10 Second Club - Am i good for 10's? Trying to get ready for next year!

1998 TransAM
guessing around 3700# with me in it (yes its heavy but dont wanna strip it down to bad, maybee some suggestions on what can be removed?)
Pullout 5.3 with 317heads
02 ZO6 Cam
FM MPT70/.96AR turbo at 14psi
9" with 3.70 gears
th400 RMVB w/brake, BTE 8" 3000 stall
28" MT 275/60/15, 26" MT skinnies
BMR lca's, panhard, stb... Spohn TQ arm

no front swaybar, heat shields removed, egr gone

The car put down 528HP and 491TQ at 5500rpm (hope to have it 600+ when i get it to pull past 5500rpm, I have issues to figure out there)

So what do you guys think? Can i get a 10 second pass?

I am also looking to get some ideas for weight reduction without making it look like a drag car....

i would really like to get a 10 sec pass and want to start to prepare this winter so im ready in spring when the tracks open...

O ya did i mention ive never ran down a track yet..? lol

Thanks guys,

Blaine

Blaine since nobody else has replied. The car could do 10s but you really need some seat time down the track. Its different then the street! Also dont guess the cars weight go to a truck stop and weight it for around 10 bucks. As forl ight stuff, Weld rims,lighter seats,remove boom box and spare tire and trash. Wish you luck and all i can say is practice practice practice.

Blaine since nobody else has replied. The car could do 10s but you really need some seat time down the track. Its different then the street! Also dont guess the cars weight go to a truck stop and weight it for around 10 bucks. As forl ight stuff, Weld rims,lighter seats,remove boom box and spare tire and trash. Wish you luck and all i can say is practice practice practice.

Ya i figured it was alot different than the street... I will have to just drive the car to work and weigh it.

I have the rims, no spare or jack... I could probably lose about 100# if i got rid of the stereo stuff, lol.

I'll probably run a 12 my first run, lol.... have to start somewhere though!

Thanks for the reply!!

Blaine

I hear to leave on the last yellow... is this right?

Any other tips and secrets would be appreciated guys!

rear tires at 15 psi for ur weight. fronts at 40. lose the front sway bar for track day. cut side impact beams out. a headache but worth 20 or so pounds. wont take long to remove rear seat and speakers. you can allways reinstall them later. your exhaust is what will keep u from the tens imo.

rear tires at 15 psi for ur weight. fronts at 40. lose the front sway bar for track day. cut side impact beams out. a headache but worth 20 or so pounds. wont take long to remove rear seat and speakers. you can allways reinstall them later. your exhaust is what will keep u from the tens imo.


swaybar... permanetally gone
Exhaust... Just a dowpipe dumped by starter
A/C stuff gone
windshield washer tank gone
radiator overflow gone
abs gone

To do list:
Side impact beams
rears around 15, fronts around 40
remove rear seats, subs, amp

Keep the advice coming guys! :cheers:

I hear to leave on the last yellow... is this right?

Any other tips and secrets would be appreciated guys!

Is this your first rodeo?

depending on how hard your car leaves will depend when you can leave. my car 60's mid 1.5's and when the last yellow light fully lights up i hold it down and i always find myself running .000-.150 reaction times. you just gotta play with it. just dont get nervous and never leave on the green haha you well be left in the dust everytime!! GOOD LUCK!

rear sway bar as well. took it off my 89 i used to race. drove like shit but pretty damn heavy. wiper motor,trans,arms. who drives in the rain anyway. race weight battery from jegs. i would stop there unless you want that common race car look.

Is this your first rodeo?

depending on how hard your car leaves will depend when you can leave. my car 60's mid 1.5's and when the last yellow light fully lights up i hold it down and i always find myself running .000-.150 reaction times. you just gotta play with it. just dont get nervous and never leave on the green haha you well be left in the dust everytime!! GOOD LUCK!

yep first rodeo will be early next spring..

Have no idea how hard it will leave, it just spins like crazy on the street lol.

Dont ge nervous lmao, funny. ill be nervous as hell! :eek2:

Dont leave on green lol, ok.

I dont think ill mess up as bad as that guy in the video where he goes in reverse instead of foreward! LMFAO

rear sway bar as well. took it off my 89 i used to race. drove like shit but pretty damn heavy. wiper motor,trans,arms. who drives in the rain anyway. race weight battery from jegs. i would stop there unless you want that common race car look.

not really wanting to remove the rear swaybar, and sometimes i do get caught in the rain, lol...

battery if the funds are there....

thanks for the input!

at your power level its all about the 60' there is plenty there for a 10 sec pass

at your power level its all about the 60' there is plenty there for a 10 sec pass

Ok, good to hear. Just gonna have to make it to the track as much as i can to work on the 60'.... :)

Are you going to remove the door impact bars? Not worth the weight savings to put your safety on the line for 20lbs.

What suspension do you have? That is more important than power to a point?

Are you going to remove the door impact bars? Not worth the weight savings to put your safety on the line for 20lbs.

What suspension do you have? That is more important than power to a point?

I have BMR lca's, panhard, STB: Spohn TQ arm.... stock spings/shocks/rear sway bar

Sounds like it should go 10's with no problem, just don't try to bite off more than you can chew on your first pass.

