I'm new to trying to drag race with an automatic. What are proper techniques to launch the car? What are some things I could do to get the velle to hook up? What about a line lock or trans brake, I've never used either and not sure how they work.
I have a 70 velle ss396 with a th400. The lower control arms are boxed.
Any advice would be appriciated. Thanks

Do a search here,there is some good info.What is your combo?

Heck, with an automatic it’s easy. :D

Just watch a couple people run, and do what they do.

Now drag racing with a stick, that’s a challenge. tongue.gif

Really, you have to get out there on the track and practice. Practice on the street doesn't realy do any good, because the traction on an actual track is much different. If your car makes enough power to smoke the tires, you will have to experiment with leaving at idle vs loading the converter a bit, or going immediately to wide open throttle vs rolling into it, etc. You will definitely have to hold the brake with your left foot though if you want decent reaction times.

Practice, Practice, Practice....
I just went to the track for the first time. A pretty humbling experience to say the least. These are my immediate reactions posted right after. I got back from the track..

Well Guy's today was the first time I went down the 1320. I was proud of the "Old Red Girl" but the driver ain't too sporty..

1st run
R/T ... .896
60' ... 2.253
330 ... 6.051
1/8 ... 9.086
MPH ... 81.61
1000... 11.682
1/4 ... 13.856
MPH ... 103.87

2nd run
R/T ... .871
60' ... 2.238
330 ... 5.473
1/8 ... 9.089
MPH ... 81.29
1000... 11.692
1/4 ... 13.873
MPH ... 103.45

I always thought that driving the 1/4 mile was simple. Light turns green, floor it, the motor does all the work, strong motor, great time. WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!
The car pulled hard. The driver couldn't figure out how to not spin the tires all the way through 1st and 2nd. I believe the driver saw the green flag drop, pulled up his skirt, and wet the bed! As many times as I told myself "leave at 1500, roll into the throttle SLOWLY, do not break the tires loose, shift into 2nd at 5500 and then into 3rd at 5500, roll through the traps, and smile at the 11.00 time slip".
NOT!!!!!!!! Anyway,

Thanks alot to Ken Jett and this wife, Bill Burke and his wife, and Gordon. Although, I followed none of you advice, I appreciate you offering it.

On a good note, I will tell you all that I am now HOOKED!!

Regards,

Originally posted by Glenn:
[QB] I'm new to trying to drag race with an automatic. What are proper techniques to launch the car? What are some things I could do to get the velle to hook up? What about a line lock or trans brake, I've never used either and not sure how they work.A line lock (hooked up to the front brake line) is designed to hold the front brakes and let the rear ones loose. That way you can do nice big burnouts like the pros do. The way it works; you apply the brakes, then active the line lock, then let off the brake. The line lock solenoid will keep pressure to whatever brakes you have them hooked onto until you deactivate the solenoid.

A trans brake locks first and reverse together so the car doesn't go anywhere. When the trans brake is activated the engine will only rev as high as the converter will let it. When you let off of the trans brake and deactivate it now the car will launch.

Thanks, for the replies. The reason I asked was because a good freind of mine has a 87 grand national, 35k miles, completely stock. I know I could give him some good competition, but the other day just for fun we did a little heads up street race (out in the middle of nowhere). And I could not get the velle to hook up and he blew me away. I have experience with drag racing manual trans cars but never an automatic. Here is my comb.- 70 velle ss396 with th400.
</font> 402 BBC 30 over
9.5 to 1 compression
stock heads
RPM manifold
Holley 770 avenger
Edlebrock RPM cam
MSD ingnition
Dynomax ceramic headers 1 7/8"
2 1/2" flowmaster exhaust pipes system
Dynomax ulta flo mufflers
B&M converter I think stalls between 2800 - 3200
(how do I find out for sure)
Completely rebuilt 12 bolt posi 3.73
boxed lower control arms
kyb shocks
polygraphit bushings (all)
225 70R 14" Firestone ss tires</font> Any suggestions would be appriciated. Thanks

Sounds like a fun combo
Some BFG drag radials or DOT sticky tires would help out tremendously.

