1994 ROADMASTER

Update your progress on your various car projects.

Moderators: MostMint, wxo, Fred32v, Basement Paul, ttamrettus

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Fred32v
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1994 ROADMASTER

Post by Fred32v »

BasementPaul brought over his new found gem, a 1994 Buick Roadmaster.
This boat has the same LT1 engine that 442Johnny has in his 1996 Roadmaster Wagon. Great potential there
since the wagon, with a little help, has run in the 14's! This car is bone stock with 140K on the clock,
so we shall see. Here are some early pictures.
BasementPaul detailing.....................................Dash and Interior....................................LT1(air goes in)
ImageImageImage
Front View.............................................................Side View......................................Two Tail Pipes (air goes out)
ImageImageImage
This will be a really great ride when we go to Carlisle next year. We can ask ourselves,
will BasementPaul still have it?
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Basement Paul
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Location: In the dirt.

Post by Basement Paul »

After replacing the rotted out passenger's side exhaust manifold (yes cast iron manifold do rot holes in themselves), some converter pipe flanges, putting on a new idler arm, two new front calipers, a coolant sensor, some wipers, and a set of spark plugs, I'm driving the Red Dragon every day. I've actually already put over 1000 miles on it since I got it.

As I've learned, it's really tough getting a race in a grandpa's car. But rest assured it will happen sooner than later.

I did a mileage check and I'm getting just over 21mpg. Not too shabby for 4000lbs and 260hp. I've also learned that 2nd gear is good for about 94mph. 65-70 mph is really the sweet spot for this car with it's current gearing.

Hopefully the weather will let up in November enough to get it down the track. I'm shooting for something better than a 15.5. I've read that a stock sedan (not wagon) should run 15.0, but who knows the gearing of that test car.

Anyway, it's been really comfortable. I'll probably mess with the intake a little, and I currently am carrying the new battery around with me until this weekend.

-BP
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MostMint
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Post by MostMint »

Perhaps you need some big cans hanging off the back (ricer style), or raised whites and aftermarket rims, or some custom license plate to get some attention.

It fits the sleeper role a little too well at the moment.
[quote="Basement Paul"]Is that a mint rocketship on the hood?? :shock:
-BP[/quote]
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Basement Paul
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Post by Basement Paul »

I think I need some big cans with me in the front seat... 8)

-BP
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TheRookie
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Post by TheRookie »

I think that there have already been some big cans in the front seat. That explains the need for new springs in the front :)
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MostMint
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Post by MostMint »

Basement Paul wrote:I think I need some big cans with me in the front seat...
That will definitely get some attention
[quote="Basement Paul"]Is that a mint rocketship on the hood?? :shock:
-BP[/quote]
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Basement Paul
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Post by Basement Paul »

I recently fixed an oil leak by removing the oil filter adapter and replacing the gasket and o-ring underneath it.

Sitting in 32v's garage is my "new" Impala SS rearend. It's a posi unit with 3.08 gears. My thinking is that if both tires are spinning (and it really spins the right rear alot right now) I won't buy snow tires. Not to mention, I'll be able to drift my 17' car around, whenever the need arises.

Currently I believe the Red Dragon to have 2.73 gears, so a mild performance increase will be good too. Not to mention the ability to launch a lot better at the track.

I also took the front springs and rear sway bar from the same SS car. Hopefully it will pick the nose up a little and help the handling a bit ( and I mean a little bit ).

-BP
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Fred32v
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After Sunday's effort

Post by Fred32v »

The stock rear end is actually a 2.56 ratio, so it was easy to see a huge difference when the SS 3.08 was installed Sunday.
The picture is of a slightly used '94 Roadmaster 2.56 rear axle assembly. An item of note, the SS rear axle housing is
ONE inch wider than that of the Buick, so it was very difficult putting the tires back into the wheel well opening and
on to the axles. The 235/70R16's are as big as will fit under the stock sheet metal.
The SS sway bar and front springs still need to be installed.
ImageImage
The second picture is from someone leaving two black marks at the top of the hill. Hmmmm!
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markss327
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Post by markss327 »

We could all use a little video of the generation of those two black marks......
-Mark
2024 Equinox LT AWD
2015 Yamaha FRJ
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MostMint
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Post by MostMint »

markss327 wrote:We could all use a little video of the generation of those two black marks......
Dislaimer: There is no direct evidence that those two black marks are indeed from said Roadmaster. Any correlation that the marks appeared shortly after said positraction rearend was installed is merely coincidental. :wink:
[quote="Basement Paul"]Is that a mint rocketship on the hood?? :shock:
-BP[/quote]
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ttamrettus
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Post by ttamrettus »

Are the marks 1" wider than previous marks?
Matt Sutter
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TireSmoker
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Post by TireSmoker »

It's good to see that piece of pavement being re-christened.
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MostMint
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Post by MostMint »

ttamrettus wrote:Are the marks 1" wider than previous marks?
Any indication that the marks are 1" farther apart is also coincidence, and not nececsarily indicative that they were caused by the Roadmaster in question.
[quote="Basement Paul"]Is that a mint rocketship on the hood?? :shock:
-BP[/quote]
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Basement Paul
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Post by Basement Paul »

I must have been an Impala SS that made those marks, because they are much too wide for any Roadmaster. Not to mention, a Roadmaster is not the kind of car that would ever be able to have that kind of power, and Roadmaster drivers would never submit their vehicle to this type of torture and abuse. :?

It's tough to tell if the marks are wider than before because there was only one mark before.

I'm happy to see it was a 2.5x gear before, that explains the noticable increase in power. This means with my current speed limiter, I would not even finish the quarter.... yuck.

-BP
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TireSmoker
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Post by TireSmoker »

Basement Paul wrote: I'm happy to see it was a 2.5x gear before, that explains the noticable increase in power. This means with my current speed limiter, I would not even finish the quarter.... yuck.

-BP
That wasn't a speed limiter. It was a Chupposity limiter. Changing gears from 2.56 to 3.08 just increased your Chupposity. All is good. 8)

-Dave
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