multiple deaths by my own car
06-28-2012, 11:55 PM
#1
multiple deaths by my own car So, the Trans Am is finally plated and legal, and no longer confined to road courses. This last week, my friend and I decided to visit another buddy in the countryside to get some parts... and why not take the ol' beast for a little shakedown?
The TA is a factory no-AC car with a carbed 2001 LS1, C5 T56, LTH, Spec 2+ clutch, light flywheel and pressure plate, aluminum drive shaft, 3.23 rear, Wilwood brakes, Global West suspension and considerable weight reduction (tips the scales @2950 without driver). It isn't gutted, though the race seats and 5-point harnesses might be a tip off to the wary. We're still playing with the carb tuning. It's close, but not quite nailed.
The other car is a bone stock 2009 G8 GT.
The first run was from a roll @ 60, no traffic, on a 4 lane freeway. I'm driving the G8, my friend is driving the TA. I come off a ramp in front, we clear slower traffic, and with him a couple lengths behind, we both punch it He got me by an easy 5 lengths by the time we hit 110.
The second run was also from a roll, starting at 70. He counts off three fingers (ever see the sticker that says "Horn broke, watch for finger" ? ). Roughly the same result.
Third run was from a stop, after we cross the border from the Peoples Republic of Cook, and into the free land of Hoosier, Mexico. He was lined up behind me at a light. I was a bitch, cut a perfect light and launched without warning. After the initial surprise, he reeled me in. By the time I hit 90, he had me by a couple lengths.
We then stopped at a place just north of a sod farm overlooking the glorious Gulf of California, where we BSed a bit, and discussed the imminent demise of the TAs rear end. It was the one thing I hadn't rebuilt or replaced yet, and the clutch packs were beginning to make odd noises on low speed turns. The buddy where we stopped had a ready supply of parts, and we wheeled and dealed into a clean 10 bolt 8.5 housing, new posi carrier and new gears. So, we just needed to order axles, bearings, shims and seals. It's good to have friends like this.
On the way home, we got our 4th run, and I thought "AH HA! I finally gotcha," as I managed to stay even in a 40 to 90 roll. Then my friend tells me he blew a downshift at the beginning and ran the entire thing in 4th gear.
ok... we count down to the one finger salute again, this time with him in 3rd, and I got spanked. 40 to 120, he wins by a bus and a half.
We got the cars home, and the rear end was making louder indigestion noises on the corners. Soooo... time for a change. I ordered Moser 30-spline non c-clip axles, Moser/Ford housing ends, and an overhaul kit yesterday. Provided my wife doesn't see the price tag for that, I should be alive to report the results in a couple weeks.
With luck, I might get it to the No Limit Raceway in Morocco (US 41 Dragstrip) too. My eyes are set on a HPDE in July at Joliet Autobahn
The TA is a factory no-AC car with a carbed 2001 LS1, C5 T56, LTH, Spec 2+ clutch, light flywheel and pressure plate, aluminum drive shaft, 3.23 rear, Wilwood brakes, Global West suspension and considerable weight reduction (tips the scales @2950 without driver). It isn't gutted, though the race seats and 5-point harnesses might be a tip off to the wary. We're still playing with the carb tuning. It's close, but not quite nailed.
The other car is a bone stock 2009 G8 GT.
The first run was from a roll @ 60, no traffic, on a 4 lane freeway. I'm driving the G8, my friend is driving the TA. I come off a ramp in front, we clear slower traffic, and with him a couple lengths behind, we both punch it He got me by an easy 5 lengths by the time we hit 110.
The second run was also from a roll, starting at 70. He counts off three fingers (ever see the sticker that says "Horn broke, watch for finger" ? ). Roughly the same result.
Third run was from a stop, after we cross the border from the Peoples Republic of Cook, and into the free land of Hoosier, Mexico. He was lined up behind me at a light. I was a bitch, cut a perfect light and launched without warning. After the initial surprise, he reeled me in. By the time I hit 90, he had me by a couple lengths.
