OT: OK Drag Racers, How fast????
 

I know this is a boating website, but the last few weeks I have been helping my dad prepare his 1966 Vette for some 1/4 mi. action. Actually we showed the car last Sunday and after that boring day we need to go out an do some thrashing on it. We took second place in the show, but we just like going to the track way better. The car that beat us probably doesn't even run. Ha, Ha. OK, last year we turned a 13.40 at 110 MPH on street tires and had a 2.35 60' time. This year we added headers and are going to run on a set of Hoosier 8" slicks. The motor is a 468" Chevy with 450 to 500 HP. What do you drag guys think she will turn? I have seen cars in the low 12's run 105 to 110 mph if they hook up out of the hole. We will be happy if it does 12.8 and nothing breaks. Tomorrow night we will find out and I will post results.

I used to DR bikes, and I loved to bracket race cars. Actually bracket racing is a hell of a lot of fun. assuming that you hook it up, and still a cool evening you should see that 12.8 easy.

I agree with eyezlee, 110mph is should be good for 12.80 or a littl better, you've got to get the 60 down to around a 1.60 though.

I don't remember what my 60ft was on the motor , I used to run 12.40's @112, when I sprayed it the 60ft was 1.50 and it (85 Mustang street car) ran 10.80's @ 128. that car was a handful on the street, 9" slicks and a stick shift !! That was in 91-92 things sure have changed now.
I've seen 8 second cars street race.

Try removing a few extranious parts, should make it go faster.
http://corvetteforum.net/classics/gregp/65corvette.htm Desktop drag program says it should run 10.30. Only time will tell.

Go over to the forum (www.corvetteforum.com) and post in the C-2 section, you'll be amazed at the number of knowledgable people over there. Great group or people ... a lot like here actually.

-Greg

You running an automatic?
I run a 98 Trans Am Auto LS1
Has headers, removeable cats, borla wide open catback, GM hotcam, and the secret weapon
Yank torque converter
for 700 bucks that torque converter shaved 1.1 seconds off my 1/4 mile time
I run Nitto Drag radials
Car is stock 10 bolt with 2.73's and my fastest run before the HotCam was 12.357

All you need is to get your drag raidals or slicks HOT, Burn the piss out of them, Try to hurt em, Get your 60 foot time down, a 2.60 sixty foot to me is horrible, You spun bad off the line to do that.
You get that car to hook the way it was and you will hit mid 12's no issues

If your running an auto, get a yank, best bullet proof converter money can buy and Mike at Yank will tell you which one is best for your application
Mine is a custom made 3700 stall with a torque multiplication of 2.7 so that is why I have not upped the rear gears over stock, If I got 3.42's I would start chewing them up
Have to jump to a 12 bolt or 9"
Good luck, be safe and KICK SOME ASS
Jason

I agree with above
 

What gear and trans? Stall conv.?

What RPMs were you running when you went through the traps?

Judging by the MPH you turned when running a 13.40, I would say you should be in the mid 12s, maybe even high 11s.

A 2.35 60' is a tire spinning mess!

Craig;

12.20 or better...who's driving?;)

My 60' are between 1.51 and 1.63 (depending on Barometer, temp, humidity and how hot i get my nitto drag pigs)

Anywhere from 12.2-12.5 you should be righ there
13.40 someone spun bad or fell asleep at the light

If you get a TQ converter that stalls anywhere from 3500-4500 (i used to drive my car everyday so I thought 3700 was high enough, now i wish i had 4200 stall)

I got bashed on LS1.com for a while cause all the 6 speed boys hated us auto dudes cause for a grand, you slap a Yank or PI converter in the car and you just shaved some monster time off your runs on a regular basis, they *****ed it was like adding nitrous,
But yet it is not HAHAHAHA
Not my fault they went for the 6 spd
WOOHOO
Watch my tail lights in front of you baby
WOOHOO

How heavy is this car?
My race weight is 3250 lbs with me in it

remember this rule of thumb
Your first 60 feet detirmines if you win or loose
Jason

Thanks for the replies.
 

