What an awesome bunch of rods...Who would have thought? A duesy engine and a Caddy V16? And a tire-smoking straight 8 Buford? What planet are you guys from and how do I get there?
My name is Bryan Blake, I live in Phoenix, Arizona. My family has been into buick straight eights since the early 50's. My grandfather had a straight eight powered drag rail in the fifties which he drag raced locally, it was a 357 ci motor, with a .1875" over bore and 4 AA-2 Carbs, etc. My dads first car was a 1936 buick century. I had a 36 century for my first car as well. My father and grandfather later on in the early 90's built my dads first 36 into somewhat of a drag/street car. They got the car to run 12.68 @ 106 mph at 1300 feet of elevation. I got my car to run 13.50's at 100 MPH with a edmunds intake, headers, .1875" overbore, etc. We are now in the process of building a buick straight eight into a boniville car for 2008. We are looking for a dynoflow Crankshaft from a large 320 series straight eight, which would be late 1948-1952, it HAS to be a dynoflow crank.
Here are some pictures, of my 1936 buick century coupe at the drags, etc.
Here is some pictures of our 1934 ford roadster, with a J series Duesenburg engine in it, which dates
1929. For those that don't know what a duesy is, its a double over head cam, 4 valve per cylinder,
(oh but thats new technology right??) Straight eight engine. This car shown was built by two
brothers in the Chicago area, after they got out of ww2, Hal and Bill Hulrich. They started to build it
in 1946, and finished in 1947. They bought this engine in a wrecked 29 J series duesy, from a car lot
in 46. They purchased the 1934 roadster for ten dollars. They shortened the body in the deck lid
area, behind the seat by ten inches. they lengthened the frame by ten inches also to accommodate
the long straight eight engine. This car won the first nationally sanctioned drag race in 1947 which
was held by the SCCA (NHRA hates this point, as they were NOT the first to have the first nationally
sanctioned drag race, they were 6 months later). It was a half mile drag strip, in Indiana. This car was
partially built in Andy Granatelli's shop with some of his speed equipment, as well as some engine
work, in 1947. I will post up vintage 1940's photos soon, they are at the shop, and not accessible
right now. My father, grandfather and I, as well as some friends put this car back together EXACTLY
like the two brothers had built it in the forty's, in the early 1990's. We built this engine with 10.5 to
one forged pistons, cams ground by crane, sbc TI valves, carillo rods, etc. Engine is 458 CI, with
about 500 HP, and 525 FT LBS of Torque.
Heres Andy Granatelli with the car a couple months ago.
Hers Andy going for a ride
Here is a hot rod my grandfather also had in the 50's. its a 1923 dodge roadster body, with a 1930 V16 Cadilac engine, and a 1932 ford frame. We restored the car about 4 years ago, before he passed away.
What an awesome bunch of rods...Who would have thought? A duesy engine and a Caddy V16? And a tire-smoking straight 8 Buford? What planet are you guys from and how do I get there?
1953 Special Riviera 45R
1965 Skylark Hardtop 300-4V
1965 Mustang (in the family since 1968)
1965 Corvair Monza Convertible
1965 Dodge Dart 170 Wagon
1974 Pontiac Firebird Esprit
well keep talking! dont stop now! welcome to Team Buick
That's gotta be the best of hotrodding! Welcome!
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Now those are CLASSIC rods
Wow! Glad to see someone put dreams into reality. I have a spare '50 Buick Roadie Crank standing on end in my storage bldg, ever since I took it apart becuz no antifreeze in MN won't work,[cracked block]. Contact if interested in crankshaft. I noticed you don't have the hoses hooked up to the Edmunds Intake for cooling. I have an intake I'd like to use and was wondering if that needs to be functional or does not having a hood let it run well without it. I had read its not just a running cool enuff issue, but also warms it so the fuel atomizes well enuff. Best Regards, Greg J.!!!!!!!!!!!
heating intake manifolds is good for running stock, but without,not so good. the cooler the fuel/air mixture is the more dense it is therefore the engine will produce more power. This is OK for racing,getting every ounce of power, but not for everyday driving as hardstating, hesitation, low mileage, etc,etc, will result. But with performance engines You will have it up on the cam [about 3000 rpms] and then feed in the clutch, then let the tires smoke you out of the chute! ggggg just like 36 cents, coupe
All I can say is: WOW!!!
I really like the Buick straight eight.. But the other two I really LOVE!
The more odd a engine is, the better!
As far as I can see the SBC is a four letter word!
Please post more pics!
Buick Roadmaster Sedanette -47
Bryan,welcome aboard.Those are some interesting stories and cars to go with them.I'm sure hoping to hearing and seeing more of them.
Hector
'79 Buick Limited 2dr 350-4
'69 Electra 225 2dr 430-4
Awesome hot rods, what a family legacy! I'm thinking maybe i was switched at birth?! Seriously, anytime you have the '36 apart alot of us would love some detail pics. You could take orders today for headers!!!WELCOME and ditto the "more stories please"!
chevy6694/53str8
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