"Don't ever tell me that the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon" - Unknown
Prologue:
Welcome to my blog! It is meant to be read as a book, and not really a blog though. Unlike most blogs where the newest post is at the top, this one is more of a classic approach, pun intended, where the latest post is at the last page like it should be. On the right side of the page is a blog archive to help you navigate, similar to a table of contents, but ignore the dates. You're about to read a story that is not only about a person's dreams, but is also humorous, educational, and technical. I truly hope that you enjoy this, as it is one hell of a true story:
When I was sixteen I worked all summer long to save enough money in order to buy my first car. I wanted something fast, but I couldn't afford a super car, and one of those Japanese sport compact cars that all of my peers lusted just wasn't appealing enough for me. After searching the classifieds for weeks I stumbled across an ad for a $1700 1969 Pontiac Tempest....not having any clue what it was I went to look at it. Faded paint and completely original, I fell in love and bought it on sight. The first modification that I did to it was chop the exhaust and add some old school high flow fiberglass infused mufflers (aka glass packs) which would set off every car alarm in any given parking lot.
After getting a few speeding tickets, noise ordinance violations, and serving as my daily commuter for some time, I got fancy with it and added a performance intake, exhaust, and ignition system. As brave as I was, I decided to take it racing on the street and learned that it was alright, but just couldn't hang with the Camaros and Trans Ams at the local cruise. As time went on, I built a new engine for it when I was eighteen to replace the tired, oil leaking, 265 horspower 350 engine and TH350 slush-box transmission.
Engine Build Sheet
Pontiac 412, estimated 420 horsepower and 480 pound feet of torque
BLOCK: 1974 Pontiac 400 block, .060” overbore to 4.180” total, standard deck height,ARP
Main studs
PISTONS: Speedpro forged aluminum flat top pistons, moly rings, 1.714” comp distance,
piston vol. +6.7cc with 4 valve reliefs
CRANSHAFT: Stock 3.75” stroke crank shaft, mains and rods cut .010”
RODS: Stock, shot peened, ARP fastners
OILING: Stock oil pan & windage tray, Melling high pressure oil pump with
chromemoly drive shaft, Kaufman racing Crank scraper
TIMING: Pete Jackson dual idler timing gears
CAM: Crower cam, 112 lobe centerline, advertised intake/exhaust duration =
284/290, Duration @ .050”= 228/235, lobe lift = .479” intake/.494” exhaust
HEADS: 1967 #670 casting heads milled .007” to 71cc, Ferrea 2.11”/1.77” racing
valves, mild porting, hardened valve seats, bronze guides, umbrella seals,
Felpro performance .039” head gasket, 10.19:1 final static compression ratio
VALVE TRAIN: Comp Cams Magnum roller tipped rocker arms 1.5 ratio, ARP rocker studs,
stock hydraulic lifters, chromemoly pushrods with guideplates
INTAKE: Edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum intake manifold, Holley 3310 750
CFM vacuum secondary carb, 76/72 jets
FUEL: Returnless mechanical Carter 120 gph pump, Stock 3/8” fuel lines
IGNITION: Pontiac HEI distributor, Pertonix ignition module, 50000 volt coil, 50 ohms
per foot wires
EXHAUST: Headman long tube headers, 1 7/8” primary tubes, 3” collectors, 2.5”
exhaust, Flowmaster 40 series 2 chamber mufflers
TRANS: TCI Street Fighter Crate Transmission rated to 550 horsepower
SFI 29.1 Approved Flexplate
2800 TCI Street Fighter Stall Converter
B&M Super cooler transmission cooler
B&M Mega Shifter, ratcheting forward pattern
Following this were numerous performance upgrades, some necessary, and some desired. I even got a paint job, which in the process has created some of the best memories of my life. It is called White Diamond Pearl Coat, the same amazingness that is sprayed on Cadillacs.
Some years have passed and things are no longer like they used to be. I drive the car as much as I can and get compliments all the time, but because I am a car crafter, I will always need to change something to improve it. That something right now is the engine, which I plan on making intensely more powerful. The car in its current configuration with the same engine is:
AUX. TRANS: Gear Vendors under/overdrive, multiplication drive ratio .78:1, final drive ratio
2:91:1
DRIVESHAFT: Stock shortened
REAR END: Chevrolet 12 Bolt
Timken bearings
Eaton Posi Unit
Richmond 3:73 fixed gear ratio
COOLING: Afco circle track racing radiator
High volume aluminum water pump
160 degree thermostat
Ford fan shroud with Ford 16”puller fan
Auxiliary 16” 2950CFM 10amp pusher fan
SUSPENSION: Mostly Stock
Stock shocks
12.7:1 quick ratio steering box
Rear Lakewood Lift bar lower control arms & polyurethane bushings
BRAKES: Manual front disk and rear drum
Adjustable proportioning valve
WHEELS: Centerline Autodrag satin aluminum wheels
Mickey Thompson 275-60/R15 Drag Radials
The car and has been through hell and back with only 16000 miles including a road trip to California, beating countless cars from stoplights including a Subaru Impreza STI, C6 Corvette, and Porsche Carrera, not to mention outrunning a couple cop cars in Colorado. In the process it has suffered a fractured flexplate, twisted oil pump drive shaft, a snapped rocker arm stud, a blown tire, and 3 fried starters in order to run an untuned 1/4th mile in 13.79 seconds @ 99 mph spinning the drag radials off the line with 1 missed shift (not bad huh?!). The thing about being into the hobby that I am into means that this is no longer enough speed for me, so the Tempest is going to live up to its name and become a hurricane on wheels using a big fat home made turbocharging system. The time has finally arrived to have a seriously fast car, one that will scare Ferrari drivers and make children cry.
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