Fastest boats down the track..

Discussion in 'A boatload of fun' started by EEE, May 9, 2007.

  1. EEE

    EEE Straight out of lo-cash!

    When do we get to see what the new motor can do?
     
  2. Smartin

    Smartin antiqueautomotiveservice.com Staff Member

    Hopefully, June....if not then, August 1!
     
  3. quicksabre

    quicksabre Well-Known Member

    My 76 2dr LeSabre needs updated to 12.64 at 105 MPH. Same combo as before with the Q-jet, Performer, 413 cam, etc, but with Stage 1 SE heads and .5 point more compression. The 1400/4000 RPM converter is gone, replaced with a unit that stalls around 1900/3600. Haven't tuned on it any, just put it in and went racing. I'm looking for 12.30s after some tuning, but I will be staying with the Performer and Q-jet.
     
  4. Electrajim

    Electrajim Just another Jim

    Dave,

    Nice ride & ET's!! :beers2:

    What exhaust do you have, CR, and you run on pump gas, right?
    You can go far with the Performer Q-jet combo!

    Thanks,
    ElectraJim
     
  5. quicksabre

    quicksabre Well-Known Member

    Hey Electrajim,
    I was nice catching up with you in BG. Good to see your ride too. Not like it's slow now, but it will seem like it once you get it sorted out. I'm still running the 3" exhaust. I had the X installed this time. It's always hurt my top end though so I may take it out. I'm using 93 octane Marathon fuel with static compression of 10.4:1. Full timing is no problem, but getting it started is a problem now. It wants something less than 15 to start smoothly, but needs over 22 at idle once started to feel responsive. Vacuum advance is not reliable with this cam so I'm testing some new mech advance profiles.
     
  6. jerry455

    jerry455 Well-Known Member

    I can't believe I haven't seen this thread before!
    I had a 1972 Buick Electra Limited. 2-door hardtop.
    It was originally Nutmeg Metallic brown/gold (weren't they all :Dou: )
    with dark saddle interior. I had it painted black with black vinyl top.
    What a car.
    Best time was 13.38 at 101MPH. at Sacramento raceway.
    specs:
    .030 over 455, stage one heads, iron with mild porting, KB113 cam, B4B with Carter 1000 Thermoquad, Stinger Ignition & old set of GS headers massaged to fit, 2.5 dual exhaust. 3:42 posi, KB switch-pitch T400.
    It basically got all the "hand-me-downs" from the GS's we were racing at the time.
    This car was 4700 lb +, had A/C. PDB, PW, big tow hitch for towing GS etc.
    A few times I left the heavy receiver hitch installed at the track to mess with people!!
    This ran with full exhaust, factory mags & 275/60/15 recapped radial T/A's from BG Customs.
    That was the most fun Buick I've ever had to race with and surprise people on the street! (This car was done as a tribute to and inspired by Scotty's big bad electra. That Cars Illustrated Mag story just warped my mind at the time, and I got to meet Scotty & see it run in '90 in BG show. 1st class guy-)

    This was in the mid-nineties when people were just starting to give the Gran Sport some respect-but NO-ONE EXPECTS that big boat to launch as hard as it did and just keep pulling!!
    I need to transfer my old VHS & scan the pictures- it was a lot of fun and even got photo & story in National Dragster from winning a Bakersfield meet around 93-94. sold it in 2002, replaced by Mazda van :eek2:
    Good Times.
    Jerry Shumard
    :beers2:
     
  7. grandville455

    grandville455 Well-Known Member

    Congrats on New times!! .. If u have the same q-jet as before u probably need some more idle fuel now... How much vac U have now in and out of gear? U running ported or man adv?
     
  8. quicksabre

    quicksabre Well-Known Member

    Hey Grandville,
    Nice times to you also! My Q-jet is a heavily modified 350 carb. It will run as rich as you want at idle. I just can't run the static timing with the additional compression that I used to. I haven't measured the vacuum, but it's not too bad in park. In gear it goes low enough that the vacuum advance drops out. I have some vacuum advance pods to try that have less spring pressure. I'm also trying a second ramp on the mechanical advance cam that allows two curves- one worth about 8 degrees that occurs just above cranking RPM, then another one worth 12 degrees between 1K and 2K RPM.
     
  9. EEE

    EEE Straight out of lo-cash!

    Updated...
     
  10. quicksabre

    quicksabre Well-Known Member

    That timing scheme didn't work. The concept was good, but I had to run such heavy weights and light springs that it wouldn't reliably return when the engine was turned off. I just ended up putting a solenoid in place of the vacuum pod to give a 10 degree retard while cranking. Now I have 12 cranking, 22 at idle up to 1200, and 34 above 2000.
     
