1970 GTO Version 2.0 [Archive] - Page 2

andrewb70

Nov 20th, 10, 11:33 AM

Hello Everyone.

It has been almost a year since I last updated this thread. Once again, due to the circumstances in my life, the GTO has found itself in storage. I moved to Memphis last year to pursue a PhD in marketing. My current living situation doesn't allow for any sort of secure storage of the GTO, so it spent 2009 with my friend Brian, in Nebraska. Brian did the body work and paint on my car and if anyone is looking for a reliable body man, please PM me. Business started to pick up for Brian in the spring and as a result the car is now at an undisclosed location in Tennessee.

However, the journey from Nebraska to Tennessee was not without some adventures. About 60 miles from Kansas City the shifter handle started shaking and there was a terrible noise that was emanating from the transmission. By the sheer mercy and generosity of several people I was able to get the car to Tennessee. Upon further inspection it was determined that one of the mainshaft support bearings had failed in my Richmond 6 speed. As everyone might recall, I have battled some vibration issues in the past, and I am convinced that this caused the pre-mature failure of the bearing. The failed bearing was simply a manifestation of a problem with the driveline, not an inherent problem with the Richmond 6 speed.

I would really like to attend some events next summer, so I will be making the GTO drivable again. In the spirit of keeping my GTO up to date, I will be swapping the Richmond transmission for something else. So stay tuned for more details. I will be documenting the installation in great detail.

Andrew

Scotch

Nov 20th, 10, 5:48 PM

Good to hear, pal!

davewho1

Dec 9th, 10, 11:21 PM

Just came across this thread in my travels. Good stuff, Andrew! :D

Coincidentally, I recently read the feature on Version 1.0 in an old PHR a friend gave me.

Hope to see some updates in the near future. :thumbsup:

Scotch

Dec 10th, 10, 10:55 AM

Coincidentally, I recently read the feature on Version 1.0 in an old PHR a friend gave me.

LOL I wrote that. Seems like forever ago...

andrewb70

Dec 21st, 10, 12:04 PM

LOL I wrote that. Seems like forever ago...

Scott,

It is really hard to believe that Johnny Hunkins shot the car for PHR in the fall of 2002!!! People forget that 18" wheels and 14" rotors weren't so common in 2002. I believe my GTO was the first GM A-body to be featured in a major magazine that had 14" rotors and 18" wheels. Thanks for the great memories.

I had an opportunity to visit my car and to pull the transmission. My sincere gratitude goes to Bill Howell. He not only helped me pull the transmission, but he also built a killer crate to ship it.

Here is the Richmond 6 speed, just pulled out from under the car. I may really get used to working with a lift. Sure beats pulling a transmission on your back!

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo138.jpg

Here is Bill, hard at work, measuring twice and cutting once.

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo139.jpg

Progress....

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo140.jpg

Packed up, and ready to be shipped off to my friend, John Parsons, for a rebuild.

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo141.jpg

Stay tuned for more progress and a new transmission.

Andrew

93Polo

Dec 21st, 10, 12:08 PM

I remember thinking it was awesome back in '02 and when I saw the car last year.

Bill is a great guy. Looking forward to see what goes in next.

Zanie

Dec 21st, 10, 2:14 PM

woo hoo! progress!
I hope you will be making it out to events this year, I've been wanting to see this car for 9 years now!!

Stickman

Dec 21st, 10, 7:31 PM

That GTO is sweet... If you haven't shipped your trans yet, you may want your buddy to add a center section you can bolt the trans to. Even with mine, it came back pretty busted up. I think the input shaft would have been screwed without the center plate for stability...

grin07

Dec 21st, 10, 10:10 PM

andrewb70

Dec 24th, 10, 12:04 AM

Hopefully the transmission will arrive safely. Its not clear in the picture but there is a strap in the middle of the box. Its fastened to the floor of the box and is tightened very firmly around the transmission case.

Andrew

andrewb70

Dec 28th, 10, 10:26 AM

So yesterday I was playing around with the video capabilities of my new camera. Look what I captured...

Engine video

Andrew

usc2001gc

Dec 28th, 10, 7:42 PM

Man, if that's yours, I think you need to start a new thread...Version 3.0. Are you going to switch to an automatic or just go with a different type of manual?

Scotch

Dec 29th, 10, 9:48 AM

Dang dude.

Time for Tranzilla or what?

You know what's funny? The first thing I thought when I saw the TT setup was "What's he going to do with the hood?"

The hood on your car has been one of those unique elements not enough cars have IMO. There are a lot of red '70 GTOs out there, but yours was the only one with a nice shaker on it.

I don't want to offend any of those reading this, but there's nothing unique about a red '70 Chevelle with black stripes and a cowl hood, and if you're trying to make a statement, something different must be done for anyone to remember it. Andrew's '70 GTO has always stood out, and the artful (not hacked up) addition of the shaker was a big part of that.

Maybe dual Naca scoops to feed the turbos, like a Can-Am? That'd be cool...

70L34

Dec 29th, 10, 10:22 AM

Love the new motor!

oman

Dec 29th, 10, 10:34 AM

Dang dude.

The hood on your car has been one of those unique elements not enough cars have IMO. There are a lot of red '70 GTOs out there, but yours was the only one with a nice shaker on it.

I don't want to offend any of those reading this, but there's nothing unique about a red '70 Chevelle with black stripes and a cowl hood, and if you're trying to make a statement, something different must be done for anyone to remember it. Andrew's '70 GTO has always stood out, and the artful (not hacked up) addition of the shaker was a big part of that.

No doubt that your statement is the absolute truth. In point of fact there are way too many red 70 Chevelles out there. Way too many!!!

Andrew...you may recall our discussions about clutch linkages last winter. We talked about my bum ankle and the need to lower the required pedal pressure. I think I have a solution..at least the amount of driving this summer indicated that I found a combo compatible with my ankle issues.

Not to hijack the thread...three fixes to the clutch problem

Center Force PP
Heim Joint linkage
Lengthened the clutch pedal 5/8 inch. I just welded an extension into the pedal arm below the pivot. It added a little travel for my foot but increased mech advantage somewhat. Looks a little odd sticking down the extra 5/8 but my foot feels much better.

