[68lemans462]

I'm not sure if my car is worthy of the "race" forum but what the heck. I've been getting more and more into racing and ran the car a bunch at test & tunes this season. Also did some bracket racing with the local GTO club in the club clash. Probably 100 passes this year. I drive the car to/from the dragstrip and can run with most of the club guys who trailer their cars in. I have not changed anything with the car all year except minor timing changes (30-32 total), and some minor jetting changes and tweaks to the q-jet which is really working well. ET's have steadily improved all year by focusing on learning how to DRIVE.

My previous best was a 12.84 @ 105 in 8000ft DA air. Last night it cooled off and I fattened up the secondary side of the q-jet to a CV (.527" tip) rod. Car liked it and ran a 12.80 @ 104. Air was "good" at 8000DA.... I've been shooting for 12.7x all year and ALMOST got there.

The car 60's best when I bring it up around 2,000 at launch, right on the edge of where it hooks and will break traction. This is more challenging as the night wears on and traction goes to crap. All in all I'm pretty stoked. Car has been dead reliable all year and still running the old UD solid cam that Pontiac Greg Merrick sold me a decade ago.

For next year I'm hoping to improve 60' and my 255/60/15 ET street "R" tires are getting a little tired but have really held up well in the past couple years. Have been talking with Cliff about a 9.5" converter as well and also considering a big rear bar (spohn type).. Would love some suggestions and comments.

[Old Goat Racer]

Keep up the good work. It's addicting.

[steve25]

Well in terms of better hook and while you mensioned sway bars, do you have a front bar on the car, and if so do you have the end links disconnect for better weight transfer?

Congrats on the best times so far Also!

[Scott Stoneburg]

Always feels good to hit a personal best! Congrats.

[dragracerx2813]

Congrats on your personal best.

[68lemans462]

Originally Posted by steve25

Well in terms of better hook and while you mensioned sway bars, do you have a front bar on the car, and if so do you have the end links disconnect for better weight transfer?

Congrats on the best times so far Also!

I have the front bar bushings "shimmed" and the bar moves freely. Have also tried it unhooked but it seems to work very well with the bushings shimmed. I also have some custom 85% springs from coil $pring specialties in the front, stock MOOG in rear. Also 90/10 summit shocks all around, rear air bag on the right side, no hop bars and a factory rear sway with boxed arms. Obviously there is room for further improvements here....

[TCSGTO]

Try some bigger, stickier “fresh” tires. I can fit a Hoosier 275/60/15 drag radial under my 68 and its lowered 2”. The Hoosiers hook as good or better than equivalent size MT’s. They have a 10” tread and are only 27.7” diameter compared to over 28” for MT 275’s. I consistently 60’ in the mid 1.4’s with them at 20psi with cheap shocks and springs.
They’d probably handle all your car can put out and you probably wouldn’t need to buy any more trick suspension parts.

[OCMDGTO]

Congrats on the PR and really cool that you're getting to the track and having fun with it! If you're not spinning I would try a new converter and forget about suspension upgrades. My car got new springs and shocks 13 yrs ago and I upgraded from stock non boxed rear lower control arms to UMI tubulars last year for my new engine. With a converter change it now gets daylight under the driver's front tire. Nothing exotic here, very basic.

[68lemans462]

Originally Posted by OCMDGTO

Congrats on the PR and really cool that you're getting to the track and having fun with it! If you're not spinning I would try a new converter and forget about suspension upgrades. My car got new springs and shocks 13 yrs ago and I upgraded from stock non boxed rear lower control arms to UMI tubulars last year for my new engine. With a converter change it now gets daylight under the driver's front tire. Nothing exotic here, very basic.

I like that idea although it does spin under certain conditions. I'm sure going to a 275 tire would help with traction but it would decrease my 3.42 gear ratio (and maybe 60') and the tires look hideous (too big)... I may borrow a set from my friend who has 2 sets and try them. I run the drag slicks 100% of the time and much prefer the height of the 255/60 tire.

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

[OCMDGTO]

I would definitely try your buddy's tires, you need to stop spinning to get that 60 right. I've tried both 30x9 and 26x8.5 slicks on my car and they were within a few hundredths of a second. I was hoping the 26s would be like a poor man's gear change. 26s fit in the trunk MUCH easier