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Pontiac Road Tests

Compiled by Mike Noun

The following is a list of Pontiac road tests from 1961-1974. I will be adding to this list as time permits. I have always had a fascination with original road tests (well, especially Pontiacs). These old magazines seem to capture the very essence of what a Musclecar really was. The cars were brand new, and the magazine testers thrashed them to their full potential, a feat very few current owners of classic Musclecars can do because of the scarcity and value of their machine. There is a reason we hold classic Musclecar principle so sacred. These cars were built to go fast. They were built to do battle at stoplights. They were status symbols of power. Regardless of the Musclecar you own, and regardless of how you drive it, we all have an insatiable curiousity to know how our cars compare against other Musclecars. I hope the information contained below will allow us all to "bench race" a little bit more.

The format I chose for this list was to include all the relavant information contained in each road test rather than just listing ¼ mile times. I'm hoping that if a particular road test sparks your interest, you'll be inspired to track the issue down at the next car show or swap meet. There is obviously much more in each article than I can summarize here, and of course the photos are priceless.

I have tried to include all the relevant infomation regarding options or irregularities in each test, and you will find those under the "Notes". You will notice that under the "Options" column, I have listed ptions witch may have affected the outcome of a test. Heavy options such as a/c, p/s, etc. Obviously, options like hood tachs or optional interiors do not affect performance, but in some cases I have included this information.

The tests listed below are from the original magazine(s) covering the Pontiac as a new car. I have not included any contemporary road tests because I wanted to show an accurate representation of how these potent Pontiacs ran when they were new. Because of this, I have also bypassed articles and road tests where an older Pontiac may have been tested in the same issue as a "new" Pontiac was tested. For instance, I have a road test of a 1962 SD 421 Catalina, but the test was run in 1969, or I also have a 1969 test of a 1965 Royal Bobcat 1965 GTO. Because of advancements made in technologly, these types of tests are not truly representative of how these particular cars would have run brand new, so I did not include them in this listing. Also note that some of these Pontiac tests were conducted against another Musclecar, and in some cases, another Pontiac! I have split these tests individually. I have also bypassed tests of full size luxury Pontiacs, and Pontiacs not intended for dragstrip duty such as the Sprint 6 and 326 Lemans/Firebirds. These were great cars, but were not intended for quarter mile tests.

Pay special attention to the "weight" data in each test. Frequently, a magazine would give a curb weight and a test weight. More often than not, the test weight was with 200 lbs. of test equipment in the trunk and 2 people aboard. The curb weight is the car without driver or equipment. Occasionally, there is a shipping weight listed, which is the weight of the car as delivered to a dealership (minus fluids). Many times the weight will explain why a particular car was so fast or so slow.

What's a Royal Bobcat?

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Royal Pontiac was a dealership located in Royal Oak, Michigan. Founded by dragracer Ace Wilson, Royal Pontiac began making modifications to Pontiacs back in 1959, and selling these cars to customers. As Royal's popularity grew, the modifications they performed took on a name: "Bobcat". In 1961, Royal removed the individual "Pontiac" letters from the tail panel of a 62 Catalina, and used "CAT" from Catalina, the "O" from Pontiac, and the small and large "B" from "Bonneville" to spell out "BOB CAT". A legend was born when Motor Trend tested this car in their 9/99 issue.

When GM pulled out of racing in 1963, Royal Pontiac saw a great opportunity to modify and tune Pontiacs on a larger scale for their customers. In 1964, Royal began performing their famous supertune to new 64 GTO's. Already the most powerful car in the mid-size line, Royal's Bobcat GTO's was now gaining a strong reputation on the streets in and around Detroit. Car and Driver tested a pair of 64 GTO's for their famous "Ferrari GTO vs. Pontiac GTO" test in March 1964. This one test was by far the most controversial road test of the 60's, and changed Car & Driver's image forever. The shear audacity of comparing the legendary Ferrari GTO to an American 4 passenger car sent shock waves through the industry, and subsequently put the Pontiac GTO on the map. There were two GTO's tested, and both were modified by Royal. The exposure Royal Pontiac obtained through this one article was priceless. Oddly enough, all the hoopla about this one road test was somewhat overblown. The Ferrari wasn't even present for the road test. During 1964 and 1965, the GTO dominated automotive magazines. Royal Pontiac seemed to always get a mention in these articles, whether they had modified the test car or not.

There were three distinct levels of modifications that Royal Pontiac performed for a customer.

  1. The Royal Bobcat "kit" could be ordered through the mail by any enthusiast. It consisted of a large box containing thinner head gaskets, blocked heat riser intake gaskets, distributor recurve kit, larger jets for the carb(s), rocker arm locknuts, colder spark plugs (Champion J10Y), and the necessary gaskets (valve cover, valley pan) to perform the modification. It also included Royal Racing Team club decals, Royal Bobcat body stickers, a "GR-RRR" lisence plate, and "Royal Pontiac" license plate frames. This was a very popular kit in the mid to late 60's.
  1. This was a car prepared and sold through Royal Pontiac. The Royal Bobcat kit listed above was installed by Royal, but they went a little further by blueprinting, cc'ing, and milling the cylinder heads. The purpose of this was to have equal compression iand chamber volume in all 8 cylinders. In conjunction with the thinner head gaskets, this modification usually lifted compression well over 11 to 1. The valve springs were measured and shimmed so all 16 springs were at the exact same installed height. These mods were nothing extravagent, just simple blueprinting that Pontiac could not do in a mass produced car. Cars prepared and sold through Royal Pontiac were called "Royal Bobcat" cars, and had the special Royal Bobcat stickers applied by Royal.
  2. This level is the most drastic, and subsequently, the most expensive. Before even taking delivery of the car, Royal would transplant a 421 tri-power (during the 64-66 era) into a GTO, and later, the 428 (67-69) in either the Firebird or GTO. Not many "transplant" cars were sold.

Jim Wangers talks quite a bit about the atmosphere in and around Royal Pontiac's service department in his wonderful book, "Glory Days". It seems surreal now, but imagine groups of street racing kids just hanging around Royal's service department just wanting to see and feel the Royal mystique. In those days, cars were not simply transportation, they were a way of life. Most of Royal's notoriety came from extensive coverage in major magazines, but in and around Woodward Ave., they're famous supertunes were downright legendary.

When a manufacturer gives a car to magazine to test, they naturally want it to perform at its' best. If it didn't, once the article hit the newsstands, there wasn't much a manufacturer could do about it. Naturally, the fit and finish of the overall test car was checked out (usually) before handing it over to a magazine. But mechanically, the old "give it a once over" was about all that was done to assure that the car would run satisfactorily. But in the Pontiac world, whose very image was that of pure performance, the mechanical side of the car needed to be perfect. This is where Royal Pontiac came into the picture. Not every Pontiac tested went through Royal, but if it did, you could be assured whether it had a Bobcat kit on it or not, it was going to run well.

