Does anybody know of any '63 race cars? There is one local for sale for $1000 less drive train and I thought it would make a cool racer. Maybe a Gasser style would be cool with a dual quad nailhead sticking out though the hood! :3gears: Got any pics of '63s? What would one of these weigh? They are a pretty small car, and I'm thinking it would be close to 3000lbs. What obstacles would I find? It has 4 stud wheels, so I assume the rear end would be very weak. How about the engine bay? It had the aluminum 215 in it before. Any thoughts? There are NO Buicks running at the track up here. Not even any GN's. We need representation dammit! Thanks, Brian
Eric Ruge has one in Kansas that noone has seen yet. It'll be a killer basically off the trailer. Jim Burek at PAE has one. Full tube frame car and another BB. Hasn't been out in years unfortunately. Also there is a black one currently racing with a turbo motor in it. I don't know much about it other than it looks KOOL. SO there are a few out there for you. I love the older cars myself. I think it would be a big project, but one well worth the wait when finished.
Black car with turbo I thought that was a '62 Special - might not be the same car. The one I know of has a license plate that says "Baby GN". Absolutely beautiful car, and I would trade almost any car I own for it. The driveline swap was a lot of work from what I remember, the early GM Special/Tempest/Starfire? cars are unibody - no frame.
Is the Buick version a traditional front engine/trans and beam rear axle? The Tempest has the goofy swingarm rear suspension with the trans in back and the rope driveshaft. Makes the conversion to race car a bit more difficult. Nonetheless, they are small, light and "cute" and there are getting to be a ton of '63 Tempests out there running. K
Here is a picture of the '61 Dave Burns is talking about. '61 and '62 are identical. '63 is the same basic unitbody platform but with different sheetmetal therefore looks different. Eric
Holy Crap !!!! That may be the coolest looking Buick race car ever. Nice work Mike 68 GS California Drag Car
Hey, someone copied my 62 special! Mine has'nt been out from under the cover since 2001. Waiting for a new block, Thinking about alum now, that should get the car down to about 3000 ponds with driver. :TU: It's a pro street car. Then again, been thinking of selling it since we don't have a track anymore. Cruising in this town is basically illegal now too. Jim Burek
Thanks guys, This car was over two years in the making. I will finally get to take it to the track this weekend for some test &tune (if it doesn't rain). The car weighs 2600# with me in it. 52%front 48% rear. I was shooting for 2500# I need an aluminum block!!!!!! Eric
You Dog!! Eric my man, that is one sweet ride!! I've had that exact "picture" in my head for years. In fact I have a 62 Skylark shell sitting in storage for the past 5-6 years, waiting for some spare time to start the project. With your car sitting "perfect" in my opinion, I am now hesitant to even think of starting the build. Oh well, you snooze you loose! (Anyone looking for a 62 Skylark shell?) Guess I'll just finish my current project and stick with that for a while. Like I said that is one sweet looking car with the correct stance, colors, etc. I hope it runs as great as it looks. I seldom get this excited about a car anymore, but this one trips my trigger! I can't wait to see it in person. Are you planning on US41 in Morocco IN on the 8th, 9th, & 10th of Sept? Excellent job!! Steve
Thanks Steve, The oilpan that you fabricated for me is on this car. The race at US 41 is to far away to take a car thats not dialed in yet. I plan on wearing the car out racing around here by the end of the year though. Next year I will put NOS on it and take it to Bowling Green and see what happens. Mike Garrison is going to need a bigger blower!!!! HEHE Eric P.S. Sorry I beat you to it :Brow:
Eric That has to be one of the baddest Buicks I've seen!! Chrysler Intake? How is the engine mounted?
Gary, The engine is mounted on plates front and back. On the rear I used the steel mid plate that doubles as a flywheel shield. The front is 1/4 aluminum that is bolted to the 3 bolts on the ends of the heads. Is it you that fabricated your own timing cover and front plate? That thing kicks a$$. The intake is a Mopar from Indy Cylinder Heads. The runners are to big for my engine (it is only 469 c. i.) so I need to fill it with epoxy or change it. When I started building all of this over two years ago i figured we would have a block out by now for some big cubes. Eric
