NASA American Iron Champion in a Buick GN!

[turbobuick]

I just saw this in NASA newsletter and have not seen or heard about this guy but apparently he is killing it with a Buick GN with a LS motor in it. This is super cool and no small feat in a g-body if you ask me.

NASA Great Lakes American Iron 2018 Season Wrap-Up - NASA Speed News Magazine

The 2018 NASA Great Lakes regional racing season’s final weekend of the year was again held at the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park. Saturday gave no rest for the wicked, with two races and the awards banquet that night. Sunday was just a fun run, but it’s a long 45-minute race the day...

nasaspeed.news

I also dug up a write up NASA did on his build back in 2012

Grand Plans - NASA Great Lakes’ Todd Davis introduces an unlikely car to American Iron - NASA Speed News Magazine

Go to any drag strip anywhere the country and you’ll probably see at least one Buick Grand National streaking down the asphalt. But odds are pretty slim you’ll find one on a road racing circuit — unless, of course you live in the Great Lakes area. NASA Great Lakes rookie racer Todd Davis has...

nasaspeed.news

 

[grass doctor]

think you posted the wrong attachments

 

[TurboTGuy]

think you posted the wrong attachments

Luckily it wasn't a bank statement or some sensitive info like that........

 

[1986 Buick GX1]

Luckily it wasn't a bank statement or some sensitive info like that........

Or compromising photos.

I'm torn. I'm glad to see what looks like a Grand National wining events like this, but it would be waaay sweeter if it were turbo V6 powered like Turbo6inKY.

It seems from the article he only went with the LS1 because the turbo V6 never had a 6-speed bolted to it.

It seems to me it would have been easier to adapt a 6-speed to the turbo V6 than what he did to avoid it.

I guess, for me, it just as well be a Monte Carlo, but it is cool to see.

 

[turbobuick]

That was crazy how that photo posted to the site. I had it on my clipboard as a print screen for my office mgr and it somehow ended up in the post, thanks for letting me know I had no idea, I am glad someone got it down.

I agree it would be WAY cooler with a V6 but it is road racing and a whole different type of racing adn I totally get why he did it. What would be REALLY cool motor for that car..or a future build ehem.... is a NA Buick Stage two with a T56 behind it!!! Plenty of road race technology out there for that combo and you could probably piece together a nice set up pretty reasonably or maybe still find a complete roundy round motor somewhere already set up for it.

Either way the guy is representing, the power plant isnt as important as it is a Buick GN with 60's G-body suspension tech kicking the shit out of a entire field of Mustangs and Camaros!! WAY cool IMHO and not an easy task both in driver skill and race car tech to figure out how to make that combo work.

 

[Turbo6inKY]

I'm torn. I'm glad to see what looks like a Grand National wining events like this, but it would be waaay sweeter if it were turbo V6 powered like Turbo6inKY.

It's a quandary.

But I do have to say, my experience indicates that for actual door-to-door racing in sessions that go longer than 20 minutes like the stuff I do, the V6 and the 200-4R just can't hack it. It's too hard to get rid of the heat, and the V6 doesn't have enough thrust bearing surface to put a manual in and have it live. You'll be rolling in new bearings every weekend.

The non-sacriligious way to to this would be a 1986 Grand Prix 2+2 with a rowdy LSx and a manual. The six speeds make all the headlines, but a stout T10 would get it done and weigh half as much. And the 2+2 body is aerodynamically stable past 200mph.

There are some old vids around of @UNGN 's 2+2 doing open road racing. It's inspiring.

 

[Turbo6inKY]

Also, that's guy's doing 2:19 around NCM Grand Full.

Having done almost 200 miles around that track, HOLY MOSES that's fast.

 

[nonosv6]

Do stage engines have more thrust surface? Just out of curiosity. They did do their share of road race and circle track racing. I wonder how they got them to hold up.
I totally agree about the t56 comment also.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[turbobuick]

The thrust surface is the same in a S2 motor and I dont see how it would be an issue with a manual trans? I'ld like to know more?

There were many very successful Buick V6 S2 motors built back in the day with manual trans setups used in NASCAR, ASA, Indy Cart, and just about every form of road racing. There were obviously the most dominating motor in the NASCAR Busch Grand National series and used exclusively in the ASA series and they all ran a manual trans.

A lot of these motors still exist today and I have bought several of them in the past and converted them to a turbo motor. You used to be able to pick them up pretty cheap $5-6k and they would be complete and sometimes even fresh ready to run. Normally aspirated they usually made around 550hp. They are Stage 2 head carb motors, mostly all 4.1 oncenters with either a 3.59 or 3.625 cranks depending on bore size and they would all have dry sump oiling systems which often times came with the motor along with the accessories and even a small manual trans flywheel.

One of the machinist I use, used to build and develop these motors for ASA and worked directly with Buick Motorsports back in the late 80s early 90s. He would definitely know more about the trans setup they ran and any thrust issues they may have had he is extremely knowledgable on the S2 Buick V6 used in this application.

 

[Mark T-TB]

Also, that's guy's doing 2:19 around NCM Grand Full.

Having done almost 200 miles around that track, HOLY MOSES that's fast.

Wow
Sounds like he "may have" upgraded the power since that 2012 article... ^^^ smoking fast times and 4 championships in a row.
It would be pretty interesting to read all of what he's done with that car... seems like the G-body would need a power advantage (or something?) to offset the weight disadvantage vs the more standard-fare pony cars in that class?

 

[Turbo6inKY]

Wow
Sounds like he "may have" upgraded the power since that 2012 article... ^^^ smoking fast times and 4 championships in a row.
It would be pretty interesting to read all of what he's done with that car... seems like the G-body would need a power advantage (or something?) to offset the weight disadvantage vs the more standard-fare pony cars in that class?

Those are stripped out race cars. So he's probably at or near 3000 pounds. And NASA classes based on power to weight, so if you weigh more, you can run a bit more oomph.