Anyone went really fast on the first attempt?

[Mike T]

We have a couple of local club members that are on the verge of 9's and they have worked very hard for years to get there.
I know sometimes arriving at an ET goal is a long painstaking process but how many of you went faster than you ever expected on the first attempt? IE building a previously stock car into a 9 or 10 second car.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

I ran my first 14,13, and 12 in the same day my first time at the track. This was big for me back then!

Then it was a disaster. Over the years, the faster the car got, the worse of a driver I realized I was. I feel like I botched everything in the 11's and 10's.

When the car ran the 9's it did it in a PURE low boost street trim. No 2-step, no big boost launch. That was big too! Because I didn't expect it after a 4 hour drive to the track. But I wasn't driving it

I learned my lesson though. I'm not going to break a perfectly good car by being a perfectly bad driver. When it goes 8's, (which it is capable of doing now) Brian Cotton will be driving it again.

Racing has it's ups and downs...........Mostly downs.

 

[Mike T]

My car has only been to the track once in the 25 years that I've owned it. With the standard upgrades (for back then) the ET was a disappointing 13.90 @ 100 MPH. Over the years little steps have been taken to improve the car and quite honestly when it goes back to the track I don't know if it will run mid 11's or mid 10's.....the parts are in place for low 10's but who knows.....

 

[BobbyBuick]

First time down the track with my gray car went 10.80 through the mass air flow and a te45 turbo 50 lb injectors
.not really fast but for a first pass on a car i built we were all happy that day

 

[TT/Ameasap]

First time to the track with my first TTA, I went 12.8 on street tires. I lived next to Bradenton Motorsports Park and I told the wife I was getting some items from the grocery store. I had been wanting to know how fast my car was for a long time, so I stopped by and paid the entry fee and ran that one pass all in like 20 min.lol

 

[TexasT]

My car has only been to the track once in the 25 years that I've owned it. With the standard upgrades (for back then) the ET was a disappointing 13.90 @ 100 MPH. Over the years little steps have been taken to improve the car and quite honestly when it goes back to the track I don't know if it will run mid 11's or mid 10's.....the parts are in place for low 10's but who knows.....

"Don't count your chickens before they are hatched", on that 10 or even 11sec run. Unless you run it regularly I doubt it will just show up and run the number just because some parts were bolted on. Launching a turbo ain't Childs play. That is why those 9 sec guys are so proud when they do lay down a great pass. If it was easy everyone would be doing it.

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

"Don't count your chickens before they are hatched", on that 10 or even 11sec run. Unless you run it regularly I doubt it will just show up and run the number just because some parts were bolted on. Launching a turbo ain't Childs play. That is why those 9 sec guys are so proud when they do lay down a great pass. If it was easy everyone would be doing it.

So true. I guess a lot of guys grow as drivers as their combinations grow. But when you get on the track for the first time, and you spool up a fast turbo car, and you let it rip, and it hooks, and you feel like you were suddenly rear ended by a frigging Peterbuilt, it's shocking. And it's hard to remember to keep your foot down on the mat when common sense tells you something just ain't right, even though it is.

 

[Mike T]

"Don't count your chickens before they are hatched", on that 10 or even 11sec run. Unless you run it regularly I doubt it will just show up and run the number just because some parts were bolted on. Launching a turbo ain't Childs play. That is why those 9 sec guys are so proud when they do lay down a great pass. If it was easy everyone would be doing it.

I know what you are saying.....its very easy to get fooled couch racing. I feel rather confident in my statement because one of my friends who is at the doorstep of the 9's drove my car and said "wow....you run it like this on the street?" I took that as a seal of approval.

 

[dynoman]

My first pass was with the car in my signature On E85 . # 1 , poor burn out . # 2 , lousy 60' due to poor burn out . # 3 , 19psi boost , couldn't verify max boost before taking to track = 12.0 @ 118mph . Weeks later same set up @ 24psi = 11.06 @ 124mph twice , things are looking up ! 3rd time out boost @ 28.5psi + slipping trans at the 2-3 shift and hitting rev limiter = 12.0 et & lifting before the finish . #4 to be determined ..... New Pro Plus trans & converter from Dave Husek , but I think I might need a roll bar for #5 . Even with all the parts it's not a given !! Sam

 

[20psiofevil]

So true. I guess a lot of guys grow as drivers as their combinations grow. But when you get on the track for the first time, and you spool up a fast turbo car, and you let it rip, and it hooks, and you feel like you were suddenly rear ended by a frigging Peterbuilt, it's shocking. And it's hard to remember to keep your foot down on the mat when common sense tells you something just ain't right, even though it is.

This is the truth. When I first got my engine in the car and running with the 6262 turbo it come out the hole so violent and made an instant 500ftlbs of tq I was so not use to it. First time at the track the car run low 7's and when I reviewed my logs later that night I realized my pedal was only wide open for maybe 1 second at launch. Nerves will get the best of you if you are not use to the power. Best advice is for when you launch is to push that pedal as hard as you can an stand on it.

 

[forcefed3.8's]

My first pass on my stage 2 set up with a 3 bolt turbo with 3 year old drag radials was a traction limited pedal fest 9.97@144. The next week at a better track on a set of slicks went 9.24@148. The week after that with a fresh set of drag radials, went 8.94@151.

 

[GNBRETT]

IDN if u owned a Honda or even a Mustang a 10.80 wud be considered pretty dam fast....

First time down the track with my gray car went 10.80 through the mass air flow and a te45 turbo 50 lb injectors
.not really fast but for a first pass on a car i built we were all happy that day

 

[SPOOLFOOL2]

I don't mean to brag, but my first time down the quarter mile was the fastest I had ever gone in the 1320'.

High seventeens, as I remember.

And, Yes! That was really fast for a sixteen year old kid, back in the 70s.

 

[dynoman]

I don't mean to brag, but my first time down the quarter mile was the fastest I had ever gone in the 1320'.

High seventeens, as I remember.

And, Yes! That was really fast for a sixteen year old kid, back in the 70s.

Not bad for the time .......you almost ran your age , but it gets easier !

 

[Mr.Spool]

how many of you went faster than you ever expected on the first attempt? IE building a previously stock car into a 9 or 10 second car.

I will word it this way,the car will rarely if ever run its fastest pass on the first attempt.

 

[nat86]

First time down the track went 10.75 .Stroker motor champion iron heads 212 -212 roller cam Alky PTC 17 blade 6466 turbo 26 pounds of boost 1.46 .Add a lot left in the combo

 

[Mike T]

I think the big numbers being posted are not just dumb luck.......I would say these guys are very methodical and have done their homework.

I will word it this way,the car will rarely if ever run its fastest pass on the first attempt.

I agree..... still some very impressive results buy these guys.

 

[forcefed3.8's]

It all depends if you start easy on low boost, or kill it from the start. Most of my builds have had some street test hits and logging to make sure it is ready to be track tested. Then it is just a matter of getting the launch down.

 

[Mr.Spool]

I think the big numbers being posted are not just dumb luck.......

my observations have led me to believe that it takes much more time and homework to get a combo near its full potential (within a second let say) regardless of the starting et.for example I put a 49 turbo car into the 10s @125mph took me quite a bit of time to figure out how to do that,fast forward to a built motor on a mild tune light hit off the line and went just as fast within 3 passes.now with more passes, aggressive tune, and rd work I went 135mph.then more rd work while fighting drivetrain carnage i pushed things to go even faster.knowing your car inside out is one of the keys to going fast sooner rather than later.