Omni: Potent - Dodge Omni GLH Turbo
Lose the pocket protector, pal. Dodge's GLH Turbo made a man out of the nerdy little Omni
09/23/2018
In This Article
Category:
Muscle Cars
My grandmother once had an Omni.
No, seriously. It was burgundy with matching interior. Mighty unspectacular in all ways, and the story of the Omni as it relates to HMM would normally end right there.
Save for the GLH.
Whoever would have expected that the ultra-cheap Omni--which even K-car buyers thought themselves above--would someday become, well, respected? If you would have made that statement two decades ago, your buddies would have slapped you upside your head and told you to go buy a real muscle car. Nowadays, it's a good bet those same buddies secretly want a GLH parked next to their 'Cudas and Chargers.
Funny thing is, it didn't take much to transform an Omni from a milquetoast to a muscle machine.
Captive imports constituted Dodge's subcompact strategy for most of the 1970s. The Dodge Colt, essentially a rebadged Mitsubishi, sold in decent numbers, but fit in with the rest of the Dodge lineup about as well as an A/V guy in the football team's locker room. Granted, the Colt's intended replacement would fit in as well as a computer programmer in the football team's locker room, but at least it would be Dodge's own little computer programmer. It would also set the tone for the upcoming revolutionary changes in Dodge's product line.
Technologically, the four-door hatchback Omni represented several major advances for 1978, its introductory year. Chrysler touted it--and its sister car, the Plymouth Horizon--as America's first front-wheel drive subcompacts and fitted them both with its new Electronic Lean Burn computer-controlled carburetors. Rack and pinion steering and Iso-Strut front suspension, while pretty much standard fare today, made for good advertising copy in the late 1970s.
However, Chrysler didn't have a suitable engine to stick in the new small car--the company hadn't built a four-cylinder engine since the 1930s and a 318 sure wouldn't fit--so the company modified a Volkswagen aluminum overhead-camshaft inline four-cylinder, increasing the displacement to 1.7 liters and the horsepower to 75. The new Omni's weight-to-horsepower ratio beat out the "compact" Dodge Aspen, thanks to 1,000 pounds less mass to haul around, but the number still hovered just under 30 pounds per horsepower. A Hemi 'Cuda this was not. Heck, a Slant Six Valiant this was not.
Dodge infused some sort of sportiness in the Omni just a year after its introduction in the form of a two-door hatchback coupe, the 024 (Plymouth called its version TC3), but all four of the cars now on this L-body platform used the little Volkswagen four until 1981, when Chrysler released its 2.2-liter four-cylinder in conjunction with the much-vaunted K-car and made the engine optional in the Omni. The completely new engine, also of overhead-camshaft design, used an iron block with an aluminum head and a timing belt for weight savings over a timing chain. It bumped horsepower up to 84. Still not fire-breathing, but a step in the right direction. Weight-to-horsepower: about 26 pounds.
Suffice to say, at about this time, Dodge had about as sporty an image as Stephen Hawking. The division did succumb to the late 1970s/early 1980s tape-stripes-and-fender-flares phenomenon in 1982 when it applied the Charger nameplate to the Omni 024, but that hardly gave Dodge any street cred. So, as the story goes, Lee Iacocca brought in old pal Carroll Shelby to give the division a sporting tune-up. Shelby almost immediately put his name on a high-performance version of the Charger and specified a hopped-up version of the 2.2--called the 2.2 HO--with a 9.6:1 compression ratio (over the previous 8.5:1 ratio), a revised camshaft and more free-flowing exhaust, resulting in a 107hp carbureted, naturally aspirated engine.
But at the same time, Shelby offered some input on the base 2.2, meant mostly to increase the engine's durability. Dodge engineers heeded some of the advice and redesigned the head, intake and exhaust manifolds. The compression ratio on this engine, which Dodge introduced in late 1983, increased to 9.0:1, enough to raise the horsepower to 94. Weight-to-horsepower: about 23 pounds. Off comes the pocket protector.
