Getting mid-high 12s on '87 GN? How much?

[70Nova355]

I am pretty new at the Turbo Regal thing, but have done a bit of homework... I'm looking into an '87 Grand National with 78k miles on it. It's bone stock, but comes with hooker cat back, and KYBs in boxes, to put on...

This car is going to be a daily driver, but I don't really drive that much, as I'm in college, and live a 1/2 mile from the school. and I take the train when I come home (5 hour train ride)....

I basically just want to get my GN into the 12s, maybe run somewhere in the 12.5-12.7 range on street tires. I need someone to help me get there. I am mechanically inclined, but haven't done much turbo stuff before. Are 12s a MBC, boost gauge, the cat back, and good gas away? I keep getting told that 12s are about $1000 in a GN... I just want to know how to get there the easiest (and safest) way possible.

Also, would a stock motor see any real performance gains from a FMIC, or would that be just basically getting the motor ready for heavier mods? I do plan on making it much faster when I graduate....probably mid 10s, and then it won't be daily driven...

Thanks in advance, guys!
David

 

[gn1220]

See my sig to see how I run low 12's. My fastest time was even with the stock D/P.
1. Scanmaster
2. New fuel pump
3. Adj. fuel press. reg.
4. Bleeder valve (to turn up the boost)
5. Race gas
6. Slicks
7. A helmet

 

[Ormand]

Street Tires?

The hard part is going to be using street tires. You can see what GN1220 did, but he used "race tires". (Well, the ET streets are called street tires..) Some guys run drag radials on the street, but it's not the best thing if you run into a little rain! Just depends on how much you want to bias toward drag racing, at the expense of traction in other conditions.

 

[UNGN]

It doesn't take much to run 12's: Traction, adequate fuel (amount and octane), elevated boost and a $25 chip.

A hooker catback is a good improvement over the stock exhaust as is a test pipe in place of the cat.

Nitto 275/60 drag radials would be a good compromise between a street tire an a race tire. They should allow easy 12's on a tuned car.

The stock turbo, intercooler, transmission, gears, torque converter and injectors work fine into the low 12's at 110+ mph.

 

[jetmech]

I run 12.70's on my 120k motor.
1. scanmaster
2.fuel pump
3 adj reg.
4 boost gauge
5. bfg drag radials
6. race gas and chip.
I believe a 1000 dollars will get you there.

 

[Ryan87GN]

My brother went 12.93 @107 on the following-

Bluetop injectors (used) $ 150
Armstrong108 chip (used) $25
Walbro340 fuel pump (new) $90
Adj. fuel presure regulator (homemade) free
Adj. Wastegate (homemade) free
K&N air filter (new) $40
Scanmaster 2.1 (used) $175
Total $480

This pass was made on 255 BFG radials (not drag radials), also the car has vaccum brakes that will only hold about a 2psi launch.

If you want a few extra tenths buy a 3" Terry Houston downpipe, that would put it right at about 12.50. I would spend money on a fmic yet as I've seen a stock ic go 11.69.

the 12.93 was done in an 86 Wh1 with 72,000miles. I would say realisticly for $900 you could run 12.50's on radials all day.

Hope this helps,
Ryan

 

[TurboDave]

I'm struggling with what the technical content of this post is.

If you were to ask "how" (what parts are needed) to get to the mid 12's then OK. But asking "how much $$" to get there is a stretch.

Maybe this thread is better served in the Lounge.

Hmmmmm????

 

[marc86mcss]

Don't forget the fuel pump hot wire kit ~ $59

 

[Weazel]

http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/faq/techfaq2.html

Here's 11s for $1500.
http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/recipes/foxrecipe.html

Basically, for mid 12s, take Ryan87GN's bro's recipe...take out the blue tops (good for insurance but can be done on stockers) and add the $50 hotwire kit. Good luck! I'll be there next run on pump gas (hopefully) with the addition of an alky kit.

 

[Snorman]

I went 12.8's @ 104-105 with the following...

