Who wants to help a noob? Wanting to learn... Biggest turbo option on stock motor?

6

6LE Designs

Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2011
Hey everyone! My name is Mark DeLisle and I just bought my first GN off a board member here. FRIGGIN LOVE THE CAR. I've been in F-Bodies for 15 years straight, even own my own business 6LE Designs making parts for them.

However, I couldn't resist the allure of the 1987 Grand National. Car is t-topped and in great condition. I bought it from Macs69 on here in this thread...

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/th...n-maryland-nice-car-9000.365779/#post-2917228

To my door car was just over $10K. Solid car, no rust, good mods, think I got a great deal ($10K GNs around here, Los Angeles, CA, tend to be garbage)...

SO, with the introduction over, here's my dilemma. I was original going to do other stuff first (GNX gauges, interior, etc...), HOWEVER, I want to go faster, lol. I'm used to 450-500rwhp LS1s so I need to bump this thing up...

Here's the mods it has...

"Paint is nice bcc paint job, about two years old.
All new GM weatherstrip, including t-top weatherstrip.
No rust in t-top area, underside of car is beautiful!
Interior isn't bad, could use some new door panels and seats recovered but everything is there and decent.
This is a T-top car.
Engine is as follows, has just a little over 100,000 miles on it,
new 42lb. injectors,
new LT1 mass air flow w/a MAF Translater,
Turbo Tweak chip, new GBodyparts aluminum radiator,
new aftermarket trans cooler,
new oil cooler lines,
new Optima battery,
new A/C compressor and drier it gets very cold.
New adjustable fuel pressure regulator,
Walbro fuel pump with the hot wire kit already installed to ensure the pump receives enough power.
Transmission has less than 3500 miles on it, was built by a transmission shop in Cincy that specializes in Grand National transmissions, shifts very firm and the converter was tightened up also.
New Hooker exhaust system from turbo down pipe back.
Has a Auburn Posi rear end.
All front suspension parts where replaced, upper and lower ball joints, drag link, tubular front A-arms,
Front and rear springs, Bilstein shocks all the way around...nothing was cheap going into the suspension.
Also includes Kirbans stainless downpipe, and hollow IROC front sway bar.
Brakes are new. Cross drilled and slotted rotors.
Rear has been upgraded with a new Auburn differential
Also includes fitted car cover, brand new Grand National logo floor mats.
http://youtu.be/_bhAL_7-REk"

So, I was thinking it was pretty much ready for a larger turbo. It appears to have stock manifolds...

I assume I would need, Bigger Turbo (TA49 maybe?), headers (recommendations that won't break the bank?), converter (to match to the turbo, trying to find out what it has already though), new chip.

I e-mailed Cal Hartline (he's a friend of a friend) and waiting to hear back. In the meantime, what would be the largest turbo I could go with on the STOCK motor (stock heads and bottom end)?

The car is actually a daily driver and I am NOT building a drag car. It is going to just be a boulevard cruiser I can enjoy on the weekends and that will not die in LA traffic during the week.

What type of power can I expect? A friend was saying that turbo would get me low 11s in the 450 range but I don't understand how since everything I've read says the turbo is only good for like 25hp over stock... Hence why I need a little sage advice to get the ball (bearings, lol) rolling...

Thanks!
 
I'ld do the timing chain, alkycontrol, TA49, 2800 Pat's 12" converter and drag radials for now. Skip headers unless the stockers are all cracked. You should be able to run in the 11s and still be fun on the street. After you learn to tune and launch then go bigger with heads and turbo.
 
TE-44, Duttwieler ic neck, PTC 2800 stall, Alkycontrol methanol kit, and a Turbo Tweak chip for that combo. Your 42# injectors should work great with this set up also. And dont forget some MT drag radials, cause you will dang sure need em.
 
Dont worry too much about hp numbers. These cars are all about torque. Keep reading and asking questions. What are your quarter mile and eighth mile goals?
 
If you are looking for a quick street car, you cannot go wrong with the TE44 or TA49. If you are looking for a little more than Mid-11's, then check out Pronto's set-up. I am actually modeling my car off of his. His car is quick, and if you shop around (look for used parts) you can probably do it all within your budget. I have about 1500$ into the big parts like downpipe, turbo, converter, injectors, chips, and alky. If you add a powerlogger and a wideband, you will be well on your way to a quick car.
 
I honestly have no intentions of going to the track with it (the tracks around here have become few and far between :( ). Just need to keep up on the freeway pulls :). My previous cars were low 11's so a low 11 (capable) car would be great...

There's a TE-44 new on ebay for like $800 http://www.ebay.com/itm/200714487465?item=200714487465&viewitem=&vxp=mtr Good deal?

