what to choose

[Anonymous]

Hi everybody.Im new here.its been a while that im looking for the perfect g-body and this time didnot yet.
I was first looking for a G body 80-88 with a 350 SBC and standard transmission.
Found a 1987 Trans am 4 years ago ,kept it for 2 years and sold it(1500KM in 2 years)

Then I bought a 2001 Grand prix with a 3.8 that i turboed and intercooled.(400WHP) I sold it too cause i ran tired of torque steer.

The price of the fuel beeing 1.40$ a liter here(in may 2008)i bought an econobox(saturn astra).

But here I am now again looking for a 80-88 G-Body.That leave some questions in my head

1st-Cutlass or Regal or Monte carlo or Grand prix?.
2nd-which transmission to choose.350 or 200 or 700 ?
3rd-Manual or standard.?
4th-I dont want nothing else that a chevy 350 unless somebody can convince me of else.

Dont want to drag race the car.Looking for a 400 hp daily driver.

Thanks in advance

 

[outsider_27]

Could go with a Malibu or Monte Carlo. Most had 305 or smaller V8. Swap to a 350 SBC will be easier on a car that had a sbc power plant to begin with.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Well, the only factory gas 350 (Olds) G body was the 1978 or 79 442 W-30 (IIRC), and maybe the 9C1 police version of the 4 door Malibu with a Chevy 350 (LM1 code). Everything else came with either a V6 or a V8 no larger than a 307. As for manual, good luck finding one. VERY few early G bodies had a manual transmission. Probably 99.5% of all G bodies produced came with an automatic. We have a few manuals on this board, but most are owner converted automatic cars with custom linkages. What I would get is a 267 or 305 car and convert it to what you want. For me, a manual is far better than an automatic, but how good it ends up depends on your actual conversion and choice of components. These cars are not very good in stock form (late turbo Regals excepted), but they provide an excellent base to build off of. If you are comfortable building it yourself, you can have whatever you want out of these cars. If you are of limited technical knowledge (I don't know if you are are aren't), then starting off with a car that is nearer to what you want in the end is a better option.

 

[patmckinneyracing]

I recommend the malibu but I might be a lil biast on that. I swapped the 305 with a 400hp 350 and it was a direct fit just like the 305. It's a lot harder putting a sbc in anything else other than a chevy. So either go with a monte carlo ss or malibu.

 

[STL84Calais]

If you do go with an olds, drop in a 455, 7.5 screaming litres of displacement. Simple to get 400hp out of 'em.

 

[patmckinneyracing]

I can't imagine the mpg on some of those 455 motors. I met one guy who took a g body 442 and put a 455 in it and he was lucky to get 10-12 mpg.

 

[Blake442]

That's about what I get... on a good day. Usually closer to 8-10.
But then again, Holley double pumpers, th400's and 3.73's don't help...

But the 560 ft. lbs sure is fun. I didn't build it for mileage anyways. 😀

If I want good mileage, I'll take the Caprice.

 

[dan2286]

I can't imagine the mpg on some of those 455 motors. I met one guy who took a g body 442 and put a 455 in it and he was lucky to get 10-12 mpg.

I'm thinking it depends on how you build the car. Look at Verns(Dogshits) car. He has a 509(I think) Cadillac engine and it gets almost 20 mpg.

 

[STL84Calais]

I can't imagine the mpg on some of those 455 motors. I met one guy who took a g body 442 and put a 455 in it and he was lucky to get 10-12 mpg.

I'm thinking it depends on how you build the car. Look at Verns(Dogshits) car. He has a 509(I think) Cadillac engine and it gets almost 20 mpg.

One word: overdrive. That's why I'm building a 200r4 to go behind my 455. I'll get reasonable mpg.

 

[KrisW]

Okay, my two cents and I am voting Buick!! Of course I have good reasons!!

First, the Turbo Buick cars are the fastest G-bodies out there. 400 HP daily driver? That's not difficult at all with those cars. The recipe is simple and reliable.

Buick V6 turbo engine
2004r overdrive automatic

Buick comfort and quality while getting over 20 miles per gallon!

It only takes a few mods to get these cars running 12 second quarter miles. You can do that with a 400+ HP chevy 350 but you will get lousy gas mileage. Buick turbo cars give you both!