Thread: 80s rebuild project ideas?

There is no EASY swap to put a S2 3800 into any older rwd car. I did this to my 86 Cutlass back in 03 and last summer built Chodys 85 GN with a S2 3800 engine. I found a fairly simply mount solution but nothing is a direct bolt-in. For trans you might as well plan to start from scratch because there was nothing offered that will work except for the f-body and S series trucks that came with a 2.5 I4 or the 2.8/3.1 V6. The older 3.8 buick engines were all the older BOP style bellhousing which will not work with a newer S2 3800 engine as they use a fwd style bellhousing. I used 4L60E transmissions in both cars above and they are both more than capable to handle low 10 second power. The only trans that you will find to fit would be a 700R4 and the I4 and V6 offerings were very de-tuned and would be toast in a very short matter of time so they would need to be built right off the bat, and if you are going to spend rebuild money then a 4L60E is a nicer choice as it is electronic and you can control shifts with a tuner, not have to drop the pan and pull the governor back out 20 times until you are happy! 95+ 3800 F-body headers can be made to fit but the only thing available are 1.5" primary tubes and the Pacesetters that I am using on my cutlass are pure garbage and the tubes dont line up to the heads so I spent a great deal of time with them for better sealing and port match up. You will also need a good rearend as almost all of the cars you are looking at came with a 7.5" 10 bolt which arent the greatest and even when built up will break with a lot of torque fed into them-which is what an M90 setup will do! The 442s, T-types and GNs from the 85-87 vintage came with a 8.5" 10 bolt rearend and with a better diff and axles the are plenty stout to handle what you will throw at it. There are plenty of guys with GNs getting well into the low 10/ high 9 second territory just with upgraded axles and diff. If you plan to use the M90 be prepered for LOTS of fabrication to make it fit on any rwd platform because there just isnt much of any room from the inlet of the blower to the firewall. A turbo setup gets rid of that problem and you can use a 95+ S2 3800 Fbody intake but then you are left with custom headers and turbo piping. When all of that is out of the way then you are left with lots of custom wiring.... Let the FUN begin!!!

Originally Posted by Trannyman95

There is no EASY swap to put a S2 3800 into any older rwd car. I did this to my 86 Cutlass back in 03 and last summer built Chodys 85 GN with a S2 3800 engine. I found a fairly simply mount solution but nothing is a direct bolt-in. For trans you might as well plan to start from scratch because there was nothing offered that will work except for the f-body and S series trucks that came with a 2.5 I4 or the 2.8/3.1 V6. The older 3.8 buick engines were all the older BOP style bellhousing which will not work with a newer S2 3800 engine as they use a fwd style bellhousing. I used 4L60E transmissions in both cars above and they are both more than capable to handle low 10 second power. The only trans that you will find to fit would be a 700R4 and the I4 and V6 offerings were very de-tuned and would be toast in a very short matter of time so they would need to be built right off the bat, and if you are going to spend rebuild money then a 4L60E is a nicer choice as it is electronic and you can control shifts with a tuner, not have to drop the pan and pull the governor back out 20 times until you are happy! 95+ 3800 F-body headers can be made to fit but the only thing available are 1.5" primary tubes and the Pacesetters that I am using on my cutlass are pure garbage and the tubes dont line up to the heads so I spent a great deal of time with them for better sealing and port match up. You will also need a good rearend as almost all of the cars you are looking at came with a 7.5" 10 bolt which arent the greatest and even when built up will break with a lot of torque fed into them-which is what an M90 setup will do! The 442s, T-types and GNs from the 85-87 vintage came with a 8.5" 10 bolt rearend and with a better diff and axles the are plenty stout to handle what you will throw at it. There are plenty of guys with GNs getting well into the low 10/ high 9 second territory just with upgraded axles and diff. If you plan to use the M90 be prepered for LOTS of fabrication to make it fit on any rwd platform because there just isnt much of any room from the inlet of the blower to the firewall. A turbo setup gets rid of that problem and you can use a 95+ S2 3800 Fbody intake but then you are left with custom headers and turbo piping. When all of that is out of the way then you are left with lots of custom wiring.... Let the FUN begin!!!

thank the lord you stepped into this thread. i would love to put a series II into a g-body, but if it is that much work then i am more than willing to not participate in this project.

it has always been a dream of mine to have an ls1 GTA.

if my cam setup doesnt go into my car as is then i will just sell it off an let it be. if someone would liek to help me out with this swap then i would be more than willing.

will overkill, you are my last hope. i love you man.

i have been drinking....for a while...

Yeah an LS1 swap into anything would be easier than a fwd bellhousing S2 3800 hands down because there is so much support and aftermarket for them

Originally Posted by Bio248

if my cam setup doesnt go into my car as is then i will just sell it off an let it be.

Say it ain't so! That cam must be cursed, you're what, the third owner? And the damned thing still has never been installed!