[1]- Photo Credit: Brian Black
Thank goodness for the racers who refuse to compromise, and those that will never settle for “good enough.” They are truly the people who will continue to push the LSX and racing in general to new heights. Brian Black is a great example of one such pacesetter who we discovered on LS1tech [2], under the screen name “SMKN TA 95” when he recently posted a thread about his outstanding new all-out nitrous LSX mill.
After battling through a rough patch last season, Brian spent the harsh Illinois winter gathering together some of the best parts and people in the LSX community to bring his Trans Am back better than ever. The combo’s foundation is the venerable GMPP Iron LSX Block stuffed with a Callies Magnum crank, GRP aluminum rods, and Diamond Pistons for a total displacement of 432 cubic inches. The lungs of this beast are a set of Mast Motorsports MOZEZ canted-valve cylinder heads designed by Cary Chouinard [3].
These heads are the real deal. Flowing 458 CFM on the intake and 281 CFM on the exhaust at .900 lift, they can support over 1000 HP in naturally aspirated applications. A Marcella intake manifold and twin Wilson 2000 CFM throttle bodies top off the combo. Baxter Racing Engines had the duty of bringing it all together. Brian says of Baxter, “He is as meticulous as they come, and it showed in the 150 hours to build this engine. If it wasn’t for him helping me out on this engine/transmission combo, I wouldn’t be anywhere near as fast.”
As impressive as this engine would be in N/A form alone, it’s purpose built to hit the squeeze. Brian is running a Nitrous Outlet [5]2 Stage Dry set up, with only a 200 HP shot per stage to get the car dialed in. And even though this is nowhere near as much nitrous as this mill can handle, it has still performed exceptionally well in its first few shake-down passes.
Brian tells us “So far in testing, the car has been 5.20 at 139 MPH to the 1/8th, and 8.05 at 174 to the 1/4 with only a 1.32 60′. I’m still working on the 60′ and the timing to get the car to leave correctly, but it takes a lot of time to do so.” In addition to those personal bests, this bad boy can blast out low 8 second passes seemingly at will. What makes it all the more impressive is that Brian’s TA is putting down those kinds of times on some relatively small 275 drag radials. No doubt that the extensive chassis work done by both Larson Racecars and Midwest Chassis has a lot to do with how well the car gets the power to the ground.
[6]Photo Credit: Brian Black
Of course, like any red-blooded racer you’ve probably already scanned this article looking for the final HP numbers, but Brian is very discreet about how much power this fire breather actually makes, and is quick to remind us that dyno numbers are just a tool for tuning. Judging by those kinds of strip times, you can safely bet it’s somewhere in the “Whole Lot” to “OMG” range.
This is definitely one LSX car to keep your eye on. It’s a fine example of the potential of the LSX when the perfect storm of the right parts, people, and patience come together in one place.