Screaming toward the top end...
Screaming toward the top end at Atco, the LeMans ran high-11s on this unseasonably warm 70-degree November day at the Pontiac Fall Nats.
Bear in mind there are also some differences between the dyno combo and the in-car combo. Bill decided to get a Holley 850 DP like the dyno carb, and it's set up similar to it, but jet changes are made to suit weather and track conditions. Though the headers are close to the same configuration as the dyno set, Bill's street car runs a full exhaust system that's not uncorked at the track. Compared to the dyno, in the car, the engine breathes through an air cleaner, drives accessories, and uses a different fuel system.
| ’74 LeMans Sport Strip Specs |
| Ancillary Engine Components |
| Air Cleaner | K&N |
| Carburetor | 850 DP set up like dyno carb |
| Jets | No. 82/84 at track |
| Spacer | Wilson 1-in aluminum tapered |
| Fuel Pump | Mallory 140 |
| Lines | -10 from tank with sump, -8 to reg, -6 to carb |
| Regulator | Mallory set at 7 psi |
| Headers | Hooker 1.75-in primaries, 3-in collectors |
| Exhaust | Kooks 3-in x-type pipe, Spintech mufflers |
| Timing | 36-deg |
| Drivetrain |
| Transmission | Ford AOD, done by FB transmissions in Long Island, NY; SFI bellhousing to mate Ford trans to GM |
| Converter | Pro Torque 10-in, 3,500, (flash to 3,800 rpm) |
| Shifter | B&M Pro Ratchet |
| Rear | Factory 8.5-in, 3.90:1 gears, Detroit locker, Mark Williams axles |
| ,Chassis and Suspension |
| Brakes F/R | SSBC caliper, slotted 11-in rotors/stock drum, ABS Power Brakes master-cylinder electric accumulator |
| Wheels F/R | Weld Rodlite 15x6/15x8 |
| Tires F/R | Goodyear Aquatred 215/70R15/M/T 275/60-15 Drag Radials |
| Tire Pressure F/R | 35 psi/20 psi |
| Suspension Fr | Stock with 90/10 drag shocks |
| Suspension Rr | Dick Miller Racing bolt-on 4-Link, pinion set at 2.5-deg neg., adj QA1 set at 3 soft |
| Chassis Mods | Six-point bar |
Conclusion
Was this project successful? The 12.56 e.t. 4,400-pound LeMans now runs 11.78. According to Bill, "I feel a big difference in power on the track and on the street, but it drives like a stocker around town. It idles well and doesn't run hot. I feel like I could drive this car across country." Sounds like Bill got what he desired from the new JTES combo. Follow the plan outlined here and you can, too.