GEAR -
For God's sake have a radiator overflow, preferably relocated to the back(I see you removed it).... If you push water you will thank yourself for not watering your tires down at half track (and the tech guys shouldn't let you run without it). DO NOT remove the rear sway bar as was mentioned earlier in the post... If anything get the guys at BMR or somewhere else to hook you up with a drag style rear sway bar, it may be heavier, but it will help the car leave flat. Get a helment, jacket, and roll bar (didn't see these mentioned, but kinda assume you have this covered) if you don't want to get booted. As for your worries about weight, there are plenty of ways to get rid of it, you would be amazed at the stuff you can unbolt, cut out, etc. and still have a fully functioning interior and an exterior that looks like it did from the factory (ie without removing seats, wipers, etc.). Do a few searches in this section about weight reduction and you will find some creative info.

AT THE TRACK -
You are probably best trying to get into a track rental or an all day test and tune if this is your first track event. Don't go to a bracket race or something where you may only get one test hit and then have the opportunity to lose first round and pack up for the day.
First step (once you get to the track that is) is don't worry about the light (reaction time doesn't play ANY role in your ET)... Worry about getting the car to leave. You should probably start making hits from idle just to get a feeling of how the car might pull, push, etc. and make adjustments to the suspension if it acts funny. After you start feeling more confident push it up on the converter with the footbrake. After that, use the fun button (a two step will be your best friend to build boost and get a consistent launch off the brake).....
I assume since you said 275/60/15 you are on the ET Street Radials.... They seem, for most people I race with, to like to have more air in them than bias ply tires with cars as heavy as ours. Mine seem to like about 18-19lbs depending on the track. I have seen other guys who swear by them at 20-22. Just experiment.

Most importantly, have fun, be safe, and don't be afraid to ask other guys there for help.... You'd be amazed how much you'll learn.

Where are you going to run at? I'm just west of you in Wyoming and our track DA floats around 6000-6800. You won't be seeing tens impo unless your going way down in elevation. My hp is in my sig and I had horrible lanches (2.0- 2.1) and best I could get was 11.72 @120mph.

Sounds like it should go 10's with no problem, just don't try to bite off more than you can chew on your first pass.

GEAR -
For God's sake have a radiator overflow, preferably relocated to the back(I see you removed it).... If you push water you will thank yourself for not watering your tires down at half track (and the tech guys shouldn't let you run without it). DO NOT remove the rear sway bar as was mentioned earlier in the post... If anything get the guys at BMR or somewhere else to hook you up with a drag style rear sway bar, it may be heavier, but it will help the car leave flat. Get a helment, jacket, and roll bar (didn't see these mentioned, but kinda assume you have this covered) if you don't want to get booted. As for your worries about weight, there are plenty of ways to get rid of it, you would be amazed at the stuff you can unbolt, cut out, etc. and still have a fully functioning interior and an exterior that looks like it did from the factory (ie without removing seats, wipers, etc.). Do a few searches in this section about weight reduction and you will find some creative info.

AT THE TRACK -
You are probably best trying to get into a track rental or an all day test and tune if this is your first track event. Don't go to a bracket race or something where you may only get one test hit and then have the opportunity to lose first round and pack up for the day.
First step (once you get to the track that is) is don't worry about the light (reaction time doesn't play ANY role in your ET)... Worry about getting the car to leave. You should probably start making hits from idle just to get a feeling of how the car might pull, push, etc. and make adjustments to the suspension if it acts funny. After you start feeling more confident push it up on the converter with the footbrake. After that, use the fun button (a two step will be your best friend to build boost and get a consistent launch off the brake).....
I assume since you said 275/60/15 you are on the ET Street Radials.... They seem, for most people I race with, to like to have more air in them than bias ply tires with cars as heavy as ours. Mine seem to like about 18-19lbs depending on the track. I have seen other guys who swear by them at 20-22. Just experiment.

Most importantly, have fun, be safe, and don't be afraid to ask other guys there for help.... You'd be amazed how much you'll learn.

AWESOME REPLY!!!

As for the radiator overflow... its deffientally going back on (for my safety and other racers safety)

Rear sway bar is staying on the car because i drive this car alot on the street.

I have a helmet, jacket, but not a rollbar yet (any suggestions on a budget roll bar?????)

I have to drive 3 hours to the nearest track so test and tune day will be my best bet. Also i didn't know reaction time didn't effect ET!

I have just never felt my car DEAD hook since it was stock... Had alot of fast cars on the street, but i hear the track is a whole new animal!

Deffinetally gonna have some fun!!! Plan on trying to meet up with a few other tech members.:cheers:

Look at wolfe racecraft for a budget bar... They are a sponsor on here and can send you a bolt in bar if you lack the skills/tools to weld one, or a weld in bar if you are capable of the install.

I'm glad you decided to leave the rear sway bar and radiator overflow... Both are "safety" items... A car will get very unpredictable without the rear sway bar (like I said, the stock sway bar will be "ok" but consider improving it for improved 60' times).

Have fun and feel free to PM if you need any more specific answers!:cheers:

Helmet
Jacket
Rollbar
DS safety loop
5 point harness

What am i forgetting???

Long studs for the rear with open lugs, Make sure your battery is held down well, wear long pants

took the car to work today... the car is 3630# with the spare, jack, case of tranny fluid, 2 gallons of antifreeze, full tank of fuel, old tq arm, stereo, laptop, and some tools...

I weight about 140# so with everything out of it i bet i would be about 3600# with me in it.
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how strict are they about open lugs? It might be a PITA to find some open end lugs that will fit my rim that i can also get a socket onto.

played with the transbrake tonight and pulled a 3.49 0-60 on the street with wheel spin... (according to the timer on hptuners)

not to bad alot better than the 4l60e, be i can get it down close to 3 seconds flat... my best with the 4l60e was 4.2

Cant wait to dead hook at the track!

7.363 seconds 0-100mph tonight messing around....