| Strip Tuning Log |
| Run/Tuning | Launch RPM | Shift Pt. | 60-ft. | 1/8-mile | 1/4-mile |
| 1. Straight off the trailer | 2,000 | 4,800 | 1.98 | 8.83/77.37 | 13.98/94.59 |
| 2. Adjusted carb. linkage | 2,400 | 5,000 | 1.95 | 8.74/78.22 | 13.82/95.90 |
| Best Pass Corrected | | | | | 13.48/98.09 |
| 3. Same | 2,400 | 4,600 | 2.04 | 8.81/78.67 | 13.87/96.84 |
| 4. Same | 2,400 | 5,000 | 2.13 | 8.94/78.23 | 14.01/96.51 |
| 5. Same | 2,600 | 5,000 | 1.96 | 8.74/78.12 | 13.84/95.86 |
Run Notes: 1) Track is good; 2) Hooked better; 3) Spun off the line; 4) Spun more; 5) Hooked well.
Owner Bio: Dale E. Wade
Dale, a 50-year-old warehouse manager, has been racing for 22 years. "There's nothing cooler than cruising in a GTO," he says, "So after my pride-and-joy '69 hardtop Goat was crashed and totaled while on loan, I decided I wouldn't be satisfied with just another GTO. A convertible would be a whole new ballgame-and, man, was I right. I bought this one after my brother discovered it sitting in the weeds in a nearby town." What's his favorite moment behind the wheel? "The 25-mile cruise at the Year One Street/Strip Challenge, with a police escort and police blocking traffic at intersections so we could pass." Along with show and bracket race wins, Dale also enjoys cruising in his convertible with his wife, Cathie; his '77 Can Am; '76 Formula; and building his '69 Judge drag car.
| Strip Specs |
| Year/Model | '69 GTO convertible |
| Race Weight With Driver | 4,115 lbs |
| Curb Weight | 3,895 lbs |
| Fuel Level When Last Weighed | ½- to 3/4-tank |
| Fuel | 92-octane |
| Engine | '73 455, XA-code |
| Cubic Inches Before/After | 455/462 |
| Engine Built By | Owner |
| Induction System |
| Air Cleaner | ProForm ACDelco |
| Carburetor | Holley 750 Street Dominator |
| Jets, Primary | #68 |
| Jets, Secondary | #70 |
| Spacer Plate | 1/2-in open |
| Intake | Performer |
| Fuel System |
| Pump | Stock |
| Lines | Stock |
| Regulator | None |
| Heads |
| Casting | '78 6X |
| Head Porting | Port-matched by owner |
| Flow Numbers | N/A |
| Valves | Stock 2.11/1.66-in |
| Bottom End |
| Pistons | Cast TRW 0.030-over |
| Rings | TRW cast |
| Rods | Stock |
| Compression Ratio | Approximately 8.5:1 |
| Crankshaft | Stock, cast 4.21-stroke |
| Rotating Assembly Balanced | Pistons and rods balanced by owner, crankshaft balanced by B&D Machine |
| Camshaft |
| Brand | Crane Energizer hydraulic |
| Duration at 0.050 | 228/228-deg |
| Duration Advertised | 284/284-deg |
| Lift With Specified Rocker Arms | 0.480/0.480-in |
| Lobe Separation Angle | N/A |
| Installed Position | Straight up |
| Rocker Arms | Comp Cams 1.5:1 roller-tip |
| Ignition |
| Distributor | H.E.I. |
| Amplifier | MSD 6AL |
| Coil | ACCEL |
| Wires | Stock replacement HEI |
| Spark Plugs | AC R45TS |
| Total Timing | 24-deg: "Wish I had checked this before I ran." |
| RPM That Total Timing Is Reached | 3,000 rpm |
| Exhaust |
| Headers | Hooker Competition |
| Primary Size | 1.75-in |
| Collectors | 3.00-in |
| Exhaust Pipes | 2.5-in |
| Mufflers | DynoMax glasspacks |
| Crossover | 2.5-in H |
| Drivetrain |
| Transmission | Stock Turbo 400 |
| Converter | Custom PTC 10-in, 3,500-stall |
| Shifter | Stock |
| Rear | Stock from '67 GTO |
| Rear Gear Ratio | 3.55:1 |
| Posi | Stock |
| Axles | Stock |
| Chassis and Suspension |
| Brakes F/R | Stock |
| Wheels F/R | American Racing Torq-Thrust II 15x6/15x10 |
| Tires F/R | BFG 205/70R15 / 325/50R15 M/T Radials |
| Tire Pressure F/R | 40 psi/20 psi |
| Suspension, Front | |
| Springs | Stock w/spacers |
| Control Arms | Stock |
| Stabilizer Bar | Stock 1.00-in |
| Shocks | Gabriel gas |
| Suspension, Rear | |
| Springs | From '69 hardtop, one coil taller than convertible |
| Control Arms | Stock |
| Stabilizer Bar | None |
| Shocks | Gabriel Gas |
| Other Features | Competition Engineering |
| | ladder bars left over from previous race combo |
| Chassis Mods: | None |
| The Rest |
| Interior Mods | None |
| Exterior Mods | Rear spoiler, hood tach |
| Paint | Acrylic enamel, base/clearcoat painted |
| | by friend George Washington Bonds III |
| Launch Technique | Power brake to 2,400, then go |
| Best 1/8-mile E.T./MPH Prior to Event | 8.80/78 |
| Best 1/4-mile E.T./MPH Prior to Event | N/A |