[SD455DJ]

lm afraid so Jody...

[Colin W]

Dennis,

No offense taken; my appreciation for your detailed response was sincere. Outlining all that needed to be done really killed my drive to participate. Admittedly, I'm a young man, and I do believe our values are different at this time.

I have all of the original parts and paperwork to return my GT-37 to stock (the plan at some point). Needless to say, that will not be happening in the foreseeable future.

As far as my attendance goes, I've spectated the past three years. While I'd love to come this year, I have plans to attend Hearse-Fest in Hell, Michigan, the same weekend.

Hopefully everyone has fun and is safe this year! Fortunately, you won't have the luxury of being able to invite me into the tech tent for further inspection. I have a feeling that would make me uncomfortable!

[SD455DJ]

Colin, I believe we're more alike than you think. My 70 LeMans is factory original 350 2-bbl/Muncie M-20 4-spd/3.23 posi 4-door sedan that now has a 400 hp/510 lbft torque 464 (455 + 0.040) and a 3.07 12-bolt posi that should run 12's. I love the car, but I like my other factory original cars too. I have a '74 GTO that I'm going to build a 'what-if' 400 4-bbl BW ST-10 4-speed with a 3.42 posi that wasn't available, but should have been. I like the pure stockers, survivors and the modifieds all the same.

Have fun at the Hearse Fest, sounds very interesting to say the least.

Dennis

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by threefidee

Dennis,

So you are telling me I have to take my twin turbo LS motor out for this race I guess I have some work to do but I will be there !

jHOdy

BAH-HA-HA!!

[gloryrestoparts]

Originally Posted by gloryrestoparts

well, as some have seen in another thread, it doesn't look like my car will be there since it's currently getting repaired. However, I will be there, just not sure which vehicle. Or maybe I'm towing my buddy's car which we are working on at the moment.

well, I will have a red Pontiac 400 4sp there. Just not the usual A-body. It will be an F-body.

[gloryrestoparts]

for those that made it, a good friend was nice enough to let me flog his 79 T/A 400 4sp. The car has never been on the track before. This is the first year the Pure Stock Drags allowed certain 75-79 models and this "late model" was the only one to participate. It also wasn't the slowest car there. It was the 8th slowest. We dig zero tuning to the car. No clamping of the springs, nothing. In between the violent wheel hop, I managed to qualify at a 14.97 @ 94. I was matched up with a buddy who was running his wife's 70 El Camino 396 4sp car (he's a member here and used to own the only other GT-37 to participate in the Pure Stock Drags). I managed to win the best 2 out of 3 shootout.

It was so much fun running a different car. In qualifications on fri I even managed to take out a 69 GTO

[gloryrestoparts]

well, my W-31 isn't ready. isn't even close really, but the paint and body is done. So, that means the "back up" car comes out. People will get to see the new paint job on the GT-37. The major thing missing will be the hood pins, a little nervous drilling holes in the freshly painted and rust free hood. Eventually those hood pins go on, but I have a few other things to do first. Two weeks from today I will be teching my car in before the main event begins.

The Boss, will I be the only GT-37 there?

[The Boss]

You will Chris but glad to see there will be one at least!

Not in the cards for me this year but still a bucket list item for me. Got the car down to 13.25 at Norwalk and lifted on the next run (still broke out) so likely better. Looking for the 12's but not sure I or the car have it in me.

[S Courter]

Chris...Still love the pictures of us at the beginning of this post. Seems so long ago. Don't have my GT37 anymore. Wife says we shouldn't have sold it. I have something almost like it now but maybe even rarer. 73 Lemans GT 400 4bbl Auto 3:23 posi no A/C 52 thousand one owner miles.

[ponchjoe]

Steve,

That car brings back memories! My dad had one just like it but with the 350 2bbl, 3 spd. Beautiful car, thanks for sharing.

[gloryrestoparts]

I never really updated this with the results from 2017. The freshly painted GT-37 was back but sadly the valve springs are worn from street driving (some spirited, obviously) and 6 years of racing, so the car struggled to run 13.20s. As of now the car is semi-retired while I concentrate on my Olds. She will be back after a refreshing, but not sure when.

