(Video credit: VictoryRedColorado YouTube Channel) – Back in the early days of pro mod racing there was a fun kick to have the “world’s quickest” of anything. Every whacked out body style that guys would roll out could become the “world’s quickest” GTO, Beretta, Monte Carlo, etc on a week to week basis. It helped them get fame and notoriety and it helped track promoters sell tickets. Claims like that are a proven commodity in the sport. Having said that, the video below shows what is likely the quickest full bodied Buick powered car in history. At least we think so.
This car, owned and driven by Rod Hendrickson is powered by a 530i Buick style engine that wears a 14-71 blower, has a Lenco transmission, and uses what appears to be a Buick Regal body, runs in the 6.80s at over 200 mph. The video you will see below was taken recently at Byron Dragway in Illinois and it shows the car doing what it does best, hammering down drag strips.
Guys like Hendrickson do a lot to keep the sport interesting for us and we always applaud a racer who is more apt to “fight than switch” to a more conventional setup. We know that in the world of 5.80 pro mod cars, some of you may want to blow off a 6.80 performer but if that is your attitude you can stuff it. This car and its builder are great and we applaud the efforts to go fast with class on the strip.
If you know of a quicker drag Buick (in full bodied form) we want to see it! If you know of one that sounds more angry than this we know you are full lot it. Watch the Buick from hell run below!
Buick style?
Does that mean a BBC with Buick written on the valve covers?
So it isn’t the fastest all-Buick car then, is it….
Err.. it’s a buick derived blocked developed by TA Performance. Its called the “Tomahawk” block with buick style heads.
No…all Buick! You can take your grandpa’s stock Buick parts and put them in this block.
First of all, it’s ROD Hendrickson, not Ron. Secondly, its a Buick Regal body, not a Reatta. Rod started out with that basic drivetrain in a Skyhawk (Monza) body. Around 2006 or so he bought Scotty Guadagno’s old Pro Mod car, which is the car you see hear. Yes, that is a REAL Buick motor. Now, it has a TA Tomahawk block in it, but “back in the day” he used a production block and tried every trick known, and some he came up with, to make it work. I’ve heard several accounts of him building a motor and destroying it in ONE pass. Repeat, do it again, etc. That is determination.
Jeff, thanks for the slap! Made those corrections to the story.
Additionally, thanks for the more detailed information on the setup. That is one mean ass car.
Well..we have not had that much failure. There has been a lot of little failures finding all the weak links, but not much major failure.
We would run a block for a full season and found it was cracked, but held together all season. TA Performance modified a girdle and block to provide an extra bolt to the three center mains. That block did eventually end up cracking ,but lasted a couple of seasons. This block is still currently being used in the Sky Hawk. Fastest we went with that block was low 7 teens.
The heads are an aluminum version of a factory cylinder head.
Got torque indeed..
If that is the magneto showing behind the blower belt, then that is a Buick engine. That is the stock location. Buick was the only ones at GM that were smart enough to put the distributor in the front where it belongs.
You are correct, but it is a distributor.
Not sure a stock block Buick could stand up to those power levels? That is still cool he runs a very unusual body.
I recall the duttweiler twin turbo v6 went into the 6’s at over 204-210 mph
6.75 to be exact. Best Mph was 208. With a little V6 in a GN Body. Duttweiler built Twin Turbo V6.
What Rod and his wife (Danie) have done for us Buick faithful cant be measured. They have a lot of blood, sweat and tears (Blown Income) into both cars. The retired Skyhawk and the Regal. Great people, awesome car. Buick Power and Buick Body. Got Torque and fast with class. Glad to see them on here. Buick Performance Group shout out and v8buick.com. Thanks TA Performance too.
As of this weekend at the Buick GS Nationals…this record has not only been beat , but crushes the record for Fastest Buick period!!
6.63 @ 209mph!!!
Thanks to everyone that follows and supports us in our insane goal to make a Buick fast!
Special thanks to;
TA Performance
AES Elk Grove Village , IL
Rick Racecraft. Yorkville, IL
Rick Cortino