Starting another project, bought a new car

[TheFontMaster]

I picked up an 86 Buick Regal a couple days ago. This car is in great condition, there's no rot on the frame, and it only needs a little body work. Then I need to replace the rear brake lines, get a new exaust, and do something with the carb to get it running again. The motor is a 307 small block, with a cam. I wanna have the car running, and on the road for a little bit so I can drive it down to PA with me at the end of the month. Future plans for it are a Holly 650 CFM carb, side skirt exaust pipes, some nice mag wheels, and new tires. Then fix the body work, and IDK how I'm gonna re-paint it, but I know I'm kinda likin the grey primer thats on there now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/fonty/Picture045.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/fonty/Picture044.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/fonty/Picture046.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/fonty/Picture047.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/fonty/Picture048.jpg

[F-16Guy]

Make a Grand National clone out of it. I don't really care for the later model "muscle cars" (I use the term loosely) like that, but the Grand National made that body style grow on me.

[TheFontMaster]

Originally posted by F-16Guy
Make a Grand National clone out of it. I don't really care for the later model "muscle cars" (I use the term loosely) like that, but the Grand National made that body style grow on me.

Those had the turbo charged 4.6 litters right? I hear that was a pretty bad little motor. But from what I hear too, this 307 ain't no slouch.:devil:

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by TheFontMaster
Those had the turbo charged 4.6 litters right? I hear that was a pretty bad little motor. But from what I hear too, this 307 ain't no slouch.:devil:

GNX's were bad *** cars . If you can get your hands on one at a decent price , jump all over it . For a production car ( limited production) , it is scary fast ... just add a set of 10" slicks and take it to the track and clean up all day .

Your car has a lot of potential to be turned into a pro street car . Hell you can even do a bit of motor work and have yourself a nice sleeper !!!!!!:devil:

[TheFontMaster]

Originally posted by Quad18star
GNX's were bad *** cars . If you can get your hands on one at a decent price , jump all over it . For a production car ( limited production) , it is scary fast ... just add a set of 10" slicks and take it to the track and clean up all day .

Your car has a lot of potential to be turned into a pro street car . Hell you can even do a bit of motor work and have yourself a nice sleeper !!!!!!:devil:


Yea sleeper is deffinatley the look I wanna go with on this car. The guy I bought the car from said that when it was running he killed this guy in a firebird with a mildly worked 350. There is a drag strip close to me when I move to PA, I know I'll be down there alot.

[Camaroguy87132]

Originally posted by TheFontMaster
Those had the turbo charged 4.6 litters right? I hear that was a pretty bad little motor. But from what I hear too, this 307 ain't no slouch.:devil: The Grand Nationals came with the turbo charged 3.8 v6. I got a 307 in my maro with only like 28k original miles on the motor. The thing runs great.

[TheFontMaster]

Originally posted by Camaroguy87132
The Grand Nationals came with the turbo charged 3.8 v6. I got a 307 in my maro with only like 28k original miles on the motor. The thing runs great.

Ya got anymore info on these motors? When I got this car it was the first I heard of the 307, and the guy was talking about how him, and his friends would run those in sprint cars because they were mor reliable, and more powerfull than the other motors in it's class.

[Camaroguy87132]

i don't know much about the 307. They were only availible in 70-72 chevelles i think. I gotta do research, because its bad that i don't know anything about the 307

[Camaroguy87132]

heres some info

A 307 in³ (5.0 L) version was produced from 1968 through 1973. Engine bore was 3.875 in (98.4 mm) with a 3.25 stroke.

The 307 replaced the 283 in Chevrolet cars and produced 200 hp (149 kW) SAE gross in the 1960s. The later emissions-modified versions produced just 115 hp (86 kW) SAE net, giving the engine one of the lowest power-per-displacement ratings of all time. Chevrolet never produced a high-performance version of this motor.

(Chevrolet produced for Outboard Marine Corporation, a high-performance marinized 307, rated at 235 and 245 hp SAE gross, depending on year, that shipped with the Corvette/Z-28's cast aluminum valve covers and Rochester QuadraJet carb. Chevy also built other versions of the OMC 307 rated at 210, 215 and 225 horsepower SAE gross.)

The 307 was also unique in the fact that its casting alloy had a very low nickel content making it relatively soft. Due to this fact, this engine has low value among rebuilders because of reduced longevity.

