Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-25-2007, 03:00 PM
Rafe LORHO's Avatar
Rafe LORHO Rafe LORHO is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Brittany, north west France.
Posts: 25
Default Burnt off by a C5 - oh the shame!!

OK guys, I'll (try) to keep this story short:

Last week end our American Car Association organised a little road rally.
It was more of a map reading exercise than an out and out race.

Well, the TA was cruising in top gear going up a long hill. My son was checking the map and I was looking to the right to help him figure out which turn off we had to take.
As I looked back at the road, something caught my eye in the rear view mirror. Heck, Thierry's Corvette was approaching at high speed! He must have seen me from the top of the previous hill and he had decided to go for it!
Thierry's "vette" is a 2002 model with Borla exhaust and a racing chip – he claims 400HP for his crate.
Mine is a good old '77 Trans Am with most of the mechanics out of the Year One, Summit and Mondello catalogues. I pull 400HP on a bad day and 450 / 500HP on a good day.
However, today was a bad day!!

I floor the throttle and the Shaker flap opens. The revs pick up a little but not enough – what's wrong?? Double zut!! (P.S. "Zut" is the French equivalent of "damn") The kick down has not kicked! The engine is pulling well in third, but I need more revs…

Thierry is now 50 metres behind and I can hear his Borla exhausts over the rumble of my Pypes. Wait a minute, if I can hear his engine then it means that he's pushing it to the limit. (There's not much on the road here in Brittany that makes more noise than my car!)

He indicates to overtake, and then starts to pass.
We're side by side and it's showdown time: He's got 400 and I've got 400+, thing is though he's around 300kg lighter and that counts right here and right now!
I pump the throttle pedal as if I'm trying to squash grapes – but to no avail. My TH400 continues to refuse the idea of 2nd gear. I guess it thinks it's doing OK in 3rd, and in most cases it would OK, but not against a C5.
He passes me by with a big smile on his face. TRIPLE ZUT !!

Thierry and I met up at the end of the event. He admits that he was redlining it in third gear to get past me. I tell him that I was in third as well, but nowhere near the redline.
I guess you can't win them all.

Regards,
Rafe

__________________
'77 tire shredding 403ci Bandit Trans Am living in France.
  #2  
Old 05-25-2007, 07:27 PM
vidguy's Avatar
vidguy vidguy is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Livermore, CA
Posts: 3,822
Default

Darnit..Fix that pedal!
At least he's a Buddy!

__________________
--
James

Work
'67 GTO Convertible "Koerner Built 413 500 hp with a Victor!.. I'll run a stock intake."
'75 Formula 400 - Daily Driver -
Running with my Home Built 455 and TH400

Details here:
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=588372
  #3  
Old 05-26-2007, 12:06 AM
Colin Frolick's Avatar
Colin Frolick Colin Frolick is offline
Senior Chief
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Southern CA
Posts: 358
Thumbs up C5

you'll have to get a rematch!

a few years ago when i still lived in Colorado i raced a z06 in my Tempest. The light turned green and i smoked my tires bad, so when i got traction he was ~2 car lengths ahead... though i kept right behind him to about 110. not too bad i thought.

i bought this one 2 years ago
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	CIMG0532s.jpg
Views:	102
Size:	66.4 KB
ID:	92685  

  #4  
Old 05-26-2007, 02:06 AM
FLYNLOW's Avatar
FLYNLOW FLYNLOW is offline
Senior Chief
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Livermore, CA, USA
Posts: 319
Default

Should have just pulled the shifter down into 2nd...

__________________
'73 Formula 400
Cammed LS1/T56/3.73's
12.92@106.04 2.03 60 ft. <~~ Bone stock LS1 with 4L60E/3.08's
Went 12's in pure daily driver trim! A/C, leather power seats, power
steering, full stereo, sound deadening, power windows, full suspension,
true street tires, power 4 wheel discs, and 25MPG!
  #5  
Old 05-26-2007, 04:19 AM
Rafe LORHO's Avatar
Rafe LORHO Rafe LORHO is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Brittany, north west France.
Posts: 25
Default

Yes, I know I should have down shifted manually.
But when you're going that fast, your brain doesn't seem to think straight!
I'll have to practice for the next time!!

