Pump Gas Drags: The Real Story!
 

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the support. Here is the scoop as I see it and a little information on the car as requested previously by a few interested people.

The Race: I broke the 472 2 months prior to the haul to Memphis. After many long nights of thrashing we made our first full pass in test-n-tune. 9.10 over 150. Next pass broke the sprag???? Yes, I said more 4 letter words in one hour than the previous 20 years. The premise of the race is 93 pump gas, tags, lights, insurance, mufflers, etc, drive it 34 miles through Memphis and race it as driven with the winner using the average of their 3 passes. No tuning allowed! ANY problems whatsoever... you are out! So after staying up all night to build the trans and make it to tech with 20 minutes to spare, I babied it first pass. Oops! Oh yeah, it was decided 2 weeks prior to the event that wheelie bars (in my opinion, not a "street car item") would be allowed. without them the winning car did not stand a chance! There... got that off my chest. Hot Rod put on a fun and special event to be proud of. The T/A performed marvelously. Buy the September issue to read about the struggles we overcame just to compete. Consider we were a tenth behind a car that weighed 2800 lbs with a motor "they" say can't make the power! Fellas, we got'em on the run!

The Car: 3520 lb race weight. Minitubbed, caged, 4-linked, Moser 9" rear, stock front frame with QA1R shocks and springs, 2 13.5" dual fans (street driven in Phoenix), reverse cooling package, 2" Hedmans, 3.5" full exhaust, Borla 16" XR-1's, ATI T400 with Griner brake, ATI 10" fuel and blown converter, 3.50 Richmond street gears and spool, Denny's shaft, IAII block (the finest block I have ever seen), Crower billet crank, Crower billet rods, Ross custom dished nitrous pistons, Edelbrock RPM WP heads with over 100 hours of home porting, Victor with over 40 hours of home porting, Smith Brothers push rods, Comp springs and retainers, BOP Engineering Belt driven top secret cam, MSD digital 6, 8252 coil, BOP Engineering belt driven distributor (one of my favorite pieces... all timing issues went away!), 1200 ProSystems carb, 2 NOS Big Shot plates, 10" Welds with 29X13.50 DOT Hoosiers, all built in my garage by a bunch of amateur street racers.

X-Factor: The chassis has been together for 4 years. Much effort and redneck engineering has been spent making it work. I have learned every part of the car so well I know how it will react before it happens.

At the PGD's it went a best of 8.79 @ 161.1. We brought it home and with just driving tweaks we went 8.62 @ 162.8. No wheelie bars. No race fuel. No problem! It has rested ever since while I contemplate running in Hot Rods Drag Week.

Thanks again for your support. It is much appreciated!

Robin Roberts

I know how the last minute thrashes are, Good Job, and it would be really cool to see it in Drag week, but with gas prices I hope you have deeeeeeep pockets. you should bring it to Memphis in Oct you are sure to get a feature spot there as well they have a 30 mile cruse and all I dont think any of those cars in Pro have made it into the 8s yet

Robin, congrats on a fine performance with your Pontiac, you did all of us some good with your car. Also i like your mechanical skills.

I think many on this board logged into the hotrod.com forum to find out what happened as soon as the info was available. To here that you got 2nd place and were so damned close to taking the cake was pretty cool. You're making us pontiac nuts proud. Way to go Robin, that is one hell of an accomplishment and you really are THE MIGHTY T/A. Watch out next year.

Congrats Mighty T/A --your a great inspiration to all us Pontiac Fans .

Congrads, to you Mighty T/A,

Just lastnight I picked up a issue of HotRod, Looking for your car. Do you have any pics. of your new IA2 in the car? If so can you post some? Thanks

Great job Robin. Will you be at Pontiac Heaven next April?

Yes!

Look forward to seeing you.

Awesome Robin - U my Pontiac Hero

Great job Robin. Call us for some heads to go with that IA II. We have Tiger heads that will support pump gas.

So what street car weighs 2800lbs? That 34 Ford? Kind of like comparing apples and oranges. You definately had the baddest REAL STREET CAR there. Jim

Kick A$$ Mighty T/A. I've been watching this series. Very temped to try it myself next year if i can get the funding.

Hot Rod Playing Favorites?
 

Good Job Robin!


How many other cars were running wheelie bars?
I am sure the 34' ford/chevy started installing them right after last years event.
Letting everyone else know that they can run them 2 weeks prior to the event is BS.

And now they are saying no wheelie bars next year?


Also the article in the magazine stated that the owner broke the rules when he approached, and touched the car after the water box. That should have disqualified him.
The fact that they said he did not do anything to enhance the performane should not matter. HE DID BREAK THE RULE!




Todd

Nice job, I see you run Borla muffs also, don't ya just love the sound.

What pills do you have on your two plates? If its double top secret ya don't have to spill the beens.

You should try to come to Norwalk or VMP,its a blast! I know its a hike but I need somebody new to play with Ken and Ray are gettting to old and slow. ;-)

What is the bore and stroke,how long are the rods and what is the static commpression.

Hot Rod screws the pooch again. How can you allow wheelie bars on a "street" car? If your car can put it on the back bumper then you should learn to drive it to compete in this class, PERIOD. You won. That's all from me.

4.5 stroke. 6.7 rods. High 10's compression. A real llama on the motor!

Lil Jack! Yes, the Borla's are very cool! I'll make it out East someday, way too busy this summer. Then we can see about some friendly competition!!! 2 175 Big Shots (it's only single top secret) to balance manifold pressure.

Is the bore and stoke and rod length "secret".

I believe he just said what the stroke and rod length were