[rad400]

Johnny Glad the new motor is working out well. Good luck at Pinks.

[Johnny406]

Well darn, we got rained out tonight. That is the 2nd time this year for me but...what can you do. I really wanted to get some track time this weekend. My track doesn't have any racing this weekend but I can run it next Friday, Sat, and Sunday.

[Johnny406]

We did some "wacking" on the car yesterday in order to get the bigger slicks to fit. I was running 28x9x15 Toyos, I now have a set of M/T stiff sidewall 29.5x10.5x15's stuffed in there.

Here's some before and after shots, think that will be enough room. I have 22psi in the slicks at the moment so they would be a bit fat for this.

I'll start sanding today. We're going to run it hard this weekend, we have racing Fri night and all day Sat & Sun

[cuz68]

That was on speed tv tonight, I watched it, Very sad show if you ask me, I did not see a ponitac at all? All i saw was chevy-ford- dodge? I thought the guy in the chevy should have one it, NO they had to bring the dodge -to dodge out for the money? Sad show they puled that hit at bristol also.

[Johnny406]

Originally Posted by cuz68

That was on speed tv tonight, I watched it, Very sad show if you ask me, I did not see a ponitac at all? All i saw was chevy-ford- dodge? I thought the guy in the chevy should have one it, NO they had to bring the dodge -to dodge out for the money? Sad show they puled that hit at bristol also.

I only saw the season premire and was really disappointed. The took our grassroots drag racing show and made Reality Drag Racing For Dummies

They had a real winner

[Johnny406]

I got two runs in today, the 1st was a shakedown run and ran a easy 13.6. The second run I clocked a personal best 1.74 60 ft time and then proceeded to turn my driveshaft into a pretzel and break a u-joint. Must say, the motor is running strong...

[uforacing]

That sucks.

[hal101]

bummer

sounds like you have some power there

[Johnny406]

No doubt I was on a personal best run when I broke it. That was a 1st for me, when it snapped it was LOUD, I thought I lost my new motor but it's fine, the rev limiter did its job. I can't believe how far I was able to coast the car as the shaft took out a brake line. I lost it around 1000 feet and still ran a 13.88 at 96.24 mph. Since there was no smoke and fluid, I rode it out to the first turn off (a swooping right) and coasted all the way to the turn off road. I didn't want to hit the e-brake and flat spot my slicks.

I'm real happy the rear joint snapped and the front of the shaft didn't try and join me in the car.

[66bonne]

Glad to hear it was only a drive shaft even tho' that still blows. Keep hammerin'

Jim

[Johnny406]

A friend came over and we "studied" the driveshaft. It looks like the u-joint snapped and the damage to the shaft was from banging around and being dragged.

The u-joints were greasable heavy duty ones I bought and had pressed in about two years ago. I will go ahead and have a heavy duty shaft made up by Drive Line Specialties in Colorado Springs early in the week. I will either run solid 1310 series or go up to 1330-1350 series if I can rapidly find the yokes. I really wanted to get some "quality" track time prior to Pinks next week but...

[TEMPERMAN67]

Johnny you may want to check your pinion yoke and rear gears sometimes that shock of a broken driveshaft can affect trans. or rearends just be precautious and safe as well. Good lUCK

[Johnny406]

My quest for Pinks has ended, I just found that I busted the housing on my new two run transmission when I lost the driveshaft/u-joint.

The good news is the good folks at Bandimere are allowing me to award my spot to another racer and I think I have a suitable Pontiac replacement.

That's racing...

[screamingchief]

What sorta loop were you running?

I'm just curious because I've always had a theory about those "no drill" loops that use the trans mount as the mounting point.

Personally I've chosen to run front & rear loops to hopefully try and reduce any additional damage should the shaft/yokes/joints fail.

Sucks about the trans damage.

Bret P.

[Johnny406]

Originally Posted by screamingchief

What sorta loop were you running?

I'm just curious because I've always had a theory about those "no drill" loops that use the trans mount as the mounting point.

Personally I've chosen to run front & rear loops to hopefully try and reduce any additional damage should the shaft/yokes/joints fail.

Sucks about the trans damage.

Bret P.

I was running one of those F-body performance front loops, the type that attach to the trans mount. In the past, I couldn't figure a way to use the lakewood universal loop I had for the rear. I was just looking in my Quarter-Max catalog at diffrent rear loops and even tunnels. Yeah, this sucks but it's part of the game. I'm just trying to learn from it and share my "luck" in hopes to help others not to have the same such luck.

[screamingchief]

Well,I''ll fill you in on my "theory" about those "no-drill" loops.

It long been my suspicion that those no-drill loops tend to do exactly what happened to you when there is a shaft failure,my feeling is the just translate all those forces from the shaft failure,right into the trans case itself,and thus they often end up breaking the trans case/tailshaft housings when there is a failure.

That's why I prefer the loops that mount either to the body,or to the frame itself,and not to anything directly tied to the trans itself (like the trans crossmember).

I plan on using the Metco front loop for the front of my '72 bird,I got one of their loops for the front of the '70 Lemans/GTO race car,and I gotta say I really like that piece.

Not really sure if I'll run a rear loop on the firebird,as it's mostly intended as a street car...

For the rear loop on the race car,I reworked one of those universal Lakewood loops that was on the front of the race car when I bought it as a roller.

Anyhow,Those are just some thoughts that passed thru my mind when I read that post of yours Johnny,I had a feeling it was a loop like that,thought I might share my thoughts to give you something to mull over when you ponder this whole event.

Bret P.

[Johnny406]

Brett,

I just spent a good 30 minutes and two glasses of wine laying under the car studying everything. I think you have a really good point and I'lll add that the loop doesn't do the driveshaft alignment any favors either. That loop brings the tail of the trans up about 1/4". 48.5" later, that is a good ways.

[OINK 1]

Got ya a tranny. It's the BAD BOY spare I built for the Flying Piglet ! Blue clutches, Kevlar bands, all new bushings,etc., Manual valve body. See ya Thursday am. Need address / directions.I'll bring the HSD w/ 930 vac. carb.Killer 60' times set up. If we can, we'll swap the heads to the monster ones I built for you , and the UD solid. Do you have a degree wheel ? What else do you need? Gaskets? So, CALL ME ! Oh, I guess "Region Warrior" can't afford to have his heads ( 13's) done. Never responded to me ! Oh well !

Pontiac Gregg

[Johnny406]

Originally Posted by OINK 1

Got ya a tranny. It's the BAD BOY spare I built for the Flying Piglet ! Blue clutches, Kevlar bands, all new bushings,etc., Manual valve body. See ya Thursday am. Need address / directions.I'll bring the HSD w/ 930 vac. carb.Killer 60' times set up. If we can, we'll swap the heads to the monster ones I built for you , and the UD solid. Do you have a degree wheel ? What else do you need? Gaskets? So, CALL ME !

Pontiac Gregg

[Johnny406]

You know your bellhousing is broke when: You don't have to unbolt it to pull it out...