WTSC Grand National

[MeanMike]

Seems all these pro-touring cars have a name of some sort. I've never had a name on a project, but it seems like fun. I was watching top gear (US) a few weeks ago when they had the GN on there and they called it a "white trash super car" and I though it was hilarious, so I'm stealing it. I might even get some "WTSC" quarter window stickers modeled after the old 4DSC stickers that came on Nissan Maximas years ago.

Onto the car. I originally built it for drag racing. I previously had mustangs that handled well and always wanted a purpose built drag car. The grass is always greener on the other side. So with the GN, I thought it would be fun to build it specifically for drag racing. So I did. It went 9.26@145 on it's first full 1/4 mile pass. I made maybe 6 passes in it in 6 months time. Each time I went to the track, I figured out something to change and spent a couple months fixing it. It was semi streetable, but not something I wanted to drive every day.

So, I'm going back to a street car that does a bit of everything. It already has more power than I'll ever need. It just needs to handle and some of the creature comforts back.

[MeanMike]

Some history on the car. It's a low option 87 GN with manual windows, locks and no cruise. Kinda rare because most GN's were highly optioned. It has all original interior in very nice shape that I'll be keeping. It has an 8.50 legal NHRA certified mild steel cage with removable door bars that I'll be keeping (I still want to hit the drag strip from time to time).

I'm using a FAST dash system connected to my XFI that displays all the typical stuff and is very flexible.


The engine is 277 cubic inches with TA performance aluminum heads, Used busch era Buick motorsport stage 2 on center block, bryant billet crank, crower billet rods, Ross custom pistons, relatively small comp solid roller cam, Champion intake, Custom headers, Danny Bee belt drive, Peterson single stage oil pump with a 67mm precision billet wheel turbo. It's never been on a dyno, but I suspect it makes a little over 900hp turned up. This is way more than any "street" car ever needs. It's down right scary on the street. I'll probably turn it down to ~600hp for street driving and back up when I got to the drag strip. It's controlled with FAST XFI.

I built my own front accessory drive, valve covers, oil pan, headers and a few other pieces on the engine.




The front suspension was pure drag race parts from TRZ and while great for drag racing it didn't have enough travel and no sway bar mounts for the street. The afco shocks were nice, but were valved for drag racing. I had a-body spindles and 11" wilwood front brakes. All that is now gone and SC&C parts are on the way. SPC uppers and lowers with tall ball joints, Eibach front springs, Hellwig sway bars front and rear. I went with viking double adjustable shocks all around. For spindles and brakes I bought a set of Baer T4 brakes pre mounted on spindles. I'm still waiting for most of this to show up.


The rear suspension is all home built. I started with a 9" truck center stamping. Added 3 1/4" OD x 1/4" wall axle tubes, a back brace and big ford housing ends. It has 35 spline moser axles, a Moser iron center section with 3.50 gears and a spool. I've added adjustable spring perches, adjustable upper and lower control arm mounts, an anti-roll bar and extra bracing. The bracing and anti-roll are coming off and a hellwig bar is going on it. The spool will be traded out eventually, but I haven't decided what to replace it with yet. The rear brakes are 12.19" wilwoods. I would eventually like to swap them for matching baers with parking brakes.

[Sieg]

Looking forward to this one Mike!

Ever since I plugged in one of the first Hypertech chip's into a friend's first year Grand National I've been a fan of the cars.

[MeanMike]

I have a machine shop in my home garage. Mill, lathe, tig, bandsaws, sheetmetal brake etc. you know just your typical home shop. So, I like to make as many parts as I can. Here are a few of the home built parts.

Universal radiator modified to fit with a sheetmetal fan shroud.

Crank drive mandrel

Valve covers

Homemade crank trigger

Headers, downpipe and intercooler piping.

[MeanMike]

Creature comforts:
The car had a manual valve body, transbrake th400 in it. It was a little much for a driver. I eventually want to put a t-56 in the car, but for now I'm just putting a simple manual valvebody th400 back in the car.

I haven't decided on wheels yet, but my drag wheels need to sell before I can buy anything anyways.

I have a GN power steering box to go back on to replace the s-10 manual box. I'll have to build new accessory brackets to incorporate the power steering pump. I have a vacuum brake booster and matching master cylinder to go on. I want an e-brake for when I go to a manual trans, but that will have to wait until I can afford the new rear brakes. I eventually want A/C back on the car, but that will be another project for after the car is running again.

[Blake Foster]

COOL CAR!!
I have liked them from the day they came out. so I bought one, we used it to develop the G body suspension parts. I don't drive it as much as I should and the motor needs a rebuild soon, got any spare parts laying around????

[MeanMike]

Thanks. Your car looks great.

I don't have anything anyone here would want. I have a set of weld alumastar skinny fronts and 15x10 weld rts rears with 275/60 radials. I have a set of 11" wilwood front brakes with vented rotors for an f,a or x body spindle. And I have a set of afco 3830 shocks with G-body coilover kit from trz.

I work out of a cramped garage, so I try to sell off what I don't need.

[instro84]

nice work Mike. i've seen your fab skills over on the buick board.

[WSSix]

Thanks for starting a build thread on the car, Mike. Love the G-body cars. Good luck with the conversion.

[MeanMike]

No real progress on the buick, but parts are rolling in. I'm still waiting on a few parts to show up before I dig into reassembly.

Some of the front suspension parts. Still waiting on upper a-arms and springs from SC&C.


Baer T4 front brakes and a vacuum brake booster and master assembly. I really want the matching rears now that I've seen the quality of the fronts.


Stock fuel tank with twin 340lph pumps inside.


A tamed down manual valve body th400 I put together with spare parts I had laying around. This is good enough to get my by until I can afford put a t56 in the car.


A stock GN power steering box and pump. I'll have to make a custom bracket and reservoir for the pump. I'm not going to miss the manual steering at all.


I ordered wheels, but they won't be in for a few more weeks. I'll let them be a mystery. I'm not even sure how they will look on the car.