What next for the GN

[BOP4ever]

Forgive me for the ramble.
Trying to get a game plan on my car hobby.
It's not been much of a hobby really the last 6 years or so really to be honest.
Work and raising kids have sapped the time, money, and energy.
The cost of gas has even hurt my pleasure driving.
I wanted a GN since I saw one new in 1987 I was like 19 in school and too poor to even think about it.
I had my mid life crisis and purchased a nice 62k mile car from a guy in Texas about 5 years ago.
It was everything I wanted except being a T- top car. I looked at a hardtop car but it was beat to Heck where the one was rust free and still had a new feel and even smell. Then the transmission started slipping np got a rebuild unit from Brian hofer that has worked great, then I blew a head gasket ... NP pulled the engine impacted it to to bottom finding it in great shape I put a timing set,new valve springs,and a Mild bowl blend .
Picked a used TE 44, a stretch SLIC, alky control alcohol system, scan master, TT5.6 chip, used42 lb injectors
Replaced the AC compressor, fixed the wipers, installed a hydro boost Brake system, new stereo and few other things... Now I think the turbo seal is failing I get some smoke at idle. I m bummed the performance is just ok by new car standards a good running LSx gm or 5.0 old probably beat me ... Or be close
I have my old TA. It would smoke my GN and I built it beat the snot out of it and it has never been such a money pit. So what now to get the car to a mid 10 second level which seems to be where to get respect these days is I fel I am looking a total new engine to not have a time bomb.
So do I keep own this path with this car? Or should I sell it off find the hardtop I really wanted that's already got the mods I need for the power level ?
Maybe pulling the v6 and going with a proven Lsx combo that would maybe cost more upfront but be much more durable and able to make the power easier ?

 

[dpasadena]

My brother has just a stock shortblock, ported irons, alky, 6262bb turbo, and drag radials. He runs 25-27psi of boost and out runs all the new cars on the street. It is a very simple combo and all the parts work very well together. It seems like you have a good street combo right now. If it were me, I would work on what you have. I used to run a te44 on a completely stock longblock for a few years with alky, and it was a blast to drive on the street. Your car should run well with your mods. I don't think a properly tuned te44 car would get beat by many cars on the street

 

[BOP4ever]

That's what everyone told be when I was setting it up and purchased the te44.
When it's 40 to 60 degrees I think it would do well but in the summer I'd bet it a second slower...
Really frustrated right now with the smoking and looking at having to rebuild or possibly replace the turbo.
Need to blow off some steam...

 

[dpasadena]

That's what everyone told be when I was setting it up and purchased the te44.
When it's 40 to 60 degrees I think it would do well but in the summer I'd bet it a second slower...
Really frustrated right now with the smoking and looking at having to rebuild or possibly replace the turbo.
Need to blow off some steam...

Unfortunately these cars require constant monitoring and maintenance to keep running well. Once they are right, they sure are fun to drive. I don't really see a difference running in hot weather especially while spraying alky. Then again, when it is really hot, I don't run my car hard. Frustration is one part of owning this car and the other part is having patience and determination. I wanted to burn my car a few times in the past, but with more knowledge and time, the headaches are not as bad. I have had a lot of help from good people on this board. I would assume you have a problem somewhere in your combo because your car should run pretty good with what you have

 

[BOP4ever]

I'll start trying to figure out why the car is smoking this week. If its the turbo ill stick the stock unit back on.
Then either get it fixed or buy something else if I keep the car probably.
It's not dead slow I mean I think it would spank my sons v6 mustang anyway.

 

[3-5.0]

I feel your pain, I'm the same age as you and fell in love with these cars back then too...back when a 14 second car was awesome...14 anything. I miss the good 'ole days lol. The new cars have taken the piss out of it or moved the field goals 200yds off center, I was looking at the new Mustang GT500 or some crap as a guy on a forum I frequent just bought one, it says these things do 11.5 1/4's or something ridiculous and a 0-60 in 3.5 secs off the showroom floor bring you're checkbook/finance out yer ass (probably the same thing viewed upon with a GN 26yrs ago). That 3.5 0-60 is literally twice as fast as one of my Fox's. GM's are the same thing, those Camaro's and whatnot are blistering and they're every where.

