I actually made it down the strip last Saturday at the corvette challenge. I only made 2 time trial passes, but the engine didnt die, I didnt break anything, and I made it home so I consider that a major victory. My launches are very gentle (no burnout, no wheelspin) and I am granny shifting (2 - 3 shift was verrrry slow!). First pass I was really most interested in just being able to get down the track. (and yes, I pretty much sat there and watched the C5 launch on his way to an 11.80 at 120!). 2nd pass I was paying a little more attention and drove just a tad more aggressively.

(I have M20 and 3.36)

My main question is how much improvement do you think is possible just from driving and practice? What is the lowest et you have seen at 95 mph? :) I feel there is quite a bit to be had from tuning, both distributor and carb. But I also have a real nice set of headers waiting to go on. I would like to add the headers without doing any other mods to measure the affect of just adding headers.

It was a blast, and mid to high 14s is all I expected from the car; SOP feel from driving around town is that this is NOT a fast car! Why did MELVIN drop in a 502? Why is Flareside building and engine? of course, "to preserve the valuable numbers matching original engine" !!! :lol: MJ

 

Times aren't bad, but look at it this way, it wouldn't take much to wake up that big block. I'd reccomend a slightly hotter cam, you have the headers and ignition. Point it you had fun, that's what it's all about. :yesnod:

 

You probably have a lot of time in the slow launch, slippery tires and granny shifting.

If you beat on it you'll probably take off a lot more time than you think :)

 

Nice start! That slow shift killed 'ya, (that's the 2 tenths difference between '60 and '330 feet), but nice and consistent the rest of the way. Need to work on the reaction times, but it's just practice mostly. When trying to improve your E.T., make one change at a time, test it, and try something else. If you do to many things at once, it's hard to tell what helps and what hurts. Congrat's on the first passes, I haven't been brave enough (or confident enough in my old differential!) to run mine yet.

Hans

 

Mark I thought you were Kidding about going to the Challenge this time!!!!

Thats Great!!!

I think you can improve on those passes without changing anything...

I have the same tranny/rear, and my best 60ft is 2.0... I don't launch the car like a mad man but I think you could prob launch harder drippong your short time. You want to find that fine line between spinning and sticking... This could help you loose 2 or three tenths alone.

You could prob bump the timing and ritchen it up a little as well... If I remember you have the stock ignition as well correct? That might be good for another 10th.

And I assume you've checked all the other stuff... Plugs/wires/ air filter/ Freshen that stuff up and it could also help.

Finally Drive it like you stole it!!! Some times you just have to!!! For the most part I'm relatively easy on my car when I'm at the track - no one wants to break something. But every so often, you gotta just go for it. Launch it hard, Speedshift the whole way... and hold on... You never know!!!

BTW... I think the headders will help a great deal!!!!

 

Low 14's are what these cars run on a regular basis stock. Trap speed around 100. In cool weather, with a iced intake and perfect driving it might pull off a high 13.

My '71 454 w/ 4-speed and 3.08 pulled a 14.1 @102 stock.

 

I am impressed that you gave it a good run, and walked away without tearing something up.

Way to go.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I have a pertronix (which I dont really think adds anything), K&N air filter (big whoop), fairly new plugs and wires. Edelbrock #1901 carb. I changed the secondary rods, but havent messed with the primary rods/jets.

This was my FIFTH trip to the track! This is why I was so pleased just to make it down the track!!

1. Went to a corvette challenge but only observed.
2. Another corvette challenge, engine kind of died halfway down the track resulting in one high 16 second pass. (Replaced pump to carb fuel line, inline and in the carb fuel filters)
3. Drove one hour out to Island Dragway, medical emergency (not mine) shut down track so I waited one hour and had to leave without a pass!
4. Went to SLP day at Etown, but it was raining so I didnt take the vette and didnt race.
5. See above :)
MJ

 

Hey MNJack, way to give it a run. I ran for the first time this past weekend myself. I had a blast as well and have stumbled upon what looks to be a new addiction. Like you, I need to improve my reaction time as well. I ran a .5 and a .7 but I also had traction problems and spun the first 10-15 ft. It looks to me like you will be in the 13's just by improveing your reaction time. I think your car is running fine for stock. :cheers:

 

Not bad at all. There is way more in that big block. Headers will really let that motor breathe. You need to be more aggressive off the line and don't be afraid to shift the thing. You will get more comfortable the more passes you make. Just think you could be breaking rears tearing up trannys and breaking motor mounts like me. Just keep having fun with it. :D

 

Mark - You better quit now. :yesnod: You went out there, didn't work the car (or break it either), probably finished your softdrink after you staged and still brought home decent slips. :lol: You are hooked. :D :D :D I wouldn't do anything to it until I made a few more agressive passes to establish a baseline. Headers will be a great start, but you probably won't stop there. ;)

This is going to be a fun summer at your local strip, not to mention parts store. Have fun. :)

Dave

 

"SOP feel from driving around town is that this is NOT a fast car!"
Hey, stop badmouthing a classic! :lol:

You're times look pretty darn good to me considering that you didn't go all-out. I'll bet you hit mid 14s next time out for sure. The top end of the track is where these L36s are pretty weak. The darn engine is just out of air at those rpms.

When do you want to go to Island again? I want to run my 427 with the Qjet on it instead of the old tripower (before I YANK it :)). Maybe I can make it to the next Challenge.

-Joe


[Modified by Flareside, 6:56 PM 5/29/2002]

 

Congratulations Mark! You're hooked now. :D ~Juliet

 

glad to see you had fun :cheers: nice talking to you at the track. see you at the next one?

 

congrats mark
if you go again to island raceway.please let me know.i 've always wanted to try mine but never made it to Etown. :cheers:

 

Mark,

Running 95 MPH you should easily make low 14s. I did 14.66 @ 92-93 regularly . This is in the future for you , I see it in the stars... :eek: Those headers will put you in the 13s easy. Get some decent tires , let the air down and get that thing going off the line.. :yesnod:

Chris

:flag

 

MNJack,
I went racing for the first time in my car, and also had a blast. My reactions were terrible, but I jumped on it pretty hard at the line and shifted hard enough to chipr the tires in fourth. My car is a stock 427/390 with a M21 and a 3.70 rear. I am also running the stock exhuast. My best time was 14.089@99.5MPH. Something else you might want to do is let some air out of the rears, down to 20-25psi. These big blocks overpower the tires like crazy off the line.

Don't worry about the time though, just have fun. A Mustang even beat me to the lights (even though my ET was lower) and I was still laughing.

Good luck. :cheers:

 

ran my1966 427 , oldies day AT NE DRAGWAY, last year, best et 13.7 @ 102 mph.......2.6 60 foot times.....308 rear , L36 CAM, If I had drag radials or slicks 13. 2 would have been possible......had poor traction first & second gear.....get rid of restrictve & very heavy cast iron intake, go with MSD ingnition for starters....................... :crazy: , see mods i made listed below,,,,,WOOF WOOF :crazy:


[Modified by StrayDog, 7:26 PM 5/30/2002]

 

Congrats on finally getting some track time on your Vette! Running the Vette full throttle at the track and testing your driving skills is a thrill in itself! Time slips can become important later on....... the main thing is you got some fun out of it..........I bet the Vette enjoyed getting its legs stretched.

Way to go! All Vette owners should take the opportunity, if available, to go to a track and open it up few times. Vettes are made to be driven....FAST!

 

Bring it to Ennis (Dallas Texas) and I’ll have it running high 13’s by the end of the day.