OWNER BIO: Paul Miller
At 35 years of age, Paul Miller still owns his first Pontiac, this '66 LeMans, which sports the original Burgundy paint and factory black interior. Paul told HPP, "At the time, it was cheaper than a GTO and looked almost identical. I was initially attracted to Pontiacs for the engine swap ease. I wanted a musclecar without the musclecar price." How did that plan work out? "After swapping in the 421/Turbo 400/rearend combo, I rolled up to a stoplight with the entire family in the car (kids 5 and 3 years old). An old guy in a Cadillac wanted to race; I obliged. Once I left him in his tracks, I turned around to find both kids crying in the back seat!" Paul works on Steve Barcak's Nostalgia Top Fuel dragster crew in his free time, but he designs, builds, and supports computer networks for a living. Ironically, none of his cars ('78 T/A, '63 Safari wagon, '66 LeMans) has a computer.
| Strip Specs |
| Year/Model: | '66 LeMans |
| Race Weight: | N/A |
| Curb Weight: | N/A |
| Fuel Level: | N/A |
| Type of Fuel: | 92 0ctane |
| Engine: | '66 "SR" 421, block filled to bottom of water jackets, bored 0.060 |
| Cubic Inches Before/After: | 421/432 |
| Built By: | Mike Bramer |
| Carburetor: | Edelbrock, 800 cfm, jets N/A |
| Spacer Plate: | None |
| Intake Manifold: | Performer RPM |
| Fuel System: | Stock mechanical, Holley blue electric, 1/2-inch lines, Holley reg, set at 7 psi |
| Heads: | '77 6X-8, no porting, 2.11/1.77 stainless valves, larger studs |
| Flow Numbers: | N/A |
| Pistons/Rings: | Ross forged flat-top +0.060 / Total Seal |
| Rods: | Stock cast, resized |
| Compression Ratio: | 9.0:1 |
| Crankshaft: | Stock |
| Rotating Assembly Balanced: | Yes |
| Camshaft: | Factory R/A-IV (041), hyd, 230/240-deg dur. at 0.050, 0.520/0.520 lift with 1.65:1 rockers, 113.5 LSA, Rhoads lifters |
| Installed Position: | N/A |
| Rocker Arms: | Harland Sharp roller, 1.65:1 |
| Ignition: | MSD billet dist, Blaster 2 coil, Taylor 8mm wires, Autolite plugs |
| Total Timing: | 32 deg at 2,500 rpm |
| Exhaust: | Hedman four-tube Hedders, Jet Hot-coated, 15/8-in primaries, 3-in collectors, 3-in pipes, 3-in DynoMax mufflers |
| Power adder: | None |
| Transmission: | Turbo 400, no mods |
| Converter: | Hughes, 10-in, 2,500-stall |
| Shifter: | B&M Ratchet |
| Rear: | Stock 10-bolt housing, Auburn posi, Richmond 3.55:1 gears |
| Brakes F/R: | Stock drum / drum |
| Wheels F/R: | 15x7 Rally II |
| Tires F/R: | Dunlop GT Qualifiers 225/50R15 / 275/50R15 BFG drag radials |
| Tire Pressure F/R: | 40 psi / 28 psi |
| Suspension Fr: | Stock, stabilizer bar retained, old shocks |
| Suspension Rr: | Global West lower control arms, Edelbrock traction bars, 1-in stabilizer bar, KYB gas shocks |
| Chassis Mods: | None |
| Interior Mods: | Stock |
| Exterior Mods: | None |
| Safety Mods: | None |
| Paint: | Factory-applied Burgundy |
| Launch Technique: | Footbrake to 2,000 rpm and mash the pedal on the last yellow light |
| Best 1/4-mile ET, MPH Prior to Event: | 12.9 at 106 mph |
| STRIP TUNING LOG |
Run | Tuning | Launch RPM | Shift Point | 60-FT | 1/8 E.T./MPH | 1/4 E.T./MPH | Corrected 1/4 E.T./MPH |
| 1. | 12-deg initial timing, 36-deg total timing, 28 psi in tires | 1,500 | 5,500 | 2.76 | N/A/ | 15.96/95.40 | 15.15/100.50 |
| 2. | 25 psi in tires | 1,500 | 5,500 | 1.98 | N/A/77.65 | 14.01/97.10 | 13.30/102.29 |
| 3. | Same | 1,500 | 5,500 | 1.91 | N/A/76.50 | 13.83/9.04 | 13.13/104.33 |
| 4. | Removed air filter | 1,500 | 5,500 | 2.00 | N/A/82.03 | 13.49/102.01 | 12.81/107.46 |
| 5. | Same | 1,500 | 5,500 | 1.94 | N/A/81.50 | 13.48/101.21 | 12.80/106.62 |
| Run Notes: 1) No traction; 2) Better traction--no top end; 3) Good traction--forgot to throw the fuel pump switch; 4 and 5) Should have changed timing, but didn't, runs were still good |