History Channel

[Miraged]

Full Throttle
HISTORY Channel
Nov 17 07:00pm Mountain time
Series/Reality, 60 Mins.
"1985 Buick Grand National", Episode #3.
In the 1980s the Buick gets a makeover from inside out.


Original Airdate: November 17, 2004.

Found this in a tv guide...

1971 Datsun 240Z.
Airs on Monday, November 8 at 3:00am ET

In this episode, Japanese hustle meets American muscle! The Datsun 240Z was the first affordable people's sports car. We get an up-close look at the 1971 Datsun design engineering that proved light years ahead of its American competitors. Diving into their overhead cam engine, we tear it down and build it back up for a head-to-head drag race at full throttle! After supplying two teams with the classic cars, garages, tools, parts, and 20 hours of repair time, we hold an old-fashioned drag race on a legal, certified track with safety devices for the drivers. As we follow the teams, we interject history at each step they take, including factory footage and interviews with the legends behind the vintage vehicles. TVPG
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1968 Mustang.
Airs on Wednesday, November 10 at 9:00pm ET

The concept is simple--two teams are given the same model of a classic car or motorcycle in similar disrepair. We supply them with a garage, tools, and parts. After 20 hours of repair time, we hold an old-fashioned drag race on a legal, certified track with safety devices for the novice drivers. The winner gets to keep both cars. The loser gets nothing. As we follow the teams, we interject history at each step they take, including factory footage and interviews with the legends behind the vintage vehicles. In the first episode, we take two of America's favorite pony cars, the 1968 Mustang, and inject explosive, modern high-performance technology to make them into rambunctious racing machines. TVPG L
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1985 Buick Grand National.
Airs on Wednesday, November 17 at 9:00pm ET

The Grand National represented Buick's return to its "muscle car" roots, and in the 1980s, America's "King of the Streets" received a makeover from the inside out, including headers, turbos, intercoolers, fuel injectors, ECU chips, new racing transmissions, and high-stall torque converters. TVPG
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El Camino vs. Ranchero.
Airs on Wednesday, November 24 at 9:00pm ET

The concept is simple--two teams are given classic cars in similar disrepair. We supply them with a garage, tools, and parts. After 20 hours of repair time, we hold an old-fashioned drag race on a legal, certified track with safety devices for the novice drivers. The winner gets to keep both cars. The loser gets nothing. As we follow the teams, we interject history at each step they take, including factory footage and interviews with the legends behind the vintage vehicles. In this episode, the eternal Ford/Chevy battle continues when we take an El Camino and Ranchero--the first "sport utility vehicles"--and put in two new crate engines and racing transmissions--giving these classic machines over 400 horsepower! TVPG

 

[TRiv]

Thanks for heads up, have to check out the whole series, looks good.

 

[GNBeswick]

I saw the datsun episode last night...they raced the cars at LACR. I like the concept and such of it, but they only gave each team 14 hours, and they hardly got to put any parts on. They put a new carb, headers, exhaust, and a camshaft, thats about all the 2 teams did. They do have little history blurps and such about the car, which is cool, but I think they should be able to do a little more to the car.

 

[b4black]

Originally posted by Miraged
Full Throttle
HISTORY Channel
Nov 17 07:00pm Mountain time
Series/Reality, 60 Mins.
"1985 Buick Grand National", Episode #3.
In the 1980s the Buick gets a makeover from inside out.

I have a little more on this. I recieved this Oct 7th.

Attn: Rich George

I'd like to get permission to use some of the material you have posted on your website!

On the History Channel program, FULL THROTTLE, two teams will both compete over a weekend to restore a classic car. The hosts of the show and advisors to each team are 'turbo twins' Marc and Eric Kozeluh. At the end of the weekend, the teams race their restored cars, and whichever team wins, gets the pink slips for both cars.

One of the first episodes is on the 1985 Buick Grand National...and in my quest to show the backstory of these cars would you consider allowing our production to use the original sketches and prototype of the 1982 Buick Regal from your website. They would be used in conjunction with our interviews with Lloyd Reuss and Molly Sanders.

