View Full Version : Autocrossed the Buick today!
Went to an autocross to run the Buick today and had a blast! The combination of the Hotchkis TVS system, Bilsteins, Lee quick-ratio steering box, Baer Brakes, and BF/Goodrich KDWs made for a killer set up that stayed under control even when the track was wet. Oh, and the Rushforth Wheels did quite well too! Held air and turned round and round and everything!
The weather sucked yesterday so the whole course was soaked during the first half of the AM session I was in but as a novice, I got to work a corner for the first half while other guys slid around drying up the track. The course was a little over a half mile long with a big left hand sweeper at the halfway point that headed us back up to the timing tower.
When my group came up, I had the oldest and biggest car there and I'm sure people were wondering because there was only one other P-T car there but on my 2nd lap, the announcer exclaimed how noteworthy it was to have 2 clean laps down considering the Buick's size! After that, people started coming up one after another laying on the ground to see what was going on underneath.
Having been to a ton of autocross events with friends and riding shotgun was my motivation to build the Buick the way I did and now I get to finally reap some rewards! Much more to come!
So, before anyone hangs a "This thread is worthless" banner on my thread, here's a few pictures with action shots courtesy of Melanie who braved the cold morning weather standing in the apex of a corner on a windy airstrip! Thanks Babe!
One of these kids is doing his own thing!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09491-1.jpg
This looked like the odds on favorite by a longshot when the course was soaked but she wound up in the second session when things dried up and two Corvettes nipped her. A nasty C3 and a C5 Z06 that had her covered by 2 seconds.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09511-1.jpg
Eat your heart out, Boris Said!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09521-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09541-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09661-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09571-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09611-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09551-1.jpg
This new Camaro looked good and ran great.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09641-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09631-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09671-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09731-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09721-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09741-1.jpg
The 2nd place Corvette was so fast, Melanie couldn't even get it in the viewfinder! The delay of the pont and shoot digital doesn't help either.....
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09711-1.jpg
Here's the only other P-T car. I don't know what he had for motor and underpinnings but he had race tires and a 5 speed and ran hard! He had me covered by 7 seconds but I don't feel bad for my first time out with street tires, a powerglide and a 2 barrel. Revenge will be mine!!
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09651-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/09/100_09781-1.jpg
oestek
09-07-2009, 04:20 PM
Jay,
Your Buick is SWEET! Looks awesome! Great job with it, and it's cool you can go out and enjoy it! We need mo' bigger photos!
Jay,
Your Buick is SWEET! Looks awesome! Great job with it, and it's cool you can go out and enjoy it! We need mo' bigger photos!
Thanks Kevin! I wish I knew how to put bigger photos up. I link PhotoBucket and they usually wind up little like this.
Bad Bird
09-07-2009, 04:53 PM
Love the Buick! That C3 is awesome as well.
I wish we had Auto-X down here in Kangaroo Land.
critter
09-07-2009, 05:01 PM
Great looking car!
You know, different courses favor different setups IMHO. It seems that on a tight course with my old TA the little cars will beat my brains out. I could never bring the power on to make up for the weight. Was that your experience?
NOT A TA
09-07-2009, 05:13 PM
Good to see you had fun out there with the car!
Great looking car!
You know, different courses favor different setups IMHO. It seems that on a tight course with my old TA the little cars will beat my brains out. I could never bring the power on to make up for the weight. Was that your experience?
Not at all, the gates and slaloms were pretty tight but very manageable with my set-up and the course was fairly long so there was lots of room to stretch the legs on the big hp cars.
Modo Innovations
09-07-2009, 06:04 PM
Car looks great. Glad you you had a great time. Great place to show off your wheels too.
Bill Howell
09-07-2009, 06:12 PM
Be careful Jason, it is addictive....haha
mpozzi
09-07-2009, 06:33 PM
Gorgeous car and cool photographs. Congrats on your first event and I hope you keep at it. Definitely bring this car to GoodGuys and you'll get tons of practice at their events. By the end of any GoodGuys event, you'll be so experience you'll have the Mustang guy covered by those same seven seconds!!
Melanie sure had fun the last time she rode shotgun with me and we've got to get her behind the wheel of something fun ...
Cheers,
Mary Pozzi
Cool to see you the big Buick out there!!! I'm sure it was a blast!
John Wright
09-08-2009, 07:03 AM
Thanks Kevin! I wish I knew how to put bigger photos up. I link PhotoBucket and they usually wind up little like this.
:idea: Look at the size when you upload to photobucket, I think you may have the uploading size set fairly small...if your camera takes bigger pics, then I bet that is where the problem with your small pics is taking place.
BTW, great to see that big car out there. Oh, and the wheels and stance look killer on her too.
Mr.VENGEANCE
09-08-2009, 07:17 AM
Yes!
thats what im talking about!
PleaseNoSteve
09-08-2009, 07:32 AM
Nice - beat up the cones!
Bryce
09-08-2009, 07:34 AM
thats cool
Scott Parkhurst
09-08-2009, 07:54 AM
You're living the dream! It's a blast throwing one of these early A-bodies around the cones...You'll get a lot faster with some more experience. In my wagon it's a matter of feeling the front end plant, and then swinging the back end around with the throttle LOL!
FUN!
Be careful Jason, it is addictive....haha
Too late, Bill!
srh3trinity
09-08-2009, 11:25 AM
That Buick is a classy ride and a great business card for your wheels. Nice to see the performance is there too.
DarkBuddha
09-18-2009, 05:54 PM
Awesome! But WTF?!?!!! For two years I invited people here to come to BSCC events but NOOOOO... no one ever showed. Aaarrrggghhhh! I would've loved to be there, but alas I'm in Florida now.
