Pontiac powered F/C runs 250!

[Cliff]

Pontiac Powered Boss Bird Nitro Funny Car Ram Air V

Watch the Pontiac Powered Boss Bird Nitro Funny Car run 250mph in the quarter mile for the first time in history. All Pontiac, true Pontiac!

bangshift.com

 

[Just Paul]

They put a lot of effort into that over the years. Once they got the fuse long enough it ran really good. Last I saw, it's up for sale now sadly.

 

[ironpony]

Yes it was a good feat to accomplish but calling it a Pontiac is like calling Forces Boss 500 a Ford......................

 

[.]

Yes it was a good feat to accomplish but calling it a Pontiac is like calling Forces Boss 500 a Ford......................

Except the engine in the Boss Bird actually uses a Pontiac design. So, it's not really like calling the Boss 500 a Ford.....

The guy standing on the starting line in that picture, the tuner of that car, is Jerry Newman. He posts here on Nitromater occasionally. Maybe he'll see this post and can fill us in on the details.

 

[MM]

The motor in that car is a billet version of the Ram Air V and Eric (owner and driver) designed the heads himself using the valve design from that engine design as well. I think the thing has stock dimensions too. We were supposed to run them at Columbus last year, but got rained out.

 

[ironpony]

Except the engine in the Boss Bird actually uses a Pontiac design. So, it's not really like calling the Boss 500 a Ford.....

The guy standing on the starting line in that picture, the tuner of that car, is Jerry Newman. He posts here on Nitromater occasionally. Maybe he'll see this post and can fill us in on the details.

So it would be more like calling Matt Hagans HEMI a Chrysler......................

 

[DrRocket]

Too bad the videographer didn't get the reaction of the crew. I'll bet there was some serious celebrating going on.

 

[glofria]

That body looks good sitting on that chassis. A different variety of body styles makes for interesting racing.

 

[Cliff]

The body is based on a real Arnie Beswick body from that era, which I think makes this car special as well. There was a AA/FD team here in Phoenix area, front motor car with a cast iron block & heads Pontiac engine. Used to see it run at the late Speedworld, altho never made a full pass. I think they ran Bakersfield one year. Spacing on the names but it was cool to see it run.

 

[glofria]

Cliff,

Here it is. I think it finally did do a full pull and killed itself doing so.

Steve Barcak Nostalgia Top Fuel

 

[Cliff]

Thanks Gino! That's the car. I haven't seen any Pontiac Heaven races this year, probably cuz of covid. They moved that race from Speedworld to Wild Horse & usually combine it w/ Buicks or another race. Man, just gimme a 1962 Pontiac Catalina, w/ the 421 motor & 4 speed.

 

[Cliff]

Pontiac Heaven

Not sure if this is still active, as last update seems to be 2017.

 

[Chris Maroney]

Steve's updates are all on Facebook now. https://www.facebook.com/PontiacHeaven/ his next event is at Wild horse pass the last weekend of October.

 

[Cliff]

Thanks Chris. Showed lotsa photos of the Mickey Thompson Hemi head Pontiac dragster. Driver Jack Chrisman; won the Nationals with that car. M/T also had a hemi head Ford. Who knows whatever happened to that engine.

 

[glofria]

You mean the Cammer?

Valley Head Service use to do a lot of work for Micky Thompson back in those days. In fact, dad says Micky was his first big customer and owes much of his success to him.

 

[Cliff]

No, not the Cammer, it was a Ford 427 engine, & M/T built a set of hemi heads for it. I think maybe just a few sets of heads. The problem they had with the Ford engine was that it had a "bad oiling system". I dunno, oil pump or whatever, it was the weak link. M/T also ran the 427 with regular heads, & it did OK, but no threat to the Chryslers; thus the hemi head. Am thinking the Pontiac did better w/ hemi heads, on gas at least. M/T may have run that Pontiac on nitro as well??? Geez, so long ago.......

 

[Cliff]

Mickey Thompson’s 427 Ford Hemi V8–and its fascinating secret

Yes, it’s a hemi. No, it’s not a Chrysler. It’s a big-block 427 CID Ford hemi engineered by Mickey Thompson in 1963. But wait until you see inside—you might not believe your…

www.macsmotorcitygarage.com

Here ya go. M/T Hemi Ford

 

[Nitrohelper]

............ can fill us in on the details...........

Yes - it is a stock Pontiac block - until last season it was cast iron ! - made the deal seriously over weight- we had to be careful not to burn pistons when learning the tune-up - sleeves in the aluminum block made it easier ...

The car was built to run in the fives and over 250 mph with a "real Pontiac" , now they have accomplished their goal, so it's for sale...