Which diff for 600hp?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
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From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
I'll probably leave at about 5000 RPM off the brake.. However, I will need a 2nd set of wheels and tires for the brake as I'm running radial slicks which would probably break loose if hit with the transbrake.. Might get a set of 30 x 10.5 - 15 ET Drag slicks on a 2nd set of rear wheels for transbrake use..
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Silver City NM
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
I'll probably leave at about 5000 RPM off the brake.. However, I will need a 2nd set of wheels and tires for the brake as I'm running radial slicks which would probably break loose if hit with the transbrake.. Might get a set of 30 x 10.5 - 15 ET Drag slicks on a 2nd set of rear wheels for transbrake use..
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
Strongly suggest working your way up rather than down to whatever RPM works best on the ET slip, and save some unnecessary trauma to your pocketbook. You might be surprised to find that a lower number than you think does the best job. RPM sounds cool, but sound isn't performance. The less RPM you turn, the less stuff you're going to hurt...
And, don't get stuck in a rut over shift point. Had a big inch drag only car that all the theory said to shift at 6,200, but shifting at 5,900 was a full 1/4 second quicker.
And, don't get stuck in a rut over shift point. Had a big inch drag only car that all the theory said to shift at 6,200, but shifting at 5,900 was a full 1/4 second quicker.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
I personally like solid axles a lot and would have one if I would've found somebody that could've done the conversion in a reasonable amount of time for a reasonable amount of money.. I found somebody AFTER I already went with the 12-bolt.. So far, I'm very satisfied!!! I will go with the spool very soon....
The good thing about still having the IRS is that the world record for a IRS Vette is beatable.. As far as I know, the fastest IRS Vette runs 8.30's... I won't be able to beat it with my current setup (that will be going in soon) but I might be able to get close to that ET with my next setup..which will be built with SB2 Heads and a big shot of spray...
Le Mans Master
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From: Silver City NM
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
I like that once you install a solid axle like a Ford 9 inch or Dana 60, your worries about rear end breakage are pretty much over. As long as everything else is done correctly, that is. 
Dep
Dep
Team Owner
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Race Director
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From: State of Confusion
(since most of this discussion is talking about straight-line/drag-racing )
..... besides reliability, a solid-axle would provide an easier-way to tune the chassis / transfer-weight onto the slicks, making consistent runs easier, with less-worries about the wheels tipping in-board/out-board on launch.....
My fiancee would KILL me if I put a solid-axle under our 27,000-mile '82 (and Tracy Lewis would dis-own me, too! ), but I am still tinkering with the idea if it can be done properly without breaking the bank.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
(since most of this discussion is talking about straight-line/drag-racing )
..... besides reliability, a solid-axle would provide an easier-way to tune the chassis / transfer-weight onto the slicks, making consistent runs easier, with less-worries about the wheels tipping in-board/out-board on launch.....
My fiancee would KILL me if I put a solid-axle under our 27,000-mile '82 (and Tracy Lewis would dis-own me, too! ), but I am still tinkering with the idea if it can be done properly without breaking the bank.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
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Thanks guys, I'm getting some good info... keep it coming.
DJ Dep, you're right, solid axles are the way to go for power. But, I am not going to go with a solid axle. I enjoy the handling of this car too much to give up the IRS. Around a windy road at the top of 3rd and 4th gear is where my car will spend most of her life. I will take this car to the strip every now and then when my GN buddy pushes me to, but not seriously. I doubt that I'll ever own slicks. Also a solid axle conversion is waaay out of my price range. I'm going for an affordable stout IRS.
DJ Dep, you're right, solid axles are the way to go for power. But, I am not going to go with a solid axle. I enjoy the handling of this car too much to give up the IRS. Around a windy road at the top of 3rd and 4th gear is where my car will spend most of her life. I will take this car to the strip every now and then when my GN buddy pushes me to, but not seriously. I doubt that I'll ever own slicks. Also a solid axle conversion is waaay out of my price range. I'm going for an affordable stout IRS.
Last edited by enkeivette; Apr 17, 2007 at 04:20 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 6
From: Silver City NM
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
Thanks guys, I'm getting some good info... keep it coming.
DJ Dep, you're right, solid axles are the way to go for power. But, I am not going to go with a solid axle. I enjoy the handling of this car too much to give up the IRS. Around a windy road at the top of 3rd and 4th gear is where my car will spend most of her life. I will take this car to the strip every now and then when my GN buddy pushes me to, but not seriously. I doubt that I'll ever own slicks. Also a solid axle conversion is waaay out of my price range. I'm going for an affordable stout IRS.
DJ Dep, you're right, solid axles are the way to go for power. But, I am not going to go with a solid axle. I enjoy the handling of this car too much to give up the IRS. Around a windy road at the top of 3rd and 4th gear is where my car will spend most of her life. I will take this car to the strip every now and then when my GN buddy pushes me to, but not seriously. I doubt that I'll ever own slicks. Also a solid axle conversion is waaay out of my price range. I'm going for an affordable stout IRS.
Dep
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,714
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From: Silver City NM
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
If you want to see a thread where we discussed the pros and cons of a solid axle, this is a golden oldie:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1012681
Dep
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1012681
Dep
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,175
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From: State of Confusion
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 6
From: Silver City NM
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
Dep will enjoy this -
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1651829
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1651829
He used what I would use only I'd use a spool instead of the Detroit Locker. The Locker was probably used because he still drives it on the street. Notice he said "rides better (than) the the stock set up." I think the assumption that a solid axle will ride like crap is mistaken. If done correctly with the proper parts, I think it would ride just fine. Dang that looks spectacular. Thanks Glen!!!!
Dep
Last edited by DJ Dep; Apr 17, 2007 at 05:19 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 6
From: Silver City NM
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
Dep
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 6
From: Silver City NM
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
A solid axle rear end is certainly doable for strip or street/strip. The picture I posted in #10 on this thread is the rear end from a Motion Performance Vette (allegedly).
While it's authenticity as a Motion Performance car may be in question, the rear end is certainly real.
Dep
While it's authenticity as a Motion Performance car may be in question, the rear end is certainly real.
Dep
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,175
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From: State of Confusion
for a guy who has the weaker Dana-44 IRS, I'd spend almost that-much in parts-alone to convert & upgrade to pre-'79 standards, and still have a rear-suspension designed to go-around corners, not to plant the rear-tires.....
For a severe-duty drag-race/bracket-car C3, this might be cheap-insurance, and a way to 'forget' about rear-axle/differential problems once-and-for-all.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
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St. Jude Donor '07
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