Well, I couldn't wait any longer. So after a long day already, I loaded up the Maverick and hauled it to HMP (local 1/8th mile track). Executive Summary: No Big Surprises First run was meant to get a 60' time only. After it left pretty good I thought I'd ride it on out. It didn't take me long to pull my 1st Hurst "Quarter-Stick Rookie" mistake. I went from 1st to 3rd gear by pulling 'that lever thingy' that you use to go into third with. After I realized what I'd done, I let off a little and crossed the finish line with a 7.41 @ 88.81. However, it was good to feel a 1.55 sixty-foot again! I have a 3K pill in the 2-step. It launched pretty good. Not surprisingly, it immediately wanted to go left. (suspecting as much - I chose the right lane and a solo pass). I was told that it looked like I spun on the first pass so I let a pound out of both for the next run. Well, the second pass wasn't so good from the start. I spun with a 1.81 60'. I then proceeded to short-shift into second (doh!) and ran it on out to another 7.41 this time at 94.30 mph. Third pass blew too (starting to see the pattern?). 'Spun during a 1.91 60', short-shifted (again) and finished with a 7.5 @ 94.38 mph. I am just not used to shifting out at that high of rpms (usually 5500 on most engines I've had). I was told by the tuner to put the shift light at 6200 rpms. That puts me around 6400 when it shifts. I'll just have to get used to it. Oh well, it felt good to finally run it WOT through the eight for the 1st time. More seat-time (letting the engine rev to the shift light for one thing) and suspension adjustment will probably get me, I dunno, 7.1x? It's been a long haul to get it this far. Thanks again to all you for your encouragement and help to get it here. PS. As fate would have it, the previous owners of the car were there and came to visit me in the pits. They'd brought the car down from West Virginia in '85. Nice folk. They were thrilled to see it still running. It was interesting to hear some of the 36 year histroy of the car (I now know where a few of the dings came from. Ha! Good stuff.) The lady said she'd scan and email me pictures of the car. I'll post them when I get 'em. All in all, it was a very good night.
Excellant job. The quater stick can be a bit hard to master at first, but with more seat time, it will come naturally. Biggest danger is releasing the lever going to third and keeping foward pressure on the stick. Will go right into "N" and engine will rev to outer limits of rpm's, and sometimes destroy it's internal organs. Numbers are looking good and will improve as you master the tire spin deal. Ain't racin a blast.
Glad to hear you got the technical stuff fixed. I completely understand your "anxiety" at those high rpms. When I heard it hit 6200 yesterday, I admit that I almost felt the need to take a few (like 20!) steps back. I thought it would BLOW But, the tech guy seemed comfortable running it up there, and after the 3rd or 4th pull, I was a little less skeeered. Sounded REAL good
It's good to get back in it after being away from it for a couple of years. re: "Keeping forward pressure.." I think I know what you're saying. I believe that'd be correct on a Forward Pattern VB. I have a Reverse Pattern (I'm pulling to go through the gears) so in order to go from 3rd to "N", I have to pull the lever and push all the way forward to go to into neutral (passing 2nd and 1st) -which is kinda cool I think. Hey Scott, it's probably a good thing you witnessed mine at that high of RPM. Kinda prepares you for when you dyno yours (NOT!). They should have complimentary bowls of Valium lying around that place.
Looks like the cars gonna be pretty consistent once the tire spin issue is addressed...put a good pass together with that 1.55 -60 ft. and 7.0 is a given...maybe even a 6.9XX...what kind of suspension setup you got Rick? Anyways...sounds like ya had fun and that's what matters
I've got a two-leaf spring set up with Cal-Tracs running 28" X 9" E.T. Drags on 15's. I was running 12.5 psi the first run. QA-1 adjustable shocks. The front springs are Moroso drag springs. I have 90/10 shocks on front. I've since learned that everyone else was having trouble with traction about the time I was too. The dew had starting setting in. In hindsight, I should've thought about that being the reason for the 'extensive' tire spin. Once I knock the rust off, I think I'll have a fun, low-maintenance, bracket racer. "Low Maintenance" being the key phrase. ...but then there's that Nitrous kit in the garage that keeps coming to mind.
I've heard of two local guys who's cars bit it on the dyno. I don't think it's that un-common. "Yes Sir. Your engine blew around 7,750 rpms. See the graph? Here, I'll print it out for you. Please pay the cashier on your way out."
Now that I know your leavin on a transbrake...what do you convert at? I can relate to the dew issue...I don't even think about a pass for about 45 minutes after the sun goes down. You may as well go ahead and hook the juice...the curosity is gonna kill ya until you do...if a 100 shot can shave half a second like it did for me...ruh roh Those ET's put down about a 10 inch patch at that pressure?....soften those qa1's a bit but be prepared to get some major AIR
My convertor is 'supposed' to be around 3K. I'm sure the T-brake is flashing it to 32-33. re: shocks Yeah, I'll play around with it all to see what works and what doesn't. I was encouraged that the very first pass was a 1.5 60' with just 'guessing' how much to preload the Cal-Tracs and the settings on the QA-1's (I chose 'next-to' softest to start off with). re: air I got 'some' air last night. Not that much, but just enough for me to lose sight of the track and to find myself headed left in a hurry. Hmm.... what change would you recommend to straighten that out? Adjustment on the Cal-Tracs? Unequal tire pressure? Shock adjustment? Pray harder? Other? Also, I might add, the car got a more than a 'little' squirley passed the 330' mark each run too. That was pretty exciting. Like any other stoopit old drag-racer, I stayed in it. Another "also": The all-drum brakes worked fine for shutting down at a notoriously short shut-down track. Granted, my mph was only 94 but that's fast enough to know that they'll do fine at 'something' over 100 mph when I get there. The drag of the engine would've made it even easier if I would've kept the tranny in third but I shoved it into neutral as soon as I crossed the line each time. So, the fear of the drum brakes not stopping these cars is not an issue at this mph anyway (provided they're in good shape I suppose).
congratulations rick! Adjust those bars. sounds like its preloaded unevenly. If its going left take some out of the right.
Great info. Its got alot of potential! A lot!!! Keep working that suspsension. You see a 1.5ish in the 60, now you gotta make it consistent. I have heard such horror stories about the Quartersticks...I can't imagine why they are so popular...
