Ok givin up FWD but keeping the car

[Jake B. (Killer Quad)]

yup this die hard front driver has givin up! My 91 GA was a screemer at low 12's but after coultless repairs and this last major motor failer I give up and am getting rid of everything but the chassis!

Now decisions? small block or big block? chevy or Pontiac blower or nitrous? gas or alcohol?
ok i am more or less et on one thing! BIG BLOCK in the 91 Grand Am!!!!

just had to vent kinda pissed at what I have wasted over the past 4 years I could have a 8 sec car by now! :alcoholic

[Syclone0044]

What caused the last motor to fail and in what manner did it fail?

Sorry to hear of your misfortune, Jake.

[Jake B. (Killer Quad)]

either the head gasket blew dumping water in with the n2o busting all the ringsa and bending the pistons or i put too much n2o in and it busted the rings and blew the gasket either way f this and its big block time

[GTSLOW]

its big block time

Awsome!!! I can't wait to see this thing done. Have you considered an LS1, I think that would be FAWKING awsome!

[Prince Valiant]

Please...anything but an LS1 :punch: :goof

In all the years I've seen that thing race (first time I recall was in 93 when I had the Daytona Shelby Z at GLD all the time...) you've always been different...so with that, yeah, a poncho 455 powered GA would be very very cool, or even better, a 500 caddy or 455 buick would be pretty darn cool too...but very very definitely a big block.

[turbogarrett]

so what's wrong with an ls1?

[BAD LS1]

so what's wrong with an ls1?

Too much technology for some :goof

[Prince Valiant]

so what's wrong with an ls1?
Nothing. Great great motor.

Alot of people, including yourself have done or are doing the swap...it's not as popular as say a 350 in place of a 250 I6, and will likely never be, as it is still a fairly complicated and involved swap as far as swaps go. The people who perform them should be comended...

but I guess if I were in jake's shoes, yeah...the desire to go with pontiac power, IE a Pontiac 455. Again, it's JMO...

and if I really wanted to be different, as if doing a RWD conversion to a J-body isn't different enough, and wanted a non-pontiac powered car, then I'd lean to some lesser seen motor such as a caddy or a buick...both put out huge displacement with relative small size and wieght. Neither's aftermarket is particularly cheap, but go fast parts are out there a-plenty.

If I was saying something was wrong with an LS1 though, I'd name the problems...however I was just stating the desire to see something other than an LS1 swap.

[PB86MCSS]

Too much technology for some

Or maybe you could go faster for cheaper with some other motors :-P

Not that its going to be cheap or easy anyways...

I'm 99% sure GA's are not j-bodies...not trying to get picky ;).
I also think keepin' it all Poncho would be cool. But the bigger the engine there might be some real problems with firewall interference too...remember that Caddy 500 in a Chevette in Car Craft a few years back or such. Thing was well into the interior. :stare

[BAD LS1]

Or maybe you could go faster for cheaper with some other motors :-P

Not that its going to be cheap or easy anyways...

I'm 99% sure GA's are not j-bodies...not trying to get picky ;).
I also think keepin' it all Poncho would be cool. But the bigger the engine there might be some real problems with firewall interference too...remember that Caddy 500 in a Chevette in Car Craft a few years back or such. Thing was well into the interior. :stare

It was a freindly jab at our freind Chris who will hold his carb clutched in his grasp till the day he dies :goof

The LS1 by no means is easy, CHEAP hp. Everything LS1 cost about 10x more than normal SBC parts. If hes gonna go for a rwd conversion and wanst to go fast, the best, easiest way to his goal would be a simple carbed, big inch motor in a super light car like what hes got.

Plus hes already got a LS1 that runs 12's in show room stock condition :shades

[Prince Valiant]

It was a freindly jab at our freind Chris who will hold his carb clutched in his grasp till the day he dies :goof And one of these days i'll teach you that going with the cheap carbs leaves LOTS more money for the top-notch and disease free prostitutes...that's why I love em man! :goof

[Rocket Power]

.

I'm 99% sure GA's are not j-bodies...not trying to get picky ;).

You're right they're N-bodies :D

[Rocket Power]

It's a Calais, but it's the same body as the Grand Am :burnout

http://www.nhra.com/2002/events/race04/photos/photo36.jpg

[Lash]

^ sweet!! I could totally see Jake in that!


Whatever you decide on Jake.... I'm sure it will be fast as hell. Good luck man!

[Jake B. (Killer Quad)]

Well the idea of keeping it Pontiac is just a thought right now, most likely I will be using a chevy big block, for money reasons. This project will surely include moving the firewall, big tubs, and pleanty of creative fabricating to keep the car going str8 and level! My dad keeps sayin small block but naa why this is an all out nuts race car! I want 8's well ok 9's will do for now.

There are a handfull of GA's out there converted but I have only seen 1 in the 8's or maybe low 9's all I want is single digits and a fun car to race!

Step one is find a block then start setting up the car once we figure how everything will fit the motor get built! so it has begun goal is spring of '06 :goof