Here are some of the cars specs. Keep in mind this car doubles as a vintage show car.
*4 on the floor M21 close ratio trans. (we feel this is the weak point in our beefy drivetrain. If it breaks we will have to get the M22 Rock Crusher!!!)
*3.90 axle ratio.
*Centerforce 2 clutch with aluminum flywheel.
*We installed new hardened U-joints and spindles. We also put in HD half shafts. (The independent suspention is probably our second weakest point, but we have the best you can get on an old Vette.)
*We installed some sticky 8" Hoosier biased ply slicks on the rear. These clear the car body by 1/4".
*We also installed Micky Thompson biased ply fronts to help with handling issues. Both the fronts and rear are DOT approved, but not recommended for street use.
*Last we put on some full runner headers which really woke it up. I feel they provided 50 more HP.
Here is how we feel. With all of our changes made if it only turns 12.8, I guess it will be OK, but there will be some dissappointment. We will be real happy with 12.5. Best case will be an 11.99 at about 115 MPH. If we break into the 11's we won't be allowed to race anymore because there is no cage or harnesses. It would be pretty cool to say they won't let us race because the car is to fast.:D I will post results and hopefully I will be still smilin.:)

JDNCA1, Dad is driving. It's his car so he is the man. I will be holding the video camera and will be ready to do some wrenching in the pits.

I think the car should go high 11's. My reasoning is I had a 468 in a '68 Camaro with 3:73 gears and a 2200 stall and the car would fall on its face off the line and still ran a 12.23. Push your slicks to the max off the line, starting at 3,500 and hold on!

The car comes in right at 3200 lbs with driver. The 2.3 to 2.5 60' times are due to the limited tire size that can be put on the old Vette. The street tires are a joke off the line. If he was running alone you could hear his tires squealing when he went into third gear. From our street tests these slicks really hold well. That is why we are hoping the parts don't start breaking until we get a few good passes in.

This is my .02.
I haven't been racing for a while now but I'll offer my opinion.

1. Dump the M-21 trans. Put it on a shelf for when you're done racing it. I'd use a T-10, it's stronger than the M-22. Watch the first gear ratio the higher numericaly the better. Especially if you don't plan on swapping rear gears.

2. The rear gears. A 3.90 may not be enough. Think about going to a 4.11 or 4.56 maybe 5.13's. The higher gear will let the motor spin up faster/easier. With the aluminum flywheel you don't have as much energy (torque/inertia) stored up the launch the car.

3. That aluminum flywheel may have to go. I'd run a light steel piece. Sure the aluminum one will let the motor spin up quick but it also lets it loose rpm between gear changes. And like I said, it doesn't store much energy.
I used to have a '66 Shelby that I did a lot of street racing with. It had a 40 lb steel wheel on it. It didn't build rpm fast but when I dumped the clutch a lot of energy was put to the trans. It would either take off like a bat out of hell or spin the tires. Between gears it never lost rpm and it would lunge forward/chirp the tires with each gear change, second and third gears anyway. All I was running was little'ol 289 inch motor that would run door to door with most big blocks.

4. The IRS rear is great for cornering. I have no experience with them but I understand it takes a lot of work to get it to live under drag race conditions. It has a lot of rubber bushings that'll absorb energy and deform out of shape. The aluminum housing deforms or cracks and under load it will allow the pinion gear to push the ring gear to one side and slip/strip teeth.
I'd find and expert on Vette rears and talk to him.

I'm sure there's more I could think of. But my Boss needs me.
Like I said, these are just my opinions.
I may be way off base with my thoughts.
Good luck.

Well I dont know if I would have jumped from street tires directly to slicks but hey, your car
Problem with standard rears and slicks is things tend to break from the amount of grip slicks give you but that is the chance you take at the track.

Drag radials are a logical step in that less breakage occurs with them AND they can hold and launch you pretty good.

Good luck, Shoot for low 12's not mid 12's if you can get a good launch and your 60 foot time is good you will see low 12's
If it is cold enough out and the barometer is a friendly pressure then shoot for low 11's but like I said, if you break something be extra prepared so you dont get all pissed off.

Lastly ENJOY YOUR RUNS!!!!
they are fast but fun at the same time.
Jason

I don't know alot about drag racing...but I have a show car sponsored by Enkei Wheels, Toyo Tires, Inseat Technologies and Katzkin Leather. One of my sponsors had me bring my may to an "Import" drag event in Bay City, TX (nr. Houston) called the World Import Challenge.

