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Patterson used the familiar MSD and Jesel timing set-ups and screwed a Stef’s oiling system to the mighty mouse. Typical of NHRA class racers everywhere, Gary was reluctant to provide gross output of Patterson’s short-stroke screamer.
Transmission components for both cars are quite similar. A Pro Trans Turbo 350 transmission (S/S 2.08 Low; Comp 2.24 Low) takes torque from a Select Performance (West Babylon, NY) 9-inch converter with a 6,200 rpm stall speed and passes it to Mark Williams prop shaft, thence to the truncated 9-inch housing. Gary effects gear changes the same time every time with his hand on a Turbo Action Cheetah ratchet.
To retain as much of the OE flavor of the interior as possible B&B did both cars in an identical fashion, right down to carpeting (in the S/S car) and GM mouse-gray upholstery for the usually spare Kirkey seats. Crew chief Iaconis coordinated the wiring sequences and fixed the S/S car with an easily removable dash panel via Dzus fasteners. Strange Engineering wheels top the steering posts and Race Pak displays let driver Gary know what’s happening during and after each lap. There is no HVAC or audio system, of course, but to maintain the stock façade, the instrument panels remain intact but hollow.
At this writing, the Comp racer is a virgin. It’s been teased but never allowed to fully express itself simply because Gary and crew were messing with the S/S Cobalt and his C/SA Camaro most of the ’07 season.
He offered, “We did not have time to test it. The very first time I went down the track was at the SuperNationals in Englishtown. We did not go fast enough to qualify. We found out that when the stall speed of the converter flashed to 9,000 rpm, it also triggered the auto shift to Second gear. Therefore, we were running Second to Third gear, but had no Low gear. That was the only time down the track for the car.”
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