[BqUICK]

Attached is a recently de-classified chassis photo. Fired Pee Gee Intimidator a few weeks ago, open headers on race gas. Positively thrashing pounding ear splitting sound. Rock solid, little engine movement, surprised the Chevy people around. They wondered how a "stock looking" engine could sound so pro-stock. Easy, the Quadrajet and Distributor "were" stock until Scotty Guadagno and Mike T. worked them. Also, Installed TA's timing cover with oil pressure adjust and electric water pump. Stainless 3" exhaust is being installed as I type. 32 Gal fuel cell mounted to new boxed rear rails. Replaced skinny competition engineering coil overs with SERIOUS Carreras. 250lbs/inch springs with adjustable rebound. Iron fist in a velvet glove.

[BqUICK]

I really do not know what language they are writing in, Norwegian I think, but they love 1969 & 70 Electra 225s. Check out the green '70 convertible and the Black '69 Coupe.


http://home.c2i.net/mopar56/1969_-_7..._full_size.htm

[Romy]

Hello again,
Been a while since I posted (I'm in Kuwait right now *sigh*) but I just had to post something once I saw this thread again. Hows the car coming along? Any new changes or pictures? Out of curiosity, what made you chose a solid rear end instead of a independent rear? Wouldn't an independent rear end give you better handling? Just curious. Well, back to hot weather, and crappy tent city!

Romy
err...Spc Frederick <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/image...lins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Romy,

Post #10 has an attached photo. I have attached a photo showing the GV Overdrive, TH 400 and the PeeGee Intimidator STAGE I. I really did not think we would have this many hits or interested parties so there really is no web page or lots of photos out there.

As for your questions, yes we have been busy on the exhaust system. The Electra has a few challenges to putting in headers. We used the TA Performance GS 455 headers which were good to start with. #1 cylinder and #3 cylinder headers contact the frame. #7 & #8 Cylinder headers interfere with the power steering box. You see the Electra has the box behind the axle where the GS, Impala, Chevelle, etc. have it in front. Dave Machuga always says "Our motto is 'Adapt & Overcome!' but we seem to be doing more overcoming than usual!" He used a Sawsall and cut the headers and pipes into about 12 pieces. He then rerouted them past the box. We had to heat the frame cherry red and form wells for #1 and #3 to clear.

Next, the transmission crossmember exhaust pass-thru humps were too close together. We took another unit from a donor car and welded extensions into it. We fabbed a 3.5" H section with a 3' balance tube and welded flanges into it. We ordered Rebuildable Stainless Steel Edelbrock mufflers 3.5"/3.5". transitioned to 3" and went 4' or so to the axle.

Here is where it started to get challenging! We were going to have to order (12) 3" elbos to fab the run of pipe up over the axle down, around the gigantic 32gal Fuel cell and straight out. We went to about 8 different pipe benders to see who could mandrel bend, but none in the county or for more than 100 miles in any direction could do it.

I mentioned my dilemma to a buddy of mine who drives a late model Z.I brought him to Dave Machugas to see the racecar and he told me that he knows a guy who works at a shop who bends pipe part time. He bent him some 3" SS for the back end of his Z. Well we drove out to the shop and the kid had quit. We got the forwarding number but there was just a message. I called for days and finally the kid calls me. We borrowed my friends 13sec. 440 Dodge Ram and hauled the chassis out 30 miles on 390. The 440 made one heck of a niiiice raunchy noise as we effortlessley pulled that Electra GSX chassis.

The really rough looking garage was behind a small plain slightly rough looking home. I meet the skinny kid and he is really excited about the car sitting there. We angle the trailer back down his dirt drive and he swings open the doors. Wow...the kids got this pipe bending machine that must be 20 feet long and has got to weigh as much as an Electra! CNC Milling Machine, Pattern Cutter, Plasma Torch, etc. He said that he always liked Porsches and wanted to make SS exhaust for them. There was a flat 6 on an engine stand and a 1968 or so vintage 911 Porsche out back. There was a really wild scratch built Vector type kit car in the back too, half done. Real creative kid.

