[slgenge]

I am a newbie to the sport of Drag Racing and yes I am hooked. I have a nice street strip combo but I know there is lots left in my car.My car ran a 12.68@ 109.5 mph but i had a ****ty 60ft time 1.99 .I have a 3.55 rear end and run MT ET Streets a have a set of California No Hop Bars 2800 stall converter and a turbo 400.Guys all your wisdom is welcome.I am verry happy with the car last time with the old combo was 15.8 @89 mph. 3 secs faster sure make a difference would love to get it into the high 11s Altitude corrected .Track I run at is at 2200ft but the air is in the 3000 to 5500 ft range most days.

Shawn

[slgenge]

I am a newbie to the sport of Drag Racing and yes I am hooked. I have a nice street strip combo but I know there is lots left in my car.My car ran a 12.68@ 109.5 mph but i had a ****ty 60ft time 1.99 .I have a 3.55 rear end and run MT ET Streets a have a set of California No Hop Bars 2800 stall converter and a turbo 400.Guys all your wisdom is welcome.I am verry happy with the car last time with the old combo was 15.8 @89 mph. 3 secs faster sure make a difference would love to get it into the high 11s Altitude corrected .Track I run at is at 2200ft but the air is in the 3000 to 5500 ft range most days.

Shawn

[grandville455]

Awesome Shawn!!!!109mph thats low 12.s.....It only takes once to be hoooked!!!!

[goatseeker]

Shawn,
How are you leaving the line? Off idle or flashing the converter? Are you spinning the tires or does your engine bog?
You've got great top end if you're in the mid 12's with a 1.99sec 60'

[slgenge]

Tim i was heating up the slicks and leaving from idle .Engine really wasnt bogging ,but it seems it was spinning a bit but it pulls hard and its fun to drive and its eats 5 litres lol.

Shawn

[KEV]

what size tire? what size rim?

What are the engine specs? 400? when is all advance in on the distributor? How much total advance?


My '66 GTO ran a 12.51 (great conditions) @ 106 @ > 1000 ft elvevation. 389 with trips 3.90 gear, 26" tall tire 3500 lbs. My best 60' was a 1.69 and they averaged 1.71 - 1.75 (@ Norwalk ONLY - hooked very well) You knock .2 off of the 60' you gonna knock a bunch off ot the ET maybe .3

If you think your spinning at all, that is most likely what is killing you. Dont change one thing until you can get all the power to the ground that your making now.

[wheelspin]

Hi Shawn,

If possible, drive around the water box and then back in, that way you aren't "leaving" in the water from the front tires or wheeltubs.

Consider adding airbags inside the rear coils and staggering the settings (separate fill hoses). I run them @ 7lbs./left and 15lbs./right.

If you don't have boxed upper and lower rear control arms and a big rear sway bar, you will need these parts to get good short times.

Big heavy cars need more tire pressure, I never run less than 19lbs. in my Quicktime Pros as lower pressures din't help the "bite" and have produced some scary top end handling @ the strip.

If you are really serious, remove the driver's side end link from the front sway bar and run drag shocks (not for street use)on the front to aid weight transfer.

[slgenge]

Kev 26 inch tall x9 inches wide M/T ET Streets on 15X8 Weld Draglites.36 degrees Total Timing Tire Pressure was only 15 lbs only had a chance for 3 runs because of the weather Engine is a 421 Stroker=456 cu. Les I am Iam driving the Car Regularly so no removal of swaybar.Les what is the best launching techniques Idle or Flash up the converter and leave at 2200+ Rpms.I am told my 60 foot time should be in the 1.60s and I should be low 12s High 11s Altitude Corrected.Les I might try the air bag .I just need some seat time to get use to her,I will take all the advice everyone gives me.

Shawn

[goatseeker]

Shawn,
Definitely get a set of air bags. They're cheap, you don't have to disassemble anything to put them in, and like Les said, if you inflate the right bag slightly more than the left it'll keep both rear wheels planted better. Spend a lot of time practicing different launch techniques to find the one that put your engine into its' power band quickest without tire spin.
Fun, ain't it?!

