Newbie in need of help

[Fuzz]

Hello everyone,
I'm brand new to the forums and want to firstly introduce myself. My names Jon and I recently just picked up a project car for me and my son. Was told to go to this forum as a lot of great people are on here and can help. Our project car is a 1987 Buick Lesabre Limited 4 door sedan. My son is 8 years old and is in love with this car. We just got it cuz my son came to me about starting a project car and I agreed and even let him pick it out. I was surprised what he chose. The important thing is he is happy with it. It has the 3.8L V6. I was wondering if the make any body kits,suspension kits and even performance parts,like a cold air or short ram intake. I don't have the money for an engine swap so I want to keep the OG motor as it only has 70,000 miles on it. It runs excellent and drives the same. Thanx so much in advanced and take care,
-Jon

 

[leftoverture]

Try this site:

http://shop.zzperformance.com/store/default.aspx

 

[HotZ28]

Leave it the way it is and use the dream of "performance" money for required maintenance. You, and your son will be much happier.

 

[gnhbodyguy]

I would keep it stock and use the money to detail it. Fix anything wrong. Around here a 25 year old H-Body would need some work because of the harsh salt and roads. If you are lucky to live where it is warm, you can skip all those troubles.
My 1986 Olds had spoke/wire hubcaps. They got ripped off a couple of times. If I had to do it over again I would have bought alloy wheels for it.

 

[redmondjp]

One thing to check is which engine yours has - the VIN code '3' motor is the older design without the balance shaft - this motor can easily be identified by the valve cover hold-down nuts located in the center of the valve covers. If you have this motor, you absolutely, definitely need to change out the timing chain set. The plastic cam gear is notorious for disintegrating at around 125K miles, and yours may go sooner because of the age of the plastic. I have never seen one of these motors not have this issue at some point - it won't damage anything when it fails, but it will leave you stranded somewhere.

If you have the newer VIN code 'C' motor (AKA the 3800 'pre-series I'), congratulations! This motor has smooth, ribbed valve covers with the bolts on the flanges and is one of the best motors that GM ever made. You will probably have to replace the plastic intake manifold gaskets at some point and that's about it. These motors will easily go 250-300K miles without any issues (I have seen probably hundreds of these in the junkyards and those kind of mileages are not uncommon).

Good pictures and info on the motors here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_V6_engine


I'm with the above poster - focus on basic maintenance, maybe do a light window tint (but please, no purple!!!) and put some nice 16" alloys on it and you're done. But do change out all of the fluids (coolant, brake, transmission) on a regular basis - this is key, especially for the transmission life for that era.

 

[Fuzz]

Ok,just checked the vin number and if I did it correctly it is vin code "3". So maybe in the next few week get the timing chain done,then take it from their and just keep doin general maintenance. My son wants to do a resto-mod type deal. Fresh paint (solid black),bolt on hood scoop,nice wheels and an upgraded sound system

 

[gnhbodyguy]

I posted a thread regarding what can happen when your timing gear isn't maintained on an older 3800 engine. Not sure if you have the nylon covered gear, but if you do, you may want to take a look at the condition.

http://www.buickforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30078

 

[1380Ken]

I will give some real advice. Get another car for a project. Letting an 8 year old pick out the project car for a 8 or 9 year restoration is not wise. I have 2 eight year old sons and one of them loves my wifes 2000 Ford Windstar because it is red. He wants me to keep it for him until he is old enough to drive. I have a feeling his tastes will change by the time he reaches 17.
An 1987 LeSabre Limitted doesn't really have much potential to ever be a cool car. Any money that you put into that car you will never get back. When you son turns 17 and doesn't like the car it wont be worth anything. A Monte Carlo SS, Grand National Regal, Pontiac Bonaville, Camaro, Trans Am and many other cars would be much better choices with more aftermarket body kits and performance mods available.
I have a 1967 Cadillac that I am going to fix up with my sons, still not the best car but I have owned it for ten years and atleast it is old and almost cool.

 

[Fuzz]

I will give some real advice. Get another car for a project. Letting an 8 year old pick out the project car for a 8 or 9 year restoration is not wise. I have 2 eight year old sons and one of them loves my wifes 2000 Ford Windstar because it is red. He wants me to keep it for him until he is old enough to drive. I have a feeling his tastes will change by the time he reaches 17.
An 1987 LeSabre Limitted doesn't really have much potential to ever be a cool car. Any money that you put into that car you will never get back. When you son turns 17 and doesn't like the car it wont be worth anything. A Monte Carlo SS, Grand National Regal, Pontiac Bonaville, Camaro, Trans Am and many other cars would be much better choices with more aftermarket body kits and performance mods available.
I have a 1967 Cadillac that I am going to fix up with my sons, still not the best car but I have owned it for ten years and atleast it is old and almost cool.

