Budzter Enterprises - Test Car 1 Owner's History

Rear coil spring adjusters, manufactured by Budzter Enterprises of Stratford, Ontario, Canada, were installed under each rear coil spring in order to adjust the pre-load for maximum traction off the starting line.
The installation was fairly simple but did require the removal of the rear wheels, shock absorbers, and springs. Some cutting was required with a hack saw on the stock spring mounts located on the axle tubes, after which the spring adjusters bolted easily in place.

When the adjusters are set equally on both sides, they can be used to set the height of the rear of the car and still retain the full use of the rear springs. When they are set unequally, they provide pre-load on one side or the other as required for maximum traction on launch.
This product was chosen for pre-load adjustment over such products as coil spring spacers or air bags in the coil springs for the following reasons:

Very small adjustments can be made easily with a wrench and the adjustment will not vary.

Spacers cannot be adjusted after they are installed without removal

Air bags require a source of compressed air for adjustment and the setting will vary with changes in temperature.

Spacers and air bags will alter the spring rates whereas Budzter Coil Spring Adjusters will not.

A form of pre-load adjustment is absolutely necessary for maximum traction on the street or strip and for consistency in drag racing competition.

In my opinion, Budzter Coil Spring Adjusters are an excellent, reliable product which are superior in every way to the alternatives of unequal rear springs, coil spring spacers, or air bags.

POWER ADDER: B & M 142 Powercharger supercharger set up for maximum boost (approximately 7 psi)

IGNITION: GM HEI Distributor with vacuum and mechanical advance locked solid, MSD 6AL, MSD timing computer set for 18 degrees initial and 36 degrees total at 2800 rpm, MSD Boost Retard set for ½ degree per psi of boost

EXHAUST: Flowtech 1 5/8 inch primary headers, 3 inch collectors, 2 ½ inch exhaust pipes, Flowmaster 3 chamber mufflers, 2 ½ inch Torque Tech tailpipes

TRANSMISSION: 1971 Turbo 350 with Trans Go shift kit built by B & D Transmission in Stratford Ontario with governor modified by Eric Grose for automatic 1-2 shift at 5700 rpm and automatic 2-3 shift at 5500 rpm

SHIFTER: Stock console shifter with front wheel line-lock button mounted on the console for burn-outs only

REAR AXLE: GM 10 bolt, stock axle shafts, C-clip eliminators, Auburn Pro limited slip differential, 3.73 : 1 U.S. Gears.

BRAKES:Stock GM disc brakes on the front , stock GM drum brakes on the rear, line-lock on front brakes only for burnout

WHEELS: 14 x 6 Pontiac Rally II wheels on the front, 15 x 7 Pontiac Rally II wheels on the rear

TIRES: 225 75 R 14 street radials on the front, Mickey Thompson 26 8.5 15 ET Drag on the rear

GMREAR SUSPENSION: Cargo Coil springs, three-way adjustable shocks set on medium, upper adjustable and lower tubular control arms from Dick Millar Racing, pinion angle set at 2.5 degrees down with car at rest position, coil spring adjusters by Budzter Enterprises from Stratford, Ontario to set rear end height and pre-load passenger side for proper traction

CHASSIS MODS: Six point chrome-moly roll bar by Northern Development Prototypes in Mitchell Ontario

INTERIOR MODS: Two light weight competition bucket seats in front, rear seat removed and rear area carpeted, gauges for water temp,oil pressure, fuel pressure, boost/vacuum, and original in-dash tachometer

EXTERIOR MODS: Two inch cowl induction scoop added to stock hood for proper air cleaner clearance and cool air intake

SAFETY MODS: Driveshaft loop, 6 point roll bar, competition seats, five point seat belts, helmet

LAUNCH TECHNIQUE: 1600 rpm, foot brake, deep stage and launch on last yellow light, when in competition

BEST TIME & SPEED: When shallow staged, best 60 foot is 1.68 seconds, best elapsed time is 12.12 seconds, best speed is 112.8 mph

TRANSPORT TO TRACK: Car is never trailered unless it breaks (Only once so far in 6 years of competition) Driven to track on street tires and rear tires changed at the track

TRACKS RACED AT: Grand Bend Motorplex, St.Thomas Dragway, Cayuga Dragway Park, (all in Ontario Canada) and 1996 Division Finals at Indianapolis Raceway Park

ONLY POSSIBLE RECORD: At least one first place finish in each of six years of racing

Eric Grose, 51 years old, is a partner in the law firm of Waghorn, Stephens, deYoung, and Grose in St.Marys Ontario Canada, where his practice involves primarily real estate transactions and land development, corporate and commercial matters, estate planning and estate administration, during the week that is. On weekends from April to November, he lives his dream of being a drag racer. This is the story of his car and his dream.

He is both the current and original owner of this 1971 Pontiac LeMans Sport. The car was specially ordered in May of 1971 and delivered in St.Marys Ontario on June 1 1971.

As is the case with many Pontiac models of this vintage which were manufactured in Canada, it was made by General Motors of Canada using the Chevrolet 350 small block with matching Turbo 350 transmission and Chevrolet 10 bolt rear axle. While the original (but rebuilt) engine, transmission, rear axle housing and axle shafts are still in the car, it was produced with a 2 barrel Rochester carburetor, single exhaust, and GM positrac rear differential with 2.56 : 1 gears.General Motors of Canada also produced a Supplementary Manual for Pontiacs equipped with this engine in which the engine was refered to as the "Pontiac Orange Engine". This enables the car to legitimately run what is actually a Chevy small block at an All-Pontiac competition.

This car was operated as a daily driver from June 1971 until April 1987 when transmission problems forced its retirement. At this point, the car had gone 250,000 miles with the only major repairs being a cam and lifter replacement, valve job and valve guide replacement, rear axle overhaul with new bearings and clutch packs in the positrac, several paint jobs always in the original colour necessary because of the 16 Canadian winters, and the transmission rebuild.

From 1987 until 1995, this car was used only for the occasional summer week-end drive. In 1995, the Grandbend Motorplex (located 35 miles from home) was re-opened after 25 years of inactivity, providing the perfect use for this car and enabling the owner to "live his dream" of becoming a drag racer.

Racing began with the car as it was in 1987 and pretty much as it was when new except for the addition in 1980 of a Rochester Quadrajet and dual exhaust. It ran low 15 seconds at about 85 mph. Through continuous modifications over the years from 1995 until 1998, the performance improved to 13.4 seconds at 98 mph, at which point the supercharger was added and further changes were made to bring it to its present performance level while still being very drivable on the street.

The ultimate goal is to continue to improve the suspension and engine to produce a low 11 second wheelstanding bracket car that can still be driven to the track. A great dream , eh!!!