I can recognize a fast time, but don't know the science behind the 60' times, etc...

There were some of the Pro Guys there and we saw a completely tubed Civic turn a mid 8! Supposedly, it set the world record for a front wheel drive. I was shocked to see street Civics and Integras running 11s, there was even a newer Maxima that ran low 13s. I know some of those times may not seem to great for some of you 1/4 mile nuts out there. But, it changed my perspective on what a quarter-mile muscle car looks like!

Most standard Civics (or Ricers as we call them here in the hood of Philly) start life as 80-90 hp cars
with 200 HP shot of nitrous to even get these little turd cutters to move, how long do you think they are going to last?

Just an opinion, Me, Im naturally aispirated and running a highway rear and with the addition of my cam, I am ready to turn high 11's

My goal was to build a FAST STREET CAR not a race car
I accomplished that with all the work I did on it and Im happy with it the way it sits

That movie Fast and furious really beefed up the import market more than it was.
Hell now I see everything being riced out and I dont care for it that much but hey
Im the generation that if you did not have a v8 you were a puss and that is that
no exception to the rule

Now I have more V8's in my possession than i ever imagined
2 big blocks in boat, 1 big block in truck, 1 all aluminum small block in the TA
Gotta love the cubes!!!

Nothing against the ricers but I just cant get into having a radar arch on the truck lid of my car
Jason

Rico, we call the cars you are referring to "wing dings" and some of them really go. In all honesty most of them look cool and have big woofers, but don't run like the ones you saw. Like any motor sport it has to be right if you want the fast numbers. I will admit it makes us a little nervous when we pull up to a stop light and a tricked out Civic pulls along side of us. I saw The Fast and The Furious.:D

Yeah, it makes me want to put NOS on my '68 just to be sure one of those cars don't smoke me. I'm with Jayl13, muscle and cubes is the only way to go.

I agree that you should be in the low 12's, high 11's with slicks and that kind of trap speed. My friends ol beater Buick runs 12.20's at only 108 with a 1.61 60' time. Trim that 60' time down and you'll be a happy man........:D

Before switching to Offshore we ran NHRA Competition Eliminator,B\ED Our best lap was 6.99 @ 181.43 MPH and built our oun cars.We had a blast but It cant beat the seat time of and Offshore race.
:cool:

Memories, memories ... my last run was 11.87 at 133. It was a 1964 Chevelle with a 30 over 427, Crane cam, Holley 3 barrell, Hookers, 4.56 gears, and 7" tires since nothing wider would fit without altering the fenderwells. With bigger tires it probably would have gone close to the 10s. The car pulled the front wheels about 6" coming out of the hole. I drove the car every day all year round. That last run was ... about August 1967.

If you get it to hook up with slicks without breaking anything you should get into the low 12's. My GS ran 12.18 at 110 mph with slicks. Could only get low 13's with street tires, just couldn't get traction. If you're running a manual tranny, you'll have a fun ride:p You sit in the stands and watch a car make a 12 second run, it doesn't look that fast, but driving's another deal! Have fun, heat them slicks up good.

Craig

Just to add something
Boating to this thread.
Im just finishing up with
the people who own the
TOP FUEL HYDRO Worlds Champ boat for 2000 and 2001 "Liquid Thunder"
They don't hold the record
for drag boats, It was set
at Firebird By "Wildside"
New ET record 4.77
New Top Speed Record 245+
MPH In 1/4 Mile
Mike J.

1/4 MILE--
 

JUST REMEMBER YOUR 60 FT TIME IS THE BIGGEST FACTOR ON E.T.---MILE AN HOUR IS A PRODUCT OF HORSEPOWER --A GOOD SET OF SLICKS WILL DO WONDERS FOR YOU-REMEMBER DONT LET IT BOG WHEN IT HOOKS(HOPEFULLY YOUR CLUTCH WONT SLIP OR SOMETHING BREAK BECAUSE IT DOES FIND THE WEAK SPOT)THE CORVETTE SUSPENSION IS REALLY NOT THAT STRONG WHEN IT COMES TO HOLESHOTS(AXLES---UJOINTS)BUT DONT FORGET ITS A SHOWCAR THATS FAST NOT A RACE CAR THAT LOOKS LIKE A SHOW CAR......I HAD A 10.5 TIRE OUTLAW CAR THAT RAN 8.30@165 MPH WITH A 1.21 60 FT EVEN WENT A FEW ROUNDS AT THE WORLD STREET FINALS IN ORLANDO 95-96 BEFORE SELLING IT..BUT THERE AINT NOTHING LIKE A REALLY FAST BOAT THAT EVERYBODY COULD ENJOY--:D HAVE FUN..