This past Jan I bought a 68 Firebird, factory 400 car. export car, factory heater delete. Originally autumn bronze with a parchment interior, but a prior owner repainted flambeau burgundy. 3.08 open rear. While the plan was to debut my Olds at the Pure Stock Drags this year anyone who has restored a car knows it takes longer than planned. So, two months ago I knew the car wasn't going to make it. That meant pressing the Firebird into duty. I had already removed the Dougs headers earlier in the year and installed long branches. I still needed to replace the e'brock intake, carb and air cleaner. I got everything taken care of and my wife and I were able to switch off racing the car during qualifications on Fri. The quicker time would run it Sat during the shootouts. As I have more seat time in general racing, the winner was me. It's very first pass ever down the track ended up being the qualifying time, 14.80 @ 93 with a 2.17 60' From a 3.08 open car with a 70 big car short block with unknown internals but runs on 92 octane, I'll take it. I was able to also run 14.90, 15.01 and 14.87. All my runs were 92/93mph, so it was consistent. 60' were in mainly 2.23 or 2.28. There was no tuning or prep with the car prior to racing. I just made sure nothing leaked. I did put a timing light on it half way through Fri and bumped the timing up, but nothing else was done to the car. It ran what it ran. Sat I made a couple passes in the morning, same mph, but I lost 4 tenths with a couple 15.2 runs.

Time for the shootouts. The car I was paired against, Boss 302 mustang, broke earlier in the day. The next fastest pair, one car had carb trouble so it was out too. I got paired up against a supercharged Stude, my 14.80 vs his 14.74, so I had my work cut out for me. I also found out he put in a fresh motor four days ago. Well, needless to say, I brought the A game to the shootouts. Clean sweep in all three rounds. I tree'd him each time and was able to hold him off even though he had the quicker and faster et and mph. 14.48 @ 95.8 with a 2.14 60' followed by 14.64 @ 95 with a 2.20 60' and lastly a 14.71 @ 95 with a 2.26 60', some spinning on the last run and had to peddle a little bit. To be able to run a 14.48 @ almost 96 with a 2.14 60' from a 3.08 open rear car, I'm still amazed and in disbelief. Most importantly I was able to drive the car into the trailer when finished as I have enough broken cars at the moment. I'm very happy with the way the car ran.

To top it off, ended up talking with Bob Ashton friday evening after qualifications and he informed us the Pure Stock Drags display at MCACN is lacking a Pontiac. So ended up talking with the fellow racer who organizes the display and the firebird will be going to MCACN .... in my wife's name, as I'll be busy with my W-31 in the W-31 invitation display.

Attached is a pic of my wife showing the passenger rear tire no mercy. My friend in the 442 convert is in the other lane.

[SD455DJ]

Chris, your '68 was very impressive and ran fantastic for a 3.08 open rear. Do you recall what it weighed?

Dennis

[The Boss]

Great update Chris!

Remember, a bad day of racing is always better than a good day doing just about anything.

[gloryrestoparts]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

Chris, your '68 was very impressive and ran fantastic for a 3.08 open rear. Do you recall what it weighed?

Dennis

3612 with me and 3/4 tank of fuel. it weighed more than I thought, so I guess I need to figure out where all the weight is. Since this was my first endeavor with a leaf spring car, I figured better to have extra fuel just in case. I wasn't sure how many runs my wife and I would have, so filled it up some. We made 16 runs total.

[SD455DJ]

Chris, once we review the results and Dan craft's the spreadsheet that has weights of all the cars, this will show us if the scales were off or not. Sometimes they tend to read heavy by 100 to 200 lbs if they weren't calibrated correctly. We will let you know soon.

Dennis

[OCMDGTO]

Gloryresto, Great update and very impressive for 3.08s and one wheel peel! Very nice looking car also!

[Judge273]

Can't wait to see your cars and you guys at MCACN!

[SD455DJ]

Likewise Mike!

[carpoor]

Great looking car! Bet it will wake up nice with the addition of a posi and some gears.

[gloryrestoparts]

a post Pure Stock Drags bump. The GT-37 didn't make it as I finally, FINALLY!!! debuted my 69 W-31. Even though rain delayed us fri, it was still a GREAT time. Into a stiff head wind the W-Machine managed to qualify at 13.06 @ 105.31. Lots of great comments on the car since it's a factory GM color no one has ever seen on a GM A-body before (powder blue for those scoring at home). It's the original color, a Tornado exclusive color which the woman who bought my car new paid extra for.

For Pontiac related news, the GT-37 had the top end of the motor refreshed. new valve seals, springs, retainers and keepers. leak down test showed great numbers. Last major thing is swapping the M-21 for an M-20 and we are heading to Maryland International Raceway at the end of Oct for a FAST/Factory Stock race. I'm VERY much looking forward to that. However, I am planning a little "tune-up" on Fri Oct 11 for the Fall Martin FAST/FS race.