Just to stir up the pot a little bit I would like to add my two cents. From what I have read on this board most people were drawn to buicks for the same reason I was...their different. I have always felt that If its a Chevy put a chevy in it, if it is a ford put a ford in it....However when you get down to the brass tacks they are all General Motors cars and can easily accept motors from other divisions. Pontiac, Chevy, Olds and Buick were all made by the same company and some apparently at the same plant. I am still playing with the idea of putting the GM Goodwrench 350 crate motor from my 86 GMC into my Lark until I can find a suitable big block and save up the money to build it right. I know, the Sacralige of it all. I know from expirence that anytime you do a motor swap their is a lot of things you have to do. And you compound these proplems when you go from Chevy to Buick or for that matter anytime you go from one style of motor to another. Be it inline six to a v8 or SBC to SBB. I quess it boils down to Is this, if you have need to have your buick on the road you are willing, like me, to do whatever it takes to get it on the road.
Buick Power! One of the first questions I get while traveling around the country racing my 67 GS Nostalgia Super Stocker is, what kind of engine do you have? A Chevy? I'm always pleased to say, "No, all Buick". Then it's, you have NOX? And again NO! Often times they want to tell me about a friend that has a Buick with a Chevy,but it is usually not as fast as my car. I hate Chevrolet engines in Buick. I want to build an older street rod(either 32 or 40 Ford) with a multi-carb 455+ for power. Nothing I hate worse in a street rod than the 350/350. Now it's the LT1 or LS1 and a 700. You see one you have seen them all. Guess it's just an old man thing, but I remember when I was young reading Hot Rod, they were using all kinds of engines in the street rods. Jim N. 67 GS
My old school (popularly called rat rods today) 30 Ford will be built with a 401 nailhead. Not because its the very best engine for this application but because it was how we did it in the 60's. Jim says he hates to see billet etc in street rods but that depends on what you are building and the look you are going for. My 30 will have no billet, very little chrome and left in primer. Personally I think way too much attention and criticism is given to what engine is run in a vehicle. Like Jim I get bored looking at all of the 350/350 combos and I really appreciate when someone has taken the time to build something unique. However just because someone puts a SBC in a Buick doesnt detract from the car. Look at Lenos Buick. Has a BBC and is drop dead gorgeous. OK back to work :laugh:
Dave lots of people on these board like Buicks. I like lots of other cars as well. I am not a miss matched guy. I would never put a Chevy in my car Buick only. Dont miss match things. If you are blowing up that many Buick engines maybe you need to get some buddy to help you.
If its a Buick it should be Buick powered. If I went to a Chevelle board and asked them about putting a Buick motor in a Chevelle It wouldn't be to shocking to get the same response that everyone gets when they go to a site called V8BUICK and get hammered for asking about Chevys in Buicks. If it's all about going fast cheap then you shouldn't even bother with a Buick because like, Mopar and AMC and Oldsmobile and Pontiac and...well everything but Chevy, if you want to race with the heavy hitters it's going to cost you big $$$$. There are plenty of Novas, Camaros and Chevelles still left, go run a Chevy in one of them.
it really annoys me if i see a non buick powered buick as long as its a buick with buick power its good but seeing brand x cars with buick power is priceless. bob
I wanna see pics of this thing when you start having it built up. I think a nailhead in an open engine compartment with the polished fined al valve covers in a 30 ford with the cleanout style headers in black primer and nailhead green rims with a burgundy interior.would be dead sexy.
I agree. A nailhead (any nailhead) in a rat rod with an open engine compartment looks outstanding. :3gears: Thats why I'm using that motor. I had not thought of green steelies. They would look slick with the small ford caps. Hmmm. The '30 will be started once my vert is done
I'll go with Buick powered.....Hmm wonder why... Oh yeah, I have a 69 Nova with a 455 Stage1 in it! Duh. I like lots of cars and would cut off major bodyparts for a '67 Vette 427 roadster but prefer performance Buicks. Even though I grew up in a Chevy family. I think for the street, dollar for dollar, a 455 will beat anything out there if it's tuned and built right. I've got about $4000 carb to pan in my 455 right now. It's in a Nova that weighs 3150lbs. On the cars 6th pass ever it went 10.60@129.97 on a 150 shot of nitrous that I didn't even use out of the hole and there's a lot left in it. Carb's too small, converter is too tight, only 3.50 gears. I guarantee this thing'll run a 9.50@138 to 140 when it's dialed in. Oh yeah, on pump gas. I'm not bragging, just pointing out why I like Buick power. I've had(now that I'm 38 years old)..drum roll please.. 120(+) cars. Most have been a performance car of some type. I have yet to build or drive any musclecar(forced induction cars don't count. I own a Turbo T and it rocks and gets 27 mpg)that is as responsive to modification and as streetable as my 455 for the power output generated. The side benefit is nobody likes getting beat by a Buick. I have the most fun with this part of the deal. The expressions on Chevy/Ford driver's faces when you tell them it's a 455 Buick that smoked them is priceless. To come to a conclusion: There was no way I was cutting my 70 Stage1 for a roll bar. I wanted to go faster. Easiest way was to lose weight. Hmmm, Big bumper Apollos aren't really my thing. Big block Regal is way overdone, besides those cars need that v6 Turbo underhood to feel right, can't afford to tube chassis a 70 Skylark.... but I like 68 to 72 Novas and parts are cheap and plentiful...Nobody will care if I minitub it, add a cage, glass body parts etc.....Buick shoulda built a 70 Stage1 Apollo....Ok.... I will. That was my thought process. Yes I drive an engine swap car, and it's got nitrous(another Buick no no according to some) but it's got the right powerplant and my 70 Stage1 is still uncut. PS. I just tell people it takes a Buick to make a Chevy fast :grin:
