Thoughts on running a 1985 Buick Riviera

John Scott · 02-20-2013, 07:23 PM

Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on running a 1985 Buick Riviera in AF/S. There is one for sale near me with the 307 and I think it would be a pretty neat car. I'm not that concerned with setting a record and my local S/SS series does not do heads up races. I figure I could run it there and chip away at the ET.

So, what do you think? Would it be fun or would it just end up being a bunch of head aches?

Thanks

art leong · 02-20-2013, 08:07 PM

They have been run. They have been competitive. A guy from New Jersey ran one and so did Bob Shaw. Not sure how they would do against an SRT4 Neon though.

Dennis P Chapman · 02-20-2013, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by art leong

They have been run. They have been competitive. A guy from New Jersey ran one and so did Bob Shaw. Not sure how they would do against an SRT4 Neon though.

The one from NJ was a V6 turbo don't know what Bob ran in his. And there was Scott North that ran a turbo out of Colorado. Don't know if any were 1985 but the NJ one was and 82 that I know.

Mark Yacavone · 02-20-2013, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by art leong

They have been run. They have been competitive. A guy from New Jersey ran one and so did Bob Shaw. Not sure how they would do against an SRT4 Neon though.

...Or even a supercharged Grand Prix.

Mark Yacavone · 02-20-2013, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by art leong

They have been run. They have been competitive. A guy from New Jersey ran one and so did Bob Shaw. Not sure how they would do against an SRT4 Neon though.

>>>> don't want anyone seeing double<<<<

Bob Shaw · 02-21-2013, 11:21 AM

My Riviera was sometimes a 1982 with V6 turbo and 4 barrel and sometimes a 1984 with V6 turbo and efi. Biggest problem was traction.
A 307 should run the index but there will be faster cars in the class.

Mark Yacavone · 02-21-2013, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Shaw

My Riviera was sometimes a 1982 with V6 turbo and 4 barrel and sometimes a 1984 with V6 turbo and efi. Biggest problem was traction.
A 307 should run the index but there will be faster cars in the class.

Bob, What do you think of the GP 231 supercharged? Traction issues?
Seems to me you could take all the timing out of it and still launch it.. Hard to do with a turbo car.

BillK · 02-21-2013, 03:35 PM

I will have to show this one to my Wife. Her daily driver is an 84 Riviera we bought new. Always thought it would be fun to up the 307 a bit and let her give it a try

Bob Shaw · 02-21-2013, 03:53 PM

Mark,
I have never studied the supercharged GP. I don't know how much boost it would have leaving the line. I'm sure that retarding the timing would help the traction problem a lot.

JRyan · 02-21-2013, 04:54 PM

Mark,
We've had a few of the supercharged 3.8s. We've contemplated building one for a while just for fun. I had one that had a pulley swap, good down pipe, exhaust, no headers and it would run mid 14's on a decent day in full street trim. That's at over 200lbs heavy for a/fs. I sold that a few years ago.
However, dad still has his that just got retired from daily driver status this winter. It went a 14.9 bone stock with the luggage and spare in the trunk. With headers, drag radials and some tuning they will run in the 13's. There was/is a company that made a posi unit and even had a different gear set as well for them. I think we still have one of the posi units. I think it would make a fairly decent inexpensive car. I don't know if it would run with the srt-4's but I think it go low low 13's with some time and playing.

Rick

02-20-2013, 07:23 PM	#1
John Scott Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 69 Likes: 1 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thoughts on running a 1985 Buick Riviera Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on running a 1985 Buick Riviera in AF/S. There is one for sale near me with the 307 and I think it would be a pretty neat car. I'm not that concerned with setting a record and my local S/SS series does not do heads up races. I figure I could run it there and chip away at the ET. So, what do you think? Would it be fun or would it just end up being a bunch of head aches? Thanks

02-20-2013, 08:07 PM	#2
art leong VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Richmond Hill, Georgia Posts: 2,003 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Thoughts on running a 1985 Buick Riviera They have been run. They have been competitive. A guy from New Jersey ran one and so did Bob Shaw. Not sure how they would do against an SRT4 Neon though. __________________ Art Leong 2095 SS

02-21-2013, 11:21 AM	#6
Bob Shaw Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Sedalia, Mo Posts: 427 Likes: 280 Liked 290 Times in 58 Posts	Re: Thoughts on running a 1985 Buick Riviera My Riviera was sometimes a 1982 with V6 turbo and 4 barrel and sometimes a 1984 with V6 turbo and efi. Biggest problem was traction. A 307 should run the index but there will be faster cars in the class. __________________ Bob Shaw V/SA 515

02-21-2013, 03:35 PM	#8
BillK Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Waldorf Md Posts: 222 Likes: 10 Liked 26 Times in 15 Posts	Re: Thoughts on running a 1985 Buick Riviera I will have to show this one to my Wife. Her daily driver is an 84 Riviera we bought new. Always thought it would be fun to up the 307 a bit and let her give it a try __________________ Bill Koustenis

02-21-2013, 03:53 PM	#9
Bob Shaw Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Sedalia, Mo Posts: 427 Likes: 280 Liked 290 Times in 58 Posts	Re: Thoughts on running a 1985 Buick Riviera Mark, I have never studied the supercharged GP. I don't know how much boost it would have leaving the line. I'm sure that retarding the timing would help the traction problem a lot. __________________ Bob Shaw V/SA 515

02-21-2013, 04:54 PM	#10
JRyan Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aberdeen SD Posts: 643 Likes: 29 Liked 105 Times in 29 Posts	Re: Thoughts on running a 1985 Buick Riviera Mark, We've had a few of the supercharged 3.8s. We've contemplated building one for a while just for fun. I had one that had a pulley swap, good down pipe, exhaust, no headers and it would run mid 14's on a decent day in full street trim. That's at over 200lbs heavy for a/fs. I sold that a few years ago. However, dad still has his that just got retired from daily driver status this winter. It went a 14.9 bone stock with the luggage and spare in the trunk. With headers, drag radials and some tuning they will run in the 13's. There was/is a company that made a posi unit and even had a different gear set as well for them. I think we still have one of the posi units. I think it would make a fairly decent inexpensive car. I don't know if it would run with the srt-4's but I think it go low low 13's with some time and playing. Rick