[1stGen Brawler]

Ever been handed your timing slip at the track and heard these words? "Sorry son, you can't make another pass." No, I didn't miss the return road turn off and drive backwards down the track looking for it. (Although I have seen it done. Classic)

There is no bar in my Firebird. And we have run below 11.50 several times at previous races. See where this is going? After a few wink wink, nudge nudge moments with the track officials, dad and I knew our time was probably running out.

So we took a little break form racing and decided to build a Q-Jet for the car. Fun right? Better fuel economy than the Demon, kind of a retro feel, and an excuse to tinker.

After 3,184 emails with Cliff (that guy is a wizard), reading his book, and much experimenting, it was built and on the car. We've been doing road testing but really had no idea what to expect on a hard launch and a full pull.

Best pass ever prior to today's race was at night race with mine shaft conditions. We went 11.39. Today was marginal conditions and we have no track time on the new carb. Right out of the box so to speak. My expectations were realistic. I figured a considerable amount of tuning would be needed to get this thing dialed in.

Did a partial pass first and shut her down early. Numbers looked okay and everything seemed normal so I came back around.

11.47 seconds later, the gal at the ticket booth was informing me that I wold not be making another run today. LOL

But ya know, all I could do was smile at her. I need to thank Cliff and my dad (ProStreet64). Cliff was an invaluable source of information while building the carb. And my dad put many extra hours into tweaking the carb before today in hopes that it would be ready when we hit the track.

Would love to be able to go back and really dial it in and see what our final numbers would be, but I don't think that is in the cards right now unless there is a rule change at the track. (No interest in putting in a cage.)

Still the best 1 pass day I've had at the track. LOL

[mike leech]

congrats...now put a bar in it for your safety.

[bad69bird]

That's great...Congrats!!! Like Mike said but a bar in it man!

[60man]

Put a bar in it...it will keep you from misbehaving on the street...hopefully
Can't you get bolt in bars for the "Birds????

[cgeise]

I cut my teeth on q-jets in the 60s and 70s Its way better than a lot of people think -- fuel supply being real important. They put those things on millions of cars and they did very well - And put the damn bar in.

[66bonne]

Congrats on the new best. Time for that roll bar.

Jim

[BruceWilkie]

Good job!

Wasnt that long ago goin quicker than a 12.0 got you the roll bar invitation... get it done and see what you can wring out of that q-jet... the added stiffness usually helps et as well. Not so bad on a streeter with a swing-out bar and lots of padding where you need it.

[LiL Jack]

A friend of mine has a bolt in old nostalgia looking bar in his car, it is just around the driver area. It stiffened his car up and would be pretty safe in a roll over.

[ponjohn]

What mph w Qjet?

[72pontiac]

if it makes you feel better a roll bar can make a car faster.

[prostreet64]

As Curtis mentioned I am the other half of this '69 Bird w/q-jet' effort. It has been fun and some decisions will need to be made if he plans on making anymore 1/4 mile passes at Gainesville Raceway. I understand his not wanting to install a roll bar in a nearly original and very good condition interior, but at the same time maybe it could be done with minimum intrusion and at some point reversed if he wanted to go back to original. I suppose the decision would be easier if he were running deep into the 11s, but being right on the bubble makes it more difficult to justify. The thing that bugs me is that the rule is based on e.t. rather than speed. There are plenty of cars, especially boosted imports that make big speed down track like 125 to 130mph, but only run high 11s. They are exempt, but imho they should be required to have a roll bar. I would like to see NHRA base the rule on speed and make the playing field more equal. I know the safety factor is the real concern and Curtis' car is probably in the range of speeds that should have a bar. Anyway we will see what happens.
Ponjohn, he ran 116 yesterday on that one pass. We didn't have his laptop on board to record the run so we don't if we might have been a little lean or a little rich compared to optimum, but it was close I would say. Car went 118 with the Demon on one pass several years ago, but that was in mine-shaft conditions.

[prostreet64]

I almost forgot, I get to toot my own horn a bit. Yesterday while Curtis was getting his walking papers I made my best run ever with the Trans Am and the 403 that has continued to amaze me for such a maligned motor. I went 12.11 with a 1.67 short time. Not too bad for a fairly mild combo. Still working on that 400 stroker!

[1stGen Brawler]

I am sensing a pattern here....perhaps I should consider the bar. LOL.

Guess I'll do some homework and see how minimally invasive the procedure can be.

[Scott Roberts]

Lol..happened to me.. i said it would run 10.0 or slower..second pas was an 8.94..lol i was done for the night. Cage it to be legal and most importantly...safety!

[TinInjun]

Any good chassis shop will be able to install a bolt in 6 point roll bar that will pass nhra tech inspection. The only thing you should be aware of is it will not add as much strength to the chassis as a welded in bar. The reason being is the 6 X 6 steel plates required for mounting the bar will have to go through the floor pans instead of the boxed in sill area. The ideal set up would be a 8 point set up with the hoop down bars welded to the subframe connectors. All of this setup should be welded. It can be cut out at a later date if you want. The leftover mounting plates will be covered by the carpet.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

If its too nice of a car to put bars inside of it - then just slow it down a few tenths.
Change the rear gear or use a rev limiter.
200 lbs of ballast ... drop the ignition timing some ... lots of ways

Congrats on the fine tunings on both of your cars.
Sounds like you guys are having some good fun out there together.

[BVR421]

Just a slight adjustment to the flap will slow it a bit.
Still have all the power for brackets but at a dialed in 11.51
or
Put a 100 lbs of bars in there and you will be running 11.59 again LOL
At 11.49 you cant win! Now you will need more power to get back to where you started.
Aint life grand (8-)
Actually the ideal is a good safe legal roll bar regardless of et

Good job building your quaddie.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Originally Posted by 1stGen Brawler

I am sensing a pattern here....perhaps I should consider the bar. LOL.

Guess I'll do some homework and see how minimally invasive the procedure can be.

Ah, you should have argued with them, told them the timers were picking up the starting line light with the rear tires, how could I run under 11.50???, do ya see what I've got for a carb???

[63Longtop]

Don't have one in my street car, of coarse I just run it at 1/8 track with no tech. 7.15 in the 1/8th. Original interior, don't want a cage in it! Hell no harness either, I guess it depends how much you plan on racing it!

[1stGen Brawler]

Originally Posted by 77 TRASHCAN

..... how could I run under 11.50???, do ya see what I've got for a carb???

TRASHCAN, too funny man. That crossed my mind.