Looking to better a 1.50 60 foot time...

TNTS79

Dragway Regular
Jan 6, 2006
1,252
0
0
Illiniois
Car tends to hook initially lifting the tires about 2-3 inches. As soon as the car peaks it sets the front tires down immediately. After they touch down they almost appear to rise again but not leave the track... I have been watching passes in slow motion on my big screen! There are three things I have been considering trying:

Softer front springs to allow for more stored energy...
Altering the IC by raising the upper control arm mounting points (ta no hop bars)
Or lower control arm relocation brackets...

Think the car is capable of some 6.8x passes just need to make it work a little better out of the hole...

Current setup is factory suspension geometry stock springs front and rear, adjustable lower rear control arms, anti rotation and a 6 point bar... Front end weight is around 1600-1800 lbs I would imagine from what I've seen from others on here...

Maybe some of you faster guys have been through this before. Just installed jet extensions/notched float and a vent tube hose, got rained out haven't tried the car since...

Doesnt seem to be the engine nosing off but extensions and float swap is an easy thing to do along with the vent tube hose.
 

rock

Pro Stocker
May 22, 2003
2,475
0
0
Chicagoland area
Post a video. That will let us know more. We can then see the squat, suspension seperation, front end travel, etc.
 

racecar77

Pro Stocker
Aug 11, 2007
2,438
0
0
Crete,IL
You didn't mention what type of shocks. A good set of adjustable shocks will usually help the problem if you tune them correctly. Sounds like the suspension is unloading after the initial hit. Lee
 

TNTS79

Dragway Regular
Thread starter
Jan 6, 2006
1,252
0
0
Illiniois
Shocks are 3 way adj. competition engineering 90/10 up front and 50/50's in the rear. A local super stock racer who also runs a gbody suggested going to the 70/30 setting in the rear. He is pretty knowledgable on gbodies and making them go fast!! Haven't tried it yet, I will get my latest two discs of videos on YouTube and post some links!
 

racecar77

Pro Stocker
Aug 11, 2007
2,438
0
0
Crete,IL
I had the same shocks until I bought Strange shocks last year. With the Comp Eng shocks set at 90//10 and 50/50 my cars 60 foot was 1.40. So if all else is set up right those shocks will work pretty well for the price.
 

TNTS79

Dragway Regular
Thread starter
Jan 6, 2006
1,252
0
0
Illiniois
What's the best way to measure the front end travel?? Pick a point like the top of the front finder lip in the wheel well and jack the car up until the tires are to the point of just lifting off the ground?? What range should I be shooting for?? The springs are stockers so they are pretty stiff since the aluminum heads and some weight came off the front end... I've got some to try out that should soften it up quite a bit...
 

10secBu

MalibuRacing Junkie
May 21, 2003
4,284
0
36
Westminster, MD
Yup, I like to measure from the ground to the wheel arch lip (try to stay on the spindle centerline) with the car at ride height.

Then jack the front end up till the a-arm bump stops touch the frame, but try to not let the tire sidewall rebound up...keep the tire loaded, but suspension still fully extended.

Remeasure and subtract the two numbers to get your usable extension travel.

I try to shoot for at least 5" at a minimum. Any less and you need a taller/lighter coil spring to compress more and lower the front end down.

With stock A-arms this usually requires the lower a-arm bump stops to be about 1/2" to 3/4" air gap from the frame.
 

TNTS79

Dragway Regular
Thread starter
Jan 6, 2006
1,252
0
0
Illiniois
Thanks for the help fellas!! I got to try the car tonight, front end travel was at 3.5" before I swapped the springs now it's 6.5"!!

Car hooks better than it ever has, 60 foot times were getting back to around 1.52-1.54...


Only issue now is the car almost rests on the bump stops... That's good for upward travel but not for trailer unloading(header extensions) and braking on the big end.

I need to maybe cut my old ones to work with the amount of travel I need or maybe some rubber spring helpers in between the coils... (one or two of the little square ones a side would prob do the trick... Anyone use them??
 

TNTS79

Dragway Regular
Thread starter
Jan 6, 2006
1,252
0
0
Illiniois
Made some changes to the car, intake-carb and transmission swap... Blew up the 700 rolling out of the burnout box! Went to a th350, 5500 converter and victor intake along with a built 850 dp... Car went 6.97 @ 92 the last Friday, good air for August! About 70 degrees, prepped track 1.47 60 foot... Looking to better the et's for next year, maybe try a solid flat tappet cam... Any recommendations, combinations etc...?? AFR has a 574 hp combo I would like to duplicate but cant seem to find out the cam specs, need to do a little research and see just how big I can go and keep the power under 6500. Not looking to spin this motor real high with the 195 eliminator heads.
 

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