455 stroked th 508 for Salt Flats

Intake ports



Exhaust ports



Oversized stage-2 valves



Stroker crank & block girdle



The car at Bonneville in 2007. It went over 160 mph without top gear. It went 182 in 2008.

Looks like fun to me.

I bet driving that thing is like a 20 minute orgasm.

Bert

Heh, Yeah moses, you're pretty close!!! In fact, all the guys around here just want me ot fire it up so they can hear it run. The joke is that hearing it run gives you a boner. In fact, we started it up in my garage a few times, and at first I was afraid the neighbors would complain - where I live has a few retirees, etc. But some come over to just stand there and watch, A couple days later, I saw another one, and told him I sure hoped all the racket didn't bother him too much. He said, "No, it sounded really good, actually." Then started asking me all about when I was heading to the salt, what the record was, etc, etc. He said the other neighbor's !#$%^&* dog barking bothered him a lot more.

Bill,
Im really enjoying reading your stories and seeing the awesome boattail youve built. Someone in the yahoo boattail club copied em all over there to that forum too. You have alot of fans. Thanks so much for sharing. If nothing else it is very inspiring. You may want to think about publishing some of this stuff. You tell it so well.

I agree, and am enjoying all of it immensely.
Please keep it up.
Cheers.

Thanks Rickw & Boattail Bob. Sometimes I worry that I'm getting too long-winded and boring people, but I guess in this forum, stories about a 180 mph boattail Riviera at Bonneville wouldn't be boring anyone, huh?! At last - I've found a place to share my enthusiasm where it's appreciated!!! (I get SOO tired of people saying stuff like, "Why don't you just get a Camaro and put a big Chevy in it?") Every time I hear that, I wanna explode!!!! ARRRUGGGHhhh!!!! I'm starting to suspect I won't be hearing that here anytime soon. ;-)

Yes, I think "Robs red 71", or whatever he calls himself, put some of my stories on the Yahoo forum and suggested I join. I went there last night and did all the stuff to sign up. It said I had to wait for confirmation e-mail from the moderator/administrator. I did see an e-mail from Yahoo today, but like a dummy, didn't open it. - - duh.

Hey Boattail Bob, Aren't you the one who had the kid in the Mustang side-swipe you and his mom who owns Buick dealerships wants to fix your car? How's that going? Hope you get a satisfactory solution to that deal. Sheesh - my mom just LOVES the white diamond pearl '97 SC I got for her. I can't imagine how depressing it would be if it got whacked.

I've written a few articles for sport rocketry magazines regarding my exploits in that hobby (I had 5 Tripoli rocket altitude records at one time, the highest being over 28,000 ft.), so I guess trying to write something about the Buick endeavors might not be out of the question. Thanks for the compliment - and the suggestion.

Those heads look fantastic!

Boattail Bill wrote:

I've written a few articles for sport rocketry magazines regarding my exploits in that hobby (I had 5 Tripoli rocket altitude records at one time, the highest being over 28,000 ft.), so I guess trying to write something about the Buick endeavors might not be out of the question.

Wow, I guess bitten by the speed bug goes all directions, huh?

How could anyone tell you to put a big chevy for a run like that??? I share your frustration. You think you spent a lot on your Buick engines? Wait until you spend on the Big Chevy!!!

Keep right on telling... We're listening!

Boattail Bill wrote:

Hey Boattail Bob, Aren't you the one who had the kid in the Mustang side-swipe you and his mom who owns Buick dealerships wants to fix your car? How's that going? Hope you get a satisfactory solution to that deal. Sheesh - my mom just LOVES the white diamond pearl '97 SC I got for her. I can't imagine how depressing it would be if it got whacked.

Yep, That was me. I tiook the car in yesterday to the Buick dealer and they are fixing it and repainting it. I even talked them into fixing a couple other dings....and I still haven't signed anything
I will post some pics when I can but yea...Ive been sick since it happend.

deekster; I guess I like the type of competition that challenges one to better the previous best. I know my own limitations when it comes to physical stuff (that is, not fast enough reaction times to drive a stock car or play tennis or something), so I go for stuff that looks fun, like a somewhat technical challenge, and something I think I've got some good ideas on. Right now, for example, I'm in the middle of a project to try to cut my home's gas bill to 1/3 of what it has been. My goal is to have the gas company come over and check the meter because "something's wrong". So I'm doing extra insulation, solar reflectors into the south windows, etc.

But back to more pertinent subjects, I've also always had an interest in aerodynamics. That's why I wanted to try out my theories with the high power rockets. But watching them dissappear into the sky, and then spending the rest of the day searching for them is not quite the "rush" as having your butt strapped into a Buick Riviera, powered by a Buick engine, and really hauling ass!!!!

From what I hear, a big Chevy could be built with both more power (because of the available aftermarket tall deck blocks, stroker cranks, and super flowing heads), and also for a lower price (because of competition). You want super good Buick heads, you're pretty much stuck with the offerings from TA Performance - and they don't have a price competitor. Same thing with cams, cranks, flexplates, balancers, etc. I know this because at every step, Bob tried to get these parts from his favorite supplier, and time after time, he found out the only place to get them was TA. Even the Cometics head gaskets with the 4 extra head-bolt holes. Cometics makes them, but has an exciusive contract with TA. So to get the "good" Cometics gaskets, you've gotta get them from TA. As a result, this engine ends up being over $20,000. I'm told you can do a 800 - 900 hp big Chevy for considerably less than that. The Buick stroker crank itself is $2400!!!

Thanks Tony Smooth; My engine builder, Bob, has a buddy who used to work in an automotive research facility, and had the chance to study under a very good head porter while there. By the time he was done with the last head porting version, they were flowing at 341 CFM. We have a plan to improve them even more, but it still may not be enough for what we need with the record where it is now.

I've got my fingers crossed for you, Boattail Bob.

OK, I posted this picture in "racing & kill stories", so hope I'm not violating any rules agains "double posting", but I thought it might "belong" in the "455 V-8 tech" more.



I have possession of it!!!!!! The first new aluminum big block Buick!!!! My engine builder Bob Whited on the left, Auto Marine Machine owner, Ernie Cross on the right. If this project ever succeeds, it will be 99% thanks to these two great guys!!!! Even with the steel main caps on, I was able to pick it up by myself!! - - and it's not WEAK like the stock 455 block!!!!

Hey Boattail Bob, did your car ever get fixed? Did that Buick dealership "do you right"? - hope so - -

Excellent! There are also a bunch of new pics up on the V8Buick board, and Mike mentions this block going to you also.

Oh good!!! I'll have to go check it out.
Thanks

Bill,
That is so great man!! You must be like a kid on Christmas waiting to play with that thing. I cant wait to see what that beast can do now.

As for my car, the dealer did me right and then some. They fixed every dent on the car and re-sprayed that side of the car. They matched it almost perfectly and it looks better then ever. Its actually running better then ever too now that I got my DP in.

Excellent!! That's good news.

Yeah, I'm pretty excited.

Gotta few bucks I could borrow?????????
Dang, thats beautiful.

The Riv wrote:

Gotta few bucks I could borrow?????????
Dang, thats beautiful.

Sorry man. I'm in the same shape. I've put everything I have into this thing, and now I'm scrambling to just try to pay the bills. The good news is we just recently got the new custom roller bearing roller cams in along with the Oliver rods & cam belt drive. And the chassis shop got the front suspension moved to make more room for the headers to the turbos & cut the crossmember so we're ANOTHER inch and a half lower than last year!!!

hijack...

Saw your dyno run on youtube today. Also thought I saw the Riv on the speed channel or discovery at some point. Any new updates??