[SD421]

Hi Tom,

On page 152 of Pete McCarthy's book, the stance of your LeMans begs a question.
Did you have it raised in the front because of the theory that it would give you better weight transfer?
Thanks,
Don

[tom s]

Remember that was built in 1964.We used a ladderbar-liftbar suspension like the T-bolts.We left the upper spring x member and cut the springs to fit.To make the car level we made alu spacers about 4-5 inch tall and put them between the front x member and the unibody frame.Learned a lot in 40 plus years.When i decided to build another I called Dave johnson and copied the White Warrior as I knew it worked.Look close at the pic on 152 and notice the wheel wells.I had a body man(darn good one)cut the fender ridge and move it up to look stock to get past NHRA tech and run bigger tires.Tom

[SD421]

Tom,
thanks for the response. Those must have been the days! I see what you are talking about concerning the wheel wells. I never noticed it before. Im only 36 and I can only imagine what those cars sounded like going down the dragstrip must have been like.

Was Tyree good to work with?? I hope Im not asking a senstive question. Ive met Jim Christiansen(#749) & Ive hung out at Pete McCarthy's house and I know that sometimes things arent all romantic like we think they were back then.
-Don

[tom s]

I was 18 years old and had the car and the desire but no experiance.Jess raced the car and I learned a lot from him and Mike Liebe who still races with Jess and built my present car.I talk to Jess still and is a friend.We had great times,figured out how to get around tech and push the limit of legal.Will remember those days the rest of my life.Highlight was winning the AHRA national event in AZ.Raced the car untill around 1970 on my own,set a few records,Lions was the home strip with racing in Orange County,Irwindale etc.Tom

[SD421]

So, the 11.89 record was with the 326 in the car?? Im just reading what it says in Pete's Book. Did you ever get to drive the car or was it just Tyree driving as you said in the previous post.

Thanks for the story about you and Tyree. That would have been extremely cool.

Did you just hang out at the shop while Tyree worked on the car?
Do you remember the A/FX "Mystery" coupe that Tyree raced too?
Thanks again for your time Tom,
-Don

[tom s]

NO,that was with the 421SD motor.I drove the car when I got it back from Jess.The 326 was not in the car very long.I put a 389 in the car and took it to Pomona and blew the 3 speed out of it.Took the car to Jess and he and a guy name Hanvey put the solid rear under the car.I raced the car with a hydro for awhile but ended up putting the 4 speed back in.Sold the car around 70-71 to buy a fishing boat and did not get back into the car deal untill the mid 90s when my kids were old enough to enjoy it.Built a 63 421 4speed GP for my oldest.Tom

[Jack Gifford]

My McCarthy book's only got 100 pages! What's the title of the book? Thanks.
Great stories, Tom.

[tom s]

Jack,it is the pontiac muscle car performance 1955-1979.Tyree is the reason I never graduated from college!His shop was at the corner of harbor and chapman in fullerton.The college was on chapman and my car would NOT go past his shop on the way to school!I was there the day he got his 63 SD cat,was there when the 63 SD coupes were there.Also when he raced a T Bolt and Butch Leal was there.LOTS of great times.Tom

[SD421]

Hi Tom,
So how did you afford the super duty 421 motor? Was the straight axle out of another Pontiac?

Jim Christiansen told me that he too had to go that route because the transaxle on his(A/FX 749) LeMans finally went south.

These are great stories!
-Don

[tom s]

I was working full time and lived at home and would get used parts from M/Ts shop to resell and fuel the hobby.My car never had a straight axle.That was the car Jess built when I took mine back.Also had a small sponsorship from Bill Barry pontiac that was setup by Jess.Nothing free just the right price.Tom

[tom s]

Sorry.thought you ment the front straight axle.The rear in my car was a 58 pontiac as is the one in my current car.Tom

[HotCat_63]

Tom thanks for Stan Antlocer's info we have been in contact quite often over these past two weeks, he's really full of information and great to talk to. I bought the 421 SD parts from him as well thanks again!

[elefantrider]

Make sure you have screw in studs installed in those 980s if you plan to run anything more than the stock mckeller cam.

[Engine-Ear]

This has been a GREAT thread, gents!

thanks Tom for giving us a written sketch of those details.

[HotCat_63]

These heads are going in a real SD thats under restoration, I've had many sets of 127's 980's with radical cam profiles a technique I have never have a problem with is threading the original studs then pin them this way I can use the original guideplates and no one could tell the difference! Trust me it's been used with lifts as high as .700+

[elefantrider]

Do you tap or helicoil the stud bosses after putting threads on the original studs? Curious as to how they stay in after threading.