1981 Buick Regal Indy 500 pace car

[78C10BigTen]

Love this car! Would love to get a car like this to DD around at some point

Turbo regals man!! (Nuff said) I got the same soft spot for them

 

[NCTyphoonKid]

Love this car! Would love to get a car like this to DD around at some point

I have a Cutlass Supreme I plan on making a daily driver. It currently has a 3.8 v6 with a 3spd auto but I’m thinking of doing a LS swap or getting a Oldsmobile v8 engine for it haven’t decided but I think a stock ls with some bolt ons would be nice in that car for daily duties. Need to get a plan together for it

 

[78C10BigTen]

Hey everyone a few people have asked that I post my 81 Indy pace car Regal car #148 out of 150 produced. A little back story I was originally on the hunt for another Turbo Regal and I was going to go look at a 84 GN in VA however it sold before I could go look at it, that same weekend searching marketplace on Facebook I found this 1981 Indy up in Va I knew exactly what it was when I saw the pictures (not many people know of the 81 Indy Regals) and decided to message the guy on it, which turned into a few phone calls back and forth and I went and looked at the car the following weekend as it was 4 and half hours from my house in NC. I knew it needed quite a bit of work as it had sat in a field for 10-12ish years as the previous owner before the guy I got the car from left the car in 2nd gear getting on the highway and overrevved the little 90k mile 3.8 V6 and then it sat and sat until it finally sold to the guy I bought the car from. The only thing the guy I bought the car from really had done was they shoved a 84 3.8 into the engine bay and it was done very badly as it only had two bellhousing bolts and the engine was pulling away from the bellhousing and the motor mount bolts were very incorrect among many other things. I got the original 3.8 with the car and it’s been at the machine shop since March should have it back here in the next couple weeks hopefully. So far I have removed the junk 84 3.8 engine and I’ve done a lot of cleaning and painting under the hood however I wasn’t going for a perfect look as I plan on driving it but do want it presentable, I have cleaned up the wiring harness and fixed any damaged wires. I have removed the stock exhaust completely as I will be running a test pipe and installing a pypes 2.5 dual exhaust to help it breathe a little easier. I have installed all new brake lines (hard lines and the flexible rubber lines) I have installed all new wheel cylinders, drums and pads. Upfront I have installed new pads and I’ve decided to leave the rotors as it looks like the rotors were replaced not long ago so we will see how they do once it’s driving again. When I first got the car the shifter cable was broken and it’s probably a good thing it was so it didn’t damage the bellhousing with the pitiful engine install it had done prior to me getting the car, after a few aftermarket junk cables that didn’t work even they were supposed to I was able to track down with the help of a gbodyforum member a NOS genuine gm cable and that fixed the shifter cable issues ( I also bought a spare NOS GM one as you just never know when you may need a good quality part). I also installed a one piece front air dam on the car as I think all regals look better with air dams however this one is made a inch longer than the stockers and is more of a stronger material. The interior is in remarkably good shape there are a few pieces I will replace but the seats, carpet, steering wheel, door panels and headliner are in super nice shape. I have the original turbine wheels however I do not plan on running these on the car unless I plan to take it to a high end show because they are so hard to find and I don’t want them getting anymore damage than what they already have. Instead I plan on running a set of gold GTA Trans Am wheels with a 84-85 GN center cap. On to pictures I’m sure I’ve missed some stuff as I’ve just done so much to the car since purchasing it back in March. It has been a labor of love bringing life back to this very unusual piece of Buick history.

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Im lovin those tires!! Winston winners! Id keep those as a keepsake for rhe garage, back to when cigarettes were aloud to sponsor racing.

 

[NCTyphoonKid]

I have a Cutlass Supreme I plan on making a daily driver. It currently has a 3.8 v6 with a 3spd auto but I’m thinking of doing a LS swap or getting a Oldsmobile v8 engine for it haven’t decided but I think a stock ls with some bolt ons would be nice in that car for daily duties. Need to get a plan together for it

Here is my Cutlass it doesn’t need much to be a decent car again it does have some rust in the roof I’m going to have to fix because of a stupid vinyl top. The new cooper cobras I bought for the Indy will probably wind up on a set of stock Cutlass wheels and go on the Olds.

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[NCTyphoonKid]

Im lovin those tires!! Winston winners! Id keep those as a keepsake for rhe garage, back to when cigarettes were aloud to sponsor racing.

I didn’t keep them, I have enough keepsakes lol

 

[78C10BigTen]

Here is my Cutlass it doesn’t need much to be a decent car again it does have some rust in the roof I’m going to have to fix because of a stupid vinyl top. The new cooper cobras I bought for the Indy will probably wind up on a set of stock Cutlass wheels and go on the Olds.

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Shes sexy too!!! Mmmm that body olds (and buick) were just right!

 

[78C10BigTen]

I didn’t keep them, I have enough keepsakes lol

guess thats the nascar fan in me.

 

[NCTyphoonKid]

Shes sexy too!!! Mmmm that body buick was just right!

I got it very very cheap. It’s a solid car other than some rust around the rear window and a couple spots on the top. I have another Regal up in VA I need to go pick up just haven’t done it yet

 

[NCTyphoonKid]

guess thats the nascar fan in me.

I have plenty of Winston Cup items

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[78C10BigTen]

I got it very very cheap. It’s a solid car other than some rust around the rear window and a couple spots on the top. I have another Regal up in VA I need to go pick up just haven’t done it yet

I almost had an 87 regal as my first car but passed on it and shouldnt have! I love that body style of both regal and gutless!! I still look for them on CL to this day

 

[78C10BigTen]

I have plenty of Winston Cup items

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DONT TELL ME THATS THE DALE WRANGLER #3!!!

 

[NCTyphoonKid]

DONT TELL ME THATS THE DALE WRANGLER #3!!!

Yes it is it is the 1981 Wrangler Pontiac I guess Winston did the photo after he switched to Childress since 81 he finished out with Richard.

 

[NCTyphoonKid]

Went downtown

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[gotyourgoat]

Went downtown

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Those t/a wheels look good on there even though they are glaringly shiney compared to the rest of the car. Same size as the oe?

 

[NCTyphoonKid]

Those t/a wheels look good on there even though they are glaringly shiney compared to the rest of the car. Same size as the oe?

No the originals are a 14x6 these are 16x8.