REGAL Project: "Blue Jay"

Status
Not open for further replies.

307 Regal

Royal Smart Person
Oct 21, 2009
1,667
915
113
Northern Indiana
To explain the name (using wikipedia):
The blue jay is a "passerine" bird in the family "Corvidae," (which includes crows and ravens, [insert GN/GNX reference here],) native to North America. The blue jay is a noisy, bold, and aggressive passerine. It is a moderately slow flier (roughly 32–40 km/h (20–25 mph)) when unprovoked. (When I'm not racing I drive the car slowly.) Blue jays can make a large variety of sounds. Like other corvids, they may learn to mimic human speech. Blue jays can also copy the cries of local hawks so well that it is sometimes difficult to tell which it is. (As well as making sure the car has a good sound system, I would like the car to be able to sound aggressive (even if it isn't).)

Also, the car's gonna be blue, white, and black, so... "Blue Jay" it is.

Well then. From the beginning:
The car is a west coast 1987 Buick Regal T, 307/200-4R equipped, purchased as my first car in 2008.
PHOT0170.JPG PHOT0164.JPG PHOT0165.JPG PHOT0169.JPG

Mid-2012, many small things and some sway bars later, I had saved up enough to repaint the car at home. (Thanks, Dad.)
IMG_0005.jpg IMG_0006.jpg IMG_0016.jpg IMG_7151.JPG IMG_0070.jpg IMG_0076.jpg 10092012.jpg

With 2013 came new gears and a refreshed suspension, with new steering linkages but the same old (T-package) steering box. Mostly UMI gear in this car. Gotta love their sales. The differential was changed from a stock 2.56:1 7.5" carrier to a used 28 spline '96 Camaro 3.73:1 7.625" carrier, purchased from user "mebe007" here on the forum. The car was lowered 2 inches using Hotchkis rear springs and Belltech spindles. Disappointingly, the Viking hybrid coilovers (not a true coilover) did not attribute to any of that lowering, and could only raise the car if they wanted to. The springs just weren't short enough, but honestly you wouldn't want them any shorter.
IMG_0026.jpg IMG_0116.jpg IMG_0118.jpg IMG_0124.jpg IMG_0125.jpg IMG_0126.jpg IMG_0132.jpg IMG_0135.jpg fine then.PNG IMG_0138.jpg IMG_0139.jpg IMG_0141.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: 6 users

307 Regal

Royal Smart Person
Oct 21, 2009
1,667
915
113
Northern Indiana
[2012 Suspension cont.] PST polygraphite bushings were used up front, with UMI tall upper ball joints.
IMG_1724.jpg IMG_0032copy.png IMG_0035.JPG IMG_1732.JPG

Also with 2013 came a new engine. I very nearly spent the money on a T5WC swap for the Olds 307, but instead found a "rebuilt" Buick 350 V8. Engine wise, I had wanted an LS but my dad talked me out of it. And my young rookie mind could not fully grasp the monetary and performance advantages of a small block Chevy engine vs the "But it's a Buick and everyone uses Chevy 350s" argument. Although I do enjoy my Buick 350, it's always gonna be about $2,500 - $3,000 I wish I had spent differently.
IMG_0045.jpg IMG_0963.jpg IMG_0979.jpg IMG_1028c.jpg IMG_1034c.jpg

By 2015 this engine was not running well. My dad and I didn't know the first thing about shaft mounted rocker behavior or how to adjust them. First I tried installing a new rocker assembly from TA Performance. Still had a tick. Then we bought a new set of pushrods because some of the ones the shop installed during the rebuild did not match. Still had a tick. Then we tried an adjustable pushrod on the one we thought was ticking. Still had a tick. Then we took a lifter out to look at the cam, and the cam had been damaged. Great. So I buy a new cam, all new lifters, a full set of adjustable pushrods, and my dad chips in and buys TA's oiling pump plate kit. We pull the 55+ pound boat anchor of a cast iron intake off the car. Later that night, my dad comes to me and says, "How much is that aluminum intake from TA? I don't wanna help you install that cast iron one" Not my proudest moment (having "daddy" buy parts, that old stigma), but I took him up on the offer. Thanks again, Dad.
Anyway, during the install of all that stuff, I found out that my lifters were shot. Not sure how long this engine sat around the shop before I came along and bought it. Got it all in, broke in the cam, adjusted each lifter personally, triple checked, on 4 separate occasions, AND IT STILL TICKS. I dunno, man...
At this time I also installed some mid-'90s Chrysler electric fans, and my dad insisted we paint the valve covers "Buick red."
IMG_2016.JPG IMG_0273.JPG IMG_0277c.JPG IMG_0337.JPG Picture 268.jpg

Tragedy struck me and mine in several ways in 2016. Death, robbery, a cancer scare (mom), I lost two jobs and had a nervous breakdown, and then the Regal lost a wheel while in motion.
IMG_2851.JPG IMG_2849.JPG

But in 2017, with help from family and friends, I came back strong and so did the Regal. And we kicked the year off with our first-ever track-day!
Checkout this thread here for all of the details on repairs and upgrades that spring: https://gbodyforum.com/threads/the-regal-luckily-went-road-racing-finally-huge-post.63786/
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 5 users

