http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/2673864265.html
Don't know much about these. I know that the early ones used engines sourced from VW to build chrysler's answer to the rabbitt( go figure..._). Didn't we have one in the challenge a few years ago?
So, what's the scoop on the turbo ones? How easy would a dodge 2.2L turbo motor be in a rabbit or golf? Just curious...
Hold on....I think the new issue (which we don't have yet) has a buyers guide
Shut the front door!!!! That must be a sign....now I just have to convience the wife.
JoeyM wrote: Hold on....I think the new issue (which we don't have yet) has a buyers guide
Yep. Vintage Views have returned to GRM, but this time we're focusing on some of the '80s greatest hits. The new issue, in the mail right now, covers the Omni GLH and GLH-S.
Buy it you won't regret it. Hell if I had the means I'd buy it out from under you 
Outside door handles break. A lot. They are cheap pot metal pieces and if the linkage gets sticky, etc they will snap off in your hand. The replacements have the same problem.
Luckily they aren't hard to replace and the hatch is big enough to get into the car if the doors won't open.
Cowl and floor boards leak where they meet the firewall, old body putty dries, cracks and falls out over time. Replacing this before the floorboards rust is a good idea.
Working on the engine in the tiny engine bay will get old quick and you'll find that many times it is easier to just remove the entire drivetrain to do much of anything serious to the engine.
Drivetrain is essentially the same as any other T-D except the driver's and front motor mounts are bespoke to the Omni along with the axles.
Stock 5-speed transaxle has a weak differential and the bearings supporting 3rd gear can shift under load and spit the teeth off the gears in 3rd. Shift linkage falls apart. Most people solve the issues with the stock transaxle by using the later model cable operated transaxles. The later cable-operated 520/555 have the same 3rd gear bearing support issue and a Chro-Moly support plate is made for the 525/520/555 to resolve that issue. A differential girdle was available for the 525, but the differential internals themselves just aren't that strong.
Great autox rigs as they are just like slightly larger A1 Rabbits (Dodge set a target for the original GLH to beat the GTi by 10% in all performance categories, which it did) and the suspension tuning tricks used on Rabbits can be adapted to the GLH. This includes balljoint spacers, front struts (with a little work), 5 lug wheels and alignment settings. A simple rear sway bar can be added with some plate steel clamped to the crossbar of the rear suspension arm.
K-member and suspension parts are very similar to the other K-based cars and minivans, but only the control arms are directly shared. The K-members themselves are stamped steel and usually poorly welded. Steering racks sometimes come loose from the K-member and wallow out the mounting holes. 1st-Gen Neons share similar steering racks with slightly slower ratios. 11" front brakes from a later car can be adapted with K-based struts and coil-overs. Rear discs are mostly a bolt-on, but the brake balance needs to be controlled as the rear is much lighter in the Omni.
Biggest issue with the stock suspension is that the sway bar is so poorly mounted that they act as a torsion spring and bind the suspension, making the issue of inside wheel spin worse in the corners. A better sway bar mounting solution, a limited slip and/or shock tuning will cure most of this.
Jetta/GTi "big bumper" covers fits the front of the GLH for a more modern look and better aerodynamics. I'm sure with appropriate sawzall action, other solutions can be found adapted.
Most issues with the gauges are related to bad solder joints on the circuit board on the back of the main cluster. Speedometer is cable driven with a speed sensor for the computer (uses it for fan cycling and idle control)
Steering wheels have a huge dish because the column is not collabsible, so they made the wheel collapse instead. Aftermarket wheels require a collapsable adapter and at least a 2" spacer or your fingers will hit the dash when you turn the wheel.
That one in the link looks to be a great start to a project and I would jump on it with both feet if I had the opportunity as I love the L-bodies.
let me know by tomorrow if you dont want it. i do. michael
don't know if it's a real GLH or just a turbo swap... as I recall the GLH had 5 lugs vs the 4 lugs the standard models got...
makes me wish I'd finished the shelby charger I had :(
its not a real GLH. no five lig wheels, no rocker skirts, etc. swapped in 2.2, looking like a turbo lebaron piece.
still want it though. ive got serious lust for turbo omni. ive actually been hunting one for a while. i have to talk to the wife in the morning to see if this would be a divorcable act, though.
but just think: 40+ MPG, autocrossable omni. turbo. with a car seat in the back. daily driven. satin black with a porno red interior.
damn, i need help.
michael
All of this "wife convincing" garbage. If it's less than a grand, runs & stops, berkeleying buy it!!!
