sampuppy1 Posted November 19, 2016 Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 So about a month and a half ago my GP GT gave it's life to save mine in a pretty hard wreck. I've been borrowing a vehicle from a close buddy but due to a family crisis he and his wife need it back. So I'm searching for another one to replace the GT that did so well for me for the short six months I had it. I'm gonna be looking at a few Grand Prix GTs and also a Regal GS. Is there anything special about the Regal GS as opposed to a GP GTP? Or is it all the same shit in a slightly less assuming Buick body? This one appears to be quite clean for the price, adult owned, but lacks sale attention partially due to geographic area and the fact that these cars just aren't that well known. Hidden gems, sleepers, etc. Anything to watch out for? Someone school me on these things. I have a feeling that if it's still available I'm gonna be bombing around in a screaming supercharged old lady car :driver: Sent from a flagged XT1254 Tyler/T-Unit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted November 19, 2016 Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 Assuming you mean a Gen II it's still an L67/4T65E-HD drivetrain and you can do plenty of mods to it like the GTP. The Regals from that era look so much like the Century and Lesabre/PA that I guess they don't appeal to me the same as a first gen since they just don't stand out in a crowd as much. There have been some pretty balls-to-the-walls built Regal GS cars over the years and I would in no way refer to them as "Old Lady Cars"- the Century and Lesabre yes, but not the Regal and certainly not a Gran Sport. Drive them both and see what you think but with the ghost of your previous GP still looming you'll likely go for another first. One attraction those Regals have for me is that everybody does a GTP so a GS is a bit more different. Don't forget the Monte is out there too and they are pretty tough looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampuppy1 Posted November 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 Not a big fan of the rear clip on this generation Monte. I've run across a few and they are fast. But I also kinda need to stick with a sedan. I found a few park avenue ultras. But they look way too heavy, and the rust I've seen is definitely not my preferred method of weight reduction on a daily driver. I found only one olds 88 LSS and it's falling apart structurally. The whole cradle fell out from under it. So that's not road worthy. Sent from a flagged XT1254 Tyler/T-Unit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padgett Posted November 19, 2016 Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 (edited) Those Buicks used to be my favorite rentcar. Generally the Pontiacs are for slimmer people than the Buicks and the Buick instruments are easier to read. The GS package make performance the same and the 3800 is a Buick engine anyway. Nice clean design without all of the cladding. Edited November 19, 2016 by Padgett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted November 19, 2016 Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 thank you so much for acknowledging that the 3800 is a Buick engine. I get so sick of people calling it a General Motors engine or a Chevrolet engine primergray 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padgett Posted November 19, 2016 Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 (edited) Goes back to when it was a 190 then 231 that Buick dumped the Aluminum V8 (sold to Holden then Rover) and replaced with this iron engine. Was A V6 designed to go down the V8 assembly line so it shook a lot. Fixed that with the offset crank (even-fire) that Mercedes copied. "Corporate engine" designation started with 350s in the mid-70s. Before that there was a Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Buick engine that were quite different and people started complaining when NOVAs (Nova, Omega, Ventura, Apollo) started to all come with the SBC and not the one from that division. 231/3.8/3800 was never a "corporate engine". More than you wanted to know ? Could go on for a while about balance shafts and roller rockers and the fastest Trans Am. ps if you want to talk about "Old Lady" Buicks, should mention my 1970 GS Stage 1/four speed/posi/AC that used to beat Z-28s in autocrosses. Said I didn't care for V8s, not that I didn't know how to use one. Edited November 19, 2016 by Padgett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampuppy1 Posted November 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 So far I haven't liked any of the grand Prixs I've seen. The one looker I did drive felt like it was gonna fall apart every time I hit a manhole cover. Something (or everything) is loose on it. You can feel the car dip into the hole and it jerks to the opposite side as if the entire front end shifts freely side to side. And the front suspension is completely redone with paperwork including alignment Sent from a flagged XT1254 Tyler/T-Unit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampuppy1 Posted November 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 The doors were all rusty on the skins in random spots. Rockers were solid. Rear towers were spotless. Every question I asked the guy came with a good answer but the car seemed to disagree with it all. And the driver's seat foam was collapsed. Sent from a flagged XT1254 Tyler/T-Unit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted November 19, 2016 Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 Great story, not to mention the part it was rumored to have in the 83 Corvette. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_V6_engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padgett Posted November 19, 2016 Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 OK, 198cid, whadayawant from memory ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampuppy1 Posted November 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Well it's been done. The Buick was everything I had expected it to be. Great shape, pics were very recent. Body is really clean. Rear windows don't work and the sunroof relay clicks in and out a bunch on the return trip so it closes in spurts. Other than that I have a check engine light to track down, struts to replace and an air bag light to track down and a thorough cleaning. Last time I did a thorough cleaning I spent six hours detailing the Grand Prix at the fire department in a rain storm since we are allowed to use the open bay. So far I've put a full tank of premium in it, logged 10psi of boost, and hit the governor. I tossed a spectre cone filter on the throttle body just for shit's and giggles. It whines like a rich prep school girl. Sent from a flagged XT1254 Tyler/T-Unit Imp558, '93RegalGS3800 and primergray 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'93RegalGS3800 Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Welcome to the Buick