Finally took the 70 Chevelle (SS Clone) out to the track for the first time last week. This was also the first time this old man ever drove a car on a track! Woohoo. What a blast! :D

I ran a total of four times and will not bore you with the first three runs (they were kind of experimental). The last run was the best so here it is. I know these are not earth shattering numbers to some of you guy's, but this old fart was feeling 20 years old again. graemlins/hurray.gif This was more fun than a Geratol Margurita!

R/T .917
60' 1.927
330 5.396
MPH 64.99
1/8 8.287
MPH 83.46

My combo is:
468
L2349 TRW pop-ups
Comp 292H cam
LS-7 replacement heads (188's)
Power-Plus Intake with Holley 950
Hei ignition-18 deg initial-40 total-all in at 2600 RPM.(probably needs some work)
Flow Tech headers with 1-7/8" primaries
3-1/2" exhaust with H-pipe going into 50 series Flowmasters and 2-1/2" tailpipes out the back.
TCI 400 with 1200 rpm stall converter
B&M Quick Silver shifter-shifting @6500 RPM
3.73 12-bolt posi
Centerline Champ 500 wheels
P255/60R15 Dunlop GT Qualifiers w/22 lbs pressure

In looking at my set up I think I will try a set of M/T ET Street's or at least something better than street tires. I also think I will change the converter to a 3000 stall. My best run was when I left the line at 1200 RPM (anything higher and the rear tires went up in smoke).

I will be really excited if I can post a 7.99 next time, with those changes. Don't know if there is that much in my combo, but I think it's a realistic goal! :D

Thanks to Barry (SSMAN69) for talking me out of the rocking chair and onto the track! Even us old guy's can burn some rubber Baby.


Billy :cool:

Billy,pretty cool graemlins/thumbsup.gif
Nice job with the ET too..bet the car feels great and is fun to drive.

Congrats! Here's my cousin's '30 F@rd :eek: , but wait, it's got a blown chevy 350 in it :D ! He's 58 and just got into racing at our 1/8 mile track here in town. He's runnin' 7.60's @ 91mph. He says racing is "more fun than a barrel of snakes!"...
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/Purs/Billy.jpg

Ain't it great... :D

Thanks guy's. It was a blast. The car took me over a year to put togeather, and I do mean put togeather! I bought it in pieces. It had no motor or tranny, so I threw some pieces togeather. That is how I wound up with a small converter and street tires. I just used what I had on hand, as funds were getting slim.

For what it is, it is really fun to drive. I was surprised that it pulled that hard all the way down the track. I would have probably been happy with a slower time as this was my first time to be on a track.

Thanks again for your encouragement!

Billy graemlins/waving.gif

It was a good day! Had a lot of fun. That first run was funny as hell. Looked like the back of the car was on ice. Slippin and slidin down the track. I was on the side of the track thinking .......Billy ......you can let off the gas pedal now! 3/4 way down the track he finally caught traction. LOL!

I wasn't going to mention the first run, but it was pretty funny. I tried to launch at 2500 rpm on street tires graemlins/clonk.gif , then go to the floor with it when the light changed. :D
My wife is still giving me hell over that one. She keeps saying "I didn't know we were going to a burnout contest" :rolleyes:

Billy :D

lol...with street tires,it's best to leave at idle and then roll the throrttle quickly to WOT..2500 launch in my car on street tires is pretty damn smokey too..especially with 2.73's :D

Originally posted by Billy:
I wasn't going to mention the first run, but it was pretty funny. I tried to launch at 2500 rpm on street tires graemlins/clonk.gif , then go to the floor with it when the light changed. :D
My wife is still giving me hell over that one. She keeps saying "I didn't know we were going to a burnout contest" :rolleyes:

Billy :D Only problem is ..........you only have a 1200 rpm stall. You were already spinning at 2500 :D graemlins/thumbsup.gif I wish I could have heard what the announcer said.LOL! He was commenting something to the affect..."now would be a good time to let off the gas" LMFAO!

graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Billy, it's particularly excellent given you put it together with stuff you had laying around!

Having fun is what it's all about. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Reminds me of the commercial with the old ladies"punch it Margret". smile.gif

Way to go Billy! One of the comments that I have often made about my hot rod habit is that I am happy to still be playing with cars after all these years. Even on a non-competitive level, it is fun to be chasing down quicker and faster passes to build some bench racing bragging rights. Don't worry about setting earth shattering numbers - it's always a good day at the track any time you can drive to the track, make passes, then drive away at the end of the day.

