1969 Road Runner Project, Part V

When a performance aftermarket company such as Holley says they want to build a project Mopar, the assumption is that they want to showcase their product on that vehicle. The Holley Performance Product’s 1969 Roadrunner is no exception. So when Holley’s Matt Held sent Indy Cylinder Head’s Ken Lazzeri the full Pro Strip Annihilator ignition system for the 542ci engine that will power the Roadrunner ("Torque Monster," Mopar Muscle, April 2000), Ken was up for the challenge. In the course of dyno testing the 542 Indy Cylinder Head Wedge engine, Ken got his first opportunity to use the ignition system. He notes, "Nowadays, everybody wants to program the ignition like EFI cars do, this is the hot setup. The tuner must program every phase of his timing curve. Everyone asks for it and here it is! This ignition has endless capabilities."

As an example, Ken says, "Obviously, the more radical an engine is, the more necessary tuning the ignition system becomes. Case-in-point, to get a race engine started and running, the Pro Strip Annihilator allows you to start the engine with some retard, and immediately after it fires, you can go to full advance." Additionally, the Pro Strip Annihilator allows for all of the tuning to be manipulated with an all-in-one hand programmer. In using the QuickShot Programmer, Ken was impressed. "During the dyno test, I couldn’t believe the amount of combinations I could come up with." Because we simply did not have room in the engine story last issue to expound on the merits of the ignition system, we chose to display the ignition system now.

Here are the details:

Pro Strip Annihilator
According to Holley, "The Pro Strip Annihilator (PN 800-300) is the first racing ignition system to combine all the popular features drag racers want in one system plus have 135 millijoules of energy output at 525 volts. It is also compatible with any original equipment or aftermarket distributor including points, HEI, magnetic pick-up, and Hall effect pickup as well as any brand of magnetic or Hall effect crank trigger system." This microprocessor controlled system is extremely accurate and consistent because temperature and barometric pressure cannot affect it. The digital control module has a 14-light LED display for constant system function status and all settings are made with the QuickShot Programmer. The QuickShot Programmer has a large two-digit LED display, soft-touch keypad, and an extra long five-foot cord--adjustments can be made from the driver's seat even if you have racing gloves on and are strapped in tight.

The multiple spark function of the Pro Strip Annihilator restrikes the plug from idle to 3,000 rpm for 22-1/2-degrees of crankshaft rotation and the fully programmable timing computer allows you to program a 32-point timing curve from zero to 50-degrees (in 1-degree increments) from 500 rpm to 16,000 rpm (in 500 rpm increments). The maximum timing span is 34-degrees and timing is accurate +/-1/4-degree from idle to 16,000 rpm. Unlike other performance ignition systems, no plug-in actuators/switches are needed, and the Pro Strip Annihilator can be programmed with four random or sequential rev limiters. One is active all the time while the remaining three can be used for line lock, transbrake, delay box, or timer. Additionally, four RPM-activated switches are available for use with components requiring activation and deactivation at specific engine speeds. Adjustable from 0 to 16,000 rpm in 100 rpm increments. Other features including four timing retard inputs that are adjustable from 0 to 20 degrees in 1-degree increments. The timing retard feature works with all brands of nitrous solenoids and timers. Boost retard offers timing retard at a rate of 1 degree for every pound of boost pressure up to 15 psi. To use this feature, you must use Holley’s MAP sensor (PN 870-300). The Pro Strip Annihilator system is prewired for the MAP sensor.

LaserShot Pro Ignition Coil
The LaserShot Pro Ignition Coil (PN 820-100) carries E.O. D-115-6 making it legal for installation on emission equipped vehicles in the State of California; however, it is also designed for a variety of high performance applications. It provides more power than other street coils, yet can be used on both racing vehicles and street cars. The double "E-core" design means it can stand up to the harsh environment that race cars see everyday. It has a sturdy male spark plug tower and a two-wire connector for a clean installation. The extruded aluminum housing has deep groove fins for excellent cooling and is finished in anodized black satin.

Annihilator LaserShot 50 Cable
These premium wires are available in 9mm and 8mm diameters and offer the lowest resistance core/cable available at 50 ohms per foot. Available specifically for Chrysler big- and small-block applications as PN 50-9807 and PN 50-9802, respectively, they are constructed with a Kevlar(R) inner core for superior flexibility and strength.