The Regal (Luckily) Went Road Racing Finally! (huge post)

[Opie Knievel]

Hell yeah man!! I love this. The Regal sounds really good screaming down the track. I want to autocross/roadrace my Monte Carlo eventually. This is inspiring.

I saw your signature and when I read "200-4R (shift kit + soup can)", I was like what the????? Thanks for clearing that up. Lol

Tell your brother next time he films with his phone to turn it sideways and it will make for a full screen video on the computer. It was still a cool video though.

I'm guessing you're planning on more track days in the near future? I'd love to see more of the Regal on the track. Race on brother!

 

[307 Regal]

Headers will be on my wishlist I know that much, just not in the immediate future. How well did the a body headers fit?

The A-body headers fit basically like they were made for the car. Zero banging required. I think I just had to disconnect the starter or something on the passenger side. No real headaches. At least no more than any other header installation in the history of mankind! ha The only reason they ever touch anything while running (at shaky low idle) is because of my super soft RockAuto engine mounts.
Here, take a look at tobyp's old thread: https://gbodyforum.com/threads/hooker-headers-fit-buick-350-engines-in-gbody.35498/
If the Hookers cost too much for you, just do what I did and cruise ebay for a deal. That's how I found those old Poston headers for cheap.
Good luck!

Hell yeah man!! I love this. The Regal sounds really good screaming down the track. I want to autocross/roadrace my Monte Carlo eventually. This is inspiring.

I saw your signature and when I read "200-4R (shift kit + soup can)", I was like what the????? Thanks for clearing that up. Lol

Tell your brother next time he films with his phone to turn it sideways and it will make for a full screen video on the computer. It was still a cool video though.

I'm guessing you're planning on more track days in the near future? I'd love to see more of the Regal on the track. Race on brother!

Thanks, man! I knew someone here would get a kick out of some G-body action shots. I do intend to keep racing. Dunno if any other track days are coming up that I can attend without classes (this was a unique (and cheap) opportunity) but I'll be autocrossing more this year for sure.

I do have two other videos uploaded, but one is more of a substitute for a build thread (with "non-mass appeal" music that people may not like) and the other is an unlisted vid I made for my friends using every scrap of old video I could find.
So one is a 7 year recap and the other has 3 different Mazdas (and a Ford Focus) in it. You'd have to skip through them for Buick racing shots.

 

[Opie Knievel]

The A-body headers fit basically like they were made for the car. Zero banging required. I think I just had to disconnect the starter or something on the passenger side. No real headaches. At least no more than any other header installation in the history of mankind! ha The only reason they ever touch anything while running (at shaky low idle) is because of my super soft RockAuto engine mounts.
Here, take a look at tobyp's old thread: https://gbodyforum.com/threads/hooker-headers-fit-buick-350-engines-in-gbody.35498/
If the Hookers cost too much for you, just do what I did and cruise ebay for a deal. That's how I found those old Poston headers for cheap.
Good luck!



Thanks, man! I knew someone here would get a kick out of some G-body action shots. I do intend to keep racing. Dunno if any other track days are coming up that I can attend without classes (this was a unique (and cheap) opportunity) but I'll be autocrossing more this year for sure.

I do have two other videos uploaded, but one is more of a substitute for a build thread (with "non-mass appeal" music that people may not like) and the other is an unlisted vid I made for my friends using every scrap of old video I could find.
So one is a 7 year recap and the other has 3 different Mazdas (and a Ford Focus) in it. You'd have to skip through them for Buick racing shots.

I loved the videos. Looks like the Regal has come a long way since you got it. I didn't realize it's your first car. That makes it even cooler.

Now I see how you're supposed to practice for these events. You get some cones and a scooter and make a course in your back yard. I'll have to try that. Lol.

Cool videos. Keep 'em coming.

 

[307 Regal]

Yep. First car. Actually had to drive it in the winter too for the first couple years. Some of the dates in the video were color-coded, like 2012 and 2013 for the paint on the car. 2009 was blue and yellow because that's the year I graduated and "blue and gold" are the school colors.

And it was complete coincidence that the scooter and GoPro footage were both a 3 point slalom followed by a left. haha We all ran the scooter course that day for best times. We were just hanging out. The one in the video is the guy with the green Miata. He's the biggest and heaviest of us, and he had to kick-push the scooter in a couple spots. lol Sort of ironic, really: the biggest guy has the tiniest car, and the tiniest guy has the biggest car.
Anyway, the scooter still gets action, but it does so as my brother's "pit bike." He actually had it with him during my race; that's how he got around the spectator areas. lol

 

[UNGN]

I think ZQ8 wheels have have just slightly more offset than GTA fronts (but less than GTA rears). on my Regal, I run GTA rears in front with .5 taller uppers and lower bjs. I have 12" brakes which spaces the wheels out 3/8", but still need a little a little tie rod shaving and upper control arm shaving to keep from rubbing at all wheel angles and elevations.