307 Regal

Royal Smart Person
Oct 21, 2009
1,667
915
113
Northern Indiana
For one last bit of catch-up, over the years I've done a bit of racing here and there and I'd like to share some of my favorite pictures of that. It'll be in chronological order from about 2011 to 2017. (I haven't raced this year but more on that later.)
IMG_0983.jpg IMG_0985.jpg IMG_0993.jpg IMG_0995.jpg IMG_0259.jpg IMG_0695.JPG IMG_0895.JPG IMG_0899.JPG IMG_2180.jpg 11269778_1029632083722751_389948938072595770_o.jpg IMG_2770.JPG 15000063_10154673015159254_2452536608202467802_o.jpg _DSC4400.JPG _DSC5298.JPG 12002637_10200766775967132_169914794756279556_o.jpg 11090954_10200766776327141_3496183336929760715_o.jpg 12010744_10200766776447144_414179532807780904_o.jpg 20645345_1338999262886617_2170836219441418542_o.jpg IMG_3107.JPG
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

307 Regal

Royal Smart Person
Oct 21, 2009
1,667
915
113
Northern Indiana
Primary Objectives:
-RWHP eventually in the ball park of 350 to 400 (If 460hp is good enough for a gen2 Viper GTS-R then it's good enough for me.)
-Achieve optimal balance of track performance and practical street manners
----This means moderate acceleration and above average handling without sacrificing practicality or wet handling (and no swapping wheels at autoX events)
-Interior must be complete and seat at least 4 (might as well have an old Corvette if I can only seat 2)
-Stereo must have good sound quality
-Repaint car
-Rework exhaust system to reduce interior drone

Secondary Objectives:
-Incorporate a 5 or 6 speed manual transmission OR devise a more race-friendly shifter for the 200-4R
----The trans and shifter in their current state work okay for racing but the stock shifter could use some improvement, primarily in the 1-2 shifts.
-Reduce final gear ratio down to 3:42 (overdrive doesn't work at full speed which limits me to 95mph in 3rd gear, which isn't enough for my local road course)
-Cold air intake

Tertiary Objectives:
-Possibly switch to fuel injection
-Rear disk brakes
-Aerodynamic headlight covers
-"Ducktail"
rear spoiler & "hot air" GN front spoiler
-Repurpose middle of rear seat for additional audio gear


Concept:
YesVery2019.png

YesVery2019bw.png


combinedmcla.png
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

307 Regal

Royal Smart Person
Oct 21, 2009
1,667
915
113
Northern Indiana
Current situation: (coming soon)
 
Last edited:

85442/86buick

G-Body Guru
Feb 12, 2013
746
1,118
93
Perth Country , Ontario
thank you for starting this post , I have always wanted to know more about your car and now here it is .
In fact your car as been a bench mark , for my 86 Regal T type clone , over the years I have amass most of the pieces for the dream.
Using a Buick 350 as it's power source
$2,500-$3,500 you wish you spent differently ? try building one using Canadian dollars from a $400 core . I am at $5,200 CAD and still need that TA intake , have to have their valve covers and damn a distributor too..............there go's a $1,000 CAD easily.
Then there is a rad , fuel pump , starter , plugs , wires and a 100 other small $20 items to stress over...................and do not get me start on a transmission or rear end.
Well it's this or stripper's at the bar..............at least with this, I will have something to show at the end of the night.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users

307 Regal

Royal Smart Person
Oct 21, 2009
1,667
915
113
Northern Indiana
thank you for starting this post , I have always wanted to know more about your car and now here it is .
In fact your car as been a bench mark , for my 86 Regal T type clone , over the years I have amass most of the pieces for the dream.
Using a Buick 350 as it's power source
$2,500-$3,500 you wish you spent differently ? try building one using Canadian dollars from a $400 core . I am at $5,200 CAD and still need that TA intake , have to have their valve covers and damn a distributor too..............there go's a $1,000 CAD easily.
Then there is a rad , fuel pump , starter , plugs , wires and a 100 other small $20 items to stress over...................and do not get me start on a transmission or rear end.
Well it's this or stripper's at the bar..............at least with this, I will have something to show at the end of the night.

Right on. If you're gonna spend money on something, it might as well be something you can use whenever you'd like! I only say that about the cost because it really wasn't as powerful as I'd have liked and in order for it to get there I'll have to rebuilt it. And if I have Buick V8 rebuild money then that also means I had LS money, or I'd have the same power as the Buick with more money in the bank had I gone with the old Chevy 350. Oh well; you're right though. I should count my non-Canadian blessings. Good luck with the build up there! I'll post more on my engine stats tomorrow night hopefully.
 

MrSony

Geezer
Nov 15, 2014
6,791
6,675
113
Des Moines, Iowa
Speaking as a man with a SBB regal, done twice now, I enjoy the SBB. Light, torquey, slips easily in place of anything with a 3.8. 350 Buick swap the world.

I really like your car man. Wish mine was as straight as yours, even with the replacement fender.
 

Attachments

  • regalengine.jpg
    regalengine.jpg
    475.7 KB · Views: 180
  • regalnice2.jpg
    regalnice2.jpg
    680.2 KB · Views: 200
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

1evilregal

Comic Book Super Hero
Apr 23, 2009
3,056
4,357
113
Greensboro, NC
glad to see you back to the build! like you, I fear my Regal's original thread may be too old to bring back to new, and I may just link to the old in a new one anyhow, as the engine direction may have shifted from my original course....

still love your car, and look forward to the updates!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Status
Not open for further replies.

GBodyForum is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Please support GBodyForum Sponsors

Classic Truck Consoles Dixie Restoration Depot UMI Performance

Contact [email protected] for info on becoming a sponsor