[SSavon69]

Took the nova out saturday for the first time year. Late last year i swaped out the Coan converter with a ATI that Mark setup for me but only got to the track a few time with it and it was had worn out slicks. The best it went was a 10.85 @ 124.35 with a 1.50 60'. My last time out i also changed out the 90/10s for Koni SPA1 hoping to keep the frontend from poping straight up but i really didnt get to test it due to the slicks being worn out. Anyways I havent changed anything on the car except for the slicks, went from a 29x9 goodyear to a 30x9 hoosier radial slick.

First run, left at 1500 fb
1.45
4.29
6.71 @ 101.93
8.81
10.606 @ 125.15

Second run, left at 2k fb
1.43
4.28
6.70 @ 101.70
8.80
10.603 @ 125.10



And my 3rd run, TB set at 2500
1.43
4.26
6.68 @ 101.98
8.87
10.575 @ 125.38



The car has never even been close to leaving like this, ive been working at this for 4 years and it seems everytime i change something i see little or no gains. Its a great feeling/relief to finally see what it can do.

I dont plan on using the transbrake, the converters not built for it and aside from breaking my ring gear a fews back everthing is holding together and the car is very reliable. I just wanted to give it try since ive never got to use it and have the car hook. Plus the temp was starting to drop on the tb run and think might have been why it picked up.

Im replacing the stock control arm bushings next with Afco Steel and using there LF ball joints.

 

[Ron454]

From one Nova guy to another......awesome.
I see CalTracs I think........in the upper hole?
Do you have the Koni's on the car?
Any sort of decent track, foot braking the Hoosier radials, I have never spun!
My 60ft's were in the 1.37 range when I had the 4.10s in the car. Pretty much like yours when I moved to 3.73 to handle the nitrous.

Here is my best vid with the 4.10, no bottle.


Gotta love these tires, glad you tried them!

Ron

I'm puzzled why I can't embed videos here like the rest of you do? I'm using photobucket.....

 

[ShouldntBeHere]

DAMN GOOD #s!

Got that thing leaving well! Congrats on the new PB..... Which 505 did you get? hyd roller?

I wish I could get one of Mark's converters for a 200R4....

 

[SSavon69]

From one Nova guy to another......awesome.
I see CalTracs I think........in the upper hole?
Do you have the Koni's on the car?
Any sort of decent track, foot braking the Hoosier radials, I have never spun!
My 60ft's were in the 1.37 range when I had the 4.10s in the car. Pretty much like yours when I moved to 3.73 to handle the nitrous.

Here is my best vid with the 4.10, no bottle.


Gotta love these tires, glad you tried them!

Ron

I'm puzzled why I can't embed videos here like the rest of you do? I'm using photobucket.....

The video works for me, your car looks awesome. And those tires work great. I went to Great Lakes and they had free racing for there opening week, i wasnt sure how they would work since it was mostly street cars there but they did the job and are worth the price IMO. Yeah i have the caltracs in the top hole and the ranchos set at 8 in the back. The Konis are on the car set on the softest setting so i still have playing around to do with those. There is a huge difference between those and the calvert 90/10s i had on the car. I still might swap them back and see what it does just to check it, i doubt it will help any though. Im curious to see how the frontend is when i dig into it. It has all the factory bushings still and nothing is double nutted

 

[SSavon69]

DAMN GOOD #s!

Got that thing leaving well! Congrats on the new PB..... Which 505 did you get? hyd roller?

I wish I could get one of Mark's converters for a 200R4....

Thanks Alan, i have a solid roller 650hp. What happened to your T-400?

 

[ShouldntBeHere]

Thanks Alan, i have a solid roller 650hp. What happened to your T-400?

The T400 is still in it...and will be until the Fall/winter.... then I am hoping to have a billet 200R4 built for it. I need OD in this pig so I can afford to drive it long range....(ironically the tranny will be $5k...:sad This guy builds custom 9.5" lock up converters but I doubt they are anywhere as good as Mark's ATIs.... Price I have to pay though... I am hoping the lighter weight/spinning mass and the 2.75 1st gear in the 200R4 picks me up a tenth.....

 

[69 Malibu]

that is one evil looking Nova. Love it!

 

[Teebone]

The Nova looks good Brian nice runs

 

[Ron454]

Thanks. We always get one prep at the start of the night. It's street legal night after all.
I think the slowest you can control the front end and still hook, the best.
I have QA1 singles on the back set pretty soft. I also have the split monos that are reasonably stiff. So I think the shock setting has to match the rear springs.
Up front I have tweaked poly bushings machined by me to be loosey gosey. Double nutting the stock lowers helps, hard to do on the top. I did the same machined loosey goosy to those. I also have the front upper snubbers cut down to 1/4". And Moroso trick front springs.
I would also like to add the Afco bearings at some point. But what I have works. My mods don't require double nutting.....but it's a good move. Just keep em greased!

BTW...if you aren't spinning, there will be little change.

Great job! I can see why you are pumped. And as Judge Smails said....top notch...top notch!

I think we have talked before?

Ron

Your car works great, I enjoyed the vids.

