Driver Bio: Joel Larkin
Owner: Pete McCarthy
Though he casts a pretty intimidating shadow, Joel Larkin is actually an approachable and friendly guy. The 41-year-old Ventura, California, resident has been racing for more than half his life and has owned a variety of Pontiacs, including a '39 street rod, a '62 limo, a '65 GTO, and a variety of Firebirds, including multiple '67 convertibles, '68 coupes, and '69-'72 Trans Ams. He is also a founder of both Pontiac Drag Days and the Outlaw Pontiac Racers Association. This particular Firebird has an interesting story, originally being built as a bracket car and engine research testbed. "The car was entrusted to me in 1999 by noted Pontiac author and researcher, Pete McCarthy," Joel says. "I have built various engine combinations since that time. Because racing in NHRA Super Stock has always been a goal, I built the S/S-legal combo for the '03 and '04 seasons."
| Strip Specs |
| Year/Model: | '67 Firebird |
| Race Weight: | 3,100 lbs |
| Curb Weight: | 3,350 lbs |
| Engine: | '68 400 |
| Cubic Inches Before/After Bore: | 400/414 |
| Compression Ratio: | 11:1 |
| Built By: | Joel Larkin |
| Fuel Used: | VP 110 octane |
| Carburetor: | 750-cfm Rochester Quadrajet |
| Jets/Metering Rods: | 0.074 primaries / 0.044 DA secondaries |
| Spacer Plate: | Wood, custom by Pete McCarthy |
| Intake Manifold: | Warrior, modified by Pete McCarthy |
| Fuel System: | Magna 280, 5/8-in fuel lines, Mallory fuel-pressure regulator set at 6 psi |
| Heads: | '67 No. 670, ported by Pete McCarthy to flow 225 cfm intake |
| Valves: | 2.11/1.77 Manley stainless |
| Pistons: | 4.19 JE forged flat-top |
| Rings: | Childs & Albert chrome-moly |
| Rods: | Crower forged steel, stock length |
| Crankshaft: | Stock nodular iron, 3.75-in stroke |
| Rotating Assembly Balanced: | Yes |
| Camshaft: | Bullet Cams mechanical roller, 283-deg duration at 0.050, 0.668-in lift with 1.5:1 roller rockers, 104-deg lobe centerlines |
| Installed Position: | Straight up |
| Distributor: | MSD crank trigger system |
| RPM When Total Timing Is Achieved: | 3,000 |
| Exhaust: | Custom step headers by Tom Dawson of Dawson Headers, 1.875-in primaries, 2-in secondaries and 2.125-in intermediates, 3.5-in collectors |
| Power Adder: | None |
| Transmission: | Turbo 350 by Rossler, custom shift kit, transbrake |
| Converter: | ATI 8-in, 5,000 stall |
| Shifter: | Hurst |
| Brakes Front: | Wilwood disc conversion |
| Brakes Rear: | 9.5-in aluminum drums |
| Rear: | 12-bolt GM with 5.14 gears and spool |
| Wheels/Tires Front: | 15x5-in Weld wheels / 15x5 M/T |
| Wheels/Tires Rear: | 15x14-in Weld wheels / 14x32x15 Mickey Thompson drag slicks |
| Tire Pressure Front/Rear: | 35 psi/7 psi |
| Suspension Front: | Stock GM upgraded with Moroso coil springs, Competition Engineering 90/10 shocks, swaybar removed |
| Suspension Rear: | Custom ladder bar by Tom Dawson with wheel tubs, AVO coilovers and custom wheelie bars |
| Chassis Modifications: | Back-half conversion with subframe connectors by Tom Dawson in the mid-'90s, NHRA-certified chassis |
| Interior Modifications: | Rear seat removed to accommodate tubs, JAZ race seat |
| Exterior Modifications: | Custom paint scheme by Joel Larkin, mimicking the Royal Bobcat Firebirds of the '60s |
| Safety Modifications: | NHRA-legal rollcage, driveshaft safety loop, JAZ belts, SFI-approved drivetrain parts |
| Custom Computer Programming: | None |
| Launch Technique: | Transbrake launch at 5,000 rpm |
| Best ET/MPH Prior to eventt (1/4-Mile): | 9.44 at 144 in bracket trim, 10.30 at 128 in Super Stock trim |
| 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. | 39 deg timing, 0.052-sec rods | 4,500 | 7,000 | 1.47 | 6.93 | 10.98/121.16 | 10.62/125.24 |
| 2. | 39 deg timing, 0.056-sec rods | 4,500 | 7,000 | 1.47 | 6.91 | 10.94/121.04 | 10.58/125.11 |
| 3. | Same | 4,500 | 7,000 | 1.48 | 6.91 | 10.96/120.93 | 10.60/125.00 |
| Run Analysis: Run 1) good launch; Run 2) consistent launch; Run 3) almost identical run |