New GLHS owner

1221 Views 45 Replies 12 Participants Last post by tella27, Dec 7, 2011

Phoebegoesvroom

Discussion Starter · Oct 27, 2011

Hi all, I'm Phoebe. I am the new owner for Nick Spina's 1987 Charger GLHS #151. I used to own a 1985 non-turbo GLH when I was in college, and it is the one car I regret the most selling. I told myself that once I was ready to move on from my current car, a 2000 Ford Focus ZX3, that I would look into getting a GLH-T or GLHS. Nick's car came onto market at the right time and right price for me.

I do most mechanical work on my vehicles myself, so I plan on doing as much work as I can on the GLHS myself. From what I recall about my GLH, it was pretty easy to work on, or at least a lot easier to work on than my Focus is, anyway. My plans for it right now are just to get it to where it needs to be mechanically, and then go from there. I do have ideas for some things I want to do to it, but first things first.

I'm glad this forum exists! I wish it was around back when I had my GLH, about...eek...15 years ago.

1 - 20 of 46 Posts

G

· #2 · Oct 27, 2011

welcome to the forum!!!!

GLHNSLHT2

· #3 · Oct 27, 2011

like the time lapse video on your blog. Not often you see a girl get her hands dirty.

Phoebegoesvroom

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 27, 2011

GLHNSLHT2 said:
like the time lapse video on your blog. Not often you see a girl get her hands dirty.

Haha, thanks! With all of my projects, it seems like I always have grease under my nails.

rockslinger

· #5 · Oct 28, 2011

Welcome to TD! We are glad to have ya. post some pics of your car if you could, we all love pics

Phoebegoesvroom

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 28, 2011

rockslinger said:
Welcome to TD! We are glad to have ya. post some pics of your car if you could, we all love pics

Thanks! I'll post pics once I actually have the car in my possession. I'm hoping to have it within the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, can someone tell me a good source for a service manual for the car?

GLHNSLHT2

· #7 · Oct 29, 2011

ebay usually has factory service manuals for these cars. 3 books that cover a year of all the kbased cars. Here's the ones for 86. 1986 Dodge Lebaron GTS LE BARON GTS Service Shop Repair Manual Set OEM FACTORY | eBay

It's for all the cars, not just the Lebaron.

ILIKESHELBYS

· #8 · Oct 29, 2011

"Welcome"

I have owned 2, still have #491 Great cars. Thumbs up!

The $150 Stage 3 ECU upgrade from your site supporting vendors will turn up the giggle and pucker factor if you're not paying close attention!

Plug-n-play ;-)

Phoebegoesvroom

Discussion Starter · #9 · Oct 29, 2011

GLHNSLHT2 said:
ebay usually has factory service manuals for these cars. 3 books that cover a year of all the kbased cars. Here's the ones for 86.

It's for all the cars, not just the Lebaron.

Oh awesome, thanks for the link!

Phoebegoesvroom

Discussion Starter · #10 · Oct 29, 2011

ILIKESHELBYS said:
"Welcome"

I have owned 2, still have #491 Great cars. Thumbs up!

The $150 Stage 3 ECU upgrade from your site supporting vendors will turn up the giggle and pucker factor if you're not paying close attention!

Plug-n-play ;-)

Thanks! Yeah, I have to replace the turbo anyway since the car really hasn't been driven enough, so it's going to be one of those "while I'm in there" kind of things. My goal is not to modify the car a lot, but to optimize it and improve the performance a bit. The ECU was one of my planned upgrades.

I still have to do a bit of research on the turbo replacement. I'm open to suggestions too, if it's a bolt-in replacement or requires very minimal mods to install.

Thanks again, guys!

Phoebegoesvroom

Discussion Starter · #11 · Oct 29, 2011

I just bought a set of used 1987 manuals for under $25. They're a little dirty, but they're going to get dirty anyway, so I don't care.

GLHNSLHT2

· #12 · Oct 29, 2011

The Super60 Turbo is a nice upgrade. Upgrades the compressor, adds a larger exhaust housing and O2 housing in the same frame size and bolts right on. Good for 300hp. Thought they're getting harder to find.

