[Navy Horn 16]

My friends from the shop are all getting into to index racing, and I'm tired of being left out of the fun.

My 77 TA isn't set up for the strip at all, but is fairly quick and runs right at 7.40 in the 8th....11.61 is my best in the quarter. The "slow car" index around here is 7.0, and I think that I might be able to get pretty close to that by going from 3.42s to 4.11s and better suspension.

Any experience/recommendations with adjustable shocks (to replace a stock-ish setup) would be appreciated.

[Scott65]

I'd give the guys at Viking a call and tell them what you're working with and what your goal is. They make some nice shocks that won't break the bank.

[78w72]

depends on your budget, viking and other brands like it are very expensive.

i use budget adjustable "drag" shocks from summit for the test & tunes i go to just to play around & establish a time for my car, no serious racing. they work great for that purpose as well as street use. my best is 11.2-11.3 at 121+mph. thats with a pretty bad traction issue due to the more road race type suspension i have and some fuel starvation issues.

funny thing, these are the same shocks PTFB used to sell with their GT suspension kits for auto cross use, not sure if they still sell them, they have changed the shocks they use a few times over the years.

ive had them in use for 6+ years and they work good set to the loosest postion for track use and middle to firm for street use. they do have to be removed to change settings vs the fancy dials on the expensive ones. if youre on a budget and just want a decent shock for drag/street use vs the normal gas charged street shocks these are a very good value. for serious racers, the more expensive brand shocks are needed.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g7600#overview

[Steve C.]

It's all in the 60-ft


.

[Goatracer1]

I also used Summit Drag shocks. It might also help you to remove the front sway bar.

[Scott65]

I found Viking to be very reasonable for what they are. I can't think of a better situation to have easily adjustable shocks than in a true dual purpose vehicle. FWIW

[Navy Horn 16]

Originally Posted by Scott65

I found Viking to be very reasonable for what they are. I can't think of a better situation to have easily adjustable shocks than in a true dual purpose vehicle. FWIW

Thanks guys. Sounds like I'll be giving Viking a call.

[ta man]

Depends what you want from the shocks..ultimate adjustment for street or track or sacrifice the street a little for cheaper shocks with limited adjustment? With my car I spent the money on Caltracs, split monos and cheaper shocks..and it pulls the front wheels and 60 foots sub 1.5.

[Formulajones]

Depends on whether you want to spend the money on the fancy stuff with external adjustability or not.

I simply run the basic Competition Engineering 3 ways. Yes they have to be removed to adjust but I find it's not even necessary to deviate from the dragstrip setting anyway and just street drive them as is.

It's not like all the horror stories you read on the internet, not even close.

I leave the front set at 90/10 and the rear 50/50. Street drive them everywhere like that and have been for more than 30 years. All I do to go from street to track is unhook the sway bar end links and go racing.
On the street the functional sway bar tames down the 90/10 shocks to a point you hardly even know they are there.

Dad uses the Summit brand of the same shocks, and he also leaves them 90/10 and 50/50. Just hook up the front sway bar and street drive it everywhere. It's just not a big deal. Even on the twisty mountain roads.

Shocks with fancy knobs might be nice but to be honest I'd probably find the setting I want and then never touch them again so the old 3 ways do me just fine.

[blueghoast]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

Depends on whether you want to spend the money on the fancy stuff with external adjustability or not.

I simply run the basic Competition Engineering 3 ways. Yes they have to be removed to adjust but I find it's not even necessary to deviate from the dragstrip setting anyway and just street drive them as is.

It's not like all the horror stories you read on the internet, not even close.

I leave the front set at 90/10 and the rear 50/50. Street drive them everywhere like that and have been for more than 30 years. All I do to go from street to track is unhook the sway bar end links and go racing.
On the street the functional sway bar tames down the 90/10 shocks to a point you hardly even know they are there.

Dad uses the Summit brand of the same shocks, and he also leaves them 90/10 and 50/50. Just hook up the front sway bar and street drive it everywhere. It's just not a big deal. Even on the twisty mountain roads.

