Owner Bio: Rich Roup
At 41 years old, Rich, an automotive parts store manager, has been racing for 15 years and is a consummate ball-buster. He first contacted HPP back in 2000 to extol the virtues of his low-buck 11-second '80 Grand Am. At the time, we performed a one-man shootout with that stripped-down street/strip car replete with over flowing ashtray, and we watched him straighten a bent pushrod with a ball-peen hammer in the pits (look for a 7-page tech story in a future issue to help you master that technique).
All kidding aside, Roup has put his rep where his mouth is, and if you know him at all, you know it's a substantial area to fill. He has also been a good friend of HPP since that day in 2000. So despite a heart attack and an engine failure in his current '80 LeMans racer just before this shootout ("it had gone a best of 10.48 at 132 mph with my motor before the lifter bore decided to let go"), he would not be denied the opportunity to compete. Rich borrowed his friend Big Dave Elstner's (shown in the photo with Rich and Rich's son, Richie) 455 street engine to make the race, and thanks to Mike Fiore from Mike's Autobody in Pennsylvania, Rich has a racecar that actually looks great, too. That's a good thing since, as he confided, "I bought the LeMans back in 2002 because it was in way better shape than the '80 Grand Am."
| STRIP SPECS |
| Year/Model: | '80 LeMans |
| Race Weight: | 3,415 lbs |
| Curb Weight: | 3,155 lbs |
| Fuel Level: | Full |
| Fuel: | 110-octane Cam 2 |
| Engine: | '73 455 |
| Cubic Inches Before/After: | 462 |
| Engine Built By: | Big Dave Elstner |
| Power Adder: | None |
| Top End |
| Air Cleaner: | Summit air-pan kit and a K&N Stubstack |
| Carburetor: | Holley 850-cfm DP |
| Jets, Primary/Secondary: | #88/#91 |
| Spacer Plate: | 1-in open, phenolic |
| Intake Manifold: | Edelbrock Torker II |
| Fuel Pump: | Mallory 110 |
| Lines: | 1/2-in from the cell to 3/8-in at the regulator |
| Regulator: | Holley, set at 7.5 psi |
| Heads: | '69 #48 D-port |
| Head Porting: | None, bone-stock |
| Flow Numbers: | N/A |
| Valves: | Stock 2.11/1.77 |
| Bottom End |
| Pistons: | TRW forged flat-tops 0.030 over |
| Rings: | TRW |
| Rods: | Stock '73 cast |
| Compression Ratio: | 11.50:1 est |
| Crankshaft: | Stock '73 cast |
| Rotating Assembly Balanced: | Yes |
| Camshaft |
| Brand: | Crane hyd |
| Duration at 0.050: | 244/254-deg |
| Duration Advertised: | 314/324-deg |
| Lift with specified rocker arms: | 0.508/0.532 |
| Lobe Separation Angle: | N/A |
| Installed Position: | Straight up |
| Rocker Arms: | Comp Cams 1.52:1, roller tips |
| Ignition |
| Distributor: | MSD Pro-Billet |
| Amplifier: | MSD 6A |
| Coil: | MSD |
| Wires: | MSD |
| Spark Plugs: | NGK R567A-11 |
| Total Timing: | 34-deg |
| RPM Total Timing is Reached: | Early |
| Exhaust |
| Headers: | 4-tube generic |
| Primaries: | 1.75-in |
| Collectors: | 3-in |
| Exhaust Pipes: | 3-in |
| Mufflers: | Dynomax Race Bullets |
| Crossover: | None |
| Drivetrain |
| Transmission: | Turbo 350, built by Cliff Ruggles |
| Converter: | TCI 10-inch Streetfighter, 3,400-rpm stall |
| Shifter: | B&M Z-Gate |
| Rear: | 12-bolt '69-'72 Chevelle |
| Axles: | Moser |
| Rear-Gear Ratio: | 3.73:1 |
| Posi: | Eaton |
| Chassis and Suspension |
| Brakes F/R: | Stock disc/drum |
| Wheels F/R: | Centerline 15x3/"Whatever I traded for" 15x8 |
| Tires F/R: | Kumho 165/R15 / M/T 275/60R15 drag radials |
| Tire Pressure F/R: | 50 psi/21 psi |
| Suspension Front |
| Springs: | Moroso Trick |
| Control Arms: | Stock |
| Stabilizer Bar: | Removed |
| Shocks: | Lakewood drag 90/10 |
| Suspension Rear |
| Springs: | Stock TRW heavy-duty replacements |
| Control Arms: | Southside Machine |
| Stabilizer Bar: | From an '84 Hurst Olds |
| Shocks: | QA1 set at #4 of 12 settings |
| Other Features: | Southside Machine lift bars |
| Chassis Mods: | 8-point S&W rollcage |
| The Rest |
| Interior Mods: | None |
| Exterior Mods: | Dude Scoop |
| Safety Mods: | Simpson harnesses, and a fire extinguisher-"If you don't have one, put the damn thing in there!", SFI-approved drivetrain parts, driveshaft loop |
| Paint: | GM Radar Blue (looks purple) |
| Launch Technique: | Footbrake to 1,800 and let 'er rip |
| Best 1/8-mile ET, MPH Prior to Event: | N/A |
| Best 1/4-mile ET, MPH Prior to Event: | Owner's motor, 10.48 at 132; motor used, 12.10 with a clogged carb |
| STRIP TUNING LOG |
| Run | Tuning | Launch RPM | Shift Pt. | 60-ft | 1/8-mile | 1/4-mile |
| 1. | #77/#82 jets | 1,500 | 5,000 | 1.68 | 7.55/90.70 | 11.92/111.69 |
| 2. | Same | 1,800 | 5,400 | 1.65 | 7.54/91.94 | 11.85/113.33 |
| 3. | #75/#80 jets | 1,800 | 5,400 | 1.65 | 7.54/91.29 | 11.86/112.97 |
| 4. | #79/#84 jets | 1,800 | 5,400 | 1.62 | 7.42/92.45 | 11.70/114.11 |
| BEST PASS CORRECTED | 11.14/119.89 |
| 5. | #80/#85 jets | 1,800 | 5,400 | 1.63 | 7.41/ N/A | 11.70/113.62 |
| Run Notes: 1) Felt like crap but ran good; 2) Bogged; 3) Jet change; 4) Ran great, best e.t. on the motor; 5) Felt a little fat. |