[cheveezies]

to any of the boy's that own , or have owned , 4 - speed standard cars . when coming out of the hole , do you rev up - off & on until you feel [ hear ] the app rpm , then let er out . or do you rev to a certain rpm , once looking at the tack , then let it out , or ; other ? & what would the term - sidestep it ? mean that i have heard . any info back appreciated

 

[Sid Coleman]

Hi Tommy! Depends on what you're trying to do. Taking off in a normal situation (street driving) is a devoped 'feel'. Slight increase in the gas combined with a slow engagement of the clutch to take off smoothly.

Now racing: that's a balancing point! (note: Sidestepping is just that-sliding your foot off the pedal to the side, letting it pop up). Also known as 'dumping' the clutch. How you launch depends on your car. If your RPM's are too high, you'll just sit & spin-not good for drag racing. If you dump too low, you'll bog out and maybe stall-looks dumb too! Finding the sweet spot where you 'let fly' and get a little tire spin, then hookup, takes practice. Some guys slip the clutch a bit if their tires are too slippery, but that's pretty hard on the clutch.

My experience was pretty much (small block-4 speed car) dump at around 2200, then 'feather' the gas pedal until it hooked, then floor it!

 

[MEJ1990TM]

When I am out playing with the '70 I usually bring the RPM's up slightly. (2000 or so) I hold my foot just a hair under the point where the clutch starts to engage. When I take off I let the clutch out all at once and get into the throttle. Due to the grime up inside the bell housing from the years of not having a dust shield the clutch tends to slip some. But when you do it right you should be taking right off.

I haven't done enough to say that works well for real racing. But for quick takeoffs and plowing through the gears it works just fine. :thumbsup:

For normal driving you just have to ,like Sid said, get the "feel" of your car. A balance of giving it throttle and engaging the clutch.

 

[Guest]

to any of the boy's that own , or have owned , 4 - speed standard cars . when coming out of the hole , do you rev up - off & on until you feel [ hear ] the app rpm , then let er out . or do you rev to a certain rpm , once looking at the tack , then let it out , or ; other ? & what would the term - sidestep it ? mean that i have heard . any info back appreciated

The clutch, the tires and the suspension dictate how hard you can leave. My Z car with the 302, on the wood and just step off. Car had 9 inch slicks, slapper bars and good shocks front and back. Car would pick up the wheels about 10 inches.

Most street applications are trade offs, street tires, shocks not designed for racing, half azz suspension, they just spin the hides. They also don't run a steep enough gear, the Z had 5.86 out back, a big difference.

 

[69 Post Sedan]

They also don't run a steep enough gear, the Z had 5.86 out back, a big difference.

5.86...HOLY HOLE SHOT BATMAN!!

 

[cobaltchev67]

Wally must've been turnin' some high RPMs to get much MPH out of that thing in the 1/4....unless he was only running 1/8th? I've only had my car down the track 7 times before my recent oil pressure loss and subsequent tear down(picking up the block and crank today), but I noticed with street tires, 3.73, 4 speed 1st gear ratio of 3.42 it liked around 3000 RPM with the Centerforce DF clutch. I'm moving to a Jerico DR-4 though with a 3.19 1st and probably a 3.54 rear gear with a sintered iron clutch(allows some purposeful slipping)....should be a different animal.

 

[BowtieAaron]

i slip the clutch quick at around 5k. i need to learn to drive better.
too scared to dump it because im on DR's with an 8.2 10 bolt.
my 3.55's dont help much either.
best 60' is in my sig. quick slip, but not quick enough.

aaron

 

[MEJ1990TM]

If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway.

 

[kboorman]

the Z had 5.86 out back,

What was the 1st gear ratio, 2.2?

 

[Guest]

What was the 1st gear ratio, 2.2?

Most of the time it had the 2.2 first gear, but I also used a wide box.

As for 1/4 mile speed, 110 was average. The car was in high gear by the 1/8 mile. The only way the 302 works is to zing it so the gear is necessary.

I used a clutch called a cleaning lady, a unsprung disk that was full metallic and a long style three finger pressure head. All the parts were McLeod, brutal. That clutch works but slipping it is not a option. Try loading the dog on your trailer.

 

[animal69]

You have to develop a feel for it. I've got a friend that has driven a stick for about 40 years now and only gets about 25,000 miles out of a clutch. You'd think he would have gotten it by now! The last clutch I had in a daily driver lasted almost 90,000 miles.

 

[427L88]

Plus, 302 or not, gear is your friend in any manual tranmission application.

I do as above, get the clutch "just" there and tip in throttle and ease off clutch simultaneously.

 

[MEJ1990TM]

Most of the time it had the 2.2 first gear, but I also used a wide box.

As for 1/4 mile speed, 110 was average. The car was in high gear by the 1/8 mile. The only way the 302 works is to zing it so the gear is necessary.

I used a clutch called a cleaning lady, a unsprung disk that was full metallic and a long style three finger pressure head. All the parts were McLeod, brutal. That clutch works but slipping it is not a option. Try loading the dog on your trailer.

The '70 had a McLeod in it for a while. It ended up taking a major dump at the drag strip. I've heard it was good clutch for hard hook ups.

 

[nitrofox]

Hey Wally, Was that clutch made by RAM ( the cleaning lady). =)

Jeff

 

[furball8994]

All good advice... The bottom line is, You have to learn what your car wants. With a 4 speed, Tire spin is you friend. Just not too much. With my car and the tires I run, Mine likes about 4500rpm and a quick release. (no side step) I get just enough spin to only pull my rpm's down to about 4000 and carry the fronts about 6" in the air.. It took me about ten passes to find the sweet spot... Once the rebuild is done, I'll be back to square one..

 

[Guest]

Hey Wally, Was that clutch made by RAM ( the cleaning lady). =)

Jeff

Ram made these units and I think you are right about the name. McLeod made them as well and I was using a McLeod pressure head so I used their version of the "cleaning lady".