NMRAPaul
03-03-2006, 06:31 PM
A Band of Brothers
The Gillam brothers use Toyo Tires Open Comp to catapult themselves to heads-up status, and kick ass getting there.
Story by Cale Aronson. Photos by James Lawrence, Jake Amatisto, and Paul Rosner
This is a summary of a car feature that will appear in the June, 2006 issue of Race Pages magazine. Check out the printed version for the full story.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606f1/lead.jpg
The Gillam brothers hail from Schererville, Indiana and despite being one of the youngest teams of racers to compete in the NMRA, they’re definitely one of the more feared forces in the Open Comp field. Their racing operation can be considered one of the tightest racing teams, and a lot of that comes from being family oriented. Brother Jeff Gillam is the car’s owner; however, Jeremy was given the title of “space monkey” by driving the low 10-second ride. The 1991 LX Mustang you see here has been tearing it up since 1995, starting out as a daily driver to get them to and from high school. But like a lot of Fox body Mustangs that are owned by a group of teenage dudes, the car did not remain stock for long as the brothers quickly added the appropriate bolt-ons in the hope of smoking the opposition in the next lane.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606f1/headshot.jpg
It wasn’t long until they had the car running consistent low 14-second passes on street tires with really no significant engine upgrades. The car took a break for a couple years while both Jeff and Jeremy were playing the part of bookworm in college. After school, they both returned to the car and decided it was time to hit some NMRA events. In 2003 the 1991 LX saw it’s first NMRA competition. By 2004 they had worked their way up to running seven races, although struggling through the season with various broken parts, including two engines and three transmissions. Most people would become discouraged upon this streak of bad luck, but the Gillam brothers just saw their misfortune as the reason to really turn it up the following season.
The brothers quickly turned to a man known for performance to give them the answers and advice that they needed, Pure Street Champion Rich Groh. Jeremy says, “Rich Groh really straightened out our program.” Of course, advice is only as good as your willingness to listen to it, but crew chief Jeff has shown that he knows exactly how to make the most of it. Throughout the course of the brothers’ racing career, Jeff has become the sole tuner on the car, performing more than 90-percent of the work between races. According to Jeremy, “He has gotten better and better, and is fully responsible for how fast the car goes on a regular basis.”
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606f1/burnout.jpg
Through it all, the Gillam family has been able to run a best of 9.82 at over 137 mph, win the World Ford Challenge 8, take home runner-up honors in the NMRA Georgia event, win the Kansas City race, and take the number two spot in the championship chase in the 2005 season in the Toyo Open Comp class.
As for exactly what components they used to build their 1991 LX Mustang into a full-blown race car, the process was pretty much by the books. The roll cage was welded up by Five Point Motorsports, while the front end utilizes a UPR front K-member, as well as A-arms, Strange struts, and QA1 springs. A manual Flaming River rack and pinion steering box was also installed to quicken up the steering response, and the rear suspension consists of Strange shocks along with a set of Moroso springs. Stuffed inside the 8.8 inch rear end housing sits a set of 4.88 gears, with 31-spline Strange axles. In front of the driveshaft is a Dynamic Mighty Mite 2 C-4 automatic transmission that utilizes an 8-inch converter.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606f1/engine.jpg
The power that lives under the 4-inch Glasstek cowl hood comes courtesy of RGR Engines, which means this beast was built by none other than Rich Groh, the team’s mentor. It uses a R302 8.2 deck height block, in conjunction with a set of Edelbrock Victor Jr. heads. The engine was built to yield a total of 331 cubic inches. The bottom end was put together using an Eagle 4340 Steel crankshaft, Eagle I-beam rods, CP dome pistons, and a special Comp camshaft. In the upstairs area there are hours of hand porting done by Mr. Groh in the Edelbrock heads, which are stuffed with Ferrea valves measuring 2.05 on the intake and 1.60 on the exhaust. To take full advantage of the available horsepower they used a Parker Funnel Web intake manifold that was ported and matched to the heads. To top off the beast, a Pro Systems 920cfm carb provides adequate airflow to the 331. For ignition, the Gillams went with an MSD Digital 7 Programmable box, along with an HVC coil. As for the expelled gasses, a set of Bassani stepped headers with 3.5-inch collectors direct the fumes through a Bassani X-Pipe.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606f1/interior.jpg
In the future, the Gillam Brothers are looking to step away from Open Comp and finally get into what they love the most; heads up racing. “Although I never wanted to race in Open Comp forever, we will miss all the friends we made in the class,” Jeremy admits. “We are, however, looking forward to our first season in the NMCA’s Mean Street, and with RGR behind us those guys should watch out.”
VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS:
DRIVER, AGE: Jeremy Gillam, 27
HOMETOWN: Schererville, Indiana
OCCUPATION: Printing Pressman
OWNER: Jeff Gillam
CREW: Jeff Gillam, Josh Gillam, and Dennis Tarne
CLASS: NMRA Toyo Tires Open Comp
CAR WEIGHT: 2,800 pounds
BEST E.T./MPH: 9.82 at 137 mph
ENGINE/SIZE: RGR (Rich Groh)/ 331CI
CYLINDER HEADS: Edelbrock Victor Jr. ported by Rich Groh
EXHAUST: Bassani headers, X-Pipe, Mufflers
CAMSHAFT: Comp Cams, RGR Spec
CHASSIS: Five Point Motorsports, Chrome Moly Cage
FRONT SUSPENSION: Strange Struts, QA1 Springs, UPR K-Member and A-Arms
REAR SUSPENSION: Strange shocks, Moroso springs
TIRES & WHEELS: 15x8” Weld Draglites (rear) Weld 15x3.5” (front)
REAREND: Stock 8.8 Ford, Strange third member, gears, axles
TRANSMISSION: Dynamic Mighty Mite 2 C-4, Coan 8” converter
EFI/CARB: PRO Systems Carb 920 CFM Holley 4150, Edelbrock Victor intake
FUEL SYSTEM: Barry Grant 400 pump and Regulator, Aeromotive filter
POWER ADDER: None
SPONSORS: RGR Engines, Bassani, Dynamic Racing Transmissions, Whites Pit Stop, Denso Spark Plugs, Behind Bars Race Cars, JPC
THANKS TO: Levi Fry for painting the car!
The Gillam brothers use Toyo Tires Open Comp to catapult themselves to heads-up status, and kick ass getting there.
Story by Cale Aronson. Photos by James Lawrence, Jake Amatisto, and Paul Rosner
This is a summary of a car feature that will appear in the June, 2006 issue of Race Pages magazine. Check out the printed version for the full story.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606f1/lead.jpg
The Gillam brothers hail from Schererville, Indiana and despite being one of the youngest teams of racers to compete in the NMRA, they’re definitely one of the more feared forces in the Open Comp field. Their racing operation can be considered one of the tightest racing teams, and a lot of that comes from being family oriented. Brother Jeff Gillam is the car’s owner; however, Jeremy was given the title of “space monkey” by driving the low 10-second ride. The 1991 LX Mustang you see here has been tearing it up since 1995, starting out as a daily driver to get them to and from high school. But like a lot of Fox body Mustangs that are owned by a group of teenage dudes, the car did not remain stock for long as the brothers quickly added the appropriate bolt-ons in the hope of smoking the opposition in the next lane.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606f1/headshot.jpg
It wasn’t long until they had the car running consistent low 14-second passes on street tires with really no significant engine upgrades. The car took a break for a couple years while both Jeff and Jeremy were playing the part of bookworm in college. After school, they both returned to the car and decided it was time to hit some NMRA events. In 2003 the 1991 LX saw it’s first NMRA competition. By 2004 they had worked their way up to running seven races, although struggling through the season with various broken parts, including two engines and three transmissions. Most people would become discouraged upon this streak of bad luck, but the Gillam brothers just saw their misfortune as the reason to really turn it up the following season.
The brothers quickly turned to a man known for performance to give them the answers and advice that they needed, Pure Street Champion Rich Groh. Jeremy says, “Rich Groh really straightened out our program.” Of course, advice is only as good as your willingness to listen to it, but crew chief Jeff has shown that he knows exactly how to make the most of it. Throughout the course of the brothers’ racing career, Jeff has become the sole tuner on the car, performing more than 90-percent of the work between races. According to Jeremy, “He has gotten better and better, and is fully responsible for how fast the car goes on a regular basis.”