We have a commitment for 13 episodes, and I am dealing with getting pix out of the photo archives at each auto manufacturer (or their successors) but the GM Media Archive is having trouble with this car, and has only given me a black and white photo. TV LOVES COLOR!! The permission required is non exclusive, worldwide, in all tv & home video, for the life of the program, and I would be happy to make sure that you received a photo credit,
as well as a copy of the program, and an 'access fee' that you might be able to have lunch with..ok, maybe dinner. (we are pretty low budget!)

Please let me know what you think! If this is acceptable, I have a
release form that I would need for you to sign, I work out primarily out of my home office, and can be reached via return email, or any of the numbers below.

Sincerely,
Kristi Burns

I wrote and gave them permissionm, but never heard back. With the episode airing in about a week, they must have changed their minds. Or maybe they contacted Steve Pasteiner like I suggested. I got the pictures from him and he deserves alot more credit than Molly.

 

[GNBeswick]

Wow....interesting...looks like they're really doing their homeowrk...Im impressed. I think most shows Ive seen never talk about the 82 national, they just start with the 84. Would have been fun to work on the GN in this show, but they prolly wouldnt let someone who already owns and 85 play

 

[summit]

Just saw the show. Great history lesson, poor performance. After upgrading turbo, injectors, adding an intercooler, new trans and convertor, slicks, and a halfway decent downpipe dump they could only muster mid to high 14's from one car and the other car broke. My stock 84 on street tires and pump gas went 14.2. Great history lesson and really praised the GN and Buick for all the innovations.

Greg Kring
87 GN 9.05 @ 150

 

[Miraged]

I also heard that the guy that got the broken GN got it running after the show and I heard it ran in the mid 13's...Also they should have mentioned what the parts were...like what kind of turbo they used or what stall torque convertor they used...

 

[cwmccray]

Good show....
Unfornuatly they had to non-Buick guys. Must remember that in California, they are at elevation, so that 14.20 is probably is a high 13 second quarter. They did not turn up the boost... Probably did not know how! They did not change the chip or fuel pump (the BASICS) .The T-Top GN had a flowmaster catback exhaust and a cold air kit. I replayed the video and it had a adjustable regulator. Turned out to be bad...
Interesting thing was the Innovative Turbo intercooler setup. They did not use any SPEARCO products. The pipe at the back of the intake was interesting, beveled at the end for a better seal. I also noticed that they changed injectors (What lbs. ??? )

Based on the mods, they should have ran 12's.

Would have been nice if atleast ONE GUY was a BUICK Guy and know what they was doing

Chuck

 

[tim sewald]

Poor performance. I expected low 13's, maybe faster and I also wish they would have mentoined the brand of parts they used. Does'nt say much for a new "high tech turbo" and intercooler. Some tuning might make all the difference though.

 

[6SENSE]

I taped it and will be watching shortly. I did however see bits and pieces including the track runs at the end

I agree with you guys. The thing I hate is that those who dont know, who arent Buick guys/gals. Heck, Id better say those who arent Buick-Hotair guys, wont even see it the way that you all mentioned (most 86/87 guys are ignorant to whats up with a 84/85). They will just say "see I told you so, the 84/85s are inferior; can only make so so power with them".
After seeing that segment, I felt...not embarassed, but a little dissapointed. I was very surprised to see a show using a '85 car rather than the more popular '86/'87, and thought this could have been a real opportunity for some exposure of what they can really do. The show looks over all like it was put together pretty good from the bits and pieces I saw. Especially some of the history of the car and the explaining of the turbocharger talk and history.


P.S. they should have contacted Lee Thompson for advice!

 

[6SENSE]

Oh yeah, all the cars in there looked good!

I liked how they kept showing the footage of the car leaving the line with the front wheels so high in the air it hit the back bumper Even better that when it came down it didnt even look like a race car, but had a more or less stock look.

 

[Timberwolf]

I posted about this in General Turbo Tech and it got deleted. I guess the rules in there are different

I taped it. Good history, bad tech.

 

[turbo6x2]

With what they did, no fuel pump or chip I can't see it running 12's, not without some other work and tuning. It was still kinda neat to see them complaining about changing the plugs.. Too bad no details on the turbo and does anyone have any info on innovative?? It was interesting to see what they accomplished, but this was also leaving the line not ever drag racing before, with some boost could have been a much better run. I think 13's easy. Still was an intersting show.

