Guest TurboSedan Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 i can look around in the salvage yard i go to for a gauges Regal cluster. there are a few late '80's-early'90s coupes there. let me know. i'm not real familiar with the Regal tho, so you'd have to tell me exactly what to look for if you wanted one. joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 I wish I had the full digital cluster, I have the crappy one with only MHP and all the rest is idiot/Brian P lights. - Tom Mine displays MHP AND KHP! and PHP! Yeah! you with your red leatherette overstuffed seats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 wow you can read this PHP board right from your dash while you drive? cool! joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 What do you think I'm doing now?? OH SHIT big curve! bwaaaaahhhh {shift} Bwaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! {coast} Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBuick Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 lolololololololol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 crap I lost a muffler tip. No seriously! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylerade Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 haha!! here's the ENLARGED picture.. website where its hosted was down so that teeny tiny picture was all i could get let me know what MODS i should do to the car!!!!!! all my friends think i should NOT lower it because all of those dips here in southern california... i beg to differ cause i know it'd be a lot better looking. maybe just lower the front. what about engine mods? i CANT find anything except for the K&N air filter or spark wires which is almost nothing. no air intakes. no superchargers. if you were me, what would you do??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylerade Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 Check out my site for some ideas on mods, mostly interior and suspension though. btw where's the website at???? and your photos!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted October 15, 2002 Report Share Posted October 15, 2002 very nice! i would buy coilovers from Fast Forward Performance - http://www.fastfwdperformance.com/ - along with front lowering springs from Suspension Techniques. KYB GR2 struts all the way around. an Addco 7/8" rear sway bar, front 34mm sway bar from a DOHC car, and then maybe some 17" wheels and lower profile tires. does your car already have rear bucket seats? as for the engine i'm not really sure, maybe someone with a 3800 would know more about this one? and then there is always the Getrag 5-speed swap (need a custom flywheel for a 3800 tho). i think a Series 1 supercharger would be pretty cool too. well anyway, those are just some of my ideas. joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted October 16, 2002 Report Share Posted October 16, 2002 I still have the "90" full digital cluster sitting in my closet. Sure wish One of you electronic geniuses were in my neighborhood. I looked through my book and there are about 11 wires that have to be repositioned in the main plug and a second plug with 4 or 5 wires that has no place to go since my plain digital cluster doesn't feature a second plug. It relates to overdrive or something. And a splice for tach. Oh yeah, Thanks to Brian and Shawn I got a sigg back up. See!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CortxVortx Posted October 16, 2002 Report Share Posted October 16, 2002 Much as I like my '89 Regal, there are a few gripes: Who the HELL designed the interior door latches?? I have to bend my two fingers backwards to grasp it. And the door latch? Ergonomic nightmare -- slanted the wrong way, so you have to reach beyond it and pull back. And the button tilts so your finger usually slides off. On the other hand, after 10 years, most cars have had their door panels, or pieces thereof, pulled off. The Regal has not so much as a tear. And the instrument panel has no cracks (I kept after it with the Armor-All; even so, my Escort dash cracked way sooner than this!) That dash pocket -- does it actually slant downward? Even mild acceleration causes the sunglasses and candy wrappers to slide out under my pedal-working feet. (That's gonna be converted to a stereo when my son scrapes up enough dead-presidents.) The control buttons -- someone already mentioned "paper-thin." The vent and a/c buttons are completely destroyed (my dad, who owned the car before me, never grasped the concept of "touch" -- he grew up with those big-ass industrial-strength mechanical buttons that said "punch me!"). Headlight button -- you'd better learn fast to find it by feel, hidden back behind the steering wheel. Stereo -- please, stick with knobs for volume control! Headliner -- that's common to all modern cars. (Hey, my '64 Bel Air had stitched-in fabric -- talk about a nightmare!) I do like the seat-adjust bar which goes all the way across the seat -- no groping around for a little-bitty handle. Snap-together interior panels squeak and rattle. Glued-on instrument panel cover coming unglued (already taken care of with panel screws). The driver's seat has lost most of it's support -- probably from Dad's big ass. I guess now it fits my son's big ass. (Big as in big guys -- both are over 6 feet tall.) What idiot designed the glovebox door to be the corner of the dashboard? Dad busted that while trying to lever himself out of the passenger seat. I learned a few new words then. Had to buy a new lock cylinder to fix that. And it took months to work off all the sticky from the duct-tape he used to keep the glovebox door shut. The exterior is another matter. But, is the muffler supposed to be slanted? Well, that's enough spleen-venting for now. It's my son's problem(s) now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted October 16, 2002 Report Share Posted October 16, 2002 heh, so this car has been driven by 3 generations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylerade Posted October 16, 2002 Report Share Posted October 16, 2002 thanks joshua where might i find the cheapest deal on KYB GR2's? are $40 front and $55 rear good prices?? what about ST front lowering kit for $80 pair? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted October 16, 2002 Report Share Posted October 16, 2002 Here's a list of the advantages/disadvantages of my '91 Regal GS Sedan. Includes: (3800 Series I, 4T60, GranSport Suspension, 16" GranSport Wheels, 175,000km, full gauges, floor mounted shifter.) Missing Factory Options: (Sunroof, leather, CD player, ABS) Advantages: Engine. Low maintenance, decent fuel consumption considering vehicle weight, lots of low end torque and midrange punch. Could use more higher RPM power though. 170HP and 225lb-ft of torque is decent for a car this size and weight, though I may drop in a Series II and a 4T65-E in the future. Reliability. Recently minor things have been malfunctioning, but everything else is in excellent working order. I've put 40,000km on it since I owned it, and the only problem area I had was the turn signal switch ($180) and the A/C (filled it with ice-cold RedTek for $60). Considering it's over 10 years old the overall reliability is very good. Also considering that brakes are rated to be very poor in Gen1 W-Body cars, I never replaced the brakes since I bought it and there is still a lot of meat left on the rotors and pads! Styling. Though it doesn't look nowhere near as nice as the Gen2 Regal GS, it still has beautiful lines. Not as muscular as the Grand Prix, but definitely more elegant than the Cutlass Supreme. Value. As usual, it's hard to beat the price to equipment ratio for the W-Body. A Honda Accord or a Toyota Camry with similar options would be priced much higher. Obviously Honda and Toyota build their vehicles with better care than GM, but I can't complain much since everything on my vehicle works and it all works well. Interior Space. These cars are really roomy! Having owned a Ford Taurus previously I can really appreciate the roominess of the cabin. Lots of room for people in the back. My only complaint is that being 6'1" I would like a little bit more headroom. Trunk. This trunk is large enough to stuff about three average sized adult bodies. That or else a whole load of groceries. I just wish it had folding rear seats to allow access to the cabin, and it should have gas-charged struts instead of those space-stealing goose-neck hinges. Disadvantages: Chassis Rigidity. I know these cars are built on pretty solid platforms, but a little bit of strengthening would definitely help. During hard cornering you can feel the body flex a bit. It's still crashworthy and very safe but strengthening the front and rear would definitely help. Maybe the Gen2 platform solved this problem. Interior Quality. The materials used in the interior are all composed of poor quality plastics. I don't mind the faux "rosewood" trim, but the black plastic pieces should be replaced with higher quality aluminum or stainless steel pieces. They squeak during bumps and the clips holding everything down break easily. The HVAC console buttons are a tad bit small, and the lights are burnt out. The only way to replace those lights is to replace the whole unit since the lights are actually soldered onto the circuit board. What a stupid design! Interior Layout. I love having full gauges including an oil pressure gauge and a voltmeter gauge, but it's too bad the gauges aren't positioned in a way that they're easy to read. The steering wheel blocks the oil pressure and voltmeter gauges and you actually have to move your head if you want to take a quick peek while you're driving. Not such a big deal but a better design would help. The '95-'96 Regal had a redesigned dashbaord bit it lost the oil pressure and voltmeter gauges. Also, the buttons for the radio and HVAC are far too small. Especially for adjusting the treble or bass, and the separate driver/passenger temperatures. Handling. I know that I shouldn't be complaining since I bought a Buick and not a Grand Prix, but the handling should still be more rigid considering that it's the GranSport suspension rather than the DynaRide garbage. My previous car was a Ford Taurus base model with very few options and it still handled much better than my Regal. It only had 205/65 tires on 15 wheels and base suspension but the steering and handling was probably on the same level as a Z34. Sorry it was a rather long mesage, but I thought I'd share with the group. By the way, here'a s list of stuff I have to replace within the next 6 months... Shocks/Struts (maybe I'll go with KYB GR-2s and FFWD's Coilover kit and ST springs) Tires (Michelin X-1 is the way to go since I see a lot snow and rain) Paint (PPG's cobalt blue poly with russet red pearl, basecoat/clearcoat) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 well, you have 12 year old struts on with over 100k, Im surprised the rear of your car isnt dribbling like a basketball on the highway! Replacing those struts should help a lot. The Regals are definetly nice, but I wouldnt put any of them on a higher level than the Cutlass, Lumina, Grand Prix. Plastic panels and slightly different sheetmetal doesnt necessarily make a car. I'll put my keys right on the table that says all of our cars drive the same. :shock: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBuick Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 They don't all drive the same. My Z34 and regal are not even the slightest bit similar. Not only just the nature of the tranny and motor, but the fit and finish as well as the ride are completely different. Whoever said the new regal is better looking than the old... I think not!!!! the new one looks bulbous and cheap, like a century (gasp). Properly set up, an old regal has a very classy/muscular look. 155.48.119.26 for pictures of my regal BTW. -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GranSport Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 Sorry if you misunderstood, I'm not saying the Regal is better than any other Gen1 