One thing that is certain, and that is if a car was tuned by Royal before a road test, that information was disclosed up front to the magazine. There were no "ringers" given to magazines. That could not be said of other manufacturers, who frequently snuck "ringers" into road tests (most notably Ford) in hopes of getting a good review. As the 60's wore on, it was more and more common for a manufacturer to supertune a car before given it to a magazine. This usually involved the car being sent a factory tech center, and everything was checked and re-checked so it was in razor sharp tune. The competition was extremely fierce among manufacturers when it came to ¼ miles times in road tests. The best reviews obviously garnered the greatest sales, not to mention bragging rights, and everyone was gunning for the mighty GTO from 1964-1966. For a dragstrip test, it was not uncommon for a manufacturer to send their test car to their own tech center to have an advance curve kit installed, a stronger clutch, or in extreme cases, a complete engine blueprint. Sometimes items on the chassis were changed depending on the type of test that was to be conducted. This was touchy subject amongst the manufacturers, especially in a head-tohead comparison test between different manufacturers. Sometimes the magazine testers would catch them on a few points, and state in the article that this particular car "was a quite a bit quicker than the one we tested with the same engine last year." Occasionally, a manufacturer would send a "lightweight" version of their car, innocently absent of sound deadener, and equipped with the most basic features to save weight. While these types of cars generated great ¼ mile times, they were often chastised by magazine testers for being noisy, rattly cars, and not much fun to drive around on the street. So the war was on, all started by Royal Pontiac's well-known preparation of Pontiacs. It was a vicious game when it came to combating the industry leading GTO, and sometimes manufacturers would show no restraint in order to topple the king.

Who are these guys?

__________________

The practice of having a factory representative present during a road test was relatively new in the early 60's. Very often, a manufacturer would simply send their car to a magazine and let the over-zealous road testers have their way. What this resulted in was the occasional poor road test, sometimes due to the fact that the road tester/editor was not proficient with a manual transmission, but more often it was because the car was slightly out of tune. Of course, the magazine testers did not have a clue how to remedy these problems, nor did they care. Their job was to test the car and report on their findings. You can imagine how much of an impact a poor review may have on sales if a particular Musclecar fell on its' face at the dragstrip. Manufacturers started paying special attention to rear end gear and transmission selections when supplying a car for a road test. They of course had to balance this with driveability, and equip the car with necessary luxury options to please the road testers. Royal Pontiac made sure that the cars tested by magazines were equipped properly, and more often than not, had a representative present during the actual test. This assured Royal and Pontiac themselves that if the car was having slight mechanical trouble during a test, the problem could be remedied at that time with twist of the screwdriver. As well as having a mechanically sound test car, it was prudent of Royal Pontiac to send an experienced driver.

Properly equipping a test car may be hard to comprehend in today's era of modern, computer controlled engines. Computer controlled Musclecars straight off the showroom floor will run very close to what a magazine test car generates. There are three reasons for this. First, new computer aided design, manufacturing, and assembly has allowed mass-produced vehicles to be virtually identical from one example to the next. Gone are the days when a particular engine just happened to come through with "all the right clearances", and was noticeably quicker than an identical car. Second, new Musclecars have very few performance and drivetrain options compared to 60's Musclecars. This means that for the most part, you can't go too wrong when ordering a new Musclecar when only 2 rear gear ratios are offered, or 2 transmissions (auto or stick), and virtually no significant engine performance options. In the 60's, each Musclecar had dozens of drivetrain, gear ratio, and engine performance options to tailor a car to a specific customer. Third, adverse weather conditions do not affect new computer controlled cars in a significant way. The computer adjusts for fuel quality, humidity, air temperature, etc. In the 60's, adverse weather conditions could wreak havoc on a carburated Musclecar. Because of these reasons, Royal Pontiac liked to send a representative along with the car when it was being tested to either remedy the situation, or answer questions.

Royal definitely had some "hot shoes" when it came to tuning and driving their Pontiacs. The most proficient of these tuners and drivers was Milt Schornack, a wiry individual with a flare for tuning and a tremendous knowledge of what it takes to make a Pontiac run at it's full potential. Milt did quite a bit of street racing in and around the Woodward Ave. area in Detroit for Royal Pontiac, and was very well respected among the street crowd. Two other individuals, Sid and Dave Warren, were also instrumental in the success of the Royal Pontiac legacy. On occasion, Dave Warren attended a particular road test with Milt Schornack, especially when more than one Pontiac was being tested. Dave was another experienced "hot shoe" when it came to shifting a manual trans, so it was assured that if two 4-speed cars were to face off, Milt and Dave were the two most capable people to drive. You will see these names mentioned in the road tests below.

Magazine Abbreviations

______________________

CC = Car Craft, CD = Car & Driver, CL = Car Life, CR = Cars Magazine, CI = Cars Illustrated,

DR = Drag Racing, HC = Hot Cars, HR = Hot Rod, MT = Motor Trend, PHR = Popular Hot Rodding,

SS = Super Stock, S&S = Speed and Supercar

Other Abbreviations used

_______________________

OPTIONS : HH = hideaway headlights, P/S = power steering, PB = power brakes,

PDB = power disc brakes, 8L = 8-lug wheels, A/C = air conditioning, P/W = power windows,

P/DL = power door locks

DRIVETRAIN : TP = Tri-power, T-400 = Turbo 400


1961 - 1967

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

61    Bonneville      389 TP (348 hp)  4-speed, 3.90 posi                   ----- @ 98 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.8 sec, 0-60 mph : 6.9 sec, 0-100 mph : 19.0 sec  

Options:  8L   Wt : 4100   Magazine : CR (9/61)    Notes: Tires were 8.50-14 stock on 8 lug wheels. For some odd reason, a Vertex magneto ignition was added to this car for the test. No ¼ mile et was given.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

62    Catalina        421 SD         4-speed, 4.30 posi              13.9 @ 107 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.7 sec, 0-45 mph : 4.1 sec, 0-60 mph : 5.4 sec

Options:  8L   Wt : 4500 (appox test wt)   Magazine : MT (5/62)   

Notes: Not officially a "Bobcat" car, but was tuned and by the Royal Racing Team. The tires used were Goodyear recap slicks, and 150 lbs. of ballast was added to the rear for traction. The exhaust pipes were disconnected from the manifolds. Poor weather (35 deg) negated dragstrip use, so the times above were taken with a stopwatch. Estimates placed this SD421 at 13.6 to 13.7 at the track, and if the engine and chassis were setup, mid 12's were predicted.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

62    Catalina         389 TP (370 hp)  4-speed, 3.90 posi               14.5  @ 95 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.5 sec, 0-60 mph : 6.5 sec, 0-100 mph : 16.0 sec

Options:  8L   Wt : 3940 (curb), 4300 (test)   Magazine : CL (7/62)   

Notes: Royal Bobcat prepared (level 1). Tires were stock 8.00-14. Royal also converted the linkage on the tri-power to mechanical. The rear tail panel on this car spelled out "BOBCAT" by taking 'CAT' from Catalina, the 'O' from Pontiac, and misc. letter "B"'s from the Bonneville.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

62    Grand Prix     421 (405 hp)       3-speed auto, 3.42 posi        14.3 @ 103 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.7 sec, 0-60 mph : 6.0 sec, 0-100 mph : 13.4 sec 

Options:  P/S, P/B, P/W, 8L   Wt : 4330 (test)   Magazine : CL (3/62) 

Notes: Tires were stock 8.00-14. Spectacular performance out of the 4-barrel engine coupled with the auto trans.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

64    GTO            389 TP (348 hp) 4-speed, 3.23 posi             14.8  @ 99 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.7 sec, 0-60 mph : 6.6 sec, 0-100 mph : 14.9 sec 

Options:  None   Wt : 3470 (curb) 3800 (test)   Magazine : CL (6/64)   

Notes: Tires were stock redlines (7.50-14). Car had manual steering and brakes, but cosmetic options included spinner hubcaps and exhaust splitters.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

64    GTO Cpe       389 TP (348 hp)*  4-speed, 3.90 posi               13.1 @ 115 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 1.8 sec, 0-60 mph : 4.6 sec, 0-100 mph : 11.8 sec. 

