Just when you think your car sucks--2

[ledzeppac]

Ill be damned the car runs ok now...

for the first time in 4 years I get no knock at 10 lbs of boost, I can finally understand why everyone thinks these cars are fun to drive.  :rofl;  

To bad I'm selling it.  I'll keep all the memories

[87natty]

^ Gangsta. If I was you I'd store it somewhere until I had cash to do it all over the right way. These cars aren't getting any easier to find.

PS: Go easy on the cam, it's still breaking in.

[straycat990]

I have to say I totally understand how he feels about the car. They can be a very fun car to drive and every once in a while I miss not having one. But all I have to do is remind myself of all the problems that come with one of these cars.  If I had it to do all over again ..I would have bought a GN roller and stuck a turbo sbc w/ turbo 400 in it and been done with it.  It really would have been cheaper and definitely would have lasted longer.

[Recklessrob]

I really can't bitch too much about mine. I've had the occasional problem
or three. Maf sensor, accumulator ball, cooling fan resistor, but nothing
really serious. I've got 170k on the clock and it still runs strong. If it were a SBC,
I know that I'd have blown it up long before now. (I have the parts to prove it too)
I think that the Intercooled turbo engines are far more reliable than any of Buicks
other production V6's turbocharged or not. (I have even more proof of that.  :rofl; )
Other than the restoration, the transmission has been the most expensive repair, and I feel that was due to neglect from the previous owner. My new engine will by far be the most expensive thing, but that wasn't mandatory - Just fun.

[straycat990]

well, I see your point Rob. I just don't totally agree with it. I tend to push my stuff to the edge and while the bottom end of a 3.8 will stay together, the rest of it is a little less than to be desired for.  I know if you take a stock steel crank and an early model (pre 1972) 4 bolt main block, the sbc will stay together at a much higher hp level that the 3.8.  

The thing that just turned me off on the cars was tranny issues,  the high pricest of parts, and the reliablity factor.  

The sbc I am building right now will be a fun engine on the street and parts will be as close as the nearest autozone.  Wish I could have said that about the buick.

Really though ... I think if you can be happy with a buick that is near stock or just a little warmed over (te44 and 50# injectors) you can have a great street car. I just wanted more than that ...I wanted mid 10s and well for what I see, buicks don't live to long when running those #s.

[Recklessrob]

I'm not a big fan of 4 bolt oem blocks either. Ever crack one between the inner
and outer main bearing cap bolt holes? Billet splayed caps are the ticket there.
I'd say that the stock block integrity of both a Buick V6 and a SBC are both compromised at the 700hp mark providing you have a decent crank to start with.
Theres a BBC GN for sale on ebay right now for $2500. Twin turbo that biatch !
It also has a THM400 already in it.

[straycat990]

oh hell no .. a bbc with twins has no business being on the street.  
I have killed my fair share of sbcs. I have never taken out a high nickle 4 bolt block though.

My little build up is off an old sbc I built many years ago.
just freshening up the bottom end
1968 4 bolt 350 .030 over
cola steel crank
crower steel rods
trw forged slugs

new for it will be
zz4 roller cam
crane hyd roller lifters
ProComp aluminum heads 190 cc runners
First Fuel Injection intake
and it looks like I am going to go with MSD's new programable ecu
I am still looking for a deal on some crower steel roller rockers.

Last but not least ...I am seriously toying with hanging a T72 P trim off it
All this is going into a 3100# vette.  Car is currently an auto car, but I have everything to stuff a Super T10 into it.  Should make for one hell of a fun street car.

[Recklessrob]

oh hell no .. a bbc with twins has no business being on the street.

[straycat990]

comp will be right at 9.4 to 9.7 to 1  depending on the head gasket I end up using.
ZZ4 is a rather small cam. It's only like 208/221 @ .050 .474/.510 112 LS.   So it should work pretty decently. I will have to take a look at those rockers. I am not a comp cams fan, but who knows maybe they can make a decent steel rocker.

[87natty]

I have killed my fair share of sbcs. I have never taken out a high nickle 4 bolt block though.

I got a 010 68 Camaro block and heads. #'s matching on eBay for $100, picked it up in the boonies. I got an old circle track block too, .020 waiting for final hone, can't see any core shift in it.

I've split a 4 bolt block before. The cam was in four pieces, rods ended up being J-beams, it was great. Damn oil pickup fell out. LOL This was before I learned to tack weld them on.

New build will be a mild cam with big heads, so I can pass smog here. I'm going to hog the shit out of a GM Q-Jet manifold and totally re-jet and tune the carb out. I may or may not hide a bottle in the glove box. I think I can get away with headers and without a smog pump  if I use a couple 3 way cats. I'm still using my old Art Carr TH400, thing is bulletproof. This is all falling into my 81 El Camino.

[straycat990]

sounds like a sweet build and all I can say is thank gawd I don't have to contend with smog testing.

[Wrecked Em]

I am sticking with my BBB for my next build.  :smt071

[straycat990]

I am sticking with my BBB for my next build.

[87natty]

EDIT

[straycat990]

umm not touching that one.