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78 SC

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I first came into contact with Rich about 4 yrs ago but I didn't have a computer at the time so we just talked on the phone a few times. I then got a computer and registered last year but due to a defect in the internet software and a problem with the computer, I was never able to follow through with registration but through a computer at work, I've been following most of your threads for about a year now. I bought my '78 Sport Coupe in 1995 from the original owner for $650.00. It was a rust-free Wi/Mn car that had been pampered it's whole life. It had about 150,000 on the clock but had frequent oil changes and 18 years of reciepts! I had mixed feelings about that... Glad to have 'em but the three boxes of paperwork were really something! I began to rebuild the motor in march of 1998. My goal, as was most of you, was to build an early carb car that was capable of running with a decent '86-'87 car...low 13's or even 12's. When this all started, I had heard about an article in a fairly obscure car mag. The article was titled "GN on a budget" and was about a guy out east (Pa?) that took a '79 and put it deep into the 14's using a long list of mods... that article was from 1988! Since then, we've gone there and so much further thanks to Rich. I was able to contact the guy in the article and he proceeded to send me a whole stack of articles about modifying these early cars. It turns out that I was on the right track with my original plan and so I jumped in with both feet and the next thing ya know, the car is running high 14's at 18-19 psi....and I still had a list of stuff to do. It only proves one thing, that these cars are capable of going fast with a good plan and the right mods. In one of the articles, they hooked up a NOS bottle and ran a 12.98 with very little other mods!! Stupid? Yes - but it shows that 12's are within reach...I'll shut up now and work on a detailed list of what I've done to my car and what the future plans are. My wife and I bought a small horse farm in Oct. 99, got married in June '00 and had a baby in Nov. of '01 so, needless to say, the car has taken a back seat but it IS apart and ready to be re-assembled for another shot at 12's....Thanks to all of you for keeping up the communication about these carb cars...things are alot better now than when I started this whole thing 8 yrs ago.
 
Tim! Your finally here!!! :)

Now that you got all that "life" stuff out of the way (congrats x3), it's good to hear you'll be finding time for the Turbo Regal. I've had my first TR since 1990 and last year was my first serious year for working on them. I never did get a good, clean pass at the strip however, but I still beat the pathetic magazine times.

I think I narrowed down my problem to a cracked tube header. I just started cleanig up a '79 driver's side cast iron manifold to replace it. I think it will flow just as well and never crack. Extracting the two broken bolts will be fun.


BTW, I read in the Hot Ait forum that Lee Thompson ran a 10.77 (no IC) in BG this week. If a Hot Air can run a 10, then I believe 12's are very possible for a Carb/Turbo. Fred Carrado is almost there already. :)


I'm glad your here. We need more racers, NA and Turbo, if we want to get serious. We have enough drivers (no offense to anyone :) )
 
Originally posted by 78 SC
I'll shut up now and work on a detailed list of what I've done to my car and what the future plans are.

Can't wait to see what you've been up to!


My wife and I bought a small horse farm in Oct. 99, got married in June '00 and had a baby in Nov. of '01 so, needless to say, the car has taken a back seat but it IS apart and ready to be re-assembled for another shot at 12's


Congratulations & welcome aboard:D
A farm, a wife, a child & a rockin' T-type!
What more could a man want?¿?
Well, maybe a motorcycle but you've got horses so @ least your "in the wind";)
Me & Tonya just had a baby boy & bought a house w/garage in Dec. '01. so I know what you mean about projects taking a "back seat". Hey, life happens man. Luckily I married a girl who's a bigger Buick FREAK than I am!
My projects have become a lot more "budget oreintated" with everything going on lateley but they are still alive & well. Actually it's for the better. I was getting tired of working on stuff in the HOT FL sun & now I have a nice 2 car shop. I don't know how to act:confused:
 
Originally posted by 78 SC
My goal, as was most of you, was to build an early carb car that was capable of running with a decent '86-'87 car...low 13's or even 12's.

Oh, we ARE getting in the 12's!:D
My goal for the "longterm" has always been the same since Tonya bought the car. An 11 sec. carb'd TB w/NO NOS.
Sure it's not gonna happen anytime soon but it will happen.
I'm actally enjoying driving the car for a while instead of working on it.:)
 
Welcome aboard Tim.

Since you have the engine apart . May I suggest have the heads ported & polished. and Get a oversize turbo . My setup has a stage 3 turbine with a T4 compressor with a "V" Wheel. the housing where machined to expect the biger turbo. This alone dropped my ET .4 and 4 MPH.

