So I have this 90 TGP sitting in Colorado, waiting for me to move. Its not pretty car, but the motor is great, and the interior is a 8 out of 10. It has potential.
What it needs
- Tranny is going out, it whines when warm or hot
- Hud works, but is hard to see cause its off center
- Speedo cluster needs rebuilt
- Major body work and paint needed
- Will probly need a rebuilt PM3, ABS light flashes, but it could just need a acumalator
Whats is its good points.
- Interior is in really good shape, sunroof, leather, dash, glass
- Motor is strong, and has dynoed out with really exceptional numbers
- New tires, struts, and brakes
Now I am thinking about starting a project, and I have 2 choices. Rebuild the TGP..
OR
My wife has a new car, a 2001 Pontiac Aztek. So that means we now also have a spare 1989 Pontiac 6000 STE AWD. Mechanically it is sound and in great condition, but it just need more power, and lots of body/paint work. I could buy a TGP engine, and swap it in, and make the needed wiring mods for the engine, leaving it attached to the 125CAWD, and make a DSM killer (I hope), fixing the body and paint too. Now that means I either sell the TGP complete, or, take the needed parts (engine, and some wiring), and then sell the shell to some other member here, or as I said, sell it complete.
I dont know what I want to do really. I have a small fleet of really cool cars now, 29 Plymouth Opera Sedan, 69 Camaro SCCA, and the TGP and 6000 AWD. I just need to get rid of one of them, and the Camaro and Plymouth are pretty much safe, its the other 2 that arent.
Suggestions, opinions?
{mods, hope I have this where it needs to be, if not, move it, thanks)
ALSO
on the tranny being weak, I have a line on how to put in a 4T65EHD in the car, and have it be fairly straight foward, and a working system without converting the car to OBD2. Just waiting on the wiring schematics, and final CV assemblies report to understand it better.
sounds interesting on the 6000. having had an '86 ste, i really like those cars. am not sure how strong the awd drivetrain was on those cars. I started working for gm at gm research in '86 and all of the test vehicles were ste's. i remember that one of our phd's took one off-roading and burned up the drivetrain. he was a real idiot. never really drove an awd. i always liked driving the getrag 5 spd versions which came out in '87.
If you sold the TGP outright, how much would you be looking to get for it?
Dont know for sure. I have to get my stuff together on that still, just looking for suggestions.
A. I know of 2 "parts" TGPs in Denver
B. I have a spare good TGP tranny in Colorado Springs would let it go for a reasonable cost & your old tranny.
C. Would your 6000 transfer case hold up to the power?
I rebuilt my tranny and am told that it will hold up to anything I can throw at it including the GT3076R I am waiting to install. I can put you in contact with the person I got my rebuild kit from ($650.00 three years ago)
The AWD trans is basically a 3t40 with an extra drive shaft protruding the side. So it is a very weak trans when mods are thrown at it. HOWEVER, with the right parts (80% are still out there easily accessible) you could make it handle about 300 HP/Tq without worrying too much. Probably cost you 1500 to make it said tough. If you find or make other internals (billet shaft, harden diff, VB adjustments/drilling) it could take beyond 450hp/tq . Let me know if you run across any of that stuff. lol :p
I like my TGP, but a big issue for it is the seats hurt my back badly. the narrow top fits right in between my shoulder blades, and it just starts hurting. If I could find a TSTE in Maroon I would be all over it (assuming it was in good condition). The AWD has the most perfect, and comfortable seats I have ever been in. They are the High end Bonneville seats without the leather. High back, multi adjustments, etc. They fit me like a glove, and dont fall apart like the TGP seats do. I am leaning heavily towards doing a Turbo AWD, just to be different maybe.
I have yet to meet a 3 125C that couldnt handle alot of power. The Archie kits, L67 swap, and many others, alot of them use a 125C, and they can be built up to handle ALOT of power, for much cheaper than the 4T40.