Good enough? No. In 1984, Dodge's engineers added a couple more horsepower to the base 2.2 (22 pounds per horsepower) and three more horsepower to the 2.2 HO. They also got the go-ahead to install the HO engine in the Omni four-door--after all, they'd already figured out how to fit it in the L-body chassis the year before, using only a five-speed manual transaxle for a transmission. The engineers also swapped out the standard Omni's suspension and brakes for the Shelby Charger's, which used 30 percent stiffer springs in the front and 15 percent stiffer springs in the rear (along with stiffer shocks) that lowered the car an inch all around. A quicker 14.0:1 ratio steering rack migrated to the Omni, as did larger disc and drum brakes--10.2 inches and 8.7 inches, respectively. Fifteen-inch aluminum wheels at all four corners, also taken from the Shelby Charger, replaced the regular Omni's 13-inchers. Weight-to-horsepower: 19 pounds. Leave the slide rule and calculator at home.
Interestingly enough, Shelby didn't attach his name to this new high-performance Omni. Nor did Dodge seem to feel the need to announce the new model with garish stripes and fender flares. Instead, Shelby offered the acronym GLH because the new car "goes like hell," and, according to lore, Chrysler executives went with it, figuring nobody would ever know what the acronym stood for. Fat chance. Dodge designers left the GLH's interior alone, then blacked out the exterior trim and both bumpers. They added only a pair of Bosch fog lamps under the front bumper and a pair of unobtrusive GLH decals to the exterior and a chrome rocker arm cover to the HO engine. They limited exterior colors to Black, Gold Dust, Graphic Red, Radiant Silver and, later in the model year, Santa Fe Blue. For a car that started in price at $5,830, the $1,528 cost of the GLH option that first year seemed awfully steep. Probably one big reason why Dodge sold just 3,285 Omni GLH packages that year.
(By the way, Plymouth also made the 2.2 HO optional on the Horizon in 1984, but made no bones about it. If the 1984 GLH was a sleeper, the Horizon with the HO was invisible.)
Two new variants of the 2.2 debuted in 1984 as well, both in the new G-body Daytona. The first, an electronic-fuel-injected version, used a throttle-body-injection system and the 9.0:1 compression ratio of the base 2.2 to develop 99hp. The second replaced the throttle-body injection system with a multi-point injection system, then added a Garrett AiResearch T03 turbocharger, correspondingly redesigned manifolds and 8.1:1 compression pistons to the EFI engine to create the Turbo I engine, which developed 142hp.
Who wants to guess where Dodge engineers stuck that Turbo I engine in 1985? Weight-to-horsepower ratio: 15.89 pounds. No more tape on the thick-rimmed glasses for this little guy. In just a few years, it transformed from William Hung to Jeff Goldblum.
One minor change differentiated the 1984 and 1985 Turbo I engines. The earlier version used a mechanically controlled wastegate actuator, which kept the turbocharger to a constant 7 p.s.i. For 1985, Dodge gave control of the wastegate actuator to the car's computer, allowing the turbocharger to reach 9 p.s.i. for a maximum of 10 seconds at wide-open throttle. Horsepower tweaked up to 146.
The GLH remained an option atop the regular Omni, and Dodge made the Turbo I engine an option atop the GLH option, calling it the GLH Turbo. Dodge designers went hog-wild on the 1985 GLH--they added black side skirts and a black front air dam. Apparently, they needed places to house the driving lamps and the GLH or GLH Turbo decals. They also vented the hood, as they did with all turbocharged cars at the time. The interior remained about as pedestrian as could be; the most exotic gauge in the dashboard was the tachometer. Dodge's engineers, recognizing the potential for torque steer, upgraded to equal-length halfshafts on the GLH Turbo. More than 6,500 Omnis with the GLH package rolled out of Dodge's Belvidere, Illinois, factory that year, about 3,500 of them turbocharged.
(Plymouth, not so lucky. The Horizon's most powerful engine reverted to the 96hp carbureted version in 1985, after only 84 Horizons got the HO engine in 1984.)
For the most part, Dodge left the Omni GLH and GLH Turbo alone for 1986. They revised the head slightly, removing some volume from the combustion chamber, but they added volume with deeper dished pistons to maintain the HO and Turbo I engines' compression ratios. Weight did drop by about 25 pounds. Weight-to-horsepower ratio: 15.72 pounds.
That same year, Shelby started to modify Dodges out of his own shop, starting with the Omni GLHS, which added an intercooler to the Turbo I engine. Perhaps it was Shelby's signal that he was moving on. Perhaps the sleeper effect had become too sleepy. Perhaps the lower production volume of the 1986 GLH cars (3,129 total; 2,247 of them turbocharged) did the option in. Whatever the reason, the GLH didn't return in 1987, leaving the Omni to don the thick-rimmed glasses and pocket protector once again.
