Finally took her to the track...and well..not really happy with my times. First run I got ws 13.9's and second run the same. Of course this is my first time at a track though.i was expecting to go faster too,i guess people are right about my intake.its horrible at launch, I think thats where im losing it.any hint or tips (or amything to make me feel a bit better) would be great.
Well first how about details on your motor.Drive train also. My first time with my Mav was about the same. Then came fine tuning ,carb,tires,tranny,just do 1 change at a time.then give her. Now I,m down to 13.30s after 1 summer. Not to shabby for my elevation,and basic stock motor with alum heads,650 carb.Hope this helps.TTFN Ron
Its a 302 bored .60 it has heads,cam,intake, carb,headers, tranny is rebuilt with a 2500 stall and shift kit, with 4.11 gears on some et street radials..with this combo I was expecting high 12' s low 13' s but was even there..everybody said that my ontake is horrble on I running so thats changing soon and also when you power brake doesyour rpm suppose to be where your stall is suppose to be or no?
Being your first time at the track is kind of like crawling and then standing and taking your first steps..................I think to be in the 13's your first outing is pretty good. You need to get a lot more seat time in the car at the track, and if you ran down the strip a couple of times and were pretty consistant..........then that is a great place to start. What was your reaction time, what was your 60' times. Also, can you give a little more detail on the motor, cam spec's, what heads do you have, AFR, TF, etc. What is your CR, how much air did you have in the slicks, and what intake manifold do you have?...........and what kind of traction setup to have, CalTracs or ?????etc. As for the starting line, I assume you brought the rpm up to 2500rpm? Here is an old article that talks about stall converters and "foot brake" stall and "flash speed". I think the car will probably go faster, you just need more seat time and some fine tuning. One last thought, did you disconnect the front swaybar when you hit the strip? IMHO http://www.nhra.net/dragster/1999/issue08/racing_technology.html
Ok 302 .60 forged pistons flat tops. Edelbrock performer rpm heads,torker-II intake and cam 492 lift, a 600 cfm edelbrock carb,hooker headers,with a basani x-pipe with flows 40 series, had the mickey thompson et street radials at 15 psi. 4.11 gears in the back and no cal trac jist some traction bars and no I didnt take off sway bar and I only went to 1500 rpms not 2500..
The original torker, or a victor jr would be a better intake for. your moto exps if you plan to spray it later the vic jr. Just my opinion If you wanting a dual plane you cant beat a wieand stealth
Man i wish i ran a 13.9 my first time. I ran a 15.7 and was a mess. But the 2nd time i got to 13.4 so that tells you how neevous i was. Hoping to be in the 12s next weekend i really had to jet up my carb last time.
You know your fist time on the track and with only a few runs you did great..................more seat time is really what you need. I am not being hard on you, but if you shaved .3 seconds off you starting line reaction time and .6 seconds off your 60' time you would be right there. Starting line reaction time is easier to lower than 60' times, but my guess is that the car is certainly capable of the times you mentioned, you just need more practice/seat time at the strip. Next time you go try a couple of new things and try and get as many runs in as you can. Since your car is a street car try "Hot Lapping", make a pass, get your time slip, then head right back into the stagging lane for another pass..................do this three or four times in a row, then go back and make a single change to the car, maybe unloosen the ends of the swaybar so the front has a little more travel............go out and do some more laps..................come in and change the air pressure in the tires............maybe going from 15psi to 18psi..............go out and try some more laps. Try footbraking it at higher and higher rpms. My Maverick is a high 9's car and the first time I took it out after being away from the strip for "a few" years, I fell asleep at the tree and my reaction time was .8............I barely got it over 2000rpm against the 5000 stall converter...........my 60' time was a 2.33 and when I shifted my 2sp Powerglide from 1st to 2nd I took my foot off the gas.............I was totally embarrased...........turned a 13.23 @ 98mph................it just takes getting used to the car and getting "A Lot" of seat time at the track. I am sure you will get there..........................IMHO
olrodder, I am not trying to start anything here. You may just have overlooked it, you always have vast knowledge to provide here. But............ Reaction time has nothing to do with with trap time. You could sit there for 30 seconds and still run a 13.9. Timer doesn't start till you trip the beams. I am sure it was just a slip. As for you 60 foot time improvement, the thing that will get you there is another converter maybe 3500-3800. I am a flash the converter from 1800 guy, some are take the converter as high as it will go. Remember you will never be able to sit there and foot brake the car and hit the stall of the converter. The car will either spin the back tires or push the fronts. You could change the intake as well, if you wanted a dual plane intake you could go with a stealth like mentioned before or you could opt for a RPM Air Gap. The Torker II has always been hard to tune. If you want to go a little more converter you could also use a Victor Jr. Have someone take a video of your launch, the whole side of the car. Look at how the rear and the front of the car reacts to the launch and look to see if there is any wheel spin or not. From there you can tell what you need to do with the car. Lots of things you can do, some cheep and some not so cheep. As you go faster the cheep options will fade and you will be left with the not so cheep ways to go faster. Hope this helps a little. Good times for you first time out, keep at it and you will get to where you want to be, only to want to go faster. Its a vicious circle.
Fordmaster169, You are totally correct and I guess I guess I shouldn't have had that third glass of JD after breaking one of the water pump bolts off below the block.
You did great. MY first time at the track I drove right past the triggers on my way to the tree. LOL.
After that you probably need a few more. I know I always do, But my choice is either Southern Comfort with ice or Jim Beam and Pepsi.