A swapped one would be better if it's not a hack job, stock they are pretty terrible. You could make a decent stock looking one by replacing everything you can with 89+ drivetrain parts. Both the glhs my dad bought new and the 85 Shelby charger I had a few years ago took many rides on a tow truck.
You can use the better turbo brakes or evn minivan 60mm calipers with 4-lug hubs. I've done it.
Early Daytonas came with 220mm 4-lug rear drums that bolt on and use the vented rotors and calipers from the same and you'll have pretty decent braking for the ersatz-GLH and you can use common 4x100mm wheels :)
Definitely not a real one. This is a real one:
In fact, it was my real one between 1985 and 1991. That one looks pretty hacked.
This one looks in better shape, but has 84 wheels on a 86 car. http://baltimore.craigslist.org/cto/2652139727.html
http://www.dempseybowling.com/sheldodg/
GLH was only available from 84-86. The GLH Turbo was available 85-86 only. The last 500 GLH Turbos in 86 were sold to Shelby for the 86 GLH-S.
In 87 there was only the Shelby Charger Turbo and Charger GLH-S for the L-body.
The reason? Chrysler was planning on dropping the Omni in favor of the Shadow/Sundance twins, but the Omni sold so well they produced them sans turbo until 1990 along side the Shadow/Sundance
Dusterbd13 wrote: let me know by tomorrow if you dont want it. i do. michael
Mike, Be my guest. Grab the car if you can. I'm nowhere near being in a position to buy this right now( and yes, my wife would kill me if I pursued it seriously. This was confirmed tonight.... ).
Good luck w/ your purchase. Nothing like tracking down a car that you love...and I helped!!!!
That's enough to make my day right there. My time will come....
Enjoy your car!!!!
Turboswede, that first post was great. 
I've had a Turbo Dodge on my wish list for a long time.
I recall in the late 80s getting my doors blown off by a GLH-S. Had a 69 Impala 2dr 327 typical bolt ons that would take on the stock IROC Camaros, 5.0 Mustangs, etc, that the "rich kids" parents bought them. I Got smoked by GLH-S.
I had the opportunity to by a 4dr Sundance Turbo 5 speed for $800 before I moved 10 years ago. I'd like to have it right now.
the Lancer 4dr Turbos were very cool as well
I've owned everything. A GLHS still resides in my fleet.
I'm planning on selling my '04 challenge GLH. Ran when parked, ran VERY well when parked. Lots or mods, NOT a daily driver though. If you are serious, PM me for details...
TIGMOTORSPORTS wrote: I've had a Turbo Dodge on my wish list for a long time.
They are fun for a while, but I was very happy for mine to be gone. My milano was a major step up in both reliability and availability of parts if that say anything.
Travis_K wrote:TIGMOTORSPORTS wrote: I've had a Turbo Dodge on my wish list for a long time.They are fun for a while, but I was very happy for mine to be gone. My milano was a major step up in both reliability and availability of parts if that say anything.
Yeah, its saying you don't know what you are talking about. I've owned multiple examples of both the cars you mentioned. While our Milanos were certainly entertaining, to say that parts availability was better than a TD, is simply laughable. GLHS's are fun for a lot longer than "a while".
Yeah, that's crazy-talk. Go to Autozone and buy anything you need for a TD on the spot. An Italian anything, not so much. And for fun, I suppose some folks don't think having a 30+mpg car spank on 'vettes all day isn't any fun.
Autozone stuff for the tds was complete crap. The steering rack I bought lasted 3 months, starter solenoid about 6 months, etc. I dont count those as a source of daily driver parts, and way more factory Milano parts are still available than l-body parts, especially the turbo ones. Mine was stock, but it got 18-20 mpg not 30.
I wouldn't look at a cheap turbo Dodge to drive everyday - or get me to work. It would be one of those cars you take out and beat the crap out of one day a week, and not feel bad about it afterwards.
the Omni sold so well they produced them sans turbo until 1990
Or until 95 with a 2.5 turbo, IF you happened to live in Mexico.
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