Just started the Barth and in a few minutes will move it to heated inside storage. Move the Buick street rod there yesterday. Don't anyone throw rocks at me because I deserved this lucky break. $50.00 a month each and heated to 55 degrees. Will probably take the Barth out in late Jan. for a trip to FL. Any Barth owners on the way from Indy to Tampa area that wants to have lunch with Sharon and I give me a HOLLER. I sure would like to build a pole barn for the Barth so as I can work on such in the winter. Dale and Sharon

OK, thread drift..............."Buick street rod?"

tell, tell, tell.

Had a real rumpety-rump 65 Riv GS with a Paxton once. Had a built 455/Paxton in a Jag MKIX.

OK, you asked for it.... 1941 Buick Limited Formal Sedan, with divider window. 139" wheel base stretched to 142" in order to allow for my installing 96 Vette rear suspension. I too installed late model Vette front suspension. Engine is new crate 96 Vette LT-1 with computer. Running Vette 17" factory rims, but with non-low profile 30" tall tires built for street rods that need a tall tire. This car is so big it would have looked very strange with low profile tires. 700R tranny and since the factory rear gear is 2.73 and with 30" tall tires compared to 25" for a normal Vette the tranny performs best out of overdrive. I want to install a 3.70 gear and have both worlds. In overdrive it would have a final gear of approx. 2.59. Love the car and if it were not for it being an automatic it would be our Barth toad. Now aren't you sorry you asked? I grew up in a Buick dealership from 1937's til 1957. Always liked 41's. Dale

My God, man. Is there no limit to your lust for more power? That 41 already had twice carbs! I recall they were pretty fast. The Century raced in the same class as my cheater Hudson Hornet/Pacemaker at the drags.

Sounds like a really neat car. What does it weigh? Did you build it yourself? Have you seen Jay Leno's 55 Buick? 502 with corvette suspension front and rear, too. I had a 55, but it was a nail valve 264. Later a 322. And Dynaflush. OW!

Got pictures?

I have a Jag with an LS1/4L60E, and am addressing the same issues re axle ratio. I have a 2.88, I think. What I need most is a positraction, though. Vigorous accelleration out of corners causes lots of wheelspin. I have a 3.54 posi that might go in there soon, but I kinda like the good mileage with the higher gearing on trips. That is, if I can keep my foot out of it. I think 1500 RPM is about 60 mph.

Your crate LT1 is a 96. Does it have the OBD II? I used a 95 engine to avoid the California complications with smog checks and the OBDII, but I guess that is not an issue for you there.

Do you have room for good headers? The LT1 likes to breathe. I am handicapped by limited left side engine comp space, and have to use Ram's Horn manifolds. Have considered the street rod "block Hugger" headers, but am not sure they are any better than the ram's horns on the D shaped ports. Gonna do a full on tri wye header thing with an X pipe some day.

What have you done to the engine? Got cold air? Have you looked at the Edelbrock head and cam package? Any opinion on chips? I would be interested in any links on LT1 performance, as I am fairly new to Gen II.