Shocks with fancy knobs might be nice but to be honest I'd probably find the setting I want and then never touch them again so the old 3 ways do me just fine.

Same here

GT

[Steve C.]

Not necessarily a recommendation, more for conversation...

Years ago we started with Competition Engineering 3 way shocks set at 90/10 front and the rear 50/50. This was with stock leaf springs and Lakewood bolt on traction bars. Also sub frame connectors.
Moog 6-cylinder coil springs on the front with no sway bar.

Later we installed CalTracs bars with Landrum 300 lb/in leaf springs. The heavy rate rear spring was what Landrum used in the early days in conjunction with the CalTracs development. Today they have their own leaf springs.
Some do not use a heavy rate of leaf spring. We never bothered to change, it works very well. With that setup the rear sway bar is not necessary.

(today front has been replaced with QA1 coil over. And the rear shocks are Edelbrock IAS )

.

[Formulajones]

That's a nice basic setup Steve that is very effective and not overly expensive.

That's how I like to approach what are basically 99 percent street cars. Nothing we have is overly complicated.

Factory 4 link (a body) with relocated upper bars that move instant center and are adjustable to set pinion, factory rear sway bar, cheap 3 way adjustable shocks, control arms boxed, and that's the gist of it. Drives like a stock vehicle but I've gone 1.5 60's and dad dips into the 1.40's like that.

My 70 formula (leaf spring) is much simpler. Kept stock appearing for PS rules. Stock 50/50 rear shocks and up front are oil filled 50/50 shocks that act much looser than a gas charged shock. Modified front control arm bushings that allow more movement for weight transfer and since the sway bar has to be hooked up I honed the sway bar frame bushings so they don't grip the bar tightly. That's basically the front where most of the work went.
The rear isn't allowed a traction device, so stock 50 year old springs with their 50 year old bushings and stock rear sway bar. I do shim the pinion snubber a tad.
It's gone 1.89 60 on stock tires with stock converter and 3.31 gear and still drives and handles like a stock 70 Formula. It's also very consistent. Pic in my heading shows how well it transfers weight.
Not sure at what power level this super basic setup becomes ineffective but when I throw more power at it I'll find out.

[78w72]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

Depends on whether you want to spend the money on the fancy stuff with external adjustability or not.

I simply run the basic Competition Engineering 3 ways. Yes they have to be removed to adjust but I find it's not even necessary to deviate from the dragstrip setting anyway and just street drive them as is.

It's not like all the horror stories you read on the internet, not even close.

I leave the front set at 90/10 and the rear 50/50. Street drive them everywhere like that and have been for more than 30 years. All I do to go from street to track is unhook the sway bar end links and go racing.
On the street the functional sway bar tames down the 90/10 shocks to a point you hardly even know they are there.

Dad uses the Summit brand of the same shocks, and he also leaves them 90/10 and 50/50. Just hook up the front sway bar and street drive it everywhere. It's just not a big deal. Even on the twisty mountain roads.

Shocks with fancy knobs might be nice but to be honest I'd probably find the setting I want and then never touch them again so the old 3 ways do me just fine.

same thing i was saying, all comes down to budget & purpose of the car. almost $1000 for the fancy drag shocks is ridiculous for a mostly street car IMO, those are more intended for serious racers. ~$160-200 for 4 drag shocks that also handle decent on the street is a much better value for the average street strip car.

the summit shocks are basically the same as the comp or lakewood drag shocks just a little cheaper priced. they were sold by PTFB for auto cross or road racing too and when set to the middle or firmest settings they handle very good too.

i leave the rear at 50/50 since i didnt notice much if any difference on the softest setting at the track. but for the fronts 90/10 is too soft for street use, very bouncy & floaty compared to the firmest setting... for my car that sits pretty low the soft setting is too bouncy with my low headers so i prefer to set them firmer for street use since im on the street 90% vs the track. takes all of about 15 minutes to remove them to change settings when im swapping on the drag wheels & other changes for track use.