[Toadie's T-Type]

I bought a 84 Regal limited for $400.
Has a 3.8 V-6 2 barrel. Car runs good.
Needs a bit of attention on the brakes.

A question though.

Instead of pulling out the 3.8.
Can a NA V-6 be built up on a reasonable budget?
Or should I look at dumping in a V-8?

I believe it to be the stock engine and it has 150,000 + miles on it.

How much money am I looking at to get 200-250 HP (If it's possible.)? dunno dunno dunno

I don't (as of this moment) have any idea what kinda HP it was factory rated at.

 

[b4black]

I haven't done a NA myslef, but I have know of several people that had had some success with them.

First thing I would do is get a 4-barrel inatke/carb from a 4.1 V6. They will go right on and work with the ECM. Next I would look into the rear end. You probably have a 2.41 under there. From there it's the traditional headers, cam, shift kit, etc. etc. etc.

 

[Boosted Bob]

I would not put much time into building a 3.8 with 150000 miles on it. It will need a rebuild right about the time you get it running right.

If you want to build it up, i would:

Port the crap out of the heads and exhaust manifolds

Get an Edelbrock Performer four bbl intake and a small (400-450 cfm) Holley

Use a GN 206/206 cam

Get a 100hp nitrous kit

There you would have maybe a hair over 200hp, and 300hp on the juice headbang

HTH

 

[JFH]

I did a build up with my 84 Limited. Not worth the money for the power gained, intake 4 bbl cam exhaust rear end. It had better performance but wasn't worth the money put into it.

John

 

[firebird_1252]

i say go with a 350.

 

[Benny]

you can go bigger than that. Pnyklr is putting a 455 in his regal. need mounts though.

 

[salvageV6]

Thought there was a guy in Brewster NY that ran N/A V6 motors with good power.

I thought his name was Baker too, no not Ed. wink

I'll see if I can find a link.

Prolly Stage II motors N/A though.

 

[Toadie's T-Type]

I was curious. Figured. If I worked more with a N.A. 3.8.
I possibly could understanding more about the turbo version.
I do have a 4 Barrel Q-jet off of a carb'd 3.8 turbo. Anyone know what 1 of these carbs flow CFM wise?
I do have a couple 283 SBC's I could toss under the hood if need be.

 

[salvageV6]

http://www.prestage.com/site/site_display.asp?SiteID=30

Forgot to look earlier LOL.

Not too bad but a lot of work to build I would assume. eek!

 

[ULYCYC]

Mr Baker has a nice car and web page. And he still talks to his wife

 

[salvageV6]

And a very famous name to boot. wink

Humourous webpage too. Cost was a bit high.

I'd shoot for a nice old 455 out of a wagon.

 

[Toadie's T-Type]

My older bro had stuffed a Old 455 W-30 under the hood of an 84 Monte. eek!
Good lord could that car go. headbang
Anyway.
I'll research a few options and see what I come up with.
I do have a 350 block in the garage as well as my 2 283's. I'll come up with something.

 

[b4black]

firebird_1252:
i say go with a 350.

Of course you meant to say a Buick 350. (We wouldn't want anybody to think we'd recommend a chevy small block!)

The Quadrjet is 750 or 800 cfm when the secondaries are allowed to open fully (which they usually aren't). A turbo car uses the same cfm as a NA. 3.8 = 3.8, so it should OK as is.

Of course you could fabricate a blow-thru carb/turbo kit using mostly 86/87 parts.

 

[machinegun]

86' BUICK GRAND NATIONAL - JIM PLISS

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
*Still Married..after throwing a rod during the first race of the first day of the Buick Nationals
*Still Married..after ordering wrong axles thus delaying progress on Buick
*Still Married..after dropping item on hood of car causing unsightly dent
*Still Married..after installing loud CD player in Buick thus dampering the ear deafening whistle of the turbo
*Still Married..after mowing down a large red truck on I-77 destroying her beautiful, virgin body
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST.......................
*Still Married..AFTER loving his car more than his wife!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!