finally made it to a track!

**LSCyaL8R** · 04-24-2010, 08:21 PM

After a year with my car I've finally made it to englishtown and got a couple of runs in.

It was kind of a last minute thing so I didn't go with any other cars. It was soooooo much fun. I can't wait to go again. Hopefully with some other people next time.

I wasn't expecting the track to be so sticky I had barely any wheelspin and finally understand why people do the drill mod

felt like the clutch was a little slow to engage.

For a first time out I'm not too upset with the performance. Of course I'd like to do better but I didn't want to launch too hard with a lowered car that has no lca's or phb etc. Here's the numbers let me know what you think.

2.365 was my 60ft

13.852 @ 104.65

Terrible 60 but decent MPH in the quarter. I'm hoping with a much harder launch I can get to the low 13s. As I went I had truly 0 wheelspin.

On my first run my 60 was 2.294 but I wasn't shifting as hard through the gears so I think that's why I was faster second time around.

**ss~zoso~ss** · 04-24-2010, 08:23 PM

why even post this.....

J/K

well not really...

**wheeliE-maxx** · 04-24-2010, 08:30 PM

People have done much worse with faster cars than yours..

I'm scared to bring the formy to the track

**pecha** · 04-24-2010, 08:51 PM

the beginning of the end of the 10 bolt

**LSCyaL8R** · 04-24-2010, 08:53 PM

well I need an excuse to buy my 9 inch right?

**pecha** · 04-24-2010, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by LSCyaL8R

well I need an excuse to buy my 9 inch right?

I ran 14.72 at 5000ft with my bone stock 98 auto Z

**wheeliE-maxx** · 04-24-2010, 09:16 PM

Still better than mustangs at sea level

**LeadFarmer** · 04-25-2010, 10:19 AM

pretty good for a first time,
mods?

**cammed goat** · 04-25-2010, 10:24 AM

Ya did better that I did at LVD last year. I ran a 14.4 @ 99mph. Dusty track+wheelspin FTL.

**LSCyaL8R** · 04-26-2010, 06:01 AM

Originally Posted by LeadFarmer

pretty good for a first time,
mods?

I've got Strano Springs, KYB AGX's, SLP lid, Fernco bellows, Drag Bags and that's about it.

If anything that setup should slow me down slightly.... Can't afford wheelspin since it will cause me to suffer unbearable wheel hop. I know i know... get a phb, lca's, and reloc brackets.... in time.... not now.... but soon.

**Spaz** · 04-26-2010, 06:33 AM

not bad... best thing to do is to find a place where you can practice your launches... figure out how much gas to give with out bogging or spinning... but i'd rather spin than bog anyday...

**pajeff02** · 04-26-2010, 06:48 AM

Cool! Not bad at all for the first time out. I have never been to E-town - hope to get there someday.

**LSCyaL8R** · 04-26-2010, 07:01 AM

Well from my experience on the street i thought i'd spin a little letting the clutch out from about 2k rpm. but the track was far stickier than I imagined so letting go there resulted in an instant hook and a brief bog off the line. I even avoided heating the tires and just drove around the box since i'm using street tires and don't want to abuse my rear.

First time down the track I shifted quick but not fast.

Second time i didn't powershift but i didn't fully close the throttle between shifts. They were mighty quick snaps for a newbie. This showed me the fatal flaw in our hydraulics that makes everyone do that drill mod. For the briefest moment after letting off the clutch i'd feel it gripping and coming into full engagement. it was slight but noticeable. Almost like i had been letting the clutch off slowly. My clutch feels great on a day to day and has no problem holding power so the only thing I can think of is that this is my first encounter with that stupid tiny orifice in the hydraulics.... makes me want to break the drill out

Also learned I could use some spark plugs.... I can hear that tell tale ping at high RPM that was recently discussed on one of the boards here. It was slight but I noticed it so better to take care of it now than wait till it gets worse. Not looking forward to doing plugs..... sigh....

**LSCyaL8R** · 04-26-2010, 07:07 AM

Here are some pics from Saturday

I thought this was IROC.... then I realized that this one runs.... and runs VERY well!

Lastly here are my timeslips

**tnthub** · 04-26-2010, 07:49 AM

Good job. My first time out I was horrible.
You have some power so read up on shifting techniques and launching. MPH is about power and ET is about shifting.

