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TIAUTOMAN · 12-28-2002, 11:17 PM

Ive raced before, but havent done it in a while.
The best the car ran before was 12.90's....
Car always went straight. I hope it still will.

Old Man Taylor · 12-28-2002, 11:48 PM

I worked 8 years getting my racecar done. It is the first car where I had every nut and bolt off of the car. The brakes were different (front disk conversion), etc. Plus I had never raced an engine that never had any miles on it before. My first day at the track was a very anxious one. Greg Minor called me "nervous Norvis". On my first run I went all out to the eighth mile then hit the brakes hard to make sure they worked. The people at the track thought that I had broken something. My second run was an all out run, but it was still anxiety to assure I could stop in the short shutdown area of our track. I made three runs that day and all three were singles. The track is quite good about that with a new car. My best on that day was 11.05. It got quicker as I got more familiar with the car and settled in on launch technique, shift points etc.

http://www.jimspontiac.homestead.com/Index.html

Goatman · 12-29-2002, 06:28 AM

Most optimum way to "break in" your car and yourself would be to go to a track rental.

Chance favors the prepared mind.

Tom Vaught · 12-29-2002, 09:10 AM

Quote:

"Ive raced before, but havent done it in a while.
The best the car ran before was 12.90's....
Car always went straight. I hope it still will."

BIG difference between a car that runs 12.90s and
a 650 hp car that should run 9.60s on how the car launches, moves around, etc.

I would not want to be next to you until I was sure that you knew what the car was going to do.
Bad enough whe you have two experienced 9 second
drivers. Tom V.

If you will notice OMT had years of racing on the street with fast cars and he still was cautious.

David Holmberg · 12-29-2002, 11:16 AM

Copy that!

Old Man Taylor · 12-29-2002, 11:42 AM

I also failed to mention that my streetcar had already run 10.80, so I had quite a bit of experience driving a 10-11 second car. However, it was a true streetcar. One of the things I did to prepare for my new car (and to keep me motivated towards the end of the project) was to go to Frank Hawley's Drag School. It was a great learning experience. I chose the Super Gas Trans Am, as that would handle closer to my project car than the dragster. Although the class is pricey, but it was extremely worthwhile. I used it to get my NHRA Competition license, which qualifies you to run standard wheel base cars in the 7.50-9.99 performance class. I ran 9.54 at 144. It turns out that my racecar handles more like the drag school car than my streetcar due to the 12-point roll cage and other suspension mods. My anxiety at the track had nothing to do with my concern about controlling the car. It was about the integrity of what I had put together. When making the kind of performance jump that you are making it is wise to start slowly. The way they made you do it in the drag school was to start with a 200-foot run. All runs had to have the gas pedal floored, or the run was over. After the instructor was happy with the control you exhibited with the run he would approve you to go to the next distance. Otherwise you repeated your run. The distances were 200’, 600’, 1000’ and then the full quarter mile.

http://www.jimspontiac.homestead.com/Index.html

GoatRider · 12-31-2002, 09:42 AM

Hey Travis,

Congrats on moving your project along, sounds like it will be done far ahead of mine. Like you I have not raced in anything with serious horsepower for a number of years. (Went as quick as 10.79 back when the GTO still had a BBC in it circa 1992.)

I don't know which side of town you live on, but if I were you, I would take it out to either Speedworld on a Wednesday or Firebird on a Friday night "run what you brung" night. They are both excellent surfaces so you can eliminate poor track conditions from your (probably long) list of variables.

Follow the advice from some of the older-wiser guys here and tell the track techmen that it is your first time out with the car. They will let you run a single, they are always interested in safety. Conversely if you just go balls out and get squirrelly they may very well ask you to leave. They will DEFINITELY not let you run again if you break under the ET limit or over the speed limit without the proper NHRA comp. license.

Good luck, hope to see you at Pontiac Heaven Drags.

"Nothing Beats an Ol' Goat..."

