Not doing it. Grandpa super sleeper

98 Riviera, clean straight.

One dime sized rusthole under rocker.

$300 bad motor and and cv joint one bad gas line. 

4T80 with cradle from LKQ on a holiday weekend, $200 (or get parts car cheap to sell parts and add to budget) ($500)

I know a guy with the right tune to run a 3800 and a 4t80 on a Buick PAU 

Repin body side of Rivy computer harness to match PAU.

3800 NA, lkq holiday weekend $140. ($640)

Build axles at lkq, from a couple different cars $100. ($740)

Two ford focus ST turbos (good for 550 HP, its been done have seen scans) $150 ($890)

Ebay intercooler $100 ($990)

80# injectors $300 ($1290)

Aem E85 fuel pump $125 ($1415)

Rims and swaybars from bonneville GXP $200 ($1615)

Several options for brake upgrades $200 ($1815)

Gas line $50 (1865)

Camaro intake and TB $30 (1895)

Plenty of oportopportunityunity to get these parts cheaper, i usually get 3800s for free scrapping cars with no titles. Camaro intake would take some waiting, but ive scrapped two I got for free in the last couple years)

500 FWHP rocket ship looks like a grandpa car, rock solid trans, decent cornering (potentially really good depending on weight reduction and how good of shape the shocks and struts are in.

$1000 left for cosmetics (assuming you buy ptoject cars and recoup instead of just buying parts) and maybe ebay coilovers, probably electric power steering from a prius (3800 PS pumps suck)

There are also strut braces from cadillacs that are hard to find.

I bougboughtnt this car to part out. It makes me sad to do it.

Ive been putting it off hoping to get to it some day... But my next project has to be a tow vehicle... I've been trying to convince myself that I can tow with the 4t80...

Figured someone would talk me into keeping it.

Sorta hoped someone would, but if even you crazy SOBs don't see any potential, maybe it should get crushed.

I see all kinds of potential.  I was just thinking the other day what if GM had built a fwd GNX for the 90s.

Looking at the budget I think you could junkyard the intercooler (I got a school bus one) and injectors.  For the Challenge do you really need upgraded brakes or just good factory brakes?  I'd also junkyard the rims and sway bars for less.  All that could save $500ish in budget.

Need... 

Im not sure. Never driven one.

In reply to Crazier :

Oh I'll try talking you into keeping it. I've always thought those were GM's best FWD design of that era, making one perform as good as it looks would be awesome. Doing it on a Chalkenge budget would be incredible!

How big externally are these 3800s, compared to an LS4 engine? Seems like they would be a decent bit smaller V6 vs V8. But I haven't seen a comparison. 

Crazier said:

.... But my next project has to be a tow vehicle... 

 

I am in the same boat. I'm building a project I can't tow easily. 

In reply to Somebeach (Forum Supporter) :

They are 6 inches shorter (front to back) and an inch or two lower, but they are pretty wide. Also they are a bit over a hundred pounds lighter than an SBC. Not sure how it weighs up to the ls4.

I like those things. I'd probably rather have a clean LSS just for the rarity factor, but we're really splitting needles in haystacks now.. 

In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :

Come build it with me...

If it wasnt so far (and if I ever make it there) I would drag it in for a parkinglot build.

I know a couple guys into H/G boddies they have done some pretty wild builds. Twin charging, twin turbo. TVS swaps, m112 swaps 4T80 swaps ect.

None in a Rivy and none on a budget, but they have done all the figuring out.

The twin charge build im doing on the Vette is mostly ripped off from a guy who used to go by "zephthecheff" on Chicago garage. He did it in a bonneville and pit the 4t80 ina PAU, but never combined the two. 

In reply to Stampie (FS) :

Where would you get 80# injectors junkyard like?

Damn you're right.  I was thinking RX8 injectors to an 8 cylinder in my mind.  Maybe uncap them?

Somebeach (Forum Supporter) said:

How big externally are these 3800s, compared to an LS4 engine? Seems like they would be a decent bit smaller V6 vs V8. But I haven't seen a comparison. 

I was gonna ask the same thing. How big is a 3800 plus trans? Approx width and depth (front to back) are the main two measurements I'm looking for.

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

With the trans... I've no idea. The 4t80 is a monster.

With the 4t65 it would be aboit 5 or six inches longer than a SBC

Is this of any relevance to this conversation?