In the near future, I'll be helping my dad work up a custom cold air intake setup for his '87 Bonneville, and I was wondering if anyone has a few pictures of the engine bay ? I'll be doing this remotely (my dad lives across the country), and I can't seem to find an '87 in my area to take a look at it.

Thanks in advance.

I got an '87 myself. HOwever I have no digital camera / near empty roles of photos. I do plan on taking some pics of my cars (inside + out) with my cousin'* dig. camera so if I ever get to doing that I will. I figure it should be really easy to make a custom CAI system for these cars. All you need to do is remove everything from the airbox back to the MAF (not including the MAF) and replace the now removed tubing / air box with whatever tubing you're going to use (pvc or even better metal tubing) and the cone filter of course at the end.
The reason why it'* best to remove only everything in front of the MAF is that this way you'll only have to worry about the air intake temperature sensor (which as stock sits in the rear end of the bottom of the stock air box) and of course you also have to make a whole or put a breather filter in for that weird tube that comes out of the bell housing cover into the intake. Anyone know what that tube does or why the valve covers would need air?

That'* what I would do and I've done these custom intake projects on both of my cousins' cars. ( a '90 Chev. Beretta and a nissan 200sx). Both went the same way except they didn't have their air intake temperature sensors in their stock airbox like our '87s do but that shouldn't be a big deal to get in there somewhere.

I do have some pictures in my Chilton that is just about exactly why my 87 looks like so once I get my scanner in about a week I'll scan that shot.
Post away with any questions.

Here are some pics.

The '87 bonnevilles don't have the intake manifold cover that says "3800"... oh well that doesn't matter in this case. The only difference between the intake in the pics and the intake in my '87 is that a Mass Airflow Sensor sits next to that part of the intake tube that looks like an accordian tube. Other than that its the same.


to 89bonnie:
Dude your car'* paint is in unbelievable shape. You get it repainted or is that still the old 89 paint?? My 87 is white and as much as I love it the paint is still in terible shape where the roof is peeling at both sides and the hood is in REAL bad shape with clearcoat chipped off of almost everywhere. The quarterpanels are in ok shape except for the rear one on the passenger'* side which is rusting. (mild surface rust). My driver'* side doors have been repainted from an accident (not my fault) but they are now white instead of my car'* shade of white which is more pearl / cream... I'm thinking of getting it repainted... i'd like to do it myself but i'd have to learn on what would be the best cost/value way.

mike d

Agreed, the 89 engine bay is slightly different then the 87, but I wanted to higlight the airbox location with respect to the rest of the mill.

I'll tell ya, nothing beats that 3800

I found out that the hood was replaced 8 years ago. But the hood and the majority of the body is in pristine condtion. The flaws are, peeling clearcoat on the roof. 1 rust spot on the driver door between the BONNEVILLE badge and the plastic trim. 2 spots along the rear driver wheel well and a bit of bubbling paint. The black trim around the wheel wells are coming off and I will more then likely get the body work done, depending on finances and how long I want to keep the car. The rims are in decent shape, I would LOVE to have them resurfaced, they are originals and the alloy coating is fading. Otherwise, its a real cherry of a car. For some more pics check my cardomain page, the link is in my sig

Thanks for the compliments

Thanks for the pics - sorry for the delay in responding, I've been rather buried lately. Yes, jr's3800, since you live fairly close to me I'm sure, I'd possibly be interested in taking a closer look at your car....it won't be within the next couple of weeks, but I'll email you off list when I get a chance.