A buddy of mine just got one for free and wants to do a sleeper project. I guess nothing says sleeper like a 4 door buick right? anyway, he asked me what all he can do with it and the only thing i knew was that engine came supercharged in some applications and that a swap might be possible.
Does anyone know a good bit about these cars engines from 1995? I can find loads of info on 97+ 3800’s but the 1995 seems scarce. Any help would be appreciated.
It’s possible that an L67 supercharged or Series II or III GTP swap would work and be relatively bolt-in.
You should try to get a hold of Sleeper, if you can. He’s done a bunch of that kind of motor work in the past and knows a bunch of gotchas’.
yeah i dont know what would be less expensive, a engine swap with all the computers or adding a turbo/supercharger.
Top Swap
in 2005 they made a grand prix gxp which had a 5.3 liter front wheel drive v8 in them if you can find one you might be able to small block it.
whats a top swap?
The GXP’s 5.3-liter pushrod small-block V8 is very similar to the engine used in Chevy’s Silverado pickup, but Pontiac replaced the iron block with a lighter aluminum unit for this and other front-wheel-drive applications. Other changes include high-flow cylinder heads, a higher compression ratio and cylinder deactivation technology for improved fuel economy.
Output is 303 horsepower at 5,600 rpm, and 323 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm, all of which is funneled into a four-speed automatic transmission controlled with Pontiac’s TAPshift paddle shifters.
Underneath, the GXP’s stiffer springs reduce ride height by 9mm, and Bilstein struts tighten up the suspension. A larger 17.2mm rear sway bar was added to reduce body roll, and forged aluminum five-spoke wheels with Bridgestone Potenza tires are also part of the package.
Oddly enough, the GXP’s wheels measure 18-by-8 inches in front and 18-by-7 inches in back and the 255/45R18 front tires are fatter than the 225/50R18 rears. Usually it’s the other way around, and the combo simply looks strange. When we asked Pontiac why all four corners didn’t get the 8-inch wheel, we were told a computer simulation determined this is the optimal setup for handling and acceleration.
We think Pontiac’s engineers should leave their computer terminals for the test track every once in a while. Although the GXP’s upgraded suspension and oddball wheel and tire combination rides well enough, it doesn’t supply the off-the-line traction or cornering grip we expected.
Torque Steer City
Stuffing a V8 into a front-wheel-drive platform is a surefire recipe for torque steer, and Pontiac’s engineers have cooked up plenty of it. Hammering the pedal at any speed causes the car to dart around like there’s a drunk behind the wheel. And laying into it from a dead stop, even with GXP’s traction control turned on, results in immediate wheelspin, which slows the Grand Prix’s acceleration.
Pontiac claims the GXP will run zero to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, but our best run was a tire-smoking 6.7 seconds. We’ve yet to wring out a Hemi-powered Charger RT, which is the GXP’s closest competitor, but our long-term Magnum RT, which weighs 500 pounds more than the Pontiac and 150 pounds more than a Hemi Charger, hits 60 mph in 6.8 seconds.
Once the GXP hooks up, however, it does leave the larger Magnum in the dust, running the quarter-mile in 14.6 seconds at 95.4 mph. And it sounds great doing it, with just the right amount of rumble.
The torque steer also limits the GXP’s appeal on a mountain road, especially when exiting slow corners. Numb and disconnected steering, a nose-heavy feel and a nasty delay before the transmission actually reacts to the driver’s “taps” also sap the GXP of fun-to-drive points. Even the design of the TAPshift “paddles” mounted on either side of the steering wheel should be better. As it is, they’re counterintuitive. Pushing forward shifts up, while pulling back downshifts.
Its braking performance is good but not great. The Pontiac’s cross-drilled rotors (12.7 inches front, 12 inches rear) are nice to look at, but the calipers are only two-piston in front and single-piston out back. The results are good resistance to overheating, a 60-0-mph performance of 124.1 feet and fair pedal feel.
High Content, Low Style
The overall look of the GXP isn’t much different than the standard Grand Prix save for the big shiny wheels and drilled brakes. Other extras include an aggressive front fascia with lower air inlets, restyled rear fascia with dual exhaust cutouts, a rear deck spoiler and air ducts in the front fenders.
Inside, the Grand Prix’s interior is on the tight side for such a large car, but the GXP gets brushed aluminum interior accents and an engine-turned metal gauge cluster that hearkens back to the early days of Pontiac performance. Fit and finish, however, is lackluster, with large expanses of hard plastic and ill-fitting panels that look more rental car than muscle car.
Pontiac did manage to get the front seats to feel just right and the feature content is impressive. Stability control, OnStar, steering wheel radio controls, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, a head-up display, keyless entry and a CD player are standard. Our test car added leather seating with suede inserts, a power sunroof, XM Satellite Radio, a special paint color called Blue-Green Crystal, automatic dual-zone climate control and a remote vehicle starter.
heads, lower intake and blower swap. Same sort of thing 01GT is working on.
yeah man, wait til you see what I got going for my 3800. It’ll be done this weekend
top swap is when you take a NA 3800 series II (L36) and put on the supercharged series II components (L67)… L36 comp ratio is 9.4:1 so you have to be wise about psi.
If anyone needs a complete list of components needed I can compile one as I am in the process of fininshing one up now. The basic stuff includes heads, intake manifold, blower, 2 belt harmonic balancer, 2 idlers, one tensioner, fuel rails and injectors + all your gaskets.
I’m not sure too the 3800 series 1 and interchangability…but I do know that the aftermarket is very limited…however the series II aftermarket is nearly endless, an example being your choice of cams is about 20+
looks like your best bet is to find a L67 whole motor and swap it in. Do all your mods on a stand tho
any 3800 questions go to me, vic or sleeper
They still use the 5.3 to this day.they r also now found in the Impala SS and Monte Carlo SS.
was there a supercharged version of the 3800 in 1995? if so, that would probably be the parts i would have to find right?
was there a supercharged version of the 3800 in 1995?
Yep, in Pontiac Bonneville SSEI and Buick Rivera.
then maybe i can swap a bunch of parts off one of those engines…
Those years are pretty weak power wise (210hp)…but I’m assuming they’re only a pulley swap away from considerably more.
exactly what im thinking…i would just need to find out if it would be easier to swap the parts onto the stock engine or swap the engine completly as well as all the electronics cuz i assume they have different computers.
your a cobalt guy. I’m sure you’ve heard of zzperformance. If anyone would know about interchangability they would
yeah, i checked them out. not a big fan of the way their site is set up but maybe i could call them.
yeah the site does blow but they have the shit, atleast for grand prixs. I’ve dropped well over a grand there with the latest build
sounds good, ill talk to them soon.