Finally got it running this past weekend and have been driving it a few miles at night to help seat the rings. It runs real strong and we are headed to a race on Saturday. Going to sand bag on saturday and shift at 5500 to get it broke in a little more. The plan is to run it hard the following weekend at a track a few hours east of here. The elevation there is about 3000 ft lower than our home track. Hoping for 11.30's at 1500 ft.

 

Took the truck out on Saturday for some shakedow runs. First pass ran a 11.92. Felt pretty soft off the launch so i thought it was spinning but the pictures say it hooked. Second pass ran a 11.89, still soft 60ft. Third pass ran a 11.86 which matches the best it ran last year. Starting to come around. Fourth pass ran a 11.99, really boggy 60ft time.

First round of elims, dialed a 11.86. About 1000 feet I bliped the throttle and got back on real quick, the throttle rod bracket snapped in half and I coasted through to a 12.07 which was good enough to win by .0011 since the other driver got off the throttle since he thought I was going to brake out.

Second round of elims, doing a burn at 5500, shift into second and the motor is roaring at 5500 and the tires are not moving but 500 rpm. I ran it anyway and it still ran a 12.03 so i think the tranny was just hot. I lost by .1615.

A few lessons learned. 1) Put lock tight on the dampener bolt. It came loose every round, even after I torqued it to 105. Actually lost the alternator belt one round at the starting line. 2) I need a vacuum pump. The evac system through the headers just isn't working anymore with the full exhaust system. 3) Probably going to need a new tranny and converter soon. 4) Bring extra throttle cable rods and brackets. 5) When you buy a new carb, make sure the throttle cable is adjusted properly, so it completely opens the butterflies. Probably left close to a second on the table between the home-rebuilt tranny and the carb only running 85% of the way open on the 4 barrel.

I adjusted the brand on the tranny, hope it lasts a few more months.

Still planning on dragging it

 

Tranny problems too huh. That sucks. Mine was over 3 years since it was last rebuilt and it has a ****load of passes and miles on it so I cant complain really. Hope you get it squared away soon. It was running decently consistent though even with the problems you were having.

 

ya, i was pretty happy with how it ran. I think the converter is really holding it back. I called TCI, Hughes and ATI yesterday and they all quoted around $3000 for a new C6 and converter.

 

You dont need a whole trans. I paid $450 to get mine redone. It is upgraded with red alto clutches and a foward manual valve body. It lasted over 3 years and a ton of nitrous passes. It probably has 10,000 miles on it too. The converter is worth spending the money on. I had a TCI streetfighter and it flashed too high and killed the 60ft. I put a Coan custom nitrous converter in it and it picked up on motor and spray. Went from 1.80s to 1.65 60 fts with a best 1.63 on motor and low 1.6s on spray to 1.51 and a best of 1.49. Totally worth it.

 

That is good to hear that your trans lived that long. We put Alto Red Eagles in it last year and a manual valve body a few years earlier. I think a new converter will be on order. What did you pay for the Coan if you don't mind saying. TCI, Hughes, and ATI all quoted $1000-1100 for a customer application 8".

 

I didn't buy it I borrowed it from my uncle who had it in a 71 Torino that went 9.50s with a 514 with spray. I believe it was around $1000. Its a 9'' and stalls around 3500 in my truck. Its probably 15 years old so I guess its worth the money. Now if only I could get the motor out of the car too

 

I am headed to race tomorrow. Hope the tranny holds up and it is just the converter. If the converter still slips i am going to order a new one on monday.

 

Good luck, and have fun tomorrow. We are in the middle of a break from our racing. This weekend they are having the jet car nationals, next weekend is the mile high nationsla, then we have 2 points races, then there is the JR nationals follower by 2 more points races, and on august 2nd, TRUCKFEST!!!!

 

Hey Jon. I almost won tickets to the Jet Car Nats on the radio yesterday. Would have been cool to go. If I am not in Douglas I will hit up Truckfest. Going to Julesberg tomorrow for their big 4th of July race weekend.

 

Good luck at Julesburg. Ill just be spectating this weekend, and next, cheering on some guys i race with who run in NHRA stock / super stock.

I slowed my truck down another half a second and its even more consistent now than ever. seems like the slower i make it run, the more consistent it becomes!

 

Seems like the faster I go the more consistent it is and the more parts that break. I need it to run 13's again.

 

I made a 210 miles trip to Julesberg on Sunday to see what the truck would run at 3400' elevation.

Run 1

R/T .035
60' 1.766
1/8 7.611
MPH 91.53
1/4 11.948
MPH 112.82

Run 2

R/T .006
60' 1.739
1/8 7.585
MPH 91.83
1/4 11.916
MPH 113.46

Run 3

R/T -.036
60' 1.800
1/8 7.673
MPH 91.38
1/4 12.014
MPH 112.81

Run 4 (Elims 1)

Dial 12.02
R/T .066
60' 1.710
1/8 7.570
MPH 91.58
1/4 11.968
MPH 104.39 (coasted 150 feet and still broke out by .052)

Lost to a motorcycle... 12.166 on a 12.14 dial. Bought back in for 25 bucks and ran again.

Run 5 (Eliminations 1 Round 2 with buybacks)

Dial 11.96
R/T .072
60' 1.807 (spinning hard)
1/8 7.748 (should be low 7.60's or 7.50'S)
MPH 90.73 (Been 91.5 all day)
1/4 12.146
MPH 105.58 (coasted last 200 feet after I was dragging the guy the whole track. He dialed a 12.00 to my 11.96. Basically a heads up run but his .137 reaction to my .072 was enough for me to leave the tree basically first. I drug him to about 800-900 feet and he broke or let out and ran a 12.688. I let out and coasted so I wouldn't brake out.

Run 6 (Elim 2 or 3, depending on how you look at it)

R/T -.003










Thats about all you need to know since I was on the trailer before the 9.50 throttle stop camaro ever saw his first amber light. I ran it out to the end and ran a 12.05 on a 12.04 dial at the hottest part of the day. I knew that truck was slowing down, I just couldn't slow myself down enough to light the green lamp.

Basically ran about 3 tenths slow all day and the the motor ran pretty lean but I didn't feel like tinkering with the carb all day. I just wanted to get some good runs and have a good day.

Going back to the Douglas next weekend if the Dr. clears me on wednesday. Planning to drop one jet size in douglas since it is 1400 feet higher. I think it is running a little fat at the higher elevation and a little lean at the lower.

 

 

it was pretty consistent. I guess the trans is ok. How much would your truck pick up at a near sea level track like mine? Also how quick is the long bed truck?