Strip Specs
Year/Model: ’69 Firebird with ’68 body parts
Race Weight With Driver: 2,920 lbs
Curb Weight: 2,720 lbs
Fuel Level When Weighed: 3 gal
Fuel: VP Q-16
Engine: K&M Performance MR1 cast-iron
Built by: Mike Casey Racing
Cubic Inches Before/After: 535/535ci
Induction System
Air Cleaner: Sealed to hoodscoop
Carburetor: Dual Holley Dominators, 1,050-cfm
Jets: #90 square, 0.029 high-speed air bleeds
Spacer Plate: . . 1-in cast aluminum, built into manifold
Intake Manifold: Wenzler 2x4 tunnel ram
Fuel System
Pump: Product Engineering
Lines: -10 AN
Regulator: Product Engineering 4-port with return, set to 7 psi
Heads
Casting: Kauffman High Port with Cometic gaskets
Head Porting: Yes, CNC by Kauffman Racing Equipment
Flow Numbers: 406-/282-cfm at 0.800-in lift
Valves: Manley stainless-steel 2.25/1.75-in
Bottom End
Pistons: Diamond forged aluminum, domed, 4.350-in
Rings: Total Seal, gapless
Rods: GRP billet aluminum, 6.750-in length
Compression Ratio: 15.7:1
Crankshaft: Ohio Crankshaft, forged-steel, 4.500-in stroke
Rotating Assembly Balanced: Yes
Camshaft
Brand: Mike Casey Racing 4-7 and 3-2 swap, firing order 18726543
Duration at 0.050: 284/302-deg
Lift With Specified Rocker Arms: 0.869/0.823-in
Lobe Separation Angle: 112-deg
Installed Position: 109.25-deg
Rocker Arms: T&D, shaft-mount, 1.85:1 ratio
Ignition
Distributor: MSD Pro-Billet
Amplifier: MSD Digital 6 with dual 16-volt batteries
Coil: MSD Blaster II
Wires: MSD 8.5mm
Spark Plugs: Champion C59YC
Total Timing: 35-deg, locked
Rpm that total timing is reached: 20-degree retard until full at 900 rpm
Exhaust
Headers: Custom three-step
Primaries: 2.125-, 2.25-, 2.375-in,
Collectors: 4.00-in
Exhaust Pipes: 4.00-in
Mufflers: Dynomax, 4.00-in
Crossover: No
Drivetrain
Transmission: Coan Turbo 400 w/Mad Dog 2.10 First gear
Converter: Neal Chance rebuildable, two-piece, 9-in., 6,000-rpm stall
Shifter: Turbo Action CO2
Rear: Ford 9-in
Rear Gear Ratio: 4.11:1
Spool: Strange
Axles: Strange, 35 spline
Chassis and Suspension
Brakes F/R: Wilwood Forged Dynalite Drag
Wheels F/R: Weld Prostar 15x4 / 15x14
Tires F/R: Goodyear 26x4.5x15 / M/T ET Streets 32x17.5x15
Tire Pressure F/R: 37/10-psi
Suspension Front
Springs: Art Morrison 3x8-in
Struts: Art Morrison Drag with 3-in travel
Control Arms: Art Morrison tubular
Stabilizer Bar: None
Other Features: Pinto rack and pinion
Suspension Rear
Springs: Art Morrison 14-in coilovers
Shocks: Art Morrison, 6-in travel
Control Arms: Art Morrison four-link
Antiroll bar: Applied Racing Technology
Other Features: Art Morrison diagonal link
Chassis Mods: 2x3-in square-tube mild-steel by Art Morrison
The Rest
Interior Mods: Chris Alston Chassisworks aluminum tin kit, Lexan by Pro Glass, Ron Francis Wireworks wiring kit for street-legal, no delay box
Exterior Mods: ’68 two-piece fiberglass front clip, doors, decklid, and rear bumper; ’68 rear factory quarters, ’69 Trans Am wing
Safety Mods: NHRA-cert. 8.50 sportsman mild-steel rollcage, extra rollcage tubing, Stroud parachute, full engine oil containment pan, trans overflow container, locking trans dipstick, Canton 3-qt oil Accusump, power cutoff, fuel cutoff
Color: Chrysler Black Cherry
Launch Technique: . . Street Race—foot brake to 2,200 rpm / Bracket Race—transbrake launch at 4,000 rpm
Best 1⁄8-mile ET/MPH Prior to Event: 5.68/124
Best 1⁄4-mile ET/MPH Prior to Event: 8.59/158
Jerry Lendzion
Jerry, a 63-year-old retired millwright for General Motors (shown on left with crew chief Jeff Boucier), has been racing for 46 years. He purchased the shell of a ’69 Firebird in 1996 for $1 because he “wanted to build a drag car.” It’s special to him because “It was a life-sobering three-year project for personal satisfaction.” His favorite moment in it was its first street-legal cruise. In addition to his Firebird, Jerry owns a ’72 LeMans, which he uses on the street and the strip.
Strip Tuning Log |
| Run/Tuning |
Launch RPM |
Shift Pt. |
60-ft. |
1/8-mile |
1/4-mile |
| 1. 35-deg locked, 9.4 psi in rear tires |
3,500 |
6,600 |
1.32 |
5.70/122.79 |
8.89/154.42 |
| 2. Same |
4,000 |
6,800/
7,000 |
1.31 |
5.64/124.06 |
8.82/154.53 |
| Best Time Corrected |
8.54/159.55 |
| 3. 10 psi, 118-deg track temp, 129-deg tire temp |
4,000 |
6,800/
7000 |
1.32 |
5.67/123.94 |
8.84/154.32 |
| 4. Same |
4,800 |
6,800/
7000 |
1.31 |
5.67/123.58 |
8.85/154.30 |
| Run Notes: 1) Burn out, too much water, low tire temp; 2) Good burnout, good launch, car went straight; 3) Felt sweet, track was excellent; 4) More data, more fun. |