[stalefish_132]

the 307 wasn't the best small block that GM made, kinda like the 305 fairly pepy but not a high horsepower engine. you'd be best with swaping in a 327 or 350. back in the 70's my dad had a 69 camaro (the bucket) with a 307 ( not sure if it was factory or not) he said it was so gutless it would hardly even break loose, and a brand new 73 chevy pickup same deal. maybe the newer ones were a bit better than the early 70's which were chocked with smog crap they put on them.
looks like a decent project car, update us as things move along;)

[TheFontMaster]

Originally posted by stalefish_132
looks like a decent project car, update us as things move along;)


I will, I'm gonna try to get it running tomorow, and if I do, we'll see how easily it breaks the tires loose.:scary:

[TheFontMaster]

Well, I got it running tonight and took it for a test drive.....It needs a posi rear :devil:

[bulkdriverlp]

you have a good car on your hands. i had a 78 regal it was so cool. i had air shocks up all the way on the back, cargo coil springs. i painted up the read diff cover, dont expect it to break the tires loose, i dont think it will. id put a 350 in it. nice car.

[TheFontMaster]

Originally posted by bulkdriverlp
dont expect it to break the tires loose, i dont think it will.

Too late, it already broke the tires loose a few times. Broke em loose no problem at all. Did a couple burnouts, a little heasitation cause of the carb, but it lit the one tire up like nothin. On the tared, and feathered roads up here I was powersliding around corners easily. At 45 MPH I punched the throttle, and it broke the tires loose and started goin a lil sideways. This car goes, and it's got a screwed up carb. I got a Holly 650 in my other car that I'll be getting rebuilt to go on it.

[sly400ex]

307's are reliable motors, but they are fairly weak. Stock, they only have 140 HP. The 307 you have is most likey an Oldsmobile 307. Check out www.442.com for more info on your motor. Pop that 307 out of that thing and drop a 68 olds 455 in there, then have some real fun!

[sly400ex]

Here's some info for you.

http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/ofe307.htm#E307%20307CIDEngineDetail

[clutt225]

The 455 olds or the 455 buick are good motors but why use it if it was not original. They are heavy and expensive to build up. 350 small blocks are cheap with a ton of aftermarket avalible new and used. Or the 454 big block can be built for a little more but still cheaper than the 455 olds or buick.

I would say stick with the 307 until it lets go and then bolt all your good small block parts on a 350.

[Quad18star]

Sounds like you're having a good time with the car . :devil:

Like the others have said , once the 307 lets go , do a swap for a different motor . I wouldn't go with the 350 though , just because everyone and their brother has one .

I like to be different , I'd slap in a 327 or a 400 small block . :devil:

[TheFontMaster]

Originally posted by Quad18star
Sounds like you're having a good time with the car . :devil:


O belive me I am. I got a couple pics on my friend's camera phone, He sent them to my email, but I still haven't gotten em.


As for the origins of the motor, I was told it came out of a nova.

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by TheFontMaster
O belive me I am. I got a couple pics on my friend's camera phone, He sent them to my email, but I still haven't gotten em.


As for the origins of the motor, I was told it came out of a nova.

Yeah a few of the late model Nova's came with either the 307 or a 6 cylinder .... mostly starting around 1973 or 74 , when the muscle car era was dieing off .

Personally I wouldn't put any cash into that car.But since you are 383 stroker to a turbo 350 trans is what you need to put in that.Lower it 2 inches paint it white with Corvette Rallys painted light metallic blue.Also lose the trailer hitch.

[TheFontMaster]

Originally posted by James400EX
Personally I wouldn't put any cash into that car.But since you are 383 stroker to a turbo 350 trans is what you need to put in that.Lower it 2 inches paint it white with Corvette Rallys painted light metallic blue.Also lose the trailer hitch.


Well I'm not puttin much into the motor right now. I just wanna get it on the road. Personaly I like the grey primer, it gives it that sleeper look, I'm just gonna do some body work on it, then it's goin back to primer. And the hitch...Well I gotta tow my quad haha:chinese:


And Greg, the motor is out of the 73.

[firefighterjosh]

Pimpin Car...I love the Dice!:cool:

[coolex]

leave the primer it looks so baddass, but it will wick in moisture and rust faster , so i am told, i like it alot

[TheFontMaster]

Originally posted by coolex
leave the primer it looks so baddass, but it will wick in moisture and rust faster , so i am told, i like it alot

I'm no so much wirried about it rusting. When I re-do the car once I see whats undernieth the primer thats on there now, I will sand it down to bare metal, and use a good etching primer, then an apoxy primer, then the grey primer. Both the etching, and apoxy primer are rust inhibiting primers, and will give me a good base, and good rust protection. Plus, I won't be driving the car in the winter anyways.

[Titanium]

One of my friends has a 83 olds cutlass. he took his 307 out and put a 350 in it. it really woke it up. me and him put air shocks in the rear the other day. now we're just waiting for a rear end out of a trans am:devil: . so we can have lower gearing.

[JJ69]

looks like a beast..
my mom has a 1998 buick regal.. its a v6, 3800 .. it friggin hauls.
it has a dual tipped muffler that sounds sweet when you come on to it, and it flies.. i have 2 speeding tickets to prove that. lol