It's been a long and tough road, but my Turbo Buick project is finally starting to bear fruit. Last time, with the XFI box hooked up and tuned in, the Turbo V-6 put down 559 rear-wheel-horsepower, with 550 ft-lbs of signature Buick torque, on SLP's Superflow dyno. These numbers were gained at only 24 lbs of boost, leaving several pounds per square inch on the table, and implying 600/600 rear-wheel power numbers at the twist of the wastegate's actuator rod.
Once I saw the 559 and mentally computed the kind of ET/mph this kind of power would give, I wanted to make a beeline for Englishtown, New Jersey immediately. But then I remembered my current drivetrain and suspension setup: good upper and lower control arms, but original 3.42 gears; whining (and why not with 160K), stock 28-spline C-clip axles and 28-spline posi; stock rear sway bar, at .90-inch possessing similar size and lack of control as Kate Moss; and a sweet-looking but non-functional GNX rear cover. As badly as I wanted to hit the track with this sucker, I knew it would be foolish to do so without the proper rear upgrades. So I did some research and made a few calls, and here's what ended up at my doorstep: Strange C-clip eliminator, 30-spline axles, Eaton 30-spline posi, TA Performance rear end cover, Reider Racing 3.42 gears, and HRPartsNStuff rear sway bar.
Ever since I'd seen Jack and Brian Cotton's framerail handiwork, I knew I wanted it for this ride. Though a standard slick would fit just fine in the stock 'wells and provide more than enough hook for 10s, the Turbo Regals look absolutely badass with a huge rear rim/tire combo. Cotton's Performance Center can modify a Buick's stock rails and fender lips, and add several inches of clearance for these fatties. Most importantly, though: when the Cotton crew finishes its work with the plasma cutter and welder, you'll have extra room for big tires, and solid frame reinforcement to ensure it won't twist like a pretzel when the Buford torque is poured on.
So with a trunk full of goodies and a full tank of gas, I left NYC and hauled up to Agawam, Massachusetts, where the Cotton's crew was waiting to tear into the Turbo-T. Once this project is done, it's off to Englishtown.
Here's my Turbo Buick's rear...
Here's my Turbo Buick's rear as it sits: you can see a couple of solid upgrades from the flimsy stock parts, like BMR upper and lower control arms, but there are still several areas that need to be addressed before a track session.
If you plan to race your TR...
If you plan to race your TR on sticky tires, upgrading the axles is of paramount importance. The stock axles are a 28-spline, which are decently strong, but unfortunately, they are a C-clip design. If they break during a hard launch they can pull out of the carrier and may separate from the car, sending you out of control. I plan to remedy this shortcoming with a set of Strange's C-clip eliminator axles. These are the best of both worlds: normally, Strange's Hy-Tuf axles are not recommended for street use since their through-hardening process (baking the axle to increase hardness, to 46-48 on the Rockwell scale), makes them torsionally strong for drag racing but not very flexible on the street. But because the diameter of the axle is increased for the tapered 1.773-inch (I.D.) C-clip bearing in these applications, they will handle street use with no problem.
The Strange C-clip eliminator...
The Strange C-clip eliminator axles measure over 1.5 inches toward the outside end (before the flare), and 1.3 inches near the splines-as opposed to the stock axle's 1.25 outside and inside measurements. The stock axles even neck down to around 1.18-inch by the splines. Instead of the stock setup (a bearing inside the axle tube), these axles use a bearing on the outer end, which is retained with bolts. NHRA rules state that axle retention devices are mandatory in cars running 10.99 or quicker. Though it's more work than installing higher-spline replacement axles with C-clips, these axles are the best route for keeping your oily hide out of trouble-be it an irate tech inspector or your local track's retaining wall.
Dedicated GMHTP readers may...
Dedicated GMHTP readers may remember that I installed my current posi, an Eaton 28-spline, into this Buick a few years ago. Though it was performing fine, the change to bigger axles meant that I'd need a new diff. And beefy axles or no, this is still going to be a street ride most of the time. That means it should spin both wheels when you want to, and be otherwise invisible on the street. I had good luck with that one, so I again turned to Eaton for one of it's 30-spline, clutch-type units.