Jim Tapp

protonus


Location: Rochester, NY
Last Update: Monday, February 29, 2016
Last Seen: Friday, January 24, 2020

Email: j-body@protonus.ws
Web Page: http://protonus.ws

1987 Pontiac Sunbird GT

About This Vehicle:

2016 - After many years, I'm starting to work on this again. Going to have the transmission rebuilt and the diff converted to a Race LSD. Gutting the interior, removing the convertible top and all glass, and making it a lightweight roadster. Car will be a street legal race car, and not much else. 1/18/06 Updated my info here finally after like almost two years LOL. Put up a couple newer pics, took down my crappy photoshop paint pics. The newest pic is the Gauge Magezine shot with no front rubstrips. The other shots are from the 2001 J-bash, then again at the 2003 bash with the new rims! The turbo pics are comparing the T25 to the T3 I am using It's one of only about 1,200 Turbo GT Convertibles made in 87. It's the last year of the 1st gen, so it has the blackout style tailights (which are the best IMHO), but it was also the first year of the turbo 2.0 (still the most powerful stock J engine to date, making the sunbird turbo GT's with a 2.0 turbo and 5 speed, the fastest stock J's to date).

Body Style: Convertible
Color: Black/Silver
Engine: 2.0L I4 SOHC Turbo
Transmission: Manual
Interior: Grey
Purchase Date: 12-01-00
Purchased From: Private Seller
Build Date: Ongoing ;-)

Manufacturer Options

  • This car was fully loaded with virtually every option
  • except the power seats. I have since removed virtually all of those options to make it racecar! lol.

Quarter Mile Timeslips:
 04:54 PM - 05/Oct/03 - NYIRP (Non-Intercooled) (14.888@91.10)
 10:32 PM - 26/Aug/05 - NYIRP (14.623@95.27)
 05:39 PM - 14/Oct/06 - NYIRP (14.181@96.86)


