I'm taking the Maverick I got for $500 to the track on Friday to get a baseline just for fun before I tear it apart to make it a real drag car. I'll let you guys know how she goes. When I build it, I'm going to make a goal of 11 seconds. I think I have the engine combo and driveline stuff figured out, but I'm trying to figure out what I need to do to the suspension to get the power to the track efficiently, which to me seems to be the key. So what do you think is needed suspension-wise to go 11 sec in a Maverick? -Erick
you can get into the 11's with stock suspension and slappers. With the power it will take, I think subframe connectors are a must. Always a lot of talk about frame connectors, here is a pic of a "cheap" connector that works. Need some sticky tires. Also, you want to get some 90/10 shocks for the front and soft(wornout) springs. This will allow the front of the car to raise up during the launch (weight transfer) which in turn will help help the rear tires bite better. Make sure you check your track rules to determine if you need a roll bar or not. Also, if you run stickies, NHRA/IHRA requires a drive shaft loop. Good luck and look forward to hearing how it does.
I'm sorry. I forgot to mention the sub frame connectors. It's really suprising how well a set of thirty dollar slapper bars work. Have fun.
For an all out drag car, put 90/10 shocks on the front and remove the sway bar. Roll bar kits are cheap and will stiffen up the chassis as well as provide some safety for driver. Driveshaft loop is another cheap investment to save your butt and the car if the u-joints fail, along with spectators and fellow racer. Last but not least, check your track rules and reg's for compliance. Be safe, have fun, go fast.
nhra requires a driveshaft loop under 13 seconds. i just went into the 11's at phoenix. i removed the sway bar, have 90/10 shocks on front, slapper bars, frame connectors, roll bar will stiffen the chassis, m/t et street drag radials, 4:33 rear gears, battery in trunk, 5 gallon fuel cell. and lots of other$$$$$. remember weight is speed, so remove whatever weight you can.by the way when i took the car in to have the connectors and the roll bar put in we found that the tranny tunnel was twisting and cracking from the torque so this is needed if you are going to run a lot.
Car went 10.5 in 1/8 mile. Pretty lame, but fun to just get some numbers in the stock configuration. The BFG drag radials gave me 2.3 60 foot times and hooked well (although the stock engine was weak). Was fun doing some burnouts, I've never done them before. Now I'm going to tear it apart to put in roll cage, frame connectors, rear end, new motor, rebuilt tranny, etc. Thanks for the help guys. I have many more questions, but I'll save them for later as I do the work.
Why not use this thread exclusively to document the cars transformation from stock to 11 second drag car . I would think that everone would like to read about your Mods...hear the results,and see pics along the way as you go. I saw a thread on a Mustang site that has been going on for a year and a half all about one guys car being made into a racer.
Best leaf spring suspension hands down, has got to be Cal-Tracs. Just look at John Calverts S/S mustang. Yanks the wheels 3 ft. on a 8.5in. tire. Fully adjustable too.
New Pics and Update Since you guys seemed kind of interested, I'll post some new pictures and tell you guys of my plans. The first pic is when I bought it, the next ones show how it looked for it's 1st race.
