Thread: Kind Of A Drag

Tweet

Well, I can take the shims out easily enough I suppose. That will lower the back of the car 1. 1/2 inches. The old springs will squat the car for sure. It's why I went for the new springs. I guess I can just try without the shims. If it don't work then do something else. That will set the back to the stock ride height on paper at least.
I heard that air shocks are a drag racing no-no but Whatever works I guess.
What I can't understand was back in the 60s Hijacker shocks and raised back ends were a staple at the drags. Wonder what changed?

Jerry,
If I went first, how would I get home?

If you're talking about the gassers from the 60's, they also had the front ends high in the air, 6" or more of engine setback, and the engine raised in the chassis----it didn't work all that well then, we just didn't know what would. The rest of the one's with the back end of the car jacked up in the air and the front end dragging for the most part could do little more then a lot of tire spinning.... Lots of car stuff done in the 60's makes for some laughs looking at the pictures now!!!!!

Well, I can sure make the back low and mushy, that's no problem. I may try to sneak out to the drags this week if it's OK with the cutie (my wife). I'll bet it works!

Ok, Now I took out the spacers for the springs and adjusted the rear shocks to 50/50.

I just bought front drag shocks which are also adjustable. What I don't know is where to adjust those? In relation to the back shock adjustment.

I'm also reading a book on how to hook and launch by Dick Miller if anyone is familiar with it. I ain't read all of it yet but he gives no pressure for the rear tires. He just says not to under inflate them. But what pressure? I been running them at 16 psi because it worked once.
And, am I wasting my money on front shocks that may not work well on the road? Should I have got some Bilstien shocks or something? Right now I got some kind of gas shocks about 7 years old or something.

Please help...

Remember where I told you to write down the specs for each pass? And then make a change and record how the car reacted?? This is the part where you would've gone into the journal and had some facts to fall back on.....

16 pounds on a slick with a tube is probably a good starting point. but you're not running slicks are you?

You want the rebound on the front shocks light, set the adjuster so the shock extends the easiest.

I've posted several times about chalking tires to get the inflation right, and it's about the same with slicks. You want full contact with the pavement, no crowning and no cupping. Here's a link to a pretty good writeup on the importance of the right pressure, how to get there and then how to adjust for track conditions from your "base inflation" value - Drag Slicks - Tire Tech - Tire Care - Hot Rod Magazine

Thanks to you Mr. Spears!

And to add to Dave's post. You need the weight to transfer back and hold it there. So the extension of the shock needs to be light (easy) while the compression needs to be as slow (hard) as possible. If the shocks are still out of the car, make a setting and try the travel by hand. And keep the shock vertical while doing this!

And you should write down each of these settings (specs) as part of the total setup. Then write down the results of that particular setup. Then as you change the setup, keep track of those results! You'll soon see what works and what doesn't!

Do it long enough and you'll even realize before making a pass what the air temp / track temp and humidity will do to each run! I'm sure someone already has an app for that!

Good points, Mike!!! Used to run a log book on every pass the car made, now it's all on the 'puter.... No idea where it came from, Rodney (racer pal) bought the software a couple years back. Even has a connection to download a data logger--now if I could convince myself to buy one!!!!

I used to keep a small notebook.. even trying different plug gaps were recorded with the results.. Kinda anal but it helps to sort out what's working and what isn't!

Since everything seems to have an "APP".. I figure there must be one at Summit Racing or Jegs..

When I brew beer or make hard cider I keep a notebook. Helps later when your trying to recreate the perfect batch, or not repeat the throwaway stuff! Works at the track too!

I tried to make dandelion wine once but it tasted like poop.

I just thought you kept your time slips and that would do it but it does make sense to keep a log. I'll implement that on the next trip. Also I never thought about chalking the tires. That oughta do it.
That drag racing book has really been more of a disturbance than anything. Now I find that I need to buy triangulation bars so I don't bend the crossmember, I sure didn't know that and I gotta buy adjustable upper control arms to set a preload on the right rear tire and track bars on top of that! This could cost a fortune! And my job just called and made me redundant since the account expired. I'm gonna have to find a cheaper way to go about this or put my poor wife out on a street corner so we can buy suspension parts.
My question is.. How important are those triangulation bars on a car with about 350 horsepower?
Tracking bars?
I can just forget about replacement control arms. Bout the only thing I can think of is boxing in the old ones for now.
Kiddo says we can get a notebook but what I need to know is what data do I need to enter that's important?
Do I need to know temperature and humidity?
Ohyeah, anti hop bars?

PS, I just phoned the speed shop and they never even heard of triangulation bars and nobody makes anything for my 1976 A body except lower traction bars. I wonder if they can be made?
Ohwell, i'll keep snooping around.

Here's a link to the electronic version that we've been using.

RaceWORKS drag racing software

If you want just a write-it-down version, Summit used to sell one that works good, too.

Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?!?! Do you really need more speed parts when you're not hooked up yet with what you have?

It isn't always about the speed, consistancey has won maybe more races than lost! Figure out the classes, or index you want to race in and go for that.

I've watched a 64 impala with a 6 cylinder and powerglide win time and time again, because the lady that drove it could hit her number everytime! She performed like a machine! She wasn't out for flat out speed, but she could hit that number and drive everyone else crazy! I was lucky, she raced in a different class!