1st time at 1/8th mile track--7.453 @ 90.500 mph

[chevytrucks92]

I raced for the first time ever on a 1/8th mile track today, and its the first time the car's been since 1999. I won my first round of competition, but red lit the 2nd round away.

Anyways, here's my runs, not much, but it was in the heat of the day (very hot and very muggy), and its not like I have some big horsepower motor these days, lol:

1st run:
-RT: .030
-60': 1.621
-330': 4.765
-1/8th: 7.462
-mph; 90.448

2nd run:
-RT: .014
-60': 1.611
-330': 4.754
-1/8th: 7.453
-mph: 90.500

1st round eliminations:
-Dial In: 7.44
-RT: .008
-60': 1.617
-330': 4.764
-1/8th: 7.470
-mph: 90.132

The margin of victory for that run was .000! That's as close as it gets! The other car dialed 5.09, cut a .020 light and ran 5.108 @133.428 mph. It was a very good run.

2nd round eliminations:
-Dial In: 7.44
-RT: -.015 (foul)
-60': 1.616
-330': 4.770
1/8th: 7.484
mph: 89.862

Not sure why it slowed up the last two runs. For whatever reason, it lost its time in the last 330 ft. I'm not sure where the red light came from either. The only thing I can figure is maybe I rolled in too deep. That would explain why it slowed slightly, but I dont know. It may have just been me slightly letting up on the gas. Realize I've never driven past 330 ft in a race car, lol.

It was still a fun day. I loved it. I was a little dissappointed in my times, but it was hot. I was expecting 7.30s. I was a little shocked by my mph too. I was figuring on 93 or better, but hey, I've just got a flat top 355 in a 2700 lbs car. And after this winter, I'll get it down into the 6s at alot closer to 100 mph. Either way, the 90.500 mph is the fastest I've ever been in the car.

BTW, my uncle only got one run (car broke-freeze out plug came out of the block), but it was a dandy: 6.261 @ 110 mph, in the heat!

[LowETz]

Well....even though you didn't see your .030's the .040's are staying damn consistent w/in each other. Suspension is working real well. Awfull close on the target ET's..... give it some cool air.

60' #s look great and those RT's are bad ass.... you were on it!

Where were you leaving at?
What tire/AP?
Are you running any adjustable suspension components?

I assume the track was working well and you didn't have to make any changes in the setup?

Congrats.... that puppy is scootin' big time!

[chevytrucks92]

Thanks man.

I leave on 3800 rpms (two-step, trans. brake). Its funny because the car barely pulled the left front tire and just drug the right front about one car length. Where I normally run, it brings the left front about 6 inches and the right about 2 or 3, and where I race doesn't hook as good as this track, and is def. not as smooth, lol.

I run 31x14 Good Year Eagle Dragway Specials at 8 psi yesturday (normally 7 but I was afraid the car may want to wonder on top end at 7) and P195/75/14s on the front at about 34 or 35 psi. I will have some drag fronts eventually. They'll pick the car up slightly maybe, but they'll just look better, lol.

And yes, I have a 4-link rear suspension with adjustable coil over shocks. They are tightened almost all the way right now and the 4-link is set as close as we can get it. I wished it wouldn't pull the tires at all (or just an inch or two), and its pretty close to not doing that now. We tightened the shocks up two weeks ago and that helped the car alot I think. Its not been pulling the front tires as much as it did, and its not twisting much at all now (by twisting, I mean pulling the left front alot higher then the right). It plants both wheelie bars evenly now. It had been putting the left one down hard and barely touchign the right, which was very odd, lol. It puts them both down pretty well evenly now though.

And yes, the car was def. working good, which was a relief because this is the first time its been down an 1/8th since we put in the 4-link and coil overs (used to run a ladder bar suspension, been running a 4-link for about 2 years). It was straight as an arrow, and it stayed planted to the track good. Kept the front end up all the way and never bobbled at all. I never even had to move the steering wheel at all on any pass going down the track. Not even the slightest bit, which was a pleasent suprise. Alot of that's because of the smooth track surface (it was smooth too) but apparently we've got this 4-link pretty close. We had all kinds of trouble with it when we first changed it out, all kinds.