MODIFICATIONS

Engine:
  • Boost currently at 11 psi
  • Engine is an 89 2.0 Turbo with 70k original miles @ time of swap
  • Getrag/Munice HM282/MG1 5 Speed swapped in place of stock auto trans
  • Garrett T-3 Turbo I style from a Mopar 2.2L; .42 a/r compressor housing with 42mm/60mm inducer/exducer cold wheel; .48 exhaust housing with 48 mm hot wheel; and "quick spool" option (lightened wheels) (bought turbo from Turbos Unleashed!)
  • 3" Ceramic coated aftermarket swingvalve/downpipe housing from Turbo's Unleashed!
  • Custom 3" Downpipe wrapped in Thermotec exhaust wrap (Buy wrap at Summit). Goes to a 3" QTEC electronic exhaust cut out when open (buy the cutout direct from them) and to a Dynomax Super Turbo catback when closed
  • Large FMIC (front mount intercooler) 24" x 12" x 3" tube and fin core with custom 2.5 inch piping (thanks to Dan aka juicedz4 for his install help! Got the i/c from Ebay!)
  • Installed a TurboXS Type RFL Blow Off Valve
  • Custom CAI in fender with K&N 6"x6"x4" cone filter (got it from Summit)
  • -4 AN washable oil filter from Turbos Unleashed with a Russel oil pressure gauge for turbo oil inlet
  • AN Steel braided line for turbo oil/coolant(teflon for oil feed; rubber for other 3) (bought all lines+fittings/adaptors at Baker Precision and Summit)
  • Drilled/tapped exhaust manifold for 4 EGT probes
  • Clutchnet 6 puck sprung clutch disc and modified 50% stiffer over stock pressure plate Part# 67002 (buy it here: Clutchnet)
  • Filled both motor mounts with 80a durometer urethane
  • Solid/Welded upper trans mount
  • Mark Pain lower tranny dogbone mount (for a 3.1 v6 but works great)
  • Replaced Boost Solenoid with a grainger valve style boost controller
  • Custom passive crankcase evac system (details when I work out the kinks..)
  • ARP Connecting Rod Bolts (Part # 109-6001 from Summit)
  • Clevite 77 Connecting Rod Bearings (Part # CB1408P from AutoZone)
  • Fel-Pro PermaDryPlus valve cover gasket part# VS 50243T (buy at any parts store; for $16 this is something every 1.8/2.0 OHC should have)
  • Fel-Pro PermaDry Oil Pan gasket (part# OS 30574 R at any parts store)
  • 3 way fuel pressure adapter for gauge/bleed
  • Walbro 255 gal/hr drop in replacement Fuel Pump from Auto Performance Engineering (part # FPG003)
  • -6 AN Russell Washable Fuel Filter (Part # RUS-650130 from Summit)
  • MSD Blaster GM Ignition coil PN 8226 (Buy it at Summit)
  • Magnecor KV85 Ignition Cables Part# 4547; custom resized for Turbo 2.0 (e-mail me for size specs; buy right from Magnecor)
  • DEI Protect-A-Boot spark plug boot heat shields (black - part # DEI-010511 from Summit)
  • AC Delco R42XLS (stock and yet the best) plugs gapped at .032
  • Stant 180 degree thermostat Part# 13818 (buy at Advance Auto)
  • Self modified custom chip (gotta love ODB I)
Suspension/Wheels/Brakes:
  • 17" Silver Focal F5 Rims (focal seems to have gone out of business; took me 7 months to get these from here after paying for them)
  • Falken GRB FK-451 Tires (215x45x17)(buy them at Vulcan Tire)
  • *FRONT SUSPENSION*
  • Modified OEM struts to use a gland nut using the top portion of N body struts
  • Koni Yellow DOUBLE adjustable RACE dampers - universal insert (Part # 8611-1259 Race)
  • Eibach 300 lbs ERS linear rate springs 10"x2.5"
  • Ground Control universal Coilover sleeves/nuts (56mm universal x 20 cm tall)
  • Techno Toy Tuning (t3) Camber plates for Celica - re drilled for jbody
  • Techno Toy Tuning (t3) Upper spring perches and bearings
  • Performance Suspension Technology - Polygraphite front end bushing kit
  • 2nd Gen/Beretta GTZ front subframe brace GM Part# 22555480 (Buy it at GM Parts Direct it's only around 20 dollars!)
  • Strut Tower Bar from 1st Gen Cavy Wagon
  • Adjustable outer sway bar endlink
  • Front Alignment set to -1.8 deg of camber; 1/16" toe out
  • *REAR SUSPENSION*
  • Beretta rear beam axle swap - cut and narrowed in custom jig made by juicedz4 - endplates swapped and flipped for brake purposes
  • GM "Blue" FE3 beam to body bushings
  • 16.5 mm OEM Beretta internal rear sway bar
  • 1" Addco rear external sway bar kit for Beretta (Part # 446)
  • Koni Yellow DOUBLE adjustable SPORT shocks for Mustang (part # 8042-1134 Sport) with custom 1" upper shock mount spacers
  • Eibach 350 lbs ERS linear rate springs 7"x2.5"
  • 8" aluminum weight jack bolts/nuts thru trunk floor - custom setup to allow ride height/weight jacking adjustments via a 1/2" socket wrench in the trunk
  • Articulating custom lower 2.5" spring perches to accommodate varying spring angles at different ride heights w/ Energy Suspension Poly lower spring isolators
  • Custom upper spring perches bolted to jack bolts using stock lower bumpstop as upper isolator
  • Custom adjustable K-Brace
  • Ingalls camber/caster rings for jbodies (part # 30100)
  • Rear Alignment set to -0.8 deg of camber; 0" toe
  • *STEERING*
  • Dropped mounting point of inner tie rods on steering rack via custom mounting block - allows shimming up/down/fore/aft