I weighed it before cutting, and it was 4850 lbs. I took out a lot with the very heavy front cross member, huge brakes, very heavy rear end and torque tube assy. The engine crank shaft alone weighed 116 lbs. Yes it had two carbs from factory and 165 H.P. Took out divider window too. It weighs 4310 now. As far as headers I chose to stick with factory stainless manifolds, and had Indy car builder build super neat dual exhaust out of HIGH quality stainless. Beautiful tiny welds and mandrel bent with Borla stainless mufflers. 2-1/2" tubing coming out side by side on left side of rear bumper. 3" stainless cans 20" long as final tail pipe. I purchase my wire harness for the engine from Street Performance, and a chip that changes the shifts to better use of the power curve. Street Performance does a lot with your engine and LT-1, and I will get their web address. the main wire harness came from PAINLESS, 18 circuits. I did build a cool looking cold air package that uses a Street Performance air cleaner assy., but I took out the cleaner within and wrapped assy with Alum. and then ran two 2-1/2" elbows out of same and thru the side fender panels and out behind the grill. Built a water deflector and installed rectangle K & N pleated filters. I used high quality flex 2-1/2" vac cleaner hose for supply of air. Black with easy to clean shinny gloss finish. The engine sits so low it is strange looking. You can see half of the tranny do to so much room. Griffin radiator built to orginal shape of orginal Buick. You may recall that the radiator support on a 41 Buick holds the front of the Dog House. Vette cross member has as part of it the engine motor mounts. I cut old cross member out and bolted 2" X 3" rectangle tubing to croos member then welded inside of orginal frame. Stood some 1/8" plate on edge and on outside of the inside of the orginal frame, overlapping the new and the old frame tube by 12". I did all the work myself, except the exhaust and interior. I built two sets of rotary stands that I mounted both body and frame to so I never had to look up. Had the body on and off the car at least 6 times. I purchased the car for $200.00 in 1973 in Michigan. Super fun project to say the least. Handle like it should, ROUGH ride, but STRAIGHT as an arrow. Corners very well, and has surprised many folks. I have tons of pictures, but I would be best to send to you bill h. If interested send me an address via direct e-mail. ron, has seen the car and knows it is HUGE. Dale

Dale, my hat is off to you. That is one heck of a project. Is it black? Does it have the full rear skirts?

Recently spent a day at the Gilmore Museum in southern MI. Seem to remember a '41 or '42.

What diameter are the factory stainless headers you are using? I have a left-over set of Corvette headers that look like tubular rams horns, but didn't use them, as I was a little concerned with their small diameter.

Dying to see the pictures.



[This message has been edited by bill h (edited December 18, 2004).]

I thought I may be in the ‘group’ for a moment, but I guess not. My Buick street rod is an 88 silver Reatta. (Outdoor storage) I did own a 40's 4 door straight 8 Buick convertible in the mid 50's. Back to my non exciting existence.

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89 Barth Regal 32
Runs like a Deere
New Hampshire

Jack, one of my early driving experiences was my brothers Buick straight 8, maybe a 50, with a single speed dynaslush with a low available. The starter button was under the gas pedal. Plowed through snow like a truck! Unfortunately, it met it's demise in the side of a gravel hill while pit racing and was put to reast in a deep pit behind the house where we grew up, like so many other great vehicles that we treated as junk back in the day.

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Dan & Suzy Z
'81 Euro 28

Street rod, eh? Well, I don't think I could tow my current "street rod" with anything but a really powerful coach. It's about 10,000 pounds or so. You may take a peek at:
http://www.oldmv.com/photo_gallery.htm
Everyone needs one of these!

JUST A FANTASTIC TOY. LOOKS LIKE REAL FUN

Hi FerretDriver,
Neat wheels. I see that somebody at the Washington veteran's parade drives a Land Rover military Lightweight (right behind the Jeep & trailer). I belong to the Ottawa Valley Land Rover club, and there is usually a Ferret from Ottawa that shows up at the annual ralley.
My daily driver is a 1968 LR long wheelbase pickup. It's just an old farm truck I brought down from the north woods.
If you take a look at www.ovlr.org and go to "Past Events" ... the 2001 Party pics you should find some Ferret photos. I don't know the owner's name unfortunately. Those LR 101 Foreward Controls gun tractors/troop carriers are a neat military vehicle too.
REgards,
Don
>

quote:

Originally posted by FerretDriver:
Street rod, eh? Well, I don't think I could tow my current "street rod" with anything but a really powerful coach. It's about 10,000 pounds or so. You may take a peek at:
http://www.oldmv.com/photo_gallery.htm
Everyone needs one of these!

That was my Lightweight FFR in the parade. I had to downsize my "motor pool" when I moved from Washington to Ohio. The LR had working communications (PRC-246) to the Ferret and others on 6M ham band! I wish that I had been able to keep it, but now I'm looking for a Barth so it's a good thing it sold (on eBay in three days).

Thanks for the links to the Ontario LR group. It's always good to have a contact in case I get the "I want" for another LR.