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Couple of new best for 2019

4K views 58 replies 18 participants last post by  MarkP 
#1 ·
Been a little too busy to post much this year but thought I'd quickly share some new personal bests with my Chevelle, down at the 2019 Halloween Classic. It's only 1/8 mile but still pretty fun. Until now, the car has just not "worked" out of the gate until I went to these new M/T radial pro's (3754X). First time out, it went from a typical 1.39-1.40 '60 to a 1.3 '60. 2nd & 3rd times out was 1.27, all 3 were done footing-braking. I wanted to try the trans-brake but with only 1 time trial a day, decided it was working well enough. The car set-up is the way I drive it on the street except for the missing exhaust.



 
#3 ·
Yes, exhaust for the street, open headers with 15" extensions for the track. Sorry for the confusion-
 
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#4 ·
Awesome!!!
 
#5 ·
Lot of people don't realize how much header extensions can help. On my stocker, they were good for another 10 to 12 hundredths. A really cheap performance increase, plus, it moves the noise back a ways :thumbsup:
 
#16 ·
Yeah, the last pics in the video's are screen shots of Summit Raceway new app that shows all those stats in real time. As soon as someones stats go up on the boards, it shows up in the app also. I'm not sure how accurate the DA is though. It doesn't match up with Drag Times DA calculator. I don't know.


It sure does appear that the rear tires are clicking the beams but I have a hard time believing my car runs that good :) Here's one of the pics my buddy took with his phone in burst mode. The rear tires are even with the 60' beams.

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Full-size car Classic car
 
#8 ·
Awesome ! Perfect Launch !!!
 
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#9 ·
All I can say is you have arrived, 1.27 of the foot brake is flat getting it done. I just wish I could have seen some of your passes.
Congrats your car is very simple and flat works 👍


Brian
 
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#19 · (Edited)
It will be better than last winter, with the reminder picture from Brian, every couple days, of his car beating me at Lapeer Dragway, on the last day of the year...LOL


Thanks again Chris for a solid engine program. I can't say enough about the manufacturing quality of your parts!
 
#11 ·
Thanks guys. It's a great feeling when things start to come together.
Some specs on the car;
We scaled it last Wednesday, 3602 w/me in it and 50.99% front to back. There are other numbers but not sure what they mean.
TH400, 4:10 Dana 60, Rears Strange DA full tight ex & comp, Fronts Calvert 90/10.
Straub/Foxwell spec'd 540, 10.25:1, lives & races on pump gas.
Scat, Engine Pro and Mahle flat tops.
Heads started life as angle milled AFR 315's, now Foxwell smiled on, around ~337, port entries untouched, 2.325 custom Foxwell valves, flow ~400 @ .800 but carry well out to 1" and per Foxwell; "ports are nice and smooth and stable".
Old Victor Ram only fluffed & buffed, 2-1050 Holley Gen3 Ultra dominators and if nobody caught it; 2-1050's on a tunnel ram on a 10.25:1 engine, foot braked.
Land vehicle Vehicle Car Full-size car Sedan
 
#30 ·
Thanks guys. It's a great feeling when things start to come together.
Some specs on the car;
We scaled it last Wednesday, 3602 w/me in it and 50.99% front to back. There are other numbers but not sure what they mean.
TH400, 4:10 Dana 60, Rears Strange DA full tight ex & comp, Fronts Calvert 90/10.
Straub/Foxwell spec'd 540, 10.25:1, lives & races on pump gas.
Scat, Engine Pro and Mahle flat tops.
Heads started life as angle milled AFR 315's, now Foxwell smiled on, around ~337, port entries untouched, 2.325 custom Foxwell valves, flow ~400 @ .800 but carry well out to 1" and per Foxwell; "ports are nice and smooth and stable".
Old Victor Ram only fluffed & buffed, 2-1050 Holley Gen3 Ultra dominators and if nobody caught it; 2-1050's on a tunnel ram on a 10.25:1 engine, foot braked.
View attachment 606072
Stall converter?
 
#18 ·
Thanks Jarad, right back at you! After the first run, I kept thinking of your "5.70 or?" thread, and was really hoping to get there. Maybe next time...


Nice job Dale!

