Apr 02, 2005
Greetings to all. Hey, I woke up yesterday to the first day of Spring - and found two inches of snow on the ground - GREAT - break the cars out! Oh well, its going to warm up in a few days. Plus, it gives you a few more days to work on your cars - getting them ready for our big race event - April 24th at New York International Race Park in Liester. I will buy some food through the club - not a lot, just hot dogs and burgers, that sort of thing. I would like everyone to bring a little something that we could toss into the mix. Gates open at 8:30 and racing starts at 9:00 am until 4:00. I will sent club money ( $250.) as a deposit. We can use that to defer some of the cost which is $50. per race car. At the end of the day we will divide it out to an average cost per car - probably $30-$40 each. Plus, I have invited the 3.8 front wheel drive guys. They tell me they will have 10-15 cars there - Great! They however, will pay the full $50. per/car. So, make a note of this event. It has always been a GREAT time.
Just as a note - our last meeting of March 12th was attended only by eight members. It was still a lot of fun and relaxing. To bad you missed it - we raffled off a great gift from Don and Jill Foss. It was a ported and polished set of heads from Champion and the Waitress won It -- Dam!
Our next meeting will be held at this upcoming track event. Please bring payment for your dues if not paid. Also Ron Turch will have the club T-Shirts there - bring your money, Ron does not take checks, especially from you guys. Plus, Phil Toenniessen will have one of his Boost Right devices to raffle. The final drawing will be held at the family outing of which the date and time is to be determined. Hey, Ken Feind had a thought ( that's Scary) - he has access to a nine hole golf course (Pine Meadows). He said we could hold the family outing there - play golf, eat and spend the day -- What do you think about that? We suggested inviting people outside the club in an effort to raise money - I like it!
Bring your ideas on cruises and shows for this summer. Write them down now and bring them on 4/24 - we need to get a schedule up. I like Uncle Joes Cruise in Hamburg and maybe we travel to Olean or Arcade for they events. They basically shut down a section of town and make it a day of celebration. Hey Mr.Cummings and Mr. Thompson - what do you have on that? I know the Olean Event is called the "Street Masters" and its held on Sat and Sun Sept 3rd and 4th - its Huge!
Also keep in mind Norwalk Ohio - 4/29 - 5/1/05, the Nationals in Ky. and the Buick Performance National event in Salem Ohio 8/11 - 8/14. Well, get ready to have some fun with your car, friends and family. Whether you race or not - come to this next event - its the set up for the rest of the season.
And now - what you have all been waiting for is this months tech session with Narrator Ed Chapman from Rochester NY - Hey Ed, happy to hear you are recovering well from the shoulder surgery. I understand you will attend the 4/24 event, but you will be unable to race your car. I think you should bring it and let each one of us take a shot at it. We think we can break a ten with it!! Get well SOON!
Growing up in the 70's meant that used cars were from the 60's and early 70's the golden era of muscle cars. It was an exciting time with Boss Mustangs, Torino Corbras Hemis and 440's, Vettes, big block Novas and Chevelles, GSX's and 442's and many others. My family tended towards Fords and my first car was a 64 rusty Mercury Comet 6 banger.
At 18 I joined the Navy and bought a 73 Mustang with a 302. At the track it blazed down the 1320 in under 17.5 seconds. Headers, intake 4bbl carb, and timing advancement and I was cracking 16's.
Getting a little more serious I put a 289 in a Ford Pinto with hooker headers, Dana 60 rear and a 6 point roll bar. Getting out of the service and attending school full time meant a serious lack of both funds and time. After 2 years and an degree from NCAA I continued half time in college while working full time in Rochester in 1983.
That's where I had my first ride in a turbo Buick a 78. Pretty neat and not too slow for the time. Most cars from the mid 70's to the early 80's were dogs. In 1984 a buddy of mine bought an new 84 T-Type WH1. Wow, fuel injection, turbo, computer controlled, 200HP - pretty high tech for the time. Plus all that Buick luxury, AC, good mileage etc. One day my buddy's wife complained that after spending hours detailing the Regal and just when she thought he would be done he would pop open the hood and trunk and wax the sides! I was eyeing the newer Mustangs but told him to call me if he ever wants to sell it.
In 86/87 the turbo Regals were kicking butt on the street and at the track. This was amazing considering the slow crappy cars that had been available. I knew then a TR was in my future. Some where along the way I got married and had kids. My daily driver was a 73 Ford Torino with a 351C.
I graduated from RIT and purchased the above mint 84 T-Type WH1. This was treated as a special car for special occasions from the get-go. We would use it to go get ice cream, or go to a cruise in at Carmines. I really liked the black and gray WH1 paint and Lear Siegler leather seats.
A photo at Letchworth made it into Lawrence Connely's 1996 calendar. In 1997 it was a 1st place Show winner Aug 1997 Turbo Buick Show Off Phoenixville, PA, (it's first show). It typically gets entered in one show per year now.
The car remains bone stock to this day even riding on it's 2nd set of original Goodyear Eagle GT's and still has the original exhaust and paint. It's not perfect with it's share of paint chips and cracked paint on the hood above the turbo but it's pretty sweet for a 21 year old unrestored car. Plus while you see mint low mileage intercooled TR's you will not find many mint non-intercooled examples. There are 53k miles on it now.
I had not hit the track since the mid 80's but our club renewed my interest and the Hot Air has done a best of 15.4@89. I believe a 14 second time slip is possible with a really good 60 foot time and good air on a cool day with a stock hot air. It took runner up in B-5 at the 2004 GSCA nationals. The finals were so close neither of us knew who won until the time slips came out. It also took 4th in the 78-85 non-intercooled class car show at the nationals.
Not listed are the "comes standard On Regals" such as Power Brakes or (D55) Full Length Operating Console (required with bucket seats) The only options this Buick doesn't have are (T82) Twilight Sentinel Headlamp Control, (K05) Block Heater, and a roof option such as (CC1) Hatch Roof. Here are the options on this 84 Buick Regal T-Type Coupe 2 Door:
I may take it to Bowling Green for the nats again - not sure which car to take. We also have an 87 GN with 8k miles and an 87 T summer daily driver and a 03 GSX. Photos may be seen at: http://edchapman.tripod.com/cars.html