Options:  P/S   Wt : 3485 (curb) 3850 (test)   Magazine : CD (3/64)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 1). Tires were stock 7.50-14 redlines. This is the famous Car and Driver test that put the GTO on the map. It was directly compared to the Ferrari GTO, but the Ferrari didn't show up for the test. Car and Driver then used an artists rendering on the front cover showing the Pontiac GTO chasing the Ferrari GTO into a corner. Created quite a controversy when "Tempest GTO : 0-100 in 11.8 sec" was announced right on the front cover. This GTO ran 12.8 @ 112 mph on slicks. *Jim Wangers recently admitted that this car had a 421 H.O engine installed prior to the test.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

65    2+2            421 HO (376 hp)  4-speed, 4.11 posi               13.8 @ 106 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 1.7 sec, 0-60 mph : 3.9 sec, 0-100 mph : 12.0 sec 

Options:  P/B, P/S   Wt : 4155 (curb) 4400 (test) Magazine : CD (3/65)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared, but preparation unknown. Tires were 8.55x14 Firestone (non-stock). Royal Pontiac representatives were present, but did not drive. Car was tested against a Ferrari 330/GT 2+2 with a V-12 engine. The 0-60 time listed above of 3.9 seconds was a milestone mark as it was quoted as the fastest 0-60 mph time for a production car (on street tires) for decades to come. Car was tested on a cold day (44 degrees). The 2+2 was 1/3 the price of the Ferrari, and defeated it on the dragstrip, and was within 1 second on the road course. The magazine testers were extremely impressed with the 2+2.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

65    2+2            421 HO (376 hp)  4-speed, 4.11 posi               13.72 @ 100.4 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.5 sec, 0-60 mph : 5.2 sec  

Options:  P/B, P/S, 8L   Wt : 4190 (curb) Magazine : PHR (4/65)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 1). Tires were M&H cheater slicks. Runs were made with exhaust pipes disconnected from the manifolds. Driver was Jack "Doc" Watson. The ¼ mile time was with one person aboard, the 0-30 and 0-60 were with two aboard. This was a 2 car test, the other car being a Royal prepped 65 GTO (see next test).

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

65    GTO        389 TP (360 hp)  4-speed, 3.90 posi               13.98 @ 101.78 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.6 sec, 0-60 mph : 5.4 sec 

Options:  None listed   Wt : 3550 (curb)   Magazine : PHR (4/65)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 1). Tires were M&H cheater slicks. Runs were made with exhaust pipes disconnected from the manifolds. Driver was Jack "Doc" Watson. The ¼ mile time was with one person aboard, the 0-30 and 0-60 were with two aboard. This was a 2 car test, the other car being a Royal prepped 2+2 (see previous test).

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

65    GTO        389 TP (360 hp)  4-speed, 4.11 posi               14.5 @ 100 mph

Addtl times:  0-40 mph : 3.6 sec, 0-60 mph : 5.8 sec, 0-100 mph : 14.5 sec. 

Options:  PB, P/S Wt : 3590 (curb)  3920 (test) Magazine : CL (5/65)   

Notes: Tires were 7.75x14. Purpose of this test was to order a 65 GTO the way Car Life testers would want it. An extremely long list of options included Rally 1 wheels, transistorized ignition, metallic brakes, and exhaust splitters. Times listed above are with 2 people on board. Strangely enough, the Royal Pontiac crew was consulted on how to order this GTO, and tests were performed on an identical 65 GTO to the one the Car Life crew ordered. The other car was simply tuned (no Bobcat kit), and the exhaust pipes were disconnected at the manifolds. The air cleaners were removed, and 9.0x14 M&H cheater slicks installed. With Dick Jesse of Royal Pontiac driving, the car ran 14.06 @ 102.14 mph.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

66    GTO        389 TP (360 hp)  4-speed, 3.55 posi               14.05 @ 105.14 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  P/S, P/B   Wt : 3620 (test)   Magazine : CD (3/66)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 1). Car also had Ram Air system. Tires were Firestone 7.75-14 Super Stock 500 street tires. This test pitted the 66 GTO against 5 other Musclecars: Olds 442, Buick GS 400, SS 396 Chevelle, Ford Fairlane GT/A, and a Mercury Comet Cyclone GT. To level the playing field, Firestone supplied the same tires to all participants. This was a long, fascinating article that compared these Musclecars on the strip as well as the road course. The manufacturers were in tremendous competition with other, and it was indeed amusing to see the lengths Ford and Mercury went through to "bend the rules". Ironically, Ford's over-prepared entries lost out in just about every category.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

66    GTO        389 TP (360 hp)  4-speed, 4.33 posi               13.04 @ 106.75 mph

Addtl times:  None given

Options:  P/S, P/B   Wt : 3478 (ship)  3485 (curb) Magazine : CC (12/65)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 2). Tires were M&H cheater slicks. Car had Ram Air system. Car was fully prepped by Royal, and Milt Schornack drove this GTO to very impressive times. This car was shown on the cover of Car Craft, in beautiful Tiger Gold with a black top, red inner fenders, and a tiger tail coming out of the back of the hood. The Royal preparation was fairly extensive, with dual electric fuel pumps, drag shocks, air bags, Doug's headers (open for test), and different suspension bushings. This car was also ordered (from Pontiac) with a minmum of sound insulation, which shaved additional weight.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

66    GTO        389 TP (360 hp)  4-speed, 4.33 posi               12.68 @ 110 mph

Addtl times:  None

Options: P/S, P/B   Wt : 3485 (curb)   Magazine : SS (3/66)   

Notes: Same car as featured in the previous test (Car Craft - 12/65) with same mods. However, this article was geared towards making a competitive B/S Class winner. Milt Schornack once again drove. The reason for the quikcer times in this test over the previous test (see above) was that the engine was set up for B/S racing by Royal.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

66    GTO        389 TP (360 hp)  4-speed, 4.33 posi               12.75 @ 110.09 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  P/S, P/B   Wt : 3482 (curb)   Magazine : PHR (2/66)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 2). Tires were M&H cheater slicks. This appears to be the same car as in the previous two tests (above), but did not have the custom "Gee-To" on the side of the body. Strange, as this test is from February 1966, which was a few months after the first Car Craft test from December 1965. However, the similarities are uncanny. The setup was exactly as described in the previous two tests. Driver was again Milt Schornack. During this test, a change to 3.90 gears generated 13.08 @ 107.27. Also, taller slicks were used with both the 3.90 gears and the 4.33 gears, and the transmission was changed from a close ratio to a wide ratio 4-speed. The quickest time was the 12.75 listed with shorter slicks, 4.33 gears, and a close ratio 4-speed.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

66    GTO Cpe       389 (335 hp)   4-speed, 3.08 non-posi           15.4 @ 92 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.8 sec, 0-60 mph : 6.8 sec, 0-100 : 19.2 sec.  

