fastbird232 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Back in the w-body fold now that I've purchased a '94 Grand Prix SE sedan. Both of my previous cars had been coupes ('89 SE, '95 GTP), so I'm not really used to this column-shifted, front bench boat. First, the suspension is... geriatric. It sort of bounds and sways over bumps and around corners. What exactly went into the FE3 suspension, and can it be adapted to this car? The 3100. Tips on eeking a few more than the 160 horses I've been blessed with? I'm already balls deep in the blinker problem. I replaced two flasher modules and the TSS before I realized I had a burnt out bulb. Front bucket seats: direct bolt-in? HUD: easy install? Why are my brake lights on the bottom strip and the large upper area is used for my rear blinkers? When the hell did they do that? GTP hood: plug and play? HVAC knobs. GM dealer wants $20 apiece. Parts store grab bag doesn't have any that will fit. Need two. Heater blows smoke. Yes, smoke. Not sweet-smelling, coolant kind of smoke. I mean, acrid "what the fuck is on fire?" kind of smoke. Normal? Weight reduction: this thing is a heavy bastard. Or maybe the floaty suspension makes it feel that way. Can this car be put on a diet? Forgive the dumbass questions, but this thing is so far from my old LQ1-powered coupe that I can't really draw parallels between them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psych0matt Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 front buckets - bolt in (I have TGP seats in mine) GTP hood - bolt on HUD - easy if you're prewired and can cut a straight hole That's all I can comment on from the top of my head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virtuetovice Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Smoke is certainly not normal, my friend. Might be a good idea to get to the heater core and see what's on it. The HUD is a fun job regardless. If you gotta wire it in, that makes it even more fun. I'm sure between all of our treasure yard trips we can find you a set of knobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted to eaton Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 94 is way more common to be pre-wired. and there is not cutting needed pop the old cover off and pop the new hud cover on (its not the main dash bit the defrost panel... it all comes out in 94.. fe1 to fe3 Springs, struts, and swap bar. aweb rear stb is amazing so is a vert bar. 3100.. ob2 swap it and tune it and put CAI on it... or top swap it. put 3400 heads, bigger injectors, and intake brake lights... well it all depends on what year of car. get a set of GTP tails and flip em! heater knobs can be found cheap on ebay or on here car does not weigh much then the coupe (300-400 pounds) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white4d96 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) Suspension could be attributed to blown shocks maybe. Mine rides like you mentioned, but I have ridden in a 1st gen before that was semi-tight with 4 new shocks. HVAC knobs- junkyard is your best bet. I found a grab bag at Advance that had one of ours in it, but it was like $8 Heater- NOT normal. Unfortunately I have no clue what it could be though. Maybe check the blower motor? Brake lights- I swapped mine for the other version. It involved depinning the sockets, swapping them, and repinning them. Or you could cut and splice wires. The wire colors all line up, just the sockets are swapped. Sway bars and tower bars will make a big improvement as well. If you can weld or know someone that can, get a 1.5 gen rear sway bar and weld up some cage brackets to mount them. BIG difference. Oh, and for power, a large port topswap is good, a 3400/3500 swap is better. obd2 swap her and get HPtuners and get it running right, and do your supporting mods, and you will be sitting pretty. Edited January 23, 2011 by white4d96 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado_735 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 You should try daily driving a 1991 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight. It makes the handling in my GP feel like a sports car. As for the brake lights, fuck having to cut and splice wires. You can use a file to smooth down the little tabs on the bulb sockets that keep them from being used in different housings. If you go with the type of lamps that the guy above me has, look for a blank out panel in the yard. Seats are an easy swap, as well as if you swap in power leather (cutting and soldering may be required for that if your car isn't prewired for power seats). I don't know how hard it is to swap in a center console, Ken (Crazy K) would likely definitely know. Of course, front and rear STBs are a must. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twenty Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 The tail lights you're looking for (Without the light bar) are any, coupe or sedan, except for '94-'96/STE sedan tail lights. Any other GP will have the style you're after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteCarloChick Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Welcome back!!!!!!!!!! I've missed you!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 FASTBIRD!!! Great to see you!