Dick Guldstrand on the GS80 Program
With a better understanding of the GS80 and its racing heritage, we asked Dick Guldstrand for his own thoughts on the car's origins and development. He was more than happy to oblige.
Vette: What year was the GS80 program incepted?
Dick Gulstrand: The first GS80 was completed in 1986.
Vette: How many vehicles were built?
DG: A total of 35 cars were assembled, all the way through 1994.
Vette: Did you keep a year-by-year breakdown of the numbers and colors produced?
DG: A breakdown of colors and year productions is not available; however, the majority of the cars were black, [and others were] everything from white and red to yellow.
Vette: How did the GS80 change the Corvette hobby in the '80s?
DG: The GS80 definitely filled the horsepower void left by GM. The base chassis was good, but my tuning took the C4 to an entirely new level. It was equal to that of any current Corvette. The GS can pull 1.0g all day with good tires and still not loosen your dental work. The Traco-built motors were monumental performers over the factory. They had tons of torque from 3,000 to 5,500 rpm and horsepower up to 380 to 400, depending on the final setup. The siamesed runners and all the other components would let you rev these cars to 6,000 to 6,500 rpm all day if you wanted.
Vette: What was it like to have to one of your GS80 "children" back in your shop nearly 20 years after its conception?
DG: It was great to see GS80 No. 4 back in the shop. It brings back a lot of memories with Traco and Jim Jones of Thunder Alley.
Vette: Did GS80 No. 4 feel any different to you than your personal GS80 [No. 9]?
DG: The two GS80s basically felt the same, but there were subtle differences. The power and suspension performance were set up similarly. The biggest difference between the two cars was the choice of tires.
Vette: What work was required to bring the GS80 No. 4 back to restored status? Was it abused? What motor work was performed?
DG: The work required to bring GS80 No. 4back to what it looks like today [involved removing] the rust from back East and some surface corrosion. The car was more neglected than abused. The motor was in fine shape; a little tune and a new clutch was all we did under the hood.
Vette: How well have the GS80 motors held up over the last twenty years?
DG: These motors have been bulletproof; they are exceptional performers and still run with the big dogs.
Vette: Compared with today's Corvette motors, how do you describe the GS80 engines?
DG: Compared with today's Corvette motors, the Traco-built GS80 engines had gobs of torque; it varied from 430 to 460 lb-ft. Keep in mind that torque is what gets you out of the hole, not horsepower. Horsepower is really a fictitious number compared with real, off-the-line performance for the street or the track.
Vette: Can the '80s-era GS80s compete against the brand new Corvettes and, if so, in what ways?
DG: Absolutely. These cars are 20 yearsold but can pull off 0-60 in 5.0 seconds all day long, run all the way up to 180-plus mph, and still idle in L.A. traffic.
Vette: Will there be a Guld strand GS built upon a C6 Corvette? If so, please describe its goals.
DG: We are working on a GS built off the base C6. I feel the horsepower race is coming to an end. Six-hundred-plus hp with the traction control off is a handful on street tires. Even though we are Katech's Southern California dealer and a ProCharger dealer, the focus now will be on suspension tuning, exhaust, lightweight components, seating, and braking. The C4 cars were a great starting point, and the GS80 brought the most and best performance out of that design. The C6s are exceptional street cars out of the box.