I know Bracket Racing has nothing at all to do with speed (just so you can make the break, and that's 7.99 at this track, and 5.49 where I race-which is only 330 ft.), and I can do that comfortably, but I really miss running what I used to run (1.4s 60s and 4.4s 330s, probably 6.7s in the 1/8th).

The only negative yesturday to me was not having my 406 anymore in the car, lol. I always wanted to know what it would have done in the 1/8th mile. Man it would scream in high gear. It'd turn 6000 rpms in 330 ft. This 355 only was turning 6000 rpms going through the 1/8th mile stripe. Oh well. I'll probably fix it sooner or later (been considering making it a 434), but the first thing I'm going to do is juice up this 355. They may not make as much power (mainly torque) as a 400, but man you can torture them, lol.

[LowETz]

Just damn... 8psi? FAWK.... I'm squirly as hell at 11psi on 28x12.50.15's through the lights. That's gotta be a handfull at 8 psi-

Big brown truck dropped off my front/rear coil over set up w/Hal R 12 ways w/the 150lb. rear/325lb. front springs today. Hoping that between those, the WOLFE linked rear drag bar and the new tires, with a little tweaking I can get my 60' #'s down a touch..... looking for high 1.30's/low 1.40's.... a lil' optomistic but we'll see..... not convinced my local track is gonna help the cause on a T&T night

Gonna jet up another 50 to a 150 hit and try to get my 10.2x/134ish slip this weekend. Sposed to be some nice cool dry air blowin' in. Hopin' I'm not in the limiter through the traps.... it's already real close

Oh... and Hell yeah... jet it on up keep us posted w/any new bests!

[AWP9521]

I was just going to say, 8 PSI seems quite low, I too ran at about 10-11 PSI at the track.

[chevytrucks92]

I normally run 7 psi, but thats only through 330 ft. My uncle did run 7 psi through the 1/8th (6.261 @ 110 mph) and his car never bobbled the first bobble either.

I mean honestly, I never even moved the steering wheel one way or the other the whole track. Not even slightly, lol. That's how straight it went down the track.

After this winter, I'm going to be investing in some dome pistons, H-beam rods, and the usual list of suspects for an overhaul. I'll make this 355 rock, lol. I'm hoping to get close to what the 406 ran (it only had flat top pistons).

I'll be happy if it'll go low 1.5s 60s, 4.40s 330s, and in the 6s for the 1/8th. If I can make it run like all the other "big" 355s we had, then it'll be fine (had one that ran 6.71 @ 101 mph, but they typically would go 6.80s in this car).

And then maybe by next spring or summer, I can make a screamer out of my 406. I'll either keep it as a 406 and make it have about 13:1 compression OR make it a 434 and keep the flat tops
(provided they're fit to run). It def. needs new rods and the crank will probably have to be turned and I may just buy a 4" stroke crank and make him a 434. A 434 would put my car down into the 6.40s probably in the 1/8th.

[LowETz]

Ahhh... I gotcha'... my bad... I keep thinking full pass.
8 psi don't sound too bad in that case.

The way your 355" is running now, some good hard parts/freshen' up should reap some decent gains w/that kind of CR.

Love to see it go a high 5.xx/660' on a nice hit. No doubt the bottom will take it

What's your RW again? What's left to pull?

[chevytrucks92]

Its going to get it this off season. I'm going to tell the shop to get it somewhere around 13.5-14:1 compression. That's where you got to have it to make a 355 run.

I dont know about high 5s, lol, but maybe mid 6's with an all motor 355. Doubtful though. Now with a 150 shot maybe, lol.

My race weight is probably around 2900 lbs. Its been several years since the car was last weighed, but it weighed 2710 lbs, so around 2940 or so with me in it. Since then, its got fiberglass doors, hatch, and front end, so it probably around 2900 lbs. And there's really nothing left to take off. I mean a rack and pinion steering setup and disc brakes on the front would help, but a new chassis is what's it going to take to get my weight down to under 2500 lbs (which is where it needs to be). My frame is made out of triple strength square tubing and its HEAVY! Strong, but heavy.

Drag fronts would probably help slightly, but I dont know (I run P195/75/14s).