W-Body. I'm just saying it's probably the most underrated W-Body there is. Most Gen1 W-Body enthusiasts own a Grand Prix, and if not a Cutlass Supreme or Lumina. Very few own the Regal. Overall our cars are all built the same, although I think someone earlier mentioned that the Olds and the Buick use "different quality interior materials". I wouldn't know, but I think GM could definitely use better materials if they want to compete with imports. Unfortunately I'm rather spoiled, owning an Audi A6 and seeing how a true interior should be, I find it hard to accept GM's widespread use of crude plastic in their interior panels. Thankfully GM has made more ergonomic interiors in the past couple of years. I've had the pleasure of driving both the Cutlass Supreme with a 3.1 MPFI and the Grand Prix with the 3100 SFI. Both drive nice and handle real well, although I'd say the Grand Prix's exterior styling looks nicer while the Cutlass Supreme has a nicer interior. I've never driven a Lumina though. It's too bad that the other W-Body cars don't have all the gadgets and accessories that the Grand Prix is equipped with. As for my shocks, I have a relatively bouncy ride but neither my front end or rear end sag like you see on many Chryslers. Not to worry though, come spring time my Regal will be in top shape and completely repainted and updated with all the goodies. I'll be posting pics then. It's not worth the effort to post pics now when it still needs a bit of work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 They don't all drive the same. My Z34 and regal are not even the slightest bit similar. Not only just the nature of the tranny and motor, but the fit and finish as well as the ride are completely different. Whoever said the new regal is better looking than the old... I think not!!!! the new one looks bulbous and cheap, like a century (gasp). Properly set up, an old regal has a very classy/muscular look. 155.48.119.26 for pictures of my regal BTW. -Tom Dammit kid. I meant (should have noted) comparibly equipped W bods. Your Z34 probably has the same springs as a Grand prix somewhere. And for arguments sake, I think the Regal is the best looking W body in production, with the monte at a close second. My dad is going to buy one this month. And the century is just a base model friggin Regal, so of course theyre going to look the same. The Regal is to the century as the CUtlass Supreme International is to the SL. Just be happy theyre even making a current regal, or else youll be stuck with Camry's for your future family ghetto ride Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBuick Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 Don't you give me lip little boy or I'll send you to your room!!!! lololololololol - Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 I think someone earlier mentioned that the Olds and the Buick use "different quality interior materials". I wouldn't know, but I think GM could definitely use better materials if they want to compete with imports. Unfortunately I'm rather spoiled, owning an Audi A6 and seeing how a true interior should be, I find it hard to accept GM's widespread use of crude plastic in their interior panels. Thankfully GM has made more ergonomic interiors in the past couple of years. Just be like me and some others here, improvise. Put some extra insulation in the doors, add foam weatherstrip where metal is screwed onto metal (brackets, etc) repair the plastic tabs if broken, reinforce anything at will. Apply soft vinyl on otherwise hard cheap plastic pieces (dash- like if I had a regal, that whole faux wood panel would be vinyled). My interior has no rattles and the more that gets done to it, the quieter it gets. ALthough it really gets to be a pain in the butt when new things start making noise. heh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 Don't you give me lip little boy or I'll send you to your room!!!! lololololololol - Tom I want a 2002 Cutlass Supreme. Dammit.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBuick Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 He's not kidding (Brian P). his interior is BEYOND pimpin. - Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 well, you remember the headliner right? I have plans with more of that fabric I have Can we say rear window shelf! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylerade Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 155.48.119.26 for pictures of my regal BTW. hopped on over to your server... and got the apache default page.... i made a cute little page (click on the center image)... with possibility of adding stuff to it. http://geocities.com/taylerade/regal i'll have to admit that the gen1 regal doesnt look good from some angles.. looks best from behind on the side... muscular is the word to describe it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted October 17, 2002 Report Share Posted October 17, 2002 I don't dislike my FAKE wood panels. It goes well with the red but I have wanted to get a second set of FAKE wood panel and do them up in that graphite color granite/marble look thats in the....Q45 I think. I have the '91' FAKE wood panels that are a burled look and are much nicer than the straight wood grain of the 88 to 90 panels. After installing the Regal premium equalizer/cassette (which eliminates that stipid hole) and my black leather Gran Sport wheel I think the interior has a look of sporty class. I prefer the older floor console also. I want to get my arm rest recovered in black leather to match the shifter knob and steering wheel. (the vinyl is ripped) I like the 2dr door panels better though. And I'd like to move the third brake light to the top of the window. That'd be a hassle though. Do the other w-bodys' have the same type of visors as the regal. The ones with the tinted plastic slide-outs? I thought this was a positive Regal thread. Here's your positive. (voice of Jeff Foxworthy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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