[BBOX]

Ok, here's the deal - there's a bar I go to quite often, and I've become pretty good friends with the owner. He has an '03 Pontiac Gran Prix GT. I don't know a ton about the car, but he's claiming to be spending 6k to 7k on the interior, and likes to run his mouth about the "three MTX subs in a sealed box" he's putting in, and his other stereo stuff. He's also going on about the $2700 20" wheels he's putting on the car. When I ask him about performance, he claims its "souped up" but won't (or, I think more likely, CAN'T) elaborate. His car is an automatic.

As he was talking tonight, I mentioned my car and how it was nothing to laugh at. He then repeatedy offered to race for $1,000. Now, I know this sounds like some kind of bad version of The Rice and the Ridiculous . . . but he's serious about racing for the skrilla. Obviously I'm not going to blindly agree to roll with him without first looking under the hood, but . . . he sounds like he's setting up his car for alllllllll show and noooooooooo go . . . I tried explaining to him what was under the hood of my Cougar, but I'm seriously tired of wasting my time with it, because no one understands what the [censored] it really means anyways.

Frankly, I don't think this guy's smart enough to run nitrous, and I don't really know dick about how the '03 GT is able to be modified. If he's running F/I, I think I would take a pass, but I'm guessing he has bolt-ons at best . . . and with all the cosmetic [censored] he's adding on . . . I don't think he's gonna be able to touch my Cougar. This is potentially the easiest dime I could ever make.

Basically, I'm looking to see if there's anyone who knows a whole lot about that platform and what I'd likely be up against. Right now, I feel like once I get my IMRC replaced, the Coug could eat him up, tuned or untuned. It sounds like he's going to have a buttussy (thats bu-DUSS-y, stand for a combination of butt and pussy) load of stereo crap in the car, and if that's the case . . . :shrug: I don't think he stands a chance.

Christ, I'm buzzin, I'll wrap this up . . . anyone got a reason for me NOT to take this guy's money? If so, chime in and call me an idiot, I'm open to listening to opinions.

 

[InnovaZero]

Tuned SVT Hybrid 3L's (MTX) runs from 14.0-14.5 as far as I'm told...Auto 03 Prix GT's run at best 15.5. The immensive amount of weight he's already adding to his car isn't exactly helping him either... I'm almost betting he's doing no better then 15.8 in the quarter.... (195hp/220lbs @ 3400lbs)

You should be more then fine...

(Now if it was a GTP, then it would be more of a race lol....(GTP's are like baby GTO's, Super charged and ready to haul ass)

 

[02C2]

KBB says 3.8 V6. Can't tell ya anything other than that. Under the right conditions... I'd say doable... of course that would be that he has NOTHING performance wise done and GMK's method of weight reduction.
I wouldn't put any $$ on it myself but do it for fun in my 2.5, if I were running at normal.. I mean better than normal capacity (my car has issues)
Given your list of mods It'd be a descent race. I almost thing you could do it if you get a good jump off the line. He might be dumb enough to Neutral drop it off the line and fsck up his engine... That'd be a fun vid.
I personally wouldn't put $$ on any race even me verse a Geo Metro.

remember... as GI-Joe always said. "Knowledge is 1/2 the battle"

 

[Micah]

he should level with you....i hate it when ppl hide what they have. i don't race for money, just fun but the point is if your going to race then race....don't f#$king sandbag. like you said though, he's probably stock. have you ever heard his car? you should be able to tell if anything is going on under the hood



M

 

[mond12345]

As long as its not the GTP which is S/C! Heres the specs for the car u listed:


Engine Size: 3.8L

Number of Cylinders: V6

Horsepower: 200 hp @ 5200 rpm

Torque: 225 ft-lbs @ 4000 rpm

Curb Weight: 3496 lbs

 

[OSUStallion]

Yeah I had a similar experience. ... just a casual conversation at a party with a guy. I saw his car pull up (civic ) it looked like it had some work done to it.
I asked what engine modifications he did to the car


He replied I cant tell you. ..WTF? Some people are just too full of themselves.

