I bet that was pretty racecar. If you can find a link, I'd love to read it. Sounds like a stick car?
Its all about the tires. The build on this satellite was SO not how I do things. No way I'd normally run a 3.23 gear, much less with a 28" tall tire. I typically special order my converters. 318 heads? 50 year old saggy leaf springs? Never. Still, it went 12.70s, and lasted way longer than anyone though it could. What does this car run done right? With a 4.10 gear, a good converter, a manual valve body transmission? Maybe throw some aluminum wheels on there with a drag slick. Cal tracs, Electric fan, underdrive pulley, maybe some magnum heads..Be a pretty quick lowly 318 I bet.
I largely credit the MT ET Pros. Tires should be the first mod for anyone looking for a timeslip. Besides, you just put them on at the track, get a number, put the street tires back on and cruise it.