Shelby himself built the Omni GLHS for just that one year and continued modifying Dodges only through 1989. The Omni lasted just to 1990. The 2.2 spawned a 2.5-liter variant, along with Turbo II (intercooled), Turbo IV (variable nozzle turbocharger, beefed bottom end, intercooled) and Turbo III (Lotus-designed DOHC 16-valve head, beefed bottom end, intercooled) versions, but Dodge phased out the engine and all of its variants by 1995.
Steve Turnquist of Minneapolis, Minnesota, said he found this particular Graphic Red GLH Turbo in the fall of 2003 sitting behind a pole barn with a not uncommon blown head gasket. After nine years, the clearcoat had started to peel and the rear bumper took a powder, but the body remained surprisingly rust-free after 17 Minnesota winters. A friend of Steve's owned the property on which the GLH sat, but the owner of the GLH itself had long since abandoned it, so Steve's friend told him simply to come over and get it before he had it carted off to the junkyard.
Steve started with the engine, turning it over to Wagamon Brothers Performance Engines in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Wagamon focused mostly on the aluminum 782 swirl-port head, in which they left the stock 1.594-inch intake and 1.396-inch exhaust valves, but installed a Forward Motion FM475 hydraulic camshaft with an advertised duration of 264 degrees, intake lift of .473 inches and exhaust lift of .468 inches. Sealed Power hydraulic lifters, Mopar Performance rocker arms and Forward Motion valve springs make up the rest of the drivetrain.
Steve left the A525 close-ratio five-speed manual transaxle and chassis stock, though he did mount a set of Centurion 15-inch wheels from an Omni GLHS. A buddy was parting out a GLH, so Steve scored the rear bumper. He then had Zijad's Auto Body and Paint in Moundsview, Minnesota, replicate the Graphic Red paint. Steve said that, aside from the high center armrest, he didn't have to touch the Garnet Red cloth interior, and added only the AutoMeter liquid-filled boost gauge.
Steve said he has a regular Omni as well and said his two Omnis are like night and day. "The regular Omni is real mushy and slow," he said. "I definitely don't jump out in front of anybody in it. But the GLH is real fun to drive. It's real nimble, real quick to accelerate, but it's also real quick to turn too, even when you turn the steering wheel just a little bit. And with the larger brakes, it'll stop just as quick."
Oh, Steve reports not only a 14.47-second quarter-mile time, but also a return of 30 miles per gallon with the GLH.
Whoever said nothing good came out of the '80s?
Owner's View
Steve Turnquist, a transmission rebuilder from Minneapolis, Minnesota, said he always knew exactly what his friend had on his property--after all, his father, Phil, bought an Omni GLH new back in 1986 and still owns that car.
"I knew it was a fun car, because back in the day, we'd take my dad's down to our local cruise spot, and people just thought it was a regular Omni, but we'd beat up on 5.0-liter Mustangs all day long.
"You don't see many of these cars left, but they are really fun to drive, and I really like going to car shows and having the only one of its kind there."--Daniel Strohl
Club Scene
Shelby Dodge Auto Club
P.O. Box 3759
Centerline, Michigan
586-759-6160
www.sdac.org
Dues: $30/year • Membership: 400
Turbo-mopar.com
*Online forums dedicated to all turbocharged Mopar engines
Dues: FREE • Membership: 1,936
PROS
+ Zippy. Does indeed Go Like Hell
+ Inexpensive for a performance car
+ Almost the definition of a sleeper
CONS
- Two words: Torque. Steer.
