wayyyy off commodores.

[PUSHIN]

just curious, as to if anyone knows anything about the Buick Grand Nationals. all i wanna know is EXACTLY what engine they have. its a 3.8, but is it the same as in vn-vr commies? i'd like a grand national (As my vn is a bitch) but not sure if its worth spending the 10-15k getting a rolling shell imported, and then not being allowed to drive it on my p's cause it has the wrong engine.. so if someone could please tell me exactly what engine they got?(i googled it, but where i looked wouldnt tell me what i wanted)

[TVR-190]

Buick GNX is my dream car


depends on the model. if i remember right there is a

3.8 V6

and a 3.8L with a Garrett Turbocharger

[PUSHIN]

i knows, they sexy as! lol. imagine seein p's on one of them, youd think hes payin that off for 20 years. OR his mummy and daddy got too much cash :P but nah, any money going to my cars from here on is MY money, cant have turbo, so i need the standard one, but the 3.8 v6, is it the same as the 3800 found in vn-vr's?

edit: oh, but i dont want GNX. just grand national gnx's are FAR too expensive. plus im sure that nearly every gnx around still has its turbo, if not a better one which rules it out, and even a rolling gnx would prob cost me 20k before getting it here lol. gonna stick with the grand national, worked out i might be able to get it here for less then 15k, then just needa drop in a box, and put in an engine. (which if its the same as in the vn-vr commies, i'll spend 8k on the sre stage 5 "racing" engine with 180 rwkw, which i've been told with a 10 psi supercharger will push out to about 260 odd, but i have been told to up pistons so it will hold a better supercharger.)

[PUSHIN]

minus all the turbo bullshit..

by lookin at that.. i really cant tell as its got a turbo, so i dunno weather the intake is coming or going compared to my engine.. just needa know if i could get one imported, and drop an engine from a commy in it and get away with it on my p's (because far as i know, in victoria NO engine conversions are allowed on probationary license.)

[TVR-190]

doesnt look too much different, front facing throttle body, could probly get in a vn-vr v6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HiPvqRgTBU

[PUSHIN]

okay just found out, the grand nationals, gnx's, regals, etc etc ran off a "LD5", where as the commies ran off a "LN3" now apparently i am not allowed to drive a car with an engine conversion (Even if its a vn with a 202 in it.. if this is true, stupid law. but arent they all) so, this "ld5" engine, are they easy to find in australia? or will this just be a problem car.

[TVR-190]

i cant think of any car itd be in. just import a turbo version and wait til ur off p's

or get exemption itll be soooo worth it

[ScoHar]

okay just found out, the grand nationals, gnx's, regals, etc etc ran off a "LD5", where as the commies ran off a "LN3" now apparently i am not allowed to drive a car with an engine conversion (Even if its a vn with a 202 in it.. if this is true, stupid law. but arent they all) so, this "ld5" engine, are they easy to find in australia? or will this just be a problem car.

Would anyone even know the difference between LD5 and LN3? they're both 231ci V6 GM motors. I guess it would be like putting a series 1 VN engine into a series 2 VN, if you catch my drift.

Dunno if it makes any difference, but I get gasket sets from the states that suit 231ci V6 and use them on Holdens.

then again, why don't you just import one with the engine still in place?

[PUSHIN]

exemption? yeah but when i get roadworthy an they check numbers they'll bring it up, and when the cops see a p plater in that thing, they'll immediately be up my ass runnin my plates and be like ohnos, engine conversion. your ****d buddy an i'll be like OFFICER! YOUS ALREADY GOT MY GOOD BONG! WHAT MORE YOU WANT!? :P

[PUSHIN]

how bout i just post about engine conversions in the "ask the copper" thread?

[stocky]

just buy a turbo one, build it for a few years until youre off your Ps, then drive it. noones really going to care whether or not there is a P plate on it. people will still be impressed either way.
wonder what insurance would be like on it with Ps

[ScoHar]

Yea im not so clued up on OZ laws, but you'd get away with it over here, gee you could even get away with a turbo conversion without most giving a f**k.

Why don't you just get a regal, pretty sure they came out with LN3 engines.

[PUSHIN]

yeah but i want my car that i got on my p's to have atleast 6k inside the engine, so i can put a turbo or supercharger on it soon as i get my full license. and i'll have like. a wikkkkked 6 :P what if i just went stupid.. and spent like 25k, on one that needs a paint job or something, WITH a turbo, and just pull the ****er off? (i originally planned to spend another 20k on my vn over the next 3 years anyway. so if i sell the vn to my girlfriend or a mate for like 1,500 or something.. then just save up the rest.. and buy some stupidly insane car and pull the turbo off it..) <<-- thats the stupidest idea i have EVER come up with.. but hey, im the dude who had his heart set on: rebuilding the engine in the vn with over 6 grand of parts, spending 3k on my interior, all the rest of it worked out i was lookin at minimum 20k ontop of the 5 already spent.. only thing that put me off that is my ecu shit its pants yesterday, and im gettin real fed up with the ****er.

[ScoHar]

removing a turbo or running an engine for turbo without turbo is crap to put it plain, you'll need to spend money to convert it to N/A which IMO is money not well spent. What are you allowed to do? Buy a go-cart and go racing that'll remedy your go fast bug.

And as for your policing question, are you allowed to use a series 2 motor in a series 1 car, i.e both vn? because im pretty sure series 1 motor is LN3, whereas series 2 motor is L27 (i think).

[PUSHIN]

yeah i dont mind spending money to convert it to n/a, i'd replace everything inside the engine (pistons, cam, roller rockers, etc etc) as i planned on spending over 7 grand on gettin the engine in my vn reconditioned to a "race" standard as they put it, so if i can spend 10k on the buick engine to make it push 170+ rwkw and not have turbo, i'd be happy.

it is silly, but its the car i wanna have, and if my vn keeps playin up, its what i'll do HOWEVER. IF! My vn decides to be nice after i replace the ecu, i will keep it, for 10 years or more (unless i write it off) and i'll try get the buick in 4 years and make it a project car, and then i wont be driving it untill im off my p's.

[ScoHar]

For starters I would check to see if you could even import one on the road, as I know over here we have different standards for vehicles to be imported, otherwise they need a special certification (in other words 3 years LOL) Plus being LHD might be a problem, there are lots of could be problems before I would start worrying about cops hitting me up about the engine, getting it into the country and upto standard will be the hard part.

[groberr]

im pretty sure that you can drive a car with an engine conversion on your ps in vic my mate has a vh with a buick in it. its in his name and he actualy went for his license in it. wat you cant do tho is put an older engine into a newer car because it has meet with the emission standards.

[PUSHIN]

ohk, well im thinkin now. fk it, ill keep the lemon (a.k.a edgar).. (a.k.a vn) lol.. even though its a dirty slut. i'll keep it. and spend a silly amount of money on it. by the end of it all, (doing the work myself) i should know the car pretty much back to front, making problems easier for me to fix. but uhhhh -.- ohwell, thanks anyways guys i'll wait till im 20/done with the vn, and worry about a buick then. lol cheers guys.