At The Track
Jim Zeek
Jim's first pass in his '92 Firebird was a blazingly fast 8.63 at 157.50 mph, but that wasn't good enough for him. He said that if he could knock 0.02 off his time, it would be his best pass ever. He reached that goal on pass four, completing the quarter-mile in an amazing 8.61 seconds. Of his tube-chassis Bird's performance, Jim said, "The car reacted and ran perfectly." Of the event, Jim commented, "It was a relaxed/no-rush opportunity to test and tune the car on a well-prepped track. The conditions were good and changed normally with the weather for the time of year."
Ike Heckler Jr.
Ike made five passes in his '67 LeMans, staying with consistent 38-degree timing for every run. The best was his fourth, an 11.18 at 118.51 mph. On runs three and five, an alternator problem prevented him from making full use of his electronic ignition, and his timeslips suffered. Of his Pontiac's pull on the track, Ike told us, "It hooked very nicely. The LeMans went dead straight, and there were no slick spots." Of the event, he said, "It was very well run. The track officials were helpful, and the HPP staff was friendly and easy to work with."
Conclusion
The engine combos we present here in Part 3 show the capabilities of iron-block Pontiac engines with aluminum heads in tube-chassis and steel-bodied Pontiac race cars.
Jim Zeek showed us that a 400-based iron-block takes on an all-new meaning when bored and stroked to 502 ci and placed in a lightweight tube-chassis Third-Gen Firebird. He competed with the skills shown by professional race car drivers and the safety equipment required to NHRA-certify his vehicle for 8-second passes.
Ike Heckler Jr. showed us that a LeMans is a great starting point for an 11-second race car, allowing you to get into the hobby for less money than the cost of a same-year GTO. Ike also showed how a person can effectively use sponsorship of his or her vehicle to offset the costs involved in drag racing.
Whether your plans are to invest in a professional tube-chassis Firebird race car that features an iron-block 400 and consistently runs in the mid-8s or to enter the hobby with a low-buck LeMans and turn it into a 11-second contender, the two race cars featured in this Shootout can give you successful examples you can look to when you build your project.
HPP would like to thank Chief Pontiac Productions and the management and crew of Virginia Motorsports Park for their assistance in making this shootout possible.