Well Dad and I headed out to the track with Mom there as filmer.

Main purpose for the day was to test out Dads new Motor we built for his 67 chevelle. Its a 555 CI motor with Grumpy Jenkin Iron Heads, 870 carb (too small), and 2" heads with a bunch of necked down spots for steering clearnace (needs 2.5" primary - Lemon Headers), but we wanted to get it out before the years end and give it a try as is.

The motor sounds AWESOME. I love the way mine sounds, but its about 5X as loud through full exhaust and mufflers. I mean iits BADAZZ sounding.

Anyways we went to Beaver Springs and I wasn't even going to take mine, so I could concentrate on his and getting it tuned in, but moreso cause I had a VERY sick feeling all day yesterday, working on Dads that something wasn't going to be fun with todays racing. I did not know if it was due to his first time out, with a rather intense setup, or the feelings had something to do with my car. We worked from ~9am to 6Pm on his, tweeking, checking everything 2Xs (which made my sick feeling better) then I came home grabbed a quick bite and went out to the gargage and worked/checked over EVERYTHING on my car. Still, something did not feel right. I got in at about 10pm and honestly almost called Dad and said it might be best if we waited. I am not trying to act phychic or anything, but even throughout the night I did not sleep well. Chalked it up to taking his setup out and just first time jitters, but I did not even feel this way with mine the first time.

So we ended up going to the track. Went over his car again real quick and I had to have said to him 20 times, to the point he was probably sick to take it easy the first time down. Which he did, REALLY did, to the tune of a flat 12sec run at only 78 MPH The one track official that always talks to me looked at me and said, that things sure sounds quicker than that.. I commented back, that was only with 2 spark plug wires on it. He laughed and said, I guess that explains the "lopey idle".

Dad said the car felt good, oil pressure was good and all seemed like a go for the first hard run, but the car needed to cool so I took mine out for a blast.

My nerves once I got in the car were gone and everything was as usual. The one track offical came up to the window and said they just put me down some goo, and it should be a good run for me. I did my burnout and did my 2 usual bunny hops, which felt like they pulled the wheels on both, so I new it would be a decent launch. Staged and when the last yellow came on - My nerves were the last things on my mind Made the pass and it felt pretty decent except a little slip out about 20 feet or so. Got the slip and it was another new best.

10.61@130.73MPH Mom got it on tape and I will have my bro put it on video to put up on here.

At that point Dad was ready to go back out. To shorten this already long story we made several passes with the timing down at ~31* and his pressure down around 4.5psi. After these passes with some pretty bad wheel spin I bumped up his timing to about 34* and gave his some things to do on the launches. His 60' times came down from a miserable 1.9 to 1.7 and it ran 10.8@129MPH. This MPH in that TANK of a car is COOKin.

I said are you ready to make it a little hairier this run and he was pumped and ready for more. I moved the timing ahead to 35* and put the pressure up to 6psi (about where it should have been).

To my total astonishment, and this is no exageration, he launched this time, pulled the front off about 1 ft, and the car lost traction at about 10 ft out and you could see white smoke apearing more and more as he went out further and further but the car went super straight, but I was saying to my self or out-loud " get out of it!" When he hit second gear things got FASTer and much more smoke started to POUR off the tires. At this point it looked like a TOP fuel dragsters burnout, only he at about the 1/8 mile now and I can barely see the rear of the car. Just enough to see the rear start walking around the front of the car- at this point I am about to close my eyes for fear of the worst, but he got out of it and it straightened back out. I try to to cuss around my mom too much, but I thing the F word came out a few times as I sighed in relief.

I met dad back at the pit area to have it pull up and say, "This things is an ANIMAL!".

After that I told him to cool the car down and do a few things to the suspension and I would take another pass in mine in the meantime. I went out and did my burnout, did my bunny hops and it felt really good. Got to the staging line and let it Rip! Just as I thought to myself, "This MOTHER hooked that time!" BAMMMM! Something broke HARD.

I was instantly on the brakes and skidded to a stop, pressing on the brakes as hard as I could. I knew either a spindle broke or a 1/2 shaft by the way the car jerked to the side at the time of the break. Geting on the breaks hard is something I think about in the event of a breakage ever time I go to stage. As I want to minimize the carnage of the 1/2 shaft slamming around under the car.