I have an old timeslip from 1998 in my 1994 when it was fairly stock so you can see what I mean (the actual timeslip is framed with a picture of the car so I am just posting the numbers...

RT: .558
60' 1.976
330' 5.684
1/8 ET 8.757
1/8MPH 80.25
1000' 11.410
1/4 ET 13.651
1/4 MPH 100.63

You have power enough to do significantly better than my ET. It takes a lot of practice to become really comfortable and adept with shifting and launching. I like Englishtown and hope to get back down there this year.

**LSCyaL8R** · 04-26-2010, 08:28 AM

I agree. My first RT was a bit slow and my second too fast. Maybe if i had a third run i'd have gotten it just right

I could certainly up the launch RPM's to a point where I get a little slip and not a lot of hop and that would prob be the best I could hope for with my current setup. If I went back I'd try 2,500 then 3,000 and see how it reacts.

For the shifting I don't see myself getting much faster shifts unless I flat out powershift the car and judging by how my clutch reacted to only a slight lift i'm not sure the car would be happy with me powershifting. Of course I feel that a drill mod might fix that and the quicker engagement would prob drop my ET a noticeable amount.

Well folks the season is in full swing and i'm out helmet shopping. I'll be browsing the Eastern members drag strip thread and hope to make it out quite a few more times this year. Tips and comments welcome. I'd love to get good at this!

**tnthub** · 04-26-2010, 10:50 AM

Always stage as shallow as possible to get the best 60 foot time. A shallow stage will provide 8" to a foot of rollout (depending in exact timer location) which will help ET. Once you establish a stage position use the same spot every time and figure out where to launch from that spot, and since you are just starting out you won't develop any bad habits. After you are "set in your ways" it is better to adjust the car than the driver but since you are just beginning this is the best way to start out.

A simple air bag should correct any wheelhop issues. These are inexpensive and do not add any real weight to the vehicle. I avoid adding any extensive modifications until absolutely necessary and still do not have any sub frame connectors or relocation brackets to this day.

When you say you have absolutely zero wheelspin, with your 60' time, "something" is slipping and if it not your tires it is likely your clutch. Your car, bone stock on a decent track, is easily capable of sub 2.0 sixty foot times if you do not spin the tires. I know my car would lay down 1.9 sixty foot times all day long when it was stock and your car is significantly faster than mine was back then, so if the tires are not slipping something else is.

I generally launched slightly off idle, around 1200-1500, and timed my reaction time to a throttle surge so I could do a quick release on the clutch rather than a full bore dump. This minimized the risk of tire spin but I fully admit kept me a busy camper on the starting line. Practice is important.

I highly recommend a driveshaft loop on a six speed car, even if the car is "stock". You never... Ever... Want to see what happens if a driveshaft breaks on a launch. Just trust me on this. A driveshaft loop is inexpensive and easy to install for someone with basic mechanical knowledge.

Buy a good quality helmet. It does not have to be super expensive but it does need to be of good quality. If anything were to happen (another car crossing into your lane for example), the helmet is key to your surviving a catastrophic event at 100+ MPH. I have seen many stupid things over the year and cannot stress the importance of a good helmet enough.

Mostly though, have some fun.

I made use of my triple A Plus membership more than once back when I was driving my car to the track. I recommend talking to other racers and asking questions. Make some new friends.

Drive fast (on the track), drive safe (always), and have a good time. Enter some bracket races too. Once you figure out the dial in "game" you can come home with some cash and a trophy if you do well and it is a great way for drivers and vehicles of different abilities and experience to compete fairly while having a good time.

**JHayesLS1** · 04-26-2010, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by LSCyaL8R

well I need an excuse to buy my 9 inch right?

I bought a 9 inch too. Bitch's love it

Oh and my car had a ford 9" too. Great investment

**DIRTY JERZY** · 04-26-2010, 10:55 AM

not bad. did you pressure down the rear tires?

**Spaz** · 04-26-2010, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by tnthub

When you say you have absolutely zero wheelspin, with your 60' time, "something" is slipping and if it not your tires it is likely your clutch.

unless he is bogging...

Originally Posted by tnthub

I highly recommend a driveshaft loop on a six speed car, even if the car is "stock". You never... Ever... Want to see what happens if a driveshaft breaks on a launch. Just trust me on this. A driveshaft loop is inexpensive and easy to install for someone with basic mechanical knowledge.

i've seen some nasty pictures...