Combo of al three helped a great deal. Doesn't work like my old Honda Accord but as they say "close enough"!!! Thanks again for your help over the phone on this problem

oman

Dec 29th, 10, 10:41 AM

andrewb70

Dec 30th, 10, 10:08 AM

I knew the video would raise some eye brows. LOL

The engine in the video is not destined for my GTO. It is being built by Jeff Schwartz to go into his new Trans Am project.

I would never get rid of my shaker scoop. I think it looks killer and works amazingly well. If I ever did go with forced induction, I would find a way to keep the shaker.

My car is staying N/A for the foreseeable future. Hopefully the new transmission will be installed in February.

Andrew

andrewb70

Apr 19th, 11, 5:28 PM

The spring semester has been brutal, but it will all be over in about 3 weeks. My last final is on May 5th. I am still in limbo in regards to a new transmission, but I have also been exploring some other items. I will simply post a couple of pictures and see if you eagle eye techie types can spot what I am trying to show. These are some new adjustable rear upper control arms that I will be installing to replace my current aftermarket control arms. The picture is of the same arm, just at different angles.

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo142.jpg

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo143.jpg

Does anyone see what I am looking at?

Andrew

troynitrous66

Apr 19th, 11, 5:57 PM

the only thing that stands out initially is that the tube is not centered on the bracket? or at least it appears that way

andrewb70

Apr 20th, 11, 9:04 AM

the only thing that stands out initially is that the tube is not centered on the bracket? or at least it appears that way

Very good! That is correct, the bracket that slips over the rear end bushing is offset to the driver's side. Before you all demand the name of the vendor, I would like to point out that this control arm is the only one on the market that is built CORRECTLY. You see, the stock control arms are built with exactly the same offset as these control arms. Every other manufacturer, that I have seen, makes upper rear control arms so that the front and rear bushings are inline. This is INCORRECT! This also explains why the rear end in my car is offset to the passenger side by a good 1/2-3/4" as measured from the wheel to the frame. I have seen posts on various forums where people have complained about a similar problem. I also believe that this improper positioning of the rear end has been contributing the ever present vibration problem that I have been having.

I would like to thank Bret Voelkel and RideTech for making a fine product and paying attention to the little details that can have a big impact on the performance of our cars.

Andrew

The WidowMaker

Apr 20th, 11, 12:34 PM

This also explains why the rear end in my car is offset to the passenger side by a good 1/2-3/4" as measured from the wheel to the frame.

im not quite following. if they are both supposed to be offset in stock form, and the aftermarket doesnt offset either, then it would keep the rear centered. if only one is offset stock, then it makes sense.

andrewb70

Apr 20th, 11, 2:42 PM

im not quite following. if they are both supposed to be offset in stock form, and the aftermarket doesnt offset either, then it would keep the rear centered. if only one is offset stock, then it makes sense.

My current Edelbrock control arms are built with the front and rear bushing aligned, inline. This shifts the position of the rear end laterally to the passenger side as compared to the stock control arms.

The stock control arms only go on one way, with the U-channel facing down. This assures that you can't install one arm one way and another the other way, causing a mismatch in the offset. The RideTech arms are built the same way. The U-shaped bracket that slips over the bushing in the rear housing is offset to the driver's side, the same way that stock control arms are.

Andrew

Blitz

Apr 20th, 11, 4:53 PM

Compared to (pictures of) the Spohn units, the rod end is so much smaller looking. Why is this so?

And to clarify, NONE of the current vendors feature this? :confused:

andrewb70

Apr 20th, 11, 5:15 PM

Compared to (pictures of) the Spohn units, the rod end is so much smaller looking. Why is this so?

And to clarify, NONE of the current vendors feature this? :confused:

The picture that I posted was missing a couple of parts. The RideTech arms have inserts that go into the rod end so they are the proper width to go into the slot on the frame. Here is a better picture of the rod end:

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo144.jpg

As for a comparison with other manufacturers, I can't say for sure that this is a problem with ALL of them. I know that my Edelbrock arms are built wrong and many pictures that I have seem of other brand of controls arms appear to have the same issue.

Andrew

Blitz

Apr 20th, 11, 7:46 PM

LOL, I almost had the Spohn units ordered. As a matter of fact, I just took their rear PT bar off my list after discovering there was a better one (according to members here). Pretty soon my whole suspension list will be revamped.

BUT...big BUT...regardless if it is...THANK YOU for posting up this helpful info! :thumbsup: Helps procrastinators like me. :D

Edit: Might sound ignorant (probably is)...the Spohn units are rebuidable, I wonder if you could use their rod end with the RideTech's "rear end". Just a silly, random thought.

The WidowMaker

Apr 20th, 11, 10:42 PM

so both are offset to the same side? if so, it makes sense.

its been a long time since i had a set, but i thought the umi were offset as well.

andrewb70

Apr 20th, 11, 11:29 PM

so both are offset to the same side? if so, it makes sense.

its been a long time since i had a set, but i thought the umi were offset as well.

Like I said, I can't speak for all control arm manufacturers. There must be a dozen companies making these arms.

You may be right about the UMI arms. Here is a data point:

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=348761&page=2

Andrew

67kyle

Apr 20th, 11, 11:29 PM

andrewb70

Apr 20th, 11, 11:40 PM

Yah that's what is still unclear to me. Are both of the arms offset to the same side? Or are they both offset to the center. If my car wasn't at my parents I would go run out and check, cause if they have a different offset then I could have installed them wrong. And are you saying this is the same on all chevelles?

Both arms are offset to the same side. I can't say if the 64-67 cars were the same, but all 68-72 a-bodies definitely are supposed to be this way.

Andrew

Blitz

Apr 23rd, 11, 12:10 AM

andrewb70

Apr 23rd, 11, 1:40 PM

The reason I asked about the Spohn/RideTech frankenstein control arm was because the Spohn units have grease fittings which would keep out the dirt, grime and gunk in the Heim joints that the underside sees.

Do you see it as a worthwhile feature if the hybrid were possible OR if RideTech were to add it?

The RideTech arms use teflon lined heim joints that should last a while. I have about 9,000 miles on my car and the underside doesn't get that dirty. Personally I am not worried. If the Heim joints start showing some play, they can easily be replaced for not a lot of money.

