Bill Freeman wrote:

Paul,

I assume that you saw this a long time ago in Lamms book, but
if not here you are, and if so -- a blast from the past.

Got any photos of that driveline and/or car???  Going to do another?
A friend just put a Chevy HI PO "crate motor" in his old Malibu
after seeing my success with the Blazer HI PO motor.  His is a
smallblock that puts out a real 330 hp and idles nicely with just a
SLIGHT lump to let you know it is a bit special.  You need to put one
of these in your 71 Trans-Am,  mid-engine if you want to relive
history.  Front, if you just want a nice to drive car.

Bill

Well I'll be. I did not know John Lamm had my mid-engine Firebird
in his book. I think I will have to buy a copy. If you send me
yours or bring it to the MO-GIG flyin I will sign it for you :-)

John did take the pictures for the Motor Trend article on the car.
There are some pictures of the drive line in the Motor Trend
article but I have no orginals.

Yes it understeered because that was what GM wanted. Those were
the days of the Ralph Nader Corvair issue. But it was consistent
and moderate understeer. I used to love to bate Corvettes to
an impromptu stop-light-drag race on rainy days with the stock appearing
car. I would stall the converter and step off the brake with
my left foot when the light changed. I would leave those Corvettes
standing still with thier rear tires spinning in the wet while
I disappeared in the mid-engine Firebird :-)

Herb made me drive it to Michigan. He felt if it made it to 
Michigan from CA without breaking it was probably engineered
OK. Only took me two days :-) No breakdowns or trouble 
of any kind.

Paul Van Falkenburg drove it for awhile and he said it was the best
handling car he ever drove. :-)

The steel bulkhead in front of the engine and behind the driver
stiffened the chassis beyond my expectations. Slamming
the doors gave a satisfying clunk sound.

Paul-Lamar-mid-engine-FB.jpg

Thanks for digging that up Bill.
 
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