Is it bad to change a GN color scheme?

The build is still going, sorry I quit posting much on this forum because I seem to get torn apart on anything I say. So I stick to the for sale sections and stay there. Until I saw a notification for this thread and the nice comment about me trading off for a ricer..... The car is torn down to a bare shell right now, like nothing at all like it came out of the factory as a shell. All rust issues being fixed, all seam sealer stripped and replaced, everything recoated in appropriate materials. Paint and primer all sitting here from Tamco. The car will appear to be a factory GN in most ways but the suspension built the way I posted above and I think I have switched directions on the engine an little bit. Nope, sorry still not a turbo 6, but yet it is.... Ls 6.0 single turbo is the plan now or at least the end goal if I run what I have for a bit. That way I can keep my turbo 6 badges on the car and the purests can't get mad at me and try to burn me at the stake. It is after all still a turbo 6! I just can not justify the amount of money it would take to bring a 3.8 into the century and match the power of current technology. I bought a performabuilt 4L60E stage 2 trans that will take 700hp so I am shooting to be around 600-650hp with daily driving manors and AC still in the car. I have seen several hot air grand nationals converted to LS based cars that were done well, not some hacked up, do it as cheap as you can with the truck part builds. The cars I saw sell were selling well into the 25k+ ranges and still had factory paint and suspensions but were clean. So To have one done from the frame up the way I am doing, should bring more if I were to sell it. There are allot of guys like me that love the looks of the car but want the LS platform. I already have over 20k in the build and likely going to be well above 30 by the time it is done. I really do not care what it costs, I want it done right and the way I want it. Sure there will be plenty of guys that will say it is just a V8 regal now, those guys must not have a clue of what all is different between a base regal and a grand national, there is allot different!

I also added a 84 Hurst olds and another rust free texas cutlass to my collection here a couple weeks ago, package deal for both cars. So I have been out driving around and having fun with lightning rods! I know it is the wrong site for those cars but they are still g bodies.

ttypewhite said:

Your statement has me confused. You can't justify the cost of building a 3.8 to match current technology, but you don't care what it costs with a v8 as long as it's right. It's your car and your money, but 600-650hp in a Buick isn't extensively modified and definitely won't break the bank by any stretch, and with a good tune and drag radial would whoop a lot of "new" technology. I could easily do that for under 10k with a 3.8 just in the parts section of this board. Your heart is set on a V8 so I will not begrudge anyone for building anything they want, so my comment has nothing to do with your choice, just your perception. Doesn't look like you have researched the Buick V6 platform much at all.

But at the end of the day your doing what you want and as long as you have reached your goals, it's a home run. Happy motoring.

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To even begin to start with a intercooled setup I would be at minimum 3500 for a complete setup that is used and needing a over haul before it went into the car, add a modern computer to run it and we just added another 2k and we have not even started bolting anything to it. We already at 5500 and that's just a some parts sitting on the floor in the garage, To build a 200 4r to 650hp we are probably looking at another 3k plus 1000 in a torque converter after tax and shipping. so we are at 9500 and we have not even dug into the engine yet. figure 1000 bucks at the machine shop on the low side for just the basics and assuming we are leaving the rotating assembly alone and me re assembling it all at home. We already have over 10k spent and we have not even talked about upgrades and all of the odds and ends that rack up the bill. We have not even talked headers and exhaust, fuel system, intercooler..... I just got done repowering my twin engine boat with scratch built new engines and drives and all of the odds and ends and unexpected issues added up in a hurry, a 15k budget turned into 25k in a hurry and I would say I still have a few things left that I want to change.