Andrew

andrewb70

May 11th, 11, 6:35 PM

Last Thursday I finished my last final, so I am officially done with the spring semester. I am ready to relax and get back to my GTO. It's hard to imagine, but it was three years ago that I completed the L92 engine swap. My, how time flies. In the summer of 2008 I put about 6,000 miles on the car. The plans for this summer are more modest, but I would like to attend a couple of events and maybe visit some friends out west. After much deliberation and for a lack of simple options, I have decided to get the Richmond 6 speed rebuilt. Richmond Gear has been working with me and we came to an agreement. They are currently in possession of my transmission and will give it a thorough inspection. All the gears will be magnufluxed and all parts that are damaged will be replaced. I never had any fundamental objections to the Richmond. I always felt that it shifted fine and offered an awesome, close-ratio gear spread for gears 1-5 and a comfortable .62 overdrive. Keeping the same transmissions will also allow me to keep my current crossmember and not worry about an alternate shifter location.

With road trips planned for the summer, I once again turned to a problem that has plagued my car since day one. Despite numerous efforts I have been unable to completely eliminate the high speed vibration that my car exhibits at speeds about 75 mph. It's really frustrating on long highway trips, because the car feels amazing cruising at speeds between 75 and 80 mph.

I have already posted what my thoughts are regarding the rear end position. I will be swapping out the current rear upper control arms for ones made by RideTech. I firmly believe that while the rear end position may not be entirely responsible for my vibration, it is certainly a factor. I will also be doing other driveline upgrades at the same time. What I have planned may be a little overboard, but I believe that it will completely eliminate any driveline alignment and vibration issues in the future. Here is the plan....

The first step is to get a rear pinion yoke that is machined with the kind of tolerances that are required to achieve smooth operation at sustained high speeds. I chose a 1350 billet yoke from Mark Williams:

http://www.markwilliams.com/images/39006.jpg

With the rear taken care of, the next item to tackle is the driveshaft. There are many fine companies that make driveshafts, but given my alignment issues, I wanted to pick a vendor that was able to offer something unique. I have worked with Frank at The DriveShaft Shop (http://www.driveshaftshop.com/)(DSS) in the past when I needed custom axles for my RX7. Frank has always been attentive to my needs and has provided a quality product that has met and exceeded my expectations. The DSS is widely known in the sport compact world for making bullet proof CV axles, and recently they have also been doing some innovative work on the many modern muscle cars that use independent rear suspensions. Cars like the new Camaro, Dodge Charger, GTOs, and Cadillac CTS-V are rear drive, high HP, and heavy. That combination is the perfect storm for breaking driveline components, and DSS has stepped up to the plate with upgraded CV shafts, driveshafts, and complete 9" IRS swap packages.

After deliberating with Frank about my GTO and the issues that I am having we came up with a very elegant solution. Frank will make me a custom driveshaft with a CV joint in the front. People in the 4x4 world have used double cardon CV joint driveshafts for a long time to deal with extreme driveline angles. But double cardon joints are bulky and heavy, and just didn't seem appropriate for a car. What will be used in the front is a 6 ball, Porsche 930 style CV. Like this:

http://i780.photobucket.com/albums/yy88/frankrehak/axle%20blog%20post/3108mmcvfinned.jpg

CV joints are designed to operate at high speeds and at extreme operating angles. Furthermore, there is no need to match the front and rear angles, as you need with a shaft that uses u-joints on both ends. With the CV joint in the front I will adjust my pinion angle so that the pinion and the driveshaft have almost a zero working angle. A slight angle is required only to make sure that the needles in the u-joint caps get lubricated. The rear working angle will be less than .5 degrees.

Since a new shaft will need to be fabricated, I have also decided to go a little overboard and opt for a carbon fiber tube. This may be a little over kill, but I am not taking any chances. In fact, Frank felt that my problems can be solved by using a driveshaft made from aluminum. However, a CF driveshaft is lighter than aluminum and offers plenty of torque capacity. Using a carbon fiber driveshaft also tends to significantly lessen the noise generated by the driveline. In some ways its like Dynomat for the driveline. I had the opportunity to drive a friends RX7 with a carbon driveshaft and it felt amazing. When cycling the driveline from load to coast the sensation was like there was a piece of plastic between the rear and and the transmission. It was a firm feeling, yet it lacked the sharpness that is felt with metal components. It was quite amazing.

With my current combination of gears and tire size the driveshaft will be spinning 3675 RPM at 80mph. While this doesn't seem like a lot, when you consider that my old driveshaft was made from mild steel and was 3.5" in diameter, the forces that were generated by such a heavy shaft were significant, even with a properly balanced driveshaft. The DSS has recently installed a new balancing machine that has the ability to spin a shaft to 9500RPM. They have been working with some NASCAR teams to solve some of the driveline issues that they face. Keep in mind that NASCAR race cars operate with the driveline spinning anywhere from 7500-9600RPM. Balancing driveshafts at that speed is a whole different ballgame than your typical 1000 RPM balance job at your local driveline shop.

The resulting driveshaft will be very similar to the shaft that they sell for 2010+ Camaros.

http://driveshaftshop.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/carbon-CV-shaft-clean1.jpg

Instead of the billet adapters that are seen in the picture, my shaft will be connected to a modified slip yoke. The rest should be very similar. The finished shaft should be about 17 pounds with the slip yoke. Here are pictures of the components that are used in making the driveshaft. The parts on the left are used for carbon shafts, and the parts on the right are for aluminum shafts:

http://driveshaftshop.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/carbon-ends-8-inch1.jpg

The bars that mate with the CV are 30 spline and are made out of a high tech 4130 alloy. The dimensions are similar to a Viper T56 output shaft. DSS has gone to great lengths to validate all the components that are used in making the CF driveshafts. This includes destructive testing, which few manufacturers ever do:

http://driveshaftshop.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/carbon-small1.jpg

As you can see, the 1350 u-joint failed before the tube or the aluminum yoke. I feel very confident that this shaft will outlast every other component in my driveline. I can't wait....

Andrew

66promalibu

May 11th, 11, 6:44 PM

Awesome stuff Andrew! Once again leading the way for everyones benefit.

F1 Speed

May 11th, 11, 7:52 PM

Very unique and forward thinking. I really like the creativity that you are putting into the drive line. I have to do a driveshaft for my project as well sometime this year when I get the new trans and was thinking real seriously about a CF shaft as well. I'll be following this thread real close to see what you come up with in the end and how it all works together.