Thanks Jon. Not quite the Orange Monster but it's fun. You going to PRI?


Very impressive and nice looking Chevelle.

Thanks Dan!
 
#20 ·
3600 w/driver is on the lighter side for these cars but on the heavy side for a true race car. Front suspension is stock with pivot bolts loose and double nutted. Calvert 90/10's. Straub Cam, from memory I think, is 276/282, 112, .807/.774 and I'm running .937 keyway lifters. I machined the block myself. Some pics of it-
https://imgur.com/a/6CiyqaO
 
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#25 · (Edited)
Thanks. Considering what it is and running this motor at extremes; it has been reliable. Idling down 2 miles of dirt road every time it's taken out, running around "town" at 3000 rpm's, driving 50 miles for the Woodward Dream Cruise or shifting at 7500 for a race; it hasn't complained. There were a couple initial issues that were traced back to the manufacture, but that's to be expected even with OEM parts. Street driving is relative and my car wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea but I put up to ~3000/yr on it around my area, which is basically country driving. I shun freeways. All that being said; it is a low compression race engine with good parts that I monitor closely. This engine typically gets removed every winter for inspection. Again, not everyone's cup of tea :)
 
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#24 ·
Congratulations on the new bests. Definitely moving at that weight. Based on the ET, I'd say pretty definitively, you are tripping the 60's with the front tires. 1.27 is still really good off the footbrake on a small tire.
 
#26 ·
Thanks Ray, appreciate the experienced comment. I thought tripping with the rears was a stretch at that ET but man, was it awesome. These radials are stupid fast for what they are and the feel of driving is much more stable. I had planned on cutting up the car and making it big tire, even bought wheels/tires, but seeing what radials can do, think I'll stay here for a while and more tracks are prepping for the radials, including our local Lapeer Dragway.
 
#36 ·
Foxwell put Pac 1224 on it and they've been on it for about 3500 miles now. One broke initially but when I sent it back to Pac for inspection, they said it most likely had a flaw because it just shouldn't have broke. I check them regularly with an on head checker and the pressures seem to be holding up well. When I change them out, I'm going to go with the Pac 1324. They say this is a better spring for endurance.


Have you had any spring issues? Also, how did that scoop work out for you. I've been running individual filters and think they're hurting it slightly on the big end.
 
#37 ·
My first springs didn't last too long, they started to fade. Not way out of spec but down on the seat/open. Spoke with Chris, he sold me a set of 1326 at cost. The car picked up in MPH and ET with this change.

Would guess those filters hurt performance. I made 2 changes when I added the scoop. Not sure it's worth much. Would like to try a couple elbows. I've seen a buddy's car pick over a 1/10 with an elbow. Watched another buddy buy a lexan scoop and gain no ET.

Next season I will be on a radial like yours. Going with a glide was a mistake on my part. Doubt it ever leaves like your Chevelle.

Like to see you get in the 70's...
 
#38 ·
My first springs didn't last too long, they started to fade. Not way out of spec but down on the seat/open. Spoke with Chris, he sold me a set of 1326 at cost. The car picked up in MPH and ET with this change.

Would guess those filters hurt performance. I made 2 changes when I added the scoop. Not sure it's worth much. Would like to try a couple elbows. I've seen a buddy's car pick over a 1/10 with an elbow. Watched another buddy buy a lexan scoop and gain no ET.

Next season I will be on a radial like yours. Going with a glide was a mistake on my part. Doubt it ever leaves like your Chevelle.

Like to see you get in the 70's...
Good to hear you didn't have a spring mishap.

I was thinking of trying one of those Lexan scoops for the track, don't know anyone that's used them. The K&N filters I have are designed to be run in a scoop and don't use the typical K&N filter media, it's more like a fine screen. You can almost see thru them, but I'm sure they're not helping with straightening out the air flow without their scoop. I'd like to do something to pickup the mph.

I'm impressed with the radials so far. They're working better than any of the 5 different slick I've tried. Go .70's !!
 
