I was killed by a Ratstang last weekend it is time to go war

**2002ssslp** · 08-03-2011, 05:31 PM

I was driving along, minding my own business when I heard the unmistakable sound of a Mustang exhaust behind me. I did not pay it any attention until he pulled up to me and said " nice car. How fast is it " I told him 12.65 is my best time and he said his Stang was about the same. He asked me to run from a rolling start on the third beep of the horn. We went to a safe area " tough to find in northern NJ " and ran a good 1/4 mile +. Well, he got me by about three car lenghts. After we stopped I asked him to pop the hood. He had a 2001 4.6 GT with a supercharger and a 100 shot. He said he did not use the NOS but I do not know for sure.
I have a 30k 2002 SS with bolt on's including LT headers, 3" center exhaust, aftermarker MAF, ported throttle body, 6M, 3.42 gears, airbox, and a Frost tune on my PCM. I felt I ran well but it makes me sick to lose to a Ratstang. HELP. I want to make up 1/2 second in the quarter mile but since I just turned 30k on the engine I do not know if I want to rip the cam out and replace the heads. Can anyone help me with this problem ? Do I rip apart a good low mileage engine or can I get more power with bolt on's. Traction is not much of an issue since we went from a roll but it may be a problem at the track. Any advice would be apprecated.

**pajeff02** · 08-03-2011, 05:51 PM

N/A vs. F.I. that is not a surprise. H/C/I will easily drop you into the 11's with the right stuff under the car to put the power to the ground. Granted, you'll be chucking your 10 bolt in the dumpster not long after the mods are done.

**0rion** · 08-03-2011, 05:55 PM

racing from a roll always cracks me up

Whoever wants to do that should just roll up and say " Hey.....I can't drive my car for shit so we'll have to get them rolling first."

If someone requests to go from a roll you should pass.....they're idiots.

**2002ssslp** · 08-03-2011, 06:03 PM

Well, I should have passed but at least I now know what I need to do to make sure that does not happen again. We are about an hour outside of NYC and it is the most crowded state in the country so finding a place to line up, heat the tires and mark off a quarter mile is almost impossable without someone calling the police. I want to make sure the next time this happens he will be looking at my taillights.

**az gt eater** · 08-03-2011, 08:05 PM

There's always someone faster. If you just want to be a bit faster every once in a while, get some juice. Cheap, and easy.

**jrzdude** · 08-04-2011, 08:52 AM

Agreed^^^If you had a 100 shot, that race would have been ALOT closer

**2002ssslp** · 08-04-2011, 10:15 AM

What about engine damage ? Do I have to upgrade the fuel system and will my computer have to be reprogrammed ?

**WICKEDLS1** · 08-04-2011, 10:51 AM

If you get the car tuned right you wont have an issue. the factory fuel system will flow a 100-150 shot no problem and yes you will have to have a tuner pull some timing out of the computer

**jrzdude** · 08-04-2011, 12:02 PM

^^^Either this, or get a Timing twister, or HSW Interface, something along those lines to pull timing when your spraying. Also gonna need some colder plugs (NGK BR7's) and thats about it. If you do go this route, just try and get all the safety devices for the nitrous, that way it will save your engine in case something does go wrong.

**WICKEDLS1** · 08-04-2011, 02:33 PM

yeah dont be like my dumb ass and have it all on a push button haha (no more window switch or anything)

however im somewhat experienced when it comes to it and i like having complete control over the spray

FYI if you go the nitrous route your car will scare the shit out of you the first few times.I was scared of the button the first few bottles until i got to where i could predict what direction the car was going to slide haha

**35th-ANV-SS** · 08-04-2011, 03:17 PM

OP - what kind of budget are you working with here? As mentioned, NOS is the most cost-effective route to go, but if the other racer did not even use his 100 shot, I personally don't see how you would win even with a 100-150 shot. You'd probably just spin with stock tires and stock suspension.