As mentioned earlier, I have a line on how to get a 4T65EHD into a TGP, and to have it work like its supposed to. A freind has already done this conversion on his 3.8 turbocharged A-Body with great success. If I did a tranny swap on the TGP, thats what I would do, better parts availability, dime a dozen in the yards, and MANY upgrades for them to make them handle pretty much whatever you throw at them.
Quote from: pontiac6ksteawd on March 23, 2009, 02:22:01 PM
I have yet to meet a 3 125C that couldnt handle alot of power. The Archie kits, L67 swap, and many others, alot of them use a 125C, and they can be built up to handle ALOT of power, for much cheaper than the 4T40.
Link me please? I want to order some parts and if they are within reason I'll bite.
Quote from: TGed on March 23, 2009, 07:09:05 PM
Link me please? I want to order some parts and if they are within reason I'll bite.
I would have to dig out one of my research CD's for all the info, which are currently in storage getting ready for my move..
But a quick GOOGLE seach found this..
http://www.bulkpart.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=2&Product_Code=AHP49003R-K&Category_Code=3T40-125-125Ckits&Product_Count=2
Someone asked me in a PM about the 4T65EHD conversion, The guy that is doing this conversion is on another board, and is still working out the details of the tranny standalone ECM. Once he gets that done, i will ask him if I can copy and paste it here, as I want to make sure he gets all the credit for this hard work he is doing. It isnt done yet, but hopes to be soon.
I know about red eagle. I thought you knew someone making hard parts with improved material or redesigned parts.
I do, I just have to find the CDs for it. The other option is to contact trannyman and ask him. I am sure he knows something, and can probly get you an answer faster than me since my stuff is all packed away at the moment.
Quote from: pontiac6ksteawd on March 24, 2009, 09:07:24 AM
I do, I just have to find the CDs for it. The other option is to contact trannyman and ask him. I am sure he knows something, and can probly get you an answer faster than me since my stuff is all packed away at the moment.
Dave AKA Trannyman is the guy I get my tranny parts from.
Poor 3t40..I know its flaws. Moded (harden planets, overclutch)its good for 300/300 flywheel on a heavy car, decent driver. But you do know theres a AWD 4t65 right?
I like the idea of selling the TGP to a member or a w-body freak. And then mod, turbo the 2.8 you have in the 6000.
Quote from: TurboGTU on April 04, 2009, 10:47:03 PM
Moded (harden planets, overclutch)its good for 300/300 flywheel on a heavy car, decent driver.
That is what I need to do. Probably send the diff out too.
Quote from: TurboGTU on April 04, 2009, 10:47:03 PM
Poor 3t40..I know its flaws. Moded (harden planets, overclutch)its good for 300/300 flywheel on a heavy car, decent driver. But you do know theres a AWD 4t65 right?
I like the idea of selling the TGP to a member or a w-body freak. And then mod, turbo the 2.8 you have in the 6000.
The AWD 4T65E is out of the question without major work on the floorboard. Its output prop sits in a completely high, and offset position. It would be just to much work.
Also, my engine, factory is a 3.1, as all the AWD's are. It was the first car to receive the 3.1 in 1988.
Quote from: GPChief on March 23, 2009, 01:21:18 AM
A. I know of 2 "parts" TGPs in Denver
B. I have a spare good TGP tranny in Colorado Springs would let it go for a reasonable cost & your old tranny.
C. Would your 6000 transfer case hold up to the power?
I rebuilt my tranny and am told that it will hold up to anything I can throw at it including the GT3076R I am waiting to install. I can put you in contact with the person I got my rebuild kit from ($650.00 three years ago)
Assuming you are driving the thing with logic and not beating the crap out of it, it will definitely hold up to the 3076R. The trans in our TGP was rebuilt and it's handling that turbo just fine with a 2768RPM stall converter. The engine doesn't have a whole bunch of bottom end torque just good mid/upper range power which probably helps it stay alive.
For those that were asking about the 4T65EHD conversion for us... Here it is, in living color!!
http://www.tgpforums.com/index.php/topic,5323.0.html