The video works for me, your car looks awesome. And those tires work great. I went to Great Lakes and they had free racing for there opening week, i wasnt sure how they would work since it was mostly street cars there but they did the job and are worth the price IMO. Yeah i have the caltracs in the top hole and the ranchos set at 8 in the back. The Konis are on the car set on the softest setting so i still have playing around to do with those. There is a huge difference between those and the calvert 90/10s i had on the car. I still might swap them back and see what it does just to check it, i doubt it will help any though. Im curious to see how the frontend is when i dig into it. It has all the factory bushings still and nothing is double nutted

 

[1997bird]

Thanks Alan, i have a solid roller 650hp. What happened to your T-400?

Maybe i'm missing something here but you car looks to be working quite well according to your 60' times but my math isn't adding up for that kind of HP. Is the drivetrain loosing that much HP from converter slippage maybe?

 

[SSavon69]

The T400 is still in it...and will be until the Fall/winter.... then I am hoping to have a billet 200R4 built for it. I need OD in this pig so I can afford to drive it long range....(ironically the tranny will be $5k...:sad This guy builds custom 9.5" lock up converters but I doubt they are anywhere as good as Mark's ATIs.... Price I have to pay though... I am hoping the lighter weight/spinning mass and the 2.75 1st gear in the 200R4 picks me up a tenth.....

I hear ya on the gas, i get about 7mpg driving around town. Sounds like your minds made up on the 200r4 but for that much cant you put a stick w od in it

 

[SSavon69]

Thanks. We always get one prep at the start of the night. It's street legal night after all.
I think the slowest you can control the front end and still hook, the best.
I have QA1 singles on the back set pretty soft. I also have the split monos that are reasonably stiff. So I think the shock setting has to match the rear springs.
Up front I have tweaked poly bushings machined by me to be loosey gosey. Double nutting the stock lowers helps, hard to do on the top. I did the same machined loosey goosy to those. I also have the front upper snubbers cut down to 1/4". And Moroso trick front springs.
I would also like to add the Afco bearings at some point. But what I have works. My mods don't require double nutting.....but it's a good move. Just keep em greased!

BTW...if you aren't spinning, there will be little change.

Great job! I can see why you are pumped. And as Judge Smails said....top notch...top notch!

I think we have talked before?

Ron

Your car works great, I enjoyed the vids.

Yes ive sent you a few pms before, thanks for the help :yes:

 

[SSavon69]

Maybe i'm missing something here but you car looks to be working quite well according to your 60' times but my math isn't adding up for that kind of HP. Is the drivetrain loosing that much HP from converter slippage maybe?

It could be, ive never had it chassis dynoed. The car weighs around 3700, either way im just glad its launching like should. I have a 4.11 gear and im going through the traps at 6500, about 100rpm higher than my old converters. Pus im using a mechanical wp and flexalite fan. Im not sure how your figure out slippage. Or i still have some tuning to do.....

 

[o6r1man]

Congrats on the new best! Car sound/looks killer!!

 

[superstocker72]

i just calculated your converter slip, with trap rpm of 6500 with 4.11 and 30" tires. I got 12.96%.... using TCI's calculator, im not sure on the accuracy of the calculator, but if its anywhere close to 12% thats not good

 

[two junkers]

Brian, that Nova is sharp! Congrats on your killer times. I was curious, is Mark Jones building converters now? I thought he was just selling ATI stuff, but it sounds like he is custom building them himself. I know he says he is now building custom TH 400s with the square cut gears, and I was wondering if the converters were a new addition to that division of his business? Man, that guy can do it all!

 

[Bob West]

He sells ATI converters. And what have you done lately Arlo?

 

[1997bird]

It could be, ive never had it chassis dynoed. The car weighs around 3700, either way im just glad its launching like should. I have a 4.11 gear and im going through the traps at 6500, about 100rpm higher than my old converters. Pus im using a mechanical wp and flexalite fan. Im not sure how your figure out slippage. Or i still have some tuning to do.....

Wow that weighs alot more than the one's I know of. I thought that you would be more like 3300-3400 lbs. I guess the other 50 HP or so can be picked up from tuning, anyway it looks to be a nice solid running car. :thumbsup:

 

[Ron454]

RAT motor Novas aren't as light as everyone thinks.

Ron

Wow that weighs alot more than the one's I know of. I thought that you would be more like 3300-3400 lbs. I guess the other 50 HP or so can be picked up from tuning, anyway it looks to be a nice solid running car. :thumbsup:

 

[SSavon69]

i just calculated your converter slip, with trap rpm of 6500 with 4.11 and 30" tires. I got 12.96%.... using TCI's calculator, im not sure on the accuracy of the calculator, but if its anywhere close to 12% thats not good

Ive had a 10" ******* and bought a custom bult Coan in the car and they felt excalty the same drving them on the street, really couldnt even tell they any kind stall they were so tight. My best mph with the Coan 123 and it didnt 60' anywhere near this one. So you might be right about the slippage but it helped a ton. I knew the ATI would help the first time i drove it, just sucks because i couldnt afford new slicks last year after i put the converter in.