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Jay's Turbo Buick Regals!
Jay's Turbo Buick Regals!
Here they are! From left to right: '87 Turbo T w/ WE4 option, '86 T-Type, '86 Grand National!

It all started in '90 with the purchase of a gray '86 T-Type w/ 39,000 miles on it! After a couple months of searching, it was found about 90 miles from our home and "turbo fever" had struck! 1 of only 2,384 built, it is fully optioned and with the Astroroof, digital dash, and climate control options, which makes it even rarer! It went through the usual stages of modification and in '95-'96 was running 11.7s@117+mph without ever opening the motor, on pump gas (w/ Jay Carter alky kit), through exhaust, and on street tires! 11.755@117.89 best w/ 60' times in the mid 1.7s. Sold 6/8/03... good luck Ian!

While the T-Type was still hibernating in April, '00, we found a '86 Grand National for sale about 30 miles away. With 134,000 miles and showing it but running exceptionally well, we picked it up at a fair price. 1 of 5512 built, it also has the digital dash and T-tops. After a few cosmetic and performance upgrades, it surpassed my expectations and ran 12.6s at almost 112 mph on real street radials! This was with the stock turbo (ported), stock intercooler (2.5" Duttweiler neck), and stock replacement injectors (30#)! On race gas and 235/60 M&S tires it ran 12.61@111.97. With pump gas and alky on 265/50-16 BFG Radial TAs it went 12.60@110.87 in 20* hotter weather. It also featured a home built cold air intake, a home ported stock wastegate elbow, 3" stock replacement DP, 3" SS Edelbrock muffler, 62-65mm TB/upper, fresh valve springs, aluminum drums, 93 octane "street" chip, SMC alky components, and 16" GNX style wheels. Now with 147,000 miles, it features a PTE51 turbo, Race Jace Power Plate, Blue Top 36# inj., a Thrasher 108 "race" chip and it is ready for high 11s if traction can be found! But, the new owner will have to try that as it was sold in 8/02! ThreeTRs was just "too many toys!" I'll miss it!

A mere 10 weeks after buying the GN, I saw a 56,000 mile '87 T in a local trader magazine. Turns out it was an old friend's that I had worked on in '94! In exceptional shape and knowing it's history, we bought it that very day! Turns out Harry had put only 500 miles on it since '94! A "Turbo T" with the WE4 option, it is 1 of only 1547 made. It has the "usual" options and T-tops. It had a Borla exhaust, aftermarket rear pedestal spoiler, GNX wheels (now on the GN), and a Teal pinstripe,all of which have since been removed favoring a more stock appearance. With basic mods (chip, test pipe, K&N) it ran 12.9@106+! After that, more mods: a John Craig TA61 turbo, Mark Jackson 17 row intercooler, 36# Blue Top inj., hidden SMC Alky system and 93 octane, my own JJ 62mm TB, ported wastegate elbow w/ 3" DP, 93 "street" chip, soft retread tires, all with an emphasis on the engine remaining "stock appearing" and even retains the factory airbox! It then ran 12.15@114.19 w/ a lousy 1.967 60', stock motor, full weight and thru muffs!

In search of mid 11s in full street trim, the following was added in '03: Ported and Polished big valve heads, ported intake, TA62 turbo w/ .63 PTE housing, MSD 50# injectors, 3.5" LS1 MAF and Translator Plus w/ Extender chip, CAS V4 intercooler, Mease Performance 3" downpipe, Hooker cat-back exhaust, Jimmy's Transmissions full race rebuild w/ Precision Industries 9.5" multi disc l/u converter, Race Jace Power Plate, alum. crank pulley, a TurboBuicks.com mini starter, and 8.5" wide Vector T-Type look-alike rear wheels! I'll keep you posted! 5/11/03: together and running and feels good so far! 10/11/03 New best: 12.03@116.2 w/ a slow 2.02 60'! In full street trim, pump gas, and closed exhaust! 10/09/04 New best ET: 11.65 w/ a 1.642 60' on retread radials and same combo as above! Got my mid 11! Due to lack of time to enjoy, I decided to sell my WE4... it sold in May of '05. It was a blast while it lasted!

I owned, tinkered with and raced Turbo Buicks for 15 years and will miss them dearly! There may be another in my future... who knows!
Here's a picture under the hood of the WE4. You can see that the only visible clues  to it's potential are the 3" stock replacement turbo downpipe and 2.5" intercooler neck with the required "step up" hose. We show it in "stock" classes at local car shows (it has several first place awards under it's belt!), so I felt it was important to try to stay as original appearing as possible.
Notice above the unmodified TB on the left with it's "lip" around the inlet and the front half of the throttle shaft disrupting airflow even at part throttle. Notice they are NOT on the modified one on the right?! I do my best to improve quality AND quantity of airflow with my mods!
Modified Buick throttle bodies!

Below is some information about how I modify throttle bodies and upper plenums followed by some common questions.
First and foremost: don't be fooled by some vendors that say they can sell you a bored stock 63 or 65mm throttle body! 62mm through the bore is the absolute most that the stock casting can be SAFELY bored out to! You will also notice that my price for BOTH the TB and upper plenum mods/matching are less than what they charge for JUST the TB!

WHAT IS YOUR TYPICAL TURNAROUND TIME? My turnaround is between two days and two weeks, depends on how many I get at one time, my schedule, and the shop's scheduling of the machines I can use at work. Usually runs about one week, on average.  Please remember that I do this at work in my "spare" time and I do put in up to 60 hours a week at my job anyway!  I charge $100 + a $7.50 for return shipping .  For just a t-body (and no upper plenum), I charge $80 + $5 ('84-'89).  For list/BB members, I just tell them to enclose CASH with the t-body and ship it to me. Haven't had a problem yet that way.  I ask that the TPS and IAC assembly (housing and motor: just remove the four screws holding it to the bottom) be removed prior to shipping to me (less for both of us to worry about possibly getting damaged during shipping). Please include any "special requests" that we may have discussed and all shipping/email info with the TB.
    The TPS and base idle will probably need to be reset upon reinstallation on your car. I also sell a TB gasket kit that includes a modified TB to upper gasket, IAC motor, and IAC housing gasket for $4.50. I also currently have vacuum block gaskets for $1.50 and upper plenum to lower manifold gaskets for $4.00. Also note that on occasion I swap a modified upper plenum core for customer's uppers when they send them. This is due to the fact that they take longer and I generally have less access to the mill on which I machine them. I exchange either for similar condition uppers, or I use one freshly painted (high temp aluminum which is very close to the stock color) and resurface the fins for a FACTORY NEW appearance! I can give yours the same treatment for an additional $2.50 if you wish.
    Thanks for your inquiry, and let me know if you are further interested in having this done.  Jay Jackson ygettv8@aol.com  (563) 445-1679 eves. Please, don't forget to include your shipping info and email address with the TB!

