Hi guys,I found a local ad on an 84 grand national t-top car..I don't know much about the hot-air cars..the car looks to be all there,the he owner says it is a true g.n and completely stock besides new upgraded injectors..car is solid and looks to ready for paint..I own my own custom bodyshop,and was thinking his could be and nice one to add to my collection.whats it worth,and what should I look for.im going to go look and it tomorrow morning.
84 grand national info
- Thread starter prodaddy
- Start date
NorCalTurbos
Slowing down to SPEED UP!!!
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2013
Depends on how much rust it's got on it but if the car is a low mile clean car it's worth anywhere between $3500-$6000, Unless you are a true Hot Air enthusiast then the car could be priceless 
Most people are only interested in the 86/87 there's a difference in the drivetrain and stock hp specs.
Most people are only interested in the 86/87 there's a difference in the drivetrain and stock hp specs.
Ouch...good to know..that is wayyyy lower than I expected...he says it is solid all the way around,but is asking $4000...I was hopeing a t-top 84 might be worth alot moreDepends on how much rust it's got on it but if the car is a low mile clean car it's worth anywhere between $3500-$6000, Unless you are a true Hot Air enthusiast then the car could be priceless
Most people are only interested in the 86/87 there's a difference in the drivetrain and stock hp specs.
NorCalTurbos
Slowing down to SPEED UP!!!
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2013
The production numbers are much lower in the 84/85 style as to 86/87. The hot air car should be worth more and maybe in the future will be, just not very popular and finding aftermarket parts are almost impossible. I own an 85 but I recently converted it to the 87 drivetrain cost me about $4000 for the motor&trans. If you add that with the price of that car you could just as well find a 86/87 running and clean for $8000
Aftermarket parts are not almost impossible to find? What parts are you talking?
You can get bigger turbos, up pipes, downpipes, heads can be changed or ported.
I ended up buying it and driving it home..runs and drives nice,body is solid,floor pans are not good,and interior need redone..but I own a autobody shop and plan to gut the interior and put a complete floor in it and chassis coat the underside of it..transmission doesn't feel strong,but engine runs and sounds great..what mild mods can I do to start on this thing to up the power?
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NorCalTurbos
Slowing down to SPEED UP!!!
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2013
NorCalTurbos
Slowing down to SPEED UP!!!
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2013
Typical stuff, exhaust ,ta33 turbo, tt chip, alky but before you do anything you need a scan tool and an 86/87 ecm so you have a starting point. And anything that is 30+ years old replace, like the vacuum lines, etc.... good luck with your project
If you have e85 in your area, definitely convert to that. You can then skip alky for now, I run a TA33 turbo @ like 22psi of boost, it feels pretty quick!
Make sure the transmission fluid is at proper level, and make sure that cable is set.
The transmissions for hot airs aren't as good as the 86/7, so it might eventually need to be built
Make sure the transmission fluid is at proper level, and make sure that cable is set.
The transmissions for hot airs aren't as good as the 86/7, so it might eventually need to be built
Buckshot G/N
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2011
I'm glad you can do your own restoration an body work, just threw the photo it sure needs it. Congrats on your purchase of your TB . That is all good advice that our members suggested to do for an hot air buick. If you get a chance take photos of engine compartment .
Thanks guys..I'm pretty excited about it..good thing is,I have all the stock ecu and scan master and a few parts from my 87 we4 car before I went crazy and did the holley system on it..I really appreciate all the great advice on this hot air car.im planning to get the floor cut out and fit the new before christmas if I can get a free 8-10 hours
Jerryl
Tall Unvaccinated Chinese Guy
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2004
My recomendation before thinking about upgrades and performance:
1-Read the stickies. Read them again.
2-Read Vortex buick, and re-read everything.
3-Use the search funtion for questions.
4-Accept that a HA car will not be as quick with the same $$$ invested as an IC car. HA's are a different animal and not everyone has the desire, knowledge and/or patience to build one.
5-Make sure the car runs it should. Now, before you try this, make sure the fuel pump/voltage and all hoses are addressed.
6-The hardest thing for a HA enthousiast is patience.
Regarding price:
True that IC cars are more popular, and more expensive to start with. I would encourage anyone to look up collector car vaues for a 84 GN. Understand thats not market value, but you will be surprised.
You have a low numbers car and I am continually amazed when new members look for help in yhe HA sextion and the first resposnses are: Swap to IC because . . . thats what I did. People assume we all have the same goals.
Congrats and good luck.
1-Read the stickies. Read them again.
2-Read Vortex buick, and re-read everything.
3-Use the search funtion for questions.
4-Accept that a HA car will not be as quick with the same $$$ invested as an IC car. HA's are a different animal and not everyone has the desire, knowledge and/or patience to build one.
5-Make sure the car runs it should. Now, before you try this, make sure the fuel pump/voltage and all hoses are addressed.
6-The hardest thing for a HA enthousiast is patience.
Regarding price:
True that IC cars are more popular, and more expensive to start with. I would encourage anyone to look up collector car vaues for a 84 GN. Understand thats not market value, but you will be surprised.
You have a low numbers car and I am continually amazed when new members look for help in yhe HA sextion and the first resposnses are: Swap to IC because . . . thats what I did. People assume we all have the same goals.
Congrats and good luck.
It depends what your true goals are but for me, it wasn't hard to make the car feel pretty strong, but I have e85. Without e85 it wouldn't be as fast, I'd need alky, and I'm not sure if that would allow the same boost as e85.
I run 18-24psi of boost with my TA33 and the car feels pretty quick.
I run 18-24psi of boost with my TA33 and the car feels pretty quick.
NorCalTurbos
Slowing down to SPEED UP!!!
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2013
C'mon dawg you know what I'm talking about. Without a bunch of modifications which =$$ it's a pita. All I'm saying is it could cost more to make the HA set up go fast, there's alot of head scratching involved and it seems like the turbo has to come off every time you work on them.
Ta33 $900+core, dp $700, headers??? Are speed daddy's still available? David H. trans build $3,500. I love my 85 for its rarity but now I love it more with the Lc2 and Brf in it.
86/7 downpipes are around $500, so its $200 more for a hot air one that will need to be hit with a hammer or slightly modified,
headers aren't really necessary until you're trying to go faster than 10s I believe.
Turbos, i'm seeing 86/7 around $800 new for stock appearing slightly bigger. Work turbochargers has hot air ones starting at $750.
I agree its a pain to work on hot air cars compared to 86/7, if I wasn't trying to go as fast as possible(on a budget), I would stay hot air, but I'm actually saving to build a forged bottom end 109 and then converting it to intercooled, more like a hybrid conversion, I don't need A/C, just what ever I have to do to get the 86/7 intake on and Turbo up front with intercooler, not gonna do stock location intercooler, probably do a cheap ebay intercooler front mount setup. I have a welder and will fabricate if need be.
NorCalTurbos
Slowing down to SPEED UP!!!
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2013
I just got rid of a spearco not long ago real cheap too. Post updates on your build, I'm curious to see, it sounds nice.
I haven't really started much yet, I have a spare 109 sitting on an engine stand, I need to swap over the 87/7 intake to it and see how everything lines up and what I can do.
