Readers who are 400 fans certainly have a lot to look forward to with this shootout as we have legendary drag racer Truman Fields participating with his "Hard Times" low-11-second NHRA/IHRA Stock Eliminator '68 D-port 400 Ram Air Firebird. This machine is dialed-in to within an inch of its life, and with the deft driving technique of Truman, it's sure to please. The Englewood, Florida, resident isn't going to get off easy though: We have three early A-bodies, each stuffed with over-bored 455s, that plan to race just as hard and satisfy readers who can't get enough of the big-inch combos.
Donald Babb II from Spartanburg, South Carolina, came out to play with his 12-second '65 GTO street car, featuring a built 462 engine under a giant cowl-scooped hood and backed by a Turbo 400 and 3.55 gears.
Mike Trice's '64 Tempest out of Newland, North Carolina, looks like it should be collecting show trophies rather than throwing down on the dragstrip--that's until you see it run. With 462 cubes and a pair of Carter carbs ahead of a Turbo 400 and 3.73s, the '64 gets the job done to the tune of low-11s.
Rick Sulo proves that when it comes to early A-bodies, you don't have to have a GTO to go. This Hendersonville, North Carolina, racer's '67 LeMans normally makes efficient use of 464 cubes to lay down high-11s on the strip by way of a Turbo 350 and steep 4.10 cogs.
If you've read the first two installments, you already know that it was hot ... hot, hot. Upper 90s showed on the thermometer and humidity registered 86 percent. Density altitude ranged from 3,550 to 3,950 from early- to late-day so conversion factors to correct the e.t.'s and mph to sea level are enclosed.
We chose 3,800 feet as our density altitude so the correction factor is .9536 for the e.t.'s and 1.0493 for mph. As you will see in the Strip Tuning Log, HPP figured the correction for the best pass only (based on e.t.'s). If you want to convert the other runs, break out your calculator and multiply the e.t.'s or mph by its respective factor for corrected figures. Weather conditions affected the starting line, but the Atlanta Dragway personnel did their best to accommodate the racers.
You've met our four participants and heard what they should be capable of, but the question that always remains is how well did they actually do on this day given the conditions at Atlanta Dragway? You're about to find out since HPP was there to document the smoky action, YearOne sponsored the event, and POCI and DAPA members contributed to the effort as these four warriors squared off for your entertainment.