot of people who can tell you just about anything. A Select few who actually know what they're talking about. Once you weed them out you'll have a lot of information and can make a good decision.

Good Luck!

Advice like this only comes when asked for appropriately!!! I have gone to Jamie countless times with questions about what to do next, and hands down, she has been dead on again and again!!! Take this advice and run like you stole it...It comes from the best experience, and not to mention, 11.63 is it???? It hink you can trust this info from Jamie with your life!!!

Thanks for chimin in Jamie, you make it worth it to a lot of people!!!

John