#39 ·
Went out to Lapeer Dragway Wednesday. We were fighting a constant 30 mph direct headwind. I tried the trans brake @ 3000 rpm's. It abruptly popped the front tires up and then blew the tires off. Too much shock for these rear Strange DA's to control. I can't lower the 2-step any further because the engine doesn't like it and will actually stall. I'm sure I could mess with the carbs but it might effect its street-ability. Anyways, went back to foot braking and managed 1.31-1.35's and a '60 on the back tires with a 1.41 when I shifted 2nd in the air. No video of it but given what the previous runs were, I'm confident this was the rear tires. Honestly, I enjoy the initial hit more than the rest of the run. I think they should start a new racing class; 60 foot only:)
 

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#40 ·
Chipping away at it, another Personal Best ET in the full quarter mile. Last time out for this year, -300 DA, 10 mph headwind. Previous 1/4 mile best was 9.46 last year, so a full 1/10 quicker. It might have done even better but there were a group of street tire cars that showed up that just destroyed the start line. One of my runs, I was behind a guy that literally did two 30 second burnouts, 3 dry hops and 3 starts before he went down the track. It was entertaining but their tires left a bunch of rubber "balls" on the track from their burnouts, and it toyed with my radials.

Brian & I finally got to line up together but as fate would have it (or luck depending on perspective), his car broke the ring & pinion right off the line. To his credit, like a hero, he drove the car down the track broken. I think it netted a 30 second run:)

Looking forward to next year...
 

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#42 ·
Chipping away at it, another Personal Best ET in the full quarter mile. Last time out for this year, -300 DA, 10 mph headwind. Previous 1/4 mile best was 9.46 last year, so a full 1/10 quicker. It might have done even better but there were a group of street tire cars that showed up that just destroyed the start line. One of my runs, I was behind a guy that literally did two 30 second burnouts, 3 dry hops and 3 starts before he went down the track. It was entertaining but their tires left a bunch of rubber "balls" on the track from their burnouts, and it toyed with my radials.

Brian & I finally got to line up together but as fate would have it (or luck depending on perspective), his car broke the ring & pinion right off the line. To his credit, like a hero, he drove the car down the track broken. I think it netted a 30 second run:)

Looking forward to next year...

Did Brian leak 90 weight down the track?
 
#41 ·
:)Brian & I finally got to line up together but as fate would have it (or luck depending on perspective), his car broke the ring & pinion right off the line. To his credit, like a hero, he drove the car down the track broken. I think it netted a 30 second run:)


Really you had to go and kick me while I`m down:crying: next year will be different
By the way your car ran I don`t think it would have mattered :wink2:

Brian
 
#52 ·
Thanks! You know how this disease is, always thinking of things to do/try. The engine is being pulled as we speak. Going to give it a once over (again). I have to relocate this ridiculously stupid Milodon oil pan drain plug, which is impossible to remove while in the car. I forgot to do it last year when it was out. I'm thinking of doing motor plates and notching the crossmember for a future diaper. I picked up a complete rack & pinion set-up and Mezier electric water pump, ready to install. I like the reliability of a mechanical pump but in the heat of the summer, at the track, I'd like to be able to cool the engine between runs instead of letting it sit there and heat soak. I have to address my header/collectors. They're the removable type with the 2 tabs that use a 1/4-20 bolt to fasten them together. It is a horrible design and I'll go as far as saying dangerous which I think is evident by NHRA's tether rule. When they're new, everything is tight and all good, but over time they rattle around which causes wear and movement, then the tabs break and the collectors fall off. I've rewelded mine half dozen times and now the pipes are so loose I use wire to hold them up to the trans crossmember. Brian jokes about being able to see the coat hanger in my wheels up pics:) Remember the episode where JJ da boss's Ole Heavy shot out its collector and hit that woman? I'm truly surprised anyone still uses this retention system.

No major engine improvements per se, but last year on the dyno, this engine had some blowby, I think it measured a 4.5 but not sure what that number references. CFM, inches of pressure??, all I know is the dyno guy didn't like it. So last winter I horizontal gas ported the pistons and took them over to Line-to-line for their coating. This year I did notice less oil being pulled into the exhaust evac tubes and a little more stable oil pressure so it did help. This year I bought a Star vacuum pump to try and hope to see even more oil control and possibly a little HP. I'd like to try a different intake and some type of carb scoop. My ultimate goal for this combo is 9 teen's but that might be a stretch.
 
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