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BXX Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 How far do you wanna go into the handling department?? As for power, the stock smallport 3100 isnt gonna get you anywhere. Basic thing would be 3400 or largeport 3100 Intakes and TB, L36 injectors, Good CAI, Full 2.5" exhaust, OBD2 swap and tuned (HP Tuners) Hud, if prewired, is a 'bolt in' operation. If you need a HUD setup, I have a spare setup I might sell. The blowing smoke is prolly a fuxored blower motor or an issue with the blower motor resistor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbird232 Posted January 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Good to be back. This is my first car since last July when I had to sell my '05 PT Cruiser to pay for college. I picked it up for $500 from a former boss of mine who was ready to donate it to the Salvation Army, she said. Thing is, though, despite the 154,000 miles, there's nothing major wrong with it. It was a Florida car until about five years ago (so there's no rust), she bought it new and has every maintenance slip for it since then (she's the type that takes it to the garage at the slightest sign of trouble), it has 8-month-old tires all around, the fluids look like they were poured from the bottle yesterday (seriously), no dents or anything. The only problems were the blinkers being out (which I fixed with the TSS How-To; ten million internet points to whoever put that up), the wiper arms being stripped out (which is going to be a rather large pain in the ass this winter), and the smoke-filled interior when I turn on the heat. So yeah, a good find. I've been keeping an eye out for a good W-body lately, but really all I've found (apart from some horrendously modified/ruined second-gen GTPs) is a '93 GTP five-speed for $1500, but a laundry list of things that needed to be fixed just to drive it home. With a second daughter on the way, it was time to get serious about safe, reliable transportation, and with my good experiences with W-bodies, I couldn't pass this one up. I am interested in, how do I say, "GTP-ing" this sedan a little bit. I really loved that car, and would like to get this sedan more in its level. The tires are good, so I'm thinking about improving the suspension somewhat. I'll take a look at my options on STBs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbird232 Posted January 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) Yep, RPO for FE1 suspension. Definitely keeping an eye on the For Sale section from now on. EDIT: Oh, and I'd be interested in the HUD setup, but I'll want to check to see if I'm pre-wired for it. It's odd that I've got the switch and fuse for fog lamps, but no fog lamps. I'm assuming they wired me for HUD, but I'll double check. Edited January 23, 2011 by fastbird232 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penglii Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 On the sedans the fog lamps are in the center lightbar... unless the bulbs are burnt out you probably have them. Not really a great spot for foglamps, but they aren't the most useless I've ever seen either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWeb80 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Fastbird??!!!! is it really you?....my semi-nemesis? ....oh, and Larry the cable guy still loves you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWeb80 Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 hot damn.....it took some searching...but I found it!!!!!!!!!!! one of my old avatars!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbird232 Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Fastbird??!!!! is it really you?....my semi-nemesis? ....oh, and Larry the cable guy still loves you. Fuck you, Dan Whitney. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbird232 Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 On the sedans the fog lamps are in the center lightbar... unless the bulbs are burnt out you probably have them.Not really a great spot for foglamps, but they aren't the most useless I've ever seen either. Had no idea. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbird232 Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 The lady I bought the car from gave me a folder of all her maintenance slips since the car was bought. Aside from a ridiculous amount of parts replaced in the first year or so (alternators, ECMs, dozens of spark plugs, alignments, A/C compressors, etc), the one repair I was looking for was completed in 2001: intake manifold gasket replacement. Question: were the gaskets used in the repair the upgraded ones, in all likelihood? The coolant looks pristine, no sludge on the radiator cap, so I'm assuming so. During my w-body sabbatical, I worked at a quick lube, and something like a third to fully one half of all GM V6s that came in had some evidence of the manifold leak. Makes me paranoid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alec_b Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Just shine a flashlight down near where the LIM meets the heads. If it's a shiny silver gasket in there you're good, if it's black they're plastic and probably are due again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbird232 Posted January 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Just shine a flashlight down near where the LIM meets the heads. If it's a shiny silver gasket in there you're good, if it's black they're plastic and probably are due again. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white4d96 Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 I don't know how hard it is to swap in a center console Easy as pie. I used a gen 1.5 console which required some dash cutting, but if you use a GP console all you have to do is cut the carpet where the bolt holes are in back IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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