Toris too overpriced these days for such a straight line car, Id love a Chevrolet Can Am v8 from south africa or a Vega with an alloy Buick by TAPERFORMANCE.com but 4k usd for a bare block is not worthwhile when the cast iron ones with alloy heads are throwaway almost everywhere here. If anyone sees an alloy bottom end for sale second hand let me know :))

Ca18de is best with an 88mm stroke ;) Better of all is a KA24DE with L20B bottom end.

Yes, that's the power of Turbo. Take a weak/wimpy V6 and turn it into Megacar Gmopolis. 276 HP Buick GNX 360 lb ft torque (more torque than the same-year Corvette 5.7 liter).

Turbo does same for the four-valve CA18DE. Nissan added the turbo to create CA18DET and the stock block is good for 300 HP.

http://www.youtube.com/v/aDBn2ZIMNNo

D,
The 1987 Buick Grand National was the car to have. These cars started in the early 80's but peaked in 1987. I remember that you were hot sh#t if you had this car. Even the corvette's and camaro's were envy of this car.
Even though this car had a stock 3.8L turbo with 245hp, it could smoke the tires. Most owners could tweak the 3.8 v6 turbo motor to get more out of it. Back then I was just starting college and could only afford a Oldsmobile Cutlass. I sure remember that car. Olds 260 (4.3L) V8. Sounded good with dual exhaust but wasn't all that fast.

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I remember those vid's D. Mate ya gettin old . That was closer to 25yrs ago. That inspired my HB Torana with the Buick 232 v6.

Enrie not sure they are the ones but sure same motor & later car, the ones I saw where old dinosaurs standing up like T-Rex before a fury of spark, noise & smoke, crazy feats 4 such big tanks.

I think useable power means more that max power.
I have a mate with a super charged CA18deZ in a 1200 coupe. Only made around 200atw. But it has ooooodles of useable (Or not so lol) torque. I think he's gone 13.7 down the quarter. (With plenty of traction issues) That's plenty fast enough for a street car imho. I am a hardcore advocate for super'ing over turbos, but it depends on how usable you wnt your power to be. Dyno queen engines are almost never able to produce the 1/4 mile times that their power level should theoretically be able to generate.

D,
The motor your talking about is the Buick Regal Grand National with the stock turbo. I have a 2001 Impala with the 3.8 v6. Mine is the LS but the SS came with the Eaton supercharger. Love the car. Strong quick motor with good gas mileage.

I remember watching videos from the states about 20 years ago on some buick v6 turbos in Impalas doing full wheel stands with sparks all over the place when landing and running 10 or 11 seconds on the 1/4. 20 years later people try and squeeze the same kind of power in a smaller power band due to halve the capacity in the hope of what? in an Impala Id chuck my intestines out but in a 1200?!

maybe a question just as important - how long do you need it to hold together for?

A motor that survives a year of monthly drag race meets, probably wouldn't survive a season of circuit racing, and a motor that holds up to circuit racing won't likely hold up for a season in a speedway environment.

i remember reading he even got to 814hp. Not sure what happened to the engine.