OWNER BIO: Tom Truluck
By the time Tom competed at the shootout, he and his Tempest had already won four races in 2005. He had also won the 2000 Atlanta Dragway Sportsman track championship in the Pro division. At 57, Tom has been racing for 42 years, beginning in his dad's '64 GTO at the age of 16. Between 1970 and 1990, he won an estimated 125 races and five track championships with his '64 GTO. Now he has his bracket fun in this Tempest. His list of previously owned Pontiacs is too huge to print, and he is pleased to admit, "Virtually all my racing has been in Pontiacs." Since 1987, Tom has been a chaplain for Racers for Christ, a title worn proudly on the Tempest's doors.
| Strip Specs |
| Year/Model: | '63 Tempest |
| Race Weight: | 3,330 lbs |
| Curb Weight: | 3,080 lbs |
| Fuel Level: | 12 gals in the fuel cell |
| Type of Fuel: | 93 octane |
| Engine: | '69 YH code 428, bored 0.030 |
| Cubic Inches Before/After: | 428 / 433 |
| Built By: | Pete Shaw |
| Carburetor: | 750 Carter AFB, jets 0.116 front 0.110 rear, primary metering rods 0.063 / 0.037 |
| Spacer Plate: | None |
| Intake Manifold: | Torker |
| Fuel System: | Carter electric pump, Holley reg. set to 7 psi, 3/8-in fuel line |
| Heads: | No. 62, no porting, Ferrea stainless 2.11/1.77 valves |
| Flow Numbers: | N/A |
| Pistons/Rings: | Speed Pro forged flat-top / Speed-Pro |
| Rods: | Stock with ARP bolts |
| Compression Ratio: | 10.5:1 |
| Crankshaft: | Stock Nodular iron, cut 0.010 / 0.010 |
| Rotating Assembly Balanced: | No |
| Camshaft: | Speed-Pro hyd, 230/230-deg dur. at 0.050, 0.480 / 0.480 lift with 1.50:1 rockers, 110 LSA |
| Installed Position: | Straight up |
| Rocker Arms: | Stock stamped steel 1.50:1 |
| Ignition: | Mallory Unilite, ACCEL coil, MSD 6AL, ACCEL wires, ACCEL U-Groove 137 plugs |
| Total Timing: | 36 deg at 3,000 rpm |
| Exhaust: | Hooker Super Comp 1.75-in headers, 3-in collectors, 3-in torque tubes 12-in long |
| Power Adder: | None |
| Transmission: | Turbo 400, B&M shift kit and deep pan |
| Converter: | Stock, 2,000 stall |
| Shifter: | Hurst Quarter Stick |
| Rear: | Early '60s Pontiac 9 1/4, 3.42 gears, Strange spool and axles |
| Brakes F/R: | '68 Firebird 9.5-in drum / Pontiac 11-inch drum |
| Wheels F/R: | Centerline Auto Drag 15x5.5 / 14x15 |
| Tires F/R: | Moroso DS-2 23x5x15 / Goodyear Eagle Slicks D-5 31.5x14x15 |
| Tire Pressure F/R: | 40 psi / 8 psi |
| Suspension Fr: | '68 Firebird front subframe, Moroso springs, Moroso 90/10 drag shocks |
| Suspension Rr: | CE ladder bar conversion, CE coilover shocks |
| Chassis Mods: | Subframe connectors |
| Interior Mods: | Wheel tubs, '85 Sunbird high-back bucket seats, carpeted floors |
| Exterior Mods: | 5-in hoodscoop, fiberglass front and rear bumpers |
| Safety Mods: | Double driveshaft loops, safety belts |
| Paint: | White |
| Launch Technique: | Footbrake to 1,600 rpm |
| Best 1/4-mile ET, MPH Prior to Event: | 12.94 at 105 with Powerglide trans |
| STRIP TUNING LOG |
Run | Tuning | Launch RPM | Shift Point | 60-FT | 1/8 E.T./MPH | 1/4 E.T./MPH |
| 1 | Standard tune,T-400 switch off | 1,600 | 5,500/4,500 | 1.98 | 8.61/82.74 | 13.50/99.31 |
| 5 | Engine cool after lunch, sealed carb to hood | 1,600 | 4,500 | 1.99 | 8.61/82.26 | 13.47/99.75 |
| 6 | Switch on, sealed hood, removed air filter | 1,600 | 4,600 | 1.94 | 8.51/82.91 | 13.31/101.12 |
| 7 | Same but added velocity stack | 1,600 | 4,600 | 1.94 | 8.48/83.37 | 13.26/101.32 |
| 8 | Same | 1,600 | 4,600 | 1.93 | 8.45/83.55 | 13.19/102.43 |
| Best Corrected Pass | | | | | 8.05/87.66 | 12.57/107.47 |
| The five most important runs are listed in the order they occurred. |
| Run Notes: 1) Trans should have auto-shifted 1-2nd gear at 5,000 rpm, but it didn't; 5) Manually shifted 2-3; 6) Manually shifted 2-3; 7) Engine temp 190 deg., usually 170 deg, 8) Correct engine temp |