Episode 1 (1978-1983): Buick Turbo 3.8 liter V6
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- Опубліковано 4 вер 2017
- Even though Buick produced a 350 cubic-inch V8 through the 1980 model year, Buick ditched the V8 for its performance car offerings by 1978. While all the other GM divisions relied upon V8 engines for their late-1970s and 1980s performance cars, not Buick it instead released a small displacement Turbo 3.8 liter V6 for the 1978 model year and it remained Buick's hottest performance engine through the 1987 model year. This is episode 1 of the History of Buick's Turbo 3.8 liter V6 which covers the the 1978-1983 model years.
1978-1989 Buick Turbo 3.8 Liter V6 Video Series:
Episode 1 - 1978-1983: • Episode 1 (1978-1983):...
Episode 2 - 1984-1985: • Episode 2 (1984-1985):...
Episode 3 - 1986-1987: • Episode 3 (1986-1987):...
Episode 4 - 1989: • Episode 4 (1989): Buic...
To read an article version of these videos please visit our website:
oldcarmemories.com/buick-turb... - Авто та транспорт
The turbo 6 logo in the grand national was the best auto logo ever made imo
Along with the Cerwin-Vega logo
It’s a shame that engine never made it to the Fiero at the end of it’s run. That would’ve be a game over type vehicle.
Game over for sure! Could you imagine that much torque and horsepower in that little car? Death trap and dare devils back in the 80's would have bought that hook, line and sinker.
Same motor that came in the 81 Monte Carlo 3.8 Turbo and it came in I think the 89 Pontiac Firebird one year only 3.8 turbo charged
Yes it did 1988 Pontiac Fiero 3.8 Turbo Factory
not really. The suspension on the fiero wasnt good
That's cool , a fiero with a small block 383 stroker!!! 😮😅😊 with the Ferrari body kits!!!! Ohh yeah Borla exhausted!!!!!!!!😢😂🎉
Make no mistake about it the turbo Regal V6 Resurrected the new era of muscle cars after the mid 70s gas chrisis we should be thankful for them and give them their just due and respect. They made other car companies raise their bar for performance vehicles to the public. Not everyone can afford a Corvette back then. I own 1 Grand National one blue Buick T-Type and one very rare Buick Riviera T type Turbo and 1 L 69 1984 SS Monte Carlo and I love and respect them all.
I would rate Pontiac as the one true company that kept performance alive (excluding Corvette) throughout the 70’s and 80’s during the gas crisis and emissions tightening. When my sister was lucky enough as a teen to have a brand new ‘78 Trans Am 6.6L there was nothing on the street that came remotely close. When Mustang and ....I can barely say it Challenger of late 70’s early 80’s was vomit worthy. So although Buick surprised everyone ( Black Air) it was Pontiac that stayed the course.
I agree with that....Pontiac was dominant in the early to late 70s with that Trans Am. True but i was more pionting to the early 80s- 87 when I was a gearhead in high school that buick made a stand with turbocharging many models (GN & GNX) instead of pushing a GM V8 in everything that came out of Detroit.Believe it or not Pontiac Trans am was supposed to be turbocharged like Buick in 82 ....? That's what the power bulge was for on the TA they just didn't have a turbo engine ready at the time so they went with the ole corporate 305(5.0) instead.had they borrowed the buick turbo v6 instead like they finally did in 1989 (Turbo TA) 3.8l Turbo intercooler 300 +up Demon??? History would have been way different for Pontiac...Power of a GN and aerodynamic of a vette. Haha..... u see where I'm going.
I have a 1989 Buick Park Ave with the 3.8 V6. That thing really pins ya in the seat once you get the revs up. Very surprising for a 4 DR front drive....and gets awesome mileage too with the O/D trans.
I remember my parents bought a brand new Buick regal limited sedan back in 1982 for my mother. The car rode as smooth as any Cadillac, and the 4.1 L V6 that it had was ultra smooth and super reliable. I wish I had that car today, these cars are becoming classics in their own right.