- Not many built, not many left
- Shedding nerd image takes some work
Specifications
Price
Base price: $8,900
Options on car profiled: Omni GLH Turbo package, $898
Engine
Type: SOHC inline-four, iron block with aluminum head
Displacement: 134.6 cubic inches
Bore x Stroke: 3.44 x 3.62 inches
Compression ratio: 8.1:1
Horsepower @ rpm: 146 @ 5,200
Torque @ rpm: 168-lbs.ft. @ 3,600
Valvetrain: Hydraulic valve lifters
Main bearings: 5
Fuel system: Garrett AiResearch T03 7.5/9 psi turbocharger, 46mm throttle-body, 125 Lph electric pump
Lubrication system: Pressure, gear-type pump
Electrical system: 12-volt
Exhaust system: Single exhaust
Transmission
Type: Chrysler close-ratio A-525 five-speed manual transaxle
Ratios 1st: 3.29:1
2nd: 2.08:1
3rd: 1.45:1
4th: 1.04:1
5th: 0.72:1
Reverse: 3.14:1
Differential
Type: Hypoid, open
Ratio: 3.87:1
Steering
Type: TRW power rack and pinion
Ratio: 14.0:1
Turns, lock-to-lock: 2.75
Turning circle: 37.2 feet
Brakes
Type: Front disc, rear drum, with power assist
Front: 10.2-inch disc
Rear: 8.7-inch drum
Chassis & Body
Construction: Unibody
Body style: Four-door sedan
Layout: Front engine, front-wheel drive
Suspension
Front: Independent; Iso-struts with equal-length halfshafts; 1-1/16-inch solid anti-roll bar
Rear: Solid rear axle; KYB GR2 coil-over shocks; 0.640-inch solid anti-roll bar
Wheels & Tires
Wheels: Shelby GLH-S Centurion
Front: 15 x 6 inches
Rear: 15 x 6 inches
Tires: BFGoodrich G-Force T/A drag radials (front), Summit 84H radials (rear)
Front: 205/50R15
Rear: 205/50R15
Weights & Measures
Wheelbase: 99.1 inches
Overall length: 163.2 inches
Overall width: 66.8 inches
Overall height: 53.0 inches
Front track: 56.1 inches
Rear track: 55.7 inches
Curb weight: 2,295 pounds
Capacities
Crankcase: 5 quarts
Cooling system: 10 quarts
Fuel tank: 13 gallons
Transmission: 3.5 quarts
Calculated Data
Bhp per c.i.d.: 1.08
Weight per bhp: 15.72 pounds
Weight per c.i.d.: 17.05 pounds
Production
Dodge produced 3,129 Omni-based GLH four-door sedans in 1986, 2,247 of which had the GLH Turbo option package.
Performance
Acceleration: 1/4 mile ET 14.474 seconds @ 93.86 mph
Recent
Photo: General Motors
One of the ultimate C5 Z06s was the 2004 24 Hours of Le Mans Commemorative Edition, acknowledging Corvette Racing’s historic 1-2 class finishes in 2001 and 2002 (also 2004). Just 2,025 Le Mans Commemorative Editions were built assuring their collectability.
As far as the regular Z06 goes, all told, there were 28,388 built over four model years, so they’re not difficult to find these days. It can, however, be difficult to find stock, low-mileage examples, as many owners drove these cars as they were intended and tweaked them with bolt-ons for even better performance.
According to classic.com, average C5 Z06 prices have increased significantly over the last five years from $16,000 in 2019 to $32,000, as of this writing. One of the highest prices recorded for an unmodified example was at Mecum’s Kissimmee sale in January. The car was a 2001 painted Speedway White (one of 352 in that color) with just 218 original miles, and it sold for $71,500 including fees.
In July 2023, a black 2004 Z06, driven fewer than 1,600 miles, sold on Hemmings Auctions for $52,500 - just shy of the car’s original MSRP of $53,485. On the more affordable end, back in 2020, a 2001 Z06 listed as unmodified, but with 154,680 miles on the odometer, changed hands on Hemmings Auctions for $9,000.
These cars have received a lot of attention lately and appeared on many bargain-priced performance car listicles. Their low-buck status seems to have changed as a result and prices have nosed skyward. Still, the first-edition Z06 is an excellent car that offers a lot of track day potential with very low running and maintenance costs. If you’re interested in owning a 2001-’04 Corvette Z06, here are some points to consider.
Body
Image: General Motors Artist: David Kimble
C5 Corvettes used sheet-molded composite body panels made of 40 percent resin, 33 percent calcium-carbonate filler, 20 percent chopped fiberglass, and 7 percent resin and hardeners (used to improve the surface finish of the panels), according to Chevrolet. The floor pan was made from SMC inner and outer panels with balsa wood sandwiched in between. The 2004 Le Mans Commemorative Edition Z06 used a carbon fiber hood to shave 10 pounds off the nose. When inspecting a Z06, you’ll want to inspect the lower portions of the car for signs of damage—the fascias and rocker panels. The three-piece air dam on the front is prone to taking hits because it rides so close to the ground. Replacement air dams are widely available and it’s important that the pieces be installed correctly as the dam helps direct air to the car’s radiator. You will also want to check the floorpan for signs of damage or previous repairs. Floor pans punctured by debris in the road aren’t unheard of on these cars and you’ll want to make sure the repair was performed correctly to guard against leaks. The quarter panels on these cars are bolted on, so check for proper fit and signs of replacement that might indicate previous accident damage. Aftermarket body kits are available for C5s and popular with Z06 owners looking for some additional body width and larger wheelhouse openings.
