Omni beats GNX

[Rollin]

When it comes to 4 cylinder turbo charged Dodge's some of ya'll need to bone up Do a search on Gary Donovan's "Reliant K " or Paul Smiths "Voyager van"
1FASTLS1, Your story is believable to me congrats bro. I got a little story for ya last year I passed on a nice 86 Shelby Charger at a friends salvage it was a freebie, I just did'nt have room. I have a big enough garage but the collectors stay inside and I couldn't see playing musical cars to work on it. I do kick myself sometimes it would have been a great project car for me and my oldest son.

On second thought ya'll check out this site:

http://www.thedodgegarage.com/

 

[Cale22]

Re: omni mods

Originally posted by 1FASTLS1
Its a 86' omni with an 87 drivetrain in it, turbo II, stock block, enforcer III turbo, Indy intercooler, cam, ported head and intake, I run a 520 trans, but I really cant keep them together, normally I go through 2 or so a season, I have run 1.9 60', 8.5@89 1/8th and 12.76@113 1/4. There are a lot of these things going 12s, several running 11s and a turbo II K car in the tens
As far as my Buick goes I run a ta49 turbo(dropped back down from te64) front mount, 50 lb inj, 9" art carr conv, Cotton trans w/brake, heads have never been off. Ran 12.0@113 with stock trans, stock int, hoping to run in the 11.50-11.70 range with new stuff

Why did you put an 87 drivetrain in the 86? Are you running a GLH-T or S? You should get rid of the 520 and put a 555 or 568 in it, then you won't have to worry about busting it twice a season. I just sold my 86 GLHS about a month ago. They are money pits if you want them to be faster than 13s. You need to swap out the block (to a 89+ common block), tranny, LSD, and then again, its still an 8v head and FWD. Do you post on TurboDodge.com?

 

[turbofrank]

 

[momau3]

Hey thanks for posting the mods.

Blowing trannys were common place with the early dodge turbo's. The stock tranny was good for a 90 horsepower economotor but hook it up with a 145hp or 175hp turbo'ed motor that's looking for trouble. Other than that it was a perfect sleeper for the mid 1980's.

I got mine for doing track time and a little street racing . Sidenote: ol' Shelby made the GLH to combat all those VW GTI's that where running around Southern Cal. Later he then though it would be a hoot to turbocharge + intercooled one and call it a GLHS.

If I were interested in a front wheel drive dodge today it would be a SRT-4, sans the grocery cart wing.

 

[blackbuick87]

Originally posted by Rollin
.

On second thought ya'll check out this site:

http://www.thedodgegarage.com/

You guys should read that story on the 10 sec K car. Dude uses a lawnmower battery to start the car

I find it odd that he does all his tuning by plug reading, with no knock gauge at all. Might have saved him a couple pistons. Sweet story.

 

[1badTTA]

Just read it, sounds like he changes pistons like we change plugs.........LOL Very impressive though. Liked the shot of the Center of Gravity, The one with the rear up in the air and jackstands about straight under the side mirrors

 

[Joe 1320]

I can vouch for the Shelby Omni and Charger. Back in the day when they were newer, the mods were plentiful. I test drove several stockers, but ultimately settled on the 84 Turbo Colt. The GLHS and Chargers were awesome little cars. That is a good trap speed on the modded one. I modded the colt with many similar mods and ran the same speeds. Hellish handling for front driver though.

 

[odell4o8]

I have a stock as come off the assembly line 87 gn on the way to the drag strip last summer i jumped on a buick 3800 supercharged front wheel drive car, he cleaned me otherwise he beat me, p/// me off untill i saw couple of them run in the low 13, i have heard of them running in the 12, i am 62 years old and i have loved to street race since i was 17 , back in the 60 it was a lot of fun, only been caught once, you only live once so enjoy it,

 

[Darth LC2]

The little dodges can come up and bite the unsuspectin. I have caught some lt1s by suprise w/ a\nther great sleeper from dodge. It's called a Spirit R/T. They were mid to low 14 sec. cars from the showroom floor. Sweet Omni!

 

[Shadowfax]

had to post a little in here.

I didn't have a clue what a turbo dodge was- my friend bought a 1989 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible in 1996, and before that a distant cousin had owned it since new. So I knew the car hadn't had any wrecks- and once I drove it and it felt peppy. When he offered me the car for $800 I took it as a beater.

Well- I did some research. Turns out it's an 89 GTC- one of less than 900 built. 555 Tranny, Turbo II, Intercooled, 9psi max boost- why did it only feel peppy? try a 10" rip in the lower IC hose

I pulled the hose and tossed a stock DSM BOV and pipe- fit right in. I have a K&N, and I've hotwired the pump. I put on a 3" cutout and a p/p exhaust manifold. From what I've heard- I should be over 100 traps at 15psi. With a cold start injector and 18psi- I'm hoping for 13's @ 105

Not bad for this POS

Worst thing is that the car is from Indiana- rusting apart- I have an 84 Shelby Charger body at a local yard that I'm thinking about picking up.