Good luck with your project upgrades Andrew, and please keep us posted with your feedback on the driveline upgrade. If it works out well for you, I'll be looking to purchase the same set-up. Thanks for posting your research and clearly explained concept :beers:

93Polo

May 12th, 11, 10:39 AM

Very interesting path and I can't wait to see it back on the road.

Hope you can make it down to the Peach State event in August :)

Beaux

May 12th, 11, 10:45 AM

Slick! Very slick!

Keep the updates coming - VERY interested in this. You spend a lot of time outside the box - :thumbsup::hurray:

pist0lpete

May 12th, 11, 11:15 AM

Very cool info on the driveshaft. I always wondered why nobody ever used CV joints except the 4x4 guys. I think it could be a solution for many folks who have the random driveline vibrations. I will be very interested in hearing about your results.

andrewb70

May 14th, 11, 11:47 AM

The first part of the driveline project arrived yesterday. The Mark Williams billet pinion yoke is a work of art. There are numerous machined surfaces that can be used to measure runout.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo145.jpg

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo146.jpg

Andrew

F1 Speed

May 14th, 11, 5:58 PM

:yes: MW makes some really nice stuff. I use them exclusively on my project. I've been dealing with Jason for years. Excellent customer service and just 30 min. away from me so if I need something, it's a quick turn around.

jake72ss

May 14th, 11, 11:42 PM

Andrew,
I have the exact same type of vibration that you have mentioned having, I also have the edelbrock upper trailing arms and I'm hopeful that the ridetech trailing arms do the trick. Please keep us posted I would like to know if anyone else experiences this problem.
thanks, Jake

andrewb70

May 16th, 11, 5:32 PM

I am once again impressed by Frank at The Driveshaft Shop. He had the yoke done by last Friday and today he was able to have it black oxide coating applied to it and have pictures taken.

Here is the modified Spicer yoke:

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo147.jpg

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo148.jpg

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo149.jpg

The gold colored part is a cap that keeps the grease from leaking out the back of the CV:

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo150.jpg

This is a detailed shot of the modified yoke with the CV and front of the driveshaft:

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo151.jpg

Finally, a shot of the complete assembly. Interestingly, Frank was building a shaft just like mine for another project that had similar driveline alignment issues. It's a custom 1961 Corvette that will get a monster twin turbo engine.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo152.jpg

Frank will send me the slip yoke so that I can give him the final measurement for the driveshaft.

Andrew

andrewb70

May 30th, 11, 5:06 PM

I have the slip yoke in my hands and my Richmond 6 speed is on the way back to me after being rebuilt by Richmond. I am hoping to get this project wrapped up and on the road in a couple of weeks.

Andrew

prot68

May 30th, 11, 9:32 PM

Anxiously awaiting positive results from this endeavor..I'll be customer #2.

prot68

May 30th, 11, 9:34 PM

anxiously awaiting positive results from this endeavor.. I may be guinea #2

andrewb70

Jun 1st, 11, 6:45 PM

The freight company just showed up with my Richmond 6 speed. I will be heading out to Pigeon Forge tomorrow morning to get it installed and measure for the driveshaft. So far so good.

During my internet search for information about driveline vibrations I came across this very informative document published by Spicer. It is full of important information about driveline alignment, etc...

Spicer Tech Paper (http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/J3311-1-HVTSS.pdf)

I found the information on page 9 and 10 very interesting. In addition to the side view pinion angle, the top view alignment must also be considered. The document also provides a formula to arrive at the compound angle. Their recommendation is for the compound working angle not to exceed 3 degrees. So while lateral misalignment may not cause a vibration by itself, it can certainly increase the compound working angle. Judging by the information in the Spicer paper, I think that swapping over to the RideTech arms will definitely help bring the rear end to the driver's side which will help to reduce the rear compound working angle.

Andrew

LytesOut72

Jun 2nd, 11, 2:25 PM

andrewb70

Jun 3rd, 11, 9:59 AM

Andrew,

Thank you for doing all the pioneering with this subject. I too have driveline issues with my 72 Chevelle. It has a TKO-600 trans and is lowered in the rear. I will be contacting Frank regarding your setup and I really appreciate you posting all your info. What did your setup cost?

-Josh

The final cost on this driveshaft will be about $1450. A typical CF shaft will run close to $1000, plus the added expense of the CV, special end yokes, and the machine work on the slip yoke. An aluminum shaft would be less and offer many of the same benefits at a lower cost.

Bill Howell and I installed the transmission last night without too much fanfare. I also measured for the driveshaft, which came out to be 55 3/4" from the face of the yoke where the CV mounts to the center of the u-joint on the pinion yoke. Speaking of pinion yokes, after much deliberation I decided that it would be wise to reset the preload on the pinion bearings. This is something that I am not comfortable tackling myself, but one of Bill's friends will handle the task. He has set-up several rear ends for Bill and knowing how hard Bill beats on his cars, I am sure he will do a fine job.

Today I am tackling some minor tasks. I need to pick up a new crush sleeve and pinion seal, an o-ring for the back-up sensor, and ship the slip yoke back to the DSS so the new driveshaft can be balanced as an assembly.

Andrew

andrewb70

Jun 3rd, 11, 4:57 PM

Here are a few of pictures of the transmission and how the new slip yoke sits in the tunnel. You can see in the pictures where my old, 1350 yoke used to make contact with the body. Since the front driveline angle is of no concern, I can safely lower the back of the transmission slightly and get enough clearance for the CV joint.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo153.jpg

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo154.jpg

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo155.jpg

Andrew

andrewb70

Jun 11th, 11, 12:22 PM

So far, everything is going according to schedule. Since I was replacing the pinion yoke, I chose to have the pinion bearing pre-load reset. That procedure went smoothly, so the rear end is all set.

The DSS made my driveshaft last week and it is on its way to me. The shipping weight on the driveshaft is 25 pounds with the packaging. I suspect the finished weight of the driveshaft is right around 20 pounds with the slip yoke. I would guess that is easily 15 pounds less than my previous driveshaft. While weight saving was a not a primary concern, it is certainly a nice side benefit. The lighter weight will also be gentler on all the bearings in the transmission and rear end. With some luck I should be taking a test drive on Monday evening. Wish me luck!

