Joe Lynch

I will be taking the 66 coupe to test and tune to try it out this weekend.

1. Is the Auburn the only replacement differentials made now that will fit the 66 pumpkins?
2. Will 26x10.50x15 ET Streets fit the car when mounted on 8" wheels with a 1/4" spacer? Appears close to the parking brake cable and sway bar on the inside.
3. What can be done to the stock IRS to help it survive a few launches with the ET Streets and 4.11 gears behind a 427?

Will run the car for the first time in 30 years on Friday night with a fresh rear end and the ET Streets, if everything fits.

Thanks

396 RAT

1) not sure.

2) My car has had several wheel/tire combos. The largest were 9-10" wheels
with 10 1/2" slicks front and rear. 1/4" alum spacers were used with that combo, fenders were trimmed, and car was lowered. I sugest installing the new tires & wheels and making sure it checks out before you tighten the lugs / lower jack / drive car. Pic on pg 3 of my web page shows BIG (old western alum spokes) Car also ran 8" rallys with no problem.
Never ran a tire that tall though?.

3) Avoid dumping the clutch from 6500 rpm :smash:

I bet there are some drag racers that could help more than I, just
spouting off....... :crazy:

Gordonm

This has been talked about on the C3 section a lot. It does not seem to be the pumpkin that is the weak link. The weakest is the ujoints. I am using solid joints now from Spicer. The next weakest is the half shafts then I would say the stub shafts. It does not mean that the pumpkin will not let go this just seems to be the order in which they go. Toms differential seems to have some very strong components for racing. Good luck racing it is addicting. I did it 4 years ago and can't stop now. :crazy:

Joe Lynch

Well we finally got to the drag strip tonight and made 7 runs with the 26x10.5x15 ET Streets, albeit at 24 psi and taking it easy. But it survived. Had to put a 7/16" spacer behind the 8" steel wheels to clear the parking brake cable and the the sway bar on the inside. But it was fun. Will get a little more aggressive in two weeks, after getting correct wheels and tuning the engine some.
Joe Lynch

LT1driver

Where did you run at? San Angelo, Midland?

Les

Well we finally got to the drag strip tonight and made 7 runs with the 26x10.5x15 ET Streets, albeit at 24 psi and taking it easy. But it survived. Had to put a 7/16" spacer behind the 8" steel wheels to clear the parking brake cable and the the sway bar on the inside. But it was fun. Will get a little more aggressive in two weeks, after getting correct wheels and tuning the engine some.
Joe Lynch

Joe,
I'm sure I'm not the only one that's curious about your ETs & trap speed- are you gonna post them?
_______

Joe Lynch

Penwell. We have some ignition problems so only ran 12.75 at 112 mph with closed exhaust, 1.95 sec 60'. This is at 3000 feet altitude, 88F, 40% hum, 26.5" Hg station pressure. Will run it again in two weeks. We haven't been able to run the on the street long enough to sort out the engine yet. and I have changed the carb and the ignition since running the engine on the dyno. The car should run low 12s at this altitude with closed exhaust, around 115 mph, my guess. Air is thin here.
Joe

MassVette

Make sure that you have snubbers to keep the half-shafts straight when it squats on launch. Ask Ganey or GKULL , or many others on the C-3 forum if you're interested in much more performance and racing info. The C-2 and C-3 are basically on the same chassis--

Joe Lynch

Thanks, everyone. I'll go lurk around the C3 forum as well. I'm new to this forum and to modifying this car. But, now that we have survived the maiden voyage, it will be fun.
Joe Lynch

Les

For your altitude those numbers are very impressive- I'd be curious what they convert to at sea level. Nice job & based on your trap speed I'll bet you can improve your ET by a ways. It looks like the bug has bitten you :cool:

Joe Lynch

Les--I didn't post the times earlier because I just wasn't very happy with them. We got the 12.75 with the engine missing erratically. I really do believe the car will run 12.30 or so with the same exact setup at this altitude with just a harder launch and hitting on all 8 cylinders for 13 seconds.

I built the engine the first time for this car in 1969. We were able to go back in with the same block, crank, heads, and intake. Had to go 0.070 total overbore to clean up the corrosion after the car was left unprepped for 23 years in storage. I bored it 0.060 over in 1969, LOL.

But it was quite satisfying to get the car back to the strip after such a long time off. Just hated to mess up the rear fenderwells and quarter panes in the burnout box.

Joe

Mag Red Man

Joe, very impressive numbers for a car that still needs tuning. I'm curious, are you using the TI? Any mods besides being bored out? Any pics you can post?