We then stopped at a place just north of a sod farm overlooking the glorious Gulf of California, where we BSed a bit, and discussed the imminent demise of the TAs rear end. It was the one thing I hadn't rebuilt or replaced yet, and the clutch packs were beginning to make odd noises on low speed turns. The buddy where we stopped had a ready supply of parts, and we wheeled and dealed into a clean 10 bolt 8.5 housing, new posi carrier and new gears. So, we just needed to order axles, bearings, shims and seals. It's good to have friends like this.
On the way home, we got our 4th run, and I thought "AH HA! I finally gotcha," as I managed to stay even in a 40 to 90 roll. Then my friend tells me he blew a downshift at the beginning and ran the entire thing in 4th gear.
ok... we count down to the one finger salute again, this time with him in 3rd, and I got spanked. 40 to 120, he wins by a bus and a half.
We got the cars home, and the rear end was making louder indigestion noises on the corners. Soooo... time for a change. I ordered Moser 30-spline non c-clip axles, Moser/Ford housing ends, and an overhaul kit yesterday. Provided my wife doesn't see the price tag for that, I should be alive to report the results in a couple weeks.
With luck, I might get it to the No Limit Raceway in Morocco (US 41 Dragstrip) too. My eyes are set on a HPDE in July at Joliet Autobahn
06-29-2012, 08:04 AM
#5
Good story, it's always fun racing your own cars against each other! I decided to sell my mild cammed 1993 Trans Am after walking it in my lid/catback 2002 Z28 
The carbed LSX motors are always cool. I saw a 1971-1972 Chevelle last weekend with a carbed 6.0. Very clean and the owner said it ran 11.5 in the 1/4.
The carbed LSX motors are always cool. I saw a 1971-1972 Chevelle last weekend with a carbed 6.0. Very clean and the owner said it ran 11.5 in the 1/4.
06-29-2012, 12:41 PM
#6
oh yeah
It's actually an Edelbrock Performer, with a 800 CFM Thunder AVS carb on it (planning for big things down the road). The cam and heads are stock (241s).
I scored the long block in a horse trade a couple years ago for a Dodge van I had roughly $800 into. The engine came from a 2001 Corvette with 2500 miles on the clock. I had a Holley Commander 950 TBI laying around, tried to get it to work right, but could NEVER get the thing to run higher than 11.5:1 Fuel/Air ratio. So, I got POed, bought the carb at Amazon this spring, and haven't looked back. Factory EFI would awesome, but now that I've gone this way, I don't know if I'll bother. It seems to be doing pretty well.
Plus, the factory hood scoop remains functional (gotta love that noise :-) ):
That wouldn't surprise me at all, judging by how well this is pulling in "close-ish" tune.
I scored the long block in a horse trade a couple years ago for a Dodge van I had roughly $800 into. The engine came from a 2001 Corvette with 2500 miles on the clock. I had a Holley Commander 950 TBI laying around, tried to get it to work right, but could NEVER get the thing to run higher than 11.5:1 Fuel/Air ratio. So, I got POed, bought the carb at Amazon this spring, and haven't looked back. Factory EFI would awesome, but now that I've gone this way, I don't know if I'll bother. It seems to be doing pretty well.
Plus, the factory hood scoop remains functional (gotta love that noise :-) ):
Good story, it's always fun racing your own cars against each other! I decided to sell my mild cammed 1993 Trans Am after walking it in my lid/catback 2002 Z28
The carbed LSX motors are always cool. I saw a 1971-1972 Chevelle last weekend with a carbed 6.0. Very clean and the owner said it ran 11.5 in the 1/4.
The carbed LSX motors are always cool. I saw a 1971-1972 Chevelle last weekend with a carbed 6.0. Very clean and the owner said it ran 11.5 in the 1/4.
Last edited by 1981TA; 06-29-2012 at 12:53 PM.