Andrew

pist0lpete

Jun 11th, 11, 7:49 PM

Man I admit I am jealous that the underside of my car is not that clean. I will be keeping an eye for pictures of this shaft installed.

MrBill66Malibu

Jun 12th, 11, 6:33 AM

Some sort of LSx engine. I haven't figured out the exact details. Nothing crazy though.

Andrew

Look out, many wild pieces started with "Nothing crazy" famous last words!!! LOL

andrewb70

Jun 14th, 11, 12:22 AM

The driveshaft arrived this evening and I got right on installing it.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo156.jpg

It looks amazing. I will take more pictures tomorrow with a better camera.

Once the shaft was bolted up, I measured my driveline angles. Since the front u-joint has been replaced with a CV joint, the front working angle is now irrelevant. The rear angle needs to be as low as possible without being zero. I adjusted my rear control arms so the rear working angle is .5 degrees with the pinion slightly down. This way, under power the pinion will want to climb and the angle should get less or increase slightly in the other direction.

Test drive tomorrow.

Andrew

Scotch

Jun 14th, 11, 10:13 AM

Way to go Andrew! That should cure all ills.

93Polo

Jun 14th, 11, 10:34 AM

Way to go Andrew! That should cure all ills.

Agreed, interested to hear the results. :)

andrewb70

Jun 19th, 11, 10:12 AM

Hello Everyone...

I have to apologize for the less than timely update to this thread. It has been a very busy week and a crazy few days. As promised here are a few more pictures of the CV driveshaft from the DSS.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo158.jpg

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo157.jpg

On Wednesday I headed out from Pigeon Forge to Bowling Green, KY. It was the most pleasant drive I have ever done in my GTO. The vibration that I was experiencing before is now completely gone. The car was smooth as glass at all reasonable highway speeds. I ran it up to about 90 and there were no noticeable driveline vibrations that I could detect.

From BG, KY I headed to Chicago to pick up my son. On Friday morning we headed out to the Lane Automotive Motor State Challenge. My goal for attending the event was to enjoy some time with my son and reconnect with some car friends. However, I couldn't resist taking my car on the Gingerman race track. I also figured that some track time will really test my newly rebuilt transmission and the new driveshaft. Gingerman has two long straights where the car can be easily taken up to over 120 mph.

On Saturday we headed to the track, passed tech, and were ready to go. I ran three sessions with my son riding shotgun and managed to get into the to 16 in the Pro-Touring class which consisted of any vehicle older than 30 years. My best time was 1:55.xx At high speeds the driveline was super smooth and the car performed very well. No drama, no puking fluids, 200 degree water temp.

I will post more later...

Andrew

Scotch

Jun 20th, 11, 10:35 AM

Outstanding news, Andrew. I'm looking forward to hearing more about it. This is your first event in quite awhile, isn't it?

Gokou

Jun 20th, 11, 12:56 PM

Andrew, do you know if there are any max hp/tq recommendations for the CV joint?

I had to raise the front of the LS2 a little more than I wanted to for center link clearance. While I didn't have vibrations with the Gen 1 SBC with 0.5 degree working angles on both ends, with the LS2 the working angles are now about 0.8-0.9 degrees. That should be OK, but I won't know if I'm going to have a vibration until I get the car back on the road.

This CV joint setup is my go-to option if the new increased angles cause vibrations... as long as that CV joint will stand up to 850ish ft/lbs.

andrewb70

Jun 20th, 11, 10:21 PM

Outstanding news, Andrew. I'm looking forward to hearing more about it. This is your first event in quite awhile, isn't it?

Yes Scott, this is my first event in a long time. I've done some auto cross events not so long ago, but this is the first road course since I did Road America in 2003! I couldn't pass up the chance to go around Gingerman and I figured it would be a good way to test both the rebuilt transmission and the new driveshaft. I am very please with how the car worked.

Troy,

According to the info on the DSS website their 108mm CV is good for 7000lb/ft:

http://driveshaftshop.com/blog/?p=567

Frank told me that he is building a similar shaft for a twin turbo Corvette. You should give him a call and discuss your needs. It's really a very elegant solution to our driveline angle issues. I think that the driveline vibration issues that occur when a-bodies are lowered are our "dirty little secret." I have talked to a number of people that have a-bodies that are extensively lowered but few have actually admitted to having a vibration. I know enough about these cars to say that the working angle issues are a reality. So either people aren't driving their cars hard, or they are lying about the existence of a vibration.

Andrew

Gokou

Jun 22nd, 11, 3:18 PM

Troy,

According to the info on the DSS website their 108mm CV is good for 7000lb/ft:

http://driveshaftshop.com/blog/?p=567

Frank told me that he is building a similar shaft for a twin turbo Corvette. You should give him a call and discuss your needs. It's really a very elegant solution to our driveline angle issues. I think that the driveline vibration issues that occur when a-bodies are lowered are our "dirty little secret." I have talked to a number of people that have a-bodies that are extensively lowered but few have actually admitted to having a vibration. I know enough about these cars to say that the working angle issues are a reality. So either people aren't driving their cars hard, or they are lying about the existence of a vibration.

Andrew

7000 ft/lb? I think that might be adequate. :p

As far as the vibrations... you forgot option #3 which I think is the real situation: "they just don't care."

I've worked on quite a few cars for other people over the last year and I'm amazed at just what people will call "good enough" and then drive for years. Some of these were cars that I used to think were pretty nice until I either drove them or put them up on the rack... let me tell you, there is a lot of scary stuff out there on the road in terms of driving manners and overall mechanical "health" even if they look great at the local car show. The owners are perfectly happy to drive them around or even take them to the strip knowing there are things that I consider critical safety "fixes" that need to be done ASAP. Other things like panel resonance, vibrations, too much slop in the steering, binding or out of adjustment shift/clutch linkage, etc that piss me off within the first 5 minutes of driving they have lived with for years.

I'm a really, really picky SOB (bordering on OCD) and the tiny details really bug me no matter if that is during fabrication or a small functionality / driveability / vibration issue that crops up in use. I will tear something completely apart or re-fabricate something just to fix one little detail I don't like or something that doesn't look quite right, feel right through the seat, shifter, or steering wheel, even if nobody else notices it. One thing I've come to realize since I've started working on other people's stuff is that the vast majority guys out there aren't obsessive to the same level I am and it shows when working on or driving their cars.

