Power kills parts if you already did not know...........

This entire cylce of trying to always get that much more power from your car is a viscious cycle isn't it. Once its in your veins how does one stop it?

A man sets out to feel that extra pull that we all long for, and achieves that next benchmark, only to become satisfied/bored with that power so you take the next step.........with that step you push another component, and find it when it breaks, so now your off to fix that weakpoint......pretty soon your right back to needing more....and the cycle continues...

About now your probably wondering - what the HELL is he talking about....Just venting is all - but pointing out that we all have the power bug that has NO FIX!

Today we went to the track for the first time this year, just got my motor pieces back last week for my car, so we just took Dads Chevelle, which I got to take down the strip a few times. WOW is that thing a handful!

We just finished installing a new SUPER trick customized A-Body suspension in it. So it was back to the drawing boards with the entire setup.

We started off at 28* total timing, which for a big block 555CI motor is like running a small block at 20* total timing. We wanted to start off slow with it and work into the rediculous power this thing has - as its been a while since we ran it last.

First few runs were a joke - car smoked the tires to the 330' mark! Again we needed to work with the new suspension and get tire pressure, launch rpm etc figured out.

After about the 3rd run dad ask me to take-over. He was not feeling real well when we left (cold that has been going around), so I took the helm. We turned the timing up to 36*, and I went out. Car launched hard, but lost traction about 5 ft out, and I shifted into 2nd and let it eat - GOD that is a GREAT feeling....but man does that thing pull like a train, you can just feel the rear trying to find the slightest reason to be able to go right past the front of the car! So its a real handful going down the strip. Especially when its your first pass of the year. Car went ~137MPH.

Next run we inspected the launch and track for evidence/clues as to what the car wants....and we see massive jump marks where the tires are actually leaving the ground on the launch from wheel hop. The marks were about 1ft part and you could see where the tires came back down and grabbed and jumped up again. VERY distinguishing when you see it.

So we made some more adjustments to offset the hop we were getting. I suite up again and head out. This time I lauch at the same RPM, and the front comes up....up....up......KABOOOOOOOM! And the front drops back super quickl, I immediately leave off the gas and start reaching for the key, while my eyes are finding the oil pressure gage; and my brain is processing where the noise came from (sounded like drivers rear) - eyes find the oil gage at 60psi and holding steady.......ok, it wasn't in the motor.....I give it a little gas and I can hear grinding from the drivers rear and the car wants to pull real hard to the left............HOLY CRAP we snapped the friggin STRANGE aftermarket 4340 axles in this thing! Now that is some power I am thinking to myself! I peddle the car down the track and take the first return road and make my way back to the pits......where dad meets me.

He said that did not sound good at ALL! I explained that I thought it was the rear axle - you should have seen the look on his face - part relief it wasn't something major and part puzzlement that we actually broke one of those massive axles! I said well, at least we know that if it broke that axle we finally achieved a dead hook in this car! Which has been our goal for 2 years! The bad news is the axles are not large enough to take the the power - and get the near 2ton beast off the line in one piece!

We jacked up the drivers side and it was confirmed, twisted off the drivers side axle! Thank god we had c-clip eliminators in the car, or the wheel would have rolled out from under the car and took out the ENTIRE rear quarter panel.

But now the cylce will start all over again. Bigger axles to locate the next weak point. As I asked before.....when does it stop??

Well I was excited to get to the track today. We dodged rain the whole way there, met some SUPER nice guys there at the track, got to make a few runs to get the adrenaline flowing..............just wanted to share the fun/experience with you guys here. I know some of you like the "reports from the track" and since I do not have mine together YET, you will have to settle for a chevelle, in leui of the vette story.

Will post pictures of the devostation!

 

Nice job...first time out and you're already breaking stuff!

but hearing that maks me wonder...will i even get 1 pass out of my D36?

probably not

 

Thats really -it must be great to feel that kind of power shoving you forward.

 

Sounds like a 9 inch is in order. Just ain't nothing like the stump pulling power of a big block is there?

 

stopping right after sentence 1 will allow for a happy life with the car. its overstepping that area where we get into big trouble and expense, pain and aggravation. one major reason why my next dream car is a C6/ZO6, a used 2005, in about 5-6 years, and mod it lightly. by then it will be affordable......505hp right out of the factory.....the stock combo sings out loud in unison without blowing up parts all day. the hobby of continual frustration, downtime and a flow of parts expenses would be no bag of fun for me, because i know in my personality i would some day get really tired of doing that

sorry about the mishap though

 

It never ends, no matter what level you're at. My car is nowhere near the power level of Jesse's vette, yet it's been eating up about $300-$400 of my income each month for one reason or another. And it's not even at the point where I can really drive it yet!! Son of a....!!!

(Tuning equipment is this month's shakedown )

Once I get it tuned properly, I can't wait to get to the track so I can properly destroy driveline components

 

Yep. But the thrill makes it almost worth the time and expense. For me, my focus switched from going fast to beating the competition. I am one of the lucky ones that is somewhat satisfied with the power I am making. So long as it is enough to beat the guy in the next lane. Fortunately, bracket racing makes that possible. I have even been know to race the wife's Buick Le Sabre when the vette was down

 

i've raced my dad's deville...and i think jesse was there to see that!

 

Sorry to hear you broke but glad to hear you got back in the saddle...I'm with Pete and bracket race the snot out of my car..he he..

In my perfect world I would live in a "drag strip" community...it would be an aprtment community built on each side of a drag strip...two floor buildings lining each side of the strip...living space on the second floor and each apartment would have a climate controlled two car garage, with lift, on the first floor...oh yeah, big balconies for each apartment too for those days when you just wanted to relax and watch the races...

I know...I'm nuts...

 

I'll be 62 in a week and a half, my 87 is as close to stock as possible-but believe me I fight the urge-it's just that I've been there, broke that, and replaced it-just to be where you're at! searching for the ultimate. Unfortunately, even when we think we've found it-something else breaks or someone else kicks our butts, another new product comes on the market that will give us that extra 10th, I really don't mean to be negative, I love vettes, but what I found internally (just in me) was I'd rather invest so much and use the rest for other enjoyments, errrrrrrrrrrr, I'm really thinking LTs, no cats, etc. I gotta stop, hell, have fun and enjoy it. Just wish my Dad would've been into it when he was around!