Just bought my first GN (87)
- Thread starter davef
- Start date
Bruce Urie
The Ventures,CCR forever!
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
Hey, great, Dave! An '87 Grand National!! This is guaranteed: you're going to LOVE it!!
Welcome to the forum of incredibly nice guys, and...very, very informative on these cars. There is not one question that these guys have every NOT been able to answer. So, you are in a good, safe place.
After your Scanmaster, I recommend an oil pressure guage, water temperature guage, and a boost guage.
When you replace the fuel pump, get that hotwire kit to supply true volts to the pump. You can get away with the stock fuel pressure regulator for now.
And, I can't say this enough...guard, guard, guard your Grand National everywhere you go.
Again, welcome to the land of true performance and friendship. Glad to have you on board!:biggrin:
Bruce '87 Grand National
Welcome to the forum of incredibly nice guys, and...very, very informative on these cars. There is not one question that these guys have every NOT been able to answer. So, you are in a good, safe place.After your Scanmaster, I recommend an oil pressure guage, water temperature guage, and a boost guage.
When you replace the fuel pump, get that hotwire kit to supply true volts to the pump. You can get away with the stock fuel pressure regulator for now.
And, I can't say this enough...guard, guard, guard your Grand National everywhere you go.
Again, welcome to the land of true performance and friendship. Glad to have you on board!:biggrin:
Bruce '87 Grand National
toomanymodz
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2009
Good advice here for sure! I second the phrase 'guard your GN'.
I bought a locking collar from:
Cargard Column Lock
I lock my GN whereever I go. It's locked right now just sitting in my garage. Makes me sleep better at night
FYI, the locking collars are not manufactured anymore, but the gentleman there was able to locate a used one for me and totally refurbished it. It looks absolutely like brand new. Powder coated red too.
These GN's can be stolen in about 10 seconds, so be careful where you park it!
I bought a locking collar from:
Cargard Column Lock
I lock my GN whereever I go. It's locked right now just sitting in my garage. Makes me sleep better at night
FYI, the locking collars are not manufactured anymore, but the gentleman there was able to locate a used one for me and totally refurbished it. It looks absolutely like brand new. Powder coated red too.
These GN's can be stolen in about 10 seconds, so be careful where you park it!
danspears1
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2008
Closeby & Welcome Aboard!
I live in nearby Waynesboro and drive through your area for work everyday. I've had mine a little over a year and am a little ahead of you on the mods, but not too far (See my signature). I, too, bought a stock 87 GN. I haven't posted too many times other than buying parts. Mainly just read and searched the message boards to obtain as much knowledge as possible. Plus, read everything the earlier posters referred to. There's a lot of good advice and information on here.
PA inspection ran out on mine 10/09, but plan to get it inspected in the next few weeks. Once I do, I could swing by and take you for a spin where you could feel the difference in stock and one with a few mods. I noticed a big difference on mine. Good luck.
Dan
I live in nearby Waynesboro and drive through your area for work everyday. I've had mine a little over a year and am a little ahead of you on the mods, but not too far (See my signature). I, too, bought a stock 87 GN. I haven't posted too many times other than buying parts. Mainly just read and searched the message boards to obtain as much knowledge as possible. Plus, read everything the earlier posters referred to. There's a lot of good advice and information on here.
PA inspection ran out on mine 10/09, but plan to get it inspected in the next few weeks. Once I do, I could swing by and take you for a spin where you could feel the difference in stock and one with a few mods. I noticed a big difference on mine. Good luck.
Dan
Probably a 3 inch catalytic convertor hollowed out.
danspears1
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2008
Cat
It looks like a catalytic converter from the outside, but is actual a section of 3" pipe w/ a 3" catalytic converter casing welded around it. It's not a gutted or hollowed out catalytic converter. In PA, cars are not exempt from yearly inspections until they reach 25 years old. Therefore, I have a couple more years to jump through hoops. However, in my county, its only a yearly visual inspection and no actual emissions testing like in MD. Hence, the fake cat. I haven't actually gotten it through inspection with the fake one installed yet, but have a stock one that I can put back on if they are able to tell.
A cat shouldn't be an issue for you in MD because your GN is over 15 years old and qualifies for historic plates, which means no one-time MD State Inspection when you register the car or emissions inspection every two years. Did you get historic plates?
It looks like a catalytic converter from the outside, but is actual a section of 3" pipe w/ a 3" catalytic converter casing welded around it. It's not a gutted or hollowed out catalytic converter. In PA, cars are not exempt from yearly inspections until they reach 25 years old. Therefore, I have a couple more years to jump through hoops. However, in my county, its only a yearly visual inspection and no actual emissions testing like in MD. Hence, the fake cat. I haven't actually gotten it through inspection with the fake one installed yet, but have a stock one that I can put back on if they are able to tell.
A cat shouldn't be an issue for you in MD because your GN is over 15 years old and qualifies for historic plates, which means no one-time MD State Inspection when you register the car or emissions inspection every two years. Did you get historic plates?
