My 76/77 Buick regals going to the darkside!

Discussion in 'V-8 Buick Powered Regals' started by Norman Martin, Aug 14, 2020.

  1. Norman Martin

    Norman Martin Well-Known Member

    AH.....Yes. Daddy like!! I own two 350 buick motors and th350 trannies. Maybe I should build a ratrod from scratch with them in the same fashion you are using your 350 "test dummy"!!

    Oh and "**** yeah" .... I loved that spontaneous outburst in the video! That is how I felt the moment I did a real pull with my LS swap. There was a cloud of tire smoke billowing at the intersection where I had previously been and very shortly after, a very nice officer was kind enough to understand my joy and let me off with a warning!
     
    sean Buick 76 likes this.
  2. sean Buick 76

    sean Buick 76 Buick Nut

    Yes that was my first test drive! Very exciting!!

    For sure with your skills you could easily do a fun rat rod with a 350! On low boost we found even a bone stock engine was reliable. Then we built a very simple combo using a rebuilt bottom end with old heavy TRW forged pistons, stock non ported heads, mild cam, and 8 psi and it did 460 Hp and 450 torque torque the wheels. Hoping for about 420 HP NA on the next one. Then boost. I’m also almost done a 12.8:1 NA 350 with a huge cam and mega head porting.
     
  3. Norman Martin

    Norman Martin Well-Known Member

    I really disliked the messy wiring inside the shifter. There was also some wire that could be rubbed on edges so I clipped the 2 zipties that it came with and covered the wires with tessa tape before adding more zipties.


    I also got rid of some crazy rattles by adding closed cell foam stickies to needed areas. Then there was the loose tolerance of the sliding lever. Holy crap that thing was loose. I cut some super thin pvc shims to put between the metal. I will replace the shims with UHMW poly once I find the chunk that is somewhere.


    This is all necessary because the future audio equipment would have caused that thing to be a rattle monster. Also those wires touching edges would have definitely have rubbed thin eventually
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  4. sean Buick 76

    sean Buick 76 Buick Nut

    You should document your mods and share them with the shifter company.
     
  5. Norman Martin

    Norman Martin Well-Known Member

    I may do that. I am a little apprehensive though because I have had 3 conversations with the guy over there and I do not know if it would be appreciated. He is a nice guy and all it seems but I do not know if he is the "best listener". This should not reflect the actual functionality of the product. You just have to realize that the product is not being used by just the racing community who only care about low weight and function. This is being used in a custom high end car audio build that just so happens to also be a restomod with an LS swap. The racing community may not care about that rattle coming from the center console. For me though, I have gone insane chasing down those tiny annoying rattles. That is all I need is for some Judge at a competition to hear that rattle and completely ignore the rest of that audio.

    Again, This is not saying that I do not like the product or that it is not worth it. The way it was built will work for 90% of the people using it. But for the Audio crowd that is reading this thread, Once those big infinite baffle JBL W15 GTImkII subs start gyrating the metal on this car, resonance will be a major problem. I am not putting all the time, money and effort into sound deadening just to have the shifter hollering every time the subs move.
     
  6. sean Buick 76

    sean Buick 76 Buick Nut

  7. Norman Martin

    Norman Martin Well-Known Member

    I called and the guy was very clear to not disassemble the shifter... problem is, there is no way to install without disassembly.

    I now realize that it was designed for a different style horseshoe shifter console. The middle gear indicator plate on some of them is removeable. Mine is not.

    Sooooooo.. Mr Kilduff or whomever you are that I spoke with, I am really sorry but The shifter has begun it's surgery.

    I have now clearanced the openings on the factory console and removed the felts and brackets holding the felts on the outer edges. That is about the extent that I am willing to modify the factory console.

    I sanded the aluminum uprights down by 1/32 on each side to get the 1/16th clearance needed to make the horseshoe fit. They were 1/4 inch aluminum but now they are not.

    The next step will be quite controversal but it must be done. I am going to have to cut the handle out of the center and make a new one. I am waiting until I have the end design good in my head before I make the cut though but I do not know why. My warantee is clearly gone now.

    If anyone can figure out how to install this thing without modifying the factory console or taking the shifter apart, I would love to know where you took magic lessons!

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  8. Norman Martin

    Norman Martin Well-Known Member

    I sliced the sliding lever after making an aluminum screw in removeable center. I will figure out if I want to keep the same design with the finger indents soon. This will make the biggest impact on the ability to install the shifter.

