BUICK 320 Staight 8 Bonniville hope .

I believe i have seen that picture in my California Bills Chevy and Buick Hop Up book. A very famous car and owner fron the early days. As I remember it was a Cord or Hupmobile wqasn't it Don?

 

The straight 8 Buick engine in the picture was installed in a 1936 Cord sedan. The engine photo was taken at the lakes in 1952 by "Racer" Brown who was working for Hot Rod magazine then. It appeared in an issue of Hot Rod magazine.
California Bill ( Bill Fisher ) did use a picture of the engine in his "How to Hop Up A GMC Engine" manual. It was then installed in a 1941 Hudson sedan (1951). The Hudson recorded speeds of 129.96 mph at the Lakes and 106.89 mph at the drags.
In 1952 I put the Buick engine in the Cord. The car set the 1952 cl*** B Sedan record at 137.509 mph and turned 107 mph at the drags.
Unfortunately the Lakes rules were changed for 1953 and the Buick engine was ruled out of the cl*** - too big. So I had to switch to a 6 cylinder GMC engine with a 12 port head. The Cord once again set the cl*** B Sedan record in 1953 but it was 2 mph slower than the Buick had run the previous year.
I had a great time with the big Buick. Back then it was one of the loudest engines at the drags and Lakes meets. Both the Hudson and Cord sedans won numerous trophies and set records at most of the strips where they ran. It was a fun time for us.
The attached picture of the Cord was taken at the Santa Ana drags in 1953. I got it from Dean Batchelor when he used it in his "The American Hot Rod" book.
In the late 1940s I had several friends who had '38 - 41 Buick Century coupes. They were perhaps the fastest stock cars on the streets then. However they were heavy and not especially good for street racing. I replaced the Hudson engine with a big Buick engine in 1949 to try for better performance. It was a successful operation.
Incidently I still like '38 to '41 Buick Century and Roadmaster coupes.
I also enjoy seeing guys today work on and race the big straight 8 Buicks. We used to think that a 320 cu. in. Buick was a BIG engine - times have changed.
Don
www.montgomeryhotrodbooks.com

 

Don; To cool. Thanks for the picture and information. Like you I remember when 300 inches was a big motor. I always liked the Buick (from a distance) for that reason. But i had my 270 and it fit a lot better. Nice to see this Buick and the Salt Cat Buick do good at Bonneville this year. The Cat went 175 or so and took my 168.2 record from '80. Easy come easy go I guess.

 

Thanks Don ,
Thats the best use of a Cord I've seen . What a shocker .
I am loosely on the "hunt" for a 38-41 Buick coupe for a future XO , 320 Bonneville build . I share your appreciation .
Wait till you see what I have in mind .

Rich ,
Tell us about the 80' record .
What car was that 270 in?
I think "easy go" is how most records can go . Holding one for near 30 years is historic.
I pretty sure "easy come" doesn't fit the picture either .
Tell me about the car / motor / times .

 

It's actually kind of interesting.. I had a conversation yesterday about a fabricated 3 deuce intake that was built on one for a buddy of ours. It's got 3 2 barrels on it, and has had nothing but problems. The only thing we could come up with of is these is that they were made to run with a certain set up. I guess sticking to stock with 'em as much as possible seems to be the best bet! My stock dual intake seems to be great...I have some minor adjustments to get my dumper to engage properly..but overall they haven't let me down! Look out for the '41 blocks..they came with them as an accessory!
Cheers
DBAG

 

This was my new for '80 Vega with the GMC in it. Twin Corvair turbos, 302 head. Potvin cam went 177 one way and 168.200 under the old three run system for record. I still have it now Packard V8 powered. Hope to have it at World Finials. Also the '32 Ford that I had the 270 in at first. 158.814. Shows you what air does to you.

 

I don't know DBAG ... I suspect the problem with the 3 , 2's had to do with who was on the other end of the screw driver ... check out Dons 6 carb Buick , back on page 3 of this thread .
My hats off to Don for making that set-up fly ... and fly good .

Fox Fast Fuel Injections inc. has built my 320 Buick a Ford throttle body / Hilborn style FI system that we have high hopes for .{names have been changed to protect the retired}

In the mean time I took a different root for this season , far from stock , but very effective :

 

Jeff; I was told that you had to pull your whole rocker shaft to get pumped in impound. Is that so? How come you couldn't just pull two pushrods?

 

Rich ,

You and Don are making me feel fat and slow ...
I better get back to work .
I need a good jpeg shot of your cars for my "wall of Heros " in my studio .

Turbos the final word , isn't it ?

Jeff Brock

 

That is about it for jpeg pictures of the Vega and coup. Yes, Turbos work good. Lots more of them in junkyards today. I pretty much blew up every Corvair turbo in every junkyard around here.

 

OUCH Rich ... that nerve is still a little raw ...

In our efforts to build a "better Buick" we did not like the stock , week spring and thrust washer , rocker centering system . So we replaced them all with nicely machined 6061 sleeves .
By God , our pushrods aren't gonna slip out ...
they aren't gonna come out for record Tech either !

Optomism : It was ready for the post break-in valve lash anyway.

 

The coup went 144 in '84 with an unblown 311 inch GMC and an old Howard head that got started off wrong being machined. sat around for years until I got it. Never was right. And I made the IR 3X2 setup using 500cfm Holleys. The next year Gary Cope went 150 in his Wayne head GMC powered '41 Chevy fast back

 

Rich,

I hope to see you there with the Vega. My first visit to Bonneville. it seems as though there will be a bunch of Inliner guys going to the World of Speed this year. Can't wait!!!

Seems like the Buicks are really raising the bar on us 6 cylinder guys. Somehow I knew it was only a matter if time before that happenned. As long as its inline its OK with me.