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My entrance into the straightline world.
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DRR Trophy
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quote:
Originally posted by CURTIS REED:
Sounds like things are headed in the right direction for you. I'm glad to hear because it sounds like you're having a better time each time out.

That's a wild looking track. Makes me realize just how spoiled I am where I race. I don't mean anything disparaging by that though, I would race there in a heartbeat.


quote:
Lucky Drag City, formerly "Presque Isle Timing Association” (PITA)
is still going strong and is one of our nations oldest operating drag strips. Some articles have it opening as early as 1958. If you get a chance, come out and help a piece of, not only Erie, Pennsylvania but automotive history survive. The track is managed by the sons of the late Lucky Foley and are doing a great job of improving this historic piece of ground.


Many of the Famous early racers competed there, Art Arfons put the Green Dragon into the woods at the end. A lot of other well-known names raced there.
For me, it's just about 5 miles away, a great place to shakedown your car before going to one of the more professional tracks. Thompson (now Kuhnle) is about 1.5 hours away, but is generally pretty well attended so actual track time is limited.
 
Posts: 85 | Location: Erie PA | Registered: February 23, 2025Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by Curly1:
quote:
Originally posted by truckman:
THANK YOU so much for that video!!! I will watch that repeatedly and put his info into practice.

I probably need a looser convertor, it is about a 3500 stall (TH350) and I'm currently launching at 3200 on the 2 step.
I got it from a friend to put in my 'glide because I had some issues getting the 'glide 4500 convertor to install properly to the input shaft.

I'm being conservative on rpm to save everything, (stock bottom) I'm going through the traps at about 6500, so I don't know how much higher to stall. I think I can launch a bit higher but with this conv it'll probably hurt me.

If anyone is willing, I think I can email the launch video to you so you can post it.


You need more stall. That will help you be Faster, more consistent and help eliminate some of your low RPM issues. I would guess you need around 5,000 - 5500 stall but would call Hughes Converters and ask them. They are the best of all that I have dealt with.
Your stall converter is so important. One of the things a low stall like 3500 is mostly locked up at 3500 lugging the motor or spinning tire, a higher stall will get it in the powerband before it locks up. You have been having trouble with off idle stumble and part of that is because converter is loading the motor up down too low RPM. Raise stall way up and 2 step way up and then carb issues will get better and may go away. If you have enough stall and rear gear it is hard to get too much carb. But if your stall or rear gear is too low you must have carb size and tuning perfect. A tighter converter is in lockup in just a few feet, a looser converter gets you moving out of the hole faster but does not lock up until further down the track say 30 feet so the tires hook up better. A looser converter will not shock the tires or chirp the tires when you shift, it will absorb some of that shock once again helping you keep tires planted and car faster and more under control.

For GM converters they have the Powerglide spline or Turbo spline and you must get the one to match your input shaft. Most higher performance powerglides go to Turbo input shaft (or even bigger) Once again Hughes Converters can get you right ones for your needs.


Thank you. I know I need to get more stall speed, I don't think I need 5500 because I'm only running up to 6500-7000, but I will defer to an expert, such as Hughes, on that.
I have both input shafts but for whatever reason the 'glide shaft would not go completely into the 'glide convertor that I had. A friend had the TH 350 convertor so I used that so I could get on track.
I don't think that has anything to do with my carb stumble issue. When I hit the throttle the motor should rev regardless of what converter is in it. It just bogs. It runs great once past that. I'm working with a man who's far more knowledgeable than I on it, we're making progress.
 
Posts: 85 | Location: Erie PA | Registered: February 23, 2025Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of CURTIS REED
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I agree with you about the carb.

On the convertor, yes more rpm would be better but I don't think you HAVE to jump out and change it right now. It will probably pick the car up and make it more consistent but I would just worry about getting the carb to come up on the 2step cleanly and getting more seat time. Later you can work on the rest.

As far as convertor rpm to shift rpm my converter flashes to 6150 when I leave at 4000 of the trans brake. I shift at 6800 and it falls back to 6170. It only changes a few rpm when I leave off the foot but I put up these because you are leaving off the brake. My car would be quicker if I shifted higher but it's pretty fast for a footbrake car so I just take it easy on the valvetrain.

I say just go have fun for a while.
 
Posts: 5739 | Location: KIEFER, OK. | Registered: August 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of SlyFox
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Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
If you have a spool no matter if it lifts both wheels turn the same. If either wheel loses traction car will head that way as the other wheel is still hooked up and both are spinning the same.


That is correct. It also correct that if you have a spool or a tight posi and have rear tires that cannot be swapped from one side to the other (like uni-directional drag radials that cannot be swapped) the drivers side tire will wear faster during burnout and launch, because the rotation of the driveshaft is planting the drivers side harder and lifting the passenger side at the same time.

