The Engine
It shouldn't surprise you that Gary built the engine himself. After driving it a while with the stock 301 Turbo, an ailment surfaced. "It wasn't fast enough for me," he says. The cure was a 505ci IA II engine package from Butler Performance, featuring a 4.35 bore and a 4.25-inch stroke. Fuel is delivered from the 110-gph Holley electric pump through a regulator set at 7 psi. A Holley 950 HP #80/#82 jetted carb delivers the mixture to the Butler race-ported (321/233 cfm at 0.700 lift) 87cc E-heads and 2.11-inch intake valves via a Moroso carb spacer and a port-matched Performer RPM intake. The Comp 248/254-degrees-duration-at-0.050 hydraulic-roller cam with a 112-degree LSA directs the valves via Comp roller lifters, pushrods, and triple springs, and Lunati 1.65:1 roller rockers lift them 0.605/0.623-inch.
Once the mixture is in the chambers, the Ohio race-prepped forged crank, Eagle 6.800-inch H-beam forged rods, and Ross forged pistons wrapped in Total Seal gapless rings put the squeeze on to the tune of 10.8:1 compression. A Hypertech distributor conspires with a Crane Hi-6 ignition box, MSD coil, Moroso 8mm wires, and Champion race series plugs to light the fire at 36 degrees before TDC (all-in by 2,500 rpm).
The twist is put to the crank and through the TCI 3,500-rpm-stall, 10-inch converter; Hayden-cooled race-prepped TCI Turbo 400 trans; rebalanced driveshaft; and 3.73 Richmond-geared, 10-bolt GM Posi rear and Moser axles. Combustion remains evactuate via the 1.77-inch Ferrea exhaust valves and 2-inch-diameter primary Hooker Super Comp ceramic headers with 3.5-inch collectors. The pulses travel through a 3.5-inch-diameter RARE X-type crossover to Xlerator mufflers and 2.5-inch tailpipes.
A Melling oil pump, drawing crude from a Canton pan, keeps the engine lubricated, and a Milodon scraper keeps oil whip from the crank to a minimum.
Mileage remains low at 50...
Mileage remains low at 50,650.
You'd think a 505ci engine...
You'd think a 505ci engine with race-ported heads and strong hydraulic roller cam would be a bear on the street, but Gary says this combo is easy to live with.
The code 64B Camel Tan Custom...
The code 64B Camel Tan Custom Cloth interior is original except for the carpet, which came from Classic Industries. Since the SE was built without a stereo, Gary added a Pioneer Super Tuner with cassette. He also installed a Hurst roll control (and mounted its button on the shifter), an Auto Meter vacuum gauge, and an Edelbrock air/fuel ratio monitor.
The Body
Gary did the bodywork, repainted his '81 SE, and applied the reproduction Phoenix Graphix decals himself. The body was relieved of its factory paint with a gel stripper and imperfections were fixed; then Gary applied five coats of John Deere primer sealer and block-sanded until the body was straight. Next, he shot six coats of Dupont Centari acrylic enamel, choosing to go single-stage and not add clear. Wet-sanding with 1,000-1,500-grit paper followed, as did buffing and polishing with 3M compound and Finessing it III Machine Glaze.
The Suspension
All of factory wear items were replaced and CE subframe connectors, Monroe shocks, and Lakewood traction bars were added. Quad City Springs provided new springs, and the four-wheel disc brakes were rebuilt as well.
On The Road And The Track
With all that newfound power under the hood, the T/A feels like a different car. Gary relates, "Acceleration is instant, the rearend settles down, the nose comes up, and the car launches in a straight line. The g-forces push me back in the seat under acceleration, and the WS6 suspension hugs winding roads with firm control." What's Gary's favorite moment behind the wheel? "Getting into a street race with a Firehawk and quickly defeating it."