Vince Mayeda’s Firebird F/C runs a STOCK PONTIAC BLOCK on 65% Nirto! That combo has Vince firmly planted on the list among all of the heavy hitters in the Elite 10. Rumor has it Vince is switching up his combo….. Looking forward to whats next in the Mayeda / Taylor Camp.
Driver Info:
Engine Info:
Bill Taylor (Oceanside, CA)
413
Factory OE 400 block
1974
4.187
3.75
400 Ohio Crankshaft 4340; 3.00 mains; 2.25 rod
GRP aluminum 6.800
Calico
JE Pistons coated Top Fuel custom
Total Seal .043 Second
10.5 to 1
Kauffman Racing Equipment High Port
Bill Taylor
64 cc
2.20
1.70
Solid Roller
Brand: Schneider Racing Camshafts
Lift: 800 I; .750 E
Duration @ .050 288/296
Advertised duration:
Lobe Separation: 112
Installed position:
Firing Order (standard /4/7 swap / LS1): Standard
Cam size (standard / 50mm / 55mm etc): Standard
Rocker Arm (manufacturer & ratio): T&D Machine: 1.65
Pushrod (manufacturer / length / wall thickness): Smith Bros. 9.20
Lifter (manufacturer / type / size): Crower Offset; standard dia.
Power Adder description (blower / turbo size type etc.): Littlefield 8-71 front discharge retro case
Boost reached: 32 psi
NO2 (shot size / # of stages)
Fogger or Plate:
Manufacturer of system:
Fuel Type (pump gas / alky / VP 110 etc.): Methanol; 65% Nitromethane
Fuel Pump: Waterman
Intake Manifold: Custom billet blower
Carb (type / size / manufacturer / injected): Injected
# of Carbs:
Spacer Plate / Thickness:
Distributor: MSD 44 amp Pro Mag
Wires: MSD
Coil: MSD
Plugs: NGK 11
Timing: 40 degrees
Ignition Box / Amplifier (MSD etc.): MSD 44 amp Pro Mag
Car Info:
Headers (manufacturer) Custom double wall zoomies
Primary Tube: 2 1/2
Collector: NO
Exhaust Pipes:
Mufflers:
Crossover:
Transmission: Lenco CS1 three-speed
Trans Built by: Lenco
Converter (manufacturer & stall)
Converter Size (9" / 10" etc.):
Clutch Manufacturer: Crower
Clutch Size: 3-disc Glide
Rear End Gear: 4.30
Spool or Locker: Spool
Shifter: Lenco air solenoids
Axels (manufacturer & spline count): Mark Williams 40 spline
Year Built: 2007
Race wight with driver: 3200 lbs
Chassis Built by: Bill Taylor, Tom Depew, Chris New, Brad Woodard, Vincent Mayeda
Model: Firebird - 125-inch Funny Car chassis
Body Work & Paint:
Tires - Front: Goodyear 25x4
Tires - Rear: Goodyear 34.5x17-16
Wheels / Rims - Front: Centerline Convo Pro
Wheels / Rims - Back: Centerline Convo Pro Beadlocks
Chassis Mods: NO
Vincent Mayeda is a marketing communications executive by trade, is also a 30-year sportsman racer, having spent most of the last two decades racing in the highly competitive Super and Gasser Classes in NHRA and nostalgia circuits. He is also a former race car and hot rod shop owner and fabricator, having built several award winning cars. Vincent still maintains the retail parts portion of the business – Mayeda Motorsports – and continues to do smaller scale commissioned fabrication projects.
In 2007, looking to take a break from the nearly every weekend grind of racing, Vincent started to work toward building a front engine dragster with blown Pontiac power to race in Nostalgia Eliminator on a more part time basis. It was during this time that he met Bill Taylor at MachineTech Racing Engines in Oceanside, CA. Bill was in the midst of building a funny car with blown Pontiac power, and the two realized that by combining resources and experience, the possibility of chasing the overall Pontiac ET record could be a reality. Approaching the venture as an engineering/product development project, the team has been able to demonstrate marked improvement and repeatability of the supercharged Pontiac engine platform in the quicker ETs and higher speeds. Vincent looks forward to continue applying sound machining and engineering techniques in pushing the limits of a Pontiac engine. Vincent would like to thank:
- His wife, Marcia, for supporting his racing career
- DJ Safety
- Littlefield Blowers
- David Basham of BMS Machine and Racing Engines (San Bernardino, CA)
- Carroll Shelby Goodyear
- Brian Wilson of Clear Vision Printing and Graphics
- Lyndon Scott of Stovebolt Media
- Mike Barbin of Graphic Details
- Crew: Wade Hicks and David Doyel
Bill Taylor is a 30+ year veteran machinist, engine builder and Pontiac racer. Drag racing on the streets of Nebraska, Bill was often the lone Pontiac racer in his 455ci 1969 GTO against a sea of Chevys, Fords and Chryslers, taking king of the street honors most of the time, even against full chassis drag cars. In 1992, Bill, along with long-time girlfriend, Deb Docter, made his way to Oceanside, CA to apply his machining and engine building skills, and to take advantage of the near year-around drag racing opportunities. Bill eventually built a Roots blown 455 for his GTO, participating in heads up match and grudge racing in the mostly street-legal racing at SoCal dragstrips. Proving a formidable car in the match race scene, in 2006, Bill entered his GTO in the Super Chief Class at the 3rd Annual POCI Drag Race held at California Dragway in Fontana. The only street-legal car in the class, Bill concentrating on tuning, handed the driving duties to Chris New, who made it to the semifinals, eventually losing to Jack Gaydosh.
Unable to go any quicker in his GTO without cutting it up for a full chassis, in 2007, Bill sold the car and embarked on building a funny car. It was then that he met Vincent Mayeda and struck up a partnership to chase the Pontiac ET record. Combining racing experience, machining and fabrication skills has paid dividends on the track, as the duo have consistently showed increasing performance in the coveted 6-second ET range, and possibly the quickest ET and MPH with a factory Pontiac block. Bill would like to thank:
- Deb Docter for her unwavering support in his racing endeavors
- Eric Hawes of Hawes Engineering
- Gary Turner of GT Racing and owner of the Pedaler Nostalgia Funny Car
- Schneider Racing Cams
- Monte Woodard of MachineTech Racing Engines
- Russ’ Rod and Custom
- Tom Depew, Chris New, Brad Woodard
- Crew: Mike Speed and Becky Speed, Josh Soto
Timeslip: 6.357 @ 213.33 mph
This gallery contains 2 photos.
Unfortunately we do not have any video of Vince’s best pass. We do have some video below of the car at the track. Enjoy!
