1979 Lesabre Sport, for NHRA Stock Eliminator?

[charlief1]

The wider of the 2 would give you the best overall traction I would think. A skinny 22" tire new wouldn't be able to compete with a 26" tire even with the larger ones being worn.

 

[iraceitall]

Both are 8" wide Mickey Thompsons.

 

[charlief1]

The the 22's may work better but the height of the side wall is 4" shorter so they may not wrinkle and grab better.

 

[dr_frankenstein]

id agree and suggest a 15 inch size slick.... if there old slop em up with some vht to help get the rubber soft and sticky again.... but there probably not going to last long... once the rubber dries they burn fast.

 

[iraceitall]

Just a lack of progress update, have got the shortblock started (cleaned and crank in I guess?)except for rods and pistons, need one more 2dot combo or 3 3dot combos to get weights close for balancing. Then I went to work on the rear, and my posi is a 30 spline. Dammit! So, gotta find a cheap 28 spline 8.5 posi and finish the motor, and maybe by July I can make some passes. If I don't go nuts first!

 

[iraceitall]

I averted a crisis on the posi, it turns out 91-96 GM cars have the same axle length but 30 spline, so $25 later I have a pair from a 92 Caddy and I'm back in business!
Now back to engine parts..

 

[charlief1]

I was wondering what you were having an issue with. The 30 spline is stronger and it is more common in the later B body cars. If you'd asked I would've been able to help you out with it.

BTW, stay as far away from govlocks as you can. Those things have a habit of blowing up really fast at a track.

 

[iraceitall]

I was hoping to not have to change axles, I had bought what was labeled as a 28 spline without my dumb ass doublechecking. Fortunately the salvage yard had what I needed or I'd be in a pickle. I'm keeping a tight (I mean *tight*) budget on this car and a new posi or axles would have broke it!

 

[iraceitall]

2 weeks till first race of the year. If I can scrounge up 1 more piston and 2dot rod, and an uppipe, we'll be rockin! Pics and timeslips after that!

The planned starting race combo after break-in and such will be 3.42's, 26" slicks, 3500 stall and the cast manifolds with a 2 1/2" downpipe. The 2 step is tentatively set at 3200 and 5900, should shift itself around 5500, running C16 race fuel at 6.5 psi, timing at 18BTC w/no vacuum advance, boost at 16lbs. Of course all subject to change!

Sound like a good place to start? That's based off the combo the cam came from, which in a Regal was running 13.60s at 150 lbs less than me.

 

[79turbo lesabre]

reading this thread is really making me want to modify my all-original lesabre - i think its time to loose the all-original deal going on under her hood.

 

[79turbo lesabre]

Send the manifolds to extrudehone technologies to get them ported and polished

i just tried searching for extrudehone technologies and couldnt find them on the computer - do you have any more contact info on those guys ? i would appreciate it !

 

[mikemcvaney]

2 weeks till first race of the year. If I can scrounge up 1 more piston and 2dot rod, and an uppipe, we'll be rockin! Pics and timeslips after that!

The planned starting race combo after break-in and such will be 3.42's, 26" slicks, 3500 stall and the cast manifolds with a 2 1/2" downpipe. The 2 step is tentatively set at 3200 and 5900, should shift itself around 5500, running C16 race fuel at 6.5 psi, timing at 18BTC w/no vacuum advance, boost at 16lbs. Of course all subject to change!

Sound like a good place to start? That's based off the combo the cam came from, which in a Regal was running 13.60s at 150 lbs less than me.

I can get a set of 2dot rods did not use them on the 4.1 dont know what they are worth

 

[iraceitall]

I only need one more, if it has a piston all the better but I can swap one on. I paid $30 for the last set of 5, but I think I got lucky there? I do have a few 3dots with std pistons if anyone wanted to trade...

 

[dr_frankenstein]

so they said that the 3 dots werent legal for the car? thats strange since it was the factory rod for that motor..

 

[iraceitall]

No that was a misunderstanding I got resolved. The 2dots are closer for me weight wise aNd I only need 1 combo. Id prefer to have the same piston and rods in all holes. The 2dot pistons had a dot in the head instead of notches for orientation and that was the concern until I showed they were correct for the 3.8. Were good there, once I get one more lol...

 

[iraceitall]

Found an uppipe (thanks Rich!) and shortblock is assembled except for one last cylinder...think I finally found a rod, may say screw it and use an old piston from the 3 dot rods. I just wanna get this damn car running!!!

 

[charlief1]

Did you win that auction?

 

[iraceitall]

Not yet, if I do bonus but kinda hope I dont now lol!

 

[iraceitall]

Score! Finally found a reasonable set of pistons/rods, so I have spares to boot! Now we're rolling! I'll pst pics as things come together, and hopefully by the end of the month some timeslips!

 

[iraceitall]

Well, another small setback, which is actually a blessing in disguise. I got a full set of pistons to use with 2dot rods, but, they are .040 over. I decided, might as well do it right, I was gonna bore it out eventually anyways! While we are at it, going to deck it, balance it, and offset the rod journals .013 to increase stroke a little. I wont race the car until August now, but it will be done right the first time and wont have to worry about it (I was going to just use the stock bottom end with a simple re-ring for now). Pics as I go along, timeslips by August!