  11. quicksabre

    quicksabre Well-Known Member

    Now 12.54@107. I cut out the gasket between the two secondary holes in the 1/4" thick quadrajet mounting gasket, having never cut on the performer intake plenum divider. Starts nice and easy with the new timing setup, even hot. Now to work on the 60' time. It was 1.70, but with a consistent amount of tire spin each time that I would like to eliminate.
    I drove 50 miles to the track, made 7 passes, and drove 50 miles back. I used exactly 10 gallons of gas. The commute is half interstate, half back roads, with a few miles in the city. Seems like decent mileage when you consider the 7 passes (with 7 burnouts), considering it is a 4600 lb fullsize.
     
  12. alan

    alan High-tech Dinosaur

    Does a '73 Estate Wagon count? I finally had the chance to take it to the track tonight. It's a 1/8th mile track, so no 1/4 times. First pass was the best at 8.29 at 86.13 mph, with a 1.98 60' time. That was with 4 lbs of boost. I decided more is better :Brow: and bumped it up to 6 lbs. It slowed down to an 8.46 with a faster 87.52 mph. What killed that pass the most was the 2.18 60' time. I also stretched it out and didn't shift into 3rd on that pass.

    I learned a few things and will make a few changes before it gets beat up on again! :grin:
     
  13. quicksabre

    quicksabre Well-Known Member

    A '73 Estate Wagon definitely counts!
     
  14. '73RivStage1

    '73RivStage1 Member

    What kind of 1/4 mile times should be expected of a 'pure stocker' '73 Stage 1 Riv? This is my first Buick and it pulls hard like a 'good one'. Anyone ever seen any times? I am also looking into making effective improvements...recurve and rejet? The car is 100% stock with 88k miles, air pump etc...hope I didn't hi-jack this thread too much. Any help is appreciated. :TU:
     
  15. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    15s stock.
     
  16. '73RivStage1

    '73RivStage1 Member

    Thanks Jim,

    The seat off the pants feels like a low to mid 15. I would like to see mid 14's without opening up the motor, probably a long shot:Do No:
     
  17. BQUICK

    BQUICK Gold Level Contributor

    14s are possible

    -recurve distributor with a quick curve all in at 2000-2500, 35 total, run 50-50 mix of 110 and 93, sure it's only 8.5 comp but the maxed timing needs it and the extra timing really gets a heavy boat moving

    -re jet carb .003 on the primaries

    -remove air cleaner, very important as the stock air cleaner snorkel is a choker

    -synthetic fluid in rear, it's a BIG rear and synthetic makes almost .10 in the quarter mile

    -install short 26 in slicks or drag radials

    I did these to a 73 NON GS with open rear and got 15.10 out of it. The extra gear of the GS and posi along with the big valves with run at least .2 quicker
     
  18. '73RivStage1

    '73RivStage1 Member

    BQUICK, thanks for the info. good to know. I have always run big cars so I already have the 26' slicks.:Brow:

    The Stage 1 cam has 4 more degrees intake duration and more lift? Not much more over the stock cam but has a nice(very)mild thump at idle.

    Who knows, I may go with some exhaust cutouts and 125 nitrous...he he!

    I did that to a '70 Eldorado parts car w/26" slicks on the front, performer intake/carb, shift kit, no hood, no exhaust, bashed in front end, 4460 lbs. w/ me in it, 130k miles and untouched. The Eldo ran a 12.98@ 108.8 best and lots of 12.99 and 13.0's. I have a stack of time slips and video. Can you say Torque Steer?!? The most amazing thing is the fact the car ran a 14.16 @ 97 w/o juice! If we had more time, 14.0 or better was definitely possible with ideal traction. The Performer intake is good for .5 on the Cad. The 500 is now in a '86 Cutlass with a big Comp cam...just ranting on.
    :beer

    Rick
     
  19. chryco63

    chryco63 14's or bust!

    I love stories like this! :TU: Things like that are not supposed to happen! :laugh:
     
  20. '73RivStage1

    '73RivStage1 Member

    Yeah Glen, this was in '04. I happen to run against a red $40k '02 Firebird T/A Firehawk...twice!...complete with driver wearing matching jacket and helmet.:rolleyes: The black bashed up Eldo pulls up, no exhaust and 500 rpm idle...blah, blah, blah. The first pass I had him buy a car length, I believe he ran a 13.28 to my 13.02. The guy would not even look at me:laugh: The second pass was a 12.99 to his 13.17, I could tell he was really ticked! We found the weak link to the car, the drive chain to the converter got stretched and ultimately broke...we probably had 600 ft. lbs. torque. Keep in mind these times were with no traction. The car would go straight, but the tires were turned to the left at a 45 degree angle through the 60' mark and the slicks were destroyed after two times to the track. We even tried chaining the suspension down to keep the front end from lifting the tires off the ground! Bigger slicks and air in the rear shocks didn't help. Note to self: Eldo's do not make good drag cars.

    Rick
     

Share This Page