Options:  P/B, P/S   Wt : 3620 (curb)  3950 (test) Magazine : CL (5/66)   

Notes: Tires were stock 14x6 Firestone. IZE="2" FACE="Arial">

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

66    GTO Cvt.       389 TP (360 hp)  4-speed, 3.55 posi               15.50 @ 93.16 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 3.1 sec, 0-60 mph : 6.8 sec, 0-75 mph : 9.8 sec.

Options:  P/B, P/S   Wt : 3720 (curb)   Magazine : MT (5/66)   

Notes: Tires were stock 7.75-14. This 4-speed Tri-power convertible was tested against a 66 GTO hardtop with a 4-barrel and 2-speed automatic trans. Tests were conducted with 2 aboard. Severe tire spin hampered times.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

66    GTO            389 (335 hp) 2-speed, 3.23 non-posi          15.6  @ 90 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 3.0 sec, 0-60 mph : 7.5 sec, 0-75 mph : 10.8 sec 

Options:  P/B, P/S   Wt : 3620 (curb) Magazine : MT (5/66)   

Notes: Tires were stock 7.75-14. This 2-speed automatic GTO hardtop was tested against a 66 GTO convertible equipped with a Tri-Power 389 and 4-speed trans (see above). tests were conducted with 2 aboard.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

66    GTO            389 TP (360 hp) 4-speed, 3.90 posi          14.05 @ 99.66 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  None listed   Wt : --------- Magazine : MT (7/66)   

Notes: Tires were M&H slicks. This test was conducted to prove the benefits of the new Ram Air package, consisting of a hotter cam, valve springs, and of course the Ram Air tub over the multiple carbs. Two other 66 GTO's were tested at the same time. The first was an identical 66 GTO to the one listed here, but had the Ram Air package installed by Royal Pontiac. The third car was the familiar race-prepped Tiger Gold 66 GTO from Royal Pontiac, but now had "ROYAL" emblazoned on the doors instead of "Gee-To" (see previous tests for more info). Milt Schornack drove all cars. No mention was made as to whether the two GTO's had the "Bobcat" package, but most likely they did. The identical equipped 66 GTO with the Ram Air package ran 13.91 @ 99.55 mph, only a .14 second improvement over the non-Ram Air car. The race-prepped GTO ran 12.84 @ 108.4, and then its' Ram Air package (cam, springs, and Ram Air tub) were removed from the car and replaced with the standard non-Ram Air parts. The result was a 13.10 @ 106.38 mph.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

67    Firebird Cvt.  400 (325 hp) 4-speed, 3.90 posi         14.03 @ 103.56 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  None listed   Wt : -------- Magazine : SS (3/67)   

Notes: Tires were stock F70-14. This was the first run of the new 67 Firebird 400, and the editors were ecstatic. The car was merely tuned, and the runs were made with air cleaner and exhaust intact. Coincidentally, Super Stock was also testing a new 67 GTO car the same day, which was equipped with Ram Air, 4-speed, and 4.33 gears. The GTO had a best pass of 14.12 @ 100 mph. The editor mentioned that since the Firebird was 250 lbs. lighter than the GTO, the difference in times was understandable.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

67    GTO            389 (360 hp) T-400, 3.90 posi           13.89  @ 102.01 mph

Addtl times:  None  

Options:  PDB, P/S   Wt : 3490 (curb) 3840 (test) Magazine : HR (5/67)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 1). Car had Ram Air. Tires were stock F70-14 Wide Ovals. This car was also tested without the Bobcat kit, and ran a 14.11 @ 101.23 mph.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

67    Firebird         400 (325 hp) 4 -speed, 3.36 posi           14.7  @ 98 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.9 sec, 0-60 mph : 6.5 sec, 0-100 mph : 15.5 sec 

Options:  PDB, P/S   Wt : 3580 (curb) 3980 (test) Magazine : CL (8/67)   

Notes: Tires were stock E70-14 Wide Ovals. Editor staes that running this car with full test equipment on board, the 14.7 time generated in this test was second only to Hemi powered cars and the 427 Vette.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

67    GP 428 (360 hp) T-400, 3.42 posi           16.20 @ 90.80 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 4.5 sec, 0-60 mph : 8.4 sec

Options:  PDB, P/S, P/W   Wt : 4160 Magazine : CR (9/67)   

Notes: Tires were stock. Editors were disappointed the car did not have the optional suspension and the HO engine, but otherwise loved the car.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

67    Firebird         400 (325 hp) 4-speed, 3.90 posi           12.75 @ 110.88 mph

Addtl times:  None

Options:  None listed   Wt : 3390 (curb) Magazine : CR (9/67)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 2). Car had Ram Air. Tires were 8.50-14 M&H cheater slicks. This was an article titled "Pontiac Performance Party", and was a 3 car test between the Ram Air Firebird, a Ram Air GTO, and a 2+2 (see next two tests for GTO and 2+2 results). Drivers were Milt Schornack, Dave Warren, and John Politzer, all Royal Pontiac people. Exhaust pipes disconnected at the manifolds. Firebird had tremendous wheel hop, which limited launches to 3500 rpm, while the GTO and 2+2 could come out at 5000 rpm. Oddly enough, the Firebird and 2+2 had hood tachs, while the GTO did not.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

67    GTO          400 (360 hp) 4-speed, 3.90 posi         12.91 @ 108.56 mph

Addtl times:  None

Options:  None listed   Wt : 3500 (curb) Magazine : CR (9/67)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 2). Car had Ram Air. Tires were 8.50-14 M&H cheater slicks. See notes from previous Firebird test on this "Pontiac Performance Party" article.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

67    2+2          421 HO (376 hp) 4-speed, 4.11 posi           13.37 @ 106.01 mph

Addtl times:  None

Options:  None listed   Wt : 4080 (curb) Magazine : CR (9/67)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 2). Tires were 8.50 x 14 M&H cheater slicks. See notes from previous Firebird test for details on this "Pontiac Performance Party" article.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

67    GTO 400 (360 hp) 4-speed, 3.90 posi           13.09 @ 106.5 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.0 sec, 0-60 mph : 4.9 sec, 0-75 mph : 6.6 sec.

Options:  PDB, P/S   Wt : 3445 (curb) Magazine : MT (1/67)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 1). Car had Ram Air. Tires were 8.50 x 14 M&H cheater slicks. Car was tested with Hurst headers (open). This test pitted two identical Royal prepped 67 GTO's, one with a 4-speed trans, the other with a Turbo 400 automatic trans (see next test for results). The 0-30 mph, 0-60 mph, and 0-75 mph times were with 2 aboard, the ¼ mile was with one aboard. With the stock F70-14 Wide-Oval tires, this car ran 14.21 @ 102.97 mph. There was also a third 67 GTO in attendance; a 4-speed 67 GTO Ram Air car without a Bobcat kit. They ran the non-Bobcat 67 Ram Air GTO car with slicks against the Royal prepped 4-speed car, riding on F70-14's. They claimed the prepped car still shut down the non-Bobcat car everytime. Although no times were given for the non-Bobcat GTO, it is safe to say it probably ran in the low to mid 14's.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

67    GTO 400 (360 hp) T-400, 3.90 posi           13.36 @ 106 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.0 sec, 0-60 mph : 5.2 sec, 0-75 mph : 6.8 sec.

