This week’s Dyno Blast video features a gorgeous 1968 Pontiac Firebird Convertible restomod packing the General Motors LSA V8. There are no details on where this LSA came from, so we don’t know if it began its life as the 556 hp LSA from the Cadillac CTS-V or the 580 hp version from the 5th gen Camaro ZL1. We do, however, know that any LSA engine will pack significantly more power than any factory 1968 Firebird engine – making this classic convertible one wicked sleeper.
Unfortunately, it is very hard to see how much power the LSA powered 1968 Firebird put down, as the video of the readout is fairly blurry, but it looks like it is somewhere north of 400 rear wheel horsepower. The video also points out that this was a tuning run, so there might be more left in the tank, but that doesn’t make this video any less impressive.
The second portion of the video shows the dyno run of this 1968 Firebird from under the hood, showing the headers glowing during the hard run. Crank up your speakers and enjoy!
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
