Don't be pissed...

[Guest Buickman67]

Hi Guy,

Yes, we have gone to a period in time when every car is fast.

I remember the 80's when every car was slow, according to magazines, a new '82 Covette ran a 17.0 sec 1/4 mile.

(As per Jan. '06 Motor Trend.)

The new Hundai flagship, the Azera (replaces the XG350) with a 265 HP 3.8L V6 runs a 15.0 sec 1/4 @ 94.9 mph.

A Toyota Avalon 268 HP 3.5L V6 runs a 14.8 sec 1/4 @ 96.7 mph.

And the new Passat 280 HP 3.6L V6 runs a 14.4 sec 1/4 @ 100.6 mph.

Damn fast for V6 4 door sedans.

David

[Smartin]

Thought I'd bring this post back to the top...

Running my first 14 second pass on Salem this August! 14.995 to be exact..close enough to get into the elusive 14 second club <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

[BqUICK]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Buick-Riv...038070412QQrdZ1

With one hour to go, this mild custom. Just paint, interior, and large diameter wheels, and $16,000! Well...there you go! There is another plain stock Riv in perhaps as good or better mechanical shape, needing paint and fancy wheels struggling to get $1,500?

[Guest Buickman67]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Running my first 14 second pass on Salem this August! 14.995 to be exact..close enough to get into the elusive 14 second club <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

</div></div>

Hey Smartin,

Congratulations on joining the 14 second club! That must have felt very good.

Can you post all the details of your timeslip?

Buickman67

[Smartin]

RT: .732 (I suck at cutting lights)

60': 2.14 (need slicks)

330': 6.177

1/8: 9.542

MPH: 55.95 (the computer wasn't reading right, I don't think)

1000': 12.402

1/4: 14.995

MPH: 89.60

I just sold that car, it's going to Germany. I'll have another 1971 Centurion at the BPG national meet next year, and it will be running 13's with any luck...and it will be stock appearing. A little port work on the heads and intake, a small cam, posi, slicks, and I'll be in business! Oh, can't forget 2.5" dual exhaust, small body HEI ignition, and a John Osborne prepped Qjet...

I'm pumped!!!

[Guest Buickman67]

I hope there is a posi rear in the equation!

[Smartin]

3.23 posi is already installed!

[Guest Buickman67]

Good man.

What are you going to run for rubber?

[Smartin]

not sure yet...that will be one of the last things I do.

[Guest Buickman67]

I understand.

So do you miss having a convertible? Or do you like the hardtop?

Also, what were the reasons to sell the other and buy this one?

[Smartin]

I love the hardtop!

Many reasons for selling the vert. I got really tired of dealing with the scissor top.

The hardtop is much more untouched and I have a better car to work with when I want to enter any of the national shows.

And this car is lighter than the convertible <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

[Guest Buickman67]

How much lighter?

How well is it optioned?

[Smartin]

Here is the option list...

Probably 2-300 lbs lighter.

[Guest Buickman67]

I didn't see how to retrive the option list, but she sounds like a beautiful car. Personally, I like the lines of most 2DHT's to the convertibles, especially in the late 50's to the early 70's.

[Smartin]

oops, I guess it would be a good idea to paste the link this time:

http://www.buickcenturion.com/1971/adam_m2/

[BqUICK]

Smartin,

I like the photo with the red stripe tires. It really brings out the "Muscle Car" look in the Centurion. These cars have been largely overlooked as viable performance platforms. You have almost single handedly changed that perception, at least in my eyes. Getting deep into the 14s will be a lasting testimony to the car's capability.

God Speed,

[Smartin]

...and I'll keep pushing the envelope with it, too!

You should see the set of heads I got the oter day. They were ported by Charlie Evans...and flow very well.

[Guest Buickman67]

Please keep us updated.

Also, can you post some interior pictures?

[Smartin]

[Guest Buickman67]

Hey Adam,

That is one gorgeous interior! You can't beat black. Looks like all the dash chrome and wood is extremely nice. I can see why you had to have this one.

David

[BqUICK]

Twas the Night Before Christmas....

'Twas the night before Christmas and in the garage,

No trace of Ford, Chevy, or even a Dodge.

The presents were wrapped and the lights were all lit,

So I figured I'd mess with the Buick a bit.

I popped the release and I lifted the hood,

When a deep voice behind me said "looks pretty good."

Well, as you can imagine, I turned mighty quick,

And there, by the workbench, stood good ol Saint Nick!

We stood there a bit, not too sure what to say,

Then he said "don't suppose that you'd trade for my sleigh?

I said "no way, Santa" and started to grin,

"But if you've got the time we could go for a spin!"

His round little mouth, tied up like a bow,

Turned into a smile and he said "hey! Let's go!!"

So as not to disturb all the neighbors' retreat,

We pushed the big Buick into the street,

Then, taking our places to drift down the hill,

I turned on the key and I let MSD spill.

The sound that erupted took him by surprise;

But he liked it a lot, you could tell from his eyes.

With Pirelli’s a' crying and exhaust tips aglow,

We headed on out where hot rodders go.

And Santa's grin widened, approaching his ears,

With every shift up as I went through the gears.

Then he yelled "can't recall when I've felt so alive!"

So I backed off the gas and said "wanna drive?"

Ol Santa was stunned when I gave him the keys,

When he walked past the headlights he shook at the knees!

The big block exploded with the <span style="font-family: 'Impact'">STAGE I</span> sound!

When he dropped the hammer, <span style="font-weight: bold">GS</span> shook the ground!

Power shift into second, again into third!

I sat there just watching, at loss for a word,

St. Nick turned to me with a gleam in his eye,

And said “Lets get TURBOs & then let’r Fly!”