 

[BBOX]

Originally posted by: MagicHallucinations
he should level with you....i hate it when ppl hide what they have. i don't race for money, just fun but the point is if your going to race then race....don't f#$king sandbag. like you said though, he's probably stock. have you ever heard his car? you should be able to tell if anything is going on under the hood



M

Ah sobriety is good . . . . anyways, no, I haven't heard his car, he claims its "at the shop torn apart". Frankly? I'm concerned, because while I could "afford" to lose that money, as in it wouldn't cripple me entirely, happy I would not be. I'm gonna try and pump the dude for some more information, and obviously look underneath the hood of his car and/or listen to it before we run or anything, but really . . . the temptation is high, cuz this guy's screaming "ricer" all the way to the bank, where he'll be cutting me my check. I mean, he goes on and on about the interior, or the headlight covers he's having custom made, but when I ask about performance, he clams up. I'll probably be down at the bar again this weekend, see if I can squeeze some more information out of him . . . I will keep you all updated.

 

[Topik]

I say do it b box

 

[AlphAssassin]

id wait until he puts on those 20 inch rims, and those three [censored]ty MTX subs hes raving about, then race him..sure win then.

 

[wanderingmind]

I wouldn't do it w/o looking under the hood first.

 

[YOSLVR442]

if hes stock then it will be no problem for you!!! but beware, SLP performance does make some nice mods for the 3.8L. they make even more for the supercharged version. but like i said, the weight and lack of s/c will surely give you the edge!! i say go for it, with caution.!!

:banana:

 

[bubby]

Yeah man he could just be [censored]ing with you. His plan may be to just talk about all the cool little bells and whistles he is putting on his car, but act like he doesn't know squat about performance. That sounds like a tactic just to suck you in, but like everyone else has already said, check it first.

 

[Tygerr]

As long as it's not a gtp.. you'll more then likely stomp him. My friends intercooled gtp ended up running high 12's i believe? It was fast!! He's turboing it now.. so it'll be a differant story. Either way, those things are boats. I've beaten a grand prix gt on the freeway before in my auto, and two monte carlo z34's, one from a dig numerous times, and the other from a roll.. (they also have the 3.8's). I'd say it's a pretty safe bet.. just check under his hood first for any F/I.

 

[BBOX]

Originally posted by: AlphAssassin
id wait until he puts on those 20 inch rims, and those three [censored]ty MTX subs hes raving about, then race him..sure win then.

See, thats exactly what I was thinking. He goes on and on about his stereo system, and about his "$2700 20" wheels", which I'm pretty sure are gonna be dubs and heavy as hell. The guy's got money, no doubt about it, he's taking a month's "vacation" from the bar he owns to drink, he's always spending a ton of money on promotions for his bar. He's a good guy, I've gotten to know him quite well. I just don't think he knows jack about cars.

 

[Rikenbomb]

If he doesn't understand what you were talking about when you tried to explain your car, then he doesn't know much about performance.

If you are going to do it, get a cam corder or something.

 

[Skywalker]

would it be possilbe to swap a GTO engine into a Grand Prix it looks almost like the same platform. I'd make sure to check under the hood, it doesn't matter if you know about performance or not if you have $$$$. Look at James Howard.:biggrin:

 

[BBOX]

Oh it will be recorded for posterity, don't worry about that . . . And, honestly, I'm finding out how little people know about performance. I've resorted to telling them it has a bigger motor with an SVT Contour top end, because its just not worth the time to bother explaining it. And the next, inevitable question is "Oh . . . cool (look of confusion) . . . so, does it have a turbo or NNNAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWSSSSSSSS?!?!?!"

 

[BBOX]

Originally posted by: Skywalker
would it be possilbe to swap a GTO engine into a Grand Prix it looks almost like the same platform. I'd make sure to check under the hood, it doesn't matter if you know about performance or not if you have $$$$. Look at James Howard.:biggrin:

I'll race him any day of the week . . .

 

[NorCalCoug]

Dude. The guy is blabbing about $6k for his interior and his "bangin MTX subs" (Dude, there are way better on the market if he's blowing $6k on his interior).
He claims he's tuned under the hood and is offering a grand?

Smoke his ass.

Smoke it good.

Have a third party hold the money in escrow before the race, make sure the race is either at a track or is monitored by two other people, one flagger and one at the end of the quarter.

03' Grand Prix gets eaten alive by the 3L Hybrid Contour SVT I'm driving. Since yours is basically the same setup sans taller final drive, I'm sure you'll do okay. In fact, you have headers and are tuned, this one isn't tuned and has gutted pre-cats.

 

[Y2Kat]

If he won't let you under the hood either he's stock..or built out the arse.
Find another car like his around town and run it...then you'll have some idea if he isn't built.
I have a feeling you'll be lining your pockets after the race no problem.