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Owner Bio: Larry Snyder
For many Pontiac fans, the decision to convert a hot street car to a dedicated racer is a tough one, and many opt to walk the fine line between street and strip. Lincolnton, North Carolina's Larry Snyder is not one of those people. After two years of street use, he took the racecar plunge with his '77 Firebird Formula and never looked back. The 38-year-old owner of Precision Automotive Specialists has been racing since he was 16. He purchased the Bird in 1990 from a co-worker and soon got to work. It was a solid but neglected example, and as such, was the perfect base to build a strong-running racecar. Going fast is all about power-to-weight, so in addition to a very potent 455 under the scooped hood, Larry put the Formula on a diet to drop the pounds. After all, a race-only machine can dispense with the creature comforts and take advantage of lightweight replacement body panels. Larry has done both and dropped close to 800 pounds out of his Firebird. It is now a svelte 3,225 pounds with him in it. Larry's friend Hank Skocz, shown with Larry, did the paint job. Snyder says his favorite times in the Formula are "every spring when I get behind the wheel and drop the hammer for the first time. Wheelstanders rule!" In addition to the racecar, Larry's current project is his Pro Street '68 Firebird. | Strip Specs | | Year/Model: | '77 Firebird Formula | | Race Weight: | 3,225 lbs | | Curb Weight: | 3,055 lbs | | Engine: | '72 YH-code 455 | | Cubic Inches Before/After Bore: | 455/470 | | Built By: | Larry Snyder | | Type of Fuel: | Sunoco 110 octane | | Carburetor: | Barry Grant 1,024-cfm Gold Claw, jets #86/#94 | | Spacer Plate: | Phenolic 1-in, four-hole, blended for improved flow | | Intake Manifold: | Edelbrock Victor | | Fuel System: | Mallory 250-gph electric pump, 1/2-in aluminum lines, and Mallory regulator set to 7 psi | | Heads: | '67 #670, ported | | Flow Numbers: | N/A | | Valves: | 2.11/1.77-in Ferrea stainless | | Pistons/Rings: | Ross forged 4.215-in/Sealed Power moly | | Rods: | Crower Sportsman forged, 6.625-in | | Compression Ratio: | 12.2:1 | | Crankshaft: | Stock nodular-iron 455, 4.21-in stroke | | Rotating Assembly Balanced: | Yes | | Camshaft: | Crane mechanical flat-tappet | | Camshaft Specs: | 260/268-deg dur. at 0.050, 0.583/0.603 lift | | Rocker Arms: | 1.65:1 Harland Sharp | | Camshaft LSA: | 108-deg | | Camshaft Centerline: | 105-deg | | Installed Position: | Straight up | | Ignition: | GM HEI, MSD 6AL and wires, ACCEL #134 plugs | | Total Timing: | 36-deg all in by 2,400 rpm | | Exhaust: | Hooker 2-in primary headers, 3.5-in collectors | | Power Adder: | None | | Transmission: | GM Turbo 400, performance rebuild, transbrake | | Converter: | TCI 9-in, 4,800-rpm stall, built by Gary Bruce at TCI | | Shifter: | B&M Quicksilver | | Rear: | GM 12-bolt, 4.10:1 gears, Strange 33-spline axles and spool, billet caps, C-clip eliminator, LPW Ultimate Series billet cover | | Brakes F/R: | Aerospace lightweight discs/stock 9.5-in drums (lightened) | | Wheels F/R: | Weld ProStars 15x3.5/15x10 | | Tires F/R: | Moroso 15x7.6/Hoosier 31x10.5x15 | | Tire Pressure: | 35 psi/9.5 psi | | Suspension Fr: | Moroso Trick Springs, Koni SPA-1 shocks, stock stabilizer bar removed, Wilwood rack-and-pinion steering | | Suspension Rr: | CalTrac bars, monoleaf springs, Koni SPA-1 shocks | | Chassis Mods: | Custom welded-in subframe connectors and eight-point rollcage | | Interior Mods: | Sweet Manufacturing steering column and quick-release steering wheel, aluminum door panels, Jaz Racing seats | | Exterior Mods: | Fiberglass hood with Pro-Stock scoop, lexan door windows with powder-coated frames, shaved door handles, and sideview mirrors | | Safety Mods: | Eight-point rollcage, driveshaft safety loop, five-way harness (current) SFI-approved drivetrain parts | | Paint: | Custom blue and silver | | Launch Technique: | Flash the torque converter to approximately 4,600 rpm as the transbrake releases | | Best ET/MPH Prior to Event (1/4-mile): | 10.13 at 129.9, Virginia Motorsports Park | | Best ET/MPH Prior to Event (1/8-mile): | 6.30 at 108, Savannah Dragway |
| STRIP TUNING LOG | | Run | Tuning | Launch RPM | Shift Point | 60-FT | 1/8 E.T./MPH | 1/4 E.T./MPH | | 1 | 9.5 psi slicks, 38-deg timing, 2-deg retard above 5,000 rpm | 3,000 | 6,000/6,300 | 1.4 | 6.47/105.39 | 10.24/129.10 | | 2 | Same, except 6-deg retard above 5,000 | 4,000 | 6,000/6,300 | 1.39 | 6.45/105.40 | 10.22/129.24 | | 3 | Same, except 10 psi in slicks | 4,800 | 6,000/6,300 | 1.4 | 6.46/105.61 | 10.21/129.90 | | 4 | 9.5 psi slicks, 6-deg retard (32 total above 5,000 rpm) | 3,200 | 6,200 | 1.4 | 6.45/105.60 | 10.20/129.87 | | BEST PASS CORRECTED | 9.71/136.45 | | Run notes: 1) Good pass, intense sun, poor air quality; 2) Seems to pull harder on the top end; 3) Spun some, hit the tires too hard; 4) Seems to be a good combination for this track under these conditions. |
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