I unbucked and got out of the car, as all the tech guys came running. I bent down and looked at the drivers 1/2 shaft to see it twisted like a piece of lycurish (sp) I did a quick accessment of damage and it looked like it was all to the 1/2 shaft and nothing else was even touched. I had a chuckle with the one tech guy as we kneeded there looking at the breakage. I really can't even be mad about it, since those shafts are original stockers, with easily over 500 passes on them at this level.

A few of the tech guys and Dad came over to help push the car back through the lanes to the trailer, where it was loaded up. The entire things on video and I will post the launch with the breakage and some up on trailer shots.

Back to Dads setup and times. After we got the car loaded I was sorta relieved that I figured that is why I was feeling the way I was and now I could focus on Dads ride.

He had a few more passes where the car would totally anilate the tires and he had to get out of it. It started to be frustrating, especially after they prepped the track out to about 50 ft just for him. The tech guys told me there is NO WAY that car is going to spin on this run. Dad proved him wrong with a total John Force Burnout to about the 100 ft mark, where you got out of it, and then tried to get back into it and it blew the tires off again in 2nd gear. A bunch of guys came up to me as I walked back to the pits in, and started asking what the Hell sorta motor is in that car. They though it was running a HUGE shot of Nirtous or some sorta Pro Charger. I explained it was all motor and this was the first time out with it. They just couldn't believe it.

At this point we only had about 3 easy passes complete and it ran 10.8s, so I said I would turn the fuel pressure down a tad and for him to just drive it out of the hole sorta hard but not get on it fully, until it was rolling then roll onto the gas pretty to WOT. That way it might not break loose. He did perfectly, not an ounce of spin, and at about the 100 ft mark I could hear it singing. The car you could tell all the way out to the ~1/8 mark was pretty loose and barely hanging onto traction. He blew through the traps at a 10.5@132MPH!! The 1/8 MPH was over 104MPH and very close to 105, can't recall the exact .XX.

Dad came back with a ****ty grin on his face I was total amazed to see the 10.5 on a 1.68 60 ft time!! I mean if you saw this thing leave the line it easily could go bottom 1.4 to 1.3 if it could hold the traction. That would put this Sorta mismatched setup at very low 10s! In a car pushing 4K pounds.

I am certain with the right carb and Headers this thing would go 9s with NO problem at all, and with good aluminum heads, at least mid 9s, maybe faster with a good 60' time.

So my question is was today a good race day or bad.

I vote GOOD without a doubt.

sorry for the long post, but it was exciting today and I wanted to share the time with you guys. I will post the picture and videos ASAP.

 

first, cool it's a family thing now i will read it slow

 

Quite a story dude.....your fingers hurt'n??

Well, taking a new setup out on it's maiden run is always an adventure and you never know where's it's going to wind up....so dispite your ripped up 1/2 shaft....it's sounds like Dad's motor is making some power.....so that's good. Now you gotta figure out how to hook it up. Good luck.

 

Sound's like a good day, lot's o fun.. can't wait to see the video..

 

Looks like pops is king of the hill again
What a great way to spend a day with the folks

 

i read it slow,,,,, wow ..... yes i need to see the video why
can't you hook Dad's car??? do you have better slick's???? Dad win's
,,cause your's is broke Not funny but you must understand

 

For me it was a great day of dragracing ! The incident that happend with the Half Shafts take it as an excuse for upgrading your half shafts ! maybe a set of steel denys drive shafts are in your future

 

Kinda gave me a sick feeling to read about where the car was barely hanging onto traction. A '68 Chevelle did the same thing at our track last night. He tried to stay in it, lost it, took out a '69 Camaro in the other lane, then went backwards over the guardrail. Not a pretty sight.

 

Sounds like a good time (other than the half shaft).

 

It's my Monday morning read! I think a pretty good Family weekend EXCEPT for the half shaft!

 

ANy day racing is a good day.

 

It was definately an interesting day at the track. We all enjoyed the time despite my 1/2 shaft failure, even I chuckled a little over it. After that many passes, its a small price to pay and intentionally left as the weak link, in hopes the damage in a breakage would be minimal, and its an easy/semi-cheap fix.

