Just out of curiousity...

[JustinOhio]

I have a 2000 Firebird with a 3.8 V6, automatic... If I wanted to turn this into a 12 second TC and intercooled car, what all would be involved and how much would I be looking at spending? Someone told me that those are Buick motors?

-Justin

 

[WakkoSS]

More effort than worth. By the time you were done modifying and adding parts to it, you could have spent the money buying an LT1 car and working on it instead...or steppin up to the plate and buying a GN.

 

[2quiktocare]

Wakko is right Justin. And if you are interested, I have a customer with a gorgeous 87 GN for sale sitting in our shop. This thing has 82k on it, but I have yet to see a cleaner car, even Bruce's 87 that had 11k on it. It's only $14k. ha ha ha. By the time you get thru with your changeover, you will have more money in that one, plus all your labor too.

 

[turbo buicks]

a 2000 3.8 V6 Firebird engine is defiantely NOT a Buick engine.

 

[BuickMike]

If you want your Firebird to be Turbocharged, just pull the original motor and trans, and swap in a TR Drivetrain. I have no idea what's involved in swapping it in, but it can't be too bad.

Or....maybe a Supercharged 3.8 out of a GTP or Regal GS.

I'm not sure if the motor mounts will line up, but the bell housing bolt pattern on those motors are the same as a SBC and probably your current motor. The older corperate N/A 3.8's used the same bolt pattern as the 90 degree V6 blocks (2.8, 3.1, 3.4).
I'm guessing since you have a 2000, your block is the same as the Supercharged motors. I could be very wrong though. You might want to check into it.

 

[JustinOhio]

There's a company in Toledo called Defcon Motorsports. I called them one day and told them what I have, and they said it would cost about 5k parts and labor to put twin turbo's, and anything else it needed to put it well into the 12's... Was there a catch?

 

[Gary Wells]

I would want to see that estimate in writing. No, make that in blood.

 

[Chris Cornett]

The 3.8 is not a Buick engine. I thought all the 3.8 V6 motors used in all the GM cars were Buick engines. If not, what kind of engine is it?

 

[BuickMike]

The new 3.8's are considered corperate motors now. That just means that it's the standard V6 for Chevy, Pontiac, Buick, etc. I don't think it has much of anything in common with the LC2 motor.