pontiacjeff Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 Hello. In my quest for the ultimate FWD GP, I am building a '95 GTP 3.4DOHC turbo. I always loved the styling of the 94-96 B4U Grand Prix, so when I had the chance to buy a somewhat worn GTP for 500.00, I couldn't pass it up. However, the target 450+HP will never be effectively harnessed in a FWD platform. So I have cut the car apart and am doing a RWD conversion. Using a Firebird 3.1 700r4 transmission and '91 Corvette IRS, I am building the car the way GM should have. (Actually GM Performance built an '89 Regal RWD using the Vette stuff and a 3.8 GN turbo engine, which is where I got the idea). I originally planned to use the '95 engine, but have recently acquired a '96. I have finished modifying the floorpan and front cradle, steering, struts (97-up, switched sides to move steering to the front), and the engine and trans are mounted in the car. I will soon start to cut apart the rear to build a sub-frame for the IRS. The only pictures I have yet are very dark, and too big to post here. I'll get some new ones soon and keep posting as things progress. Any questions or comments are appreciated and can be posted here or e-mail me directly at tech@engineered.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt_Crank Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 Hello. In my quest for the ultimate FWD GP if you change it to RWD, it won't be the ultimate FWP GP besides, with a nicely tuned turbo 3.4 you can hit 400HP easy on the FWD.... http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5810 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heza Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 wow...im getting a chubby at the thought of a turbo RWD GP. aah...pictures pictures pictures!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt_Crank Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 wow...im getting a chubby at the thought of a turbo RWD GP. aah...pictures pictures pictures!!! you'd have to basically rebuild the bottom half of the car + bonnet and re-route the exhaust Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfewtrail Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 Hello. In my quest for the ultimate FWD GP if you change it to RWD, it won't be the ultimate FWP GP besides, with a nicely tuned turbo 3.4 you can hit 400HP easy on the FWD.... http://www.w-body.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5810 I think he's fully aware of power outputs and feasibility of different options being that he owns a performance shop and I think it's sweet you're converting to RWD now, I might have to drive out that way to check it out sometime and maybe dyno my GTP in stock trim to see what it will put down...also might be needing some help w/ my 93 once I get it all back together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heza Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 wow...im getting a chubby at the thought of a turbo RWD GP. aah...pictures pictures pictures!!! you'd have to basically rebuild the bottom half of the car + bonnet and re-route the exhaust with time and money everything is possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt_Crank Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 wow...im getting a chubby at the thought of a turbo RWD GP. aah...pictures pictures pictures!!! you'd have to basically rebuild the bottom half of the car + bonnet and re-route the exhaust with time and money everything is possible you could also drop in Chevy's FWD modded LS1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontiacjeff Posted July 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 if you change it to RWD, it won't be the ultimate FWP GP Yeah I realized after I posted that that it didn't make sense. Though it IS a FWD car, by design, just not anymore. besides, with a nicely tuned turbo 3.4 you can hit 400HP easy on the FWD.... But the trans won't last. And it's hard to hook-up on the street or track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt_Crank Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 slap a Getrag 284 or even a 282 with proper mods, or the auto-tranny Chev. sells with it's 350 Lumina, and it'll hold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted July 23, 2003 Report Share Posted July 23, 2003 a 284 can handle 400hp btw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt_Crank Posted July 24, 2003 Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 isn't that just on paper, though? the 282 is rated for less, and people are pumping 400HP through 'em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted July 24, 2003 Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 all of the getrag gearboxes are comparible to like powerglides, they can handle a lot. i mean i am running maybe 240hp to the crank, and i shift way hard. 7200 slammed into 2nd with a very very very fast clutch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted July 24, 2003 Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 Why bother with a 3.4 if you're going to make it RWD? An LS1 will give you a lot more bang for the buck and it's already configured for RWD. A turbo LS1 will waste a turbo 3.4 any day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontiacjeff Posted July 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 b/c I have it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmokesGTP Posted July 24, 2003 Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 Great idea, I hope it all works out. Show everyone what the GP should have been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted July 24, 2003 Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 but a turbo 3.4 will have no problem taking out a stock LS1, if your 3.4 is running good with semi-high boost(8-12psi) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWeb80 Posted July 24, 2003 Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 Geeeez, how often have i dreamed of this. I was just thinking of this the other day and Oh how i wish i had the time, money, and skill to do this. Can you say Chubby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted July 24, 2003 Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 Geeeez, how often have i dreamed of this. I was just thinking of this the other day and Oh how i wish i had the time, money, and skill to do this. Can you say Chubby thats normal, we all do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt_Crank Posted July 24, 2003 Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 but a turbo 3.4 will have no problem taking out a stock LS1, if your 3.4 is running good with semi-high boost(8-12psi) only if it's intercooled to waste a stock Vette, with a W you need more quite a bit more than what the LS1 puts out, since it the W is heavier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperRed90TGp Posted July 25, 2003 Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 Never knew there were guy's that would go through so much work. You must be a glutten for punishment. :?: But what ever turn's you on. Good luck with such a major project. Let us know how it turns out. Jud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontiacjeff Posted July 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 Never knew there were guy's that would go through so much work. You must be a glutten for punishment. Jud No just want to have something no one else has. I love to build things, too. I can't wait til the first time I pull up and drive around the water box, as most FWD'ers do. Then, as I back up into the water, peolpe start to scratch their heads. Hmmmm, what the... then smoke begins to billow from under the rear wheel arches. I release the line-lock and the car drifts slightly right at first, then left, then hooks-up with a screech, "IRP". What's next? How 'bout a 12-flat at 120mph? All from a "FWD" Grand Prix. Sorry, it's late and I just finished 4 hours of fabrication on it. I built the rear subframe which will mount the Corvette IRS. Tomorrow I start cutting out the rear sheetmetal to fit it in place. Pictures are coming, I promise. The lighting in the shop stinks. As soon as it rolls I will move it outside and get some pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfewtrail Posted July 25, 2003 Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 bring it to the ATL dragway when it's done so I won't have to drive out towards atl to see it run....commerce is only a little over 30 mins away from me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted July 25, 2003 Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 No just want to have something no one else has. I wouldn't say "no one else". I know of at least 2 RWD GP's, a RWD Cutlass Supreme, and an RWD Lumina. Someone just mentioned a Regal (I've never seen that one), so I guess there's one of them out there too. The GP and Lumina I saw looked stupid because they had to elongate the front clip to accommodate the big block V8. The Cutlass was nicely done, if I remember right (correct dimensions). They are all coupes though, you'd have a true one of a kind if you did this to a 4dr. I've had sick thoughts of doing this too, after seeing that C5 Corvette completely drivetrain on Ebay. That would have fit perfectly because it wouldn't need hardly any transmission hump due to the tranny being in the rear axle, and probably wouldn't have needed as much torsional bracing due to the driveshaft being enclosed in a fixed tube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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