Anyways, enough sidetrack. If I do indeed have an issue after getting the car back on the road I'll be giving Frank a call. Heck, I might order one up anyways just because it's a more refined and ideal solution compared to what I have now...

andrewb70

Jun 28th, 11, 6:51 PM

Hello Everyone,

I thought I would give everyone an update as to what I have been up to for the last week. As I posted earlier, I spent Father's Day weekend with my son at the Motor State Challenge. We had a great time and the car performed very well.

On Monday (6-20-11), I picked up my daughter and we headed west. Our mission was to spend some quality time together and visit some of my friends. It also gave us an opportunity to see some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. Monday evening we arrived safely in Lincoln, NE where we spent the night at my friend Brian's house. Brian is a great guy and he is actually the person that did the body work and paint on my car.

Tuesday (6-21-11) morning we continued our journey west and made our first scenic stop. Well, perhaps the word "scenic" is not entirely accurate to describe Buford, WY, but the town is certainly unique. Buford, Wyoming is the highest town on I-80 between San Francisco and New York City. It also has the distinction of being the smallest town in the US, with a population of 1. Word has it that it used to be a population of 2, but the father of the man that lives in town passed away.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo159a.jpg

From Buford, WY we traveled a little further west and reached our final destination, Laramie, Wyoming, where my good friend Rory lives. I've known Rory since high school and he is a dear friend and a fellow car and motorcycle enthusiast. Rory's current car is a very neat 1966 Corvair Corsa. The Corsa has a turbo charged engine that makes 180HP. It's a very clean, low mileage (25K miles) car that was repainted (by Brian) and has been slightly lowered. Very cool car! (fukk Ralph Nader. These cars are super cool.)

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo159b.jpg

On Wednesday (6-22-11), my daughter and I made our first trip over the Rocky Mountains. We headed west and reached the town of Centennial, WY. While Centennial is 100 times the size of Buford, it is still no more than a clearing in the road and the last stop before heading over Snowy Range.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo160.jpg

On our way up over Snowy Range we had a chance to make some stops at various scenic outlooks. The Rockies have received an exceptionally high snowfall this year and there is still much snow on the ground at higher elevations. In fact, Rory told me that as recently as two weeks before our visit, Snowy Range got over 6 inches of fresh snowfall.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo161.jpg

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo162.jpg

As we climbed higher in elevation, the snow pack got higher and more dense. We eventually made it over Snowy Range pass and had lunch in Saratoga, WY. The North Platte river runs through Saratoga, and it was very high and moving very fast. Quite an amazing sight to see.

On Thursday (6-23-11) Rory took the day off and we headed to Estes Park, Colorado. Rory and I graduated from Park High School in Estes Park and he many of his close family reside there. Estes Park is a little tourist town with a population of about 5,000 in the winter and 50,000 in the summer. Many people have summer homes there, and millions of people pass through every summer on their way to Rocky Mountain National Park. We headed up Trail Ridge Road which connects Estes Park with Grand Lake. About a third of the way up we stopped at an outlook point to take some pictures. The scenery is simply breathtaking.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo163.jpg

Don't try this with your carbureted muscle car kids! This picture was taken at an altitude of about 9,000 feet. Modern day fuel with ethanol is prone to vapor lock in low pressure fuel systems. I doubt that my car would have made it up that high if it had a carburetor. My wideband O2 sensor showed a constant 14.0-14.9 AFR the whole way up.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo164.jpg

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo166.jpg

My daughter and Rory were having a good time, goofing off. I think the thin air was getting to them....LOL

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo165.jpg

The drive over Trail Ridge road is even higher than Snowy Range. Trail Ridge road is the highest continuous road in the USA, reaching a peak of over 12,000 feet! The snow pack on the way up was even higher than Snowy Range.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo167.jpg

Continued....

andrewb70

Jun 28th, 11, 6:52 PM

Passing just over the peak and heading down the western slope there is a little store that sells all sorts of souvenirs and trinkets.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo168.jpg

We headed down the western slope of the Rockies and reached the town of Grand Lake, CO. From there we headed to Walden, CO and eventually towards the road to Saratoga, WY. We crossed back over Snowy Range and ended up in Centennial, WY where I took the following picture.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo169.jpg

Before heading back (6-24-11) to Lincoln, NE, I snapped the following picture. It shows all the bugs we killed on the day before.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo170.jpg

We spent the night at Brian's house again and headed back to Chicago, IL on Saturday (2-25-11). While visiting Estes Park, Rory's father suggested that we make a stop at the Strategic Air and Space Museum, which is located between Lincoln and Omaha, NE. I am so glad we went. I always loved airplanes and actually wanted to be a pilot when I was younger. We pulled up and were greeted to the sight of several Air Force rockets.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo171.jpg

Once we stepped inside the front doors, this is what greeted us at the door!

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo172.jpg

It was simply amazing to see the SR-71 Blackbird in person. It's hard to imagine that this plane could fly from New York to London in 1 hour and 55 minutes. In fact, the true top speed is still classified!

The museum is full of really neat planes, helicopters, and space craft. I am sure that many of you eagle eyed people will spot numerous important aircraft in this picture:

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo173.jpg

Overall this was an amazing trip. The opportunity to drive my favorite car and share quality time with my daughter was simply amazing. She will be 11 in October and was a trooper in the car. I plan on doing similar road trips in the summer with my kids for as long as they will hang out with me. :)

My speedometer and consequently my odometer were not working for this trip, but using Google maps I was able to get a rough estimate of the total distance that I traveled. Here is a break down of the mileage. Keep in mind that this doesn't include minor trips here and there and the racing miles around Gingerman Raceway.