One lesson I learned in bracket racing is to let the tranny do the work. Don't shift it yourself.

I like to go out for the first few runs and find the best shift point. Then, when I get home, adjust the govenor to shift at that RPM. That way when you get to the track, just put it in 'D' and go. Consistancy is the key.

Silver69,
I like the sounds of adjusting your trany's shift points like that but how do you do it? I've got a th350 but have no idea how to adjust it like your talking about. Thanks!! graemlins/beers.gif

You remove the governor and either buy a kit with weights and springs, or start slowly grinding on the primary and secondary weights to raise the shift points. Go very slowly if you do the grinding deal, lol. And plan on using some RTV to reseal the cover on a TH-400 since the cover has a flimsy gasket that will probably tear when removed. A TH-350 is fine as the governor sits under a tin cover that has a rubber ring to seal it.

A couple pointers . . .

When doing burnouts in the water box, it is a good idea to have a line lock (not really necessary if you don't race seriously or very often). This allows you to hold the car with the front brakes only. If the back brakes are applied when doing a burnout, and if the brakes aren't adjusted perfectly side to side one wheel will spin faster than the other which will wreak havoc on your posi (burns up the clutches).

When doing your burnout when you let up on the brakes and start rolling out of the box also let up on the gas -- don't let the tires bite hard when it comes out of the box. That is very hard on your tansmission (tends to break sprags)

When you stage the car do it exactly the same way every time. After you turn on the first yellow (prestaged) roll forward until you just barely turn on the second yellow (staged).

Once you are staged get ready by holding the brake hard and reving the engine until the rear end of the car starts to lift up a little. This means the suspension is loaded up without pushing the car forward or breaking traction.

When the yellows start dropping, try leaving on the 3rd (last) yellow (right before the green). This will improve your reaction time -- you want to be as close to .500 as you can without redlighting.

You can shorten your reaction time by inching forward a little further after you are staged OR by lo9ading the motor harder against the converter.

The key is in doing everything the same way each time -- then modifying slightly to shorten or lengthen your reaction time.

PS. and please try keeping all your races at the track ;)

Eric,
NM, I read it wrong.
You're right, Shallow staging makes for the quickest ET's and 60ft's.
It'll slow you're reaction times, but unless you're in competition it doesnt matter.

Wew, i'm going back to sleep :D

Your picture looked good, very nice shot!

Thanks Brian -- my .00001 seconds of fame I guess. That pic was taken at SuperChevy last June . . .

I wasn't really suggesting a deep stage, just inching forward a hair as a means to "tweek" R/T's. On some tracks (Milan, MI for example) I've found that I cannot reduce RT enough by merely loading the **** out of the converter, I have to inch forward a little at this track.

To me deep-staging is rolling in until the pre-staged light goes out -- that is not what I was suggesting.

If he is racing against someone heads up it would be nice to get that extra running start, but a couple inches shouldn't make much difference with the ETs and should help his RT.

I didn't believe in line lock either until I burned up two posi units. Granted the Auburn isn't the most popular one out there, but my car was eating them at a rate of one per year. We'll see how my new Eaton holds up with the line lock.

Another side benefit of the line lock is that is keeps some heat out of the rear brakes. I'm hoping for a little more holding power at the line with cool rear brakes.

I like to adjust mine with loading of the converter, becuase i like to stage/hit the tree consistantly.

I go deep, becuase i need to, to keep the lights competitive. I can adjust slightly based on how much i load the converter, and usually i'm consistant within a .010, on my better days i can keep it tighter then that.

and you should be consistent within .010 with your I-6 --- traction is not an issue. If you can keep your R/Ts that way with a V8 that's making some power, you'll be doing well.

Hows the new motor coming anyway?

My R/T's are within .010, my ET's are recently alot closer.

But its coming apart and the new motor is going in, once i get it to hook it should be much more consistant then the L6.