__________________
'77 tire shredding 403ci Bandit Trans Am living in France.
  #6  
Old 05-26-2007, 11:07 AM
Formula8's Avatar
Formula8 Formula8 is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Chicago
Posts: 2,308
Default

TKO time. But seriously, no shame in getting edged out by a Z06.

__________________
71 Formula 433, Splayed cap 400 block, 4" stroke Scat forged crank, 6.8 Eagle rods, custom Autotec pistons. SD 295 KRE D ports, Old faithful hybrid roller, Torker II, Holley Sniper Stealth, Tribal Tubes, TKO 600, 3.73 Eaton posi.
  #7  
Old 05-26-2007, 05:21 PM
Billy177's Avatar
Billy177 Billy177 is offline
Chief Ponti-yacker
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Redding CT
Posts: 837
Default

yes tko time indeed. I raced a new c6 with mine and put a car and a half on him from 60-110 however if i had put it into 4th instead of 3rd like i normally do I would have gotten walked (still only shifted at 4800)

__________________
70 GTO
462 E-Heads TKO-600 9-Inch/3.60's
  #8  
Old 05-26-2007, 10:20 PM
Zig'sbird's Avatar
Zig'sbird Zig'sbird is offline
Senior Chief
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Indy
Posts: 377
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rafe LORHO
I pump the throttle pedal as if I'm trying to squash grapes


funny line considering what country you're in currently

No shame in getting beat by the 'vette. Since he was having so much trouble, time to throw more money at your car.

  #9  
Old 05-27-2007, 07:03 AM
Rafe LORHO's Avatar
Rafe LORHO Rafe LORHO is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Brittany, north west France.
Posts: 25
Default

OK, thanks guys for the advice.
Could you tell me how much money for a TKO conversion and which topic I should look at to get to know what's involved ?
Ragards,
Rafe

P.S. I was kinda thinking of a "Gearvendors" upgrade to my TH400. Is this the way to go?

__________________
'77 tire shredding 403ci Bandit Trans Am living in France.
  #10  
Old 05-28-2007, 09:57 PM
Formula8's Avatar
Formula8 Formula8 is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Chicago
Posts: 2,308
Default

The best place to buy and do research is here: http://www.classicchevy5speed.com/

__________________
71 Formula 433, Splayed cap 400 block, 4" stroke Scat forged crank, 6.8 Eagle rods, custom Autotec pistons. SD 295 KRE D ports, Old faithful hybrid roller, Torker II, Holley Sniper Stealth, Tribal Tubes, TKO 600, 3.73 Eaton posi.
  #11  
Old 06-03-2007, 09:04 AM
Wareagle's Avatar
Wareagle Wareagle is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Canada
Posts: 2,631
Talking

Cool story--heres a T/A That will smoke a new Vette in a hurry-455-EFI-500+ HP. Globel West Suspension etc. smoked 2 vette's in one night

__________________
The Bandit Rules - Make mine with a SD-455 Engine .
  #12  
Old 06-05-2007, 04:46 PM
Rafe LORHO's Avatar
Rafe LORHO Rafe LORHO is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Brittany, north west France.
Posts: 25
Thumbs up

Nice machine !!

P.S. What sizes of wheels and tyres are you using?

__________________
'77 tire shredding 403ci Bandit Trans Am living in France.
  #13  
Old 06-05-2007, 09:30 PM
Wareagle's Avatar
Wareagle Wareagle is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Canada
Posts: 2,631
Smile

Don't own this T/A but it was just sold to a fellow in Europe. Artie who built the HP T/A also did another one for a fellow enthusiast.Heres a link to the specs etc. on the Ultra 455 EFI TRANS AM http://www.highperformancepontiac.co..._1_2_trans_am/
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	03fa_12.jpg
Views:	71
Size:	61.3 KB
ID:	93734  

__________________
The Bandit Rules - Make mine with a SD-455 Engine .

Last edited by Wareagle; 06-05-2007 at 09:49 PM.
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:03 PM.

 

About Us

The PY Online Forums is the largest online gathering of Pontiac enthusiasts anywhere in the world. Founded in 1991, it was also the first online forum for people to gather and talk about their Pontiacs. Since then, it has become the mecca of Pontiac technical data and knowledge that no other place can surpass.

 




Copyright © 2017