[CraigG.]

Everybody,

I've been following and watching in earnest all of the NHRA stock eliminator cars run and have been baffled by the way in which the run often so fast with such low mile-per-hour. I didn't know if sometimes they have throttle stops on them so that they can have amazing ET's and still have much lower mile-per-hour. Some examples are of a ET of 9.71 and 119 miles an hour, Extreme power with appropriate MPH 8.40 at 154.90 miles per hour and 10.32 at 118 mph, 11.2 at 97 mph – Etc.

Thanks guys for the info.
Craig

[sdbob]

I often have wondered same thing. I would guess everything is maxed out. GMs have the $$$$ metric trans. Maybe even some port work with acid. Stock lift cams though. Blocks are machined perfectly. They have found out what works. I had some advice from John Herslow when I built my SD. He had run 11.86 in east coast air. He recommended 4.56 gears for the 455,with stk valve springs! I tried them it was very hard,spinning slicks at launch. Tried leaving off idle, tried leaving about 2200. I did initially get 12.17,110 locally with all stk GM parts.Then life for me changed and I let the car sit. It costs big money to run stk I've been told.

[Elarson]

I'm by no means an expert, but if a racer is well ahead and sure to take the stripe first, they may choose to lift and brake to protect their index. Go too quick and NHRA factors your engine HP higher. Same for Comp Eliminator.

Eric

[misterp266]

Agree with Eric. Protect the “index”.

In my opinion, real racing is heads up, no break out.

[Stan Weiss]

I agree about protecting their index. But it still comes down to et is early in the run and MPH is late in the run. So traction, traction, traction. How about running a low rear end gear and maybe running out of RPM before the finish line along with a T200 with a 2.66:1, 2.84:1, or 2.91:1 first gear. On an all out run if you take et x mph and that is very much above 1320 something is not working right.

Stan

[Jack Ferris]

I'm pretty sure transmission and converter technology plays a big part. Keeping the engine at its peak hp the whole run.

[CraigG.]

It certainly seems to have to do with high launching RPM.

Do they use 2-steps or retard connected to the brakes?

No trans brakes???

[johnta1]

No trans-brakes.
No delay boxes.


2-step allowed per regs:

[Skip Fix]

Figure too most of those folks have shelves full of convertors, cams etc and have been racing the same car for years and years to dial it in.

And some do the acid porting but cams. John Schloe gave me the lobe numbers for hos 69 RAIV Firebird cam-that was in the 10s in the 80s. 274/274 @ 0.050!! I tried installing it in my RAIV 400 with TRWs-not enough V_P for me! Asked john about that-custom block dowels to perfectly align valve into piston valve pockets!

[tom s]

Even to stock classes are wheels up on the launch!Amazing how hard they leave.The SS are even more crazy.I think the John Angeles SS race car will be available soon.Its a amazing car.Tom

[Mr Anonymous]

Originally Posted by Jack Ferris

I'm pretty sure transmission and converter technology plays a big part. Keeping the engine at its peak hp the whole run.

A bracket racer friend of mine overgears his car on purpose, and rides just under the rev limiter for a good bit of the back half of the run, because if he can make the last "x" amount of the run a constant, that is one less variable.

[Stan Weiss]

Originally Posted by CraigG.

Everybody,

I've been following and watching in earnest all of the NHRA stock eliminator cars run and have been baffled by the way in which the run often so fast with such low mile-per-hour. I didn't know if sometimes they have throttle stops on them so that they can have amazing ET's and still have much lower mile-per-hour. Some examples are of a ET of 9.71 and 119 miles an hour, Extreme power with appropriate MPH 8.40 at 154.90 miles per hour and 10.32 at 118 mph, 11.2 at 97 mph – Etc.

Thanks guys for the info.
Craig

Many of those MPH are because they are on the brakes. Look at those MPH when they run all out for a National Record.

Stan

[ponjohn]

They run loose tolerances.
Flow a 100 sets of heads and choose the best ones
Super efficient Metric 200 trans
Acid dip the body
Plus tons of other tricks that aren't published.
Dyno many stock rules camshafts

Late 80's into the early 90's I helped on a few Div 1 cars.

[scott70]

I believe they run their oil level in the motor as low as they can ,,, just enough so the motor survives.

[CraigG.]

How much $ to change from a T400 with a brake to a metric 200 with a brake - just wondering?

[77 TRASHCAN]

Originally Posted by CraigG.

How much $ to change from a T400 with a brake to a metric 200 with a brake - just wondering?

I was told by a racer that had such, the trans was $5000.00 and the converter was $3000.00...........been 4 years ago or so, price would HAVE to higher now...

[Stan Weiss]

Originally Posted by CraigG.

How much $ to change from a T400 with a brake to a metric 200 with a brake - just wondering?

One of the better ones. https://scottmcclayengineering.com/

Stan

[hojs69]

I had just this conversation recently with a multi-winner S and SS racer at a NHRA national event. I was told "$12,000" in the transmission.

[hojs69]

Another 'rough' data point from a John L. for sale posting semi-recently.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...t=transmission

As my dad used to tell me........"You wanna play, you gotta pay!"

[mgarblik]

NHRA Stock Class and Super Stock racers who are at the top of their game, put tremendous effort in their rides. Many of the cars running 1 second or more under their index are cars that have been owned and raced for decades, with thousands of hours of development in engines, transmissions and suspensions. I hate to make a blanket statement about the money it takes to be a top runner in these classes, but I have a fair number of friends with these cars. Investing $250,000.00 over a number of years in these cars is not at all out of the question. These guys are serious, very detail oriented, and dedicated to being the best in class.

Bracket racers, can choose to be just as dedicated, and invest similar money if they choose to. But it's not necessary to be a top bracket racer. Reliability, consistency, and great reaction times take you further in bracket racing. JMO.