Options:  PDB, P/S   Wt : 3490 (curb) Magazine : MT (1/67)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 1). Car had Ram Air. Tires were 8.50 x 14 M&H cheater slicks. Car was tested with Hurst headers (open). This was the Turbo 400 equipped car (see previous test for more details). The 0-30 mph, 0-60 mph, and 0-75 mph times were with 2 aboard, the ¼ mile was with one aboard. With the stock F70-14 Wide-Oval tires, this car ran 14.09 @ 101 mph.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

67    GTO 400 (360 hp) T-400, 4.33 posi           14.5 @ 102 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.5 sec, 0-60 mph : 6.1 sec, 0-100 mph : 14.0 sec.

Options:  PDB, P/S   Wt : 3780 (curb) 4180 (test) Magazine : CL (10/67)   

Notes: Tires were F70-14 Firestone. Car had Ram Air. There was an audible miss under wide open throttle between the 1-2 shift, possibly due to worn valvesprings. The car did not run well during stop and go, and overheated frequently. However, overall, the testers loved the car. This particular article had excellent photos of the Ram Air GTO.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

67    Firebird Cvt. 400 (325 hp) T-400, 3.08 posi           15.4 @ 92 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.5 sec, 0-60 mph : 7.5 sec, 0-75 mph : 11.2 sec.

Options:  PDB, P/S   Wt : 3855 (curb) Magazine : MT (3/67)   

Notes: Tires were stock F70-14. Car was tested against a 67 Firebird convertible with an OHC Sprint 6. One unusual option in this Firebird 400 was that it had a column shift.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

67    Firebird 400 (325 hp) T-400, 3.90 posi          13.60 @ 104.4 mph

Addtl times:  None

Options:  None listed   Wt : 3560 (curb) Magazine : MT (8/67)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 1). Car had Ram Air. Tires were 7" slicks. The Ram Air Firebirds were not available yet, so Royal Pontiac installed the new Ram Air package for this test, which included the Ram Air cam, special valvesprings, Ram Air tub, and of course, opening the scoops on the hood. With stock F70-14 tires, car ran 14.05 @ 102.85 mph. Poor weather during test, strong headwinds. Another pass was attempted with the exhuast pipes disconnected from the manifolds, but ignition problems arose. Milt Schornack claimed the car should be generating sub-13 second times. This particular test also included an identically prepared 67 Firebird 400 Ram Air 4-speed car, modified with the same Bobcat kit (see next test for results).

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

67    Firebird 400 (325 hp) 4-speed, 3.90 posi           13.05 @ 109.23 mph

Addtl times:  None

Options:  None listed   Wt : 3460 (curb) Magazine : MT (8/67)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 1). Car had Ram Air. Tires were 7" slicks. The Ram Air Firebirds were not available yet, so Royal Pontiac installed the new Ram Air package for this test, which included the Ram Air cam, special valvesprings, Ram Air tub, and of course, opening the scoops on the hood. The 13.05 time was with the exhaust pipes disconnected from the manifolds. With stock F70-14 tires, car ran 13.99 @ 105.01 mph. With slicks and closed pipes, car ran 13.24 @ 106.50 mph. Poor weather during test, strong headwinds. Milt Schornack claimed the car generated sub-13 second times the following week without the strong headwinds. This particular test also included an identically prepared 67 Firebird 400 Ram Air Turbo 400 equipped car, modified with the same Bobcat kit (see previous test for results).

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

68    Firebird         400 (335 hp)         T-400, 3.36 posi                   15.4  @ 93 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.8 sec, 0-60 mph : 7.6 sec, 0-75 mph : 11.1 sec.  

Options:  PDB, P/S   Wt : 3740 (curb)   Magazine : MT (1/68)   

Notes: Tires were stock F70-14. Part of a 6 car Ponycar shootout in Motor Trend. Oddly enough, this Firebird had "Royal" liscence plate frames, but the car was not from Royal Pontiac in Royal Oak, Michigan, but from adealership in California with the same name.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

68    GTO               400 (360 hp)         4-speed, 4.33 posi                    14.45 @ 98.20 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 2.8 sec, 4.5 sec, 0-60 mph : 6.5 sec, 0-75 mph : 9.6 sec.  

Options:  PDB, P/S     Wt : 3650 (curb)   Magazine : MT (2/68)   

Notes: Tested in the famous "Car Of The Year" Motor Trend issue, the 14.45 time was achieved using slicks. The editors first took this GTO to the dragstrip and ran @ 96 mph on street tires. The car was compared to an automatic transmission equipped GTO (see next test).

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

68    GTO              400 (350 hp)         T-400, 3.23 posi                    15.93 @ 88.3 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 3.1 sec, 0-45 mph : 4.9 sec, 0-60 mph : 7.3 sec 

Options:  PDB, P/S    Wt : 3707 (curb)   Magazine : MT (2/68)   

Notes: Tires were stock G77-14. Not much information on this car, other than a spec sheet. These specs were used for comparison purposes vs. the Ram Air GTO in the previous test.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

68    GTO Cvt.       400 (360 hp)         T-400, 3.23 posi                     15.1  @ 90 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 3.1 sec, 0-45 mph : 4.9 sec, 0-60 mph : 7.3 sec

Options:  PDB, P/S, HH     Wt : 3707 (curb)   Magazine : MT (12/67)   

Notes: Part of an 8 car shootout. This car was equipped with the H.O. engine, and oddly enough, wire wheel hubcaps.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

68    GTO               400 (360 hp)         4-speed, 3.90 posi                    13.02 @ 106.04 mph

Addtl times:  0-60 mph : 5.8 sec, 0-100 mph : 12.01, 50-70 mph : 2.8 sec.  

Options:  PDB, P/S     Wt : --------   Magazine : CI (4/68)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 2). Driver was Milt Schornack from Royal. The time was obtained using cheater slicks. On stock F70-14's, the car ran 13.77 @ 104.8 mph. This was a RAII equipped GTO, but the factory 4.33 gears were pulled in favor of 3.90 gears BEFORE these times were recorded.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

68    GTO              400 (360 hp)         4-speed, 3.90 posi                    14.53 @ 99.7 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 3.0 sec, 0-60 mph : 6.6 sec, 0-100 mph : 14.6 sec.  

Options:  PDB, P/S     Wt : 3755 (curb) 4135 (test)   Magazine : CL (5/68)   

Notes: Tires were stock G77-14 BF Goodrich.  

