Pontiac Pavement Pounders Shootout in Virginia, Part II
Owner Bio: Shelly Brown
"I've always loved the look of the Firebird," Shelly says. After longing for a red Firebird with a white top, based upon a poster that hung on his wall, in 1985 Shelly found a red Firebird with a white "convertible" top and has owned it ever since. A racer for the last five years, one of the 45-year-old's favorite moments behind the wheel was when he took his engine builder, Paul Spotts, out for a ride after installing the Spotts Performance-built 462 engine. Shelly related that his son also shares his interest in Pontiacs and that he has made many friends in this hobby. His latest projects include a '71 LeMans and a '72 Formula 455 H.O. Shelly is pictured here on the right with his friend Bob Humbrecht, who did a lot of resto work on the car. | Strip Specs | | Year/Model: | '69 Firebird convertible | | Race Weight: | 4,220 lbs | | Curb Weight: | 3,930 lbs | | Fuel Level: | 5/8 tank | | Type of Fuel: | Sunoco 94-octane plus a couple of gallons of 104-octane race fuel | | Engine: | '72 YC-code 455 | | Cubic Inches Before/After: | 455/462 | | Built By: | Spotts Performance | | Carburetor: | BG 1025 Gold Claw, jets No. 86 square | | Spacer Plate: | 1/2-inch aluminum, open | | Intake Manifold: | Torker II | | Fuel System: | Mallory 140 pump, 1/2-in line and in tank pickup, Mallory reg. set to 7.5 psi BG filter, 5/16-in return line | | Heads: | No. 64 D-port, ported by Spotts Performance, 2.11/1.77 Ferrea stainless valves | | Flow Numbers: | 250 cfm at 0.600 lift intake at 28 in pressure | | Pistons/Rings: | Ross forged flat-top +0.030 / Hastings | | Rods: | Eagle forged steel, stock 6.625-in length | | Compression Ratio: | 10:1 | | Crankshaft: | Stock nodular iron | | Rotating Assembly Balanced: | Yes | | Camshaft: | Lunati roller, 248/248-deg at 0.050, 0.555/0.555 lift with 1.50:1 rockers, 112-deg LSA | | Installed Position: | Straight up | | Rocker Arms: | Harland Sharp roller 1.50:1 | | Ignition: | HEI, Crane Hi-6 box, PS91 coil, ACCEL 8.8mm wires, AC R45S plugs | | Total Timing: | 35 deg at 2,800 rpm | | Exhaust: | Mad Dog headers 1.75-in pri. step to 1.875 with 3.5-in collectors. Pypes X-pipe 3.5-in reduces to 2.5 in, 2.5-in DynoMax Race Magnum mufflers, 2.5-in tails | | Power Adder: | None | | Transmission: | Turbo-400, shift kit, manual valvebody | | Converter: | Coan 11-in, 2,800 stall | | Shifter: | Stock | | Rear: | Chevy 12-bolt, Eaton posi, 3.42:1 gears, Moser axles, built by the late Art Houser | | Brakes F/R: | Stock disc/drum | | Wheels F/R: | Rally II 15x7 / Rally II 15x7 (Weld Drag Lites 15x8 on track) | | Tires F/R: | BFG TA 235/60R15 / BFG drag radials 275/60-15 (M/T ET drag radials 275/60-15) | | Tire Pressure F/R: | 30 psi / 15 psi in drag radials (M/Ts 18 psi) | | Suspension Fr: | Rebuilt, Energy poly bushings, Hellwig 1.125-in stabilizer bar, KYB gas shocks | | Suspension Rr: | Stock leaf springs with leaf added, Hellwig 1.00-in stabilizer bar, poly bushings, KYB gas shocks | | Chassis Mods: | CE bolt in subframe connectors, Energy poly bushings | | Interior Mods: | Rally gauges added | | Exterior Mods: | 400 hood added | | Safety Mods: | Driveshaft loop | | Paint: | Red | | Launch Technique: | Flash to 2,000 rpm against footbrake | | Best 1/4-mile ET, MPH Prior to Event: | 12.56 at 107.61 | | STRIP TUNING LOG | | Run | Tuning | Launch RPM | Shift Point | 60-FT | 1/8 E.T./MPH | 1/4 E.T./MPH | | 1. | 35-deg timing, No. 86 square jets, BFG drag radials | 2,800 | 5,800 | 1.97 | 8.30/84.73 | 12.94/105.50 | | 5. | Loosened front suspension, M/T ET drag radials | 2,800 | 5,800 | 1.81 | 8.16/84.33 | 12.84/104.36 | | 6. | Open headers | 2,800 | 6,000 | 1.82 | 8.20/84.66 | 12.85/105.03 | | 8. | Jet change to No. 84 square | 2,800 | 6,200 | 1.95 | 8.29/85.61 | 12.88/106.72 | | 9. | Timing reduced to 33 deg | 2,800 | 6,200 | 1.85 | 8.16/86.13 | 12.73/107.02 | | Five most important runs are listed in the order they occurred. | | Run Notes: 1) BFG drag radials spun badly; 5) Better launch, more weight transfer; 8) Feels like it's pulling better; 9) Broke alternator belt and threw PS belt |
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