Hey everyone, I am new around here and I dont even have a GN yet. but I am a major fan. What I want to do is find a 87 GN that is around the $4-7,000 range. I love working on the interior and fixing exterior so I dont want a cherry looking car.
The reason I am posting is because my plan was to get a high mileage GN and then put a new motor into it. I ran across this site and I thought it was a good deal. It has a 7 year /70,000mile warranty. I am unexperienced with the grand national engine and I wanted some of you more experienced then I to look at it and tell me if it is a good deal. I dont want an engine that will have no power behind it. Please take a look at it and tell me your thoughts. If you have a better deal somewhere please tell me because I am only 18 and on a fixed budget so anything helps.
Thanks
Joel
Here is the site URL. www.rebuilt-gas-diesel-engines.com/cgi-bin/engine.cgi/reman_engine.html?engine_id=2938
No, that's not what you want. From what their site says they're offering a front wheel drive non turbo engine. Totally different animal.
Thanks for telling me Chris. I found this other one, take a look at it and tell me what you think. Thanks
http://www.buick-auto-and-parts.com/rebuilt_engines/buick-231-3-8-6-cyl-parts/1987-parts/buick-rebuilt_engines-57.html
Joel:
I would not recommend purchasing an engine of this type from a website unless you can tell for sure what has been done to the engine and who rebuilt it. You say you don't have much money so you shouldn't throw it away on a piece of junk.
Did you say you have a GN with a bad engine? How bad is it? If you don't have a GN, then why do you want to invest in an engine? Maybe the car you buy will have a nice engine or at least one that needs only minor repair.
If the car you buy needs an engine, contact the vendors on this site who rebuild engines, Ron's Custom Auto is pretty good. Others are too, I'm sure. Talk to them and see what their crate engines are going for. Maybe you can save the extra money.
Be careful with these cars, they are fast and can get you in trouble very quickly. Take it to the drag strip when you want to see how fast the car goes and keep your foot out of it when you are showing off to your friends.
Patrick
patricki@optonline.net '87GN
yes father.
lol
Thanks for the advice about the engine. the only reason I was looking into a crate engine because I was already figuring that the car I got would not have a strong engine. I didnt want to stick a bunch of new parts into it and then blow it up and have to take it all apart again. I know what you mean about being sure of who rebuilt the engine. thanks
Be careful! Many of the so-called rebuilds don't have the rolled and filleted crankshaft. Also many of them are missing the thick domed pistons that are necessary for turbo engines. Did you know that stock Chevy 305 cid pistons will fit a Buick Turbo motor? Just a little knock and they're toast. Be careful! Only deal with the guys who have been in the Buick Turbo business for several years. They have a reputation to protect and can't afford to screw you. Stick with the pro's. They'll save you money in the end.
Patrick isn't kidding. I've had high-winding small blocks and I tell you what, these turbo Buicks are a completely different animal. You can get into trouble (and I'm not talking about cops either) and not even know it until it's too late. Of course though you don't want to get nailed by the cops either, some states will actually take your car away and you'll never get it back. Also, at the track you'll be able to tune the car and record stuff that's vital to getting them running right. If you take it out and just get on it without making sure everything is okay, you could do some serious damage. And it's never fun to have your friends watch as you destroy your engine.
About the strong engine stuff, alot of guys who have very fast cars are still running unopened, original motors with many miles on them. With these cars it isn't really the engine that is making the power like a small block Chevy or Ford, it's the parts added on. As I'm sure anyone on here will tell you, it's the combination, which you have to get set right. And if you get it set up right, you shouldn't blow it up. These engines don't need to be pushed to high rpms to make power. My recommendation to you is to find a car you can afford in as nice a shape as you can afford. While it is fun to work on the cars and to be able to say you did it yourself, possibly saving a little money, certain parts are getting hard to find. Some parts are really expensive(and it's not really the parts you would think), and others are only available used. So going the cheap "junker" route isn't always the cheapest in the long run. Once you get one, then start to learn about it and drive it as-is for awhile to get used to it. More than one person, including myself, has been guilty of just throwing parts at the car, thinking that will make it fast, but it doesn't. I've even know a few people who did that and actually made themselves quite a bit slower. Get one, learn about it, and take it slow and you'll end up going faster and spending less cash to do it.