1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 Resurrection

[clean8485]

Re: 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 resto

Thanks very much for your offer to help, but its a long way from there to here. The car does have some serious rust issues, and I'm thinking that the best thing to do would be a body-off resto. Otherwise, I might not be doing things as thoroughly as I should, and it would only come back to haunt me later. Right now, the car is sitting on pavement beside my garage, and I have one of those portable garage/shelters that I can put up over it.
Vern, I'm kind of old school, and I'd like to keep a small block Chev in the car. The LS swap would be slick, but more costly, and the Pontiac engines are harder to find, and more expensive in Canada, and I'd have to swap engine mounts and accessory drive also. I'm not looking for a fire breathing monster here, just something around 250-300 HP. I'd like to keep a Pontiac style wheel on the car, just something a bit bigger and more modern on it.

 

[dogsht]

Re: 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 resto

Hey Year One has several larger Pontiac wheels and old school type wheels. Check em out. http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/fbsh ... .asp?cat=R
Yea I have heard some say its hard to find anything other than sbc in Canada and then I have heard others say you just need to know where to look. FWIW Pontiac clubs would probably help you find an inexpensive old school Pontiac 350/400 for that car. Guys that are into Pontiacs will generally help you the most and find you deals inside their Pontiac circle of friends just because they want to help save a classic Pontiac.

 

[clean8485]

Re: 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 resto

Vern, I can appreciate what you're saying, and if I really wanted to put a Pontiac engine in the car, I could find one. The fact is that my own personal preference is the small block Chev. I understand that some people may not agree with that, but that's the way that I'd like to go with the car. I can install a serpentine belt system fairly easily, and at a reasonable cost, I can keep the same engine mounts, and I can install the manual trans fairly easily as well, if I decide to go that route. The biggest problem that I face with the car right now is rust and bodywork. Thanks for your thoughts though.

 

[86 maroon gp 2+2]

Re: 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 resto

As I said, looking at your maroon car has got me thinking about saving my 2+2. Now that Pontiac is history, and keeping in mind that the 2+2 was a limited edition, one year only car, I can see these cars gaining popularity in the years to come. In retrospect, its almost a shame that GM only offered the one paint scheme on these cars-I think it may have limited their appeal to the public. I can remember seeing one brand new in a local GM showroom in 1986, and thinking what a neat car it is. I know its not everyone's cup of tea, but I still think its a pretty neat car. I'm beginning to think that I'll probably be kicking myself later on if I let it go. I have a 1987 4 bolt main 350 engine that could be rebuilt for the car, as well as an 8 1/2 rear axle from an '87 Olds 442 that will go in, and I've recently seen some photos of a 2+2 that was converted to a manual transmission that looks really neat as well. I do have most of the parts required to do a manual trans conversion on one of these cars. I'm getting a picture in my mind of a 2+2 with a different paint scheme, a 350 with a 5 speed, and the 8 1/2 rear axle with possibly 3.23 or 3.42 gears, and an upgraded suspension, and possibly 16" or 17" Pontiac rally wheels from Wheel Vintiques. Its a neat picture. Anyway, keep up the work on your maroon car, and please keep the updates coming.

I get what you mean! I bet you anything that we lose at least one 2+2 because of a car accident each year. They will be super rare by the time I'm 60 or 80. I really like the car myself, I have a couple pictures of the 3 previous ones my dad has owned. He really likes the car to and I think thats why he owned 4. I would also like to do a manuel swap but the time and money isn't allowing me to at the moment, I'd love to see a build thread for your 2+2 but I know your situation with having dial up

 

[86 maroon gp 2+2]

Re: 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 resto

Do they make a 16 or 17" Pontiac ralleys? If so the 2+2 would be the perfect candidate for it! That would be bad arse. It already has 3.08s & a 200-4r doesn't it? But yea with the 200-4r anything from 3.08 to 3.90 would work pretty well. I would have to look at a new gen LS motor or a big rightous Pontiac motor an aluminum headed 474 or new Indian Adventures block.

I have a set of pontiac ralleys that I'll be putting on the car sometime soon but I think they may be 14 or 15" and in that case it'll sit lower which may be a problem. I'll post pics when we get done putting them on and I'll also keep you guys updated on the engine. Got the accessories braket on the day after painting it and it looks really good

 

[dream on mcss]

Re: 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 resto

I have a set of pontiac ralleys that I'll be putting on the car sometime soon but I think they may be 14 or 15" and in that case it'll sit lower which may be a problem.

No dude those rallys are the same size as ur wheels, 15x7.

They will be super rare by the time I'm 60 or 80.

DONT EVEN SAY THAT! DUDE WERE ONLY 16 AND 18, I DONT WANNA THINK ABOUT BEIN 60!!!

I have a couple pictures of the 3 previous ones my dad has owned. He really likes the car to and I think thats why he owned 4.

HOW COME U NEVER TOLD ME HE HAD 3 2+2'S B4??!!! THATS F**KIN AWSUM!!!

 

[86 maroon gp 2+2]

Re: 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 resto

ok so I got some updates the first one you guys are not going to like because I put the rusty accessories back on the clean engine but here it is

 

[86 maroon gp 2+2]

Re: 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 resto

my second update is the brake booster that I had just recently installed because I never had power brakes. you can see in the last pics that the brake fluid leaked down the front the booster and took some paint off, after all that hard work

 

[86 maroon gp 2+2]

Re: 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 resto

got my license and now driving it to school! Getting lots of compliments and offers to race, put new sway bar links on about three weeks ago also gave it a wax around that same time. Put a better rear bumper shock on the passenger side and it pushed the rearend out almost to where it was. One last thing that was replaced was the filler piece right next to the tailight that was broken oh yeah and both the door handles were replaced since the passenger side broke into two pieces, I could only find some chrome ones so I got both so that it would match 😀 Good to be back on here

 

[ElCaminoGRAN/SPORT]

Re: 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 resto

I look at your car weekly that thing is so sweet,even though i had a 81 camaro z28 at your age im still jealous,i would have had so many more laddies with that thing 😀 ,bad as ride man i hope you never get rid of it...