Tonight will be our first time to the track in the Maverick :bananaman Using an online calculator and some guestimation (hp/weight/temp/etc.) it looks like the best we can hope for 7.7 sec in the 1/8th. (Personally, I'll be happy with anything under 8.5 sec) We're running a 331 stroker and I'm planning to set the shift light at 6K. Sound about right? Also, we don't have a transbrake or line lock, but do have a 3300 stall converter. Any advice for launching technique? Finally, we're running M&H cheater slicks at 12lbs pressure and can't even get these things to break loose on the street. How necessary is a burnout before each run? (Guess I'll do it anyway for the fun factor
Burnouts are helpful in cleaning any junk off of the tires that might interfere with optimum traction at launch. Also to warm up the rubber. Just watch your revs so you don't hurt anything. Enjoy.
Looking online (gotta love google) here's my plan... Go around water box (if possible) to avoid getting water up into the wheel wells that can drip back down on the tires Back up to track-side edge of water box (for slight wetness to start wheel spin) Power brake 2-3 seconds of wheel spin (for just a little clean & sticky) Roll out of spin Stage car Flash launch* (in D from idle at 1200rpm) on last yellow light First run: Leave the car in drive and see how this "race built tranny with the best parts money can buy" (per the guy we bought her from) works out for us. Second run: Manual shifts at 6K, see if there's any difference. All runs: Pray we don't break anything. (For what it's worth, we're trailering it to/from the track anyway so were covered in case of catastrophic failure.) Should be fun !!! *I just learned this means to launch off-idle without brake/rev pre-load. Apparently there is controversy about the sudden stress on the drive train. However, this car was (supposedly) built with pretty serious parts, has great throttle response, and this seems much easier for a novice like me. We'll see...
Have fun!!! Don,t worry about water dripping, drive in the water, smoke the tires,,, gets blood flowing, stage and everything you learned will be forgotten! Dont worry about it, just ENJOY your night! Takes seat-time before you get to be John Force! Good Luck!
At the track now... First run in the car was 8.3 @ 82mph Best run was 8.2 @ 83mph with a 0.12 light. Looks like breaking into the 7's is our first big goal.
probaly just need some seat time and experience in the car. High 7's shouldn't be hard to get with a 331. What heads are on it
Procomp heads. Here's the full breakdown of the car: http://www.maverick.to/mmb/showpost.php?p=693742&postcount=26 The guy we bought the car from (who built the car) was a career Ford mechanic and said he ran hi 7's off the bottle and hi 6's on the bottle. However, that was with a ProForm 650 (thought it was a BG but wasn't) carb he personally setup and tuned for the car. In order to get the purchase price down to my budget, he kept that carb and the Nex nitrous system. Car is now running a stock out-of-the-box Holley 670 Street Avenger and no bottle. Forgot to mention, first run was with fan and alt turned on and the car in "Drive". The best run was with the accessories off and manual shifts. So either the car is setup pretty darn well or I need a lot more seat time (as has already been mentioned) or both. One thing I DID notice and I'm NOT happy about. When shifting manually, my 1-2 shift went fine and I hit it at 6K. However, the 2-3 shift happened automatically at about 5500. At first I thought I put the car all the way into "D" with my 1-2 shift. It has a stock Maverick floor shifter so that would explain it. However, this happened again (on my best run) and I am about 99% sure I did NOT accidentally go from 1 to D that time. Not sure wha't going on there, but I figure this is leaving at least a 1/10th on the clock. Given the carb change (more streetable now, but less track worthy)...and the tranny / shift point question...and the fact that my first pass last night was only the 3rd time I've ever even gone down a drag strip...I'm pretty sure the sellers claim of hi-7's is legitimate. Of course now I really wish I would have had the money to keep that carb and nitrous system on the car. I'm sure we'll end up spending more to get it back to that level than it would have cost to keep it there in the first place...
A double pumper would help out some. The 1st week with the mustang at the track I ran a best of 8.35 and after a couple months of fooling around with it I ran a 7.98 so you probaly just need practice
The carb is most likely the reason it wont run the way it's claimed to run. Try tuning the secondaries and jetting id bet it will still run in the 7's. Just need some time. Good luck
I understand the terms but not the techniques. Can you point me to anything online to help get my head around what I'm trying to do, not do, and how?
http://holley.com/data/TechService/Technical/Carburetor Tech Info.pdf Give that a try. There's alot of good info there.
im betting some tuning on the carb and a lighter secondary spring will help alot 8.2's for the first time out is pretty respectable and will likely pick up as you get a feeel for what the car likes
Yep, found that online and already have the 'yellow' spring in the carb. Going to pickup new jets today if I can find them: 72 primary / 80 secondary. Sure wont help gas mileage, but the 4:10's killed that already...lol
