quote:

Originally posted by Pro_ET:
Beautiful car Todd! If you don't mind me asking, did it NHRA Cert for 6.O? Off the top of my head, I remember less than 2800lbs.

Edit! So I started scanning through this LONG thread (mainly for the eye candy pics of this race car), and I found you haven't had it NHRA certified.

SO, I'll change my question to this; what "should" it certify to?

The chassis will be certified to 25.2, but it is also legal for 25.3, 25.1 and 25.5.

quote:

Originally posted by Fabman:
Choosing a color was probably the most difficult part of the build believe it or not. Went through man, many color choices and finally settled on this blue. This is a factory Ford color used in 1990 & 1991 called Bimini blue.

My first ever new car was an 88 Mustang 5.0/5-speed, and if your car isn't the same color, it is damn close. Looks stunning.

Back on the dyno Friday to work on the EFI tune with the new smaller injectors. Only there two hours, didn't take a lot of tweaking. Did have to take time to diagnose the IAC wasn't working. Turns out two of the wires were reversed. Pretty simple fix and working fine now.



Sunday I loaded the car back up to meet our local inspector to have the chassis certified. Chassis is now tagged for SFI 25.2 although built to be legal for several other certs as well.

This past Saturday we made it to Cecil County Dragway to make a couple test hits. Wasn't a terribly productive day in that the car wasn't hooking. Four hits and spun each time. Made shock adjustments but they weren't showing any improvement. Also the air shifter wasn't functioning as well.

Car ran well, no mechanical issues and the brakes bed in nicely on the first run. So while disappointing, it was good to just get out and get some seat time after a 2 1/2 year build.

Came home and reviewed the data as well as studying the pics and decided the car needed a 4 link change. I took some time the past two evenings to remeasure & plot the 4 link, then made some bar changes. I had the set the car up with a more conservative instant center, so this time it's gonna be more aggressive.

I also have a pretty good idea why the air shifter wasn't operating, a simple programming change withing the Holley EFI software.

Great looking Fox body, Setting up a car brand new may take three or four visits. But in time it’ll hook better and better. Have a great season.

Awesome car. I'm sure you'll get it sorted out.

quote:

Originally posted by Fabman:I also have a pretty good idea why the air shifter wasn't operating, a simple programming change withing the Holley EFI software.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiyTmZw6J_w

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:

quote:

Originally posted by Fabman:I also have a pretty good idea why the air shifter wasn't operating, a simple programming change withing the Holley EFI software.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiyTmZw6J_w

I watched that a while back and forgot about it. A friend sent it earlier today. I kinda knew the issue before watching it again…active and intact I’ve times incorrectly programmed.

quote:

I watched that a while back and forgot about it. A friend sent it earlier today. I kinda knew the issue before watching it again…active and intact I’ve times incorrectly programmed.

Yes, V6 has more new programming parameters that need attention than the V5 I’m using. Simple errors like this are easy to make (I’ve made my share) and can be frustrating initially. Holley has yet to include this new V6 transmission programming in the Help files which are very extensive.

quote:

Originally posted by Fabman:This past Saturday we made it to Cecil County Dragway to make a couple test hits. Wasn't a terribly productive day in that the car wasn't hooking. Four hits and spun each time. Made shock adjustments but they weren't showing any improvement.

Are you launching with timing removed until off starting line, or is timing at Max during launch and entire run?

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:

quote:

Originally posted by Fabman:This past Saturday we made it to Cecil County Dragway to make a couple test hits. Wasn't a terribly productive day in that the car wasn't hooking. Four hits and spun each time. Made shock adjustments but they weren't showing any improvement.

Are you launching with timing removed until off starting line, or is timing at Max during launch and entire run?

Launch retard.

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:

quote:

I watched that a while back and forgot about it. A friend sent it earlier today. I kinda knew the issue before watching it again…active and intact I’ve times incorrectly programmed.

Yes, V6 has more new programming parameters that need attention than the V5 I’m using. Simple errors like this are easy to make (I’ve made my share) and can be frustrating initially. Holley has yet to include this new V6 transmission programming in the Help files which are very extensive.

Yea, they need to correct that for sure.

This weekend was the first official race for the new car. For me, that just means I'm testing in the middle of a race. lol

Made some suspension changes after the first test session a few weeks ago. This entails welding up and installing a short top bar setup for the 4 link. Brackets and top bars from Tin Soldier Racecars who also supplied the chassis and rear 4 link brackets on the car.

First hit Friday morning the car spun again, a couple feet out. Made shock adjustments front & rear and the next hit it stuck and made a clean A-to-B pass. Slow due to the tuneup running a 5.21 @ 135 with a 1.21 60'

The next few passes I slowly crept up on power at the line and the car responded well. 5.045 @ 138 with a 1.17 60', then a 5.023 @ 139 with a 1.17 60'.

The next pass was at dusk and it felt like the car was in the early stages of trying to spin so I gave is a really quick pedal in which it ran a 5.19 @ 137 with a 1.20 60' Last pass in the evening it flat out spun again.

Reviewing the data from Friday I felt the car was on the ragged edge of traction, partly due to the 55.5% nose weight and not racing on radial prep. Saturday morning I got to the track early and put 80 lbs of ballast in the back of the car. This takes the nose percentage down to 53.5%.

First run was our last qualifier and with the additional weight the car ran a 5.10 @ 136 with a 1.17 60'

The next run was first round. I looked at my reaction times and decided to take .015 out of the delay box and see where I wound up. Dialed a 5.10 and ran out with a 5.09 @ 137 with a .011 light against my opponents .046 light.





Got my radial ghost wrinkles back so I know it's biting now, but still feel as the car isn't hitting the tire hard enough yet.



First couple passes in testing the track was giving me a .400 pro tree messing up the time slip.

I figure it's gonna take some time to sort this thing out. Still have the same converter and gearing out of the Malibu which I think both will need adjusting but plan to gather more data for a while before I'm willing to make a change. For now I just wanna make more laps, get comfortable with the car and work on the chassis to get it better. I'm sure as time goes bye and we refine it, the ET will get to where it should be for the power it makes and it's weight.

Don't really feel bad losing first round like that. Was pleased with the two day progress and getting my first taste of top bulb racing. Does feel odd to have to qualify then get paired up for a bracket class (Top Sportsman),but no big deal. I was slow, but not the slowest there. lol

Video of one of the runs.

https://youtu.be/Q3uCx4u0kek

Looks like no squat or weight transfer.What rate spring is on the rear.

quote:

Originally posted by 434 olds:
Looks like no squat or weight transfer.What rate spring is on the rear.

It better not be any squat being I run on a radial. lol

Rear separates 3" peaking out at 1.58 seconds.

Rear spring is a 14" x 70#.