Pontiac Pavement Pounders Shootout - Englishtown Homecoming
POSEUR-ERA UNDERDOG
Owner Bio: John Minarchenko Jr
1987 Trans Am
John Minarchenko Jr. built this Trans Am into the low 12-second street car that you see here because he has always had a soft spot for the under dog Third Gen. F-bodies of the 80s. "They get no respect!" John told us. "The Mustangs of the era were just engines bolted into boxes with no suspension or brakes yet they got all the go fast credit because they were quicker than the F-bodies. I built this T/A just to show what can be done with a Third Gen. F-body if someone puts his mind to it. I even like to race the later LT1 and LS1s just to show these guys what a $25,000 Third Gen. can accomplish." Minarchenko, a Linden, N.J. resident, is 33 years old and has been racing for three years. The HVAC mechanic confided that the shootout was his favorite moment in his '87 T/A, to date. STRIP TUNING LOG
Best passes of 13 total | | Run | Tuning | Launch
RPM | Shift
Point | 60-Ft | ET/MPH | | 1 | Off street | Off idle | 5400 | 1.65 | 12.40/106.86 | | 2 | After cool down | Off idle | 5400 | 1.65 | 12.11/109.97 | | 3 | 1° timing retard top end | Off idle | 5400 | 1.63 | 12.10/110.20 | | 4 | Same | Off idle | 5400 | 1.61 | 12.09/110.46 | | 5 | Same | Off idle | 5600 | 1.59 | 12.02/110.51 |
| STRIP SPECS | | Owner: | John Minarchenko Jr | | Year/Model: | 1987 Trans Am | | Race weight: | 3,750 lbs. | | Curb weight: | 3,570 lbs. | | Engine: | 383 TPI | | Built by: | Cartek, Garwood, NJ | | Induction system: | ACCEL DFI Super Ram, ported upper and lowers, extrude honed, 1000 cfm throttlebody, Lingenfelter cold air kit from SLP | | Heads: | AFR aluminum, ported by Cartek , 2.02/1.60 valves | | Pistons: | JE forged | | Rods: | Eagle "long rods" H-Beam forged steel | | Compression Ratio: | 12:1 | | Crankshaft: | Lunati, 4304 forged steel | | Camshaft: | Hydraulic Comp Cams roller 230°/230° at .050 with .560 lift | | Ignition: | MSD 7AL, GM distributor, remote mount ACCEL coil | | Total timing: | 25° to 26° | | Exhaust: | SLP 1.75-shorty headers, 4-inch Flowmaster, 3.5-inch Random Cat, 4-inch pipe | | Power adder: | All motor | | Transmission: | 700-R4, built by Level-10 | | Torque converter: | 2800 stall, non-lockup, Art Carr | | Shifter: | B&M ratchet Mega-Shifter | | Rear type/ratio: | Dana 44, 3.54 gears | | Brakes F/R: | Front 12.22-inch Baer slotted, rear stock discs | | Rims F/R: | Stock 16x8 T/A | | Tires F/R: | Front BFG Comp T/A VR4 245/50-16, rear BFG Drag radials 255/50-R16 with 18 psi. | Suspension mods
front: | Koni struts, no stabilizer bar, Eibach drag launch springs | Suspension mods
rear: | Koni shocks, Eibach drag launch springs, Hotchkis control arms, panhard rod, Air bag in pass side, air pressure 28 pounds | | Chassis modifications: | Southside subframe connectors, 10-point cage with swing outs, driveshaft loop | | Interior modifications: | Monster tach, oil pressure and water gauges, air/fuel meter, shift light | | Exterior modifications: | Stock | | Safety modifications: | 5-point RCI cam-lock harness | | Paint: | Stock Flame Red | | Launch Technique: | Off idle |
BOTTOM DOLLAR BRAWLER
Owner Bio: Andre Thomas
1968 Firebird
For those who want to go racing for very little cash outlay, 37-year-old Andre Thomas says that he can provide the answer. He built this 1968 Firebird for less than $3,000 dollars by, as he puts it, "Begging, borrowing and stealing," to get the car and the needed parts for the lowest prices possible. It also helped to have some parts left over from past projects and a friend who was willing to give a good price on a race car. Then the Orange, N.J. resident did all of the work along with a few friends. Andre, a security officer by day, considers himself a professional street racer by night and cites his proudest moment in his '68 thus far was the night he beat a V8 Chevy Monza twice in the same outing. | STRIP TUNING LOG | | Run | Tuning | Launch
RPM | Shift
Point | 60-Ft | ET/MPH | | 1 | 38° timing | 1500 | 5800 | 1.88 | 12.66/106.61 | | 2 | Brother Tori
driving | 1500 | 6000 | 2.08 | 13..35/106.04
Spun | | 3 | Same | 1500 | 6000 | 1.77 | 12.48/107.34 | | 4 | Same | 2000 | 6000 | 1.73 | 12.40/106.99 | | 5 | Dropped tire
pressure to
12.5 psi. | 2000 | 6000 | 1.75 | 12.38/107.77 |
| STRIP SPECS | | Owner: | Andre Thomas | | Year/Model: | 1968 Firebird | | Race weight: | 3,230 lbs. | | Curb weight: | 3,030 lbs. | | Engine: | 1969 400, R/A-III | | Built by: | GM | | Carburetor / jets: | Holley 750 Double Pumper, jets #78/#86 | | Intake manifold: | Edelbrock Performer dual-plane, 1-inch open spacer | | Heads: | #16 castings, valve job and surface by Larry Hanson, 2.11/1.77 valves | | Pistons: | Stock | | Rods: | Stock | | Compression Ratio: | Stock 10.75:1 | | Crankshaft: | Stock GM | | Camshaft: | Lunati hydraulic 245°/255° duration at .050 with .510/.530 lift, 110*centerline, advanced 4* | | Ignition: | HEI, recurved, locked and welded by Bruce Davis, Pertronix High Output module, MSD conversion cap for outside coil, ACCEL Super Coil | | Total timing: | 38° | | Exhaust: | Hooker Super Comp. 1.75-inch 4-tube headers, 3-inch exhaust with balance tube, 3-inch Dynomax mufflers with turndowns, done by Jeff at Speedy Muffler | | Power adder: | None (Yet) But have NOS cheater system | | Transmission: | Vitar Turbo-400, reverse manual valve body, deep pan | | Torque converter: | TCI 10-inch, 3500 stall | | Shifter: | Vitar | | Rear type/ratio: | 9-inch Ford, 3.89 gears, Moser spool, 31-spline Moser axles | | Brakes F/R: | Stock discs/drums | | Rims F/R: | Weld, front 15x3.5, rear 15x12 | | Tires F/R: | Front 165 R-15 radials, rear Hoosier 12x29-15 slicks | Suspension mods
front: | Moroso trick springs, Race Country 90/10 shocks, stabilizer bar removed | Suspension mods
rear: | Mono leaf springs moved in 2 inches, Lakewood slapper bars extended to spring eyes, Sears HD shocks mounted inboard | | Chassis modifications: | Moroso bolt-on subframe connectors, solid subframe bushings | | Interior modifications: | 6-point roll bar, 5-point harness | | Exterior modifications: | Fiberglass bolt-on nose (fenders, hood and front bumper), rear bumper removed | | Safety modifications: | Driveshaft loop | | Paint: | As purchased | | Launch Technique: | Stage at 2000 rpm, flash converter |
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