Learn Me: Odd Old Oldsmobile on Offer

Finally, I get to do one of these!

I happened across an Oldsmobile Achieva SCX for sale, and I must say, my curiosity has been piqued. Quad4 power, 5 speed manual, red over grey, fairly low miles. Completely stock aside from appearing slightly lowered. I know they are fairly unusual and did surprisingly well in showroom stock racing back in the day, but I struggled to find any information of value regarding these cars. There aren't even enough of them out there to judge value. I, like so many of you, have a thing for strange performance models, and I think GRM may have even campaigned one of these many moons ago. For an old GM car, I even kind of like the interior design.

Stock photos, but identical to the one for sale aside from ride height.

I don't think it's a C41 car, so no Torsen, and only 7200 rpm instead of 7400. Pity. Still kind of surprised GM got 190 hp out of that 2.3 liter.

Thoughts? Is there a reason these cars are so thoroughly forgotten?

Paging JG... JG to the red telephone please...

(He used to have one back in the day)

I had a 92 SCX years back, it was the first car I autocrossed. Mine had Bilstein strut inserts and small body steel coilover shocks on the rear. Not a lot of stuff available for them, so it may take some digging. As for the rev limiter, easy enough to change with basic chip burners and software. Gearhead-EFI.com is a good site for how to do it.

Pricing is hard to say on them, there was little public knowledge of what it is and not many were made. Unfortunately the car itself was forgettable, just a GM FWD econobox. If you feel the price is reasonable, go for it. It is a fun ride, and they can scoot pretty good if you keep them spinning.

There aren't even enough of them out there to judge value.

That's the kind of car that may sit for sale forever if the exact kind of person who would buy one doesn't see it for sale, and then sell instantly when one of those people finds it. I guess there's a possibility that it's actually priced beyond what it's worth, but my guess is that if it's in decent shape and not asking over 3k, the first person who knows and cares what it is will buy it.

81cpcamaro: rev limiter's not a deal breaker, just thought it was interesting that some were higher than others. I still can't believe GM made a 7400 rpm 2.3 liter with 190hp when the M3 was making....192hp with a 7000 rpm 2.3 liter, haha.

Vigo: This car is almost challenge money and if the pics aren't lying, looks almost new. We'll see what happens, but last time something strange like this came up, I came home with an SVX.

gearheadE30 wrote: I still can't believe GM made a 7400 rpm 2.3 liter with 190hp when the M3 was making....192hp with a 7000 rpm 2.3 liter, haha.

This is always what I think of too!

I want one.

But then again I sort of want the special edition Beretta's too.

I got to test-drive a Quad 4-powered Beretta GTU back in the day, and rode shotgun in a Quad 4-swapped Fiero. It's a fun motor that loves to rev, but it's buzzy and rough as a cob. Lots of anecdotes about head-gasket issues on the 2.3 that weren't truly solved until it evolved into the "2.4 Twin Cam."

This article may help you decide if you want one: http://www.enginebuildermag.com/1999/04/rebuilding-the-gm-quad-4/

Bought one and ran it in lemons with a non-cheaty budget 8 years ago. I doubt theyve appreciated in value since then.

Our parts car was an scx trim achieva as well, and also found for under $500.

bluebarchetta wrote: I got to test-drive a Quad 4-powered Beretta GTU back in the day, and rode shotgun in a Quad 4-swapped Fiero. It's a fun motor that loves to rev, but it's buzzy and rough as a cob. Lots of anecdotes about head-gasket issues on the 2.3 that weren't truly solved until it evolved into the "2.4 Twin Cam." This article may help you decide if you want one: http://www.enginebuildermag.com/1999/04/rebuilding-the-gm-quad-4/

I think the GTZ had the 190hp Quad4, the earlier GTU had a little less power. I am almost ashamed to know these things...back to the basement.

In reply to gearheadE30:

I saw the ad for that one too, and it's damn tempting. Though the lack of pics or details is somewhat concerning. Fortunately, I'm neither close enough or have a spare $2k to wave under the seller's nose. Otherwise I'd be asking for more details/pics.

Storz wrote:

bluebarchetta wrote: I got to test-drive a Quad 4-powered Beretta GTU back in the day, and rode shotgun in a Quad 4-swapped Fiero. It's a fun motor that loves to rev, but it's buzzy and rough as a cob. Lots of anecdotes about head-gasket issues on the 2.3 that weren't truly solved until it evolved into the "2.4 Twin Cam." This article may help you decide if you want one: http://www.enginebuildermag.com/1999/04/rebuilding-the-gm-quad-4/

I think the GTZ had the 190hp Quad4, the earlier GTU had a little less power. I am almost ashamed to know these things...back to the basement.

The GTZ was 180 hp Quad 4, H.O. version. Only the Olds cars (91 442 and 92-3 Achieva SCX) got the W41 engine and transmission. I wish GM had put it in more cars, there would be more of them around. Would love to plant one in the MGB I have. Heck, I would take a H.O. version too. Either would be fun.

The feedback here is interesting. Seems like there is a lot of shameful interest in these and the GTZ, which had the 180hp version (not the W41). GTU was mostly appearance and suspension; I think it was 150hp. There has to be some very good reason why these cars aren't worth much, but I haven't found a single good reason aside from some vibration and some references to HG issues early on.

Bluebarchetta, I'll have to read through that article when I have a little extra time; thanks for the link.

In reply to petegossett:

Yeah, the lack of pictures sucks, but I'm working on that. I did actually contact the seller about it, though I'm also not terribly close. It would be more of a fun car to drive for a few years and move on kind of thing. Like the SVX, it's a car (well, more the engine, really) I've always been interested in.

Those are neat cars, do it!

It was this chassis that got me really going in the world of motorsports. Awesome engine and the Getrag gear box is pretty robust, but it's a pretty terrible chassis. Still super fun to drive, though.

Emissions are remarkably good, but if you can swap to an older 086 casting head, you'll get improved flow. The biggest issue with these engines are the head gaskets. IIRC, there are improved gasket designs floating around.

Being in HS in the late 80's I always thought those cars were cool. If you can swing it do it.

In reply to Storz: Never, ever, be ashamed to know these things. Without people who know things telling other people who don't, you soon end up in a world where everybody "knows" that a COPO Camaro is one with the ultra-rare police package.

That said, it is very healthy to laugh at the ridiculous quantity of tiny facts rattling around in your brain. (This also reduces the level of frustration & satire directed at you by life-partners.)

Thank you. The enabling in this thread may now continue.

I had a 95/96? Achieva S. Flimsiness interior ever

Yeah, where's JG on this one?

I remember wanting one of these. They were the original High output small engine. Honda was late to the game in comparison. Weren't these competitivce in GrandAm or something?

In reply to Gearheadotaku:

I second that message

Bobzilla wrote: I remember wanting one of these. They were the original High output small engine. Honda was late to the game in comparison. Weren't these competitivce in GrandAm or something?

"The Achieva won the touring car championship of the SCCA World Challenge from 1992-1994. As of 2011, Oldsmobile is the only GM division to accomplish this feat and only one of two American brands (along with AMC)." says Wikipedia