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

68    GTO            400 (360 hp) 4-speed, 4.33 posi          12.93 @ 108.05 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  P/B, P/S, HH   Wt : 3506 (ship) 3810 (test) Magazine : SS (11/67)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 2). Tires were M&H slicks. Car had Ram Air and Doug's headers. The slicks were mounted on Hurst wheels. Milt Schornack supervised the test, but did not drive. The headers were open for the test, and the entire exhaust system was removed from the car, shaving additional weight. Car only had 118 miles on the odometer ansd was not broken in yet.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

68    Firebird         400 HO (335 hp) T-400, 3.55 posi           14.2 @ 100.3 mph

Addtl times:  0-40 mph : 2.7 sec, 0-60 mph : 5.5 sec, 0-100 mph : 14.1 sec 

Options:  PDB, P/S   Wt : 3550 (curb) Magazine : CD (3/68)   

Notes: Tires were stock F70-14 Firestone. Tested on a very cold day (43 degrees). Test was a 6 car shootout between the Firebird 400 HO, Javelin SST 390, SS396 Camaro, Mustang 2+2 GT (390), Cougar XR-7 (390), and a Barracuda Formula S (340). In the mechanical and non-mechanical categories, the Firebird was the hands-down winner.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

68    GTO            428 (390 hp) T-400, 3.55 posi           13.8  @ 104 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 1.6 sec, 0-60 mph : 5.2 sec, 0-100 mph : 12.9 sec 

Options:  PDB, P/S, HH   Wt : 3784 (curb) 4111 (test) Magazine : CD (2/68)   

Notes: Royal prepared (level 3). Tires were stock G77-14. Royal Pontiac also prepared the 428 engine with level 2 mods. This was a car that could be ordered through Royal Pontiac. Tested on a very cold day (38 degrees).

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

68    Firebird         400 (330 hp) 4-speed, 4.11 posi          13.62 @ 105.88 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  PDB, P/S   Wt : 3351 (curb) 3510 (test) Magazine : HR (4/68)   

Notes: Tires were Casler 7" cheater slicks. Hot Rod installed Mr. Gasket traction bars to overcome severe wheel hop. Car had Ram Air. Milt Schornack suggested that the line for the vacuum advance retard be disconnected. Also, the famous "Firebird throttle-stop" be deactivated to allow full throttle. On the stock F70x14 tires, the car ran 13.79 @ 106.38 mph.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

68    GTO         400 (350 hp) 4-speed, 3.90 posi         14.25 @ 99 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  PDB, P/S, HH   Wt : 3506 (curb) 3800 (test) Magazine : HR (2/68)   

Notes: Tires were 7" Casler slicks. On stock G77-14 Uni-Royal tires, the car ran @ 99.11. The car had Ram Air, but the 350 hp rating was shown in the specs. Car was apparently hand polished to brilliant red luster. This particular issue of Hot Rod made a major mistake on the front cover. Across the top of the page in big, bold lettering it said, "GTO vs. Firebird : A Ram Air Pair of 400 Inchers!" Unfortunately, the plans to test the Firebird fell through, and an apology was issued in the article stating that they goofed.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

68    GTO         400 (360 hp) 4-speed, 3.90 posi           13.02 @ 107.56 mph

Addtl times:  None

Options:  P/B, P/S   Wt : 3650 (curb) Magazine : PHR (4/68)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 2). Tires were 7" cheater slicks. Tested against a similar 68 Firebird 400 (see next test for results). Cars were driven by Sid Warren and Milt Schornack. Car had Schiefer clutch. Purpose of test was see how much performance a Royal Bobcat package would add to the car. Tested on a very cold day. On stock tires, the GTO ran 14.20 @ 102.50 mph before the Bobcat kit, and 13.85 @ 106.13 after the kit.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

68    Firebird         400 (335 hp) 4-speed, 3.90 posi         12.81 @ 109.76 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  PB, P/S   Wt : 3400 (curb) Magazine : PHR (4/68)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 2). Tires were 7" cheater slicks. Tested against a similar 68 GTO (see previous test for results). Cars were driven by Sid Warren and Milt Schornack. Tested on a very cold day. The Firebird ran with its' exhaust pipes disconnected from the manifolds. Car had Schiefer clutch. On street tires, the Firebird ran 13.77 @ 106.76 mph.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

68    Firebird         428 T-400, 3.90 posi           12.55 @ 110 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 3.0 sec, 0-60 mph : 4.9 sec 

Options:  PB, P/S   Wt : 3800 (curb) Magazine : PHR (9/68)   

Notes: This was Myrtle Motors conversion car. Myrtle Motors was also in the business of "tweaking" Pontiacs for customer enjoyment, just like Royal Pontiac. Although they never garnered the attention Royal Pontiac did, Myrtle Motors built some very stout cars. The mods performed by Myrtle Motors to this 428 powered Firebird were almost identical to the famous Royal Bobcat kit (level 2). Car had Ram Air. On stock F70-14 tires, the car ran 13.90 with severe tire spin. The car had 428 emblems on the hood, but for some odd reason, a 400 emblem on the trunk lid.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

69    GTO         400 (RAIV) 4-speed, 3.55 posi           14.23 @ 100.89 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  PDB, P/S, P/W, HH   Wt : --------- Magazine : SS (10/68)   

Notes: This car was a prototype RAIV GTO, and carried the extravagent 4 inlet Ram Air system that Pontiac dubbed "Ram Air IV" because it had 4 ways to get fresh air. The baseplate looked similar to the regular production RAIV baseplate, except at the front part of the pan, two enormous 4 inch holes were cut (the foam seal used was a prototype as well, and surrounded these holes too) and two 4 inch ducts were routed up through the core support to pull fresh air (excellent photo in article). The system was dropped before production, but the name "Ram Air IV" stuck. The car was apparently NOT Bobcatted, but the driver was Milt Schornack. Milt was somewhat stunned as to why the performance was down, and after taking the GTO up and down the track a few times at different speeds, he discovered someone had mistakely put 3.55 gears and a wide ratio 4-speed in the car. Milt claimed the car should have easily been in the high 13's.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

69    Judge      400 (RAIII) 4-speed, 3.90 posi           14.41 @ 99.55 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  PDB, P/S, P/W   Wt : 3513 (curb) Magazine : HR (12/68)   

Notes: Tires were G78-14. This was the prototype 69 GTO Judge Coupe that was used in the first magazine ads for the Judge. This particular issue of Hot Rod has a 3 page foldout on the inside cover advertising this prototype Judge. While mechanically identical to the production Judge, the prototype used a white stripe down the body that ended just before the door handle, and a variation of "The Judge" logo appeared just over the door handle.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

69    Trans Am   400 (RAIV) T-400, 3.90 posi           14.10 @ 100.78 mph

Addtl times:  None

Options:  PDB, P/S   Wt : 3375 (approx) 3720 (test) Magazine : HR (3/69)   

Notes: Tires were F70-14 Polyglas. This was a prototype 69 Trans Am. Car was Palladium Silver with no stripes. Car was also equipped with a fiberglass hood, which never saw production. The magazine testers were extremely impressed with the Trans Am, especially in the handling department.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

69    Judge        400 (RAIII) 3-speed, 3.55 posi           13.65 @ 101.1 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  PB, P/S   Wt : ---------- Magazine : PHR (4/69)   