I now respect my 3800 Series II in my Monte a lot more. I knew it was a descendant of the GNX's motor, but now I respect that stock N/A 200hp a lot more. I'm glad it's no longer 105hp. Still coulda slapped a turbo on the Series II tho.
I had a 1979 Buick V6 turbo. And when I bought it, I didn't know they even made a turbo V6. It was the first one I ever saw. God I loved that car. It had a power moon roof also.
In 1988 Holden (an Australia GM company) licenced the Buick 3.8 V6 for fitment to their Holden Commodore as the standard engine. Holden never got the turbo version, but they did build the supercharged version
Sorry I have my 73 Riv 455 in my original 3.8 g-body.......Go Buick!!!!!!!! 459 hp/ 510 ft
I remember when the 231 V-6 was released, one major improvement is that it was an even-fire version due to the rod journals being offset by 30° thus producing a 120° firing interval. The odd-fire ones were 150-90-150-90-150-90 and were notably rougher, especially at idle.
Yeah, Buick was on it back in the 70's. The year after they reintroduced the 231 V6, they built a turbo version and put it in a Regal that paced the Indy 500. I think it was the first turbocharged pace car there. Then they introduced the 231 V6 turbo in the downsized G-bodies in 1978. I was all over it back then, read all I could about it, and got all of the dealer brochures. People who didn't live through it look back and laugh at cars of the late 70's and early 80's, and people getting excited about 170 hp. But those cars were the first glimmer of hope that performance was going to come back.
And that's how the Turbo Buick V6 became legendary.
Nice video, guys! Always was fascinated by Buick's Turbo V6, especially when it came to the version made for the GNX in '87.....
GM had some beautiful cars
I absolutely love the 80’s GM cars. I love my 83 Regal
Funnily enough; we here in Oz got the 3.8 Buick in our Commodores. I built a tough 4.0lt stroker for my 1993 VR Commdore, along with a twin turbo system that my mate welded together. They were a great little motor
Mad Max? Nice
I gave one of the 3,372 1983 T-Types to GM HighTech a couple years back. They resto modded it and threw an E-Rod engine in it. It was more than I was going to do with it, but just in case any of you Turbo Buick guys were wondering- I did have another one of the '83 engines apart and they actually came with the 2 dot con rods and double rolled fillet cranks. I probably could've even gotten the block to work in place of the 109 block with a little work. Delivered many a pizza in that old Regal. Had over 300k on it when I parked it, and was the official car of the Olympics according to the decal in the quarter window, haha. Love the channel. Keep it up.
Yeah great...the Olympic year was 1984 not 1983 for the offical cars that where used for carring Olympians around LA. I have that sticker on my 1984 Riviera Turbo and one of my 84 TType turbo its on youtube great comment though.
@@2007deadeye1 I have an '83 Regal T Type and it also has the Olympic decal in the rear quarter window from the factory.
What are the odds that I also knew a pizza delivery driver who had a T-Type? That was back in the late 80’s.
Keep in mind that the 3800 V6 was originally Buick's 3500 V8 which it sold to Rover in the UK , Buick cut off two cylinders from the block , which gave it it's distinctive sound , it had what was called the phantom cylinders .
Rover had an 8cyl aluminum Buick 215. It was 66-71 Kaiser Jeeps that had a Buick 225 v6 that was sold back to Buick when Kaiser sold out to AMC early 70s. Buick changed it early on in the 70s to 321
The 6 sounds nothing like a v8
Great reviews and info always. Please keep em coming..
the Series 2 and Series 3 Buick 3.8 liter is a honorable mention. I knew a guy that took a Series 2 Buick supercharged 3.8 and put it in a Pontiac Feiro with a few suspension mods and it was a hot little rocket and the handling was also amazing. that little car really surprised me! the Grand National of 87 and 88 were great ones too.
Hey. Check this out...
