I'm new to the board. I bought my first Buick 3 years ago, a 67 Special, because I just got out of college and was flat broke. The car was extremely rough, but it gave me a small taste of things to come. Early this year I bought a 71 Skylark and managed to blow the original 350 on the way to GSCA nationals. It was for the better. Thanx to my pal Eggs, I'm back on track with a 455 transplant into my Skylark. I've found out what every big block Buick owner is talking about. Unbelievable!! I'll never settle for anything less!!
Sounds like you've been properly 'initiated' into the club!:TU: Nothing like getting hooked on Torque!!:bglasses: Welcome aboard! Speaking of clubs...check out www.bpgforums.com - that's the Club board, with this one being the Tech board. Also, check out http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.ph?s=&threadid=9715 - there's a great deal to be had by joining the club NOW!! :TU:
My Buick Here is a pic of my car the day I brought it home. I was quick to take off the steel rims an hubcaps!!
Yeah...the Buick chrome 5 spoke rims make a BIG difference in appearance! I was quick to do the same when I got my 70 Skylark - it had Chevy rallies on it.ou: That doesn't do it for me.:gt:
Working on my combo Hey thanx for the warm welcome!! My aim for my Skylark project is to build a street/strip car. I like to drive my car to work in the summer, which is 70 miles round trip. I haven't had any action on the strip yet, but I am eager to see what she'll do once I get a descent combo. I've got the 455 in, but now my weak spots are the tranny and rear end. I have the original TH350 + shift kit behind the 455. The 455 sports 10 to 1 cast TA pistons, mild cam TA 112, heads are stock, unported small valve. The rear end is a peg-leg (one-wheel-peel) 8.5 ten bolt. I believe the gears are either 3.08 or 3.23's. I've got a th400 short shaft that needs freshened up and a th400 with a broke bell housing available for my uses. My tranny questions are these: Is it necesary for me to swap out the TH350? If I swap out the TH350 for the short shaft 400, what is the modification I need to do on the drive shaft? Is it possible to convert a normal th400 into a switch-pitch? If I go with a switch-pitch th400 is it better to stick with a lower rear end gear? I definitely need to make ground with the rear-end and chassis because I have no hookup. I obviously realize that posi would help out my hookup problems, but I kind of want an idea of what combinations (tranny/rear-end) are out there and what my options are before I get involved.
While posi is a very good upgrade it will not in itself cure your traction problems. My combination is quite mild with 3.42 posi with 245/60/15 Hoosiers and they will bite about half the time from a thirty mile an hour roller. Dave Berry
ALRIGHT, COME ON!! The idea here is to ROAST more rats, not get ROASTED by more rats!!:Brow: :af: ou:
Have you tried the "instant center" relocators, Dave? I unfortunately don't have this problem yet...I got smog heads, right now, but I'm getting the al. Stage1 heads when I recover from the holidays. Hey, there's the solution! Swap in a set of small valve smog heads, lol
INSTANT CENTER "Instant Center" relocaters? What are these? You're not pulling my leg are you?:spank: Smogger heads..................at least you didn't have to drill out your 5/8 pickup tube on your block!! I'd take that motor anyday for my Regal!! I pop the hood on that car and it looks like a spaghetti dinner with all the hoses for the Smog Speed Intervention Control on that V6.
Had SSM lift bars on the car with a swaybar and airbag on the passenger side. The car didn't hook any better than it did with boxed lower control arms etc. etc. Since the SSM bars hung so low I took them off and sold them. Maybe I need a little more cam to kill a little bottom end torque. Dave Berryo No: o No:
I added a swaybar and was contemplating adding an airbag to the driver's side, but I think what it all comes down to is too much power going to one wheel! :Brow: I think it would be wise to get a posi-carrier before I attempt to set up the car. I guess until then, she'll be a one-wheel-peel!!:grin:
Re: INSTANT CENTER Yeah, I had an '87 Regal as a winter car a few years ago...motor lasted forever, but she rotted out so quick you'd think it was made of compressed rust! But man was it messy under the hood. The relocators go between the rear upper control arms and their mounting points. I have never used them or seen them installed, but the idea is to have the drive wheels getting pushed down instead of up when you launch. I'm no expert on these things, I didn't even have posi until the summer before last, lol, but I've seen them in a few catalogs for GM A-bodies
Thanks for the help, I know now that I'll need to get the posi and work from there. No use setting up a one-wheel peel until I have the rear-end I want. Chris, I had the idea in mind when I bought my Regal, that it was going to be a winter car also. I just wanted to unload my 93 Spirit, which my parents had given to me in college for something more to my tastes. I'll drive the Regal in the winter and put the Skylark away in the limestone mine. Only catch is the Regal is sweet!! It's a Virginia car, fully loaded, V6, Concert Sound II, and only a few knicks to worry about. It even has the cornering lights on the front fenders! I was very happy with the purchase. My friend, Eggs, just finished his 455 Regal project and it is unbelievable how that 455 fits in those Regals. Buick could have built those cars with 455's from the factory.......they fit that well! So now I'm leaning towards hopping the Regal up. Turbo is out. It's going to have to be a Buick V8. I'm going to take my time. I'll have an engine on a stand and ready. I'm not going to shotgun anything. Which motor..............we'll see.......ofcourse the 455 is on top of the list!
real powerr Posi is the way to go you will definetly benefit with an air bag in the right side;posi or not.I run two,both sides on my buicks to help set the suspension,can you say HOLESHOT!!!:Brow:
If you are going to use "street tires" and 550 HP or less I'd keep the TH-350 without question! It can be built quite strong, has good gears, does not rob much HP and does not cost much. Get a good converter with ~2800 stall and a posi 3.42 and you are set.
Thanks Craig..................I'm glad to hear you say that!! I've got alot more confidence in my tranny now. 550 hp!! :eek2: That still is dream worthy for me............maybe one day!! I've got about 200 hp to go.
