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Hey all. I got this car soley as a gift. They wanted it out of they driveway, so for the cost of a jersey title, I am now the owner of a 1988 firebird 2.8. First things first....it has a k&n filter and flomaster catback, and that is it. It got some pep, but not really...Non-posi, smokes like crazy at any speed, has 157,000 miles on it, and has exhuast leaks at the manifolds...Hood latch is broken, trunk latch is broken, no pistons work for the hood or trunk, doors sag and got the jersey cancer real bad...no tires match...lol..the list can go on for days, but those are the major concerns...Break lines are rotted out, but that is kinda easy for me to repair...
I am a buick guy at heart, having owned 5 grand nationals in 8 years, but $$$ was real tight when I got my house, so the last two GN's had to go...I cleaned out the driveway, and now this thing landed right in their spot!!!!!
I have TONS of buick stuff lying around, including several used turbochargers and other little odds and ends, so It got my gears grinding...
First things first.....
With NO cash to find a donor car and swap out for an LT1 or better.....Is it worth rebuilding the 2.8.....I teach autoshop in a high school in jersey, and tools and a lift are never a problem, however, is the 2.8 a good engine to massively beat on? I was considering rebuilding the heads at a very cheap price at a local shop, opening them up a bit and adding some larger valves, possibly a cam if I can find one, injectors???, and of course, dropping one of my spare turbochargers on a custom exhaust manifold that I could weld up at the cost of a flange and some tubing....
My delima? can i get injectors larger than stock? Is there a chip or someone who can alter the comp for some mods like this? IS it worth it????
Heads would cost me 500 to port polish and rebuild from a close friend, with includes the valve job and springs....
Turbo is free, welding is free, and all labor would mostly be me...so? what do I do? just leave it on the side of the house till i think i can drop 5 grand into it and just do the LS1 when I have that $$$, or is it feesible to go out with a fun little project, without catostrophic failure the first time out?
Anyone ever do this before????
thanks so much everyone!!!
John
I am a buick guy at heart, having owned 5 grand nationals in 8 years, but $$$ was real tight when I got my house, so the last two GN's had to go...I cleaned out the driveway, and now this thing landed right in their spot!!!!!
I have TONS of buick stuff lying around, including several used turbochargers and other little odds and ends, so It got my gears grinding...
First things first.....
With NO cash to find a donor car and swap out for an LT1 or better.....Is it worth rebuilding the 2.8.....I teach autoshop in a high school in jersey, and tools and a lift are never a problem, however, is the 2.8 a good engine to massively beat on? I was considering rebuilding the heads at a very cheap price at a local shop, opening them up a bit and adding some larger valves, possibly a cam if I can find one, injectors???, and of course, dropping one of my spare turbochargers on a custom exhaust manifold that I could weld up at the cost of a flange and some tubing....
My delima? can i get injectors larger than stock? Is there a chip or someone who can alter the comp for some mods like this? IS it worth it????
Heads would cost me 500 to port polish and rebuild from a close friend, with includes the valve job and springs....
Turbo is free, welding is free, and all labor would mostly be me...so? what do I do? just leave it on the side of the house till i think i can drop 5 grand into it and just do the LS1 when I have that $$$, or is it feesible to go out with a fun little project, without catostrophic failure the first time out?
Anyone ever do this before????
thanks so much everyone!!!
John
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