Notes: Tires were Goodyear slicks. After testing this Judge, the editors were so impressed that they decided to make this car "Project Judge", which became a 4-part buildup over 4 issues (not consecutive). The car was strangley equipped with a 3-speed manual and gears, quite ill-suited for dragstrip use. With the stock Polyglas bias-ply tires, the car ran 14.05 @ 100.6 mph. The testers then bolted on the Goodyear slicks, and the time improved to 13.95 @ 99.5 mph. The slicks were too tall for the gear and transmission, hence the lower mph. They then installed Doug's headers, an advance curve kit, and rejetted the Quadrajet. The 13.65 @ 101.1 time was obtained with open headers and slicks.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

69    Judge        400 (RAIII) 4-speed, 3.90 posi           12.86 @ 109.89 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  PB, P/S   Wt : ---------- Magazine : PHR (6/69)   

Notes: Continued from previous test. This was Part 2 of "Project Judge". The rear gear ratio was changed from 3.55 to 3.90. With open headers and slicks, the car then ran 13.55 @ 105.88 mph. The next step was to replace the 3-speed manual transmission with a 4-speed, and a Royal Bobcat kit (level 2) was installed. A Weber clutch was added to handle the additional dragstrip runs. In this trim, the car ran 13.20's @ 108 mph. Finally, stickier slicks were installed on 5-slot aluminum rims, and the time dropped to 12.86 @ 109.89 mph.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

69    Judge        400 (RAIII) 4-speed, 4.33 posi           12.62 @ 110.7 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  PB, P/S   Wt : ---------- Magazine : PHR (8/69)   

Notes: Continued from previous test. This was Part 3 of "Project Judge". A Carter electric fuel pump and Line-Loc were added, as well as air bags in the rear coils for improved traction. With open headers and slicks, the Judge ran 12.70 @ 110.29 mph. The next step was to replace the 3.90 gears with 4.33 gears, and slightly taller slicks were used. This resulted in a 12.62 @ 110.70 mph time.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

69    Judge        400 (RAIV) 4-speed, 4.33 posi           12.25 @ 113.92 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  PB, P/S   Wt : ---------- Magazine : PHR (12/69)   

Notes: Continued from previous test. This was Part 4 of "Project Judge". As you can see, the engine is now changed to a RAIV. Milt Schornack built a RAIV engine back at the Royal Pontiac shop that included JE pistons, and the heads were carefully prepped. By going to the RAIV engine, new headers were installed. Also, a flex fan and new heavy duty clutch were installed. With open headers and slicks, "Project Judge" ran 12.25 @ 113.92 mph. The editors stated that the car was still extremely streetable.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

69    GTO              400 (350 hp)         4-speed, 3.55 posi                    14.9  @ 98.3 mph

Addtl times:  0-30 mph : 3.0 sec, 0-45 mph : 4.8 sec, 0-60 mph : 7.2 sec 

Options:  PDB, P/S, HH     Wt : 3672 (curb)   Magazine : MT (1/69)   

Notes: Tires were stock F70-14. All tests were conducted with 2 people aboard. Car was not equipped with Ram Air. Test was part of a 6 car shootout including a Buick GS400, SS396 Chevelle, Torino Cobra 428, 440 Charger R/T, and a 440 GTX.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

69    GTO       400 (RAIV) 4-speed, 3.90 posi           12.62 @ 109.52 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  PDB, P/S, HH   Wt : --------- Magazine : PHR - Engine Hop Ideas 1970   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 2). Tires were 8.00-8.50 x14 Goodyear cheater slicks. Driver was Milt Schornack. This test involved a shootout between this 69 Royal Bobcat RAIV GTO and a Royal Bobcat 65 GTO Tri-power. The 69 GTO had a Schiefer Rev-Lok pressure plate and clutch, Doug's Headers (2" primary, 3-1/2" collectors), and was treated to a full Royal Pontiac prep, including cc'ing the heads. This was the Crystal Turquiose 69 GTO with the special Royal Pontiac paint scheme (white valence panel, hood stripe, rocker panels stripes, and trunk lid) that would eventually be fitted with a RAV engine. The 12.62 time listed was with open headers and cheater slicks. In street trim (closed pipes, street tires) the car ran 13.42 @ 108.42 mph. Very cold day for testing, with stiff head winds.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

69    Firebird     400 (RAIII) 4-speed, 3.90 posi           13.54 @ 107.02 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  PDB, P/S   Wt : ---------- Magazine : S&S (8/69)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 2). Tires were 7" cheater slicks. Royal Pontiac sent this car with a 1968 Ram Air system, most likely because the 1969 system was a bit complex and did not flow enough air. The car was Carousel Red. The road test times were NOT quoted in this test, but the editors stated it ran mid to high 13's. So where did the 13.54 shown above come from? In a October 1984 issue of High Performance Pontiac, Joe Oldham wrote a lengthy article about the original road test back in 1969. The photos shown were of the same car, same license plates, same dragstrip. The timeslips read 13.54 @ 107.02 mph. The focus of the October 1984 HPP article was what they did with the car AFTER the dragstrip. They were involved in some wild street racing activities. I highly recommend tracking this issue of HPP down. The article was called "Night Shift". Although Joe's recollection of the street racing activities was fascinating, he mistakely stated that the car was a RAIV car. In his original article back in 1969, they made it quite clear that this was NOT a RAIV car, but a 335 hp RAIII.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

69    Firebird      350 HO 4-speed, 4.33 posi       12.59 @ 110.29 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options:  (see Notes) Wt : 3460 (curb) 3350 (after mods) Magazine : SS (3/69)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 2 and beyond). Tires were 9.00/9.50x14 slicks. This was a fully prepped Royal race car designed to compete in the F/S drag racing class. The car was red with white Trans Am stripes (flat hood) and the lower rear quarters were also white, blending into the white tail panel, and ROYAL Racing Team in large lettering on the sides. Car had the twin hood tach nacelles, one housing a hood tach, the other was for the Ram Air option on the 350 HO (shown in the 1969 Firebird brochure). Chassis was setup by Royal, and the 350 engine was built to NHRA stock class specs (stock intake, carb, and cc'd heads). Car had Doug's headers, Schiefer racing clutch, electric fuel pump, forged pistons, and a custom oil pan. The power steering pump and power brakes were removed to shave weight. They then proceeded to remove the radio and all the interior sound deadener, as well as the rear seat and passenger seat. The radiator and battery were replaced with standard duty units to cut weight. The heater was left in place as per NHRA stock class rules. Test was conducted on a cold day (35 degrees) and the track was dusty. This was the same car that soon received a RAV engine (see next test).

