quote:

Originally posted by CURTIS REED:

quote:

Originally posted by TORQIN:
At our track Houston raceway park they have seperate classes for TB and footbrake... big problem when the transbrake was even allowed in FB...

Just another way bracket racers have found ways to divide...

TB is for top bulb IMO...JMO.

Man I couldn't agree more with something or someone.

x2

TH350's can be finicky unless they're built/modified correctly. I haven't run one in years. We run ford stuff, so C4's and C6's were my bread and butter for the first 15 or so years. Switched to PG for fun. It is a much simpler transmission and proven. Your converter will work assuming a turbo input shaft. May have to work the drive shaft, though. IIRC PG bolts in place of a short tail shaft TH350, so your shaft may have to be shortened which would be a simple and mostly inexpensive operation at a driveline shop.

A powerglide will not help your reatction time. Going to make that 4.11 gear feel like a 3.50

Powerglide 1st gear is 1.76(stock)
TH350 1st gear is 2.52

I agree with your friend at the track, Another 100-150HP will fix most of your problems, and give a few new ones to work on. Drag racing is fun!

Once you have a transbrake installed, if you can borrow a delay box from someone you’d be able to determine how slow your car clears the staging light.

With 1.000 of delay in the box, you will be able to determine this. Ideally you would want a 0.010 - .015 RT using the above delay. If you can achieve this, and race primarily during the daylight hours, consider learning how to block the tree for more consistent and better RT’s.

You wrote that your car leaves slower and should consider using a TB button that is the fastest possible release in no-box.

You should also consider using a “Pro Brake” valve body no matter which transmission you decide to use. A Pro Brake will release much faster than a Standard Brake valve body.

And we're off......
As someone stated it's a short tail T350 that swaps directly with a Powerglide. In your case if you go with a glide you'll need a driveshaft stretcher, basically a new driveshaft as yours will be too short.
Are you allowed to deep stage? That would put you on a spot on the 3rd amber without anticipation and get you the reaction you need.
Honestly you're opening a can of worms that is going to bleed your wallet. I've got friends with very low buck slow S10's that can kill the tree shallow staged on the footbrake.

quote:

Originally posted by Triple Nickel:
If i were to priortize purchases in order it would be:
1. Lightweight disc brakes for the front.
2. Weight loss program (glass front end, lose the bumpers, lift off hood, eliminate core support, smaller radiator, battery to bed of truck.
3. rack and pinion upgrade really part of #2 above.
4. Moroso trick springs and adjustable shocks.
5. Transbrake.

Thanks, man; that sounds like solid advice. I think though I'll implement most of those suggestions in a different race car that I want to get in a year or two. I'll be able to much better afford it then.

I do intend to move my battery to the rear this winter, and at least install drag shocks on the front. Maybe I'll look into some other bushings for the front control arms to free up that movement some.

quote:

Originally posted by 1leg:
A powerglide will not help your reaction time. Going to make that 4.11 gear feel like a 3.50

Powerglide 1st gear is 1.76(stock)
TH350 1st gear is 2.52

I agree with your friend at the track, Another 100-150HP will fix most of your problems, and give a few new ones to work on. Drag racing is fun!

Thanks, 1leg. The difference in the 1st gear gearing between the two transmissions is greater than I remembered.
Yah, with a Powerglide transmission I reckon I would need lower gears in the differential. But then at the top end of the track I'd be running more revs. I currently cross the finish line at about 6,200 RPM or so.
I like to baby the mill a little bit, in spite of having a quality rotating assembly. I've gotten six seasons out of it so far and have not touched anything. Maybe next season I can afford to get a spare engine. ;^)

And you're right; racing is fun! I'm kindof a nerd so I'm into the 'science' of it. I find to master the sport a driver must apply a combination of 1)technical knowledge, 2)driving skill, and 3) strategy.

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:
I've got friends with very low buck slow S10's that can kill the tree shallow staged on the footbrake.

....didn't know we knew each other?

I run mine in some index stuff, 400 pro tree, footbrake, powerglide, small block in a 2500 lb door car. Basically everything that could slow down the reaction time is there. I shallow stage and typically stay teens to upper 20's. You have to teach yourself to react extremely quickly to anything yellow; and from there, you'll get it figured out quickly.

Reaction time (on mine) difference between C4 and powerglide wasn't noticeable. Powerglide leaves harder but it's ALL in the converter; you can't skimp there which I found out the hard way. Old $250 saturday night special was fine with the C4 (could have been better of course but it worked); but the same/similar converter in a powerglide wasn't cutting it. Real sluggish out to about half track. Had local guy build me one and haven't looked back; and it's about 15 years old or so, and converter tech has come a little ways since this one was built. Might be time to look at it again while it's out.

