I kinda feel like I'm new here becuase I haven't actively posted in so long. I sold my twin turbo 2000 GT in 2005 and haven't really played with cars since then. I've had the urge for a while to build something else, but I wasn't sure what to build. I had wanted to buy this buick from one of my friends for a long time and everything finally worked out and my decision about what to build was made.

It's an 86 Buick T-type WH1 (designer series). It was a basket case when I got it and missing an engine and trans.
Here it is the day I brough it home. Time has not been kind to the paint. It's been sitting in the back corner of a shop for the last 10 years, so it's pretty nasty, but luckily very little rust.
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My plans have changed a few times since I started, but right now I'm planning to build it for 275 radial racing and some buick specific stuff. Right now I'm focusing on building a good chassis and I'll decide on the drivetrain when I get that far.
I immediately tore it down to survey what I had to work with. Just a little rust under the t-tops.
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Nothing the tig welder couldn't fix
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lll

 

After getting all the body rot, squared away I pulled the body off the frame.
Pulled the front sheetmetal and A/C off
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After pulling the front sheetmetal I decided to rebuild the door hinges since they were easy to get to. And I fixed a couple cracks in the a-pillars.
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Next it was time to pull the body. It actually wasn't too bad to do.
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Next I cleaned up the firewall and sprayed it in black.
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Onto the frame. I made some braces for the lower control arm mounts.
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I also braced the open sections of frame. I had to leave spots open for access to the body mounts.
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In preperation for notching the frame, I added some braces
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Then I notched it.
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I added a little paint and some new poly bushings and slid it back under the body.
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I grabbed an S-10 manual steering box and a Jeep steering shaft from the junkyard. I bolted them on with some new moog front end parts.
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I made an aluminum panel for the A/C blockoff, but it looked awful plain so I added some bead rolling. I layed out the buick power 6 logo.
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With the help of a friend I rolled it in.
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I modified the stock master cylinder mount to hold a mopar 1 1/8" master cylinder.
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I cleaned up and painted the front sheetmetal and bolted back on the car.
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Then I did some trading of parts and ended up with a lightweight fiberglass version of the stock hood.
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That brings me up to now. I'm working on the front and rear suspension.

The front is going to get
TRZ control arms for coilovers
Afco Double adjustable front coilovers
First gen f-body spindles
Wilwood vented drag brakes

The rear suspension is getting
tube uppers and lowers
coilover springs and homemade adjusters in the stock location
Afco DA rear shocks
A home built 9" narrowed 2" overall and 35 spline mosers with 5/8" drive studs
Wilwood vented drag brakes

The front suspension parts are slowly showing up
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I also got a Garret GT4294 on trade for some parts and I'm undecided on whether or not I want to use it.
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wow nice work! looks like you've done this before. what kind of bead roller did you use? great work man i'll be following this build

 

Yes, I've done this before. I worked at a racecar fab shop while I was in college. I used a frieds bead-roller. It had a JD2 sticker on it, but I'm not sure they make a beadroller.

I have a mill, lathe, bandsaws, tube bender, press and a tig in my garage. I like to make as many of my own parts as possible or reasonable.

 

That thing is looking good!I love those damn cars!Those are arguable the best V6's ever made!

 

I've been trying to get my dad to let me upgrade his GN but it's worth too much

Car looks great!

 

It's like christmas in my shop.

Parts have actually been rolling in for months, but I've been too busy to even mess with them. The big pieces, the TRZ a-arms, showed up today. I'll be busy this weekend.

The front suspension:
Afco double adjustable coilovers w/ qa1 10" 350lb. springs
67 camaro spindles
TRZ a-arms with ball joints for said a-arms and coilovers
The loose rod-ends and hex shaft will be my new outer tie rods/ bumpsteer kit.
The two large aluminum blocks will become steering arms for the new spindles.
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The rear suspension will consist of:
A home built 9" rear narrowed 2" vs. the stock 8.5 rear
35 spline moser axles with 5/8" drive studs
Afco double adjustable rear shocks
QA1 12" 130lb. springs in the stock location with ride height adjusters
Home made double adjustable upper and lower control arms with QA1 3/4" heims and 1 1/4 x .120" wall chromolly tube
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Rearend components. The housing is an HD piece I scored cheap at the JY. The axle tubes are 3 1/4" x .250 wall DOM tube and the 3x2 is for the back brace.
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I did a little machine work last weekend making the pucks for my rearend alignment jig. I've had the materials for a while and I finally got around to machining everything.
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Truly awesome - my hat is off to you sir!

 

cool build, you staying with the Buick V6 or going V8?

 

For now, I plan to stick with the v6. This car is one of 486 designer series cars made in 86. Although not extremely valuable, it's still a little special so I want to keep it a true t-type. I can run 7's with a stage 2 block and heads, and thats more than enough for me.

 

Looks nice and its nice to see your keeping it a WH1 because you dont see to many of them. My friend had one years ago and I loved the black Matalic paint. What are you doing for wheels? Im building a fake turbo T right now but im going with an ls2 turbo.

 

I haven't decided on wheels yet. But, it's between billet specialties street lights, alumastars or m/t et drag wheels.

 

Have you checked these out?

http://www.cwibeadlock.com/Cap5nav.htm


They would look good with that paint scheme....

 

Garage skillz ftmfw

 

build looks killer my brother has a low mile wh1. Just a suggestion i think you need to reinforce the frame a little at the front of the notch and make sure your cage attachs by the spring pockets not on the frame behind the notch. We have saw alot of messed up quarters with less of a notch than that.

 

saywhen - It's definitely going to get a lot more bracing. I just couldn't do all of it with the body off the car. I'm going to do some version of a 25.x chassis without the funny car cage for now.

racesloth - I would love to have a set of Champion beadlocks, but I think they are too far outside my budget. I do like the black and silver though and I've considered getting the alumastars in that pattern.

 

Actually they are fairly reasonable:

3.5" fronts are $229-polished $259-Black and Polished

10" rears are $250-polished $280-Black and Polished

Beadlocks are extra of course