The only way to swap drag radials side-to-side is bust them off the rims and re-mount them.


Mike
 
Posts: 2779 | Location: Marietta, GA | Registered: December 09, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Originally posted by markemark:
quote:
You sure about that?


go to 19:20 in THIS video


That guy is 100% wrong in what he says in the video at 19:20. The rotation of the driveshaft PICKS UP the right rear tire higher into the wheel well, which makes the right rear quarter panel squat down lower. But it is most assuredly LIFTING the right rear wheel.

Same principal - a four-link car like my 69 Chevelle, 100% stock from the factory, squats at the rear under acceleration because the axle is being pick UP by driveshaft rotation and wheel rotation. When you modify a Chevelle to move the instant center, the torque applied at the hit now pushes the axle DOWN and the body work UP at the rear.


Mike
 
Posts: 2779 | Location: Marietta, GA | Registered: December 09, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by CURTIS REED:
Mike, that is exactly how I was looking at it.


And you were looking at it 100% correctly.


Mike
 
Posts: 2779 | Location: Marietta, GA | Registered: December 09, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Eman
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nice looking Camaro, that track looks like a 4 lane interstate compared to my local track.
 
Posts: 5275 | Location: E TN | Registered: February 13, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post



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quote:
Originally posted by SlyFox:
The only way to swap drag radials side-to-side is bust them off the rims and re-mount them.


FYI, all my Hoosier drag radials are non-directional, including my newest Hoosier DOT radials. My M/T radials are directional.

2BKING Smile

Relaxing


1980 Camaro
Taking the Best Working Small Tire Shyt Box & making it Greater Than Before!
3100 lbs.
Pump Gas 436
 
Posts: 4008 | Location: NV. | Registered: October 20, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of CURTIS REED
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quote:
Originally posted by Eman:
nice looking Camaro, that track looks like a 4 lane interstate compared to my local track.


This is why I said we are spoiled. It may not be Vegas or Charlotte but it's a nice track that has one of the longest shutdowns in the country. I have seen a 315mph pass here.





.
 
Posts: 5739 | Location: KIEFER, OK. | Registered: August 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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The track is notoriously hard to get grip. I don't know when it was paved last, probably before I was born, remember I'm 68.
Here's my numbers. I think my reactions and 60' are pretty good now. It seems odd to me but a .50 is perfect, anything under that is a red light. I don't know if that's just this track or everywhere.
1st pass;
Reaction .557
60' 1.82
ET 7.44
MPH 92.98

2nd pass;
Reaction 1.135 Frown
60' 1.68
ET 7.28
MPH 90.88

3rd pass;
Reaction .502
60' 1.71
ET 7.25
MPH 94.52

4th pass, first Gamblers, my first win!
Reaction .558
60' 1.69
ET 7.23
MPH 93.95
Won by .25

At that point we were done due to the crash. Still don't know any details, driver is said to be in hospital with bruises and broken bones. Very odd, he left at idle, basically coasted through the traps at 22 seconds, continued up towards the end of the track, and veered off into trees. Someone said they heard the motor rev suddenly before going left. I was in my car, lined up and could't see the upper end of the track.
 
Posts: 85 | Location: Erie PA | Registered: February 23, 2025Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by truckman:I don't think I need 5500 because I'm only running up to 6500-7000


If the shift is completing at 6500 a consistent converter would be one that “flashes” to 5700-5800 and the actual stall will be 5900 +/-… This is conservative imho.
 
Posts: 5478 | Location: 53056 | Registered: December 30, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by markemark:
quote:
Originally posted by truckman:I don't think I need 5500 because I'm only running up to 6500-7000


If the shift is completing at 6500 a consistent converter would be one that “flashes” to 5700-5800 and the actual stall will be 5900 +/-… This is conservative imho.


^^^I agree^^^

My NA combo was 5,900 flash stall & shifted at 6500. Engine made 630 hp @ 6,000 - 6200 rpm went through the traps @ 7,000 rpm plus. It was deadly consistent & pretty fast also. One of the best combos I raced!

2BKING Smile

Relaxing


1980 Camaro
Taking the Best Working Small Tire Shyt Box & making it Greater Than Before!
3100 lbs.
Pump Gas 436
 
Posts: 4008 | Location: NV. | Registered: October 20, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Well, like I said, I'll defer to the more knowledgeable. Apparently, I do need a much higher stall than I thought.
Thank you.
 
Posts: 85 | Location: Erie PA | Registered: February 23, 2025Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Eman
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On a full sportsman tree .500 is the time between bulbs so yes a .500 is a perfect light. Some tracks reprogram so their time slips leave off the 5 and give you just the reaction so a perfect light is .000, same light just printed differently.
 
Posts: 5275 | Location: E TN | Registered: February 13, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post



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