PLAN-R Research Car aka The Green Turd

OK guys, I know I've been promising these pictures for awhile now. Not too exhaustive, but at least you can get the idea now.



Out on the road doing "coast-down testing" of different air dam configurations. The air dam we use on the salt flats car works the best. - - good to know, even after the fact...............


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Another shot while out doing "coast-down tests", this time of hood scoop mock-ups and different rear-end heights. Didn't have the "salt discs" on the wheels this time. Pumped the tires up to 70 psi for this. Wanna isolate the aerodynamic differences as much as possible, while minimizing the effects of everything else as much as possible.

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One more coast-down test configuration. At the salt flats, there's a class called "Altered". In Altered, you can block off the grille & headlights. Testing showed this definitely improved the aerodynamics of the car, but caused it to over-heat as well. So gotta come up with a way to divert air into the radiator from near the ground. A little "chin spoiler" under the radiator support should do it. But I'll have to take it back out & test to make sure it doesn't negate the aero gains. That's OK, because I love doing that kind of stuff anyway!!!



The engine getting ready to go back in after installing the new ported Edelbrock aluminum Stage-1 heads with 1.6 ratio roller rockers, Edelbrock aluminum intake manifold, 1" carb spacer, new Erson cam, Mallory ignition & electric fuel pump, and adding a "balance tube" to the oil system. The balance tube feeds the back of the main oil gallery in addition to the stock front location. This really cuts down on the back bearings starving for oil.



The engine back in the car. Notice the new 1/2" fuel lines to the carb (and 1/2" return line from the regulator). On the passenger's side fender is the "Accusump" oil accumulator. This is another oil system trick we incorporated. It holds 3 quarts of oil at operating pressure and if there's ever a drop in oil pump output, the accumulator will force-feed it's oil supply to the gallery under the air pressure on the other side of the diaphram. We took this out of the salt flats car, because it's getting a new "dry sump" oil system.



Another view of the installed engine. On the dyno, it picked up 135 horsepower from the stock configuration - from 214 to 359 at the rear wheels. We didn't mess with the bottom end. Rods, bearings, pistons were left alone. We used a very thin head gasket to bump up the compression a bit, though. We estimate it's around 9:1 now. I also powder-coated the intake, valve covers, alternator brackets, etc. I just love that powder-coating!!! Faster & easier than paint and more durable. I even powder-coated the heat shield between the headers and the starter, thinking it would burn off, but so far, it's still nice and shiny!!



After our successful "Rookie Run" at the "Silver State Classic" in May. The car ran like a champ - - up hill, down hill, around curves - - - it didn't matter. With the Gear Vendors overdrive unit, we were only turning 3300 RPM at 105 mph. We ended up coming within a 0.08 mph of our target speed of 105 mph and placed 6th out of 9 in the 105 mph class. Hitting that time perfect isn't as easy as it sounds!!!! Now that our "Rookie Run" is under our belts, they'll let us enter in classes above 110 mph. Let the fun begin!!!!!

hahah thats cooool as hell!!!
good luck!

Yeah, I was thinking about trying to have the "World's sneakiest "Sleeper"", but I guess boattail Rivieras are far too exotic to really be good "sleepers" - - although the dents & flaked-off paint, rusted-out body areas, ratty interior, and mis-aligned doors complete with a missing passenger's side handle all tend to give it that "rat-rod" look. But the low profile 17-inch "Z"-rated tires, salt discs, racing seats with 5-point harnesses, and a fire extinguisher tend to give away clues that all might not be as it seems!!! Of course, the GPS speedometer and antenna on the hood are additional clues, too. Opening the trunk reveals a vented aluminum fuel cell and rear mounted battery, too.

And the cam's wild enough that when it runs - well - the secret's out at that point!!!. I told Bob I didn't like the sound. He looked at me like I was crazy & said, "That's the way a big block SHOULD sound.". I said, "Not if you're trying to be sneaky". He just rolled his eyes. Then I asked if I could install a second set of mufflers in the back - - kinda like the stock "resonators", to quiet it down a little. At that point, he shook his head and walked away. HAH!!!

I was seriously considering NOT painting (powder-coating, actually) the intake and valve covers, but couldn't stand it. I just get off on that powder coating too much!! "Shake & Bake"!!!! But he was pissed that I didn't touch the block - - it's still all rusty and dull.

It's a LOT of fun to drive, though. I'm seriously thinking about taking it to Bonneville Salt Flats in September and going for the "130 mph Club" again, since I never made it in the '71. Bob can't see why I want to waste my time with something as "insignificant" as the 130 mph Club. I don't know - - unless it's just that I hate to fall short of goals, and so far, on my one previous attempt, that's exactly what happened. And that was also my "original" Bonneville goal. That's what got me out there in the first place. Now we've moved on to the insanity we're doing with the '71, which is now a full blown race car, but I STILL want to get into the 130 club, even so.

Awesome! Do you have any more pictures or video from the SSC? I've always dreamed of doing that...

deekster_caddy wrote:

Awesome! Do you have any more pictures or video from the SSC? I've always dreamed of doing that...

I've got a couple more pictures, but they're nothing too spectacular. One is of the "turd" in the park during "car show day". - Big deal. The other one is a little more significant to me. There's this guy, Rex, from Montana, and he's a good buddy with Tom Burkland, and he runs a McLaren (a Buick V-6 powered McLaren, by the way - - how cool is that!?!?!). Anyway, Tom Burkland comes down to help him - "crew" for him, and also volunteers for "course duty" during the race. We even waved at him when we went by his "station" this year.