Thomas

Billy,
Sounds good smile.gif

I'd play with the timing some, see what it likes. I'd suggest you use the vacuum advance for more idle timing.

It sounds like it needs more converter but it is hard to tell until you get some traction on it.

Got the 12 bolt in dad's car yesterday.. smile.gif had to test the posi in the driveway..

Took the motor out of mine today.

Good luck!

What kind of fuel pump ya running?

Your MPH was just a tad slower than it should be on that run.. 1-2 mph slower than what I used to get on the 427 with the same 1/8th times...

Either overadvanced timing or lack of fuel is holding you back a little.

Jake I am using a stock over the counter mechanical pump.

The timing might be another area. I have wondered if it is coming in too quick. Currently I am not using the vacume advance. It is not working. The car seems to idle ok (800 rpm) without it so I have not hooked it up. Do you think that's a mistake? Timing is one of those areas that still confuse me a little.

I have been a little reluctant to change anything until I at least get some better tires on it. I figure until I get it to hook better, it will be hard to prove or test any changes. It may be a little while before I can do anything else as the funds kind of dried up. One of my biggest mistakes was passing up a set of ET streets for $100 that Vern had down at The Speed Shop graemlins/clonk.gif . They were used but still looked new.

When I get back to where I can I will start with some tires then maybe a better converter. I do need suggestions for a converter with about 3000 stall that won't break the bank. The only thing that I have came up with is one that is supposed to be 2800-3200. It is used and the guy wants $350. Sounds high to me for a used converter. Had another guy suggest something called a "Boss Hog". He said he bought one for $90 new, but I have not checked it out yet.

I do know that the cam (292H) say's 3000 stall and 4:10-1 or deeper gears. I deffinately don't want to go with anything deeper than the 3.73's I am running. They seem to be a good compromise as I like running it on the street without twisting the motor up to 5G's just to get up to 60MPH.

As previously stated, there are probably several areas that I can "tighten it up a little" in, before considering gears. One of those is the fan. I am running a 19" flex fan. I had the fan belt off the other day when I changed out my alternater. I started it up for a second and was amazed at how much quicker it rapped up without the fan. My brother say's he has an electric fan set-up from a Winstar van. If I can ever get that I deffinatly want to try it.

I would be interested to hear more about the fuel pump issue. I had not considered that as the car seemed to be pulling pretty good at the end of the run, even on the first pass when I twisted it up to 7G's.

Keep the suggestions coming......I'm addicted now!

Jake...I read your post recently about the 505 and was sorry to hear it didn't work out. I keep hoping to get up to Denton so I can see some of your toys.....

Billy :D
Searching for 7's

I pulled the 505 out yesterday to replace the cam and oil pump. It is going back in with a 9" converter for ONE LAST TRY...

Your MPH was down just enough that it seems liek it may have been laying down on the top of the track. Usually points to a fuel supply problem.

If you were running a full 1/4 it would have been more apparent smile.gif
Probably actually get a stumble, popping, or a real noticeable loss of power.
Also in my '69 I had to always run a full tank of gas to hook and not starve for fuel even in the 1/8th. It would launch hard enough to uncover the fuel pickup.

I'd look at the fuel system first. Even a cheapy electric helper pump added in works great.

I didn't notice any of those as I went down the track. That doesn't mean that something wasn't going on. I filled the tank just before I pulled into the track. Which brings up another thing I just thought of. I was running straight pump gas, 92 octane. Do you think it would help if I mixed in some racing fuel? If so, how much would you use?

Billy

That is great Billy. I am still building my car and can't wait till it is my turn. Our setups are very similar and I am hoping for mid 7's at my local 1/8th mile track in Sealy, Tx.

Good luck and have fun.. where in Tx are you ??
I'm in Katy (far west Houston) graemlins/waving.gif

Texas70, I live in Mansfield. It is just south of Arlington. Let me know if you are ever up this way. I am always interested in meeting other Chevelle owners.

Billy graemlins/waving.gif

Hey Billy, are you running at kennedale and/or denton dragway?

Frank

Frank, I went to Kennedale as it is only about 10 minutes from my house. At some point I will probably want to go to a track that is more than an 1/8th mile.

Billy