Finding the sweet spot between A-arm/sway bar/frame rub and fender rub with 255's is a tricky balancing act with tall BJ's and wheels smaller than 18".

The easiest direction with small diameter wheels is out. You had the fenders off, so you've had practice... Reshaping the inner fenders and rolling the outers (and spacing the wheels a little further out) is the key to worry free wheel movement with 16" wheels up front.

 

[pontiacgp]

I can run Hoosiers as long as I run in the Street Modified or C Prepared categories (I run my medium compound Hankook C51s in them, which I got on close-out sale 3-4 years ago). I plan on running CAM-T eventually (Classic American Muscle - Traditional) which is sort of a "stock appearing, unlimited" class but to be legal your tires have to be 200 treadwear or higher. So for the future I'm looking at 17 inch wheels with a good street tire since they really don't make good street tires for 16s much anymore. (All I can find are BFG Sport Comp 2s.)

Do you have any pictures of your rear bar here on the forum? I wouldn't mind taking a look. I know you've mentioned what springs you use; I need to look that up too. These Eibach front springs seem alright for now but my Hotchkis 2-inch drop rears might just be for show. I need to put focus on my rear setup now that I'm comfortable with the front. I have UMI arms back there with 1 roto-joint a piece. The uppers are adjustable but I only set them to stock length and left them alone.

I'll take some pictures of the rear sway bar. I don't like the rear Eibach springs because are progressive rated, I like linear rated so I know what I have. I would replace the brake pads your using with EBC red or Hawk Blue 42 and if you have drum brakes in the rear you might want to add an adjustable brake bias and install it in the cabin so you have access to it during the race. The drum will heat up with continuous hard braking and you'll lose your pedal height or your pedal all together. Brakes can let you go deeper into a corner which is a big advantage. Also for your carb if you are running it hard most race you might want to remove the power piston, the spring and the main rods for the race.

 

[307 Regal]

You had the fenders off, so you've had practice... Reshaping the inner fenders and rolling the outers (and spacing the wheels a little further out) is the key to worry free wheel movement with 16" wheels up front.

I experimented with that a little bit with my damaged fender. I think I'm going to make some relief cuts so the whole fender doesn't get pulled out of shape, and then spot weld both sides back together so they don't rattle. (I tried leaving the wheel arch area's bolts out during reassembly, but the inner and outer rattle against each other when you shake them. So I put the leading bolt back in.)

Brakes can let you go deeper into a corner which is a big advantage.

And it most certainly was against a friend of mine. 🙂

Also for your carb if you are running it hard most race you might want to remove the power piston, the spring and the main rods for the race.

My terminology is a bit rusty. Are you talking about the power valve in the primary metering block? Also, which spring and rods? (With something referred to as "main" I ought to know. Alas, I do not. Or are we mixing Holley and Edelbrock talk? Regardless, please teach me what you know. lol)

 

[MrSony]

I experimented with that a little bit with my damaged fender. I think I'm going to make some relief cuts so the whole fender doesn't get pulled out of shape, and then spot weld both sides back together so they don't rattle. (I tried leaving the wheel arch area's bolts out during reassembly, but the inner and outer rattle against each other when you shake them. So I put the leading bolt back in.)

View attachment 66552



And it most certainly was against a friend of mine. 🙂


My terminology is a bit rusty. Are you talking about the power valve in the primary metering block? Also, which spring and rods? (With something referred to as "main" I ought to know. Alas, I do not. Or are we mixing Holley and Edelbrock talk? Regardless, please teach me what you know. lol)

Think he's thinking qjet.

 

[pontiacgp]

My terminology is a bit rusty. Are you talking about the power valve in the primary metering block? Also, which spring and rods? (With something referred to as "main" I ought to know. Alas, I do not. Or are we mixing Holley and Edelbrock talk? Regardless, please teach me what you know. lol)

I thought you are running a Quadrajet......🙂

 

[vanrah]

Greetings 307 Regal & all; Well I read 98% of this post & yes it has got my juices flowing, you guys are havin' Fun! So now I got these two little invisible friends on my shoulders having a tug of war weather I should pony up $250 & go to Black Hawk Farms in mid June?? I keep talkin' about going & if I don't soon I'll be too old. So keep postin' & have Fun, Ole' Bob.
Ps: Also thanks for the front wheel info. I was trying to remember why the guy at Global West told me not to buy 17 inch wheels. So with that knowledge refreshed the logical jump is up to 18's. And to add more weight to that thought, we all know that tire manufactures no longer make good 15 inch tires. We see 16 inch heading the same way. How long will it be before we see good 17's start to disappear??