1982 GN Question

[82grandBeast]

i have a 82 grand national but you guys think i should restore it to factory or just say forget it and do a 383 swap since the original motor spun a bearing and the lifter valley is cracked

 

[kh440]

value wise these cars just don't get a lot of interest, so value isn't a real issue. Personally I'd do a stage 1 455 (what Buick SHOULD have done) but to each their own. Bottom line is have fun with it and enjoy!

 

[82grandBeast]

yeah your right i mean its a rare car but the lifter valley is cracked and it spuna main bearing so the value droped alot but i think doin wheels in it should be fun and smokin corvettes and all that other new crap on the street

 

[JST A 6]

Swap in an LC2--I've wanted to do that to an '82 GN for quite some time but doubt I'll ever find a decent '82 for sale when the timing is right for me.

 

[johnplogii]

I personally think these cars will be worth big money one day, they just aren't now. They are very rare and the very first grand national. How much could you buy a hemi cuda for in 1983? Or how about a 70 gsx?

 

[kh440]

I personally think these cars will be worth big money one day, they just aren't now. They are very rare and the very first grand national. How much could you buy a hemi cuda for in 1983? Or how about a 70 gsx?

Given the rarity and the nostalgia factor yes I would have thought that as well, same for the 81 pace car, but that hasn't been the case, and I hope the prices stay soft a bit longer...saving my pennies to find another one!

 

[82grandBeast]

yeah definetly true but if you dont have the original block and interior its not worth too much i got my 82 for 700 with a blown engine and transmission but body is in perfect condition with no rust

 

[JST A 6]

yeah definetly true but if you dont have the original block and interior its not worth too much i got my 82 for 700 with a blown engine and transmission but body is in perfect condition with no rust

Sounds like you got quite a good deal to me. Not trying to tell you what to do with your car, but I think I'd try to stick with Buick power. It would be way cool to retrofit it with an '87 turbo engine/transmission/driveshaft/G80 rear end and if the interior is in sad shape, go with an '87 GN interior too. The '87 stuff is going to be the easiest to come by as more GNs were produced that year than any other, and that was the best year for the drivetrain anyways. There are plenty of guys on here, the other Buick boards, and eBay parting them out so in time you should be able to find everything you need. Like I said in my previous post, this is something I'd love to do someday. About the only thing I'd change on the exterior would be to go with the '84-'87 TR hood with the bulge and paint it to match your car. Not exactly sure if the hood would fit your car (I think the fenders, core support, and header panel may be different) so if that's the case I'd see if I could get the bulge grafted into the '82 hood. While I like my GN in all black, the '82 GN paint scheme looks awesome to me too. I know that what I'm talking about doing would entail spending quite a bit of $$$, but I think the end result would be the most pleasing, and I doubt you'd ever run into another car quite like it. It all depends on how much you want to love that car. Well, maybe how deep your pockets are too--mine are deep but only because they have huge gaping holes in the bottom of them.:biggrin:

 

[82grandBeast]

lol yeah thats true, the lc-2 engine is it carb or is it fuel injected. and also do you know if the g80 rear end is that the posi track one and if it will bolt right up to mine 82

 

[JST A 6]

LC2 is the RPO code for the 3.8 SFI (Sequential Fuel Injected) turbocharged/intercooled engine that the 86 & 87 Turbo Regals have. G80 is the RPO code for a limited slip rear axle. GM actually uses (or at least used to use) the G80 code for limited slip in most any vehicle they make/made. For instance, I once had a Chevy S10 ZR2 that had a G80 rear axle, but you would want one from a Turbo Regal. It should fit right in on your car, provided that your car has the same coil spring/upper & lower control arm rear suspension setup as the later Regals. That's why I also suggested getting the transmission, driveshaft, and axle from a later ('87 for example) Turbo Regal. That way you have a complete package that you know will fit your car, and you'll have an overdrive transmission (you'd also have to get the console and shifter from a later model Turbo Regal, which would be part of the '87 GN interior anyway) and a limited slip rear axle with 3.42 gears that works very well with the powerband of the LC2 engine.

 

[82grandBeast]

bad ass but for the lc-2 it being fuel injected i would also have to get it wired for the fuel injection and the computer. the interior i like that idea of that the seats are all reduable im getting them wrapped in black leather inside and then silver sued on the outside to match the exterior im going with the original color off the car

 

[JST A 6]

bad ass but for the lc-2 it being fuel injected i would also have to get it wired for the fuel injection and the computer. the interior i like that idea of that the seats are all reduable im getting them wrapped in black leather inside and then silver sued on the outside to match the exterior im going with the original color off the car

That shouldn't be a problem--most of the time when I've seen complete engines for sale out of parts cars, the wiring harness & computer were either included in the sale or they were made available at additional cost.

 

[usetaboost]

or you could go with a carb turbo setup which would be waay easier and cheaper.

 

[82grandBeast]

Yeah i could do that yall know any sites that sell those blocks. here was one of my ideas for the 383 i was goin to build for it

HEADS-Vitor jr's (PN)EDL-77619
combustion chamber is- 70cc
int/exh runner size-215/85cc
int/exh valves size-2.08"/1.60"
max lift-.650

CAM-crane(PM)CRN-118131
RPM-3500-7000
duration@.050" int/exh-242/250
lift int/exh-.580"/.600" with a 1.5 rocker .618"/.640 witha 1.6 rocker
lobe sep- 106

high rise singlplane intake with a dominator 750cc

 

[b4black]

There is no differance bewteen a 3.8 NA and 3.8 Turbo bare block. The turbo did use better pistons and crank, but a NA long block can easily handle a carb/turbo. You could also use a 4.1 long block.

 

[usetaboost]

a 4.1 would make sense:wink:

 

[82grandBeast]

yea 4.1 definetly makes more sense but i can get a 350 real cheap since every single junkyard has at least 5 just sitting there

 

[usetaboost]

THere's lots of buick v6's also! and 4 speed autos! I'm not trying to be mean but don't follow the flock, at least try to preserve a piece of buick history. I know if I found one I wouldn't think of putting a 350 in it. Maybe a carb turbo setup or possibly a 455 buick.

 

[82grandBeast]

i still have the transmission that it can with i just dont know what kind it is i havent had a chance to pull it out

 

[JST A 6]

THere's lots of buick v6's also! and 4 speed autos! I'm not trying to be mean but don't follow the flock, at least try to preserve a piece of buick history. I know if I found one I wouldn't think of putting a 350 in it. Maybe a carb turbo setup or possibly a 455 buick.

+1

82grandBeast,

I know it's your car and you can do what you want with it but it is a rare gem in the rough. There's other people like me I'm sure that would love to find an '82 GN and restore it but with a better Buick powerplant (if the original motor isn't salvageable) like a turbo 6 or even a 455. At the risk of offending you, I think it's a shame when somebody gets their hands on a historical automobile and they base their choice of powerplant (or anything else for that matter) on finding the cheapest possible way out. If that's what you want to do, why not start with a more common car like a Monte Carlo or Cutlass instead of the first GN ever built, of which there was only 215 ever made? I'm sorry but IMHO your idea is sort of akin to putting a 307 Olds in a Corvette. Like usetaboost said, not trying to be mean, just trying to offer another Buick guy's perspective. Sorry if it wasn't taken that way.