1. Racetronix FP/hotwire kit...$160
2. Bosch 237 FPR...$40
3. Adj. wastegate actuator...$70
4. Postons air box base lid...$10
5. RA93 chip...$25 (used)
6. Test pipe...$40
7. Fan and TCC lockup switches...$10
8. Billet inlet bell (no performance gain...but I'll list it)...$40
9. 235-60/15 BFG DR's...$265 mounted and balanced
10. Scanmaster...$220 (Ramchargers special)

Raceweight was 3,656 with driver and 1/4 tank...NO weight removed. By my tally, that's a hair under $900 and it's debatable whether or not you'd really consider the SM and DR's in the cost because you'll need them to get faster than high-12's anyway. Also, you can pick up a few tenths and a few mph with a race chip and race gas. I was trying to get 12's on a street chip.
S.

 

[Red Regal T]

Here's one way to go 12.50s with street tires. One trip to the track so far, with these parts.

 

[V6POWER]

I ran 12.9 @ 109 with just Red's race chip, race gas, adjustable wastegate and a better exhaust. This was back in 1989 on the stock tires and I don't know how much boost. Red said to just keep turning up the boost until the mph went down. I didn't have a scan tool then, either. Very stupid of me but I didn't know better back then.
By the way, I am still running the original head gaskets.

 

[77tech9]

1 Question about a THDP

Does the THDP have a built in test pipe on the end? I've seen pictures and there's no cat on the end, but it might have just been a weird picture.

 

[DJay]

The THDP is just the downpipe. U can either connect it to your existing cat or purchase the TH Test Pipe (with or without dump).

I decided to get rid of the cat entirely ... sure glad i did.

HTH

 

[lordmikef]

My fastest time is a 12.8 at 104 with 1.8 60's at 3750 pounds.

Dump Pipe
Street Chip
Nitto's
Cold Air Intake
19 lbs. of boost

No scan master, just got a boost gauge. Just jack it up and let it rip. Being conservative never got anyone anywhere. Plus i'm in college so money isn't everywhere.


Anyone can sit there and say, "if i ran 20 pounds of boost i would have went real fast but i don't want to hurt the car." Just let the thing fly and see what happens. Make sure you go with a friend so you can get a ride home if anything happens. Live a little. **** is going to go wrong no matter what with these cars. I've been lucky. Im running a stock car on the edge and only got stuck once and because of a dead battery. You only live once.

 

[turbot2496]

Voice of reason LOL

Save yourself some time and money. Get something dependable to get you through college (these cars are getting really old and are not very dependable anymore + their thief magnets) then when you get out go and buy somebodys 10 sec ride the've already blown all their cash on for a 1/4 of what the've got in it. Alot of college kids on here have gotten frustrated and had to git rid of their cars because they are money pits.

 

[77tech9]

I'm sure in hell not going to let it "rip" when it's $10k of goodness. I'm still scared to rip off the heads and break that super seal.

 

[bradofflorida]

Be aware that there are some things that you may want to do before you start going for more power. The car may be pefectly maintained, then again you may need valve springs, ft & rear main seals, etc. The one I bought needed LOTS of worn parts replaced. I ended up spending a couple thousand getting the tires and maintenance up to date before I improved the HP.
I did a little more than I had to(better wheels and tires for $1000) but all told I spend around $5000 without touching the long block, turbo, or intercooler, which were all in great shape.
You may want to wait until you have plenty of cash to do it all. I built a 260Z with a 350 v8 in college and it just about broke me.

 

[Nocooler]

See sig......stock parts with alky/pump-gas and a open rear

 

[TR Custom Parts]

If it is going to be a daily driver, better spend some $$$ on some anti-theft devices not that they will prevent your car from being stolen if someone really wants it.

I went 12.67 with some old Goodyear VR60 255x15's with a chip, K&N, and TA49 turbo. Stock injectors and intercooler at the time.

A little bit faster now with the Duttweiller neck, bigger injectors and alky plus some Hoosier Q/T pros.