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At 47, Cliff has 28 years of racing experience already under his belt as the owner/operator of Cliff's Q-Jet. This Coast Guard retiree spends his days and nights tricking out Q-jet carburetors, building engines and transmissions, and testing the results at the track. His '73 Ventura was purchased in the early '80s as a daily driver and has served as a street/strip car and a rolling testbed ever since. Cliff recalls, "Several years ago we went to a local track for 'test and tune.' Unknown to us, they were having a big race sponsored by APEX performance. Musclecars were allowed to enter provided they were daily drivers. We entered the race and won the entire event. It was great spanking all of those little 'rice-ball' cars with the 'fart-pipes' and fancy spoilers!" His favorite moment behind the wheel? Winning at the Ames Performance Pontiac Tri-Power Nationals two years ago. | STRIP SPECS | | Year/Model: | '73 Ventura | | Race Weight: | 3,740 lbs | | Curb Weight: | 3,510 lbs | | Fuel Level: | 1/2 tank | | Fuel: | 89-octane | | Engine: | '73 455 | | Cubic Inches Before/After: | 455/468 | | Engine Built By: | Owner | | Power Adder: | None | | Top End | | Air Cleaner: | Stock A/C | | Carburetor: | '77 Pontiac Q-jet, #17057274 | | Jets, Primary: | 0.073 with 44K rods | | Secondary Metering Rods: | Custom machined 0.048 tips | | Spacer Plate: | None | | Intake Manifold: | '70 Pontiac iron, modified to accept a Holley carb | | Fuel Pump: | Mallory Comp 140 | | Lines: | -8 AN | | Regulator: | Holley set to 6 psi | | Heads: | Kauffman 85cc aluminum "D" ports | | Head Porting: | None | | Flow Numbers: | 268/220 cfm at 28-in pressure | | Valves: | Ferrea SS 2.11/1.66 | | Bottom End | | Pistons: | TRW forged flat-top, 0.060 over | | Rings: | Speed Pro 0.060 over | | Rods: | Crower forged-steel 6.625-in | | Compression Ratio: | 10.48:1 | | Crankshaft: | Stock "N," 4.210-in stroke | | Rotating Assembly Balanced: | Yes | | Camshaft | | Brand: | Crower 60919 hyd. | | Duration at 0.050: | 231/240-deg | | Duration Advertised: | 304/314-deg | | Lift with Specified Rocker Arms: | 0.530/0.530 | | Lobe Separation Angle: | 113-deg | | Installed Position: | 109 ICL | | Rocker Arms: | Crane roller 1.73:1 | | Ignition | | Distributor: | Pontiac HEI | | Amplifier: | Mallory w/adj rev limiter | | Coil: | Stock | | Wires: | Stock | | Spark Plugs: | NGK R5671A-7 | | Total Timing: | 30-deg | | RPM Total Timing is Reached: | 3,000 | | Exhaust | | Headers: | Hedman | | Primaries: | 1.75-in | | Collectors: | 3-in | | Exhaust Pipes: | 3-in head, 2.5-in tails | | Mufflers: | Flowmaster 2 chamber | | Crossover: | 3-in H-pipe | | Drivetrain | | Transmission: | Turbo-400, TransGo shift kit, 6 friction plates in fwd and direct clutch packs, 36-element sprag | | Converter: | Continental "Jim Hand" 10-in, approx. 3,500-rpm stall | | Shifter: | Stock | | Rear: | '73 8.5-in 10-bolt | | Rear-Gear Ratio: | 3.42:1 | | Posi: | Eaton | | Chassis and Suspension | | Brakes F/R: | Stock 10.9-inch disc/9.5-in drum | | Wheels F/R: | Pontiac Rally wheels 15x7 | | Tires F/R: | BFG 225/70-15s / Mickey Thompson 275/60-15 drag radials | | Tire Pressure F/R: | 40 psi/18 psi | | Suspension Front | | Springs: | Stock | | Control Arms: | Stock | | Stabilizer Bar: | Removed | | Shocks: | CE drag racing, adjustable set at 90/10 | | Suspension Rear | | Springs: | Custom "Super Stock" leafs | | Stabilizer Bar: | None | | Shocks: | Summit set at 50/50 | | Other Features: | Custom adj. pinion snubber set to 1-inch clearance | | Chassis Mods: | Welded-in subframe connectors | | The Rest | | Interior Mods: | None | | Exterior Mods: | '74 GTO hood/shaker assembly | | Safety Mods: | Driveshaft loop, bolt-in axles | | Paint: | Lucerne Blue | | Launch Technique: | 1,100-1,300 rpm | | Best 1/8-mile ET, MPH Prior to Event: | 7.38 at 93 | | Best 1/4-mile ET, MPH Prior to Event: | 11.64 at 115.30 |
| STRIP TUNING LOG | | Run | Tuning | Launch RPM | Shift Pt. | 60-ft | 1/8-mile | 1/4-mile | | 1. | 30-deg timing, 0.040 rods, 1-in spacer | Idle | 5,100 | 1.77 | 7.73/90.29 | 12.11/111.80 | | 2. | Same, 0.048 rods | Idle | 5,100 | 1.7 | 7.58/91.00 | 11.93/112.64 | | 3. | Same, no spacer | 1,100 | 5,100 | 1.69 | 7.56/91.19 | 11.89/113.21 | | 4. | Same, 0.052 rods | 1,100 | 5,100 | 1.7 | 7.56/91.55 | 11.88/113.27 | | BEST PASS CORRECTED | 11.31/119.01 | | 5. | Same, swapped in NHRA-legal stock Elim carb 7041273, 0.068 pri. jets, no pri. rods, cust machine 0.040 rear rods, no power piston | 1,100 | 5,100 | 1.7 | 7.57/91.17 | 11.91/112.75 | | 6. | Same, swapped in Tomahawk intake, 0.052 rods | 1,100 | 5,100 | 1.75 | 7.64/91.29 | 11.97/113.60 | | 7. | Same | 1,300 | 5,100 | 1.74 | 7.64/90.79 | 11.99/112.99 | | 8. | Same, 1-in spacer added | 1,300 | 5,100 | 1.78 | 7.64/91.92 | 11.94/114.07 | | 9. | Same, 0.048 rods | Idle | 5,100 | 1.76 | 7.60/92.09 | 11.89/114.17 | | Run Notes: 1) Bogged on launch, felt heavy; 2) Slight bog, pulled well; 3) No bog, pulled strong; 4) No bog, clean run; 5) No bog, clean run; 6) No bog, pulled strong on top end; 7) No bog, clean run; 8) Sluggish on launch, pulled hard on top end; 9) Slow off line, strong top end. |
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