Buford T Justice -- the full tour

[milner351]

Start spraying those exhaust bolts with penetrating oil now! give them a shot every few days in anticipation of the header swap.

Assuming you're thinking shorties and keeping the full exhaust with the headers unchanged from the manifolds...

[A/Fuel]

Scott, you are thinking in a way that makes sense. I am thinking in a way that it will make for a good read!

I like to suffer for my art (evidence of that is hanging out with Dave Nutting....wait, can he read this?)

Brian

I think video sells better than text!

[dulcich]

Dulcich, I am thinking about doing just that. It would be hella cool to go back, run the thing with some DOTs or actual slicks as it sits to really see what it would do being able to launch it while up on the converter and then in the pits swap the intake/carb/headers and run it again the same day. Even if I grenade this engine, I have a 1972 vintage 350 I bought before getting seduced by the Rat for this car. So Brutus will get a transplant either way.

I do think that the trans will die first. It was really not happy making that WOT shift into OD.

Hmmm....I know I'd read that story. To the bat cave!

**Now thinking about how many exhaust manifold bolts would snap off during this adventure.

Brian, I think it will be kind of hard to do this on the track, plus it will waste too much run time. I would go with full-length headers only, the shorties are a waste of time. I picked up 7 tenths on my Dart with a 318 going from manifolds and duals to headers.

The first time you use the car for a summer event, you'll hate yourself if you junk the A/C system. Don't do it.

IMO the nitrous it till it blows stuff is stupid and wasteful. I hate that.

I like a small block way more that a big block in this ap, especially if you are planning on doing handling stuff with it. You can build all the power you want and more with a bigger small block, but it would be cool to see the easy potential of the stock engine with common performance parts.
-dulcich

[ls7gto]

I am wondering that Arlid. The better ratio would explain some of the performance!

3.42 were standard in 88, 87s are "supposed " to have 3.08s.
You want theses 275/60 Drag radials ?
Ill even meet you half way for a beer!

[Brian Lohnes]

With respect to the AC, it is non-functional currently. Not sure if it needs a charge or the compressor is bad. Need to check that

[A/Fuel]

The block might already have a crack, I would'nt waist any money on that. I'd get an LS1 to spend money on.

[milner351]

Get the air functional - if you are in fact going to really drive this thing, it's already there - even if it costs a bit to make it work - it's worth keeping.

[Deaf Bob]

I agree. Statements like that scare me with my 3,800lb tank AND a manual transmission getting pushed through the 8.5".

Add the weight of 2-12inch channel iron, 4 pipes or square tune with 3/8 gussets.. 1 1/8 inch all thread and nuts with 5-10 lb washers... Former circle track motor, 4:86's. Broke ONE axle... Always ran aggressive tread tires... Now running skid steers
If our wee tiny 8.5 will last... Why not your's and Brian's?

[A/Fuel]

I think that rear will be fine for a while, I'd get some slicks for it.

[Brian Lohnes]

The block might already have a crack, I would'nt waist any money on that. I'd get an LS1 to spend money on.

Rat motor is already in the works. No LS for Buford!

[andy30thz]

Nice! Can't wait to see a BBC 4 door that handles!

Just curious.... Is your SPI sticker still in the car? The "G" codes should list what gear ratio this thing came with.

If you're banging into OD @ 85mph I would think its got to have deeper gears than 3.08's. Doing a little math 85mph with 3.08's, no overdrive and 29" tall tires should be 3033rpm. Factor in a couple hundred for torque converter slip....if its shifting into OD at 3300rpm....that seems way early. But then again, with the induction/cam in this thing, power is probably peaking at 3500rpm?

[DNut]

Here you go, sir:




Looks like GU4, which should be 3.08s? Doesn't mean that the gears weren't changed out at some point.

[Blazerteam]

My way of getting better performance..lighten the bumpers,and get better lighter seats..easy 100-150 pounds shaved off there..and you will need better seats anyway.

And bigblocks rule,but a healthy aluminium headed 383 will be ligther for the turn events.

[TheSilverBuick]

I wouldn't doubt for a second this thing was shifting gears at 4,000rpm or less at WOT.

[Beagle]

Rat motor is already in the works. No LS for Buford!

thank gawd. That keeps me from having to anonymously mail liquified cat poop to your house.

I'm siding with Steve on the SBC and no pill it till it pukes, but it's your world boss. The A/C clutch ate it on mine. If you jump the low pressure switch and it engages the clutch and doesn't sound like a box of rocks, it's a great candidate for leak detector testing. Those bigass compressors lasted forever as I remember it, but o-rings leak, hoses crap out. It'd be worth a couple hundred to get it working in Mama-money. She'll love you for it in the summer. So will the boys. You can't just tell mom and kids to nut it up! I guess you can, but then you wind up single, doing Charlie Sheen commercials.