With a wave of his hand and a prayer to the Lord,

There were twin Turbos & water Injection aboard!

We passed Hemi’s, Cobra's and Veyron's that night,

Punched over-drive and blasted from sight!

St. Nick turned to me with a gleam in his eye,

And said “Merry Christmas BqUICK!” and we took to the sky!!!"

BqUICK 2007

GSCA, North East Member #33

[Smartin]

Very nice!

On another note, reading through this thread, it has come to my attention that I never updated the progress on the track times on the coupe I bought over a year ago.

I was running in the low 14's with it at the BPG nats in August, but it was extremely hot and humid there. I waited until this Fall to run the car again, and it paid off.

I took it to Gateway in October, and finally reached the elusive 13's!!

Here is the timeslip.

R/T: .133

60': 1.872

330': 5.573

1/8: 8.755

MPH: 76.87

1000': 11.532

1/4: 13.899

MPH: 95.18

[BqUICK]

Adam,

That 13.899 @ 95.18 is very very cool. It seems like she has a really great launch and lots of low end torque. Do you have headers?

Hmmm...I can see low 13's from here! The main thing is to have fun and keep it simple! Your car has the "pure stock" look and I'm sure there are lots of double takes!

My "pure stock" 1969 Electra 225 Custom Convertible runs 15.35 @ 89mph. I would love to see it running in the 13s. People go wild when they see now, it would be cool to do some 13's and see what happens.

God Speed,

[JohnD1956]

Adam, or anyone, I never drag raced but after reading this thread I was wondering what the R/T stood for and how do you interpret the statistic?

John D

[Smartin]

John,

R/T = Reaction Time

Basically, it's the measurement of time from when the light turns green, to when your front (or rear) tires trip the beam at the starting line. .000 is a perfect reaction time. I have seen it, but have only gotten within .035 of it being perfect.

BqUICK - no headers. I'm going for completely stock appearing underhood.

The engine color looks washed out here, but it's RED

Here is my favorite launch shot so far:

[BqUICK]

As you know, Christmas is the time when miracles indeed come true. It is certain that the three wise men, King Herod, or anyone else, except perhaps for Mary and God, knew what was in store for the baby Jesus 33 years hence. His sacrifice would be the salvation of mankind and a miracle.

In 33 years He would be crucified by many non-believers and while on the cross, the first Roman to acknowledge His God-hood would be a "Centurion"; the elite of the Roman guard. John Wayne played the Centurion in "The Robe"; he said "Truely this man was the Son of God!"

I am glad that Buick chose to name a really fine automobile the "Centurion"; it is indeed an elite driving machine.

The "88", the Oldsmobile equivalent, that I saw at an Olds show a couple of years ago could not hold a candle to the performance and class of your Buick! They were struggling to get their "competition" 455 Olds below 14 seconds! Keep up the good work!

God Speed,

[Smartin]

One year to the day, I see, the last post was made.

Ok - blew up the engine in the Centurion this Summer going to Columbus for the BPG nationals, but it gave me a reason to go bigger and better.

Here's the build:

10 or 10.5-1 compression ratio is the goal, depending on how much we take off the block

TA forged pistons with valve reliefs +.030

Stock reconditioned polished rods

Stock crank -.010

TA288-98H cam

Roller rockers ($$$ ouch!!)

70 Stage1 ported heads with new bronze guides and seals

Extreme duty race bearings - mains & rods

Edelbrock Performer intake manifold - gasket matched

800 CFM QJet by John Osborne

Xrane XR-i ignition

The transmission will probably stay the same, although I am having thoughts of buying a convertor from TriShield Perf. I'll also have to recalibrate the governor to shift at higher points. It's shifting automatically at around 4800rpm.

I hope to have the engine dyno'ed by the end of January, and back in the car just after that.

13.50's here I come!!

[BqUICK]

Smartin,

It was good to see your post again. Our web is dead @ our house and for months I could not log on. Even now I am using the kid's Wii to smuggle out news from Buick Land. One letter @ a tym suks!

Any way, sorry 2 hear about the blown motor. I guess you can go with the more powerful one you are planning...just watch out for other weak spots.

After about 20 or so passes I found my "Pro Built" TH-375, more clutches than a TH400, had blown a bearing. My "Pro Built" Ford 9" sheared pinion shafts & ate 2 spider gears.

That is what a "Pro Built" Buick 455 Stage 1 can buy you. You already know this stuff, so the point I'm making is this:

Sometimes its better to stay with good stock stuff if you have built up your motor.

I poured too much $ into partial modifications that dealt with using the power to go faster & not to last longer. Want to go fast & have it last? Buy a new Lenco tranny or get the stock part COMPLETELY done right!

I was hell-bent-for-leather to build a 200mph monster. I got the best parts I could and killed stuff doing 1/4 mile 100mph passes, not 90 mile runs the car was designed for. Partly modified parts probably, not definitley, but probably overstress the remaining stock components in the trans & rear. Under 550 HP, you maybe better off with stock components and good service records, good fluids, & coolers.

Heat is the main enemy! Lots of cool billet and chromoly do dads wont help there!

Have a good time and dont build a car you have to throw 8 switches to make it start!

God Speed & Merry Christmas!

[Smartin]

ok, $5000 later, and I'm back in business! Time for some 13.30 passes.

[BqUICK]

Impressive, most impressive young Skywalker!

God Speed,

[BqUICK]

Don't be pissed my Electra's FSRNYER Vette!

[Guest 2fit661ca]

17. If the police cite your "rodder" friends but compliment your Electra and tell you have a good day with no ticket. (And YOU WERE going racing!)

BUICK POWER!!!

THIS IS WHY I DRIVE BUICKS!!