Has Anyone Written To Buick And Asked Them To Cast A New Block? They Have The Most Resources To Do Something Like This. Since Buick Racers Are Keeping This Dead Company's Name Alive, Shouldn't They Do Something For The Grass Roots Guys. They Think Nothing Of Handing Tiger Woods Millions Of Dollars To Sell Their Junk. Why Can't They Throw Us A Bone Once In Awhile. I Think We Should Flood There Website With Request/complaints, It Just Might Do Some Good. By The Way The New Buicks Are Hiddeous!! May The Force Be With Us!
Buick has not made any engines since 1970 -80s. The GM divisons got out of that business. Only GM corporate makes engines.
and gm's aftermarket performance division GMperformance.com looks to only sell current engines. and a couple of specialty high performance engines. they'd be the ones to talk to however for a new casting. or a recast of the old equipment as i'm sure they have access to the orginal drawings if they still exist, and possibly the sand casting cores of the orginal engine if they still exist, though that is highly unlikely. -nate
I wouldn't expect Buick (who has nothing to do with making engines anymore) to spend a nickel on casting us old technology blocks. A letter in that regard wouldn't get passed the mail room round file. Why step backwards in time? And for such a limited number of enthusiasts.....they wouldn't be in the least bit interested....and I don't blame them. They're trying to move forward in todays high tech world. They're into selling new cars not keep limited numbers of old ones on the road. Although there are probably a few management employees that appreciate our older iron. I'm not trying to be harsh, just realistic.
I share your enthusiasm but we as a group are about as far removed from the corporate division at this point and time that its kind of misdirected. China is what is keeping BUICK alive ... look into the # of BUICKS sold there ... and the Enclave is on its way to being one of, if not the best car of 2008
That may be a great car, but I wouldn't be seen dead driving a car named "Enclave", let alone a "Rendezvous" or a "LaCrosse".........I have an image to maintain! :laugh: The dummies up and dumped the Riviera nameplate......how stupid. What's so bad about just calling the new cars a familiar name like "Invicta"........I'm getting gray hair, and I'd certainly have no problem being seen in a Wildcat GS! :Brow: As for the new engines.......they make them right here in Tonawanda, NY at GM Powertrain, formerly known as the Chebby engine plant. I seriously doubt they would have any interest in casting any old Buick blocks anytime soon.
I agree with Joe. I'd be more inclined to go shopping for a new Buick if they'd done something as simple as kept the model names the same as some of the old machines I love. Electra, LeSabre, Riviera, Wildcat, Roadmaster, GS, etc. Instead we have LaCrosse, Enclave, Randevous, etc. There's no continuity. It seems like Marketing 101 that doing this will alienate customers. As for getting GM Buick to make vintage motors, it's about as likely as Osama Bin Laden being named the next Pope. A write in campaign won't have any effect. I also agree that the Chinese market for Buicks will help keep the nameplate afloat. It is very popular there, and seen as the best of the US cars. We should be thankful for that because it means there is a future. Maybe not high performance in the near term, but in the long run people are people, and they'll want to be faster than the next guy too.
Thanks Mike, for the best chuckle in quite some time. :beer I'll be remembering that one for a long time.:TU:
I think the reason they stopped using those names is to try to not make people think about how the quality was years ago. All it takes is "Oh yeah my friend had a 198_ Riviera, it sucked!" to keep people from possibly buying or look at buying a new car. Also Marketing 101. I know that all of us would like to see these names come back, but I think buick is looking at the market as a whole. However, I think they should at least bring the GS back as an performance option package. Nevertheless, I continue to be disappointed in new cars, they look, feel, sound like plastic/crap. I can't stand the idea to round everything and make it flow. :blast:Give me a 50s boxy car and I will drive all day long with a huge smile on my face, and not only because its 50 years old.:bglasses: About recasting the blocks, good luck! I do know one thing though, I am opening up performance automotive business in a few years, selling stuff first, then moving on to working and building stuff and one of my dreams is to get buick back into professional racing. So if I can acquire the technology to cast new blocks, I will do it.
On the other hand, they might consider making a wagon if they got enough interest. I stumbled upon this photoshop version on another site. http://www.carspyshots.net/showthread.php?t=12665
Is that like the PC-police renaming something undesireable or with a bad reputation instead of actually fixing the problem? I wondder who taught whom? I agree I would prefer familliar names that invoke nastagia. My formative years were spent in the back-seat of my mom's 64 Riv. I would NEVER be caught buying something called a Lucerne. Might as well called it "Milktoast." Right down to bragging about heated wiper fluid. the by-line could be "soggy and warm"
ok now that's cool. i'd roll in one of those. it's a shame they don't make the SC 3800 anymore. now replaced with the 3.6L. though the v8 would be cool too.
There's just not the volume potential that would interest GM. I forgot to mention, somewhere in my memory it seems that I had heard when TA perf did the engine for the Blackhawk that they did toss around the idea for a cooperative block project with TA. As you may guess, it died within the ranks of GM pretty quickly. Now we have TA working on a block themselves, and I am sure it will come out cheaper and more innovative than if GM were to have decided to do it.
I Wrote This Letter To Gm Performance Parts, Actually They Switch You To Goodwrench. "455 Big Block Buick And Oldsmobile Racers Need A High Performance Engine Block Developed And Cast. The Aftermarket Has Exceptional Heads Available But The Stock Blocks Cannot Handle The Power Especially With Nitrous. Can Gm Accomidate The Needs Of These Racers By Casting A Bulletproof Block For The 455 Buick And Oldsmobile Racer? By The Way Most Racers Think It Is A Big Waste Of Time Writting This" I'll Let You Know If I Get A Response
I'm making a pledge right here on v8 Buick.........if GM ponies up and actually does this, I'll eat my shorts live on you tube. :laugh: I'd be surprised if your letter even gets a response.
HERE IS THE RESPONSE FROM GM GOODWRENCH: We appreciate your e-mail regarding a GM Performance Parts crate engine. Unfortunately, GM has no plans to manufacture this engine; however, we suggest that you contact the people who developed the aftermarket cylinder heads, and suggest they also design their own blocks so they have a complete package to sell. MY RESPONSE WAS: Sorry for you, no wonder everyone is buying and racing imports.
