[Jim Rotella]

That was the same red SD 455 Trans Am that was tested in Car & Driver and Hot Rod. I believe the top speed was limited because the flat out testing was done on the back stretch of the Ontario Motor Speedway. That straightaway was described as a 2500 foot stretch. Not much distance to get up to 130+ mph. Actually, that same car ran an observed top speed of 132 mph in the Car & Driver article.

[Jim Rotella]

Originally Posted by bossbirdta

i think this is the british mag your thinking of.....it tested a White on White 72 4-spd. car...

That's it!

That same car was tested in the March '72 Car Craft article "Redskin Revue". A 455 HO 4 speed car with a/c and it ran 14.31 @ 98.46 mph. The British magazine pushed that car to 14.21 @ 99.44. Not far off from the '74 SD 455 tested in Super Stock.

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by starlightblack

One of the weirder tests was Motor Trend's flat-out American Classic where they pitted the SD-455 T/A against a 454 Chevelle Laguna, 440 Charger, 401 AMX, 455 Buick Brand Sport and a 351HO Mustang. Lame 15.0@98 for the SD-455...she must have been feeling sick. 124 mph top-speed meant it won the test though; 3.42s non AC car again. Next closest was the charger at 121.

That IS pretty LAME.......

Cars Magazine (April 78) ran a best of 15.31 @ 92.87 in a WS6/W72 4 speed T/A with the Nunz behind the wheel,and indicated that wheel hop & traction issues were holding them back.

Motor Trend (Oct 78) got a best of 15.3 @ 96.6 in a 79 T/A WS6 W72 4 speed & a TOP SPEED of 124 MPH!

(and BOTH of these cars had the original SINGLE restrictive pancake cat. exhaust on them)

Super Duty WHAT

Look OUT SD 455,the little 400 wants to pass!

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by starlightblack

get yourself a copy of Brookland Books 1967-1972 Firebird Road Tests compilation - the Brit test you speak of is in there.

Thanks for the tip!

although I'll keep that in mind as a possibility, ther's just something about finding these old magazines, flipping through them, seeing the old adds... Almost like they're little tim capsules.

[bossbirdta]

Originally Posted by Jim Rotella

That's it!

That same car was tested in the March '72 Car Craft article "Redskin Revue". A 455 HO 4 speed car with a/c and it ran 14.31 @ 98.46 mph. The British magazine pushed that car to 14.21 @ 99.44. Not far off from the '74 SD 455 tested in Super Stock.

VERY interesting! i never thought of those two cars as being one in the same....obviously there was a wheel and tire change from article to the other......

[Jim Rotella]

Originally Posted by bossbirdta

VERY interesting! i never thought of those two cars as being one in the same....obviously there was a wheel and tire change from article to the other......

Yes bossbirdta, there was a wheel and tire change as the car was delivered to Mickey Thompson's Advance Engineering. It was there that the switch to Radial T/A's and American Racing Mags took place.

[Jim Rotella]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

That IS pretty LAME.......

Cars Magazine (April 78) ran a best of 15.31 @ 92.87 in a WS6/W72 4 speed T/A with the Nunz behind the wheel,and indicated that wheel hop & traction issues were holding them back.

Motor Trend (Oct 78) got a best of 15.3 @ 96.6 in a 79 T/A WS6 W72 4 speed & a TOP SPEED of 124 MPH!

(and BOTH of these cars had the original SINGLE restrictive pancake cat. exhaust on them)

Super Duty WHAT

Look OUT SD 455,the little 400 wants to pass!

Joe Oldham of Cars Magazine got a different '72 4 speed T/A to turn a 14.04 at over 103 mph after a super tune by Nunzi. This one was a blue car with no a/c and 3.42 gears. Pontiac let Joe have the car for an extensive 2500 mile road test. What a tough job!!!

[bossbirdta]

Originally Posted by Jim Rotella

Yes bossbirdta, there was a wheel and tire change as the car was delivered to Mickey Thompson's Advance Engineering. It was there that the switch to Radial T/A's and American Racing Mags took place.

great bit of info. thanks for the history lesson Jim!