looks like i'm keeping my hearse, i was offered a mostly complete basket case 70 stage 1 gsx but he must not be interested in the trade or never had it. I was viewing the fastest hearse in the world only being a 13.79 with a blower. My hearse is much lighter, smaller, has a shorter wheel base etc. I'm wondering with a good gear 400 switch pitch and built single carb 401 or 425 would i be able to beat that time. If so what all do you think I would need? my hearse is a 61 buick made from a lesabre chassie with an electra front end. i'm guessing she weighs around 4000 pounds. I would really like to get in the guinness book of world records if possible.
My '64 Riviera weighs 4200lbs and its even smaller than your hearse and I'd gander she's lighter too. You will probably need a very heafty gear in the rear to get it moving and quite a bit of power off of the nailhead and probably something with overdrive to clear the traps still pulling. Besides Hot Rod or Car Craft did a blurb on a mid 70's Pontiac hearse that pulled mid 12's on a Nitrous 455 Pontiac repeatably. Now that I've pooped on your dreams, a fast hearse is still extremely cool and there can be only one at the top so why not enjoy running around where ever you can fall. I'm thinking airbags, big meats, a resonable sound system, and a conservative but very nice paint job. With good power it'll make a great open road cruiser and be fun enough to mess with ricers that you could fit in the back.
I know on a show on speed (unique whips) they built a 1980 caddy hearse for nascars Tony Stewart, and they put a 572 bbc 620 hp crate motor in it, id think it should be faster than the 13.79, but maybe he hasnt run it.
Guys, Back in the day, a model company called Johan made a model of a 69 or 70 Cadillac hearse with a blown Eldorado 472/425 THM mounted in the front and rear of the car, just like the Hairy Hurst Olds. Those Blown Eldo set ups had to be good for 500+ horsepower, front and rear. I don't know if it was an actually replica of an existing car or just a modeling exercise, but what a wild ride. I did hear about Tony Stewarts Hearse and the 572, would be hard to beat that one and if a guy did, Stewart would have fantastically deep pockets to make sure that it never happened again! I would build the car for how you want to use it, and if going for the worlds fastest Hearse title is what you're after, GO FOR IT! Good Luck, Tim
