Salt rat engine combination

[Gentry1]

HI Guys,
I'm building a car to run at Bonneville next August and it will be powered by a carbureted turbo Buick engine. Not the early carb turbo but a custom blow-through setup that's required by the Bonneville rules.
Since there is no EFI or computer - and I must run a distrubutor - all the wastegate and fuel assemblies must be manual and adjustable.
There will obviously be a lot of trial and error on the dyno but I think I'd like to start off running around 25 lbs of boost with Champion ported heads, TRW? pistons, steel main caps and an aftermarket steel crank. I have a 109 block and several aftermarket single plane intake manifolds.

To set a record in the class I'm running I really don't need much more than around 400 hp, this doesn't need to be a max-performance engine - at first.

I welcome all suggestions but am particularly interested in finding out what intercooler (stock, aftermarket or air/water) is recommended, what adjustable wastegates are available, which turbo is recommended, and I may be on my own with the boost-referrenced fuel pressure setup. Am I forgetting anything else?

Thanks in advance,

Gentry

 

[JDEstill]

sounds like a lot of fun! I'm thinking long block-wise, build it just like you would a regular GN engine. Oil system mods are probably something to pay special attention to though, some of those things we like to argue about, like whether or not to drill out the #2 and #3 mains. On a regular car it's kind of a moot point, but WOT for a few miles, maybe it becomes more important... I'm also wondering if something like piston squirters wouldn't be valuable for such an effort. I don't remember seeing anything like that in the Power Source book for Indy cars and such, but maybe it's a good idea anyway? I've seen some nice squirters that have been adapted to older engines, though not to a V6. Doesn't mean it can't be done though.

Choice of intercooler, I'm wondering if that doesn't depend on your air management. Since you are looking at top speed runs, and tricks like blocking off a good part of the radiator seems to be part of the whole aero optimization, I'm wondering if a good liquid IC won't give you some mph from that standpoint? Of course it will heat up over the run and that might cost some power. But how much it will heat up I don't know.

For a top speed machine I wonder if a draw through set up would be better than a blow through... All the downsides of a draw through setup mostly go away when start talking about a strictly WOT machine.

hmmm lots of things to think about...

John

 

[charlief1]

I agree with JD on the oiling mods but go a little further. Do 2.3.4 mains to 21/64 and deburr all of the oiling system corners. You can make an injection manifold (if you can find it) from an old 215 buick one. I think kinsler made it and Kenne Bell used one on their skyhawk dragster back in the late 70's early 80's. I also think hot rod or CC did a flats car and put it in the mag. I remember the article but not who.

 

[Mac in SD]

I went to Speed Week for the first time this August. What a BLAST!

The coolest people and cars from all over the world (lots of Kiwis, especially.)

I only saw one Buick V6 entered - a streamliner. I couldn't track him down to talk to him.


I have to admit I'm having somewhat unrealistic daydreams about building something Buick V6-powered to go there with. Going through the rule book looking for a do-able class. What class are you going for? Classic blown gas?

Good luck!

 

[Mac in SD]

Okay, I screwed up. That "Danny Boy" has a V8. Danny Boy II is a lakester with a 181" Buick.
Sorry.