Well my experience is all on bikes but heres my bests with the bracket bike:

1.22 60'
5.20 eighth @ 122 mph
8.98 quarter @ 148mph

A good friend held the streetbike shootout #1 plate two years ago and has run 7.70's at 190ish on a street legal bike.

The results are in!
 

We made 4 passes and had a blast. Here are the results.

Pass #1 3000 RPM launch and the track was still cold.
Tires midly spun and 60' time was 1.835 and a 12.791 ET at 104.65

Pass #2 3000 RPM launch and the track was heated up.
Tires hooked with no spin and motor bogged. To add insult to injury he missed 3rd gear. 60' 2.068 and a 13.514 ET at 99.77

Pass #3 3500 RPM launch and track was heated up. Increased tire pressure from 20 to 23 psi. The tires again hooked and the motor bogged. 60' 2.003 and a 13.11 ET at 105.38.

Pass #4 4000 RPM launch and track cooled due to a long break because of a wreck. Tires spun, but not excessively with no bog. 60' 1.814 and a 12.472 ET at 108.

We met our goal and the best part is nothing broken or damaged. If we had more time we would have disconnected the mufflers and tried that at a 4000 RPM launch. We wanted to get some numbers in street legal form. Just a note a guy ran a Viper GT-R and it turned 12.8. It would be fun to run against him.:D

Wette what did you do for the rear? There is an Eaton Posi unit the road race guys used to use which is much stronger, that car should eventually see mid 11s without cheating (NOS) over the years we have raced just about every engine combination in the C2s.

Believe it or not a one we still talk the most about is when I was between engines (building my first Aluminum BB) there was a fresh 409 425 hp in the shop from one of my T-buckets this went into a 65 convertible for a short time the most fun I ever had with that car RPM like a small block and Pulled like a BB ..memories again


:)

Congrats wette vette, looks like you had fun and the cars running good as well as looking great! Mike J, I was lucky enough to be there when Wildside made that run, 4.77 @ 245 mph, that was impressive :eek:

Craig

Thanks for the replys. We know the car would do slightly better with some more tuning. Maybe 12.30 or 12.20. We have some limiting factors. The Vette has very limited space under the hood for intake manifold clearance. The dual plane manifold on there now is all that will fit. We are also running a flat tappet hydraulic cam and oval port heads. It makes for a great street combo, but probably not the BEST for the 1/4 MI. The car has air conditioning and power steering which steals a few HP as well, but they are nice luxury items. If we disconnected the A/C belt and uncorked the exhaust along with running on a cooler day, it would be faster. 11's, we may never know. We'll take 12.47 on an 85 degree day in street form.:D

WETTE VETTE
Nice ride!!!! My fatherinlaw has a 55 belair hard top we turned in to a drag car from a show car .It can be turned back to a street car with a little work it has a 385 strocker motor ,turbo 400 trans nineinch ,10 inch tire ,8 point cage, fourlink with mini tubes and runs 10.50s at 133mph all steel car . I have a 67 camaro with a 468 bb that I'v been restoreing .My dad just bought his dream car a 69 vette 350 4 speed. I get my share of racing and tuning.

good luck ....

You want fast????
 

My friend, Tom Wright, who is a member here as TWright, has a 16 foot Seebold Tunnel hull with a modified 2.5 drag engine on it. I don't remember exact numbers, but I know his best time is a sub 10 second run at over 116 mph. Thats in a boat, from a dead stop!!!!!! Man, now THAT is FAST!!!

Waterfoul
 

Boat drag racers are a little crazy. I am glad they run that fast that way I don't feel like doing 95 MPH plus in my Baja is so bad. I saw an Allison BASS boat with a modified drag motor go from 0 to 100 mph in the 1/8 MI. Serious holeshot!!!!