Back in the late 70's, the fastest car running up Pike's Peak Hillclimb was a Buick 3.8 turbo driven by Parnelli Jones with Miss PPHS strapped in the seat next to him! The Buick pace car was the fastest car that year.
I forget the exact year. 1976 if I recall. It was a totally stock 3.8 turbo with waste gate cranked down. With the only modification being an all aluminum hood.
Maybe you could research this and produce another of your fine videos?
Series 3 Buick v6 is my all time favorite engine. It may have the worst sounding exhaust note but damned if you can't get big power with great gas mileage.
The Series 1,2,3 sounded awesome.
In 8th Grade one my teachers, Mr. Lewis, had a brochure on his desk for the 1980 Monte Carlo. I talked him into getting the Turbo. (Hope he enjoyed it.)
Very nice background in one of the best and widely used GM engines.3.8's were the go to for the next 30 years with an outstanding reputation for reliability.
It seems that GM introduces new engines in Buick and Cadillac and then a few years later Chevrolet gets them. They did the same with the 3.6l, which is the standard GM v6.
I know this was 4 years ago but it would have been awesome to include the 1983 buick riviera pace car with the twin turbo v6 producing 410 hp I know there was only 2 made but that would have been awesome if they put it in a vehicle available to the public.
The Grand National out performed the Ferrari Enzo at the time and took the automotive world by storm!
I've had 2 cars with supercharged versions of these engines: Regal GS and Impala SS, great sleepers.
Nothing sleeper, they have the Badges...
The Iron Duke 2.5 in the Camaro and Firebird was probably a dead point in GM's history...
Same engine than those old s-15...
Id welcome an iron duke today with the LT architecture ...vvt , DI , big valves, piston oil squirters , aluminum block ...
Yup considering there is a 2.7 turbo in trucks...
Part 2!!!!!We need part 2!!!
Did not know the turbo V6 was in the Monte Carlo in ‘80-81, Mom bought new dark blue 1980 Monte Carlo, 2-barrel V6 was OK.
Friend in ‘88 bought an ‘87 Regal T-type that GM didn’t originally intend to sell, the car is basically a GNX. Very fast and very quick off the line.
perfect sandwich-eating weather - this video is.
Thanks!
Don't forget the Monte Carlo was one of the original test models for the turbo v6. Then the Grand National broke the charts.
The original turbo Buick V-6 was the result of a Boy Scout Explorer Troop sponsored by Buick Engineering in Flint. It was our concept engineering project for that original year. There are a lot of Magazine Articles about this and how it was used in the pace care for the Indianapolis 500 that paved the road for it to go to a production engine a few years later. I have a significant amount of original documentation from the original Explorer Scout group that describes and documented the original development, pictures of the original car it was put in at Buick Engineering all the way to the magazines that covered the story of the journey from concept to a production engine.
I still miss the whine of the supercharger on my 3.8 Grand Prix.
2 years ago I stopped at a "Fly By Night" auto car lot, they had a Black on Black Supercharged GP, it was loaded.
What shocked me was the dam HUD, I had no idea they were optioned with one.
Pontiac always looked better...
Ashley Beanblossom those cars were toilets.
They were not.
I had the L67 supercharged V6 in my Holden Commodore Calais , great engine , and I loved that supercharger whine too .
Victoria Louden Just like your breath.
Easiest place to find a 3.8 liter turbo Motors are in the front end of front wheel drive mid 80s Buick Riviera R types
Or look for series 1, 2,3
I always find the love the Americans had for the old 3.8 to be rather perplexing. Here in Aus it was always outclassed by the Ford 4.0. By 2002 the N/A Ford 4.0 was smashing the (slusher only) *supercharged* 3.8, and the turbo Ford motor blew it to smithereens!
At least it was reliable, one thing its Alloytec successor wasn’t.
Great vid with info not to mention seeing this reminds me of the GN that I saw today
Crankshaft connecting rod journals were offset to balance an inherently unbalanced 90 degree V6.
The journal offset resulted in a 120 degree V6.
That was the Buick 3.8 liter claim to fame.
