Pontiac Pavement Pounders Shootout SoCal Edition, Part IV

OWNER BIO: Bill Bauer Jr.
If devotion to a single car could be measured, Orange, California's Bill Bauer would definitely rank high on any list. The 35-year-old bought this particular '71 LeMans Sport two days before his 16th birthday and has not owned another car--before or since. This is it. "I brought my wife, Betty, and newborn son, Jonathan, home from the hospital in this Pontiac, he says. "Of course, I had the 'It's a Boy!' sign across the back window." Bill also won the Pontiac Drag Days champion-ship in the car two times, in 1994 and 1996. His recipe for performance is one that allows for a fairly docile daily driver that offers both comfort and the ability to knock off 12-second e.t.'s. It's more than enough to discipline the typical SoCal imports that are seemingly everywhere.

Strip Specs
Year/Model:	'71 LeMans Sport
Race Weight:	4,040 lbs
Curb Weight:	3,740 lbs
Engine:	'71 455, code YC
Cubic Inches Before/After:	455/462
Compression Ratio:	9.6:1
Built By:	Owner
Fuel:	91-octane
Carburetor:	Brad Urban Stage 1 Rochester Q-jet
Jets:	0.079, 0.042 "K" primary rods, "AX" secondary rods, E hanger
Spacer Plate:	None
Intake Manifold:	Edelbrock Performer RPM
Fuel System:	Sumped stock tank, Mallory Comp 140 pump, 3.25-in Fram Competition filter, Summit billet regulator, AN No. 8 braided line (tank to filter), AN No. 6 line to regulator to Q-jet
Heads:	6X-4
Head Porting:	By Pete McCarthy, 255 cfm on intake
Valves:	Ferrea 2.11/1.77 in
Pistons:	TRW forged, 4.18-in bore (455 + 0.030), JBP lightweight pins
Rings:	Total Seal Moly
Rods:	Eagle forged, stock length
Crankshaft:	Stock 455 Pontiac
Rotating Assembly Balanced:	Yes
Camshaft:	Lazer hydraulic flat tappet with 235-240 deg duration at 0.050, 0.507/0.496-in lift with Crane 1.5:1 roller rockers, 106-deg LSA, 102-deg lobe centerline
Camshaft Installed Position:	Straight up
Distributor:	GM HEI with MSD 6AL
Total Timing:	34 deg at 2,800 rpm
Exhaust:	Doug's Headers, 1.75-in primaries, 3-in collectors, 3-in X-pipe, 3x18-in
Power Adder:	None
Torque Converter:	Continental "Jim Hand Special," 10-in, 3,200-stall speed
Transmission:	Turbo 400 by Hubbe Performance
Shifter:	Stock Pontiac floor
Rearend/Final Drive:	Pontiac 10-bolt with 3.36 gears, Safe-T-Track, Tom's Differentials K-A axles
Brakes Front:	Stock GM 10.9-in discs
Brakes Rear:	GM rear discs, with T/A rotors, Seville calipers, Sal Biondo line lock, 10-in dual-diaphragm booster from a '78-'87 G-body, pre-'91 Caprice aluminum master cylinder
Wheels/Tires Front:	15x7-in. Rally II / Goodyear 205/75R-15
Wheels/Tires Rear:	15x8-in Rally II / 28x10.5 M/T ET Drag, stiff sidewalls
Tire Pressure Front/Rear:	45 psi / 18 psi
Suspension Front:	Stock springs, gas shocks, poly bushings, later T/A 1.375-in swaybar
Suspension Rear:	Stock springs, gas shocks, 0.875-in swaybar, boxed control arms, poly bushings, GM rear stiffening braces
Chassis Modifications:	None
Interior Modifications:	Auto Meter gauges, Fiero bucket seats, converted from >column shift to floor shift and added console
Exterior Modifications:	Shaved emblems, GT-37-style hood pins, '72 steel front header panel, filled in nose to fender seam
Safety Modifications:	Stock belts, driveshaft loop
Custom Computer Programming:	None
Launch Technique:	1,300-rpm line-lock
Best ET/MPH Prior to Event (1/4 Mile):	12.38 at 109.27

STRIP TUNING LOG
Run	Tuning	Launch RPM	Shift Point	60-FT	ET/MPH 1/8-Mile	1/4 E.T./MPH	Corrected 1/4-Mile
1.	Timing 34 deg, DA secondary rods, water temp 160 deg, slicks 18 psi, fronts 50 psi	1,300	5,600	1.87	8.24/84.49	12.89/105.27	12.47/108.81
2.	AY secondary rods	1,300	5,600	1.81	8.16/84.81	12.79/105.51	12.42/109.06
3.	Same	1,300	5,600	1.83	8.16/84.94	12.79/105.92	12.42/109.48
4.	Timing 38 deg,water temp 150 deg
		1,300	5,600	1.87	8.19/85.27	12.79/106.47	12.37/110.05
5.	Slicks at 17 psi	1,500	5,600	1.80	8.12/85.01	12.75/105.71	12.34/109.27
Run 1) Baseline run, 4,700 rpm through the lights; 2) Dropped a tenth with just a rod change! 3) Launch was soft but car made up the deficit; 4) Tires spun slightly at launch; 5) Best launch of the day!