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

69    Firebird       400 (RAV) 4-speed, 4.88 posi           11.65 @ 121 mph

Addtl times:  None 

Options: (see Notes)   Wt : 3400 (approx) Magazine : Drag Racing (7/69)   

Notes: Royal Pontiac prepared (level 2 and beyond). See previous test on 69 350 HO Firebird for details on car. Tires were 8.9x15 slicks on Fenton wheels. Purpose of test was to see how fast the RAV engine was. The mods performed in the previous test (350 HO) are all intact, but with the RAV we include new Doug's headerst, Hurst shifetr, Line-Loc, an aluminum Schiefer flywheel, and Lakewood traction bars. Oddly enough, the car was now wearing the factory "400" style twin scooped hood with a hood tach. Driver was Milt Schornack. Engine mods included a Crane cam, with which the car went from 119 mph to 121 mph. Milt shifted the car 6700-6800 rpm. The RAV heads were cc'd, but not touched otherwise. The engine was a tired "test" engine, was not blueprinted, and needed new pistons. Milt said that with a fresh engine and a new "Rock Crusher" trans, 11.30's at 125 mph would not be surprising if conditions were right.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

69    Trans Am    303 (RAV) T-400, 3.90 posi           16.37 @ 93.5 mph

Addtl times:   0-30 mph : 4.6 sec, 0-60 mph : 8.8 sec, 0-100 mph : 18.22 sec 

Options: None listed   Wt : 3980 (test) Magazine : MT (10/69)   

Notes: This was a qucik test of the new 303 Ram Air V engine as installed in the 69 Trans Am. The estimated top speed was 135 mph @ 6300 rpm. The gear ratio was inapproriate for the high winding little 303.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

69    Grand Prix  428 (370 hp) T-400, 3.23 posi           16.5 @ 86 mph

Addtl times:   0-30 mph : 3.6 sec, 0-60 mph : 9.5 sec, 0-75 mph : 14.0 sec 

Options: PDB, P/S, A/C   Wt : ---------- Magazine : MT (10/68)   

Notes: Tires were G78-14. This particular Grand Prix had already been thrashed by the Pontiac engineers, and a mention was made that the engine was "well-worn". Times were also given for this car without A/C, and they were approximately 1 second quicker in the 0-60 mph time.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

70    GTO   400 (RAIV) T-400, 3.23 posi           14.50 @ 97.76 mph

Addtl times:   None 

Options: None listed   Wt : --------- Magazine : PHR (6/70)   

Notes: Tires were G70-14 Uni Royals. Car was bright red, and was equipped with hood pins. The 3.23 was totally inappropriate for the RAIV engine, and traction was very poor with the stock tires.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

70    GTO   455 (360 hp) T-400, -------           13.98 @ 101.88 mph

Addtl times:   None 

Options: PDB, P/S, A/C   Wt : -------- Magazine : HC (5/70)   

Notes: Tires were G78-14's. Car had Ram Air and hood tach. The article was less than flattering about the new 455 GTO. While the 13.98 time seems respectable, in this same issue of the Hot Cars they also tested a 70 LS-6 Chevelle, 70 W-30 442, and a 70 Buick GS Stage 1. The GTO was the slowest of the bunch, but seemed to be the only car equipped with A/C and a standard rear axle ratio (not listed, but assuming a 3.31 w/ac).

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

70    GTO   455 (360 hp) 4-speed, 3.31 non-posi      15.0 @ 96.5 mph

Addtl times:   0-30 mph : 2.4 sec, 0-60 mph : 6.6 sec, 0-100 mph : 16.0 sec 

Options: PDB, P/S, A/C, P/W, P/DL   Wt : 4209 (curb) Magazine : CD (1/70)   

Notes: Tires were G70-14 Firestone. Car was fully loaded, but oddly enough, a 4-speed was ordered without posi.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

70    Judge     400 (RAIII) 4-speed, 3.55 posi         14.77 @ 94.42 mph

Addtl times:   None 

Options: PDB, P/S   Wt : 3780 (test) Magazine : RT (4/70)   

Notes: Tires were G70-14. Car had hood tach and hood pins. The magazine testers were disappointed in the fit and finish of the Endura bumper, and general mis-alignment of the front panels, but overall liked the car.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

70    Grand Prix   455 (370 hp) T-400, 3.07 gears   15.5 @ 88 mph

Addtl times:   0-30 mph : 3.0 sec, 0-60 mph : 7.8 sec, 0-75 mph : 11.4 sec 

Options: PDB, P/S, A/C   Wt : 3885 (curb) Magazine : MT (11/69)   

Notes: Tires were G78-14.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

70    Grand Prix   455 (370 hp) T-400, 3.23 posi   14.19 @ 102.99 mph

Addtl times:   None

Options: PDB, P/S, A/C, P/W, P/DL, P/seat   Wt : 4400 (curb) Magazine : CR (9/70)   

Notes: Tires were G78-14. Purpose of test was to see how this heavyweight would do at the dragstrip with some tuning. In stock form, the car ran 15.25 @ 99 mph. A switch to F70-14 tires, and the car went 14.93 @ 99 mph. Finally, mods to the Quadrajet carb, an advance curve kit, and 4.10 gears were installed, resulting in a 14.19 @ 102.99 mph pass.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

70    Trans Am   400 (RAIV) 4-speed, 3.90 posi      14.5 @ 99 mph

Addtl times:   0-60 mph : 6.5 sec

Options: PDB, P/S   Wt : ---------- Magazine : MT (2/70)   

Notes: Tires were F60-15. Tests were with 2 people aboard. Not much info on the actual test, but a great deal of info on the new 1970 Firebirds.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

70    GTO   400 (RAIII) 4-speed, 3.90 posi   14.60 @ 99.55 mph

Addtl times:   0-30 mph : 2.5 sec, 0-60 mph : 6.0 sec, 0-100 mph : 14.7 sec 

Options: PDB, P/S   Wt : 3830 (curb) 4230 (test) Magazine : CL (4/70)   

Notes: Tires were G70-14 Uni Royal. Car was tested against a 1970 GTO 455 (see next test for results).

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

70    GTO   455 (360 hp) T-400, 3.55 posi   14.76 @ 95.94 mph

Addtl times:   0-30 mph : 2.9 sec, 0-60 mph : 6.6 sec, 0-100 mph : 16.2 sec 

Options: PDB, P/S, A/C   Wt : 4055 (curb) 4455 (test) Magazine : CL (4/70)   

Notes: Tires were G70-14 Firestone. Car was tested against a 1970 GTO RAIII (see previous test for results). Car had Ram Air.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

71    GT-37   400 (300 hp) 4-speed, 3.55 posi   14.40 @ 97.50 mph

Addtl times:   None

Options: PDB, P/S   Wt : 3675 (test) Magazine : HR (6/71)   

Notes: Tires were G70-14 BF Goodrich bias ply. The time above was with the air filter removed. Car had a bench seat.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

73    GTO   455 (250 hp) T-400, 3.42 posi   14.70 @ 91 mph

Addtl times:   0-60 mph : 7.6 sec

Options: PDB, P/S, A/C   Wt : 3800 (curb) Magazine : CR (8/73)   

Notes: Tires were G60-15 Polyglas GT bias ply. Car had a bench seat, column shift, towing package, air shocks, power sunroof, and "moon" hubcaps.

Yr     Car                  Engine                   Drivetrain                                   Performance          

74    Trans Am  455 (SD) T-400, 3.08 posi   14.25 @ 100.93 mph

Addtl times:   None 

Options: PDB, P/S, A/C, P/W Wt : 3762 (curb) 4010 (test) Magazine : SS (6/74)   

Notes: Tires were GR70-15 Goodyear radials. Only modification was open hood scoop. Car was tested on a very cold day (low 40's), which hampered traction. Magazine testers were so impressed that they made this their next project car.


Thanks for reading! More tests to come…….

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