  • Flipped mounting point of tie rods to bottom of steering arm on strut - allows shimming up/down
  • Coleman Racing Aluminum universal 17" pre-threaded straight tie rods - can spin to adjust length
  • FK Rod Ends universal 5/8" tie rod ends (Part # CMX10T) with Teflon liners (doesn't need grease) w/ Seals It tie rod end "boots" (Part # WS6250) for both outer AND inner joints (no more inner bushings)
  • *BRAKES*
  • Speed Bleeder's in Stainless Steel in all calipers (6 total bleeders)
  • ATE Super Blue / Type 200 DOT 5.1 brake fluid
  • Stainless braided teflon brake flex lines @ each corner (-3 AN custom)
  • *FRONT BRAKES*
  • Wilwood DynaPro modified brake kit for 3rd Gen Jbodies - Swapped calipers for part #120-7380 w/ bigger 1.75" pistons vs 1.5" - Swapped Rotors for part # SRF's 160-7101/02 - smaller 11.75" vs 12.19" (allows the use of 15" wheels for true drag slicks.)
  • *REAR BRAKES*
  • Dodge 11.24" Vented brakes off a 91 Daytona IROC R/T. Modified bracketry to work on a Beretta axle
  • SP Performance Drilled + Slotted brake rotors (Part # F53-54)
  • Hawk HPS Pads
  • Painted Calipers/Rotors to match front Wilwood setup
Interior:
  • Bought 2 sets of dual LoTek 2 1/16 gauge pods; sawed one in half and made a custom triple pod which has:
  • Autometer Sport-Comp 30 Psi vacuum/boost gauge (got it from Ebay!)
  • Autometer Sport-Comp 0-1600 F EGT Gauge (got it from Summit Racing)
  • Cyberdyne Digital N/B Air/Fuel gauge (got it from Summit Racing)
  • Davtron Dual Intercooler Digital Temperature gauge that does turbo out; intercooler out; and difference (call them direct to get the best price and get the "automotive" version)
  • Manual coolant fan switch for sitting in staging lanes
  • Switch for QTEC exhaust cut-out
  • Generic Gray/Black Racing seats (From Ebay!)
  • Generic 4 point harnesses + custom rear harness bar secured to factory shoulder harness bolts (From Ebay!)
  • Aftermarket/new gray carpet (get many colors of custom carpet from 1A Auto)
  • Put in a new/aftermarket well liner (bought it with top here)
  • 2nd gen door handles/locks
  • Auto-dimming rear view mirror (had to modify arm to fit it; it's snug against windshield filler panel; bought off Ebay!)
Exterior:
  • Shaved mouldings all around
  • Shaved locks
  • Shaved 3rd brake light
  • Shaved Antenna
  • Shaved "most" emblems
  • Added rust to reduce weight
  • 'PROTONUS' License Plates
  • Pontiac Racing Banner Ebay!
  • External gauge pod on the driver side cowl with an Autometer Sport-Comp 0-100 PSI external fuel pressure gauge
  • EZ-On auto top with aftermarket designed glass rear window (plastic sucks). Glass must be lowered by hand before top; and window is smaller but it's worth it! get it here
Audio:
  • *VIDEO STUFF*
  • 7" MicroVision LCD Widescreen (# MTV-7SM) mounted in passenger side dashboard (bought off Ebay!)
  • XO Vision AN-500 coaxial mobile TV Antenna with powered signal booster (works really well bought off Ebay!)
  • Farenheit (Power Acoustik) DVD 6T (DVD player + TV Tuner; got off Ebay!)
  • *AUDIO STUFF*
  • JVC KD-SH99 MP3/CD player (The new KD-SH909 is the new replacment; and is a killer unit; got mine from Ebay!)
  • Internal/Windshield mount boosted FM antenna (shaved the exterior one bought it from Ebay!)
  • Front Speakers are Infinity Kappa 3.5's (these sound good but are too deep; my grilles can't close; my Polk Audio 3 1/2's fit better; but they weren't a true 2-way like the infinity's are; got off Ebay!)
  • Rear's are Pioneer top of the line TS-6999's 6x9's (got off Ebay!)
  • Back speakers are run off 200 watt amp (for now it's a crappy Urban Audio amp I got for free)
  • Added Dynomat to back quarter panels and speaker area (available at any good car audio shop)
  • *ALARM STUFF*
  • Aladdin A-2000 (US model) Bidirectional/paging LCD Alarm; with remote start; keyless entry; trunk release; and aux out (got off Ebay!)
  • Added a car body motion sensor
  • Added hood and trunk pin switches (bought from local alarm install shop)
  • Varad Aero LED scanner on back of rear view mirror (got from Ebay!)
Miscellaneous:
  • Added a relay to the headlamp circuit allowing the high and low beams to run at the same time
  • 100w wide projector foglights in bumper
Future:
  • *STUFF I'VE BOUGHT THAT NEEDS TO BE INSTALLED*
  • Intellegent/computer controlled intercooler alcohol/water spray system
  • Alcohol/Water injection system
  • MSD 6AL ignition and launch control/3 step revlimiter
  • Autoloc 50 lb solenoid shaved handle kit
  • New front doors
  • *STUFF I PLAN ON BUYING OR MODDING SOON*
  • A trunk Monkey
  • Repair the body/paint
  • Shave Gas Cap
  • Replace spoiler with something more aggressive
  • Secret side view mirror modification ;-)
  • Convert low sealed beam headlights to HID 4300k Bi-Xenon Projectors
  • Convert high sealed beam headlights to H7
  • Front and rear mount squirt guns ;-)
  • Vented fenderwalls
  • Neon kit
  • Subs and Amp