    Next up, cut the handle free. I will then be able to bolt the handle back together. I have to cut it because It wont budge. I do not want to screw it up completely so a quick cut on the bandsaw is in order.

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  9. Norman Martin

    Norman Martin Well-Known Member

    And there we have it. I need two 1/8" thick fender washers to space the lower bolt and The 5/8" bolt on the handle is temporary until I figure out a pretty solution but it can now be slid through the factory slots for the shifter. I will be able to bolt it to the floor, slide the console over and then assemble the top modified parts.

    It aint pretty yet but it will be soon!
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    Last edited: Mar 27, 2022
  10. Norman Martin

    Norman Martin Well-Known Member

    Almost there. I changed the shifter up a little. I refabricated the grab bar and the sliders. It is much less loose. I ordered a rod end for the tranny cable and will be fabricating a factory looking handle to replace the knurled handle. I may do leather on the handle. For now, it will work fine enough with the temp bolt. I hope to be able to get it installed in the car by this weekend.
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  11. Norman Martin

    Norman Martin Well-Known Member

    One more re-wire to make things look even better and I got the rod end prepared for receiving the shifter cable.
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    FLGS400 likes this.
  12. Norman Martin

    Norman Martin Well-Known Member

    When you prank your wife so bad for April fools that your whole family thinks that you are actively quitting your job!!
    I am so good!!!
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  13. Norman Martin

    Norman Martin Well-Known Member

    The shifter is installed and I tested that ti shifts into each gear correctly. Now I need to program the tcm and make some spacers for the console. The new shifter is taller than the factory one so I will have to add some extra padding to the tunnel to make up the space under the console. That is a dealable situation. I can add mass loaded vinyl and closed cell foam plus maybe some jute and carpet.

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    sean Buick 76 and FLGS400 like this.
  14. sean Buick 76

    sean Buick 76 Buick Nut

    I’m currently looking for a 2wd 6.0 powered 6 speed truck for a donor. Do you have any tips about the swap? Would you do the same using a 07–13 6.0, 6 speed combo?
     
  15. Norman Martin

    Norman Martin Well-Known Member

    Look for a van motor. Only issue is gen 4 motors are not cable driven throttle or speedo. Everything is electric and Canbus. It is quite simple to deal with once it is all wired up though.

    The 6l90e is a big ass tranny too. Had I gotten the 4l80e like I was looking for, I probably would not have had to cut the floor.

    The L96 motor and 6l90e trans is a pretty damn good combo though. I cannot wait to get an LSA blower for this thing. My next swap may in fact be the same combo but I may go for the 8l90E instead. Just because.

    Note....my 2010 van motor has 2011 a wiring diagram. That almost killed me when I was trying to figure out the wiring. They are very different.

    Lastly. The greatest pain in the arse was this....DO THE DAMN BRAKE LINES WHILE THE MOTOR AND TRANNY ARE OUT!!!
     
    sean Buick 76 likes this.
  16. sean Buick 76

    sean Buick 76 Buick Nut

    Why a van motor? I’m stuck on a 6 speed, I fell in love with mine in the 2012 gmc 2500 with the L-96.
     
  17. Norman Martin

    Norman Martin Well-Known Member

    Same motor sometimes easier to find. Widens your search. Hell you could find a whole van, part it out and sell the rest for cheap. I almost did that. Ended up finding a complete pull out with ecm all bolted together. The van got wacked so it was still running when it hit the yard.
     
  18. sean Buick 76

    sean Buick 76 Buick Nut

    Yes I’m buying a whole donor vehicle for sure.
     
  19. Michael_G

    Michael_G Living the Dream... Fast with Class...

    ...AND... that's How the Fight Started..." :rolleyes::D

    GOOD ONE!
    -MIG
     
  20. Norman Martin

    Norman Martin Well-Known Member

    This link is meant to document the best video that I have found tor getting tap shift to work. This sucker has basically everything you need.


    So after going over the video, I realized that the resistors that came with my tap shifter are wrong for my application. I ordered the shifter for the correct ecm/tcm but I am not using the BCM so it screws up the values I needed.
    I have ordered new resistors in order to make my own replacement module for the shifter that "SHOULD" make the tap shift work correctly.
     
    sean Buick 76 likes this.

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