Turbo Indian
worlds quickest 6cyl bird
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2003
my wifes 19k mile peg leg car went the best of 13.47 @ 103 in BG the first year we had it. 100% stock original.
danspears1
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2008
Sent you a private message.
Bruce Urie
The Ventures,CCR forever!
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
Good advice here for sure! I second the phrase 'guard your GN'.
I bought a locking collar from:
Cargard Column Lock
I lock my GN whereever I go. It's locked right now just sitting in my garage. Makes me sleep better at night
FYI, the locking collars are not manufactured anymore, but the gentleman there was able to locate a used one for me and totally refurbished it. It looks absolutely like brand new. Powder coated red too.
These GN's can be stolen in about 10 seconds, so be careful where you park it!
Heed these words here very seriously, Dave. You can lose this GN in a heartbeat. My '87 Grand National was stolen when it was owned by my late father back in March 2001. He was heartbroken. Never did anything to it to make it even "slightly" theft resistant. Luckily, he got it back one month later when it was found in an "undesireable" parking lot 49 miles away by the police, who had been looking for it all that time. Damaged right rear quarter panel (Dad just had it painted), theives switched the GN wheels with TurboT aluminum wheels to hide appearance, tinted the windows, removed all emblems except the intercooled ones, damaged steering column, broken out passenger side lock, dented in that area, broken out lock in trunk, missing radio, trim around it, speakers, and we found a hyperdermic needle with some heroin and crack in the rear tunnel carpet behind the console, ripped out rear seat, four little holes in the dash, broken glovebox door with damaged trim. They intended to keep it as it was so fast to drive. Made it easier to escape from their coward crimes they committed later with this fast turbo engine. If I had the chance I would have shot all of them in cold blood without a blink of an eye...they hurt and upset my Dad so bad. He actually cried for days over this loss as he bought it brand new and just LOVED driving the damn thing like a maniac! So far, I've fixed all of that except for the damaged quarter panel. So, you can see the trouble you'll have if you don't take steps to safeguard it seriously. "If" you're lucky enough to get it back like Dad did. Make it a priority to safeguard your GN while doing your mods. Please.
Bruce '87 Grand National
I was sorta close.:redface:
first GN
Welcome aboard. Bought my GN in 2003 in New Jersey. Drove it back to Monroeville (cautiously), and did a complete check of everything. Found some problems I missed on first inspection. Get to really know your car, "engine", "tranny", "mechanicals", before you go "pushing" it, and make any necessary repairs. When I got mine home and putting it on jack stands, found out ball joints were bad enough to move the front wheels in-out, up-down a good inch. Naturally, car was sold "as is" so, I ended up installing a complete new front suspension. Detonation took care of the Jasper rebuild that was in it, ended up with another engine. My transmission and differential are still in great shape. I do a LOT of pm on the car. Heed the advice of our members and you'll be in good shape. Pay attention to correct oil and filter changes. Zinc content is critical on flat tappet cams. These GN's are one of a kind, but, be prepared to part with the cash.
Good luck to you.
Welcome aboard. Bought my GN in 2003 in New Jersey. Drove it back to Monroeville (cautiously), and did a complete check of everything. Found some problems I missed on first inspection. Get to really know your car, "engine", "tranny", "mechanicals", before you go "pushing" it, and make any necessary repairs. When I got mine home and putting it on jack stands, found out ball joints were bad enough to move the front wheels in-out, up-down a good inch. Naturally, car was sold "as is" so, I ended up installing a complete new front suspension. Detonation took care of the Jasper rebuild that was in it, ended up with another engine. My transmission and differential are still in great shape. I do a LOT of pm on the car. Heed the advice of our members and you'll be in good shape. Pay attention to correct oil and filter changes. Zinc content is critical on flat tappet cams. These GN's are one of a kind, but, be prepared to part with the cash.
Good luck to you.
Bruce Urie
The Ventures,CCR forever!
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
Mine read zeros all week.....then I checked and I forgot to wire it up.
Bruce '87 Grand National
christian237
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2009
u can get the column lock here a little cheaper if u want http://simjack.com:8185/
OK guys. I need to know the facts here. I am a computer guy. How is the Scanmaster different than other software such as Powerlogger? It seems like being able to collect and store data on a laptop would significantly aid in data comparison. Is there a significant difference between the data captured with Scan master and other software applications?
I ask, because, I see references to both throughout other threads here.
Also, apparently ZDDP is not sold by retail outlets. You have to order it?
I ask, because, I see references to both throughout other threads here.
Also, apparently ZDDP is not sold by retail outlets. You have to order it?
Powerlogger and scanmaster 2 different tools. No way to log a run with a scanmaster. However it's easier to keep an eye on while driving than a latop. I'd start out with the scanmaster just to learn the car. Are you in Hagerstown? I will probably be at Mason Dixon this weekend with the tta for the first test and tune. I can tell you everything you need to know there. You can see my setup. I run FAST XFI. I have a like new scanmaster i'm not using anymore if you want to see it and even try it out. :smile:
Trent
Trent
