1991 - Run 3 1991 SEDiv Solo Championships Steve Brueck's 1970 CP Pontiac Firebird

This is the 1970 Formula 400 that was converted to a race car. It started off as a 400 cubic inch Formula Firebird with a three speed manual transmission and no power brakes. Not really worth too much but it only cost $700 to start with. It was gutted and fitted with a Corbeau racing seat with Simpson 5 point harnesses. The whole front end, both fenders and bumper, were lightweight fiberglass. The hood was the original fiberglass hood. Except for the hood, the front bumper and both fenders would come off as one piece in just a couple of minutes. The car weighed in at 3200 lbs, not bad considering it started off at more than 3800 lbs! The back flares were molded into the body. The engine was replaced with a .040 455 (464 cubic inches) built by Racing Head Services in Memphis. A very rare 800 CFM Quadrajet carb and an Edelbrock Torker intake sat on top. The exhaust went through a set of tri-y headers through two almost nonexistent mufflers. Never had it dyno'd but estimate it made somewhere around 500 hp. I used a TH-400 3 speed automatic with a auto/manual valve body and a B&M ratchet shifter. The suspension consisted of trimmed springs, Rancho sway bars, and solid subframe bushings. Pretty basic. It ran on 15x10 steel wheels with 25x11.5 McCreary slicks. The suspension definitely needed more work but it was good enough to win the Solo II Southeast Divisional C Prepared Championship in 1991! The videos for Run 2 and 3 below, are the last runs ever in this car. It was the SEDiv Divisional race in Palm Beach, and the last race of the season, which I had to win to capture the Championship. The smoke you see was a leaky rear main seal that would allow oil to get sloshed on the headers and... well, you get smoke. They wouldn't let me run the second day (thought I was getting oil on the course) until I got it fixed. I ended up borrowing someone else's Trans Am and winning in their car. My tires we're corded anyway, and old, I think I bought those in 1986!!! (Oh yea, I did add power brakes!)

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• autocross
• scca