For those who don't know, Tom Burkland has a distinction. No one on Earth has ever gone faster in a piston-powered, wheel-driven car than him. He was clocked at 450 mph in his twin blown fuel Chrysler hemi, 4 wheel drive streamliner at Bonneville a few years ago!!!! Anyway, he came up to me last year at Silver State and struck up a conversation. (He says he spotted the "turd" with the salt discs and thought that was pretty "cool"). Anyway, he hung out with Bob and me for at least a couple more hours that weekend. Well, THIS year, we're doing our thing again, and here comes Tom again!!! We ended up spending most of the weekend with him this year. In fact, the bullshit session lasted until well after midnight on the night before the race!!! As exciting as it was hanging out and BS-ing with him (and Rex), I finally excused myself and went to bed!!!

Anyway, I have a picture of Tom & Bob talking in the park during "car show day" next to Rex's McLaren. That's a pretty neat picture. I don't have it loaded onto "photobucket" and all yet, but I'll get it up. I also got a speed certificate that I can scan and post, too.

I didn't think to take the camera in the car with us during the event (it would have had to be in the trunk or glove box - - or mounted - no "loose" items allowed in the cockpit), so I didn't get any pictures of the starting lineup or the finish line parking or anything. One funny thing happened in the pre-staging; they lined us up right next to a REALLY racy red Lamborghini Gallardo!! The guy in the Lambo kinda looks over at us as we rumble up, so I say, "There goes the neighborhood, huh?" to him. (Most of the cars at Silver State are pretty fancy - newer Corvettes, Panteras, Porsches, Vipers, etc. The "Green Turd" was definitely the trashiest looking thing out there!!!!) He just turned his head away with his nose up in the air - - spoiled rich bastard. Later, Bob, in all his abundant diplomacy told him he should "step up" to a Buick. The guy turned away again. HAH!!!

Boattail Bill wrote:

Later, Bob, in all his abundant diplomacy told him he should "step up" to a Buick. The guy turned away again. HAH!!!

deekster_caddy wrote:

Awesome! Do you have any more pictures or video from the SSC? I've always dreamed of doing that...

Here's the one I told you about awhile ago. This is in Ely, NV the day before the Silver State Challenge of May, 2009. Standing behind the McClaren are my buddy, Bob and Tom Burkland (in the white cowboy hat) talking. Tom seems to like us, probably because he has class and appreciates Rivieras!!!!

Anyway, Tom has the distinction of being the fastest man alive in a piston powered, wheel-driven car. His twin engine, 4 wheel drive, blown fuel hemi streamliner was clocked at 450 mph at Bonneville Salt Flats. No one else has ever done that in a piston engine, wheel-driven car. There is a video clip on-line. I don't know how to post the link, but if you Google "Utah Salt Flats Racing Association" and scroll down the main page, there's a section called "Other fun stuff" or some such. Click on "Burkland's 450 mph Pass" and it's guarranteed to give you a boner - or make you "wet" depending on your sex - (unless something's wrong with you)

like whe say in estonia.....hunt lamba nahas.
''Wolf in lamb skinn!'.....from outside it dos not look so scary but under the hood..NICE!

Snowdog wrote:

like whe say in estonia.....hunt lamba nahas.
''Wolf in lamb skin!'.....from outside it dos not look so scary but under the hood..NICE!

Thanks, snowdog!! That's kind of my idea, too. It's a lot of fun.

Especially taking people for rides. They get in not knowing what to expect. It looks SOOO ratty (gotta get some close-up pictures of the ratty interior and rusted-out spots to post for everyone), but they know I've been bragging about my fast Buicks and all I've done to it. Then we take off and it's rattling and squeaking and everything - until we hit the open road. Then I open up the throttle a little bit and it just accelerates STRONG. Then at about 100 mph, I flip the switch and the overdrive kicks in (a really solid shift up, giving a nice, seat-of-the-pants "kick") and they know something's up. But the real fun happens on the off ramp where I take the thing (usually marked with a yellow "25 mph" or "35 mph" exit speed sign) at 70 or so. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see them tense up, then lateral "g" loading bulds up. Of course, there's always a stop sign up ahead, so I hit the brakes pretty hard (have to) at the same time I'm cornering. Of course, this could easily throw a "lesser car" into a spin, but the big, wide Buick just stays planted in the middle of the lane, sometimes with the tires screeming, but oftentimes not.

Damn, just writing this is making me want to go out and take it for a "spin" right now!!!!! HAH!!!

oh sweet jesus that sure is a nice car!

Boattail Bill wrote:

Snowdog wrote:

like whe say in estonia.....hunt lamba nahas.
''Wolf in lamb skin!'.....from outside it dos not look so scary but under the hood..NICE!

Thanks, snowdog!! That's kind of my idea, too. It's a lot of fun.

Especially taking people for rides. They get in not knowing what to expect. It looks SOOO ratty (gotta get some close-up pictures of the ratty interior and rusted-out spots to post for everyone), but they know I've been bragging about my fast Buicks and all I've done to it. Then we take off and it's rattling and squeaking and everything - until we hit the open road. Then I open up the throttle a little bit and it just accelerates STRONG. Then at about 100 mph, I flip the switch and the overdrive kicks in (a really solid shift up, giving a nice, seat-of-the-pants "kick") and they know something's up. But the real fun happens on the off ramp where I take the thing (usually marked with a yellow "25 mph" or "35 mph" exit speed sign) at 70 or so. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see them tense up, then lateral "g" loading bulds up. Of course, there's always a stop sign up ahead, so I hit the brakes pretty hard (have to) at the same time I'm cornering. Of course, this could easily throw a "lesser car" into a spin, but the big, wide Buick just stays planted in the middle of the lane, sometimes with the tires screeming, but oftentimes not.

Damn, just writing this is making me want to go out and take it for a "spin" right now!!!!! HAH!!!

Man, that story makes me wanna go for a ride!