im getting ready to tear into my drag car since its winter and get it ready for next years racing.

i would like to up my heads and intake im thinking rect. port.

my current combo runs in the high 10's (on a good pass) i have tractions problems with loading and unloading but that will be taken care of. and since im pulling the motor i would like to up the hp.( i know what good is it to make more power if you cant put it to the ground....it will hook..lol)

combo now :

-454 060 over
-trw forged right at 13.0 to 1 compression
-1/16th chrome moly rings standard oil rings
-stock rods highly lighten and polished arp bolts
-10/10 crank ,2 bolt main,arp studs,crank scrapper
windage tray,oil pump baffle,hv oil pump
-gear drive
-doug herbert roller cam solid 256/268@050 683/685lift 3200 to 7200 rpm rated
-crane roller rockers
-2.19 1.88 ss swirl polished valves 3 angle valve job with 20 degree back cut on the valves
-open chambered heads oval ports that have been highly ported. unknown flow data
-victor jr intake for a 850 holley (right out of the box)
-highly modified 850 holley double pumper with adjustable jets.
-adjustable power shot nitrous set at 150 hp(have not hit the button yet since car was not hooking very well)
-locked out hei unit set at 36 degrees,msd 6al box
-open headers from summit 1 3/4 with 3 inch collectors
-4500 stall,th350, just put in 4.11 gears had 4.56
-car weight was right at 3600 lbs with driver.
-cranking compression is right at 270 psi

things that are being done- is a better chassis set up. drag springs up front, with drag shocks 90/10. will add skinnies. out back adding ladder bars with some adjustable shocks.im finally adding my roll bar to stiffen things up. 8 point.(recieved my warning during last time out)


i am at the moment stripping all parts that are not needed to lighten car...bumper,interior,dash,lights everything and anything i can think of.

i would like to buy some better heads and not sure what to shoot for. i was also thinking of getting a bigger cam from doug herbert there next step bigger being a solid 267/275@.050 with .697/.700 lift. and since i was going to changes heads i thought maybe i could raise the compression some too maybe to around 14.0 to 1 and get me another victor jr intake thats rect.

and then it leads me to think i will need some bigger headers too. thinking of going really big to the super comps that are 2 1/8" prim.

tell me what you guys think my goal here is to get some mid to lower lower 10's on the motor and to hope i can spray myself to see a 9 sec time slip once or twice.

Whats your 60 ft. ?
I would concentrate on dialing in your suspension to improve your 60 ft...doesn't sound like you need any more hp..remember,its all in the launch.

Not trying to start world war 3 but....If you are unsure what the heads flow, what would be a "better head" in your opinion? I would think you should know the flow numbers before comparing them to other heads.

Just my opinion. I mean, why spend the money if these heads will support the flow numbers to run the number?

What are your goals ET wise?

I agree with you on getting the car to hook. I would first try this and watch the ETs drop!

Best of luck!

My combo has gone a best of:

1.43 60'
6.58 @ 103.05mph (1/8 mile)
10.64 @125.85 (1/4mile w/ 6.77 1/8)
I guarentee my combo can go 10.20's and maybe quicker if I puch on it and do a little more dialing in on the suspension.

454 +.030"
Dart 310cc heads (gasket matched)
11.5:1 CR
6.135" H-Beam Rods
XR292R Cam (.660" in .666" ex.)
Merlin single plane intake
1050 HP dominator

4000 8" ATI converter (leaving the line at 1800rpm)

12-bolt rearend with spool and 4.33 gear

Stock suspension set-up with adjustable uppers and airbags (adding a custom anti-roll bar for next season)

Car weight with me in it 3550#
Any questions e-mail me...

One thing I would definetly look at is the Header Dia. On my old SB i went from 1 5/8" to 1 3/4" and it was like a differant engine, and that was on a 355. + that might help a bit with traction, taking away a bit of low end. I myself wouldnt run anything smaller than a 2" pri. on that engine .. espeically if its Raced. Also with 270 psi cranking, how far advanced is the cam ?
Duane

ddeennis,What is your best ET and 60 ft. with this combo?

Couple questions?

What size & brand of converter?

Also, what rear tire are you using?

What does the car weigh?

With the parts you listed, I see no reason that car shouldn't go mid 10's as it sits.

I would not tear into your engine without knowing some more data. Find a local performance shop that has a chassis dyno and knows how to use it and tune drag combinations. Spend about $150-250 and really tune the car and learn what the car likes and doesn't like. This data will also tell you how much power/tq you really have and if your using what you have now to your best efficiency.

I'd also think you need a converter with a flash rpm in the 5000-5400 rpm given your current cam timing & compression.

I'd also leave your current heads & headers for now...save your $$$ and tune the car well...tweaking can make huge differences in a cars performance, but don't expect to pick up a tenth or two here and there. Look for a couple hundredths here and a couple more there...they will add up over time.

Lastly, a stock style suspension can and will work if you know how to set it up. If you don't know how to make the stock stuff work, what makes you think you can make ladder bars work? There's plenty of cars out there running 9's and quicker with stock style suspension, you just have to be willing to put some effort into it and understand how and why it works.

http://www.geocities.com/kdslaby/Tech_Page_Glossary.html

Some excellent reading IMO.

Lastly, you really should know the exact race weight of the car as well as the corner weights and front to rear percentage...find a shop with digital 4 corner scales. I paid $25 to have my car weighed...money well spent.

The more data you have on your car/combination, the easier it is to make logical decisions about tuning and also parts choices/changes.

the weight of the car was posted as 3600 lbs it has a 52/48 split on the weight with driver in it.

the chassis is stock up front with orginal springs and some no name brand shock.it has the sway bar removed(years ago)

i made my own weld in sub frame connectors and made my own traction bars based of the competition bars. both shocks are behind the rear axle other then that. thats it for set up. bone stock 10 bolt rear end.

this set up was fine for over 10 years before i put a 468 in there.

i run m/t slicks i have two sets i have tried

28x10.5-15 and 29.5x9-15
i run a tci convertor 10"

i have not been able to put one run together were i felt good about it.

i have mustard a best 1.562 60 ft but that was on a 15 sec pass.it was my first pass with the motor and it kinda scared me so i let out. i didnt like the launch it was kinda not smooth. i left at 2000 rpms and let the convertor flash

i got a 1.59 60 ft with a 10.82 pass at 126.09 mph

1.63 with a 11.10 at 123.46 mph hit rev limiter

1.564 60 ft 10.852@126.37

between the two slicks there wasnt much diff. its still was kinda bouncing leaving the line

the cam was put in straight up it was not degreed in or nothing. i just checked the clearence on the valve timming to make sure the valves would not hit.

my car is going to be far lighter as the weight is comming off and my chassis should stiffen up as the roll bar will be in there soon.

i have not had alot of track time with my car i took it out once in the start of the race season then i put it up to work on my 80 z28 daily driver.

i was warned from the track because my car was not up to safety standards for 10's but i was happy to see some time slips from the tens just on the motor that i put the car up. now that my z28 is done for the most part im going to get my 81 all legal for the track.

i have alot of things running in my mind that i want to do and now that i hit the tens on the motor i want to go for low 10s on the motor and sneak a few 9's with nitrous.

wow, 270psi seems like alot of cranking compression, should support more cam I would think, but your heads might be at the top of their power level.

270 lbs cranking pressure seems way too high.
The cam is probably too far advanced.