Ok,but he really likes them and maybe down the line we can do a motor swap. But that won't be till god only knows when. He always had a thing for these cars since he was about 5. He always points to them and says "theirs our project" amongst other things. He just loves Buicks. We probably won't invest a ton of cash into this but just things like paint,possibly bolt on hood scoop and rims and definitely a sound system. But if a few years we still have this car and his passion is still this same car,then why not. It will be completely different then your everyday Shelby wannabe or yanko wannabe. Not bad mouthing them by any means. I know I was 7,my dad let me pick out a project car and of all thing it was an AMC Gremlin. Not a cool car by any means to most ppl but always loved those cars since. When I was 18,still had the gremlin and guys would get pissed when I would blow their doors off cuz wen I got to my teenage years we did a motor swap and put a chevy 409 in it. So who knows,maybe wen my son gets older,it will be the same.

 

[redmondjp]

Ok,but he really likes them and maybe down the line we can do a motor swap. But that won't be till god only knows when. He always had a thing for these cars since he was about 5. He always points to them and says "theirs our project" amongst other things. He just loves Buicks. We probably won't invest a ton of cash into this but just things like paint,possibly bolt on hood scoop and rims and definitely a sound system. But if a few years we still have this car and his passion is still this same car,then why not. It will be completely different then your everyday Shelby wannabe or yanko wannabe. Not bad mouthing them by any means. I know I was 7,my dad let me pick out a project car and of all thing it was an AMC Gremlin. Not a cool car by any means to most ppl but always loved those cars since. When I was 18,still had the gremlin and guys would get pissed when I would blow their doors off cuz wen I got to my teenage years we did a motor swap and put a chevy 409 in it. So who knows,maybe wen my son gets older,it will be the same.

And if you really want, you can swap a later Series II supercharged 3800 into it (available cheap from a wrecked car, 240HP stock), or (if you're really crazy and have a lot of extra $) a Northstar Caddy motor.

 

[1380Ken]

The 1987 sixth generation LeSabre is the worst LeSabre that you could pick as a project car. It has zero potential to be anything. The engine is a 150 hp dog. There are almost zero performance parts available. It is a big part of the reason that GM was failing. The suspension is poor. The interior is sub par. The styling is not good. The mechanicals are weak. You are going to have issues with the 26 years old electronics.
The gremlin was a far better pick. It was rear drive and simple. It was also easy to install a v8, some came from the dealer with 390s in them.
Stop before it is too late. Have someone help you find a better car to fix up. The fact that you would even pick this car demonstrates a total lack of car knowledge and I don't believe that you ever owned a V8 Gremlin .

 

[Fuzz]

Well it makes my son happy. As long as he's happy,then why not. I think it will be completely different project then the same old camaro and mustangs. Their are far too many of the same car being hooked up. Why not do something different. We probably won't go balls out performance but we were also talking about making this into a lowrider. We both love them so it will be unique. I know it's FWD and a unibody but I already looked and yes we can install a simple hydraulic setup and yes it's been done on unibodies before. But we are still deciding what to do. If ppl think its crazy to sink money into this so be it. It's our project so as long as it bonds me and my son closer,that's the best part 🙂 well to me anyway

 

[Enslow]

This should be viewed as a learning project, not an investment or anything like that. We can't care that he chose this car. The mere fact his son chose this car will be motivation for him to learn how to diagnose and repair this vehicle. Heck, the fact it's the worst Lesabre GM made makes it the best learning car. Maybe by the time he's 15 he'll mod the car so much that he'll only keep the unibody shell, learn welding so he can reinforce it, and do all sorts of crazy things to make it the way GM should have. Or maybe he'll scrap it and start over with something else. I won't judge his choice, knowning he's going to be learning a lot. And it sounds like he'll have lots to learn!

 

[Fuzz]

Thanks Enslow,it will be a great learning process. It will be an interesting project one way or another 🙂

 

[gnhbodyguy]

I see a 86-91 LeSabre, Delta 88 or Bonneville just about every day around here. Anywhere from clean to very rusted out. They hold up pretty well overall compared to some other cars...my 1998 still looks and runs great.

Took this picture in 1999, right after I bought the 1998 and before I sold the 1986. My older son is driving the 1998 now, and my younger son is on his learner’s permit with the 2003. Good luck with your project!

 

[Fuzz]

Thanx,luv the white on BTW,looks sharp. It will be a fun project one way or another

 

[2000ltd]

How did your project car turn out? Post some updates please?

 

[jotzgr]

12yo thread. OP has not been seen on here since 2013. Doubtful car or member is still around.