I Wish i had Buick grand national
GREAT VIDEOS
I can think of so many cars of the era that should’ve had the engine as it appeared in the Regal T-Type/Grand National/GNX. The Fiero, the Reatta, the Delorean.
Everything yall out out it gold
these also came to australia in the holden commodore vn thru to vy series commodores also a supercharged version was avaliable here as well
My 1st 3.8 was a 79 chevy malibu wagon, loved that engine. So much, I jumped on an 84 El Camino 3.8 (231) as my driver and collect these engines when I can.
There was also a 3.8L Chevy V6 (229 cubic inches). Which did your Malibu have?
@@andyharman3022 The Buick 231 The 229 was a V6 version of the 305 sbc, might have been odd fire? 231 was even fire, split pin journals.
@@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259 Early versions of the Chevy V6 were odd fire, but they had split crankpins by 18 degrees. Chevy said that the 18-degree pin offset gave better dynamic balance. But eventually they went to the 30-degree pin offset on the 4.3. My dad had a '78 Malibu with the 200 V6. I owned a Cyclone with the turbo 4.3 for a couple of years. Great acceleration.
@@andyharman3022 Yep, have to be especially careful about grabbing an off-the-shelf cam in the case of the chevy V6, and any of the rotating assembly pieces, so many variations. Got a 4.3 4bbl I'm working on now, sat up with water in it.
The Toronado was an Oldsmobile. I think you meant Riviera.
I believe it was in the 1985 new cars issue of Car and Driver they said that the 1986 Grand National was getting EFI and was going to be a lot more potent.
i don't know why they killed the turbo version of the 3.8 and the supercharged version. it would be amazing option for the comaro as well for options. the aftermarket now has a big listing of better options for the 3.8 supercharged and supercharged now. sad to say I don't think gm is willing to do some thing like that
What program is this? Where's the other episodes? I'm hooked.
Please do the Oldsmobile Diesel LB9 block next! Came out the same year!
Can you please do a feature on the Monte Carlo, preferably from its induction year 1970
CAFE standards were the death nell of the detroit muscle car era...
Does anyone know if I can transform my turbo 3.8 into non turbo 4 barrel carb intake? Thanks
I wish my 1980 Monte Carlo still had the turbo V6 in it. Somebody swapped in a Olds 350 in it's place
My Mom had a Buick with the n/a 3.8 V6. Me and my brother drive that car in high school. By that point it had over 200,000 miles and we could not kill it. That had to be one of the most overbuilt engines ever made. People can say what they want about GM but they make some of the best engines I've ever owned. Kinda like the Cummins engine in a Ram. The engine lasts forever but the rest of the vehicle falls apart. We had a 1992 Ram 3500 and the truck literally rusted away around the engine
They were not good until they became the 3800 series,which still had thier issues,mainly the composite intakes.
Robert Smith I suspect Buick chose that motor for the turbo because it was strong.
KJBPSkipper Sure, that's why the 3800 was a top ten engine of ALL TIME. GTFOH with your BS.....
ive got an 83 regal limited t type with giant sunroof and aluminum wheels but its rough rn sadly and its missing its original engine and trans
I found out the hard way one summer night August 1985 houston tx I had my 1st encounter with the GN montrose blvd heading west my 5.0 H0 z28 could not out run the GN but nor could the 5.0 mustang
I just got a 99 v6 firebird. Finna do this
My project rn. 89’ olds 98 with a 3.8 olds im wanting to switch for a ls4 from a 04-07 impala ss. Cant wait
I got 5.3 from 07 impala ss for sale short block
My mom and dad had a 1979 Regal beutiful car but i put 3 turbos on the car the heat kept cooking the turbo seals, we found out if you drove around alot and didnt let it idle about 2-3 minuites to cool down before shuting it down the seals would cook
Got a n/a 3.8 v6. Low power but solid reliable after 14 years
I subscribed because of the tone of your voice. Not so much for your content, some of which I take issue with.
