New guy - have rare G-body

[mechanic58]

mechanic58,

Welcome to the site!
I'll bet you're the type of man that just smiles when purist get their panties in a pucker thinking you "ruined" a GN!

Doug

Sir - you have hit the nail on the head. It wouldn't have mattered to me if this car was a GN. In fact, I would take even greater pleasure removing the 6 and rolling it off into a creekbed than I will removing the 307. Hotrodding a V6 engine...or any car that is FWD is like sending a little girl to the boy's bathroom. Its just not right!

 

[Ringers]

welcome, cool to see and hear you are going to keep it Buick powered. I love big block chevies, they just don't belong in Oldsmobiles and buicks!!

 

[mechanic58]

I like those mags. Are they 14" or 15" :?:

They are the same dimensions as the GN wheels, except they are aluminum; 15 x 7. These wheels are part of the Y56 option package. Not all the GNs had the Y56 option package though...which included a fast ratio steering box, bigger sway bars, stiffer springs and these wheels. What I'm not clear on is whether or not these wheels were used on GNs that had the Y56 option.

 

[mechanic58]

welcome, cool to see and hear you are going to keep it Buick powered. I love big block chevies, they just don't belong in Oldsmobiles and buicks!!

I agree my friend. I also have a '79 Malibu 2-door that was an original floor-shift manual transmission car. It now has a 454 in it with a Richmond 4-speed behind it. That car is also rust-free, as it came from Texas...but it is a huge POS compared to this Regal. My dad now owns the Malibu - he'll probably be killed in it...lol, its dangerous as hell.

 

[Blake442]

Welcome!
Sweet Regal! I'd love to get my hands on another and do the same swap...
I'll be watching your progress with envy. 8)

 

[Joeyg329]

Thats a nice regal, i looked at one like that awhile ago.

They are the same dimensions as the GN wheels, except they are aluminum; 15 x 7. These wheels are part of the Y56 option package. Not all the GNs had the Y56 option package though...which included a fast ratio steering box, bigger sway bars, stiffer springs and these wheels. What I'm not clear on is whether or not these wheels were used on GNs that had the Y56 option

Those rims came on all non "grand national package" turbo base/turbo limited and 307 T cars in 87 (including WE4 cars). GN's all had the chrome rims with the turbo 6 center caps. Also, all GN's had the FE2 handling package with comes standard on all Y56 cars as well. WE-2 RPO is the grand national RPO code, both Y56 and WE-2 RPOs come standard with FE2 RPO (the steering box, sway bars, springs, etc.). Y-56 is just the RPO for the "T" package.

It wouldn't have mattered to me if this car was a GN. In fact, I would take even greater pleasure removing the 6 and rolling it off into a creekbed than I will removing the 307. Hotrodding a V6 engine...or any car that is FWD is like sending a little girl to the boy's bathroom. Its just not right!

Dont hate on the turbo v6 haha, my Turbo regal is in the 11's with the right bolt ons and mods (still stock short block and heads) on pump gas. Its a reliable daily drivable car with all options and good gas mileage. Those engines can make some great power. Even the series 2 supercharged 3.8's have plenty of go, i had a 96 riviera supercharged with some bolt ons and that thing flew nice for a DD. There is even alot of 4 cylinders that make insane power, my srt-4 put down 392 horse to the "front" wheels with bolts on and a stock engine. Thats not even counting the DSM and Subaru engines. Believe me im a gbody/gm guy at heart, but experience has proven that 4 and 6 cylinder engines and front wheel drive cars can be as fast and reliable. Not trying to start anything, but just saying

 

[Fader]

I found this on WikiPedia...It doesn't really go into how many were v8s...Interesting though...



"In 1987, a lightweight WE4 (Turbo T) option was offered. Only 1,547 of this variant were produced. They were painted black and treated to the same blackout package as the Grand National, including bumpers, grille, headlight and taillight trim. The differences between a WE4 and the Grand National were the interior trim package, wheels, exterior badging, aluminum bumper supports, and aluminum rear brake drums as opposed to the Grand National's cast iron. The rear spoiler was only available as a dealer installed option. 1987 was the only year that the LC2 Turbo option was available on any Regal, making it possible to even see a Limited with a vinyl landau roof and a power bulge turbo hood. Turbo Regal Limiteds were one of the rarest models of Turbo Regals produced second only to the GNX at 1,035 Turbo Limiteds.urbo Regal Limiteds could be ordered with many options with most having chrome external trim but for $35 could have been built with the full black-out trim option making them extremely rare. Limiteds were treated to a very luxurious interior with plush carpeting and optional bench pillow seats and a column shift. The 1987 model would be the end of the manufacture of the RWD "G-Body" Regal, but GM had to extend the build of the Grand National to meet customer demand"

 

[oldiejams]

mechanic58,

Welcome to the site!
I'll bet you're the type of man that just smiles when purist get their panties in a pucker thinking you "ruined" a GN!

Doug

Sir - you have hit the nail on the head. It wouldn't have mattered to me if this car was a GN. In fact, I would take even greater pleasure removing the 6 and rolling it off into a creekbed than I will removing the 307. Hotrodding a V6 engine...or any car that is FWD is like sending a little girl to the boy's bathroom. Its just not right!

regal v6s were fwd??

 

[mechanic58]

regal v6s were fwd??

Only the white ones, they were all built in Brazil.

 

[mechanic58]

Dont hate on the turbo v6 haha, my Turbo regal is in the 11's with the right bolt ons and mods (still stock short block and heads) on pump gas. Its a reliable daily drivable car with all options and good gas mileage. Those engines can make some great power. Even the series 2 supercharged 3.8's have plenty of go, i had a 96 riviera supercharged with some bolt ons and that thing flew nice for a DD. There is even alot of 4 cylinders that make insane power, my srt-4 put down 392 horse to the "front" wheels with bolts on and a stock engine. Thats not even counting the DSM and Subaru engines. Believe me im a gbody/gm guy at heart, but experience has proven that 4 and 6 cylinder engines and front wheel drive cars can be as fast and reliable. Not trying to start anything, but just saying

lol...I don't care how fast your V6 Regal is bro...its still a V6 car that sounds like a farm tractor with an auger on the back that's struggling while drilling a fence post hole in some wet red clay. If you were to give me that car, I would promptly remove the V6 and sell it to the nice little fat lady the runs the scalehouse at my local scrap yard. I really would...lol.

I never understood why people obsess so much over these engines. In reality, all they are was just some bottom of the barrel generic powerplant that GM produced for little of nothing during the peak of the smog era. There is nothing particularly special about the 231....unless you consider the fact that they make great boat anchors to be 'special'. Take a 90hp V6 and put a big turbo on it and jet it properly and you're going to make 400hp - big deal. Take a 190hp 350 and put a big turbo on it and jet it properly and you're going to make 750hp. PLUS, the parts are half as cheap. Just an example there...but I think I got my point across.

Lastly, please note that ALL my comments are always in good humor. Don't take it personally...lol.