I called around to the local GM dealer, who laughed when I said I was looking for a part for an 89 vette. "He said, so what did you break now Jesse." Before I could even introduce myself. :o

I explained what I was looking for and he told me they were 254.00 dollars apiece I told him he was killin me and he said, no its the power thats killing ya. I couldn't argue.

After he checked on availability and other possible cheaper places he said he would give them to me for $225. I said I would have to think about it since Denny's has steel ones that would be stronger, but I was not sure if I wanted to make them stronger and start breaking something else. So he said how does $190 sound? I said its starting to make the decision easier, but the $$ was not what I was really struggling with. I said it was the strength thing. So he said, ok let me make it an easy decision for you...$175.00. I said order it to be in tomorrow for me

He said not a problem, you buy alot of stuff from us and we like hearing your stories..

We are super happy with Dads car thus far. Traction problems and lotsa upgrades possible that you know are going to make it quicker are the problems we like.

 

Jesse, Ron at Contemporary sells them for $35 each. May want to pick up a pair for spares for that quick, between rounds thrash. I know new is better but used will get you by. Also dana sells the complete 1/2 shaft with u-joints installed for similar money. Last ime I ordered one it took forever from gm. My local dana distributor had it in a day. Just thought you might like to know.

 

I know how you feel about the 1/2 shafts. I broke both of mine last week!

 

Pete. Were the dana's only 35 bucks too?

Maybe I should tell just go the contemporary vette route anyways... That is a alot of cash to save, hell I could buy two sets and still not barely break the 100 mark.

I will call them tomorrow and maybe just go that route, these ones lasted me well over 200 runs. I can't hardly say that is not adequate service. I have seen Strange axles on similiar size motored cars twisted into a spiral. Those things are HUGE and on alot lighter car as well.

I watched the video tonight. It felt inside the car much worse than it looks. But you can definately see something let loose. Got the 10.61@130.7 run on video and several of Dads.

The video of Dads was at a different angle than I was watching it and it smoked them to the 330 foot mark, than he got out of it. It looked further down the track from the official's and my position when it happened.

There was a photographer laying right next to the track when he went by. The guy must have nerves of steal as he did not even budge! I asked him if that scared the crap out of him later and he replied, "Did I move?"

 

Pete K,
Are you sure about that price? Something sounds fishy. You didn't leave a 1 or a 2 off of in front of that $35.00, did you? Spicer gets about $25.00 each, just for the u joints. If that is correct, I'm buying shafts, next time rather than joints.

Jesse,
No doubt about it. That's a GOOD day. Even with your bad luck, you got lucky. Have you considered half shaft loops?

RACE ON!!!

 

You should have bought the new pair (w/Spicer u-joints) of haft shafts that I sold for less than the price for one.

 

You're right. $25.00- $30.00 for a pair of NEW half shafts is a STEAL.

RACE ON!!!

 

I was surprised to see that the shafts when broken can't travel all that much from side to side. They can come in contact with stuff, but they are rather light and can't really move much, cause the U-joints keep them somewhat straight. There is NO WAY they could ever hit the ground, as the lower suspension bar keeps it from coming down.

Also as I said they are really "lightweight" so they just sorta bounced around in there. I actually drove it into the dealership, really slow.

Don't get me wrong if you were stupid enough to stay in it for any amount of time, it would definately cause some damage, and after watching the video you can hear when it broke, my RPM went sky high and the other sides wheel instantly broke traction, since all the power went through that wheel, but with the spool that side that broke was definately spinning pretty fast for a short period of time.

I think for precautionary purposes, I will put a thin .125" piece of aluminum sheeting up along the ABS housing/capartment and one on the other side, just so it another goes it doesn't crack that housing.

 

Wow! I screwed this one up pretty good. What I meant to say is the dana (new) unit is similar money to new GM. Mine took forever to arrive thru my local chevy dealership. Local Dana dealer quickly located and delivered my half shaft. I was racing everyweekend and needed it fast. Ron at Contemporary only sells used shafts @ $35 each. I keep a couple of good used around for the quick fix. Sorry I confused the post. I still think a pair of used ones on the trailer is a good idea though