Something else to be aware of - common among all Corvettes, not just C5s - are electrical grounding issues related to the composite body. These can cause a wide variety of mysterious conditions and usually the problem isn’t difficult to solve but can be difficult to trace.
Z06 exterior colors over the C5 generation included: Black, Torch Red and Millennium Yellow from 2001-’04; Speedway White, which was only available in 2001; Quicksilver, which was offered from 2001-’03 and replaced by Machine Silver in ’04; Electron Blue, which was offered in 2002-’03; and LeMans Blue Metallic was used on the ’04 Le Mans edition Z06. All of the LeMans editions were painted blue with silver and red graphics modeled after the 2003 C5R race car.
Chassis and Suspension
Among the most scarce of all C5 Z06s is 2004 24 Hours of Le Mans Commemorative Edition acknowledging Corvette Racing’s historic 1-2 class finishes in 2001 and 2002 (also 2004). Just 2,025 Le Mans Commemorative Editions were built, and they command a premium today. All of the LeMans Commemorative Editions were painted blue with silver and red graphics - a color scheme modeled after the 2003 C5R race car.
Photo: General Motors
The C5 Z06 was based on a pair of 13-foot long, continuous chassis rails, hydroformed in a die using fluid pressure - it was a very rigid platform and a first for the Corvette. Another substantial change in the C5 chassis, that made it an ideal production road racer, was the use of a rear transaxle. By moving the gearbox to the rear, the weight distribution nearly hit the 50/50 sweet spot, plus it freed up space in the cabin. An enclosed stamped-steel driveshaft tunnel (a torque tube) between the engine and the transaxle made the chassis even stiffer. The suspension hard parts were made from aluminum and transverse mounted leafs handled the bumps. The C5 front suspension used a setup similar to the late-edition C4s, with revisions, while the rear was an entirely new design with upper and lower A-arms and constant velocity joints replacing the old five-link/universal joint setup. Without a doubt, the C5 chassis transformed the Corvette. In addition to the superior handling, the cabin was easier to enter and exit, more comfortable to drive and the ride was less punishing—even the track-ready Z06. To ensure the Z06’s track readiness, it had unique FE4 suspension with a larger front stabilizer bar, a stiffer rear spring, revised camber settings and forged wheels that were 1-inch wider front and rear than a standard Corvette. The Z06’s steering was sped up too: 2.46 turns lock-to-lock versus 2.66 on standard C5s. Brakes were shared across the C5 line—four-wheel discs with 12.8-inch rotors front and 12-inch rear. The calipers were two-piston units but treated to a red finish on the Z06. Many owners choose to upgrade the stock brakes with aftermarket units. The stock rotors are fine for street use but have shown not to hold up well on cars that are driven hard on the track.
The 2004 model year Z06 benefitted from suspension revisions and new shock absorbers that were developed by GM through extensive testing. These units were a vast improvement over prior years. There are aftermarket options available that approach the performance of the factory ’04-edition shocks—which can be expensive and difficult to find today. Many owners have found that OEM C6 Z06 shocks are also a good fit at a lower price. The C5 chassis is a rugged and proven sports car platform that was designed to serve reliably for many miles. When shopping, take note of the typical items that wear out with age: anti-sway bar bushings/end links, control arm bushings, rear cradle bushings, ball joints etc. Be sure to ask about any maintenance work that might have been performed. A fresh set of tires is a selling point on these cars as well. The stock size Eagle F1 tires cost more than $400 apiece for the 265/40R17 fronts, and more than $600 apiece for the 295/35R18 rears - if you can find them. The selection of tires available in the factory sizes is limited these days so when it comes time for replacement you might have to consider alternatives like 255/40/17 or 275/40/17 fronts and 285/35/18 rears.