Joe Lynch

It's the original 66 block and heads with 10:1 JE 0.070 over pistons for the old small chamber heads, Comp Cams hydraulic roller cam and kit, New Holley Street Avenger 870 cfm carb on the stock alum two plane intake, MSD 6AL ignition and distributor, and 1-7/8" Hooker headers using stock head pipes back to Flowmaster 40 series mufflers. It has an alum flywheel, scattershield, M-22 box, Hurst shifter, and 4.11 gears. We put the little ET Streets on it and ran it, unfortunately.

I expect high 11s at 115+ with open exhaust when it is running right. Better than 12.50 at 114 with closed exhaust at this altitude.

Here is the only pic I took Friday night

http://www.lx.net/jlynch/bullit1.jpg

Joe Lynch


[Modified by Joe Lynch, 8:44 AM 8/12/2001]

427Hotrod

Geez.... I thought I was the only one out here!!!

Great to see a C-2 owner willing to take it to the track and play. Just 'cause you run 'em hard doesn't mean you are abusing them. I will work and engine and drivetrain hard at the drop of a hat, but I can't stand a rattle or squeek in the body.

I think you're doing great for the first time out. I've been telling folks forever one of these would be great at the Pure Stock shootouts the magazines are running. They look stock but have subtle mods to make them run.

I run the 10x26's on mine also. I use 8" rally wheels but I have to remove the clips that hold the parking brake cables to the frame so they will move away from the tire. I don't use any spacers.

I tried some 90/10 shocks on mine and unhooked the front swaybar. I found a tremendous difference in "stick". Enough so that the sucker actually bogged on a 3500 launch (previously 1500 was the highest you could go without spinning). Of course coming out harder then killed a stub shaft. Oh well!

I haven't been yet with the 540, but I'm hoping the top end pull will be pretty good!!

Jim

Joe Lynch

427HotRod--Thanks for the note. It looked like I could move the parking brake cable clip from the side of the frame rail to the top and then the sway bar would be the next tight spot.

I am getting some Weld Pro-Stars 15x8 with 3-1/2" backspacing today. I will have to use a little spacer because I calculate a 3-1/4" backspace would be perfect.

I have adjustable Tokico drag struts on my 99 Cobra that work great on the street and on the strip. I may see if I can get the same thing for the Vette. I also have adjustable Hal's on the rear of the Cobra, but don't think I will hold off getting them for the Vette.

Did you twist the halfshaft itself or break a U-joint? Are the Spicer solid U-joints a good addition to a car with the ET Streets?

I'm an addicted drag racer, accumulating over 130 runs in a 99 Cobra over the last year. The Vette is owned by one of my best friends from college. I got to oversee the frame-off restoration, pick the engine components, watch the engine go back together, and now tune it and finish setting it up for street/strip. The car was our "stress breaker" while we were in engineering school in the late sixties. We made many, many informal runs in the car with street tires over those years, and we are going to do it again, this time we will have the time slips to show for it.....and our kids can enjoy the car some too.

"Abuse" to me is not driving the car, LOL.

Joe Lynch
Midland, TX

427Hotrod

Hey I just noticed..... another Texas guy!! I'm in Lubbock tonight and was in Amarillo today on business. I'm gonna have to see this thing when I get out your way!

I'm using regular Spicer U-joints. No breakage yet. What actually broke on mine was the outer stub shaft on the left side. It broke clean in two!

I am using stock 3" later model halfshafts. I have a "Vette Brakes" Smart Struts kit that really helps the whole situation. It eliminates the wild camber change that these suckers go through and helps keep everything in line. This cuts breakage and helps traction at the same time. It's a Win Win!

The other big thing is to cut back on any dry hops at the track. Just do the burnout and pull to the line.

I believe a call to Tom's Diffs is in my future as soon as the money tree sprouts a few uneccessary leaves!

See ya,


Jim

396 RAT

I believe a call to Tom's Diffs is in my future as soon as the money tree sprouts a few uneccessary leaves!
--------------------------------------------
Tom's Diffs in CA?
He set up a 9" L.S for a 69 428 Cobra Jet I used to own.
(About 15 yrs ago) Great guy! Great work!
:cheers:

396 RAT

http://www.tomsdifferentials.com/

Here they are! Real experts!
Didnt know they had a website, when I used them
Gore had not yet invented the internet.
:lol:

Joe Lynch

Thanks for the replies. I have talked to Tom and studied his web site and now have lots of options when the Auburn bites the big one.
Joe Lynch