Gs Stage1 455 Road Race Car

[someguy2112]

Hi,

I am About 85% Complete on my Restoration of my 1970 #'s matching STAGE 1 455. I was thinkin' of doing a road race car, leaving a bare interior with a nice set of Corbeau's and Race tachs and gages. Suspension is AC Delco Hi-po for street strip i will be modifying that. But what do you Buick folks think of the idea of a Road Race Buick GS?

[flynbuick]

I suggest a skylark be used for that instead of a real number matching stage 1 car.

In 1968 while in college we used to go to VIR a/k/a Virginia International Raceway. It is a road course which later closed but has now been resurrected. If you have ever been there it is long and up and down track among rolling hills on the NC/VA line. There was a classmate named Bob H. whose relatives had bought him a new dark green Lotus Elan. Bob said "Let's take it and run it." I remember thinking and telling him, "Gee this is your new, expensive car given to you and it is your daily driver. I would not do that". I had a 63 Vette at the time likewise made out of fiberglass and I knew there was no way I would do it as there is no insurance coverage. Bob's feeling was it is a big wide open road course what could happen! So Bob makes a few laps, part of it we can see and part of which were out of view. Well he did not show back up on the last lap until later on foot. The Lotus had departed the track at high spped and mind melted with an Oak tree. We carried what was left of Bob's Lotus home in a box. I never heard exactly what his parents said but I know it was not good.

[bignastyGS]

I suggest a skylark be used for that instead of a real number matching stage 1 car.


I have to agree with Jim..You could modify a Skylark and have no regrets compared to a numbers matching car..

[someguy2112]

Well, I'm not going to be foolish with the car. I have put countless Man hours, love, and just overall Time with this project. and i wanted to attempt something that nobody has ever attempted to do w/ a 455 stage 1 car. Make it a full fledged Road Racer.

[flynbuick]

It might be someone else's foolish move during a race that butts you off the track. That may have been what happened to my friend 40 years ago.

[someguy2112]

True,, I will be driving the car mostly on public roads, its my summer seasonal. I got the car literally in pieces and have transformed it into something beautiful! So do you think that the whole road race motif is a bad idea?

[alan]

Do you intend to actually race it? If you are just going for the look, as long as you don't do something that can't easily be undone (bolt on stuff) then go for it and have fun. If you do intend to race it, you wouldn't want the fact that it's a numbers matching stage car to be in the back of your mind at every turn. If you built a skylark and rolled it into a ball you'd still have your GS.

[73-462GS]

If you attend the "Good Guys" Events they have a cone setup that purpose built cars (mostly from the suspension equipment companies) and the participants can race around against the clock. It looks like a lot of fun. I remember watching a new Mustang and a 69 Camaro I think it was, both from the same shop ripping around, speeds never got over 50 MPH or so. They were lifting the front wheels coming off the corners. It was neat, might be the next big thing for the muscle car crowd. These two cars were purpose built with 700 HP engines big low profile tires 18" wheels, lowered altered suspension big sway bars and so on.
Mike D.

[someguy2112]

My whole car was purpose built right from the beginning to be a road race car, the engine is churning well over 550HP, Original 4 speed, we are currently working on the interir, i was thinking of slapping on a nice pair of corbeau racing seats and a bare interior. race gages and such.

[whamo]

Do what you want, I think the fact that its numbers matching wont matter anymore if the car is set up as a race car.

[ss4825]

Post up some pics and share all your hard work with us.

[someguy2112]

ya, i just gotta upload em', but you folks think its a bad idea? I mean it's different to have a GS road Racer.. i think its quite neat. But I mean so far I get the impression that its a crappy idea?

[ss4825]

It is not what I would chose to do with my S1. But it's your car and I'm sure it will be nice when it's done. If I was going to race my S1 it wouldn't be with the #'s matching engine.

[someguy2112]

I guess... my interior is gonna be carpeted, but I won't have all the usual side pillars , door inners, bare interior, just carpet lightweight race seats, and race gages, and my trusty hurst shifter.. trust me folks it looks really good. By the way.. whats the point in owning a car if you can't DRIVE it. I bought this car to drive, and drive hard.

[whamo]

get er done and I'll race ya with my 350z:3gears:

[philip roitman]

Well, I'm not going to be foolish with the car. I have put countless Man hours, love, and just overall Time with this project. and i wanted to attempt something that nobody has ever attempted to do w/ a 455 stage 1 car. Make it a full fledged Road Racer.
:dollar: :dollar: :kodak: :cool: :bla: :bla: :dollar: :dollar: There is someone on the board doing this. Lots O Luck:dollar: :dollar: :dollar: :dollar: :dollar: :dollar: :dollar: :dollar: :dollar: :dollar: :dollar: :dollar:

[someguy2112]

get er done and I'll race ya with my 350z:3gears:

sure thing Lets do it! I dont see the big deal. I wanna build a car i can drive, and so what if it has a little more extra value to it. It's gonna be Different, and in my opinion alot better performer than the rest!

[someguy2112]

I think its gonna stand apart from the rest of the crowd.

[73-462GS]

I would say go for it!! I think they look mean and are functional too. It puts the car in another dimension, not just another pretty face. Don't worry about what others think. Man its your car do what you want!!! Mike D.

[someguy2112]

I would say go for it!! I think they look mean and are functional too. It puts the car in another dimension, not just another pretty face. Don't worry about what others think. Man its your car do what you want!!! Mike D.

Thanks man! apprecieate it. at least there is someone out there who believes in me , and thinks it's a great idea, not only just a great idea something Totally different than the rest.. Thanks again dude!

[someguy2112]

so far i'm on the interior stage (the final stage of the restomod) the interior will be carpeted (black) and the rest of the interior items will not be there(for race purposes) basically a gutted interior. i will have the Dash Pad and it will contain all of the necessary gages needed for race/road use, and lastly i will slap on a nice pair of Corbeau Racing seats. what do you folks think?

[gsxnut]

I have Global West suspension and AR wheels with Bridgdestone SO3 tires and 13" Wilwood brakes. It handles a ton better than the orginal car and I enjoy driving it. What did you do to the motor for oiling in high speed turns on the track. Hopefully you added a windage tray or some way to stop the oil from traveling up the walls of the engine in high speed corners.

Mark

[mltdwn12]

The road racing would be fun because you do get so much more seat time compared to the drags, but like everyone says, if you don't tear it up, someone else might help you :rant: When Bonurant driving school switched from Ford to Chevy, they sold all of their Mustangs. They formed a class at Firebird and let them race. One of the toughest parts was keeping the car in tires. If you wanted to be at the head of the pack, they were putting new tires all around every other weekend, at about $800 a set for middle of the road rubber. Then as you come up the drag strip staging lanes, you go hard left that lines you up with the 1/4 mile straight away, that is unless the retainer wall gets in the way :laugh:

http://www.justanothertoy.com/photogallery/bondo/P2052767.JPG

Have fun with the GS!

[KRL077]

I bought this car to drive, and drive hard.

Thats a great statement! We must be cut from the same cloth:TU: I just picked up my Regal and although drag racing is cool I have been looking at doing some road racing with it. I say go for it and please keep us updated with your progress:beers2:

-rob

[cpk 71]

Its your car do what you want to do,if it gets damaged justfix it

[someguy2112]

The car is coming along realllyyy really well.. hehe i got the side pipes on looks sweeet!!

[ss4825]

Where are the pics????

[someguy2112]

Where are the pics????

I gotta upload em; should have em all up by monday ! great progress guys!!