Losing by 3+ cars is a lot. He was probably already in boost racing from a roll, which you have a huge disadvantage at that point right from the get go.

**2002ssslp** · 08-04-2011, 04:50 PM

The laughing gas scares the S**t out of me and my low mileage engine. I do not like the idea of a huge boost coming in at higher rpm's and losing traction. I drove a 2006 Dodge viper once and broke loose at 70mph. Poo Poo in the pants time.I am at 12.65 now, with a little work on the launch I may be a little better. I think a cam may be the way to go along with 3.73gears over the stock 3.42's. Anybody got a recommendation on a cam I can live with. The car will be in the garage from November to April so I have all winter to do it.

**WICKEDLS1** · 08-04-2011, 05:32 PM

tsp 228r on a 112LSA here with P&P 243 heads here and i love it. its my daily driver too. i just put the 3600 convertor in it and i must say that that is mandatory if your and auto car

**35th-ANV-SS** · 08-04-2011, 09:58 PM

If your suspension is set-up properly along with some good tires you won't be coming loose. I put down 500rwhp and my car dead hooks. I have 22K miles on my motor. As long as you have a great tune, there should be no worries.

If you are looking for a good power cam for DD, I would also suggest, like mentioned, the TSP 228R on a 112LSA. A lot of people run that cam and it's been a proven performer in the LS1 engine.

However, you mentioned you don't want to lose to the Mustang again. A cam only car is not going to give you the edge from what you've described.

Any idea on how much boost your opponent was running?

**2002ssslp** · 08-05-2011, 06:04 AM

He told me he was not running spray but I don't trust him. I have another issue. I am running 12.65 now and with a better 60' time I think 12.50 is not out of the question for my 6m car. The local tracks, Island and E-Town have a rule that anything going 11.99 or faster needs a bar. I am not going to that level. So if that means I have to lose to a Stang then I will have to live with that. 1/2 second is all I want to pick up, I do not want to get flagged from the track. So I am at the rock and a hard place or catch 22 situation. 12.1 is a nice number to live with. Traction is stock F1 tires, I am installing Better struts and 3pt. welded sfc very soon and I have a strut tower brace. That's all. I am decent with a clutch and I may pick up some sticky tires on aftermarket rims. So it looks like a cam for Christmas.

**67CamaroRSSS** · 08-05-2011, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by az gt eater

There's always someone faster. If you just want to be a bit faster every once in a while, get some juice. Cheap, and easy.

^This x eleventy billion!

**67CamaroRSSS** · 08-05-2011, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

racing from a roll always cracks me up

Whoever wants to do that should just roll up and say " Hey.....I can't drive my car for shit so we'll have to get them rolling first."

If someone requests to go from a roll you should pass.....they're idiots.

Muscle cars back in the day (late 60's - early 70's) roll raced due to 6" wide stock tires being blown off the line by 400+ cid engines throwing down 400+ hp.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 08-05-2011, 09:36 PM

Per NHRA rules, 11.49 or quicker requires a 5 pt roll bar. 13.99 and quicker requires you to wear a minimum Snell K98 or M2000/SA2000 rating helmet. Maybe your track doesn't abide by that though.

**2002ssslp** · 08-06-2011, 08:49 PM

In New Jersey, also known as the " Sue me state " we have to wear a helmet for all classes includind trophy class and test and tune nights. If you run down the track at any speed you need to wear a lid. Too many rules but we are so over populated there is not other place to run without getting into some kind of trouble. The bar has to be in any car running 11.99 or better. Kinda takes all the fun outta running muscle cars.

**az gt eater** · 08-06-2011, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

N/A vs. F.I. that is not a surprise. H/C/I will easily drop you into the 11's with the right stuff under the car to put the power to the ground. Granted, you'll be chucking your 10 bolt in the dumpster not long after the mods are done.

Don't forget this post. Add power, break stuff.