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606f1/burnout.jpg
Through it all, the Gillam family has been able to run a best of 9.82 at over 137 mph, win the World Ford Challenge 8, take home runner-up honors in the NMRA Georgia event, win the Kansas City race, and take the number two spot in the championship chase in the 2005 season in the Toyo Open Comp class.
As for exactly what components they used to build their 1991 LX Mustang into a full-blown race car, the process was pretty much by the books. The roll cage was welded up by Five Point Motorsports, while the front end utilizes a UPR front K-member, as well as A-arms, Strange struts, and QA1 springs. A manual Flaming River rack and pinion steering box was also installed to quicken up the steering response, and the rear suspension consists of Strange shocks along with a set of Moroso springs. Stuffed inside the 8.8 inch rear end housing sits a set of 4.88 gears, with 31-spline Strange axles. In front of the driveshaft is a Dynamic Mighty Mite 2 C-4 automatic transmission that utilizes an 8-inch converter.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606f1/engine.jpg
The power that lives under the 4-inch Glasstek cowl hood comes courtesy of RGR Engines, which means this beast was built by none other than Rich Groh, the team’s mentor. It uses a R302 8.2 deck height block, in conjunction with a set of Edelbrock Victor Jr. heads. The engine was built to yield a total of 331 cubic inches. The bottom end was put together using an Eagle 4340 Steel crankshaft, Eagle I-beam rods, CP dome pistons, and a special Comp camshaft. In the upstairs area there are hours of hand porting done by Mr. Groh in the Edelbrock heads, which are stuffed with Ferrea valves measuring 2.05 on the intake and 1.60 on the exhaust. To take full advantage of the available horsepower they used a Parker Funnel Web intake manifold that was ported and matched to the heads. To top off the beast, a Pro Systems 920cfm carb provides adequate airflow to the 331. For ignition, the Gillams went with an MSD Digital 7 Programmable box, along with an HVC coil. As for the expelled gasses, a set of Bassani stepped headers with 3.5-inch collectors direct the fumes through a Bassani X-Pipe.
http://www.promediapub.com/vbulletinimg/nmra/rp0606f1/interior.jpg
In the future, the Gillam Brothers are looking to step away from Open Comp and finally get into what they love the most; heads up racing. “Although I never wanted to race in Open Comp forever, we will miss all the friends we made in the class,” Jeremy admits. “We are, however, looking forward to our first season in the NMCA’s Mean Street, and with RGR behind us those guys should watch out.”
VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS:
DRIVER, AGE: Jeremy Gillam, 27
HOMETOWN: Schererville, Indiana
OCCUPATION: Printing Pressman
OWNER: Jeff Gillam
CREW: Jeff Gillam, Josh Gillam, and Dennis Tarne
CLASS: NMRA Toyo Tires Open Comp
CAR WEIGHT: 2,800 pounds
BEST E.T./MPH: 9.82 at 137 mph
ENGINE/SIZE: RGR (Rich Groh)/ 331CI
CYLINDER HEADS: Edelbrock Victor Jr. ported by Rich Groh
EXHAUST: Bassani headers, X-Pipe, Mufflers
CAMSHAFT: Comp Cams, RGR Spec
CHASSIS: Five Point Motorsports, Chrome Moly Cage
FRONT SUSPENSION: Strange Struts, QA1 Springs, UPR K-Member and A-Arms
REAR SUSPENSION: Strange shocks, Moroso springs
TIRES & WHEELS: 15x8” Weld Draglites (rear) Weld 15x3.5” (front)
REAREND: Stock 8.8 Ford, Strange third member, gears, axles
TRANSMISSION: Dynamic Mighty Mite 2 C-4, Coan 8” converter
EFI/CARB: PRO Systems Carb 920 CFM Holley 4150, Edelbrock Victor intake
FUEL SYSTEM: Barry Grant 400 pump and Regulator, Aeromotive filter
POWER ADDER: None
SPONSORS: RGR Engines, Bassani, Dynamic Racing Transmissions, Whites Pit Stop, Denso Spark Plugs, Behind Bars Race Cars, JPC
THANKS TO: Levi Fry for painting the car!