How did you get all this stuff!?! I asked. "Well I just started asking around and one thing let to another..." Hmmm..Okay! Works for me. Come to find out he actually a sharp businessman and negotiated at company equipment sales for the stuff. He owns the property next door which is zoned commercial and he is building into another commercial outlet for his wife's business. You never know...

We left the car on a Thursday Nite and it was done on Tuesday. Those big stainless pipes were a work of art. The bends were so gentle and skillfully made that he saved 2' over my original calculations on pipe length. 8' on each side, 2 4' sections 1 weld joining them on each pipe. Here is the kicker...it only cost about $50 more than what all those aluminized elbos would have because of the pipe savings and the efficiency of his programmable pipe bender! 3' is good to past 700HP so we have room to grow! I am a happy camper! Now it was not cheap but it was worth it!!!

Trailered it back to Machuga Chassis and we weld on the flanges and fire the STAGE 1. Dave turns to me and says "Corning PD wont let you on the street with this!" It was still pretty loud because the Edelbrock mufflers are straight through. It sounds like a couple of Harleys with open pipes. Sounded great! I ran straight Thrush mufflers 22 years ago on the street. She had a 430 then. and two pair of balony cut 3" pipes exiting horizontally, at an angle behind the rear wheel wells. Remember, the 71 Buick Gran Sport and GSX ? Well you are just 20 so maybe you've seen them in shows or pictures. It had a nice option of chromed square tips through the bumper called the n-22. Doing this with an Electra will be "challenging" so Dave and i will again adapt and overcome!

Now, the independent rear! I'll keep this brief! IRS has a few benefits like lower unsprung mass and better control over uneven surfaces. The down sides are weight, complexity, and limited power handling. The original specifcation for this car called for a blower motor. The driveline, suspension, exhaust sytem are sized for equivalent horsepower. Gary Shaw and Dave Machuga both agreed that the solid axle was the best set up but both would have gone for a "quick change" rear. (I opted Gear Vendors overdrive with "sufficient" horsepower handling capability.)


Good luck out there! If you are serving our country out there you certainly have earned my respect. We honor those who served in a past war with this car's paint scheme, currently classified secret. We play the Ballad for Green Berets and Garret Trooper song at the shop. We respect the working man and the fighting man! (And women!)

God bless you and stay in touch!

Michael Joseph, II

[BqUICK]

Fellow Buick Lovers,

Here is a December 02 photo of the Electra GSX chassis on the chassis machine when Roberta Vasilow, BCA officer, and more importantly GS Racer, came to visit over Christmas at Machuga Chassis in Campbell, NY.

Roberta has helped me to interesting Electra findings and connections for the better part of 10 years. When the BCA toured through Buffalo a couple of years ago I finally met her and her mom. They were driving Roberta's Red '68? GS ragtop. Many niice Buicks on hand and a serious party the next night at the Lodge on The Green, around the Corning/Gang Mills, NY area! That was fun!

Roberta, thanks again for your support over the years and your visit.

BqUICK

1969 Electra 225 Custom Coupe, Crystal Blue, Code D (now GSX)
1969 Electra 225 Custom Coupe, Lime Green, Code H
1969 Electra 225 Custom Coupe, Antique Gold, Code Z
1969 Electra 225 Custom Coupe, Burnished Brown, Code B (Discs)
1969 Electra 225 Custom Convertible, burnished Brown, Code B (Low 15s stock)
1969 Electra Limited, Coupe, Regal Black, Code A (Posi)
1970 Electra 225 Custom Coupe, Antique Gold, Code Z
1970 Electra 225 Custom Coupe, Bamboo Cream, Code (19K original)
1968 Electra 225 Custom Sedan, Burnished Brown Code B (Posi)

"...chromium plated brass knuckles!"
The Dead End Kids aka The Bowery Boys

Yes I remember BqUICK, when he was a kid, nine yrs. old. And I saw in him his mechanical ability. Well the next time I met him a joung man he was deep into his true avocation, an affair with his deuce and a quarter,Now it is his lifelong pursuit. Amen....randolf.