Take a ls, I can walk into a junk yard and pick one up for 250 bucks as I have done already, add a 1200 holley computer that can run anything I do to it and I can open on my laptop, a simple 700 dollar cam upgrade and I have 450hp to the wheels without hardly doing a thing to it. I believe that holley has the best stuff out there for the g body LS platform so I have all of their exhaust, mounting brackets, accessory brackets.... and I am sure I probably have 2k in that stuff that I could have done for less but did not want headaches from other companies. I picked up my stage 2 4L60E with a yank stall off of a buddy for 1000 bucks that was nearly new. At 5200 dollars I have 450 to the wheels that will more than likely beat any stock or mild turbo 6 and we still have 5k laying here to make another 200hp+. Oh and then the great thing is, if I totally kill my engine and assuming I did not do damage outside of my short block, I walk into a salvage yard and grab another engine for a few hundred bucks and swap all of my parts. I can not walk into a salvage yard and find a turbo 3.8 or even a n/a 3.8... I would be out for as long as the machine shop had my stuff and for parts to show. My machine shop is usually 3-4 weeks out so there goes a month of the summer waiting.

This is why I have backed away from here and other forums, I constantly have to explain myself to everyone for what I am building. Like you think I have not thought this through? When I start my builds I sit down with spread sheets and I put everything I think I need to complete a build, every item with it's expected cost and another column with actual cost once I start it. I can tell you down to the dollar what I have into all of my projects because I do this.

If anyone on here wants to come buy this project from me and stop me from my build, I will sell it to you for what is in it right now, there are allot of high end parts that I have gotten some killer deals on so it might benefit someone... 1985 hot air t top car, this car had when I started had a non working speedo that stopped at somewhere around 145k, the A pillars were rusted bad, rockers inner and outter were toast, the floor boards are shot and gone besides the previous fiberglass patch panels keeping it together, the quarters front and rear totally rotted out, the trunk floor was in fact solid though, t top header needed to be replaced but the rest was good, drivers side had a collision so that fender, original bumper and header panel were shot, solid frame, dash cracked, steering column loose, seat covers dry rotted, plastics and panels all good, carpet shot, newer style wheels rusted and tires not holding air, very bad noise from the front of the transmission, fuel pump was long past toast, engine barely runs after me putting a pump in, previous ghetto owner hacked the fuel lines, tint peeling but good glass, the whole suspension is 35 years old and totally shot. Who wants to come save this gem from me???? I mean it is terrible that I am saving a car that I should have parted out and put a modern engine in it? But since it is a LS engine I will get beat up on by the TR community regardless of how awesome the car is and how much I dump into saving a rusted heap of crap.

The more I write, the more I think the guy above was right, I should have traded it for a nice ricer, it would be allot cheaper. Right now I feel like walking to the garage with a sawz all and cut it in half and parting it out like I should have in the first place.

I do 98% of all of my own work, I have 25 years into g bodies, I have built with my hands more engines than I can count, I have been helping family members and close friends parents build high end hot rods since I was 10 years old. But around here people treat me like I am some idiot that has never touched a car, saw a grand national on GTA and decided that I should go buy one.

You guys have fun talking about my build, I have to go make some more cash to fund this stupid project and I will be in the garage wrecking my GN after that. I am sorry if this comes off wrong, I am just sick of having to justify to people my decisions that have been thought out.

TurboTGuy said:

I don't think anyone here has questioned your skills, knowledge or experience and I don't see any ill will towards you here.

I do believe you're being a bit hyper-sensitive to questions being asked and you're answering them more emotionally than informationally. Several of us just want to know how and what you're doing. At least I do.

Many people come here for just the kind of information you are providing, that is, when your not defending the project. There is no need to defend it, just don't pay attention to the nay-sayers. Many here have said it, it's your car, do what makes you happy, fuck everyone else.

I have a friend who stopped posting progress on his 87 GN V8 build because people were giving him so much shit because he's using ................ A Ford Coyote engine in it. He let people run him off and I will say, they were pretty shitty to him. It's too bad, too. I'm just watching it in person now since he lives in my town. It's gonna be a MONSTER when it's done

Keep on posting, please.

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Sure, maybe on this thread I may come off hyper sensitive, it is probably a build up of multiple experiences I have had. I apologize for that. I have had to leave several forums that I was part of for a long time because it turned into a non stop bash fest on me/other non purests so that may be carrying on to this post. I was around forums when they first came around and there was allot less bashing on peoples builds and more questions and suggestions, I miss those days. Same thing happened to facebook and pretty much anything online but that's besides the point.