I'll wait to hear from Cal though, rather support a vendor as I'm a vendor myself on other forums so I know how it goes...

I'll research Pronto's stuff...

Again, thanks!
 
don't forget the 3" downpipe. you should be able to find a nice used turbo for under 500$
 
6LE Designs said:
Thanks guys, I'll start researching that stuff... So 450-500 is reasonable on these stock motors?
Click to expand...
550whp is not too hard with the right stuff and no problem with a detonation free tune.
 
6LE Designs said:
I honestly have no intentions of going to the track with it (the tracks around here have become few and far between :( ). Just need to keep up on the freeway pulls :). My previous cars were low 11's so a low 11 (capable) car would be great...

There's a TE-44 new on ebay for like $800 http://www.ebay.com/itm/200714487465?item=200714487465&viewitem=&vxp=mtr Good deal?

I'll wait to hear from Cal though, rather support a vendor as I'm a vendor myself on other forums so I know how it goes...

I'll research Pronto's stuff...

Again, thanks!
Click to expand...
Dont go near Ebay for Turbos. Cal can hook you up with a new unit for a lot less than that. You can build an easy 11.30 combo with a TE44/TA49 with 93/alky. Id do some work to the trans and then get some tuning devices and make sure everything is clean and tight before you start cranking it.
 
Stick with vendors for turbos, too many bad things can happen buying an flee bay unit. Cal is awesome you won't be disappointed.
 
+1 on skipping the ebay turbos....

Either buy a used one on the board from a reputable seller..... or Cal can hook you up with a new one. With a reasonable bufdget... these cars can go deep into the 11's on pump gas and alky....... if you want to go much faster than that..... the $$ required go up quickly......as the stock unmodified blocks, cranks, rods, etc..... start to become risky once trap speeds go north of 125 mph or so.....regularly
 
On a stock block with a stock stall you can go as large as a TA49 or a 3431, you can also get away with a 4431 with a stock converter. For best results on the 4431 a 2800 stall is recommended. There are entry level turbos that are very reasonably priced and come with a 1 year warranty from precision. Cal can help you out with one of these if you are interested. I would go with a 2800 stall lock up converter and a 4431, this turbo is rated at 565 fwhp. The Ta49 has the same internals as far as wheel sizes but is just basically put into the stock covers.
 
Cal, e-mail sent but to be safe copy and pasting here...

"
...I'm a close friend of Chris Kirchner (in each other's weddings) and he told me to hit you up for guidance and parts. I just bought a 1987 Grand National and, not going to lie, pretty disappointed (been building LSx cars for about a decade).

This thing got WALKED on the highway by my friend with a 2002 SS with just an exhaust... SO, here's what the car has...

"
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/th...n-maryland-nice-car-9000.365779/#post-2917228

Paint is nice bcc paint job, about two years old.
All new GM weatherstrip, including t-top weatherstrip.
No rust in t-top area, underside of car is beautiful!
Interior isn't bad, could use some new door panels and seats recovered but everything is there and decent.
This is a T-top car.
Engine is as follows, has just a little over 100,000 miles on it,
new 42lb. injectors,
new LT1 mass air flow w/a MAF Translater,
Turbo Tweak chip, new GBodyparts aluminum radiator,
new aftermarket trans cooler,
new oil cooler lines,
new Optima battery,
new A/C compressor and drier it gets very cold.
New adjustable fuel pressure regulator,
Walbro fuel pump with the hot wire kit already installed to ensure the pump receives enough power.
Transmission has less than 3500 miles on it, was built by a transmission shop in Cincy that specializes in Grand National transmissions, shifts very firm and the converter was tightened up also.
New Hooker exhaust system from turbo down pipe back.
Has a Auburn Posi rear end.
All front suspension parts where replaced, upper and lower ball joints, drag link, tubular front A-arms,
Front and rear springs, Bilstein shocks all the way around...nothing was cheap going into the suspension.
Also includes Kirbans stainless downpipe, and hollow IROC front sway bar.
Brakes are new. Cross drilled and slotted rotors.
Rear has been upgraded with a new Auburn differential
Also includes fitted car cover, brand new Grand National logo floor mats.
http://youtu.be/_bhAL_7-REk"

http://youtu.be/_bhAL_7-REk
I would like to run 450rwhp (or low 11sec) with the stock heads and bottom end. Is this possible? I was thinking (hoping) a bigger intercooler and turbo and chip would put me there...

I know it is lame but tell me what to do and I'll do it :)

Also, I was about to pick up a front mount Dutweiller 4" for $400 shipped... Yay or nay? If you have a turbo/front mount combo I'd rather buy from you...

Thanks again!

Mark"
 
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