[bmpmdf]

Welcome to drag racing Shawn!! Good advice by everyone here too. I also would add the rear sway bar. In fact, the No-Hops are designed for use with a sway bar, but many companies selling them don't even ask if you have one. Also, something like the Jegs adjustible upper control arms are great for setting pinion angle, which by the time you add rear sway bar, and air bags, plus find the right pinion angle, you could cut .5 off that 60 ft. time very easy by being able to leave off the convertor. You are headed in the right direction from sound of things, but tuning on the engine when traction is not there, doesn't tell you enough to get the most from your car.

[grandville455]

Tim you don't have to drop the coils to put those bags in? just slide them in between them?

[wheelspin]

Shawn,

After I heat the tires and turn on the staged bulb, I raise the idle rpm to 1,000 to eliminate any driveline slack, and then "mat" the throttle while releasing the foot brake. I use the LineLoc to heat the tires, but not to launch, eliminating one more timing issue.

On my combo, raising the launch rpm using the higher stall speed converter just results in more wheelspin.

Les

[goatseeker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Tim you don't have to drop the coils to put those bags in? just slide them in between them?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Darby,
I didn't have to drop the coils. I used a 4X4" stud that spanned across both rear frame rails, then jacked up the back end using the 4X4 as the lifting point until the back wheels were almost off the ground. Just enough so the coils don't come loose. Then you have enough room to slip the bags between the coils - it's a tight fit but you can wrestle 'em in there.
Tim

[Junkyard Dog]

All you would have to do is disconnect the shock anyway. It's not very difficult.

[grandville455]

Tim any pics of them installed curious as to how they look?Do they use regular air shock lines ?as I already have those under there

[02Hawk]

I think the color adds wind resistance.

Seriously, I was with Shawn when he ran. The acr is fresh and needs lots of suspension and mechanical tuning. We need to add a rear sway bar. He should have drag shocks in the front. The converter is too tight for a drag race combo. It is a good street car that is a compromise.

Shawn needs lots of seat time and get better at setting up for launch. He didn't heat up the tires long enough, therefore slip. I saw the smoke or lack thereof. We also spent a lot of time dicking around with vacuum , timing etc.
The car is fast, has lots of potential, and matches the drapes.

[slgenge]

YESI WAS THERE WITH 02 HAWK, KUDOS TO JOHN HE MADE IT TO THE SEMI FINALS IN OUR CLASS AT A NATIONAL EVENT I THINK THERE WAS 84 CARS IN OUR CLASS.THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP LAST WEEKEND JOHN.I FEEL BETTER THE CAR RAN 12.68 THAN 15.23 LOL,LIKE IT DID ON ITS FIRST RUN(TIMMING AND VACUUM PROBLEMS) BUT WITH THE HELP OF A FEW FRIEND WE GOT HER RUNNING GOOD.THE CAR GOT LOTS OF THUMBS UP EVEN IF ITS HOMO PURPLE,LIKE I SAID AND JOHN SAID I NEED SEAT TIME CANT AFFORD TO QUIT MY DAY JOB AND GO RACING BUT HELL I WOULD LOVE TOO.JOHN I THINK MARTHA WOULD LOVE A SET OF HOMO PURPLE DRAPES IN YOUR BED ROOM


SHAWN

[goatseeker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Tim any pics of them installed curious as to how they look?Do they use regular air shock lines ?as I already have those under there
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Darby,
The Delco air shocks I took out had a rigid air line - the lines for the new bags are larger in diameter and softer because the bags run less pressure. I don't have a pics of the bags installed but basically they are a thick vinyl bladder that fills the space inside the coil and thereby limits the coil travel. I can take a pic if you want and post it later.
Tim

[wheelspin]

Darby,

New air lines are required and are included with the bags.

Les

[grandville455]

Thanks Tim and Les...where does one get them?