I honestly wish I could delete this post, The reason it started was because I had a idea in my head for a X-ray spin off by painting the car white and doing blue instead of black on the interior and that has since changed so that part does not even matter at this point as it will be stock theme.

This project has been on hold for the last year or so, I just keep buying parts when they pop up and stacking them in the garage. When I get this car somewhere that I feel is worth sharing I will post some pics. The engine may not get everyone's respect but I think the rest of the build will.

Hunter Dog said:

We have two GNs..87 original owner show car with high end paint job that looks like original paint job.
We recently purchased a project 86. It is mostly original but not all and has some improvements. We think a GN should be black, however in saying that, we are thinking of something just a bit different, a matte black as just about done with the engine work, interior and underbody. Last thing is the paint. Why have two cars with the exact same thing. Black looks good on this model with the stock interior and wheels. Anyone have a matte black GN or TB? Happy with it or no? No waxing on it even though I like to wax and keep my 87 looking good. Pros and Cons?

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I have explored this path also. The problems above are true with them showing everything but I have also read that using satin paint is really tough to spray and keep the finish consistent even with experienced painters. Most are single stage paint systems, which is usually ok. If you mess up on a single stage solid color, they are forgiving and can be wet sanded and buffed. But on the satin, what you spray is what you get. You can't sand and buff out the imperfections because it is going to want to shine. I have heard of people shooting them 2 stage with a flattener in the clear but I think you get the same problems. I am sure there has to be some success stories otherwise they would not sell the stuff.

To your point, that was why I was exploring the options on colors. I don't own another GN, at the moment at least, but I was just trying to find something out side of the norm. The last car show I we went to had several turbo buicks, all GNs and all looked nearly identical. I still think a X-ray themed GN would be cool but I will save that for another car in the future.

Finally have some build pictures to show as requested. The frame is mostly assembIed now. I do not have sway bars chosen yet but those go on easy at any time in the build and brake lines are not done. I am not impressed with the in line tube brake lines, they are not anywhere close to fitting like the originals. I finally got my engine figured out, I am building a LY6 6.0 gen 4 LS with a LSA supercharger on top of it, this should get me to 650HP which is perfect for the performabuilt level 2 4L60E trans I am using that is good for 700hp. I am likely running it off of a holley terminator X max. I know allot of folks will beat me up for the engine build but it is what it is, I started with a hot air car for this reason. And I am hanging onto the original numbers matching engine just in case. I have freshly recovered seats and complete door panels that are the highway stars exclusive material and new carpet with the mass backing like the original. I am still searching for a grand national dash, the one the car had was no good. I have 2 spare regal dashes but I can not seem to get the color correct for the dash as it does not match the rest of the interior. I took the whole console apart and cleaned it up, replaced the gray inlays on the console, re chromed the chrome line on it. The shifter is apart for cleaning and re greasing. The shell of the car is getting the attention next so I can get it set back on the frame, the whole underside has gotten a braided wire wheel taken to it, new seam sealer where needed and painted with tamco chassis paint that has rust inhibitors that is suppose to be like POR 15 on steroids, the floor pan is also being done the same. I had to replace the rear drivers side body mount with a new goodmark piece. the body is stripped to nothing, not even the dash or wiring is left so everything is getting coated on the chassis paint, you would be shocked at how much rust can pop up in places like behind the dash. Luckily there was nothing terrible to find. The car is getting painted with tamco gloss black single stage over tamco high build direct to metal primer. I am painting every piece sperate from the car and it will be done in my home garage. That is about all I can think of right now. Oh one cool thing that I found, I finally confirmed that the frame does in fact have a partial vin number on it, it is on the drivers side top of the frame rail in front of the rear tire. I have been searching for years to find these on multiple frames I have had from cars I parted out but they are not visible unless you get all of the dirt, paint and rust scale off