These things are cool, cause they are junk cars- you buy what ever you find for 'em, Saab injectors, Ford Intercoolers, a $0.98 Fuel cut mod

Ah, the things we learn once we hit turbo- the stock TII turbo can push up to 28psi, though most people swap them out before then since the turbine has a horrible design!

Anyway, I thought I'd post useless stuff here since I never make it out of Alchy/Nitrous forum.

 

[njglhs]

I dont own any turbo buicks, but have friends who do, which is how I came to this site. I have several turbo dodges, including a GLHS. I can definetely vouch that the story is certainly feasable. These little cars are a blast on the street. They dont launch real well, which is why the e.t. at first look seems inconsistent with the mph. but they really come on strong on the top end and in the street from a moving start. An unsuspecting buick would be very suprised by a turbo dodge on the street, and a modded one would leave the buick wondering what happened. As1fastls1 said, there are alot of 12 and 11 sec. turbo dodges, and a handfull of 10sec. ones. Shelby took 500 Omni's in 86 and created the 86 GLHS's, then did the same treatment to 1,000 Chargers in 87 creating the 87 GLHS's, as well as some other models like the CSX based on a Shadow. Most of the turbo dodge guys that I know have great respect for turbo buicks, and they get alot of homage and appreciation on our sites, like TurboDodge.com. I also am a realist and know that a modified turbo buick would clean the clock of a similarly modded turbo dodge. But, be aware that these cars exist and one could pull up next to you sometime.

 

[TurboXT]

Originally posted by momau3


How do keep the tranny together? Had mine rebuilt twice.

most likey he is running the A555 (which is one of the toughest TD trannys). your GLHT might have had the A525 tranny. which cant really hold together w/ a motor that makes over 200hp @ the wheels..

the 525 is what i have in my car

 

[TurboXT]

Originally posted by blackbuick87


Anyways, how about some pics of the Omni. I have never seen a GLH before.

well here are some pics. not his tho. just some that i found

BTW the GLHS was the second fasted domestic in '86, next to the GN

 

[momau3]

TurboXT wrote:
most likey he is running the A555 (which is one of the toughest TD trannys). your GLHT might have had the A525 tranny. which cant really hold together w/ a motor that makes over 200hp @ the wheels..

_________________________________________________

Yes I had the A525 tranny in my '86. Only had the car until '88; sold it because the trannys were driving me nuts. Switched back to mustangs...

Anyway when did they come out with the A555 tranny? what models?

 

[BoostedBug]

Originally posted by d0n_3d
what mods are done to your omni?...and i seriously doubt that was a real GNX...people just don't drive them on the roads...there's many fake ones out there

Dude there is one riding around town down here that looks like pure crap. Never washed and has a ton of mile son it. Old fella bought it and he told me this and I am trying to quote it, It is just a car, I bouth it to drive it! I said at least you could clean it up once in a while, he respondedback with ...Why it is a car.

I am trying to buy it from him..Next time I see him I will get the number off of it...best I can remember it was in the 400's. He also bought it new so it can't be a fake...

 

[Cale22]

555's were available in A LOT of turbo dodges. If you're gonna go that route, it would be a better bet to switch to a 568. The 568 is a little stronger than the 555, and shifts a lot smoother. 555's and 568's are easy to find in junkyards. I got fed up with my 525 too, I kept busting the linkage at the track..

Originally posted by momau3
TurboXT wrote:
most likey he is running the A555 (which is one of the toughest TD trannys). your GLHT might have had the A525 tranny. which cant really hold together w/ a motor that makes over 200hp @ the wheels..

_________________________________________________

Yes I had the A525 tranny in my '86. Only had the car until '88; sold it because the trannys were driving me nuts. Switched back to mustangs...

Anyway when did they come out with the A555 tranny? what models?

 

[aperrego]

Have to put in my 2c.. I am an owner of an 87 GN... And a former owner of an 85 GLH Turbo non-IC. In defense of the Omni.. It was thee sleeper. It did not have any AC (In FLA whiched Sux) But a suttle turn of the timing and that thing hauled! It was amazing. I did take it to moroso in PB Fla back in the day and ran a 14.1 after about 6 passes (in-experience). But on the street that thing would tear up US 1 and A1A In Ft Laud on the weekends.. I will confirm that the reliabilty was not there, blew a rod and a couple other issues which forced me to trade it in. The best thing about it is was small, fast and fun.

just my 2c


87 GN Stock4now.

 

[momau3]

aperrego wrote:
It was thee sleeper
____________________________________

You got that right left many a stock IROC and GT with that shocked expression priceless.

Especially in the twisties that was my favorite. Nothing like a black econo box at night to blend into traffic and disappear from the state troopers in their LTD's. Now the gn's that they had here in CT were a different story......... try to run from that...... not......

 

[aperrego]

Oh so true....

 

[SrBenelli]

Originally posted by d0n_3d
...so yeah this story is possible especially if that guy really had 4 people in the GN...that is over 4200 lbs of weight!

Reason #1 not to drive around with fat chicks!!!

Haven't seen a GLH in years, but they were damn quick!