BTW, there are several PT type cars that get out there, including another '67 Mustang and my personal favorite, a 2nd gen f-body:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
srh3trinity
09-18-2009, 06:39 PM
Awesome! But WTF?!?!!! For two years I invited people here to come to BSCC events but NOOOOO... no one ever showed. Aaarrrggghhhh! I would've loved to be there, but alas I'm in Florida now.
BTW, there are several PT type cars that get out there, including another '67 Mustang and my personal favorite, a 2nd gen f-body:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
Any info on this car? What suspension setup and how did it run? What wheels are those?
nekkidhillbilly
09-27-2009, 11:53 AM
hellow fellow buick owner
Awesome! But WTF?!?!!! For two years I invited people here to come to BSCC events but NOOOOO... no one ever showed. Aaarrrggghhhh! I would've loved to be there, but alas I'm in Florida now.
BTW, there are several PT type cars that get out there, including another '67 Mustang and my personal favorite, a 2nd gen f-body:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
Sorry Wyatt! If I had the Buick back then, I would have joined you for sure! I should have been auto-xing my daily driver all along but alas, you're in FL now. Sorry I missed you. I ran last week at the Shelton Airport and going back to Bremerton in 2 weeks. Who's in?
IrvJr
09-29-2009, 08:49 AM
I love the look of that car. Always wanted to try a little autocross.
I love the look of that car. Always wanted to try a little autocross.
Do it but beware there aren't 12 step programs for it!
Stg1Regal
10-01-2009, 05:32 PM
JayR
You should check out this thread you might be interested since your driving a Buick, and have been auto crossing it.
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/turbo-lounge/298283-all-buick-pro-touring-autocross-event-interested.html
Chime in and give me your input, it will be greatly appreciated
Thanks
PT Sportwagon
10-02-2009, 07:24 PM
Gotta hand it to you for using a pro[touring car for what it was built for. FUN.
Bonus points for being a Buick
Tim
Blitz
10-03-2009, 06:27 AM
After finally getting to catch a GoodGuys Autocross event I've got to say it's already got me wanting to join the others in the fun. Not to mention getting to ride in the DSE Test Car and helping Ryan post the fastest track time that morning helped a boat load too. Man, it's a whole different ball game being inside the car and feeling it sling around the turns. They have this years track set up very tight and twisty.
gearheads78
10-03-2009, 05:14 PM
Jay the Buick looks great. I am sure you had a blast.
After finally getting to catch a GoodGuys Autocross event I've got to say it's already got me wanting to join the others in the fun. Not to mention getting to ride in the DSE Test Car and helping Ryan post the fastest track time that morning helped a boat load too. Man, it's a whole different ball game being inside the car and feeling it sling around the turns. They have this years track set up very tight and twisty.
Yup...I popped my corner carving cherry this weekend too. Even with a 12:1 box I found out the steering wheel is huge in the Olds.
Blitz
10-04-2009, 05:59 AM
I saw you out there. Heard you tell one the guys you were back for more abuse. Haha. I turned to look for my dad and grab my camera and you were gone. I waited somewhat patiently to get a ride in RideTech's Velocity Camaro but it just wasn't in the cards I guess. Got there too late, too many other participants and too many riders ahead of me.
Jason, you might like the site of this though:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/GoodGuys09Daytwo045-1.jpg
I saw you out there. Heard you tell one the guys you were back for more abuse. Haha. I turned to look for my dad and grab my camera and you were gone. I waited somewhat patiently to get a ride in RideTech's Velocity Camaro but it just wasn't in the cards I guess. Got there too late, too many other participants and too many riders ahead of me.
Jason, you might like the site of this though:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/GoodGuys09Daytwo045-1.jpg
I do like the site of that!! A lot!! Thanks! That's my friend, wheel client, and design client, Mike Yale. Last I heard from him yesterday was that he had low e.t. in the autocross for non-vendors only 2 seconds off Kyle Tucker(!) and won the DSE Muscle Machine of the Year nomination for the event! Way to go, Mike!
Blitz
10-04-2009, 09:26 AM
Unfortunately I didn't get to watch his run. Was excited to see the car but didn't get any pictures of it either. Looks good!
Steve1968LS2
10-04-2009, 10:08 AM
Love that Buick.. we need to start a "Buick Performers" magazine.. or better yet a "Performers" magazine so we can cover everything!
Blitz
10-04-2009, 04:25 PM
I do like the site of that!! A lot!! Thanks! That's my friend, wheel client, and design client, Mike Yale. Last I heard from him yesterday was that he had low e.t. in the autocross for non-vendors only 2 seconds off Kyle Tucker(!) and won the DSE Muscle Machine of the Year nomination for the event! Way to go, Mike!
All true. The announcer joked that Mike's second gen was the only one Kyle HADN'T driven around the track. I know there were four there total.
Jason, on your next event you should convince someone to get some video of you. I'd love to see that sucker dance around the cones.
gearheads78
10-04-2009, 04:41 PM
I do like the site of that!! A lot!! Thanks! That's my friend, wheel client, and design client, Mike Yale. Last I heard from him yesterday was that he had low e.t. in the autocross for non-vendors only 2 seconds off Kyle Tucker(!) and won the DSE Muscle Machine of the Year nomination for the event! Way to go, Mike!
Mike was a super cool down to earth guy and his car was very nice. The wheels were a good choice on his car.
olds87
10-04-2009, 06:31 PM
Any info on this car? What suspension setup and how did it run? What wheels are those?
I go the answer for the wheels. I think they are ROH Drift R wheels, they sell them here: http://www.groupawheels.com/Index.aspx
Mike was a super cool down to earth guy and his car was very nice. The wheels were a good choice on his car.
They're a good choice on EVERY car!
gearheads78
10-04-2009, 08:05 PM
They're a good choice on EVERY car! Then why do you make different styles? LOL
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