So it's been a while...
Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 2:41 pm
And I still have my Acura. Mods have been fairly light so far but I installed a CAI, a set of Tein Green 1.5" lowering springs at all 4 corners and have added a rear roof spoiler and trunk lip spoiler. I have grand plans to supercharge it and do a full exhaust from "headers" (The TL's headers aren't like traditional headers) to exit. Also going to find a set of 19s for it that I like.
But anyway, my brother and I started a project together that brings me back to this forum.
We recently picked up a 2001 Grand Prix GTP Daytona Pace car (Funny really as it was to commemorate the 2000 Daytona pace car).
The car had been owned by a friend of the family since new up until his passing several years ago. His daughter inherited all of his cars (Including a 69 Plymouth GTX original Hemi car, a blown WS6 Firebird and a 66 big block Baracuda). The cars pretty much all sat, albeit in a climate controlled garage, for the last several years.
We were recently at her house visiting and my brother and I hit her up semi jokingly to sell us the GP and the Firebird. She started talking numbers. For obvious reasons, she wasn't willing to come off either Mopar as they were both cars her dad had bought brand new and owned their whole lives. But everything else was up for discussion. Definitely some nice stuff in his collection...86 and 87 Buick Grand Nationals, 2 Typhoons and 1 Syclone, a 1985 Corvette with the engine out of yet another Typhoon, a 69 SS/RS Camaro, several 90s Vettes...
But we were only interested in those 2. My brother wanted to drag race the WS6 and the GP was sort of a novelty. Not to mention we were thinking of flipping it to my brother's boss who is a GP nut and already has one GP GTP Daytona car.
So numbers settled, we picked up the cars a few days later and head straight to my brother's shop.
Cracking the hood on the GP revealed that Gary, the dad, had already done some mods.
Headers, full cat-less exhaust (3" pipe to a pair of 3"in/out Flowmasters, coil packs (MSD), FWI and battery relocation to the trunk.
So my brother and I started debating and decided to drag the GP as well. That being decided, we ended up pulling the heads and sending them out along with the SC and the lower to be fully extrude honed, cleaned up and polished and a new teflon coating put on the SC vanes.
Once that was done, the top end was re-assembled using a set of SLP's 1.8 rockers, a Comp Cams cam, roller rockers and pushrods along with new LS6 springs and GM timing chain set.
A Thrasher 3.0" pulley was installed on the SC.
While the top end was out, the block was sent to the machine shop. A set of Carillo H-Beam rods were matched up to a *new* (local parts shop had a brand new GM crank still sealed in the box .00 rods .00 mains...) crank and a set of Diamond forged 9.5:1 .20 over pistons and balanced accordingly. The block was bored, checked, de-burred and then a full compliment of ARP stubs installed top and bottom.
We are still in the process of buttoning everything back up and have had to split time between the GP and the Firebird.
The goal with the GP is to run full on E85 or E100 with a sponsorship from a local Ethanol producer. Needless to say, the electronics, injectors, fuel delivery are next on the list but I am not entirely sure we will have this one wrapped up before the end of the season. Plus I have some other obligations coming up that I can't shirk.
Most of our efforts have been on the Firebird as in its previous form, was pulling low 10s in the quarter. And my brother tends to favor the blown small block/rear wheel drive. Since he is invested in the GP and I have no money into the Firebird, he isn't as focused on the GP as I have been.
Fortunately, my wife has been very understanding with this return to an old hobby. Especially after her outright hatred for my Bonneville.
Anyway, just though I would pop in and let everyone know what I have been up to.
Hope all is well with everyone.
But anyway, my brother and I started a project together that brings me back to this forum.
We recently picked up a 2001 Grand Prix GTP Daytona Pace car (Funny really as it was to commemorate the 2000 Daytona pace car).
The car had been owned by a friend of the family since new up until his passing several years ago. His daughter inherited all of his cars (Including a 69 Plymouth GTX original Hemi car, a blown WS6 Firebird and a 66 big block Baracuda). The cars pretty much all sat, albeit in a climate controlled garage, for the last several years.
We were recently at her house visiting and my brother and I hit her up semi jokingly to sell us the GP and the Firebird. She started talking numbers. For obvious reasons, she wasn't willing to come off either Mopar as they were both cars her dad had bought brand new and owned their whole lives. But everything else was up for discussion. Definitely some nice stuff in his collection...86 and 87 Buick Grand Nationals, 2 Typhoons and 1 Syclone, a 1985 Corvette with the engine out of yet another Typhoon, a 69 SS/RS Camaro, several 90s Vettes...
But we were only interested in those 2. My brother wanted to drag race the WS6 and the GP was sort of a novelty. Not to mention we were thinking of flipping it to my brother's boss who is a GP nut and already has one GP GTP Daytona car.
So numbers settled, we picked up the cars a few days later and head straight to my brother's shop.
Cracking the hood on the GP revealed that Gary, the dad, had already done some mods.
Headers, full cat-less exhaust (3" pipe to a pair of 3"in/out Flowmasters, coil packs (MSD), FWI and battery relocation to the trunk.
So my brother and I started debating and decided to drag the GP as well. That being decided, we ended up pulling the heads and sending them out along with the SC and the lower to be fully extrude honed, cleaned up and polished and a new teflon coating put on the SC vanes.
Once that was done, the top end was re-assembled using a set of SLP's 1.8 rockers, a Comp Cams cam, roller rockers and pushrods along with new LS6 springs and GM timing chain set.
A Thrasher 3.0" pulley was installed on the SC.
While the top end was out, the block was sent to the machine shop. A set of Carillo H-Beam rods were matched up to a *new* (local parts shop had a brand new GM crank still sealed in the box .00 rods .00 mains...) crank and a set of Diamond forged 9.5:1 .20 over pistons and balanced accordingly. The block was bored, checked, de-burred and then a full compliment of ARP stubs installed top and bottom.
We are still in the process of buttoning everything back up and have had to split time between the GP and the Firebird.
The goal with the GP is to run full on E85 or E100 with a sponsorship from a local Ethanol producer. Needless to say, the electronics, injectors, fuel delivery are next on the list but I am not entirely sure we will have this one wrapped up before the end of the season. Plus I have some other obligations coming up that I can't shirk.
Most of our efforts have been on the Firebird as in its previous form, was pulling low 10s in the quarter. And my brother tends to favor the blown small block/rear wheel drive. Since he is invested in the GP and I have no money into the Firebird, he isn't as focused on the GP as I have been.
Fortunately, my wife has been very understanding with this return to an old hobby. Especially after her outright hatred for my Bonneville.
Anyway, just though I would pop in and let everyone know what I have been up to.
Hope all is well with everyone.
