Check out AutoWeek for the scoop on Jay Leno's Porsche-eating Roadmaster. . Jay and I think alike as per my project
It would be even nicer, if he had chosen to keep that beautiful RM ALL Buick... still a great looking car!
So, when a Buick nut says he likes a car to be ALL Buick, he only means the engine, right? I am trying to understand the nature and depth of this affliction. Corvette suspension is OK, but GM blocks are out? Don't bother upgrading those drum brakes with anything but Buick disks... Or what? How far does this go? Where is the line drawn? When I say "nut", I mean that in the best possible way. Flame protection - ON.
I believe most here don't mine the upgrades. But this is a V8 Buick site and we all have a special feeling for the Buick engine. Most here belive that the Buick engine would have been a better choice. Instead of the typical chevy.
Andy, I didn't flame Leno for not putting a Buick heart in his RM, I only stated my opinion, that I would appreciate the car more with a Buick heart. After all, a car's engine is a large part of what makes it what it is. I still think it's a great looking car, and I wouldn't walk past it just 'cause it has a non-Buick motor. I also wouldn't expect it to have a "correct" engine in it, for the model year.
I also would rather have seen a BBB as powerplant of choice...but i'm gonna sit on the fence on this one... i'm jus glad theres another Buick thats not sittin in the wreckers yards with the tin worm... as far as the other mods to the rear etc...Whoa sounds like an awesome setup..ok so the purists here might not appreciate deviation from original spec...but respect where respect is due..thats a lot of hard work, and a killer way to modify the car for the extra ponies its pushin... How much are we gonna smile when we hear stories of it blowing away chebbys or suchlike?? Plus its another way of makin the car fraternity( that for some reason often overlook Buicks as cool cars) sit up and pay attention... I'm stoked for Leno...glad to see he enjoys the darn thing
I think a built Nailhead would've fit the bill, but its his car, and its still beautiful. If it were my car, it wouldnt have shiney paint and would be a lot lower ... plus the nailhead.
620hp?? :eek2: How the hell could you even get on it without skatin' all over the road?? Seems over powered for the footwear.
I think his car will be on My Classic car next week. I am really dissappointed in Jay, that fine car should have a Nailhead in it, not a Chibby. If he wanted to go modified, hell, he's got the money, a dual quad with twin turbos on it would have fit the bill perfectly. Shame on you, Jay!:spank: Chebby motors are for shivvies!
jay's car was on this past monday night's my classic car . car is awesome . he installed the 572 ci chevy bb because it he did not have to find a block & have someone build the bbb for him . he got an efficient , power-ladened engine that is carburetorated & more environmentally friendly . the c5 vette suspension keeps the car on the road . and when he punches the throttle , the tires light up & the car tracks straight .
572 CI and 620HP is NOT your typical Chevy motor. I would rather of seen it with a 600HP Buick motor but it is still a very nicely done car that any of us would love to have in our garage! Mike
I don't think there is a Nailhead in this world that makes 620hp and hides under the hood. Not saying it can't be done but it would be alot of custom work instead of a near bolt in as the chebby was. I agree that it would have been much cooler with a BBB or Nailhead or really drive them nuts with a stage II V6 with some big turbo or even twins under there but it turned out well in the end. Just my pocket change,
Back in the late 50's Buick experimented with a blown Nailhead. I can't find the article (saw it in the Bugle) bot that motor put out over 800HP........I can't remember the torque, but it was incredible. 620 HP from a chivvy is peanuts compared to how that motor would have performed. If I had Jay's money, guess what motor I would have used?:Brow: Buick engineers beat the crap out of that motor until they blew it up, the crank was in 2 peices and a few other internals were laying around the shop where they were proving it. I guess it was a reliability thing............just in case someone took it upon themself to run the thing full throttle on a cross country run they didn't want to produce a motor that was so powerful it would come apart.
Its just that the Chevy motor is so over done and is the easy way out. In the early '80's my brother put a blown 350 chevy in his '67 GTO. We thought it was cool then because it wasn't being done and we were going against the grain but now, a blown 389 would be so much cooler!
Got to see & HEAR Jay's '55 at the Buick show in Pasadena, CA!! Incredible car....very well done!!:TU: And I'll tell ya this....Chevy or not - that 572" engine sounds SWEET!!! Cool part was - Jay actually drove the car there to the show!!:bglasses:
It really does sound good........I saw the episode of My Classic car that featured it..........heard it in surround sound.......but I'll bet a good Nailhead would sound better......the Chevy might make it go faster but nothing can duplicate the mellow sound of a Nailhead. Those motors are in a class all by themself. (that's why I got one :Brow: ) :bglasses:
OK, just so I understand this. If you take a Buick engine and modify the heck out of it so that maybe only the block is still a Buick, that's much better than what Jay Leno did w/his ride? His CAR is a beautiful Buick, not a Chevy, correct? I guess I'm confused as to what makes a Buick a Buick?
Fellow Buick Enthusiasts: There was an 3 page Article in Rod and Custom about 2 Months Ago. The article did not say outright, but the jist of the language was that the $12,000.00 engine installed in Jay's Roadmaster was donated. He had to install 17 inch rims with Truck tires in order to compensate for the Torque the motr puts out. He had to have the Wheel covers specially made to look like the origional stock 15 inch. The Tires had to have the raised lettering ground off, and then the tires were set out to have the wide whites vulcanized on to the sidewalls Jay Complained about the cost of Re-Chroming. Another Indication that a lot of the Parts and Services were Donated. Leno then capped off the article saying that the resturation was a job "Anyone" can do. I don't know Who "Anyone" is but, Anyone must have 50 grand in loose change, a complete shop set up. plenty of time, and a few skilled automotive technicians on their payroll. Other than being totally unrealistic to "anyone" reading the article, I thought the color combination was reall attractive.