Take heart, the thing is they are throwing what, 40-50 grand at these cars?, they got no heart, they are cookie cutters, we wanna go fast with these old classic warriors well we gotta pony up the dough too. But at least we have a now classic car that has some personal history and theres not many around.

Another thing with these GN's is the expensive yet sometimes crappy parts (or maybe its just a old 80's general design that has reached its limits?) but this parts/expense/reliability problem is whats going to kill the hobby for a lot of GN owners and will maybe affect the value and that degraded value hurts us all in the end.

 

[3.8L V-8 eater]

It may just be easier to buy a hard top already set up too run the mid tens you desire...Problem is are you inheriting someone elses headaches and you end up spending the money to do it right anyways....You are right about no getting respect these days with all these cars driving off the show room floor laying down some damn good torque and H.P... Tens are the new norm now and I'm still fighting to get a ten second pass.....You could roll the dice keep your short block put on some ported heads get a good converter and turbo run some high tens and see how long you can keep it together....This has worked for a few guys I know, but having a good tune is a must to go that path....Good luck in what ever you decide!!

 

[NY87GN]

I am new to the Buick Turbo world, I having been doing lots of reading about these cars and some issues that some owners are having. It seems that most guys having issues are those who really push these cars to the limits, like 11's and below. I think trying to push this car to hit 11's and below is asking for trouble. I dont see how you can compare these cars to GT500's. I had an 2007 GT500 for 4 years, this is a totally diffrent animal. The Shelby had its own issues, my clutch couldnt handle the 500hp power , TSB's and recalls, had me change the clutch 4 times. Living in NYC, the GT500 had a terrible ride compared to the GN, I also get more attention in the GN.
From where I stand and I am not a mechanic nor that mechanically inclinded, I bought a bone stock 87 and I am shooting for my car to do high 12's. I think that I would keep up or beat 99% of the cars that pull up next to me.
Sorry for the ramble.. I just dont see why some owners just accept what the GN is...

 

[BOP4ever]

I went to an event and the new street cars were running on street rubber not drag radials in the 12.2 to 13.0 range.
Those were caddies with superchargers, corvettes c5-c6 , mustang 5.0 2012 model, all trapping 110 plus.
I don't like to be slow...
To me these GN have a rep from the glory days heck everyone that talks about them when they see mine is how they are so fast ...
Most are my age and not really into cars anymore...
If I'm going have one I want it to live up to the mystic of the brand not be Paper tiger.

 

[3-5.0]

I think we are in a time that with technology, new car performance has really put the screws to these old muscle cars, and in a weird way these GN's are somewhat in some camps still looked upon as "late model" even though they're pushing 30yrs old. Where the screws under the fingernails really come in is not just in the new muscle cars but other regular manufacturer vehicles. Sure you don't have to run 11.5 times but getting shown up by a soccer mom in her SUV or some 18yr old kid in a Subaru is just not acceptable to many GN guys, thankfully alot of have done wonders to keep the legend (and values) alive in their racing efforts.

By my estimation -which may be off- a daily scoot around town reliable cruiser GN should dip into the 12's (pretty much just a wee bit better than new cars). On the other hand like said above I do appreciate (accept) what these cars are...to a degree, an old 80's muscle car. But again as said above no one wants a paper tiger.

If I was truly worried about all out performance but still wanted it in a Regal package I sure in the hell wouldn't be hacking up a GN, I'd get a base model and go nuts. I wonder if the day will come if these cars will ever hit their stride in the collector market where everyone is changing them back to mostly stock like people did to 60's cars?.

 

[BOP4ever]

I have considered making it my daily driver, but is in really good condition and not having been cut up or had the crap ran out of it feels good on the road looks good from 20ft and only needs a paint job and detail to be show ready mo.
It gets compliments everywhere I take it. I live down about 1/2 mile of gravel so it would be mud when it rains.
I hate to trash it since it had been babied its whole life pretty much.
I had a pm session with a guy with a similar combo and mad I'm changes against the majority maybe.
I leaned the fuel out took the plus 5 I had in it back out set the alcohol back to 6 from 8 and it seems much quicker now .
O2 read have not changed much on the Scanmaster but it blew the tires off from 20 mph an pulling 10 psi around town feels quick again even so maybe chasing that magical .800 on the scan master had it pig rich and too much alcohol.
Not sure though it was 71 degree this morning, but it was near 90 this afternoon and it felt stronger still to me.