Mafia. What our cars lack in styling we make up for in sheer performance. Enjoy and look after that awesome GS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampuppy1 Posted November 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 With the minimal amount of rust on it I'm actually tempted to see if anyone spots can be repaired. The underside is one of those things that can't be though. I wash my stuff on the regular and it will be garaged. I have heat in there too so that should help slow the rust down immensely. It performs well as it is. I'm thinking synthetic oil change, plugs, wires, and a clean up today. Sent from a flagged XT1254 Tyler/T-Unit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padgett Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 That is a nice, clean looking car & should give you a lot of fun. I try to avoid rev limiters since you lose power for a second or two. BTW style is a matter of taste, personally prefer the lack of cladding though a trunk handle is a nice thing to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nas Escobar Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Congrats on your purchase. I completely missed this thread but these Regal GS's are real sleepers. They don't look like much but they can be made as such. You should do the ZZP filter mod instead of just throwing on a cone filter on it. There are some knock offs of that design to I think. It's basically an intake like the modern cars get from K&N with the intake wall to block off hot air from the engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padgett Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 (edited) If you want bad styling have never been able to take the turbo grand nationals. Fast but when I went to a meet at Dennis Kirban's it looked like a line of black government cars. This is a whole lot better looking. Edited November 21, 2016 by Padgett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted November 22, 2016 Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 That car looks nice, IMO those rims aren't a great fit for that car, or ANY car for that matter but I really like the color combination on that GS. If you're doing maintenance to it look through the forum and the FAQ section for replacing the SC oil. It doesn't get checked or replaced often enough by most people. As a bonus you get to do fun pranks with the old stuff since used SC oil has a horrible aroma all it's own. It also might be a good idea to pop the SC belt and see if the coupling is sloppy, the coupling is just a few bucks at RockAuto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampuppy1 Posted November 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 Congrats on your purchase. I completely missed this thread but these Regal GS's are real sleepers. They don't look like much but they can be made as such. You should do the ZZP filter mod instead of just throwing on a cone filter on it. There are some knock offs of that design to I think. It's basically an intake like the modern cars get from K&N with the intake wall to block off hot air from the engine. The cone filter is definitely not my favorite due to the IAT sensor just hanging out all by it's lonesome, but it will work for the time being. That car looks nice, IMO those rims aren't a great fit for that car, or ANY car for that matter but I really like the color combination on that GS. If you're doing maintenance to it look through the forum and the FAQ section for replacing the SC oil. It doesn't get checked or replaced often enough by most people. As a bonus you get to do fun pranks with the old stuff since used SC oil has a horrible aroma all it's own. It also might be a good idea to pop the SC belt and see if the coupling is sloppy, the coupling is just a few bucks at RockAuto. I hate the wheels. They're a great fit for winter. And that's about it. I'm probably going to end up buying a decent set of new ones or if I'm lucky before next spring, I'll find a set of they style I want in good shape on Craigslist. Funny you mention the s/c oil. I asked the kid about it before I drove it and he looked at me like a puppy that didn't understand what you're saying. He didn't even know they had oil in them. The snout looks new. And there's a funky smell under the hood and an oily slightly sticky substance on that side of the engine. I'm taking a fairly educated guess that the snout bearing went out, took out the seal, puked the oil and Grenaded spectacularly. He got it fixed at the dealer, and put it up cheap figuring the car was a pile. He didn't even look to be more than 18. It was his first car, and it had a recent oil change sticker. His family doesn't do anything automotive but drive from what I had seen. No tools or boxes in the garage. I'll be checking quite a few things this week. I'll get a build thread up and link it here and in the GP GT build for you guys and get some more pics and details. And put this thread to bed since it is no longer necessary. Sent from a flagged XT1254 Tyler/T-Unit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted November 22, 2016 Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 Pull the plug on the snout and smell inside the snout. New oil has little aroma, old oil will possibility make you vomit, lol. It's bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampuppy1 Posted November 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 I've smelled a four week old dead body in the summer and held my lunch. Sincerely doubt old s/c oil will make me vomit. If it does, well I've found the new nastiest smell in the universe hahaha! Link to build thread. https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ew-body%2Ecom%2Findex%2Ephp%3F%2Ftopic%2F55358-T-Unit%27s-Boosted-Buick%2E-AKA-The-Granny-Slapper&share_tid=55358&share_fid=5731&share_type=t T-Unit's Boosted Buick. AKA The Granny Slapper Sent from a flagged XT1254 Tyler/T-Unit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 olds vert Posted November 22, 2016 Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 Ive changed the fluid on a couple of SC cars, and it never bothered me at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampuppy1 Posted November 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 S/c is good. Light brown/yellow and clear. Sent from a flagged XT1254 Tyler/T-Unit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted November 23, 2016 Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 How does it taste? it should taste sweet if it's good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 olds vert Posted November 23, 2016 Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 It doesn't taste good at all Imp558 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cully77 Posted November 23, 2016 Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 Congrats on the purchase! Enjoy it-- Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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