1320

iTrader: (6)

Is it really just class rules? Or is it popularity?

I guess I can see in a few cases it might be cost, but isnt it counter productive and really becoming a safty issue? How many times have we all seen a big hp small tire car, abort passes, scrap the wall, get totaled in a horendous crash primarily due to traction.

Why spend money on fantastic 1500+ hp turbo /blower engines, a 25.3 chassis, the best brakes, the coolest everything then pin all the marbles on a 275 to 315 drag radial? I know they are good, but they are not a 15x33 et street.......

Out west we only have the psca, which is really pretty limited for most people. There are not many local classes to run in. I ve only heard of a couple around the southwest, but never actually been at any track while they were running there local "class" races. (other then brackets)

I did talk to a guy a pass time that said he ran in a 4 speed class at bandimere, I was like what?(he had a 57 chevy with a 383 and jerhico) A four speed class? LVMS would be lucky to get two cars, while its so popular up in colorado that they have a class.

Is it because we see so many posers at shows? Did big tire cars get known for being slow? When you see a bead locked drag radial car, you figure its probably pretty fast right? But you see a big tire car, it could have a 327 with a afb carb?

buzz12586

iTrader: (17)

I personally find big tire cars boring unless they are extremely fast (Pro stock, pro mod)

I will never understand why someone with a car that runs 10.80's has 33x17 tires on it. I'm sure a 28x10.5 would be plenty.

camscam02

iTrader: (21)

There's also the wchra(west coast hot rod association) and many people do it for a challenge or class rules. Bracket rqcig is boring to most and heads up is alot of fun if you have the $$$. Big tire cars are for old men with their wanna be racecars. Hahaha

BlackScreaminMachine

iTrader: (17)

^ Like said, less work to make it work, No need in MOST situations to have a tire that large and can be more streetable. Having the most contact Patch is the most important thing as long as your not limited by class racing.

Mostly its a personal Preference thing.

JL ws-6

iTrader: (50)

Alot of the big tire cars you see were built 20 years ago too, and back when that was being done, it was because that's how people got cars to hook. Suspension knowledge and tech has come so far in the last 10 years, that you don't need as much tire like you used to.

I do agree that the drag radial stuff is so out of control, the power levels that are allowed in those classes is so retarded that it has and is IMO, totally unsafe. The liklyhood of successful passes is getting to the point that only a track surface that's prepped to the n'th degree will suffice... something that 1/2 the tracks don't even know how to do.

csjta2

iTrader: (43)

All good points, my take on it

1) Tire technology has come a long way, you just don't need that much tire anymore to run fast and consistent

2) Cost factor, it's cheaper to minitub then to backhalf a car

Shawn @ VA Speed

iTrader: (3)

I've watched more big tire cars crash than small tires.The assumption that a big tire is more stable is foolish,a big tire will distort much easier and go into tire shake much easier than a small tire will.It actually can be much harder to go fast with a big tire over a certain hp level due to it being much harder to get it up on the tire.You also got to consider the extra mass and weight of the big tire.

Watch ADRL-the 10.5 guys are only .20 behind the big tire guys-and there are way less crashes with the 10.5 cars.

BillyBob750

Another reason, W's dont count mother phucker!

- in best duck voice, lol

383lt1impala

iTrader: (33)

i agree with most of the people above but let me add that technology in suspension and tires has evolved greatly over the last few decades. so u can haul *** on a small tire idk probably 15+years ago every1 would laugh at u. me im doing a full tubb and a 18.5 inch wide tire because ill be one of the few impalas out there like that.

custm2500

iTrader: (11)

Big tire cars are cool to look at but almost useless since you can run killer times on a small tire.

NINET3Z

rtcttfmf

1320

iTrader: (6)

two more tid bits ...

A 6 second pass was knocked out how many years ago? by an ls car......on what tire?

And I have a 315/60/15 mounted on a weld, and a 18.5x33 on a weld.....they are virtually the same weight. The DR is surprisingly HEAVY.

I run on a poor to horrible track, so I see all kinds of cars abort passes, get out of shape, etc etc etc. Most are small tire cars, but then again....most of the cars are small tire cars. On bracket nights, the track is prepped better.....and around half the cars are big tire cars. And I d bet that they site concistency for the reason of the big tire.

Fireball

iTrader: (21)

1 pass in a tube chassis (VERY LIGHT) car is not a good example...

Several LSx cars have been 7.1-7.2 on 315 radials at much more representative weights

StreetSilverado

iTrader: (17)

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1320

iTrader: (6)

Maybe so, but I dont know the build on the yellow car? what was it? Wasnt it a stock block with 4 bolt heads, making a lot less power then majors stuff now?

Was it just one pass? 6.89 ? what happened to it?

barkingspud

iTrader: (3)

So, us the goal to see how quick (and fast) one can go on the smallest tire available?

Guess I'm just a typical "old guy" because I'm going with a 31x16.5x15 MT ET Street on a 15x14 wheel. It was my chassis builders recommendation to go with a reasonable big tire based on my cars expected HP level and weight.

AChotrod

iTrader: (17)

IMO it keeps the "street car look" and is more of a challenge. Which I think both are cool reasons

barkingspud

iTrader: (3)

OK.... I guess that's a personal choice. OTOH, my car is not going to be on the street...

1320

iTrader: (6)

Isnt the more of a challenge answer exactly the same as the typical import(fwd now)?

Hey, most of the cars came with 245 tires.....I d love to see some 1000+ hp cars getting down on 245 gsc's......you know for the challenge.

Hopefully Kurt will chime in, I d like to find out about the 6 sec car from 2005. I dont really know anything about it. I heard that Larry Larson ran a 6.93 on 18.5 x33 et streets, and thats a proven street car. I dont think any small tire car has been faster then mid 8's on drag week, but 7.2's with the big tire(with several in the 7's). Thats a bit more of a difference then the 10.5 w class cars, on super prepped tracks.

427

iTrader: (3)

Casper was something we did for fun, I originally built the engine around rules here on tech. The engine was 352ci and the car was 2900 pounds, the fact that it ran 205mph points to 1900 honest hp being produced at the flywheel although it only made 1700hp when I ran the engine on the dyno because of turbo problems at that time. I think the rear tire was 17X34 that was made by Hoosier, I went with what Mike (friend that loaned me the car and eventually drove because I did not fit!) told me to run based on the car being so heavy and they did well. We struggled with a trans that was not rated to take the power, then rear axle bearings that would shatter when it would shake. The engine had all parts that were available at the time, 6.0 iron block, Callies crank, Oliver rods, Mahle pistons and AFR heads. We changed the head gaskets twice, but never hurt anything on the engine other than that. It left the line only about 20 times before it finally went in the 6's. We had numerous 7 second passes with no high gear in the first trans just coasting to the end. When I put the Lenco behind the Bruno unit the car went 7.02@202 at a test and tune at Milan, I turned the engine up and it shook and shattered another wheel bearing. I fixed the wheel bearing on Sunday along with putting brakes on the front (one chute at 202 was hard on the brakes!) and took the car Monday morning to 131 raceway where the national event was the day before. The track was perfect and the car did what we wanted with the 6.86@205, it has been sitting ever since other than a few car shows GM wanted it for right after.

Kurt