Eight in a row make it go! While it is not common to see Buick straight eight powered dragsters at the strip these days, the engines are practically sprouting out of the ground at the Bonneville Salt Flats. That’s one of the reasons this car has this engine in it. According to the seller the dragster has been a lakester and run at Bonneville in the past. Why would anyone use this particular mill on the salt? They are awesome in the vintage engine classes, that’s why!
BangShifter Steve Shelvin tipped us off to this machine and we’re kind of in love with it. The owner is selling it because it sounds as though he has gotten up in years and can no longer enjoy the car like he used to. Yes, the thing runs 12s but there’s running 12s with a small block and then running 12s with and 11.5:1 Buick engine that has not been produced in way more than half a century.
The car has a quick change rear but don’t get to thinking that you are going to stuff some steep ratio in the axle and get after it. These engines are not known for their high RPM prowess. After all, the crank is like 11 feet long and that cylinder head is not exactly flowing like modern pro stock car.
That being said, this thing with a little turbo on it or a small centrifugal blower (and far less compression) would be so great and fun, we’d run the wheels off of it. What do you think? Is this thing fun and cool or it is just a slow dragster with a weird engine?
Link: Eight In A Row Make It Go – Buick Straight 8 Powered Dragster!
Back in the early days of British drag racing there were a few cars running this fine motor and you’d see them gradually evolving with 4 SU carbs and then front mounted GMC blowers on them. What would be really cool would be a Buick V16 with a custom block with two Fireball 8 cylinder heads on it – now that is something I’d like to see!
CHMG has jumped the shark. The idea of a V-16 is great- but why use a head that has the intake and exhaust ports on the same side?
D’oh – I need new glasses – does anyone make a crossflow head for one?
There are aluminum heads for the 248/263 (at least 2 different manufacturers) and for 320 ci motors. Brings the weight down from 900 lbs to a svelte 800 lbs.
Aluminum heads, two manufacturers….that’s news to me…I’ve read of several attempts at custom, one off heads over the last 60+ years…I was not aware of any production or even semi production castings…any information regarding available castings would be very interesting…are they in current production?
That’s just cool !
that is COOL! it takes guts and brain power to build a straight 8 unlike the other brands.