Anyway, been enjoying your videos for a few months now. New subscriber here. Keep 'em coming!
Kinda weird Phil
@@Clones2011
What. You don't like the tone of his voice? Or weird one man complimenting another.
@@Clones2011
Kinda weird your vocabulary only allowed you to spat Kinda Weird.
Funnily enough the stock horsepower for the non-turbo 1977 LeSabre Sport Coupe with a Rocket 350 was 171, which was higher than the turbo version.
L69 190hp 5spd z28 ran very well
Thank you again ❤ there's no reason to turbo my regal it's fast enough!!!!!!! Stockkk!!! G.m.c 😅
Buick's marketing was confusing. GN one year, then nothing. Then GNX some time down the road. They were great cars in retrospect but nobody knew about them back then.
Ewie M
lol I didn't know about the turbo monte option, maybe I did and figured they were talkin out their ass😂 but that proved it. Interesting.
Didn't know they made a turbo Monte Carlo...bet those are worth $$$
We had a 91 buick grand sport that had the 3.8lt v6
my 1st car was a( 81 if I remember the year correctly) buick regal Turbo! Tho it did not have the turbo but, it was still faster then a 307 cutless w/40k miles.(brother had cuti & I smoked em everytime) I kept the center,sterio/heater , plastic surround that said turbo, I wanted 2 keep the hood scoop!!! I also owned 4 non turbo models & one 95 regal GS that ran Great EVEN WITHOUT THE TURBO!
Can you answer me this? This is a real question too, not a wise crack. How did you own a 1981 Buick Regal Turbo without the Turbo? Wouldn't that just be a Buick Regal?
History of development please. I saw something years ago but have been unable to find it again.
It was based off of their 215 v8 as a odd fire v6 slowly they switched it up to a even fire with crank pins and then kept going with the design till it's really nothing similar lol
Wow just think if chevy did continue offering the turbov6 in 82to 88 monte carlo.
Never available in the toronado. It was Regal Sport Coupe in 1982. T-Type started in 83
I've got a 2000 Buick Century with a 3.1 or the 3100 series engine in it and my homeboy today just told me that he will give me a 2005 Buick just to get it out of his yard 3.8 in it I'm wondering if it can be done if I can yank the motor and transmission out of that and put it in there
Jesse Lamb it should squeeze in. If the century is on a W-body frame there shouldn’t be any issues
i still have an 83 t-type sitting here that i want to do something with eventually
Is it called t type in 83? Or sport coupe? I have an 82 with sport coupe emblems.....
@@GBodyJames It's called T Type in '83. I also have one sitting here pending a restoration.
@@joemcmahon8103 ok so in 83 they went to the t type name instead of sport coupe
@@GBodyJames yes sir
I have a base model 83 with the 231 v6 dualjet that’s waiting to be restored as well! Can’t wait to drive it one day soon. It’s so comfortable to sit in and I can only imagine the comfort on the road
What about the supercharged version?
Skyhawk had a v6 and it was a tiny 2door
Only issue with the 3.8 was oil pump. The gears where set in a housing in the front of the block. The block would wear and then prematurely wear the gears. Otherwise great reliable engine.
The Grand National - the only Buick younger ppl drove 😂
What horsepower this thing?
1988 Saab 2l turbo 205 hp
do a vid on the supercharged series 1 2 and 3 buick 3.8s!!!!!!
What’s the difference cause I’m going to buy one is it faster than a regular 3.8 turbo Buick Regal limited?? Or is it the same
@@linovela2692 no a grand national would be faster turbo and rwd. series 1s have no performance parts but are great and still fun daily's series 2 and series 3 however are similar series 3 have stronger pistons and have the larger eaton gen 5 a better flowing stock exhaust and they have drive by wire throttlebodies. the series 2 on the other hand can be modifed to run the gen 5 blower and these have cable style throttle bodies and a really restrictive section of the exhaust just past the manifolds check out zz performance the parts are really affordable if you wanna make em fast you need a downpipe e85 gas and a scan gauge to monitor knock
Mom had a '76 Buick Special coupe with a normally aspirated V6. Strikingly good looking car in blue with white painted top, but that engine was a dud. Slow as a tug boat and unbalanced - lots of vibration. Yes, they were improved, but for that year it wasn't great.