[ducenqtr69]

Hi BQuick Heres a (ORG 69 MY #1) <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/image...ins/smile.gif" alt="" /> From day one she;s a Real Ride an Will be my Coffin when then/time comes, <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/image.../confused.gif" alt="" />I plan on arriven at the pearly gates in style or if the other <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/image...lins/grin.gif" alt="" />,well still in style HAHAHAHAHA <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/image...ins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Hope t o see ur finished ride some day <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/image...lins/grin.gif" alt="" />Good Luck TEC (Nevada)

[BqUICK]

Hey,

That is a clean '69 Sedan! Thanks for your interest in the Electra GSX project. I cetainly keep people up to date with what is going on.

I talked to Dave MAchuga at Machuga chassis last night. He said that the exhaust rubber hangers are going on this week. We have been working to finish the design for the rear anti-sway bar before figuring out all of the final body penetrations. There always seems to be some snag but we will "adapt and over come"

BqUICK

[BqUICK]

This is a photo taken yesterday at Machuga Chassis.

Its shows the latest progress, some of which was discussed previously.
32 Gallon Fuel Cell mounted
3" SS Exhaust
Carerra Coil Overs
The coil overs were re-mounted in new towers last night. Dave felt the old "L" brackets would not allow the adjustability we needed to attain proper ride height with the body on.
The bumper is mocked up as we cannot locate it properly until the body comes on.


Body to be moved into the shop tonite!
BqUICK

[BqUICK]

My 15 year old son and I drove over to Machuga Chassis last night to find the 1969 Electra 225 body on the flatbed trailer backed into the garage by Dave's farm tractor. We hoisted the body up by the front and rear chains. It was an awsome sight to see that massive and heavy body just rocking gently as it was raised above the flatbed and the tractor rolled out.

We then had to use tall jack stands and a 2X4 steel tube accross them in order to brace the front of the body while we rolled the chassis back under it. We took the P-Zero Pirellis off and rolled the chassis with a floor jack under it.

Once it was in placed under the body we then lowered the body carefully to find the several interference points. The Gear Vendors OD, rear suspension towers, tubular 4 link brackets all interfered, not to mention the 32 gal. fuel cell which was removed for this activity.

Dave lowered the car in the front and we attached the forward ENERGY SUSPENSION poly body bushings. Naturally, they did not make ones for the Electra but they did for the 1970 Riviera, just a smaller number of them. I think we need 2 more for the Electra. They fit well and have that special metal rimmed portion that drops into the Buick frame.

As the body was closer to all the interference points we could now begin using the drill to locate sections to cut. I drilled a few locator holes for the OD after we peeled away carpet and sound deadening materials. There was some drivers' side floor rot through, typical, but everything else was ok. We cut out a panel for the OD, upper drive shaft loop, forward suspension brackets.

We had the whole crew helping out as we jockied the body into position. Tim, real big guy & Dave's son, Bruce, skinny but wiry, Dave's roll cage and chassis fab man, My son the carpet collector and me. Mr. Sparling of Sparling Auto, in Corning, NY, came as well. He advised us on how we could handle removal of the trunk and wheel wells for the narrowed frame and 14" tall JAZ fuel cell. That was the cleanest '69 trunk I had ever seen. They love to rot out under the power antennae but this one's seal must have held for a change. All of that virgin metal would have to be cut. I had my son collect all the sound deadening material, cardboard, and carpet sections and store them in our van.

While we cut the steel, local animals that had made the body their summer home, scurried and slid out onto the garage floor. I stepped on a foot long garden snake and Dave sic'd "Rebock" his dog on it. Rebe grabbed at it as I pulled jackstands away in a corner it was trying to hide in. He shook it a few times and wore the snake out. We all took a break from the car a watched Rebe do a job on that snake while Dave encouraged him. Several people have told me, including an ex Fedex guy, how mean that dog was. I have witnessed where Rebe would let you pet him and be real nice to you while Dave is around but when he isn't LOOK OUT. Count your fingers, he's not your friend! (That is a GOOD dog and protector of the home and business!)

Well, that was a big night finally after nearly a year of thought and fabrication. I have spent many nights a week after dinner till midnight at the shop. Today Dave and I are taking a day off our regular activities to focus on getting the rear panels cut and fitting the body on properly. It will be an all day non-stop party until that body is sitting as it should and all the openings are made. The big Pirellis will go on as well. I will have a camera this time and share photos in a few days too. Of course it will all come apart again for fine finishing, but I look forward to today.