Bruce Meyer · 12-31-2002, 02:55 PM

Travis- I wouldnt take it to Speedworld on a Wednesday night. They dont treat the track on Wednesday night. Plus all the ricers go out there on Wednesday night and they leave marbles all over the track. Take it out on Friday night and let everyone get their first runs in before you take a shot at it. That way there will be some decent rubber laid out.

TIAUTOMAN · 01-01-2003, 02:48 AM

I live Phoenix, near 43rd ave and camelback area.
Are any of you in PHX near me?

GoatRider · 01-02-2003, 11:56 AM

Nope, I live way out East of Phoenix actually but work downtown near the airport. "PonchoPete" lives out your way tho.

"Nothing Beats an Ol' Goat..."

TIAUTOMAN · 01-02-2003, 06:34 PM

Ive spoke to him once, I bought my carb fittings from him.

ponchopete · 01-04-2003, 12:50 AM

Bruce Meyer is right. If you want to get a handle on the car without it getting too loose at the track, take it to SpeedWorld on Friday night. Just be prepared to only get two, MAYBE three passes in, as they really cater to the bracket cars. Once you get comfortable, then I'd suggest taking it Wednesdays. The track doesn't work as good, as they don't do much prep, but it's a lot more fun ('cause you can beat up on the ricers), and you can make five or six passes without rushing things. Once you get it running, you should bring it up to Sonic on 35th Ave. & Union Hills on a Saturday night. That's where all the "street racers" meet, around 10:30. It's always nice to see some fresh iron roll in that's actually fast.

"My car would be fast if it had an engine, transmission, and rear axle in it."

TIAUTOMAN · 01-04-2003, 05:25 PM

Hey Pete How is your car coming?
Are you gonna be ready in April?
Still Hopin I will............Its all about money.
Speed world has gotten really busy in the last couple of years. I can remember going out there
and running all night one right after another.

ponchopete · 01-05-2003, 01:36 AM

My car has a very nice protective layer of dust over it right now.

I'm hoping I can have it ready for Steve's event in April. It won't have a cage in it by then, so I'll probably get booted. If the new engine isn't ready in time, the old junk 350 is still sitting in the engine bay, so I might just take it out with that P.O.S. still in place to at least show some support for the event. I know it's got a mid 11 in it with the 350 and some bottle, so I shouldn't get smoked too bad.

"My car would be fast if it had an engine, transmission, and rear axle in it."

TIAUTOMAN · 01-05-2003, 07:43 AM

I hear ya, I hope my car will make it. Im pretty sure its not going to be done. But Miracles happen.....

GoatRider · 01-07-2003, 02:48 PM

If all 3 of us get there by April we can form the "PY Board AZ Miracle Team"

LOL.. good luck guys.

"Nothing Beats an Ol' Goat..."

Tom McQueen · 01-07-2003, 03:30 PM

While theres no way Ill have the 545 done by April, the car itself will be mechanically ready (that means no paint or interior). I might be able to slide my SD-455 into the GTO and run that. Im using the SD as my mock up engine so it wouldnt be a big deal to just hook it up.

GoatRider · 01-07-2003, 04:30 PM

An SD engine to use as a mock-up block. You SHOW OFF!!!

"Nothing Beats an Ol' Goat..."

TIAUTOMAN · 01-07-2003, 09:29 PM

Santa just showed up a little late....better late than never...He left me a 3.5 in Exhasut system
from torque tech......Hope it fits...

ponchopete · 01-07-2003, 10:30 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by GoatRider:
If all 3 of us get there by April we can form the "PY Board AZ Miracle Team"

LOL.. good luck guys.

"Nothing Beats an Ol' Goat..."
http://www.wacomquartz.com/images/li...on2orqcopy.jpg
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sounds good to me!

I just now got a deal in the works to get the machine work done to my block, which is what has been holding me up. Damn near $1,300 is hard to come up with on a single income with a mortgage!

If this goes through, I should be able to have my Lemans at Steve's event with the new 467 in it. Since nobody really responded to my nitrous parts I had for sale, it looks like the nitrous motor will be going together. I'll see if I can't bury the crank in the starting line! (lol)

"My car would be fast if it had an engine, transmission, and rear axle in it."

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