Owner Bio:
Marc King, a 34-year-old master mechanic, bought his '69 Firebird in 1997 because he says he's always been into Pontiacs and he needed an F-body for drag racing. His favorite moment in the Bird is putting it into the 9s for the first time. He currently owns a '69 GTO, a '70 GTO, a '72 LeMans, and an '80 Trans Am. The hard work to put his Firebird together is what makes it special to him. Marc and his crew (shown here from left to right and top to bottom) are Corey King, Phil Hurley, Marc King, Charlie Kababby, and Mark Osit.
| Strip Tuning Log |
| Run/Tuning | Launch RPM | Shift Pt. | 60-ft. | 1/8-mile | 1/4-mile |
| 1. 7 psi in rear tires | 5,500 | 7,000 | 1.29 | 5.98/113.43 | 9.47/139.26 |
| 2. Same | 5,500 | 7,000 | 1.29 | 5.95/113.38 | 9.44/139.27 |
| Best Pass Corrected | 9.25/142.04 |
| 3. Same | 5,500 | 6,800 | 1.31 | 6.00/113.27 | 9.50/139.37 |
| 4. Same | 5,500 | 7,000 | 1.29 | 5.98/113.35 | 9.47/139.40 |
Run Notes:
All passes made on motor only. 1) Car pulled left on launch; 2) Car nosedived on 1-2 shift; 3) Rear tires spun really badly; 4) Good run, hot outside, track hot
| Strip Specs |
| Year/Model | ’69 Firebird |
| Race Weight With Driver | 3,045 lbs |
| Curb Weight | 2,875 lbs |
| Fuel Level When Weighed | ½-tank |
| Fuel | 112-octane |
| Engine | ’76 Y8-code 455 |
| Cubic Inches Before/After | 455/462 |
| Engine Built By | King James Custom Performance |
| Power Adder | 210hp NOS, disabled at Shootout |
Induction System
|
| Air Cleaner | None |
| Carburetor | 1,050-cfm Holley Dominator |
| Jets | No. 94/No.94 |
| Spacer Plate | 1-in Edelbrock aluminum clover |
| Intake Manifold | Victor |
Fuel System
|
| Pump | Barry Grant 400 410-gph |
| Lines | -12 AN, -10 AN, -8 AN |
| Regulator | Barry Grant two-port, set at 9 psi |
Heads
|
| Casting | Wenzler Series 2 |
| Head Porting | KRE |
| Flow Numbers | 335 at 0.700-in lift |
| Valves | 2.19/1.77-in Ferrea SS |
Bottom End
|
| Pistons | Ross, forged, domed |
| Rings | Speed-Pro, chromoly 1/16, 1/16, 3/16-in |
| Rods | Bill Miller aluminum, 6.625-in |
| Compression Ratio | 14.5:1 |
| Crankshaft | Pontiac nodular-iron, 4.21-in stroke |
| Rotating Assembly Balanced | Yes |
Camshaft
|
| Brand | Lunati solid roller |
| Duration at 0.050 | 282/284-deg |
| Duration Advertised | 322/324-deg |
| Lift With Specified Rocker Arms | 0.710/0.710-in |
| Lobe Separation Angle | 106-deg |
| Installed Position | 104-deg |
| Rocker Arms | Scorpion roller 1.5/1.65:1 ratio |
Ignition
|
| Distributor | MSD Pro-Billet |
| Amplifier | MSD 7AL-3 |
| Coil | MSD Pro |
| Wires | MSD 8mm |
| Spark Plugs | NGK TR-6 |
| Total Timing | 34-deg |
| Rpm That Total Timing Is Reached | Mechanical advance |
| | locked out |
Exhaust
|
| Headers | Nunzi four-tube full-length |
| Primaries | 2.00-in |
| Collectors | 3.50-in |
| Exhaust Pipes | None |
| Mufflers | None |
| Crossover | None |
Drivetrain
|
| Transmission | Turbo 400 Ultra Bell, reverse manual valvebody with transbrake |
| Converter | ATI 8-in Tree Master, 5,200-rpm stall |
| Shifter | Cheetah C02 activated |
| Rear | GM 12-bolt |
| Rear Gear Ratio | 4.33:1 |
| Spool | Moser Pro Series |
| Axles | Moser, 33 spline |
Chassis and Suspension
|
| Brakes F/R | Wilwood four-wheel disc, four-piston calipers |
| Wheels F/R | Centerline Convo Pro 15x4 / 15x14 |
| Tires F/R | Goodyear 26x4.5x15 / 33x15x15 |
| Tire Pressure F/R | 40 psi/7 psi |
Suspension Front
|
| Springs | Moroso Trick |
| Control Arms | Stock |
| Stabilizer Bar | None |
| Shocks | Koni three-way adjustable, set at middle |
| Other Features | Rack-and-pinion steering |
Suspension Rear
|
| Springs | Aldan coil |
| Shocks | Aldan |
| Antiroll Bar | CE |
| Other Features | Ladder bars |
| Chassis Mods | 12-point rollbar |
The Rest
|
| Interior Mods | RCI seat, aluminum dash, Auto Meter gauges, removable steering wheel |
| Exterior Mods | Fiberglass hood with aero scoop, fiberglass trunk lid |
| Safety Mods | SFI-approved drivetrain parts, 5-point RCI harness, window net, driveshaft safety loop, tranny scattershield |
| Color | Bright Metallic Blue |
| Launch Technique | Release transbrake button |
| Best 1/8-mile E.T./MPH Prior to Event | 5.94/114.02 mph on motor |
| Best 1/4-mile E.T./MPH Prior to Event | 9.43/140.21 mph on motor |