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Pontiac Pavement Pounders Shootout SoCal Edition, Part I
Owner Bio: Steve Bonaparte Riverside, California's Steve Bonaparte's most memorable moment with his '68 Firebird was one of the more unusual we have ever heard of. "The tranny locked up at 130 mph, after I let off at the end of a run at LACR," he says. "It spun backward, putting the left front corner into the wall, and then spun around again, tagging the left rear into the wall in the right lane." The Firebird sat for a few years until Steve got the urge to put it back together, and with new paint and a bright red flame job, he took the freshly completed race car to the 2000 Show-n-Go in Riverside and "won everything." He also took a class win at LACR in November 2003. Not a bad comeback! In addition to his Firebird race car, the 51-year-old also owns an '00 Firebird and previously held title to a '71 Grand Prix and a '76 Sunbird. He is currently building another race car for his wife, Chris, so they can each race their own. | Strip Specs | | Year/Model | '68 Firebird | | Race Weight | 3,360 lbs | | Curb Weight | 3,170 lbs | | Engine | '71 400 | | Cubic Inches Before/After Bore | 400/462 | | Compression Ratio | N/A | | Built By | Owner, wife Chris, Herb Hood, and Steve Anderson | | Fuel | Sunoco 112-octane | | Carburetor | Barry Grant King Demon 1095 | | Jets | Box stock | | Spacer Plate | Edelbrock 1-in | | Intake Manifold | Edelbrock Victor | | Fuel Pump | Aeromotive 350 GPH using 5/8-in line to regulator and 1/2-in from there | | Heads | Edelbrock 6507 | | Head Porting | Yes, 321/233 cfm at 0.700-in lift | | Valves | Manley stainless steel, 2.20/1.77 | | Pistons/Rings | JE forged, 4.181-inch bore/JE | | Rods | Crower forged, 6.625-in length | | Crankshaft | 455 Pontiac, cut to fit 3-in mains | | Rotating Assembly Balanced | Yes | | Camshaft | Comp Cams custom mechanical roller, 283/292 degrees duration at 0.050, 0.661/0.630-in lift using 1.5:1 Crane Gold Roller rocker arms, 110-deg LSA, 108-deg centerline | | Ignition | MSD billet dist., 6AL box, two-step, and 8mm wires | | Timing | 38 deg, all in at 1,500 rpm | | Exhaust | Custom-built headers by the late Kenny Moore of Positive Performance, with 2-in primary tubes and 4-in collectors | | Power Adder | None | | Converter | Munsinger 10-in, 3,500-stall speed | | Transmission | Hubbe's Performance Turbo 400, B&M Pro Ratchet shifter, J.W. transbrake, trans shield | | Rear | Currie 9-in, 40-spline axles, 4.11 gears, spool | | Brakes Front | GM discs 10.9-in | | Brakes Rear | Currie rear disc brake conversion | | Wheels/Tires Front | 15x5-in Centerlines/27x4.5 Moroso | | Wheels/Tires Rear | 15x10-in Centerlines/28x11 Goodyear slicks | | Tire Pressure Front/Rear | 25 psi/10 psi | | Suspension Front | Stock except for Koni shocks | | Suspension Rear | Stock except for Koni shocks and traction bars | | Chassis Modifications | Subframe connectors | | Interior Modifications | Interior gutted, then carpeted, sheetmetal interior door panels and dash, fiberglass racing seat | | Exterior Modifications | Fiberglass hood with scoop, rear deck spoiler | | Safety Modifications | 10-point rollcage, driveshaft safety loop, window loop, Simpson five-point harness, 2 years old | | Launch Technique | Transbrake launch at 3,000 rpm | | Best ET/MPH Prior to Event (1/4-Mile) | 10.20 at 135 at Palmdale |
| Strip Tuning Log | | Run #/Tuning | Launch RPM | Shift Point | 60-Foot Time | ET/MPH 1/8-Mile | ET/MPH 1/4-Mile | Corrected 1/4-Mile | | 1. 38 deg timing,10-psi tire pressure | 3,000 | 6,500 | 1.49 | 6.65/NA | 10.43/129.71 | 10.10/134.08 | | 2. Same | 3,000 | 6,500 | 1.47 | 6.60/NA | 10.37/130.11 | 10.04/134.50 | | 3. Same | 4,000 | 6,000 | 1.49 | 6.64/NA | 10.44/129.51 | 10.10/133.88 | | 4. Same | 3,000 | 6,500 | 1.53 | 6.68/NA | 10.47/129.52 | 10.14/133.88 | | 5. Same | 3,000 | 6,500 | 1.52 | 6.68/NA | 10.47/129.12 | 10.14/133.47 | | Run Analysis: Run 1) 0.002 reaction time; Run 5) good burnout - nailed reaction time |
Pontiac G6 Research
When looking for your next vehicle, think about the Pontiac G6, a stylish car with nice features. The G6 has a $1,250.00 cash rebate, which will help you save money on your next new car purchase. It can seat 5 people comfortably. You may also be interested in the Pontiac Solstice and the Pontiac Vibe.
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