Picking her back up this Saturday. I actually owned and bracket raced this car for a number of years prior to this time around. I originally bought it from the guy who built the car from the ground up. We worked together in a body shop in NJ, so I was there for the entire build from day one. Over the years, it's had a ton of engine combinations in it from naturally aspirated SBCs and BBCs both on gas and alky to supercharged SBCs and BBCs also on both gas and alky to a Buick turbo V6. For the majority of the time I owned the car, I bracket raced it with a N/A .060" over, 10:1 427ci BBC on gas. It went a best of 10.25 at 129mph breaking the 60ft. beam on the rear tires every time (1.36-1.38 60ft. times). I eventually got my NHRA competition license in the car with a borrowed 468ci. BBC. It went 9.90 at 135mph. After a number of years I traded the car back to the builder of the car for a Formula that I used to trade for a car I NEVER should have sold, my 1987 Buick T-Type. I still have that car and don't plan on ever getting rid of it again. I got out of racing when my son was born in 2002.
Fast forward to now, it's time to get back into racing again. Just so happens that the builder of the car is getting OUT of racing and my family and I had the chance to buy the car back. She now sports a 13.5:1 433ci. BBC. I met with the builder of the car at the track this past Sunday so he could demo the car before we bought it. I need to get my NHRA license back since I foolishly let it expire during my time away from the sport. He said the car should run 9.70s or so, but I wanted to see it for myself. It ran 9.30s on alky with this engine. Turns out the car is WAY over carburated and only managed 10.07 at 134mph. The promising part is the car WILL go 9.70-9.80 once I get the carburator squared away. It managed to go nearly 3 tenths quicker and 5mph faster than when I had the car, but it did it with a much slower 1.45 60ft. time. Once I get the 60ft. times back in the low 1.30s, it should pick up at least 2 tenths, so I'm back in the 9s and am able to get my competition license back.
Picking the car up this Saturday morning. Going to be spending the day setting the trailer up with tools, etc. Weather permitting, we will be running it at Island Dragway in Great Meadows, NJ on Sunday (looks like rain, though).
Fast forward to now, it's time to get back into racing again. Just so happens that the builder of the car is getting OUT of racing and my family and I had the chance to buy the car back. She now sports a 13.5:1 433ci. BBC. I met with the builder of the car at the track this past Sunday so he could demo the car before we bought it. I need to get my NHRA license back since I foolishly let it expire during my time away from the sport. He said the car should run 9.70s or so, but I wanted to see it for myself. It ran 9.30s on alky with this engine. Turns out the car is WAY over carburated and only managed 10.07 at 134mph. The promising part is the car WILL go 9.70-9.80 once I get the carburator squared away. It managed to go nearly 3 tenths quicker and 5mph faster than when I had the car, but it did it with a much slower 1.45 60ft. time. Once I get the 60ft. times back in the low 1.30s, it should pick up at least 2 tenths, so I'm back in the 9s and am able to get my competition license back.
Picking the car up this Saturday morning. Going to be spending the day setting the trailer up with tools, etc. Weather permitting, we will be running it at Island Dragway in Great Meadows, NJ on Sunday (looks like rain, though).
