1967 Pontiac LeMans
Jim Alcorn, Central Point, OR
Best E.T.: 11.04/122.99
Rather than the classic father-to-son gift to keep a car in the family, this '67 Pontiac LeMans actually started in the hands of Jim Alcorn's son, Chris, who performed a minor resto on it to make a high school driver. After graduation, Chris' priorities changed, and he and Jim struck an agreement; Jim would buy it and the car would be parked for a year; if Chris wanted it back it would be his. The year passed, and Jim got started on making the LeMans into his toy.
The idea was to have a quick street car with a racy edge that didn't steal from the Classic LeMans lines. Mission accomplished, we'd say. The build was a slow process since Jim preferred to work on it in the snowy winter months, and drive it spring through fall to any and all events in the area. In fact, there have been many times when Jim drove to a cruise on Friday, showed it on Saturday, and raced it Sunday. How's that for a car guy's weekend? Jim prefers bracket racing in the Summit Series, and to date has made over 550 passes with more than 325 round wins. The biggest, however, was at the 2007 National Dragster Challenge, where Jim earned a Wally in the Pro Class. Occasionally, even Chris takes it down the 1320, and Jim told us, "I have to say, I have as much fun watching him drive his old high school car as I do driving it myself."
Jim's best race, however, was actually a loss. In the other lane was his 81-year-old dad in his 16-second Seville. The elder Alcorn was surprisingly quick on the light and Jim ended up breaking out of his time trying to catch up. Jim says, "He had the biggest smile, and I will cherish that moment and memory forever."
Burns Upholstery in Eagle...
Burns Upholstery in Eagle Point, Oregon, handled the vinyl work. The custom door bars on the NHRA approved cage swing out for easier entry and exit. There's a stock radio in the custom engine-turned dash, but Jim tells us it's not used since he's "satisfied with the tunes that this American-made V-8 creates.
The big Poncho gets bigger,...
The big Poncho gets bigger, thanks to an Eagle stroker crank and rods that make 467 ci. Jim tells us it's unbelievably consistent and maintenance free. "It's a lot of fun going to the track and beating cars that are built just for the track, then taking it to a local cruise or driving it to work." Let's hope it keeps that up since Jim has the LeMans entered in the Pinks All-Out Race at Infineon Raceway in September.
| BY THE NUMBERS |
| '67 PONTIAC LEMANS |
| Jim Alcorn, 54 • Central Point, OR |
| Total cost to build: $24,966 |
| ENGINE |
| Type: |
Pontiac 467ci big-block |
| Block: |
'71 Pontiac 400, bored .060 |
| Oiling: |
Canton pan with high-volume pump |
| Rotating assembly: |
Eagle 4340 4.25-inch forged crank, |
|
Eagle forged 6.800-inch rods, |
|
Ross forged 10.4:1 pistons |
| Cylinder heads: |
Edelbrock aluminum heads |
|
with Ferrea Ultimate Racing valves, |
|
ported by Allin Specialties; |
|
304 cfm at .600 (intake), 187 cfm |
|
at .600-inch lift (exhaust) |
| Camshaft: |
COMP Cams solid roller, |
|
242/247-at-.050, .559/.555-inch lift |
| Valvetrain: |
COMP Cams solid-roller lifters and springs, |
|
1.5:1 Butler Performance aluminum rockers, |
|
custom 5/16-inch pushrods with screw-in guides |
|
and Butler Performance stud girdle with poly locks |
| Induction: |
Edelbrock Victor intake manifold, |
|
Demon 1050-cfm carb |
| Ignition: |
MSD Pro-Billet distributor |
| Fuel system: |
fuel cell, Magna electric pump and regulator |
| Exhaust: |
Doug's ceramic-coated headers |
| Output: |
389 rear-wheel horsepower at 5,150 rpm and 509 lb-ft at 3,200 rpm |
| Built by: |
Allin Specialties |
| DRIVETRAIN |
| Transmission: |
TCI Turbo 350 with a shift kit |
|
and 10-inch 3,500-stall converter; |
|
B&M Pro Ratchet shifter, |
|
3-inch driveshaft with 1350 yokes. |
| Rear axle: |
GM 12-bolt rearend, 3.73:1 gears, Moroso Power Brute posi |
| CHASSIS |
| Front suspension: |
stock with Moroso Trick springs and |
|
Competition Engineering adjustable shocks |
| Rear suspension: |
Moroso springs, QA1 adjustable shocks, |
|
air bags, four-link with adjustable |
|
upper and lower control arms |
| Brakes: |
stock '67 discs front; stock '67 drums rear |
| ROLLING STOCK |
| Wheels: |
Weld 15x4, front; 15x8, rear |
| Tires: |
BFGoodrich 205/70R15, front; |
|
M/T 275/60R15, rear |
| WHERE THE MONEY WENT |
| '67 Pontiac LeMans: |
$3,000 |
| Paint and body: |
$2,800 |
| Interior: |
$900 |
| Rollbar: |
$1,300 |
| Wheels: |
$380 |
| Tires: |
$599 |
| Engine, carb-to-pan: |
$8,600 |
| Flywheel (SFI): |
$329 |
| Trans: |
$1,100 |
| Torque converter: |
$429 |
| B&M shifter: |
$225 |
| Trans cooler: |
$70 |
| Headers: |
$790 |
| Exhaust: |
$400 |
| Fuel system: |
$550 |
| Radiator: |
$279 |
| Driveshaft: |
$325 |
| Distributor: |
$250 |
| Ignition box: |
$169 |
| Plug wires: |
$75 |
| Coil: |
$32 |
| Rearend: |
$1,500 |
| Front suspension |
$74 |
| Rear suspension: |
$250 |
| Gauges: |
$540 |
| Total: |
$24,966 |