Regal to GN

[Joseph1082]

Hey,
I have a '85 Regal Limitted sitting in front of my house (My mom's old old car) and wanted to know would it be dificult to turn it into a GN??? I know I'd need a 12-bolt rear but what else, obviously the Turbo, but it's the same 3.8 right?? Thanks for the help

[Hypsi87]

The difference between the turbo 3.8 and the NA 3.8 engine block is the pistons and a little hole in the front of the block for the turbo oil return and supply. I would suggest finding a turbo engine. The GN's did not have a 12 bolt rear end, they have a 10 bolt rearend with the 8.5 inch ring gear. You will have to find a 200-r4 that can take the extra HP. I would suggest a 200-r4 built by art carr. you will need the computer and eletronics because the NA 3.8 was a carburated enigne.

do you want a turbo engine or have a complete GN look alike? If so then you need to loose the hood ornimiant, go to a black carpet/grey headliner inside. Just alot of little stuff that you need to do.

Let me know if you are going to do it and I would be happy to help

[Joseph1082]

Thanx Hypsi... I figured it'd be you to respond to my post.
I'm still paying for the LS1 and am short of cash now... my friend actually brought it up, the regal has been a nice lawn ornament for some time now.
But so pretty much I need to scrap everything but the body itself, see, i was hoping it would be easier than that. How much cost are we looking at roughly?

[Hypsi87]

To tell you the truth, if you don't have the eletronics and all the other nitpicky suff, It would be cheaper to find a nice t-type or a GN that needs some work done to it.

[kratefan]

Originally Posted by Hypsi87

The difference between the turbo 3.8 and the NA 3.8 engine block is the pistons and a little hole in the front of the block for the turbo oil return and supply. I would suggest finding a turbo engine. The GN's did not have a 12 bolt rear end, they have a 10 bolt rearend with the 8.5 inch ring gear. You will have to find a 200-r4 that can take the extra HP. I would suggest a 200-r4 built by art carr. you will need the computer and eletronics because the NA 3.8 was a carburated enigne.

do you want a turbo engine or have a complete GN look alike? If so then you need to loose the hood ornimiant, go to a black carpet/grey headliner inside. Just alot of little stuff that you need to do.

Let me know if you are going to do it and I would be happy to help

I'm not sure if I'd go with the Art Carr units. Janus transmissions from Ohio may be better. I can't remember the guy from Texas who also not only built a great tranny but stood behind it.

www.gnttype.org can help.
Jeff

[Hypsi87]

Originally Posted by kratefan

I'm not sure if I'd go with the Art Carr units. Janus transmissions from Ohio may be better. I can't remember the guy from Texas who also not only built a great tranny but stood behind it.

www.gnttype.org can help.
Jeff

Yea I just did some reasearch on the subject and I think that I would tend to agree. My 200-r4 is one built by jimmy mundiline from the Chicago area,

[kratefan]

Originally Posted by Hypsi87

Yea I just did some reasearch on the subject and I think that I would tend to agree. My 200-r4 is one built by jimmy mundiline from the Chicago area,

I forgot about Jimmy. If memory serves (Iron Chef reference), he's the tranny builder of choice for ANS. ANS makes more power than the chassis can handle. You could always tell the people who went to ANS and didn't bother with chassis work. The cars twisted like pretzles.
Jeff
PS, Tom Lorek (one of their customers) was running 9.60's in 1993 with a single turbo and 231 cid!