Author Topic: 1969 Mid-Ohio Trans-Am photos (Read 117303 times)

1109RWHP · « **Reply #60 on:** September 08, 2011, 12:31:31 AM »

It is interesting that the Holleys ended up on a Firebird and at least one AMX as their design was funded by Ford when SCCA decide to not let Ford run the Autolite inline carbs.

Jon Mello · « **Reply #61 on:** September 08, 2011, 12:52:25 AM »

The Autolite inline 4-barrel carbs looked pretty cool but they never got them to work very well, according to George Follmer. Also, SCCA didn't like that Ford might have an advantage with a special carburetor that others might not be readily able to get. That makes sense.

klvn8r · « **Reply #62 on:** September 09, 2011, 03:08:40 AM »

The Javelins got the Dominators for 69, just like Ford. Rumor was, Kaplan got them through some Ford drag racers whose shop was near his. Kaplan claimed 480 hp that year, and everyone scoffed....but have you considered that they started at the back in Michigan, and were up front very quickly??? Probably wasn't the "superior" Rambler suspension or the top of the heap drivers; Martin and Grable. Thoughts?

klvn8r

Jon Mello · « **Reply #63 on:** September 10, 2011, 03:50:02 AM »

I actually wasn't sure if the '69 Javelins used the Dominator carbs or not. I don't think I have seen an engine compartment shot that year with no air cleaner in place. If you have a nice Javelin engine shot showing the Dominators, please post it for us. It is really hard to say what the definitive problem for the Javelins was in '69. They certainly did not have the same sort of year they had in '68. Nor, as you have noted, did they have the same drivers. If they had the stout 480hp as claimed, it sure didn't seem to translate to good qualifying times. There are also some races where one or both cars ran well. John Martin's car at this Mid-Ohio event was running very well until it broke. I don't think Ron Grable, John Martin, Lothar Motschenbacher or Jerry Grant were bad drivers but Revson and Follmer were better. Kaplan built a pretty strong engine in '69 but it did not seem to hold together like the Traco-built ones the year before. I think the bottomline is that Chevy, Ford and even Pontiac all seemed to step up their game and get better in '69 and the Javelins unfortunately did not.

Can you tell me what the reasoning was behind the '69 bulged hood? It looked like the aircleaner that year would have still fit under the stock "flat" hood.

1109RWHP · « **Reply #64 on:** September 10, 2011, 04:38:59 AM »

Somewhere there was an in depth discussion about this on the Boss 302 site but I could not find it. In one of the old Trans Am videos ther is a very short clip of an AMC driver with his helmet on under the hood working the throttle. If you stop it in the right spot you can see the dominator carbs. An AMC guy later posted some info about the intake and possably a picture. It was a tall IR type manifold that was the reason for the tall hood.

Jon Mello · « **Reply #65 on:** September 11, 2011, 06:01:51 AM »

There's a nice thread by "Javelin GT" on this AMC forum showing some nice photos midway down of some Javelins from the '69 Wolverine Trans-Am.

This particular photo posted by Javelin GT shows the hood up and reveals the taller manifold and aircleaner used by the Javelin team
at that particular race. It is obvious that the blistered hood is necessary for clearance.

Also, there is a nice short interview with Ronnie Kaplan on tajavelin.com where he describes the special engine used by the Javelin team
to start the '69 season. This special engine based on the 343 block rather than the 290 and with a lower deck height, taller manifold,
dominator carbs, etc is the reason why they were so fast at that Michigan race. Sadly for the AMC team, somebody didn't properly
homolgate that engine (fill out the proper paperwork) so it couldn't be used for the rest of the season.

klvn8r · « **Reply #66 on:** September 11, 2011, 08:41:19 PM »

All of the info posted since my post seem to be correct. Javelin GT is a buddy of mine and we have worked on alot of that info together. He does great investigative work. Yes, the intake was an IR, and there is currently a 304 motor being built just for this setup, and hopefully one day appear at a vintage race near you!

klvn8r

Jon Mello · « **Reply #67 on:** October 02, 2011, 05:30:05 AM »

Three more photos from this race which did not get posted earlier.

Russ Norburn (#17) and Bert Everett (#14) going under the bridge at turn 1.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

Mark Donohue's Camaro and Ted Roberts' Javelin.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

The Don Yenko and Rusty Jowett Camaros.

Photo by Ron Lathrop

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