Things not figured on in a conversion

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Things not figured on in a conversion.

Contributing editors:
Matt Weiser

Cars mostly being compared are:

82 Buick Regal wagon w/ power window, power locks, power hatch, rear defrost, AC, cruise control, intermittent wipers, lighted passenger side visor, tilt wheel, power seat 3.8 NA carburated, TH 350C

87 Buick Turbo Regal w/ power window, power locks, power trunk, rear defrost, AC, cruise control, intermittent wipers, lighted passenger side visor, Factory security system, glove box light, tilt wheel, 3.8Turbo w/OD

83 Chevrolet Malibu wagon: COMING SOON. 3.8 NA carburated, TH350C, NO OPTIONS, not even AC

Throttle cable may be too short. 82 Regal wagon with a 3.8NA engine has a throttle cable that is too short to reach the throttle body.

Same goes for the TV cable. The kickdown cable is too short to reach the throttle body to be used as the TV Cable.

Cruise Control. The later Turbo cars had a cruise control module under the dash. The attachment bracket is part of the accelerator pedal assembly. When changing the accelerator cable, you might as well swap this, if you are going to have cruise, if not then just swap the cable.

Transmission mount. The earlier years do not have the necessary mount for the tranny crossmember. This mount was added later for the 84 to 88s with overdrive. I have heard that they came out in 83, but my 83 Malibu wagon does not have it. It is relatively easy to add. Just cut it off of a frame with it, and weld in the correct location on the conversion vehicle. If you don’t have one, it would not be hard to fabricate something. It is just a piece of metal bent into a sort of ‘U’ with a few holes in it. Update: Matt Weiser found a solution to this. If you can’t locate a bracket, don’t want to or can’t weld one on, then an adapter is available from www.crossmembers.com They have crossmembers for adding a TH400 to G-bodies, but it requires the extra mount used in the 2004R equipped cars. They sell an adapter that adapts the pre-84 frames. Price is supposed to be about $40.

Brake system. If replacing vacuum brakes with the Power Master electric brakes, you must also replace the brake pedal assembly.

Wiper motor assembly. 82 Regal wagon, and 87 Turbo Regal. One of the three mounting holes did not match up. I just drilled it out, and used a sheet metal screw. Most people will not notice this unless you point it out.

Speedo cable. 82 Regal wagon has a 2 piece cable with the speed sensor mounted to the inner fender for the cruise. Turbo Regal has a 1 piece sorta. If you are converting a non cruise car, then the speedo cable may be the same.

Steering Column. Existing steering column can be retained, obviously, but the ignition switch may not match up. The plugs between my 82 Regal wagon, and the 87 Turbo Regal were different. Not difficult to swap, just make sure that you adjust it properly. Also, they had different Cruise Control, controls. One has a 3 wire plug, the other(Turbo Regal) has a 4 wire plug.

Steering Box. The Turbo Regals have a quicker ratio steering box. No brainer to replace, just remove one, and bolt in the other. But it doesn’t have to be replaced, obviously, just if you want it to drive like a Turbo Regal.

Front Springs. I think, but am not sure, that NA Regals and Turbo Regals have different front springs. I dropped in the Turbo Powerplant, and the nose of my car sits real low. I replaced the rear springs, so that may have pushed the front end down a little and the springs are original, so they are worn a bit, but I think it is because they aren’t the right springs. If converting to a V-8 car, the springs may work well.

Rear end. The Turbo Regals have the 8.5 inch rear. This needs to be changed, because the smaller 7 7/8 incher can’t take the beating. The larger rear also requires a shorter driveshaft. Make sure you get the driveshaft from the parts, car. If you need to get one, it is one inch shorter than the one that is on the cars with the smaller rear end.

Rear brakes. The Turbo Regal had a different hold down spring kit. Although, I think you could use the same, since the shoes, drums, and wheel cylinders look the same.

Fuel lines. The vent line is the same. The feed line comes up to the same place. The Turbo Regals have special flared fittings at the end, with O-rings, to seal to the high pressure hose. NA cars just have a slight flare, or bubble, for the hose to be slipped over and clamped. This is how I did my wagon originally, but will be changing it. The Turbos also have a these fittings in the fuel line, for the filter on the drivers side, inside the frame rail, just behind the door. I cut the line, and used compresion fittings to add the special flare in for the filter. The best way to do it is to buy the replacement lines. They are available in Stainless. The only problem with this is that in order to get them in, the body needs to be unbolted from the frame, and lifted up a bit. (So I am told) For the return line, I removed the one from the donor car. Well, most of it. I cut it near the back, and bent my own to lead to the tank. Then attached the two pieces with a compression fitting. This time I will probably flare the ends, and use a union instead. The Turbo cars have 3 lines coming from the tank, the Nas have 2. The tanks are located in a different spot, so the short section of hard lines coming from the tank, but they end up in the same spot. You will have to make up the third, short section. Be sure to flare the ends a little. You don’t want fuel lines popping off. The clamp that holds the three together bolts to the same spot on the body’s underside. The V-8s have the fuel line on the other side of the frame. I do not know about the vent line.