I'm pretty happy but there is more to be had

[John Larkin]

Finally, finally sucked it up yesterday and went racing at Muncie. Big hats off to Odell, Lee Thompson and Steve Heines for their assistance. Worked the car down to the times in the sig. However, Lee made a few observations:

*Car left very straight; that was good, 8psi in left airbag, 15 in right, 3° down pinion angle, and I have no instant center at all since I haven't relocated the front attachment point of the uppers downward yet.

*Car did not lift at launch so I suppose the front sway bar is coming off and 90/10s are going in for weight transfer. Don't know if springs need to be part of the combo yet; testing will prove that out. I drive like a grandpa on the street so I'm not worried about losing control (I just can't afford tickets regardless).

*I didn't lock the converter at any point; I will wire in a temporary switch and find out what the car likes, then have it programmed into the chip if possible (I have no clue here). There was missing MPH on the top end since 1/8 MPH was 89. I'm thinking 3rd gear lock but will try 2nd too.

Outside of that, it was fun to work the car faster each pass. For a stock longblock, even the intake, it was good. I was running 25psi boost and saw no more than 0.7KR on C16. Planning on trying Sunoco Maximal soon since it's $3.00/gal cheaper here I'm told. Maybe a spritz of alchy at 24psi and give it a couple more pounds of boost too, who knows?

 

[KEVINS]

Whoo hoo.. If it's as hot where you live as it is here, the mph is prolly soaked up by the heat! I wish I can get my car to the track and see if it'll run better.. It's just waaaaay to hot right now to think about going..

Congrats on the new times!!!!!
ks

 

[TylerDurden]

just my opinion john, but i wouldnt go with sunoco unless you plan on turning down the boost or using less timing in the chip you use, especially if this is track bought gas...my experience with this last fall was "track bought gas" got me down to 12.6 with noticable knock at the top of 3rd gear and only 20-21 psi, i then took out the ****ty track gas and put in c-16 that a vendor had showed up with later and went 12.30s with no other changes, i then got it down to 12.17 by the end of the day...lesson learned for me, c-16 is the only thing i will use now at the track....despite its cost...
dan

 

[Vader 87]

take all air out of left airbag and and launch with 10 psi minimum.....a good 60 ft and yer in the 11's for sure. Leave on the front sway bar and just get some 90/10s and a some lower LCAs and an ATR rear bar...it works wonders.

 

[Phatman]

KEVINS......

I'd take the heat over this rain we getting here...
I think it's rained every day or darn close for the last six to seven weeks.
Something that just kills a Florida boy to wake up and hear it raining out.....

Oh Yea!!!, it's rough on the wallet as well, can't get much work done, just spend money.

 

[John Larkin]

I didn't intend on this turning into my personal tech question post but oh well. Hehe. Why leave the sway bar on? The car didn't lift. I'm sure alot had to do with the shock valving, but it seems like with the sway bar on, it would be trying to push both front wheels down. Not sure but what that would counteract the low rebound resistance of the 90/10 shock. Maybe I'm wrong, but I have no instant center so I feel I need all the lift I can get to plant the rear tires. I got Hotchkiss lowers and some adjustable uppers already on. I figure the airbags can compensate for the loading.

 

[KEVINS]

Rain/Heat, it all sucks.. heehee.. I just NOW got my AC working in my house.. It's kinda hard to sleep when it's 85-90 in the house

John, You are thinking correctly and Vader has a good idea. I think it's worth trying as a tuning aid.

My idea for possibly leaving it on is:
90/10's can raise the front end so quickly that the front end tops out too soon and may unload the rear tires (this was one of my problems last time out with worn shocks) but I doubt this will happen. It also may not need to rise that quickly to get good 60's. Keeping the bar connected may help slow the rise down just a bit and keep the car from twisting and push the car forward. Removing the bar will allow the car to twist more and this can waste energy by not pushing the car forward..
My car never 60'd better with the bar disconnected so I just leave mine on but every car is different.

You know your car and how it reacts so try everything and let us know what works!!!


ks

 

[striker_29]

John, congrats on the new time! Sounds like you've got an 11 second car for sure man. Just curious, what kind of tires were you running? Slicks, DR's, ???

 

[John Larkin]

28x10.5W. They fit really well.

 

[clean86]

Are you running 10.s w's or 10.5's. The w's have a 14inch sec with and if they fit great how the heck did you get them in their?

 

[John Larkin]

I popped in here by accident; wasn't expecting a reply. I don't know - they just fit good. Centerline 15 x 8.5 wheels, 3.5 backspacing, aluminum drums. That's it. Call it crazy but the 10.5W's do fit. I was running 8 lbs of air in the left airbag and 15 in the right, but it's not extreme by my thinking. Yeah, big sectional width. Tread is 11" wide itself. Don't be fooled - I'm living proof it works.

 

[clean86]

OK really, how the heck did you get them in there?Has the car had any mods done to the frame rails? Do they fit within the inside fender lip and frame? And do you have any pics? I would love to fit w's.

 

[John Larkin]

I rolled the wheellips and the trim. That's it. I do have adjustable uppers and aftermarket lowers so maybe having the rear centered provides as much clearance as necessary. No pics - digitally challenged. I should bring a camera home from work and take a bunch tho. I have stuff to sell and general pictures would be nice. Maybe in a few days, if at all....

 

[clean86]

If you could get pics that would be great!!! I would love to fit that tire but my car is lowered 1.5 inches and any tire I use has to fit within the frame rails and inside of thr fender lip. Any other info would be great.

 

[John Larkin]

You have mail, clean86.

For those of you who want to see the fitment, here it is: http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4291583607

 

[Addicted2boost]

You go boy
You'll probably 60' MUCH better if you just take out that "TOW BAR"
With a 28x10.5, you should be able to launch AT LEAST 10#'s or better. I can only launch at about 8# and anything more will melt them upon my release of the E brake and foot brake. But I'm only running 28x9 on t wheels. 1.59 60'
Oh BTW, why don't you get a RJC powerplate? It works great.