 

[tim sewald]

turbo6x2, Good point about the fuel and no chip and I didn't see a adj wastegate either. Not sure why they didn't know about those things if they knew about turbo, innercooler, dp, trans, ect. I have never heard of innovative either.

 

[gngirl]

I wanted one of these cars all my life and finally got one, so I am new to the GN and turbo thing, a rookie, AND willing to listen, watch, and learn.

Not knocking the show and through it was GREAT exposure.
I guess it comes down to one thing .......... Every doctor is not a neuron surgeon, neither is every turbo specialist a GN guru as it requires that level of specialization to get this things to run right (As we are learning ….. ) In that sense, we are nursing assistants.

This episode should have been a 3 hour show and showed more about the history, and, giving the guys the time to "do it right".
With more in-depth coverage (heck even just on the history) we would be willing to purchase the DVD for $25. Not now ....
Just my $0.02

 

[cwmccray]

History channel forum

I just went to the Historychannel.com and I ended up in the forum link: http://boards.historychannel.com/forum.jsp?forum=30080. I really don't think that they want www.turbobuick.com forum posters to post on their forum. I can't believe that they really did let ReTArds work on a GN. The Turbo Twins aka BUTT Bros. should be posterkids for using condoms DON"T LET IDIOTS MESS WITH GN's I bet any, and I do mean any Forum poster from turbobuick.com could have just used the BASIC's (wired pump, chip, K&N filter and a good tune) and would have ran circles around those AZZ Clowns .

Just my .02

Chuck

 

[SLOW_85]

Both cars were on ebay.
One sold-the other didn't reach the reserve,I believe.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2493694246

Show could've been better but some publicity for our hot-airs.

 

[6SENSE]

Well heres some of the info we were wondering about (from the Ebay posting; thanks Bob). No mention of fuel pump, but they did have aftermarket chip and some sort of boost control. Plus the info on the turbo and stall :

ALL THESE PARTS ARE BRAND NEW OUT OF THE BOX!!! -FRONT MOUNT INNOVATIVE TURBO INTERCOOLER W/ ALMINUM PIPING -MSD IGNITION SYSTEM COIL PACK (DIS-4) -ONE OF A KIND K.DUTWEILER SPARK PLUG WIRES (MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS SHOW.) -POSTON ECU CHIP -30 LB/HR FUEL INJECTORS -INNOVATIVE TURBO T-3 E50 COMPRESSOR W/STAGE 5 TURBINE WHEEL -DIAL A BOOST 15 PSI -FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE -FUEL PUMP -POSTON HEADERS 3" DOWN PIPE 2 1/2 CROSSOVER -CALIFORNIA TRANS. BUILT BY ART CARR W/3200 STALL 9"TORQUE CONVERTER -DRIVE SHAFT -MICKEY THOMPSON STREET/DRAG TIRES -WELD RACING RIMS

Yes the exposure was great to have The history was cool too although it had a few holes in it, but very good for those who arent familiar with these cars to get a feel for them. Although I agree that not everyone is going to be a TR "specialist" they (the twins I guess) still should have known more. There are basics that apply whether a Buick or not.

 

[turbo6x2]

From the description they did get a new fuel pump and chip should have mentioned this don't you think. That would have made more sense, but if you change the fuel pump wouldn't most of you change the relay? He does mention a fuel pump in the post.

-POSTON ECU CHIP -30 LB/HR FUEL INJECTORS -INNOVATIVE TURBO T-3 E50 COMPRESSOR W/STAGE 5 TURBINE WHEEL -DIAL A BOOST 15 PSI -FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE -FUEL PUMP -POSTON HEADERS 3" DOWN PIPE

 

[6SENSE]

-FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE -FUEL PUMP -POSTON HEADERS

Oops, duh, I guess they did huh Probably a new stocker, no hotwire of course. Youd think with having to take down the tank to do the swap they would have showed it, or at least mentioned it. To the guys they had on there that would have been some ordeal


By the way, have you all seen the thread in the lounge about this?