Wednesday 6-15-2011
Pigeon Forge, TN to Bowling Green, KY – 244

Thursday 6-16-2011
Bowling Green, KY to Geneva, IL – 439

Friday 6-17-2011
Geneva, IL to Watervliet, MI – 141
Cruise -- 50

Saturday 6-18-2011
Gingerman Raceway 15 racing laps = 30 racing miles

Sunday 6-19-2011
Watervliet, MI to Geneva, IL – 141

Monday 6-20-2011
Geneva, IL to Lincoln, NE – 486

Tuesday 6-21-2011
Lincoln, NE to Laramie, WY – 490

Wednesday 6-22-2011
Laramie, WY to Saratoga, WY – 79
Saratoga, WY to Laramie, WY - 79

Thursday 6-23-11
Laramie, WY to Estes Park, CO – 106
Estes Park, CO to Grand Lake, Co – 47
Grand Lake, CO to Walden, CO – 71
Walden, CO to Riverside, WY – 49
Riverside, WY to Centennial, WY – 50
Centennial, WY to Laramie, WY – 30
Total – 353 miles

Friday 6-24-2011
Laramie, WY to Lincoln, NE – 490

Saturday 6-25-2011
Lincoln, NE to Geneva, IL – 486

Sunday 6-26-2011
Geneva, IL to Pigeon Forge, TN – 601

Grand Total = 4,379

At the end of my road trip I traveled nearly 4,400 miles in my GTO. The car ran beautifully and without any high speed vibrations. Both Nebraska and Wyoming have 75 mph speed limits on the highways, which means going 85 mph is not a huge deal. The GTO does 85 mph at about 2,400 RPM and is smooth as silk. I want to thank the following people and companies for making this trip possible:

Bill Howell - Without your generous help and hospitality, this trip would not be remotely possible.

Rory and Brian - You are my dear friends and I appreciate everything you two have done for me over the years.

The Driveshaft Shop - Without Frank's innovation and attention to detail, my car would still be shaking itself apart at speeds over 75 mph.

Global West - Their various suspension components have taken a licking and kept on ticking.

ATS - Their spindles are amazing and allow me to use the very effective, OEM quality C6 Z06 brakes on the front.

GM - The LSx engine family is amazing and makes road trips like this possible. Without the modern engine and EFI my car would never have traveled over the high altitudes or gotten more than 20 MPG on the trip.

Mike Norris - Mike's tuning smoothed out a few rough spots in my tune and made the journey trouble free.

Detroit Speed and Engineering - The Midwest is plagued by severe summer storms. DSE's modern windshield wiper system kept my windshield clean and allowed me to navigate safely through the inclement weather.

In the end, I want everyone to take trips in their favorite cars. We spend years and thousands of dollars building our dream cars, and unfortunately many end up sitting pretty in the garage without having a chance to do what they were built to do: DRIVE!!!

Andrew

bdc1013

Jun 28th, 11, 7:27 PM

That's an awesome story, great photos thanks for sharing!

I was just discussing a trip from San Jose, CA to Colorado Springs, CO with my sister. With the two of us splitting fuel costs in the chevelle i figured we could manage 15 mpg with the TKO600 and SBC, round trip would cost us give or take $650 in fuel saying we got 15 mpg with fuel being around $4 a gal. A flight would cost about $350 each way per-person. PLUS WE WOULDN'T BE SPENDING THE GOOD TIME TOGETHER IN A CLASSIC MUSCLE CAR THAT I BUILT!

would be interesting as you stated, running a carb'd engine at various altitudes along the way, plus no heat or ac haha! but, its got power windows!

andrewb70

Jun 29th, 11, 5:47 PM

oman

Jun 29th, 11, 6:29 PM

davewho1

Jun 29th, 11, 9:05 PM

As I look at your picture I think I see an optical illusion..or I see something I never noticed before. As I follow along a pointed area of the left fuselage edge called a "chine" I see what appears to be an irregular area just before the area where the leading edge of the left wing intersects the fuselage. It almost looks like a sawtooth config???? Since you have the picture I am wondering if that is an illusion or is this some sort of config I never noticed on the SRs?

I looked at a few pictures today and I don't see that saw tooth on any of the photos I pulled up. Makes me wonder..could this have been some sort of one of a kind mod? Might it be something this aircraft was testing? Since I cannot see the right wing I also wonder if the patern appears on both sides of the fuse. I would certainly think it would ! Can you verify that this apparent sawtooth is really something in the picture or just some trick caused by camera angles, light, shadow or ????

It looks like part of the pillar that appears to be supporting the wing to me.

andrewb70

Jun 29th, 11, 9:40 PM

It looks like part of the pillar that appears to be supporting the wing to me.

Dave,

You are correct. I resized a couple more pictures to clarify things.

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo175.jpg

What was most amazing to me is the fact that the whole plane is made out of titanium. The other interesting part can be seen in the following picture.

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo174.jpg

Check out the various panels on the underside. The rough finish was intentional. The loose fitting panels were to accommodate for the expansion of the panels as the plane reached operating speeds. The heat makes the panels expand and fit at speeds. In fact, the panels fit so poorly that the plane actually drips fuel while it is on the ground. They fill it with minimal fuel and after take off do a complete re-fueling in the air. It is quite amazing.

Andrew

Sitting Duck

Jun 29th, 11, 10:07 PM

What kind of gas mileage did you get on the trip?

davewho1

Jun 29th, 11, 10:09 PM

They are truly amazing. My favorite non-propeller aircraft. :bow:

Too bad we're not flying them any more. Or are we? ;)

Excellent travelogue and a fun trip, BTW. :)

andrewb70

Jun 30th, 11, 12:11 AM

They are truly amazing. My favorite non-propeller aircraft. :bow:

Too bad we're not flying them any more. Or are we? ;)

Excellent travelogue and a fun trip, BTW. :)

Thanks Dave.

I got just over 20 mpg.

Andrew

bdc1013

Jun 30th, 11, 2:18 AM

If you have a chance, go for it!!! My car doesn't have AC either, but I do have heat. Just bring some towels with you in case it rains and you have condensation on the inside of your windshield.

Andrew

Andrew, at what altitude would you worry about vapor lock and or carb issues? I have the car running at pretty much sea level now.

oman

Jun 30th, 11, 7:52 AM

Dave,

You are correct. I resized a couple more pictures to clarify things.

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo175.jpg

What was most amazing to me is the fact that the whole plane is made out of titanium. The other interesting part can be seen in the following picture.

http://www.pro-touring.com/%7Eandrewb/gtov2/photo174.jpg

Check out the various panels on the underside. The rough finish was intentional. The loose fitting panels were to accommodate for the expansion of the panels as the plane reached operating speeds. The heat makes the panels expand and fit at speeds. In fact, the panels fit so poorly that the plane actually drips fuel while it is on the ground. They fill it with minimal fuel and after take off do a complete re-fueling in the air. It is quite amazing.

