Owner Bio: Ken "Ace" Brewer
In the last few years, Ace Brewer's name has become closely associated with fast Pontiacs in Southern California. He is the owner of Pacific Performance Racing, a West Coast-based Pontiac engine-building facility. The 38-year-old San Pedro resident and his Firebird have a lot of history. "I've owned this car since high school," Ace says. "It has been sitting more than five years, as my attention has focused on customer cars." He has been working on it recently though, as his appearance at the SoCal shootout was the first time out with a new engine combination, a 400 punched to 421 cubes.
| Strip Specs |
| Year/Model: | '75 Trans Am |
| Race Weight: | 3,060 lbs |
| Curb Weight: | 2,860 lbs |
| Engine: | '74 400, block filled |
| Cubic Inches Before/After Bore: | 400/421 |
| Compression Ratio: | 13:1 |
| Built By: | Pacific Performance Racing |
| Fuel Used: | 110-octane Sunoco |
| Carburetor: | C&S Aerosol billet 1,100 cfm |
| Jets: | No. 107 square |
| Spacer Plate: | 2.5-in phenolic |
| Intake Manifold: | Warrior, modified and welded by Wilson Manifolds |
| Fuel System: | BG 400 pump, 1/2-in lines, BG fuel-pressure regulator at 8 psi |
| Heads: | Edelbrock 72 cc, cleaned up by Butler Performance to flow 295 cfm intake at 0.700 lift |
| Valves: | 2.11/1.66 Edelbrock |
| Pistons: | 4.23-in Venolia forged, domed |
| Rings: | Total Seal 0.043- 1/16-3/16 moly |
| Rods: | Cat H-Beam forged steel, 6.625-in length |
| Crankshaft: | Factory nodular iron 3.75-in stroke |
| Rotating Assembly Balanced: | Yes |
| Camshaft: | Lazer/PPR mechanical roller with 283/288-deg duration at 0.050, 0.652/0.667 lift with 1.5:1 Crower roller rockers, 104-deg LSA |
| Installed Position: | 4-deg advanced |
| Distributor: | MSD Crank Trigger system |
| RPM When Total Timing Is Achieved: | Locked at 35 deg |
| Exhaust: | Custom step headers by Dawson Headers, 2-in primaries, 2.125-in secondaries, 2.25-in intermediates, 4-in collectors |
| Power Adder: | None |
| Transmission: | Custom Turbo 400 by Steve Sharpe Transmissions, Torrance, CA, higher-friction clutches, transbrake |
| Converter: | Continental 8-in, 5,200 stall |
| Shifter: | Dixie electric |
| Rear: | Ford 9-in, 4.88 gears, spool |
| Brakes Front: | Stock GM 10.9-in discs |
| Brakes Rear: | Stock GM 9.5-in drums |
| Wheels/Tires Front: | 15x4 Weld Drag Stars / Moroso 15x5.5 front runners |
| Wheels/Tires Rear: | 15x12 Weld Drag Stars / M/T radial slicks, 14x32x15 |
| Tire Pressure Front/Rear: | 45 psi/15 psi |
| Suspension Front: | Stock, with front swaybar removed |
| Suspension Rear: | Complete custom backhalf by Fast Ray at H&M Motorsports, wheel tubs, with four-link suspension Koni coilovers |
| Chassis Modifications: | Custom eight-point rollcage, subframe connectors, by Fast Ray at H&M Motorsports |
| Interior Modifications: | Aluminum with fiberglass racing seat by Fast Ray at H&M Motorsports |
| Exterior Modifications: | VFN Fiberglass '79 front end (with aero scoop) and doors and Lexan windows |
| Safety Modifications: | Eight-point rollcage, driveshaft safety loop, Simpson five-way harness, and window net, SFI-approved drivetrain parts |
| Custom Computer Programming: | None |
| Launch Technique: | Footbrake at 4,000 rpm |
| Best ET/MPH Prior to Event (1/4-Mile): | New combo |
| Strip Tuning Log |
Run | Tuning | Launch RPM | Shift Point | 60-FT | 1/8 E.T./MPH | 1/4 E.T./MPH | Corrected 1/4 Mile |
| 1. | 15 psi, 35 deg timing | 4,000 | 6,000 | N/A | N/A | 10.19/133 | 9.86/137.48 |
| 2. | Same | 4,000 | 7,000 | 1.48 | 6.54/104.3 | 10.27/132 | 9.94/136.44 |
| 3. | Same | 4,000 | 7,000 | 1.40 | 6.43/106.2 | 10.13/133 | 9.80/137.48 |
| 4. | Same | 4,000 | 7,000 | 1.47 | 6.51/105.5 | 10.27/132 | 9.94/136.44 |
| Run Analysis: Run 2) missed Second gear; Run 4) broke throttle rod |