Engine
Image: General Motors Artist: David Kimble
The 5.7-liter LS6 arrived in 2001 with 385 horsepower and made the jump to 405 horsepower in 2002. It was an evolution of the standard Corvette’s LS1 with improvements to the block and pistons, better flowing heads with revised combustion chambers, a more aggressive camshaft, a redesigned intake and more. The LS6 is an excellent and proven performance engine that will serve many thousands of trouble-free miles. Initially, excessive oil consumption was an issue, but the problem was addressed in a Technical Service Bulletin. Replacement piston rings (due to a sealing issue) and a replacement engine valley cover (due to leaking) were prescribed for circa-2001 engines affected, and the changes were made in production to later LS6s. Reports and discussions of valve spring failures on 2002-’03 engines in particular also abound on internet forums. Replacing valve springs is a relatively cheap and inexpensive upgrade and is worth considering if the seller hasn’t performed the work already. Some of these engines have also suffered from separated harmonic balancers and balancer bolts that loosen and allow the balancer to come off - check for a wobbling lower engine pulley when the engine is running. The factory balancer is a press-on fit but there are aftermarket versions available that can be pinned to the crankshaft. Upgraded balancer bolts are also available.
Transmission and Axle
The Z06’s instrument cluster bears the logo of the popular performance package, and the tach has a 6,500 rpm redline.
Photo: General Motors
The Z06 used the TREMEC T-56 gearbox but it was equipped with more aggressive gear ratios for harder acceleration than the base Corvette. The trans was rear-mounted to a Getrag differential shared with all C5 Corvettes. Z06s were equipped with a 3.42:1 gear set with shot-peened ring and pinions.
The T-56 is an excellent gearbox, but miles and abuse can take a toll leading to some of the typical manual transmission maladies: grinding between gears, sticking in gear, popping out of gear etc. Sometimes the issue can be as simple as the shifter or the mount being loose, but some of these symptoms could also be signs of worn synchros or a damaged shift fork. The good news is parts are widely available and finding a knowledgeable rebuilder isn’t difficult.
The C5’s Getrag differential is a bulletproof and reliable unit that can withstand plenty of driving and punishment. The biggest issue with these has been seal leaks—something that was addressed in a circa-2003 technical service bulletin covering all C5 Corvettes. The TSB recommended replacement of the output shaft seal and the differential side cover O-ring. If a Z06 you’re looking at hasn’t had the work done and appears to be leaking, those seals are likely the culprit—and most frequently it's the output shaft seal. (Some techs recommend not disturbing the side cover if it isn’t leaking.)
Some C5 owners have also experienced issues with the clutch pedal sticking in the down position or returning slowly. Sometimes this can be solved by flushing and replacing the fluid in the hydraulic system. There are also aftermarket clutch return spring kits that can deliver more positive pedal action - once the fluid has been replaced and the system bled (an important maintenance item).
Interior
Z06 interiors were black or black with red accents and embroidered headrests. The Le Mans Commemorative Edition (shown) had graphite-colored upholstery with the Corvette emblem in the headrests instead of the Z06 logo.
Photo: General Motors
C5 Z06s had a unique instrument cluster with a Z06 callout on the tachometer and a 6,500 redline indicated. The bucket seats had additional side bolstering and embroidered Z06 logos on the headrests. Colors were limited to black, black and red and there was a graphite-colored interior for commemorative-edition ’04s with the Corvette crossed-flags emblems stitched into the headrests. It’s common to see worn leather side bolsters and seating surfaces in these cars but there are aftermarket covers and kits available to update shabby looking buckets. Many owners have complained of wind noise in C5s as the window seals age. Water leaks around the weather stripping is also a common problem. A locked steering wheel that can’t be unlocked, accompanied by the “Service Steering Column” message on the driver information display was one of the most common C5 interior issues reported. A 2004 recall addressed the issue (the recall number was 04006) and any car you’re considering should have had the recall work performed. Some owners took matters into their own hands and installed an aftermarket bypass kit that allowed the lock to function without interference from the car’s body control module. These seem to solve the problem as well.
Parts Prices
The Z06’s LS6 V-8 is generally a dependable engine. Horsepower was rated at 385 in 2001 and 405 from 2002-’04. Broken valve springs are a known issue, particularly on some 2002-’03 engines.
Photo: General Motors
- Air dam $114
- Brake rotor $60
- Carpet kit $680
- Harmonic balancer (aftermarket) $340
- Harmonic balancer bolt $41
- Seat covers $1,400
- Tires (front) $453
- Tires (front) $620
- Valve spring kit $100
What To Pay
Add $1,000-$2,000 for 2004 Le Mans Commemorative Edition
Did we leave out your favorite? If so, let us know in the comments. And if you're interested in reading more about classic American luxury cars, keep a lookout for the special feature in the July issue of Hemmings Motor News.
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