New toy 1981 Indy 500 pace car

[NCTyphoonKid]

I can appreciate that, for sure. However, the "what if it were a factory turbo?" scenario is cool, too. I definitely wouldn't swap it, but creating something era correct is fitting.

That is a cool scenario and probably the only swap I would consider ever doing if I was to do one

 

[DRIVEN]

On the 'what if' topic...in about 1987 my dad bought an engine/transmission to replace the tired 327/TH350 in his early Ford pickup. It was a turbo 231 with a T50 5-speed that the seller claimed was out of a '79 Regal. He said his wife didn't like how it drove in the snow so he had swapped in a N/A 231 with an automatic. Several years ago I asked about the turbo 231/T50 combo here on the forum and was told it never existed. I know what I saw and judging by the grime and undisturbed paint, they had certainly been married for a long time.
When my dad did the trial fit, he found that the downpipe hit the inner fender and really didn't want to cut anything so he just freshened up the 327 instead. The Buick combo sold to a guy who put it in a 4x4 Toyota.
Whether that turbo 231/T50 was a factory option or not is still unproven, but I think something like that would be a pretty passable and interesting swap in a car like yours.

 

[PBGBodyFan]

I like my 3.8 but I do understand why people do the LS swaps and v8 swaps however it’s not something I want. Maybe if it was a regular regal but I don’t have the heart to do it to a pace car there’s just so few around.

If I had a "rare" or car like that, I'd probably keep it stock or close too, although a Turbo 3.8 if done right probably isn't hurting the value (IMO).

 

[NCTyphoonKid]

Got the heater core done last night. And had the wheels off and dropped them off at the tire shop this morning well I get them home and get them on the car and realize they’re different. They’re both cooper cobra radials but the white letter is different needless to say I went back and there ordering another set that’ll be here next week

 

[NCTyphoonKid]

I decided to bite the bullet classic industries was having a Labor Day sale so I saved about 140 bucks. Brand new set of front GTA wheels. I hope they are as nice in person as they are in pictures. The reviews seemed pretty good. I also ordered a console riser with cup holder from gbodyparts and the front frame bracing I found a very nice used set and bought those.

 

[olds307 and 403]

Wow someone happy with a 3.8. Is it a stock rebuild or a few extras?

 

[NCTyphoonKid]

Wow someone happy with a 3.8. Is it a stock rebuild or a few extras?

It’s mostly stock but done a couple small things. Like it got bored .30 over, and there’s a few other things I did too like get rid of the heavily restricted stock cat and install the pypes dual exhaust,left smog pump off.

 

[NCTyphoonKid]

As I wait for the gta wheels that are supposed to be here on Tuesday I am working on other things. Last night added the front frame braces to the car, today my nice gbodyparts console cup holder riser came in. The quality is very nice. I also found this cool 1981 Indy hat on eBay it’s just one of the few styles they made.

 

[NCTyphoonKid]

Just got this in the mail yesterday. Slowly trying to accumulate the 81 Indy items

 

[pagrunt]

Whats the odds of you finding something that actually shows your car in one of those pictures? Now that would be really cool.