I had to take my '71 GS 455 (pro touring) to the Atlanta Airport and park it for a week while on business. The family needed our other 3 cars and it survived the week in the deck under its car cover. Anyway, I am leaving to head home north when a new X5 M with dealer plates decided he needed to get on the interstate in front of me and cutting me off. I went through the gore and jumped to the left lane and he was in hot pursuit with both kraut burning turbos huffing through his 5 liters. I backed off just a little and stayed just in front of him looking at nothing but his headlights in the rear view mirror. I knew I would have him where I85 and I75 merge through some sweeping curves. I gunned it into the curve at over 100 mph and my Global West Suspension riding on 18" Michelins MXM4's left him well behind. I am sure he never expected that.
I Love It!!! These Euro Drivers think they have it over the older cars, great when they're shown they DONT. PONCH
I can see now why they lost the war. Detroit iron and strategy will defeat over-reliance on technology.
Love those stories thanks for sharing. You were brave for leaving your car there for a week. Many, many years (1980) ago before I understood suspensions I bought a spectacular 70 Skylark Custom for $200 (burned more oil than gas) and a 71 455 wrecked century for $200. I transplanted the 455/TH400 and put in Ford 9" posi/gears from Cougar a friend had laying around. I had to relocate the control arms. Little did I know how they would effect launch and cornering. I cut 1/2 coil off the front springs and 1-1/2 coil off the back springs plus air bags and pulled a sway bar off the front of a Trans Ams in the boneyard and mounted it on the 9". 235x70x15's up front and 275x60x15 in back on 10" rims. That thing rode stiff but handled like a road race car. Had a 635 Beemer try to follow me off a thruway exit that was a long 270 degree sweeper and he ended up in the weeds thinking he could follow this old Bamboo Cream Buick. Mikey
There is so much handling potential in the old A/G bodies. The Global West is nice because you still get the Buick boulevard ride but C6 corvette cornering ability. The downside of the system is that up front, it is ride height sensitive. If the ride height is dropped one inch, you have an additional -1degree of camber you can't get out. If you use the tall spindles (2" taller than stock) and the stock springs the ride height drops one inch. I have about -1.5 degrees of camber and I can't get the last 1 degree out of it. Their system really needs adjustable upper control arms. You can get those but not from global west. Other than that it is a great system and well engineered and will surprise many a kraut burner. We seem to have an endless supply of them here in the Atlanta area. Happy hunting grounds http://www.v8buick.com/images/smilies/naughty.gif
Thanks for the info. I've been wanting to build one more spectacular car. I have not been able to decide if I want a 65/67 Riv sled or a 68/69 Skylark street car that handles. Mikey