Who is the gentleman talking????
86&87 with efi and intercooler wasn't even in the same class
1978 Non-turbo was 110hp, not 105hp.. Then it was bump up to 120hp do to better breathing from larger valves..
Now 2020s the hp wars are back
I got an 79 Pontiac Grand LeMans Originally came with the 3.8L, Dad swapped a 350 into it one day since then it wasn't the same.. now I'm getting my 3.8L back This "Turbo kit" Interests me is it just a Kit you add on the motor or a WHOLE new motor its self? I'd like some Extra power instead of measly 105hp. None the less I'm a slow driver 55-60 If that.
Aluminum block TA-V6 with turbo. Sorry I am a year late.
There is no replacement for displacement, except for forced induction:)
sploofmonkey yea that's always kinda neat when ya kill a mag on a small aircraft engine during a runup and it drops 50-75rpms
sploofmonkey- Well, there's also RPM- Ask any Formula One V10 engine builder in the early 2000's.
sploofmonkey
yea I was talking about dual plugs.
Aircraft use em, and use a separate magneto to fire them.
That way if a mag dies in the air you still have another one.
But part of the preflight is to rev it up to 2000 or so and turn off the right mag.
then turn both back on, and then off the left one.
You will hear an rpm drop of 50-100rpms when you cut one mag.
I do not remember one v8 in the 80's that was worthy of calling it a performance engine. I could be wrong, dismal times for car lovers for sure.
And now those cars are very expensive thanks to the Low Rider crowds.
Most lowrider guys are extremely cheap. And their after regular regals not t-types or GNs. T-Types and GNs have always brought more money because they are rare.
All the "G" bodies were, I was a 93' grad, and that was the car to have.
I had a much cooler 72 LeMans.
G bodys are the go to cars for a traditional lowrider and impalas and caprices of course. I think they look good any style you choose to go as long as its done tastefully. Although putting hydraulics and 13 inch wire wheels on A GN, t-type, Monte SS, or a 442 is A sin in my book.
Not really. Many can still be had for under 2k. 5k and you can get a MINT gbody. Just yesterday my buddy bought an 83 elcamino in ok shape for 700 bucks.
part 2
What I never understood was why they didnt use the Chevrolet 3.8 229ci motor that was superior to the Buick 231 as far as longevity and strong engine build.. So many people think the 231 motor was such a long lasting motor and it really wasn't! Not a durable motor in any respect
Mopar 3.8l pushrod engine 225hp 2001
Not a t type in 82 it’s the sport coupe
I think just a dab of lotion mixed with water works best when stroking the shaft.
Predecessor of the the mighty 3800
Part Ford's 4.6lt modular v8
Oldsmobile > Pontiac and Buick. LOOKS AND POWER PLANT!! And yet GM Axed us olds fans. :(
Olds had some very weird flaws.
Ive got an 81 monte with the regular v6 and its so freakin 🐌 imma drop a tree fiddy in it
Don't forget about torque, the V8 had more.
Love American cars I mean give me 3 million dollars I can build you a very fast car but a hemi cuda which is the prettiest car ever cost 5 grand brand new so I can race not just a bunch of rich people who didn't know how to pull a spark plug
The turbo 3.8 during those model years had horrendous durability---they blew up a lot. The problem was that back then, engine management computers were primitive---by the time the slow computer detected spark knock and retarded the timing, the engine had already spun a rod bearing or two. GM replaced many of those engines under warranty.
Too bad Honda and Toyota were eating their lunch and snack in the reliability and durability department on average
The 3.8 was very reliable and would contend with ANY of them. Nobody was 'eating their lunch', lol.
231mac you might want to check on how ford, GM, Chrysler’s market share tanked.