What a dilemma: Woe to the conversion bug

[grnadnasty84]

Therein lies the problem, options with no clear answers to which is the best. I think I might just draw out of a hat or something. If I had two HA gn's then I could convert one and keep one the same, then I would know the right choice, but thats a no brainer. Either way, someone will find some pro's and con's to both of the different choices, and thats that.

I guess I was just wanting to tell myself that this car will be worth some real coin one day. Even if I never sell it, it's still nice to know you are driving around a rare and expensive car. I guess I will just have to stick with rare and start calling it priceless.

Bottom line, I love the car now and will love it tomorrow. Doubts will come and go, and the choice to convert or not will have to happen soon. More research is needed of course, and I could probably continue researching forever and still have no definite answer. etc... ... ... I could ramble on like this for hours.

 

[turboclam]

I converted my 85 and am so pleased with it. I did all the upgrades to the HA set-up and it still was a dog. The converted set-up is so much easier to work on and you feel like your going forward with performance. If you eventually want an 86-87 and you like the body on your HA then I say convert it the way you want to. At the end of the day you'll know what you have. If you have to rebuild the engine anyway just go find a 109 block and start the rebuilding process. Take the leap and don't look back. There's enough people here to find the answer to any question to help along the way during the conversion. It took me about 6 months to do everything and I took my time.

 

[conn84gn]

I really like my setup also
Just saying it takes a lot of money

 

[Jerryl]

Bottom line fellas;
If you have your heart set on running 10-11’s, it is easier to get there if converted to IC’d or get an IC’d car.
Either way, it won’t be cheap and reliable, or cheap and easy.

Now, the NOS and TA33 may be an option that is comparitively much cheaper and simpler.
I agree ....... that is probably the best option ……………. To run 11’s.:wink:

 

[Dwayne]

it's all the little things that will nickle and dime you to death !......I've seen guys say " hell, all you need is an intercooler, exhaust manifolds, and intake."..........that only touches the surface !

 

[Dwayne]

Why not?

One of you "CREATIVE members" can either pay, or beg and borrow... another Hot-Air converted member's car so you can have piping and an intercooler copied.

I see Intercooler cores going cheap enough.


It would be far more accurate to state; "You won't be able to PAY someone $1,600 to build it for you."

You should be able to get an intercooler into the car for well under $1,600 if you are creative and can cut, slice, weld, and bend things into position. You can put together a Ford Powerstroke front mount intercooler conversion in the car for well under that amount.

If you are into this car for the dream of making $$$$$ on it - you are into the wrong car. There is no money to be found in these cars IMO. Those who know about them are located in the rare side of the equation where everyone knows about the legendary GNX and could care less about anything else. They are just not worth what the factory intercooled cars go for... swallow your pride and just learn to accept it.

You, my friend, are lost.

 

[BRAD_PADGETT]

You, my friend, are lost.

X2 here. Brad

 

[BUICKTIME]

To convert or not to convert, that is the????

Well, what should you do? Hmmmmmm, that it some dilemma! I'm an intercooled fool and found my way over here because I had some 84/85 parts for sale and came across this thread and thought I would shine in (why not, right?). I'll take a little bit of this thread which was already mentioned. I don't want to offend any none intercooled owners or give hype to the intercooled cars (trying to be bias)!! I'm sorry, but unless u have a mint 84/85 GN low mileage car it probably wont be worth much ;-( . Converting it to an 86/87 set up wont hurt the value as the #'s will still match, obviously they had to match to begin with. So, if you try to sell yours to get an 86/87 GN you will be in a bigger mess ($$$ wise). The best and easiest way is to convert or buy a complete 86/87 engine, because of the 109 block. The performance gains are apparent. Back in the early 90's Duttwieler had an 85 TType with an impressive line of performance parts and engine rebuild but was not impressive at the track (11.8's) with some serious money.

I'm in the process of converting a friends car as we speak, and yes it is a lot of work. I wish I could tell you more but I'm not finished yet. So if you do get the entire set up from Robert (Intercooled88s) for $1,700.00 which I don't see why not, you still have to get it installed ($1,200-$2,000). So u will easily be around $3,000.00 for 20 year old stuff (like mentioned above). But if you have intension's on ever going into the 10's, then we just wasted every ones time (u have to go 86/87), unless you really want to impress some one with an empty wallet. Not that your wallet will have a lot of $$$$ in it after a 10 sec. intercooled set up, but it will take a lot less money than an 84/85 none intercooled set up. You can pm me for advice on the conversion if you like, i'm open ears. Fortunately for my friend I know the 86/87 intercooled engines very well and it helped that I had 95% of the parts.

P.S. get the complete list of parts that Intercooled88s will be given you for $1,700.00 (complete conversion means?: there's a lot of parts that u wont think of until you start putting it together).

Mario

 

[Boostnitup]

"You, my friend, are lost."

Hee hee

I do have humor about it, and an opinion is what it is. I "SALUTE" those of you who have had the creativity to go way beyond that extra mile and run as fast as you have within the confines of "Hot-Air."

I love my car... won't part with it. It is one of the rare of the rare... and it isn't about the $ in my eyes. I had my share of fun in the "Hot-air" configuration and quickly figured out what worked... and what didn't.

A TA33c, Ported heads/stainless valves, ATR 2 1/2 down pipe, and nitrous Is a combo that works well. :biggrin:

Cut away on it... and don't feel guilty.

 

[boosted84]

How many people have acutally converted instead of just sayin it costs too much.... dump your money on a hot air setup ? I just figured out how to do it running stock hot air bracket costing me nothing on the front of the engine but longer v belts. Buicktime is right in that i wont ruin the value of the car.... just save old parts . I recommend you do conversion only if you are good with your hands, if you cant do it on your own than your gonna end up paying alot for someone else to do it and than its just to much money for parts AND labor. just my opinion

 

[tb3]

the hell with it! drop in a sbc v8 with a bottle. use the extra money for beer and babes. done! :biggrin:

 

[Boostnitup]

You will see more of this happening.

Purists will lose their minds.

How many people have acutally converted instead of just sayin it costs too much.... dump your money on a hot air setup

I went both routes... hee hee

(Knowing what I know now... and looking back in hindsight at what I thought I knew) I would have been dollars ahead dropping in a 427 big block. The machinest tried desperately to talk me out of spending the money on a turbo Buick V6; girdle, .10/.10 crank, ARP rod bolts/polished rods, TRW forged pistons, line bore, decking/squaring the block... I could have bought the "built 427" with square port heads and had money afterwards for beer and burgers. Keep in mind that the "Hot-Air" ATR exhaust system went well beyond the cost of headers and exhaust for a V8 swap.

 

[boosted84]

I have done it twice once in 84 85 location and now in 86 87 location and both times combined it didnt cost over $1600. you just have to have hands on skills and not deal with alot of overpriced vendors. also patience finding parts online. Many people will quote me saying yeah right but they probably never done it or are scared to attempt it. The most expensive thing was pte60 but you all dont have to go that route. ive seen some cheaper deals on good used turbos on this forum.

 

[conn84gn]

Setup #1 Intercooled Turbomotion $1200.00 on 84 Motor
TA33 $900.00 and 36lb injectors and chip
Never liked it and never went real fast

Setup #2 on 84 Motor
Parts off a 87 TE44 009's injectors
Bowling green Stretch intercooler stock location
Ran 11's

Setup #3 and last one!
In my Sig
Haven't gone to the track but It will run 10's

All these On built motors .20-.30 over Forged pistions
Ported Heads and so on
I told you I spent some money