TBird SC vs. Monte Carlo Turbo

[Scott Long]

So this guy I used to work with has an older Monte Carlo maybe 84 year. Anyhow I noticed it had TURBOCHARGED emblems on it. I thought at first he put them on it. So I inquired to him about the car. He said its a turbo V6 and its pretty fast. So I'm thinking well I'll probably lose since I bet its got a GN drivetrain in it. Anyhow I tell him I'd like to run him to see how my car compares.

I don't know what if anything he had done to his car, but I'll let you in on my car.

1990 Thunderbird SC automatic w/ lentech street terminator valve body, 190 lph fuel pump, 30lb injectors, stock intake, 70mm MAF (stock was 55mm) 10% overdriven SC pulley (gets about 13 psi), catless downtubes, stock manifolds, aftermarket mufflers, 2.25" exhaust, stock 3.27 gears, stock stall convertor (1700 rpm locks in 3rd), untuned computer runs rich.

I ran him on 245/50/16 Kumho Ecsta 711 tires, cheap but work good on my car.

We head out in the country to a 2-lane deserted road after work one evening. I tell him to do 3 honks and we'll leave on the 3rd honk. I stalled it up on the footbrake but can't build any boost. I don't think he was trying to spool his turbo at all. As soon as the third honk came I left off the brake and mashed the gas. Tires spun for a little bit then hooked. Once I hooked I started to pull on him. I got a loud bark out of the tires going into 2nd and I put some more length on him, then I got a decent chirp going into 3rd gear although the convertor locked which steals a lot of my acceleration, I was able to walk out on him a little farther. I let off at 95 mph and had put about 7 cars on him.

So I am assuming since I know nothing about the Monte Turbo that its a hotair car and probably not that impressive in stock form. I was thinking it would beat me, but clearly its not the case. I don't even know if he runs high octane in it, or how its been taken care of or anything about it.

Now I am not ready to take on a GN yet, well I ran a modified hot air (exhaust, K&N, and he said a manual boost control set up about 3 psi higher than stock) on Pro-stars w/ BFG's from a dig and hung with him almost nose to nose and I had a big friend in my car who is probably 300 lbs. We went from a roll and I hung with him till my convertor locked and then he pulled away. I asked him at a light what year it was and he said 85. We stopped and talked for a bit at Auto Zone and he was selling the car but I want an intercooled one.

I ran a local guy a few summers ago from a roll with an 87 T-Type and he pulled away hard. But he wasn't stock.

I really want my own GN since its so easy and cheap to get them into the 11's. I can make my SC run 11's but for the cost of all the parts and headwork and stuff I'd be in the low 10's in a GN.

Anyhow once I get my own National I'll be sure to post some kills in here.

 

[XLR8]

Not familiar with turbocharged Montys but you SC sounds nice. Do you have any times with it?

 

[Scott Long]

I haven't had it to the track. I've got another one thats a 5-speed w/ intake, exhuast, gears, pullies, etc.. but I haven't ran that one either.

I've G-Teched the automatic one and it went 14.86@97mph according to the gtech so I figure at the track it'd run 14.9x@92mph. It's pretty heavy. I think it weighs about 4xxx lbs with me in it and 39xx lbs dry.

Soon after I repaint it I will be looking for a 2400 non locking convertor and some 4.10 gears, some et streets, and a cold air intake and larger throttle body. That should wake it up and put it in the low 14's. If I pulled out the seats I could probably run high 13's like that. I might put a 100 shot on it and shoot for some high 12's.

Eventually I'm going to pull the motor and bore it .030", polish the crank (factory forged), eagle 351w forged rods, ross forged pistons 8.5:1 compression, coy miller stage 2 cam, coy miller stage 2 heads, autorotor 1.7L supercharger, front mount IC, 50lb injectors, 85mm throttle body, 90mm maf, 255lph fuel pump, afpr, alky injection. That combo should put down around 420 to 430 at the wheels. I've seen a 5-speed car with that combo put down 449 rwhp so I figure in the 420-430 range with an auto. That will get me mid 11's and on the bottle with a 125 hp wet shot should get 10.90's.

I'm also slowly building a 460 big block for my 3rd SC thats a rolling chassis right now.

I really want to add a GN to my collection. Hopefully by next summer.

 

[Steve]

I had a turbo Monte back in the day(my first car back in 87!). I think 81 was the last year of them. They used the same motor as the 80-81 Regal Turbo Sport Coupes. It was a Buick 3.8 with a draw thru turbo set up and and Q-jet 4 barrel. Pretty weak as you discovered.

 

[EGOKILR]

Get the GN and Be Happy

Theres nothing in the world Knowing that Da---- Near every car that will try you, You will either smoke or beat, nothing in the world like it.

 

[Scott Long]

I like my SC's and all (comfortable, quick, and handle great), but I love Grand Nationals. I have wanted one ever since I was 16 years old and I'm 23 right now.

There was a guy last summer that had an 87 GN on pro-stars w/ et streets on the back and he used to whip the **** out of anything that would dare to call him out. I watched him take out an LS1 SS w/ a 150 shot, 3.73's, longtubes and exhaust, slp intake, and a bunch of other stuff. The guy said it was good for low 11's but the GN blew his doors off.

After seeing that car in action I have got to get one. I prefer a hardtop since they should be stronger than a t-top car and I don't want to twist it and crack the body.