HEY, YOU! Come help me, I'm new :D!

[Northern04GpGT]

Hello, Forum. Happy Thursday. I, as you can tell by my username, own a 2004 GP GT1. It has a NA L26 3800 Series III engine. I'm 21 years old and really want to take care of this car and keep it mint and running well for years. I have aspirations to increase my car's performance and have come across Top Swapping time and time again. I've taken a look at the Stickies but can't seem to find this answer: Is it possible to swap the top of my 04 L26 engine with a L32 Supercharged? Is it more advantageous to do a top swap, or full engine swap?? Any insight is greatly appreciated since I'm incredibly fresh to the subject, Thanks!!

[ShadowSwept]

I plan on doing a topswap. Compression ratio for the N/A 3800 is higher so you'll get more power swapped. Not sure of any differences between L26 and L36 though.

Welcome to the forum!

[Sven the Sexman]

I recommend reading the Safely Modding Your 3800 Thread. It would definitely be a better idea to use the L32 supercharger also referred to as the Gen V because it will use your existing throttle body. Top swaps can be a pain and most people will recommend headers when the top swap is performed as well as a tune. Another route you might look into is turbo kits, but they're a whole other beast.

Welcome to the forum and hope you find the information you're after!

[Tuner-Extraordinaire]

Hello, Forum. Happy Thursday. I, as you can tell by my username, own a 2004 GP GT1. It has a NA L26 3800 Series III engine. I'm 21 years old and really want to take care of this car and keep it mint and running well for years. I have aspirations to increase my car's performance and have come across Top Swapping time and time again. I've taken a look at the Stickies but can't seem to find this answer: Is it possible to swap the top of my 04 L26 engine with a L32 Supercharged? Is it more advantageous to do a top swap, or full engine swap?? Any insight is greatly appreciated since I'm incredibly fresh to the subject, Thanks!!

Full swap is better.

Turbo is even better.

[ShadowSwept]

Full swap is better.

Turbo is even better.

Or there's this: http://www.grandprixforums.net/ever-seen-64065.html

Anyway, I think full swap is easier, but from everything I've read top-swap will get you more power. It just depends on whether or not that amount of power is worth the extra trouble to you.

[Northern04GpGT]

Thanks for the response! Is a higher or lower Compression rate better?? Still new to this lol :/

[Northern04GpGT]

I recommend reading the Safely Modding Your 3800 Thread. It would definitely be a better idea to use the L32 supercharger also referred to as the Gen V because it will use your existing throttle body. Top swaps can be a pain and most people will recommend headers when the top swap is performed as well as a tune. Another route you might look into is turbo kits, but they're a whole other beast.

Welcome to the forum and hope you find the information you're after!

Thanks for the info! To your knowledge, is it possible to do BOTH? Swap the top AND Turbo??

[Northern04GpGT]

Or there's this: http://www.grandprixforums.net/ever-seen-64065.html

Anyway, I think full swap is easier, but from everything I've read top-swap will get you more power. It just depends on whether or not that amount of power is worth the extra trouble to you.

Awesome! That looks sick, but where's the air filter? lol

[ShadowSwept]

Goes in front of the turbo, where you see the impeller. Not one installed in pick.

[ctracer]

you CAN top swap and turbo, thast what we call twincharging. but i have honestly yet to see a car thats twincharged make more power than a straight turbo car. (grand prix's anywyas)
if you plan on ever going turbo i would keep the l26 top end and then put a turbo kit on there, just know that a turbo kit is a lot of work for somebody new to cars. a full engine swap to an l32 along with 06+ pcm would be your best and safest bet, and you will be able to mod that to keep you happy.
welcome to the forums!

[1ATony]

Welcome to the site