Larry Bell isn't your run-of-the-mill True Street competitor for a variety of reasons. First, he didn't even know about the class until we told him about it. We first discovered Larry's Corvair a few months before Joliet, and asked him-scratch that, begged him-to participate. If ever there was a car perfect for this class, this is it. Larry built the entire car himself, right down to the body and paint. Starting with a totaled '67 Corvair that belonged to his dad, Larry fixed it up, and dropped the body onto an '85 Monte Carlo chassis. This gave him instant access to plentiful G-body suspension components, and provided plenty of room for the 455 Buick he had waiting in the wings. The Buick-powered beast runs on a steady diet of ordinary pump gas, and knocks down high 10s on motor for a total outlay of $13,000. And beyond Larry's mechanical aptitude, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that Larry is just about the kindest soul we've ever met at a racetrack. With kind words, a fun attitude, and a helpful hand to all who seek it, Larry's presence is always felt in a good way. He quickly earned the name "Smilin' Larry" at our photo shoot, which ran well into the wee hours of the morning. Look for a full feature on Larry's Corvair soon.
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How do you categorize "Smilin'"Larry Bell's big-block Buick Corvair? It's probably easier to categorize everybody who sees it as jealous. | | |
1967 Chevy Corvair
Larry Bell
Occupation: Operator
Hometown: Moro, IL
Best Prior e.t.: 10.96/123
True Street e.t. Average: 11.041
| Engine: | Big-block Buick |
| Displacement: | 455 ci |
| Compression: | 10.2:1 |
| Cylinder heads: | Bulldog aluminum, 2.19/1.81-inch valves |
| Camshaft: | Lunati hydraulic, 231/239 degrees at .050, .517/.541-inch lift |
| Rocker arms: | T&D |
| Intake manifold: | Kenne Bell Wildcat |
| Carburetor: | PROFORM 950-cfm |
| Power-adder: | none |
| Rotating assembly: | stock |
| Transmission: | Larry Bell-built TH-200-4R |
| Converter: | Dan's Converters 10-inch 3,200-stall |
| Rearend: | 8.5-inch 10-bolt (from '84 Grand National) with 3.42 gears |
| Rear tires: | Mickey Thompson ET Street 275/50-15 |
| Front suspension: | factory '85 Monte Carlo |
| Rear suspension: | factory '85 Monte Carlo |
| Total cost of car: | $13,000 |