I haven't been on here in awhile, so I thought I would stir the nest with a question. My car is a '72 GS 350 that I originally built to run in GSE (under the REAL rules ... R.I.P). Now I'm stuck with a 700 HP, small tire, footbrake car that won't hook because our track only preps the track before the Super Pro cars run. By the time 20 pairs of pick-ups and Cavaliers go up there, the starting line is trashed. Anyways, I am going to go back to a trans-brake and delay box and race with the "real" race cars again. So ... (drum roll) ... do I cut up my GS or sell it "as is" and start from a junk shell?? I don't think it is worth the cost of a full restoration, so why not have fun with it? Am I not thinking straight?? :idea2: So ... :spank: OR :beer ... any thoughts? Also, will a 2-step kill my factory lightweight, paper thin, block?
It's your car and your money. Besides, you can always buy a repro trunk floor panel and wheel tubs to put it back to stock later. Have some fun with it!
Jeff- it really is up to you- if your having fun with it let it roll!! On the 2 step question contact 67blackcat on the board- every burnout he does rattles like no tomorrow......you can check out some vids of his burnouts if you click the youtube link in my signature......
Do what you need to be happy with it. Sorry to hear the tracks are that bad. If you can get it down to "race weight", maybe that tire would work alot better. Especially if you change over to a ladder bar or 4-link.
I agree , its your car and do what you want to with it. I often feel with my Suncoupe that I HAVE to keep it white and bench seat because if its rarity. That said I am conyemplating going with Strato blue, buckets, and all power accessories.
Henry white has a real deal 350 gs car.... can't get rid of it for $hit. I would n't hesitate about hacking on a 350 car. No one wants them.
Jeff, hadn't heard from you in awhile, glad to see your "still around" you've built a hell of a car, & theres no reason you shouldn't continue to enjoy it how you see fit! With all the reproduction parts out there today if the next guy wants to restore it, let him do it! Besides I know somebody that took a '72 stage-1 car & built it with a procharger! :Brow:
The track really is a good hooking track. We have some of the fastest Drag Radial racers in the country (4.80's) that race here on "Heads Up" night. But, on bracket night they can't keep the track prepped during the footbrake class because of all the street cars. I know if I got in line with the Super Pro cars my car would hook fine. So, that's where I'm going. I don't have the time or money to chase a heads up class. What do you mean by "race weight"? I'm at around 3550 now. I plan to make it lighter, but not a whole lot. 'Glass hood and light seats is about it for now. Although I'm still toying with back halfing and tubbing it. Who knows? Thanks for all the replies. Watch the "Parts For Sale" section soon!
Build it! Its yours do what you want with it. It will love you for it. John. I like stratomist blue for the Suncoupe better than white. Me. I have added a tilt wheel, 15 inch wheels and a Rallye steering wheel to my stage 1 ragtop over the years and its never going back to stock. Cause I like it that way. Everyone is different. Build it to drive or build it for show, I can appreciate them all!
I would say 3000-3300-ish is race weight for our Buicks. Another 200-300 lbs shouldn't be that hard to find. Heck, stock seats are about 100lbs by themselves. Race seats are under a 20lbs for a pair.
I have a real race car that we could negotiate a trade with...... Its already set up for a BBB and its a 2500lb car (Chrome moly tube frame)
Jeff, good to see you on again. I am for the do what you want with it school. If you put it back as a GS 350 100 point car, what would you do, set it in the garage and look at it or take it to car shows and set in a lawn chair and listen to people come by and want to know what kind of Chevy is that or pick it to pieces. I am not a, look at it kind of car guy, and I do not think you are either. Fix it the way you want it and race the wheels off it. Have some fun, a car that will not hook, track or cars fault is no fun. Good luck.(by the way, I am in Honduras and this computer keyboard is different and I can not find a question mark or other correct symbols. Jim Netherland
Jeff, my car is a real GS and I probably wouldn't have hacked it up if it weren't a rust bucket when I got it. I bought it to chop it up and build into a racecar, so it's a little different situation. I say "Start Choppin'!":TU: You won't hurt the block from two-stepping, but I wouldn't advise you to stand on it from the second you stage. I usually hit the transbrake button once I'm staged and when we're both staged I give it a little gas, like maybe 2000-2500 rpm and I mat it against the limiter chip at 5200 when my first yellow comes on. The convertor goes to 5600 if I transbrake it with no chip and you'll want to keep your stutter rpm a few hundred rpm under the flash point of the convertor, like mine is 400 under. That way, there's no delayed reaction when you let go of the button. If you use a Three-Step with a burnout chip, I can't think of any reason you'd want to have the motor banging off the chip during the entire burnout. I meant to ask Scott's crazy buddies why they do that but I forgot. I use my burnout chip as a safeguard. I keep the burnout rpm below the chip rpm and only hit the chip by accident once in a while. Maybe I'll see you in Orlando again. :TU:
Cut it only pussy restore LOL. I might not have cut mine if I had know what it would be worth two years later. But it was one of 726 built. Do what YOU enjoy not what someone thinks you should do. BY the way cut up man cut up I'm hurt LMAO:TU:
The Skylark custom and GS350 values are about the same. I would cut it for big tires. Removing the rear crossbrace during tubing is worth 200lbs. My car has steel tubs which are welded to the outter wheel housing. The trunk hinge brace is then welded to the steel tub. Looks very nice and very solid. I would go 4-link unless you like the big wheel stands.
Jeff, Don't "Tub It"..........If you're going Bracket Racing just tame the "Hit",You can make anything hook anywhere when it doesn't matter how fast you go. I know from experience,You will be under estimated on a regular Bracket night if you maintain the TT5 "look" and in my opinion be happier in the long not being stuck w/ a back-half bracket car.
You can ladder bar the car and run a 10.5 tire and still make it simple enough to go back to stock if some you wanted to ,,that is the way my car is right now till this winter i'm going to start cutting and cromemoly cage and 12" rim with the same 10.5w tires...I need to drop some weight at 3425