Phoebegoesvroom

Discussion Starter · #13 · Oct 29, 2011

GLHNSLHT2 said:
The Super60 Turbo is a nice upgrade. Upgrades the compressor, adds a larger exhaust housing and O2 housing in the same frame size and bolts right on. Good for 300hp. Thought they're getting harder to find.

Thanks! I've coincidentally just started reading about this "super 60" kit in my research. I don't need 300hp, but then again I don't have to use all that hp, right?

Seriously though, I'd be happy with just 200 or so hp. I'd like to keep the stock tranny. Mainly I'm interested in a good, reliable, updated turbo, making the motor breathe better (intake and exhaust) and upgrading the ecu. The car is pretty unmolested, and I don't want to go crazy with it.

GLHNSLHT2

· #14 · Oct 29, 2011

GLHS was boost limited in the ECU to keep torque below 175 so the crappy 525 tranny didn't blow up. A MP Stage 2 ECU will get you 200hp, and the tranny will live as long as you're not power shifting it. The exhaust is the main cork as they used n/a Lbody exhaust even on the turbos.

Phoebegoesvroom

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 29, 2011

GLHNSLHT2 said:
GLHS was boost limited in the ECU to keep torque below 175 so the crappy 525 tranny didn't blow up. A MP Stage 2 ECU will get you 200hp, and the tranny will live as long as you're not power shifting it. The exhaust is the main cork as they used n/a Lbody exhaust even on the turbos.

Thanks, I'm aware of the boost limit on the ECU, which is why I want to change it. I have to see if I can go muffler-less in my state and pass inspection. Next year the car will qualify for an "antique" plate, which will make it smog and inspection-exempt, so I can do whatever I want then, anyway. So, the cork may just have to stay in place for the time being.

I am a spirited driver, though I certainly won't be powershifting it. I may take it to a couple of autocrosses a year, but it won't be seeing any dragstrips, I know that for sure. I think the stock tranny will be ok.

ILIKESHELBYS

· #16 · Oct 30, 2011

"I think the stock tranny will be ok. "
ROFLOL...

"The exhaust is the main cork"
+1
go 2.5+ exhust first. then open intake not a bad rule of thumb.

92TurboTona

· #17 · Oct 30, 2011

Welcome To The Forum:thumb:

The Pope

· #18 · Oct 30, 2011

pretty nice car, it will shatter the trans like glass with mods. I added the MP computer with 13 PSI and 2.5" exhaust and pushing it hard in third made the trans bind and not leave third lol. Most of the time it isn't 3rd gear spread as much as the diff exploding into conffeti like with my log powered SC. Get a 523, OBX, SRT 4 shifter, booger bushings and Shadow trans/cables/shifter as a donor with 88 up auto trans Omni axles. Then it won't torque steer and blow up, push it as hard as you want.

read this thread and consider it for leaving the car looking stock but with a lot more power.
http://www.turbododge.com/forums/f4/f62/358228-getting-20-pounds-per-square-inch.html

the turbo is large enough, so is the intercooler etc. With just exhaust and a 3 bar map computer it'll be a missle. You don't need to spend money on big turbos etc with a GLHS unless your trying to run 11s or faster. The stock computer is really limiting the power to save the trans, once the stock computer leaves you see what's there, then the 525 explodes lol.

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Phoebegoesvroom

Discussion Starter · #19 · Oct 30, 2011

The transmission is really that bad that it can't handle 200 hp? That's all I want out of it. Honestly, I'm not looking to drag race this car and I could care less what it does in the 1/4 mile. I guess if the transmission is that delicate, that'll just be something I'll have to deal with if/when it does die.

Dr. Johny Dodge

· #20 · Oct 30, 2011

if it's not worn out / beat up the trans should take it

everyone likes to nay say the 525 but I never had a prob with mine after I rebuilt it

and it was a 305 gear carb trans at that - only turbo trans part I put in was the 1-2 shift fork (stronger)

I ran a log turbo motor with 10-12 #'s , a 314 cam (460 lift) and the mp logic module

I beat the hell out of it for 6 summers , the prob I had was rod bearings - new motor every year - till it died of rod bearing failure

but I also lost count of how many used 525's I put in my "buddy's " car 'cause he insisted on useing beat up old transmissions

the only trans I managed to kill was a 555 - one of the small bolts that holds the shift fork to the rod inside the trans broke and went between the gear sets causeing them to move away from each other , thus cracking the trans case

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