I custum downpipe 2.5" will also be a big help.

I'm running low 13's (see sig. or check out my wed site).

I run 22# of boost on C16 , But have added alky injection So we'll see what she does. :)

Keep us posted.
 
Thanks Fred- I bought the heads from a local Buick guy and they were already ported but I don't know the details 'cuz I never had them flowed. My intention is to flow 'em and see what that tells me...from there, I'll either use them as is or port another set or step up to the cash register and get some M&A's or Champion's but I really don't think that they would make that much of a difference on a carbed car. The Turbo was hogged out by PT&E but unfortunately my reciept doesn't indicate what the details are and when I called Harry, he couldn't find the paperwork...(I'm not complaining, those guys do an excellent job). I'm most excited about running the '84-'85 headers and downpipe from Kenne Bell. I think that'll make a huge difference. If you look carefully at the '83 exhaust runners, they're nearly the same diameter as the '84-'85 ones. That is critical to keep exhaust velocity up to spool up the hair-dryer....I was running 18-19 psi but it was 98* out and really bad air- I ended up blowin a head gasket when the boost came up and collapsed a fuel line 'cuz the pump couldn't keep up...WORD TO THE WISE-IT'S BETTER TO HAVE THAT FUEL SITTIN' THERE WAITING THAN TO TRY TO HAVE YOUR PUMP PULL IT UP TO THE RIGHT VOLUME...SPEND THE $$ TO GET YOUR FUEL SYSTEM UP TO PAR!! Think about it...everyone in I/C land throws on huge pumps and 55# injectors and such...A high volume pump from pep boys isn't gonna take you into the 12's or maybe even high 13's. One last thing, what do you all think of this? Take a look at the elbow where the turbo bolts to the intake. That elbow is extremely restrictive. It tapers down to approximately an inch and then the air/fuel is required to take a 90* turn downward into the intake manifold. If we could could find a way to open that elbow up and then fill in the corner of the elbow in order to keep the a/f mix flowing, I think it'd be worth it????
 
Yes , I agree the elbow is a restiction. I thought about porting it , but there is not alot of material their. Got ot maintian the strength.

I lost two head gaskets last year (same time) ran low on fuel the pump sucked air leaned the engine out the boost shot up to 25# , the knock went off bit it was to late :(

Keep in touch , It sound like your setup is very close to mine.

You have 3.42 gear in the rear? 8.5" ?
 
I agree with you on porting it. I've talked to a few reputable head guys locally and they all feel it's too thin. I was thinkin in terms of a new elbow completely that would be machined out of a solid billet piece. ???? a flange would have to be welded to the turbo housing farther up the neck but that wouldn't be too hard to do. In regards to the rear-end, I picked mine up out of a half-back car that was running low 9's. It's a 8.5" with a spool and 3.91's... perfect for the street, huh? I got the rear end drum to drum, adjustable uppers, boxed lowers, slicks-n-skinnies on Weld Pro-Stars for $1200.00 from a guy in my club...Hey- that reminds me. If anyone out there is in the Mpls-St. Paul area, come and check out the Mn Grand National & T-Type Association!! Sorry Fred- Lil plug for the club... Yeah, it sounds like we have similar build-ups and I think that Scott Adcock is goin' down the right road too... Man-It's great to see....
 
Originally posted by 78 SC
what do you all think of this? Take a look at the elbow where the turbo bolts to the intake. That elbow is extremely restrictive. It tapers down to approximately an inch and then the air/fuel is required to take a 90* turn downward into the intake manifold. If we could could find a way to open that elbow up and then fill in the corner of the elbow in order to keep the a/f mix flowing, I think it'd be worth it????

I read that the elbow restricts the flow by 10% on the Pont. 301T.
I imagine it's the same on our Buicks.
 
Originally posted by 78 SC
I'm most excited about running the '84-'85 headers and downpipe from Kenne Bell. I think that'll make a huge difference. If you look carefully at the '83 exhaust runners, they're nearly the same diameter as the '84-'85 ones.

Do the KB headers use the stock up-pipe? What needs to be done to get the down-pipe to fit the 78/83 turbo, since it's elbow is on a different angle than the '84/85 turbo?

According to the parts book, the '83 and '84/85 replacement headers are the same parts. Are the factory parts a little different year to year?
 
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