    For '86-'87 TRs and '89 TTAs: The stock TR throttle body measures 57 mm (at the blade) from the factory.  Using a CNC lathe I machine this out to 62 mm and Bellmouth the inlet. I then gently "flare" the back (exit) of the TB out to 65mm for an even greater amount of airflow through the TB. I also machine a new 62 mm throttle plate, modify the throttle shaft to accept the larger diameter plate and grind it smaller in some air flow areas.  I then port match the upper plenum inlet to the new larger assembly and remove the small EGR riser that is at the entrance to the upper (EGR remains functional).  The manner in which I machine them is cosmetically "safe", I have even modified previously polished t-bodies and uppers without marring any surfaces on them.  Once completed, this mod leaves no externally visible signs that you're running anything other than the stock t-body and upper...  I always liked being as "stealthy" as possible! I consider the bellmouthing, matching, and tapering as important to the mod as the bore size increase! Many will tell you that you "don't need a bigger bore TB to run XX.XX", and they may be right! BUT, most of the fast cars running "stock" TB/uppers have gone through and done some of my very same mods as far as bellmouthing, smoothing, and matching! The QUALITY of airflow is improved, as well as quantity!
    For '84-'85's: The stock bore on these also measures 57 mm in the smaller of the two bores, but there is a lip at the step between the two that is even SMALLER in diameter!  What I do to these is bore out that lip and the smaller of the two diameters to 62 mm, modify the throttleshaft, and grind out the two IAC air tubes that protrude right into the airflow path.  There is a portion of the casting on these that is inherently thin.  It is the depression in the center of one of the cast in "protrusions".  This ends up being bored through: no way around it.  I machine a plug for this that is just a small aluminum disc mounted on the side of the t-body and seals it just fine.  Being on the intake side and not the boosted side (as the t-body is on the '86-'89s), this does not pose a problem.  I do NOT bore out the larger (front) part of the t-body.  This side is HUGE (65 mm), and with the airflow mods I do by removing the IAC tubes and modifying the throttle shaft, the restriction would be the smaller portion in the back, which is why I bore that to the maximum diameter possible.  
    JUST A FEW QUESTIONS: WITH A STOCK ENGINE/HEADS WILL PORTING THE T-BODY AND PLENUM HURT THE DRIVABILITY OF MY CAR?  It has been my experience that the cars that I have personally ridden in with my t-body mods, I couldn't tell any "drivability" difference.  They had the same manners ... till you stomp on it!!  These were all stock long block, mildly modified cars, my own included.  Keep in mind that the performance gain on a "stock" car will be less than that of a highly modified car, but this is a mod that will "grow" with the car.  It's not something that will adversely affect your "combo" in the future and need to be changed.  
    I HAVE A BUNCH OF BOLT ON MODS...  It stands to reason that the more you have done to your car to get air into and out of the motor, this mod will increase that efficiency to an even greater extent.  My '86 T-Type had nothing but bolt-ons (bone stock 94,000 mile long block) and went a best of 11.755 @ 117.89 with a lousy 60' time on Hoosier DOTs. Have you ever looked into your t-body with the throttle held open? The factory "built-in" so much airflow restriction it'd make you sick!  The matching of the upper plenum to the new larger t-body is critical, also, as there is a large "step" even with the stock size t-body.  
    WHAT KIND OF PERFORMANCE INCREASE CAN I EXPECT?  I wish I had a definite answer for this.  I have never done any back-to-back testing with just this mod.  Nor have I had any actual "apples to apples" testing data from any of my customers.  When I did my own T-Type t-body years ago, I made several modifications at one time.  The car was a mid 13 second car prior to these mods, and ran 12.90 at 108 on radials with a slipping trans, stock turbo and intercooler after.  Also, my stock motor/turbo/intercooler '86 GN has recently achieved 12.6's @ 111.97 (on skinny 215/65 all season tires) with one of my TBs! I, unfortunately, cannot honestly tell you how much of a difference I can attribute to just the t-body.  It only makes sense that if you increase the given flow area (and smooth out the transitional area at the back of the t-body to upper), there will be a corresponding increase in airflow.  I am no engineer, but this makes sense to me: The stock t-body is about 2.250" inner diameter and has a .375" throttle shaft going right through the center, but it is fed by a 2.500" pipe from the intercooler.  Modified, the inner diameter is very close to 2.500" and I modify the shaft, also, to allow for as much flow area as possible.  I have seen some impressive flow test results quoted and claims of 2 tenths/2 mph in the quarter mile, but I cannot honestly give you an answer "you will gain blah blah blah"... too many variables from car to car.  Speaking of flow tests, here are some results a recent customer was nice enough to send me:
    "Received the TB and it looks great. Flowed it before and after to record the gain, and we are very pleased. TB was flowed at 21.3 inches of water, the standard for most TB's and carburetors. I tested it on the intake and exhaust scales due to the fact that it is a turbo app. Stock flow was 480 cfm on the intake test, and 398 cfm on the "blow through" test. After being modified it flowed 541 cfm on the intake test and 464 cfm on the exhaust test. All of the testing was done using straight inlet and exhaust tubes made to eliminate turbulence and get an accurate back to back test without any other variables. Very professional piece, thanks a bunch." (note: this was on a straight 62mm bore... not the new 62-65mm!) --Trevor Johnson, TJ Cylinder Heads
    I am an industrial machinist with 13 years experience in machining and pride myself on the quality of my work.  I have made this mod available to others as it is one that I can accomplish in a reasonable amount of time and pass on a considerable amount of savings to fellow TR owners. I also have owned TRs for over 12 years now and currently own two (was three!), which isn't bragging... trust me! It's very hard to "juggle" them!

Jay Jackson
ygettv8@aol.com
(563)445-1679 eves.

 

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