580 HP NA Buick 350 that raced the circle track

Darryl wrote it up and I put it together from about 20 E-mails, I had to do some editing for spelling and punctuation but it is all Darryl's info. :TU:

 

Sean,
Thanks so much for that story. It really hit home for me because I too had a great friend who I raced with. We were friends since jr high and his family took me to my my first short track race when I was 15. We worked as crew for a local speed shop at the track until he went to Vietnam. When he came back he worked for the same shop and eventually bought that shop.

Fast forward 20 years and Denny decided he wanted to go racing and I got to be crew chief. We won a few championships and had a great time. One Sunday morning his little brother called me to say his daughter found him dead from a heart attack. He was just 50. You really captured the memories I have of all those great summer nights at the race track. Thanks again.

 

Good to hear from you, glad it's still in good hands. :beers2:

 

Great story to read, I got totally drawed in. I could like to see some pics of the intake, is that possible?

 

This was the intake kit that Darryl speaks of:

Here is the first Single Plane intake that Mark Burton built a little while after the whole single plane idea came up. I hired him to build an intake and he has built 5 or 6 since:



Here is the second alum style intake Mark Burton Built, mine is pretty much the same as this one. There are only 2 of these around, mine and Mark's:

 

Yes, it is quite the story!!! Wait till you hear about the first and only Buick 350 powered full weight all steel Skylark in the VERY low 11s in the quarter:

69 Skylark. His best time was 11.06 @ 120.56mph. Dyno'd at 540hp, 1.47 60' times.

I have collected tons of info from phone calls, and e-mails with Sonny and this info has been part of the motivation for our Buick 350 projects. I even bought the heads from this car to use on my Twin Turbo Buick 350.

 

Oh and it almost slipped my mind. The custom single plane intake that Darryl built was sent out to another Buick 350 legend for testing! Dan was part of a team that raced the Buick 350 in the stock class of the NHRA, Limited to stock numbers carb, stock intake, no head porting, and various other handicaps these cars run in the 11.61 range in the quarter mile.

For testing purposes Dan was going to run the intake Darryl built on his race car, but I never did hear of the results. More info on Dan's setup:



This info plus much more will be included in the book!

"I am a Buick 350 racer. The thing I like about the 350Buick over other motor is this is the only engine that I know of that will leave the starting line from a 600 rpm dead idle with a q-jet and pull the front tires a foot in the air. When racing we leave the line at 1000 rpm idle and shift at 5700. Try that with a 350 chevy!" Dan

Me: What rpm stall converter is used in the 11 second stocker?

Dan: about 4000 rpm

Me: Gears?

Dan: 4.56

Me: Tire size?

Dan: 9x30x15

Me: What are the best 60 foot times you have had?

Dan: 1.472

Me: What bearing clearances do you guys run on mains and rods?

Dan: Stock works fine.

Me: Any oiling mods?

Dan: My own baffle setup in the oil pan. Very thin oil is used for less drag

Me: Any jetting info on the numbers matching Q jet?

Dan: This is uniqe to the carb.

Me: I know you must run stock lift cams but what kind of duration is used?

Dan: This is as high $ question!

Me: What is the lift of the cam in your engine?

Dan: 0.392 intake and 0.408 exhaust same as stock

Me: Do your pistons sit about 11 thou in the hole with 17 cc dish?

Dan: yes

Me: I am thinking maybe 11:1 compression?

Dan: Yes

Me: Which pushrods?

Dan: Adjustable push rods. 5/16" no mods to heads with stock rockers.

Me: You stroke the crank a bit by offset machining rod pin journals right?

Dan: Stroke crank .013 to max of NHRA limits. No piston mods allowed.

Me: You run headers and stock intake with what carb? customized Q-jet?

Headers , stock 74 intake with original numbered 750 cfm Q-jet. As per stock rules.

Me: Head porting?
Dan: None allowed, we can machine them to a lower CC though to max of NHRA rules

Me: What do you use for a harmonic balancer?

Dan:ATI

Me: Did you ever try the TA intake? (I know its not legal in your class but thought you might have tried it)

Dan: Yes

Me:If so did it run faster?

Dan: Slowed car down .1 sec and is lighter. If you ported it would work.

Me: One last question: How are the Hershe rods working for you so far?

Dan: Great rods! I have to use the heavy. The light rods were our first order that Gary and I put together. They were too light and we had to do a remake. I bough 3 sets to get enough money for the order to start. The light rods were sold. you got one set. I have one set that will be used with the TRW heavy pistons to be legal.

Hope this helps.
Dan

 

Hmm....now I am getting interested. That intake looks killer and could be fun to try on my engine. 350 .030 over with forged pistons, around 10.5 in compression, ported iron heads with bigger valves, KB C118 cam, runs today with a Q-jet 800 cfm and a TA SP1 intake and hooker headers, short blok blueprinted, a petronix conversion on the ignition, a 4 speed manual and a 3.73 rear and the car is a delete car, no power options.
I have tought about putting in a BB 464 but have actually decided to keep the SB in it for next year and try race it with that. A winter project will be to save some more weight, alu drums in rear will be installed, radio will go for a delete plate and maybe I will throw on a fiberhood with a stage 2 scoop for more cold air and dog dish wheels.

How much of a improvement do you think it would make? And is it possible to find any of these?

 

Nice read.....And am looking forward to the book Sean !!
As you know if you've read my posts I took a poston manifold and gutted it , extended the plenum and then ported it to match my ported heads. It has made a huge difference in the top end as my motor now will just violently hammer the car into third gear ( Can't wait for something to break !! ). I will say as well that with the new manifold setup with a holley 830 annular on there with LARGE pump shots it really jumps in the bottom end as well.
Some day they will make a really nice single or tunnel for us small block guys....

 

Yep, I was serious about loaning it out for testing if anyone is interested. You'll have to pay the round trip, which would be pricey for Denmark, but you're more than welcome to use it if you're interested.

 

Yes, your 350 rocks!!!









http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=206261

Click on this pic, it is a video!

 

Johnny said the car LOVES the single plane intake he built... They shift at 7500 RPM and have been as high as 10,000 RPM!

 

I had forget about the cam, has corrected it now, it is a KB 118. I might hang you up on that offer:grin: it will cost me shipping to Virginia to a place on a warehouse I have there and then around another $45 to have it shipped over here from there, but it could be fun trying see what the car runs with the setup on it now and then by changing intake. I will get back to you
The last pics of the other intake is what I had in mind doing on my own intake, so I might try that first.
Thanks for giving me ideas to keep the 350 in it for another season.

 

those videos were wqith a 750..now with the annular 830 the off idle is much improved and has taken this car to a 12.4 on a gtech. I know I can make it to the 11's with the 3.92 rear and some better tires but it's hard to find the time to get out these days .

 

At least you can still drive the cars! We are into winter here, was -20 F last week... :spank:

 

Sorry Sean....I got to play golf today in shorts, 73 degrees out family in town and alot of beers.....doesn't get much better.

 

This IS a cool thread! Sean, I'm super stoked to read your book. Heck I'd take a DRAFT version at this point! I have to tell you though, there are 3 all-aluminum X-Factors in the world. One of them went to Australia.

Mine's the only one with a diamond plate bottom and SBC style water neck. Ka-CHOW!

 

The more Alum X Factor intakes out there the better! :TU:

I am excited to see pics of my intake! :beers2:

 

Great thread.

JB

 

Very NICE............