I foot braked and hand shifted a TH400 for many years...I put an electric shifter in it and that helped a bunch...I finally put a glide in my car and it instantly became more consistent...that was 9 years ago...I saved up and went for an FTI glide...I already had an FTI converter in the car...this was an 81 camaro with a BBC in it on pump gas...

Now I run a 79 Monte with a 496 BBC on pump gas...I have the same trans and converter in it but had the converter loosened up a bit so I can leave off the foot at 3,000 rpm comfortably...I have never had one problem with either in all these years, just sayin'...the glide has 1:80 straight cut gears in it, btw....

I went to the button about 14 months ago...I have an MSD 6AL2 which allows me to set the two step and rev limiter rpm very easily...I have an MSD digital window switch to set my shift rpm...I have a CO2 air shifter...I currently leave at 3400 rpm and shift at 6200 rpm...

As I was told beforehand, the button does not make you better on the tree...it does make you more consistent...another bonus is leaving off the button makes my car much more consisten...why?...because I can stage it at idle and put it in just about the same spot every pass....also, I leave at the exact same rpm every pass...voila!...off the foot it is very hard to stage identical while at 3000 rpm...it is also very hard to launch at exactly 3000 rpm every time off the foot...

So, my advice is to save up and get a good glide, an electric or air shifter, a window switch for shift points, a 6AL2 or grid and a good converter...this will give you every chance to be a solid bracket racer...

If you need to work your way up to the above, at least get an electric or air shifter and a shift point window switch for now...a looser converter will allow you to stage at a higher rpm which should let hit the tree harder using the same spot...

Again, the trans brake will help you in certain areas but will not lower your r/t's...one of the best bracket racers in the country once told me that practice and seat time is what improves your reaction times on the tree...sorry for the long post but good luck to you...oh yeah, one of the best tranny and converter builders in the country told me if your car rocks on the brake something is broken...you should never need to use a line lock with a trans brake to hold steady...

Or.. you can set your car up like a stocker. You use a brake pressure switch to trigger the 2 step so you can footbrake on the chip and leave at the same exact RPM every time.

Grid all the way as mentioned prior. Will make things easier and cheaper.

Also get a trans brkae that has some adjustment in it - again that will save you time and money.

Beware - switching up a routine after many years WILL take some work and practice. When I switched I struggled for MANY outting as it is hard to get used to. Now - like before with FOOT braking I am like a robot (but not always robot results..lol). Video tape yourself while racing you will catch things that you didnt realize you were doing or realize that your very consistent in your actions. Hence the robot reference. Just understand it will take time.

Eman, mavman, fuzzy dice, ski_dwn_it; thanks too guys.

I think what I'll do for now is just freshen up my TH350 and install a transbrake in that. Otherwise lol I'll always wonder what it's like to run a transbrake.

I do consider though what Eman said; use a two-step to keep launch RPM consistent.
My Hurst Roll Control has an extra output port where I could connect a brake pressure switch (that's one reason I like the Hurst units).

I have however been pretty happy with the consistency of the truck in the 1/4 mile, and am mostly trying to reduce my reaction time. That's what's been getting me.

Having the throttle plates already wide open could maybe reduce my vehicle reaction time?
Would there be any problem as my carb accelerator pump shot is already used up?

I'll probably wait with trying a Powerglide transmission until I get a different car to race in a year or two. As it is, I would need to change my driveshaft and perhaps rear end gear.

I know 1 one thing, when I went with a transbrake in my 68 camaro with a 350 trans. I had a small stall in it and it ran 11.80's. Only thing I did was install the transbake in the 350 and it went 11.70's using the same stall.

Which means the 60 ft dropped a tenth just adding the brake.

The 2 step deal on the foot is simple and I did the same thing with screwing the switch on the Hurst roll control. The only downside is if you try to scrub the brake down track under power it will stutter. I had a toggle switch so I could turn it off down track. Could wire thru a 3rd gear pressure switch on the trans so it wouldn't work down track.
My car is set up to pure footbrake,footbrake on 2 step,no box on a TB or use a box. Honestly it reacts good every way and there isn't much et difference. I can miss the tree just as well on the footbrake as I do on the TB! My biggest problem on pure footbrake is leaving on a consistent RPM which is why I did the 2 step on the foot set up. Of curse when I go to a pure footbrake track I can't use it.
No problem with the pump shot as you're pulling through the mains at WOT.
I still think if you're satisfied with your motor buying a converter to match your set up from a reputable manufacturer is money well spent. I borrowed an ATI converter to try and I could see a difference in RT over the name brand converter I already had.