Andrew

That clarifies!!!! No none of the aircraft are still flying.

Having been a "student" of the airplane because of my work at PWA (there was a huge amount of pride about the engines and the plane itself) I have read a fair amount about the planes.

Just as a point of reference. Using the known speed of the airplane (which some sources say is understated) consider this. If a 30 cal shot could sustain its muzzle velocity across the entire US and if it was fired in California at the same time an SR departed California the SR WOULD ARRIVE ON THE EAST COAST BEFORE THE 30 CAL round did!!!!!!!!!! Think of that in terms of the fact that the aircraft and the engines entered service in the EARLY 1960's!!!!!!

As to the titanium construction. The planes were originally designed for the CIA then transitioned to the USAF. When it was determine how much titanium was needed it was further concluded that the US could not supply titanium in sufficient quantity. The CIA set up a PHANTOM company and purchased the titanium from the the worlds larges supplier of titanium...the USSR!!!!!!!!

The engines were the first and only engines designed to operate in afterburner for the full duration of a flight. Flight times were limited only by air refueling capability so in effect the engines were designed to permanently operate in full afterburner. Also the engine was the first engine to operate in a dual cycle mode. At Mach 2 and lower it operated as a conventional afterburning jet. Above Mach 2 up to an admitted speed of Mach 3.2 the engine operated as a Ram Jet. Ram Jet technology is only now coming into serious discsussion for Hyper Sonic aircraft. Two SRs were used by NASA for testing of the ram jet technology now under consideration. Small scale Ram Jet engines were mounted on the back of the SRs between the tails to test concepts for the hypersonic engine design which might reach Mach 10 speeds

andrewb70

Jun 30th, 11, 10:40 AM

Andrew, at what altitude would you worry about vapor lock and or carb issues? I have the car running at pretty much sea level now.

That is a questions I would not dare answer. I purchased my GTO when I was in HS and actually lived in Estes Park, which is at about 7,800 feet. The car always started and ran fine. I also took a trip to California when I was 19 which took me over the Rockies on I-70. I believe Loveland pass is at about 10-11K feet.

I think the problem is worse today because of the common use ethenol in fuels. I stopped at a station in Colorado and they actually had two 87 octane pumps. One had 10% ethenol the other was pure gas. The pure gas 87 octane was about 50 cents more per gallon.

Incidentally, I ran 87 octane during the whole trip, except for the track day at Gingerman.

Andrew

Dave

Jun 30th, 11, 2:44 PM

Andrew, are You using the 2 7/8's or 3 7/8's Mark williams Yoke?

Trying to get ahold of Frank at the DSS, but He's out.

andrewb70

Jun 30th, 11, 4:19 PM

Andrew, are You using the 2 7/8's or 3 7/8's Mark williams Yoke?

Trying to get ahold of Frank at the DSS, but He's out.

I have the 2 7/8" (short) yoke.

Andrew

andrewb70

Jul 8th, 11, 11:32 AM

The good folks at Lane Automotive had a photographer during the entire event and I want to thank him for taking these pictures at Gingerman.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo177.jpg

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo178.jpg

I really love going on a road course and not just an autocross. Autocrosses are OK, but nothing compares to being on a technical road course, like Gingerman, and learning the proper line around every corner. I wish that I would have taken an experienced driver along on one of my sessions. I have no doubt that my time would have improved by seconds. In fact, I was given a quick tip on how to successfully navigate one of the corners and that tip alone was worth 2 seconds on my subsequent session.

Good times...

Andrew

Scotch

Jul 8th, 11, 11:39 AM

Good times indeed! I love road courses as well. I'll be at Heidt's event in Joliet next weekend doing the same stuff. I can't wait!

These are the times you'll remember the rest of your life. Driving as fast as you possibly can in a car you built to do just that. The fact you've been able to drive that same car all over the country (with friends and family aboard at different times) only makes it sweeter.

This is how cars become so much more than just sheetmetal to us. Great thread, pal.

andrewb70

Sep 4th, 11, 3:29 PM

Just saw the latest issue of PHR magazine and on the last page I got a little ink from the coverage of the Motor State Challenge.

http://www.pro-touring.com/~andrewb/gtov2/photo179.jpg

A big thanks to Robert McGaffin for covering the event and to Johnny Hunkins for including a picture of my car in the coverage.

With some luck I will be at LS Fest next weekend!

Andrew

analyte

Sep 4th, 11, 7:50 PM

andrewb70

Sep 12th, 11, 10:23 AM

This past weekend I drove to Bowling Green, KY to attend the Holley LS Fest. Everyone from Holley and FM3 did an amazing job with the event. It was great to see so many old friends and meet some new people. My main goal for the event was to have a good time. The LS Fest offers something for everyone: drag racing, auto cross, speed stop challenge, drift exhibition, country cruise, and show and shine.

On Saturday morning I did a session of autocrossing and it was a good reminder how much I dislike the experience. My car is really not set-up for it and it wallowed around the course like a pregnant yak. Give me a high speed road course and I'll be a smiling fool...

I also participated in the True Street class of the drag racing competition. True street is a good time because it starts with a 30 mile cruise followed by 3 rounds of drag racing. The drive really does a nice job of separating real street cars from race cars. Lingenfelter Performance was the lead sponsor and drove their LS9 powered 5th Gen Camaro, which completed the drive without any problems. Once we were back at the track everyone drove directly to the staging lanes where adjustments to the car were no longer permitted. Everyone runs on an index, meaning the goal is to get as close to a whole number time as possible without going over, over a three run average. So technically there is an unlimited number of classes, but realistically it broke down into 13 second, 12 sec, 11, 10, 9, and overall winner.

Earlier in the day, during practice sessions I ran a best of 12.65@111mph, but my very first practice pass was a 13.038, so the natural place for me to compete was in the 13 second index. On the first round pass I ran a 13.002. Second round was a 12.998. That put me at a perfect 13.000, but I had to race one more round. If I went under 13 seconds that would have been over for me, so the goal was to run as close to 13 seconds as possible without going over. On my last pass I ran a 13.038, which put me at 13.012 for a three run average. That was good enough for the win and a $100 bucks in my pocket. Good times...

I want to thank my good friend Bill Howell for bringing my car. If it wasn't for his kindness I would never be able to do this event.