8.5 sec - 1,100HP V8 Nissan Laurel?
Thats right - we let the cat out the bag on Tweety Too!
Article by Rawle Francis
Photography by Joe Cool
Owner Gordon Rooks
Team SuperTune Racing

Remember the first time you got your hands a decent manual car you just had to pop that clutch in 1st , burn some rubber and try to chip 2nd. Wasn't that the greatest feeling, then, at least. Now multiply that by 10, add the roar of a colossal 540 Dart Merlin big block and the lunge produced by a pair of huge Hoosier Drag slicks. That's what Gordon Rooks feels every time he takes his precious Tweety Bird out to flex its wings. With a best quarter mile time to date of 8.5secs @ 155mph in Puerto Rico last November, Tweety certainly gives the race fans here at home in Trinidad something to look forward to at each Auto Sport Promotions Drag Event.

Believe it 1,100hp, horses normally seen on cable TV while viewing NHRA drags. All that power is produced by a 540 cid Dart Merlin block with Dart Big Chief heads with a single Holley Dominator. It produces a dyno'd 800 hp with another 300 hp with NOS at the press of a button, all installed and tuned by Marcel Carrington of SuperTune Mechanical Services. Tweety Too was built in record time last year, 3 months. The guys worked in rotation shifts, 18 hours a day until completion. Gordon left nothing to chance. Plenty money was spent. Thanks to the guys at Trinidad Race Products the car shows that a monumental amount of talent is available right here in T&T. The chassis is a complete Chassis Engineering kit built into a 1984 Nissan Laurel body. The metal is mild steel and the main chassis is a2 x 3 box frame. Again, all chassis work, body work, mechanical work, painting etc. was done right here in T&T.

The task of piloting Tweety is in the hand of owner, Gordon Rooks. This car is the big sister of Gordons other bird , Tweety 1, another Yellow, V8 powered, 12 second, streetable, Nissan Laurel. "There is no replacement for displacement, V8 all the way". More importantly Gordon spent numerous hours at the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School in Pomona California during November 1998 in preparation for is date on the track with Tweety. So you see Gordon is no stranger to the tremendous demands required to get this power plant through the traps. Using the famous Pedal To The Metal driving style, Gordon jams the X to the floor with his right foot and does not lift it no matter what happens, until he flies past the traps of course.
"Going sideways down the track… keep it planted and aim for the end of the strip." Balls of steel, ENT.

Specs:
Engine: 540 cid Dart Merlin Block.
Front and rear solid mounts.
Dart Big Chief heads (Pontiac Race Heads).
12.5 compression.
JE Pistons.
Jessel Valve Train.
Stainless Intake Valves.
Inconel Exhaust Valves.
Isky Valve Springs.
1 piece Jessel Pushrods.
10 degree Valve Locks.
4340 - 4 1/4 Stroke Crank.
Speed Pro Rings.
Custom Roller Camshaft.
Dart Single 4 Barrel Intake.
Holley Dominator.
MSD Distributor.
MSD 8.5mm Plug Wires.
MSD 7AL3 Ignition.
300hp Nitrous Oxide System with 3000psi blow-off valve.
Hugh's Performance, Power Glide Transmission, 1.76 1st gear.
Hugh's Performance, 5300 stall converter.
4' aluminum driveshaft.

Suspension & Rear End:
Strut front suspension with Willwood double piston disc brakes.
Ford 9" rear end with Strange spool and 4.30 pro gears.
Willwood Heavy Duty Disc Brakes.
Double adjustable Alden Eagle rear shocks.
130lb springs in coilover arrangement33 x 17 x 15".
Hoosier Drag Slicks.
15 x 15 Centerline Convo Pro Rims.
All gauges are Auto meter and all wiring is Painless.
Chassis Engineering Kit.

Safety:
7.5 sec Chassis, NHRA Rated.
Fire Extinguisher.
RJS 5 Point Harness.
Parachute.
Wheelie Bars.

Success:
Thus far it has run 8.8 secs @ 146 mph, Wallerfield, Trinidad. (National Record for a Door Car)