First time out at the strip with the Twins
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 133
From: East Chatham, New York
First time out at the strip with the Twins So, I hadn't had any traction with either of my drag radials (M/T and Nitto) nor the 'street slicks' the M/T ET streets, so I ordered some Hoosier drag slicks. They arrived at lunchtime today so I went and had them mounted.
Wednesday nights are 'Test n' tune' nights at the local drag strip (Lebanon Valley) so I rushed to get the floor jack, tools, slicks, helmet, tire pressure gauge and other necessities into the back of the Z28. The forecast was actually predicting rain but looking at the horizons, it looked like, if I got going, I *might* be able to squeeze in one pass before the rain actually got to the track.
It was quite hot and humid already and when I got to the track (thankfully about 7 miles away from my house), I was already sweating. As I anticipated, not nearly as many racers here tonight since the forecast had rain predicted . I raced from side to side, taking off the 315 radials and putting on the slicks, torqueing them down to 91 ft lbs. The mounting guy put a bit too much air in them and I wanted to start out at 20 psi to start , with the intention of lower that figure if they spun. I put the radials and the floor jack beside another racers trailer, hoping that would dissuade any would-be thieves from taking them and quickly went to the staging lanes.
To my dismay, the lane that I would race from was just about to the last car and so I had only a minute or two to get the air down to 20 psi on both and was only able to get one to 20 the other to 24 before I saw the track marshal waving me to 'come on and get staged!' I jumped in the seat, fired her up and went to the burnout box, putting on my helmet at the same time . So freakin rushed.... ugh...
So, I activated the line lock, cleaned off the slicks a bit, got up to the first stage bulb, then creeped into the second stage, quickly armed the 2 step (rev limiter set to 3,000 rpm) and the transbrake (puts the automatic transmission into 1st and reverse till you let go of the button) and waited for the last yellow. I was paired up with one of those quick Cadillac CTS-V cars and he had a better reaction time but I'd murdered him by the 60' mark. I didn't spin one bit. I figured with rain coming soon, I wouldn't let off at the 1/8th mile mark like usual. I'd just let them kick me off the track for going too quick w/o a cage nor fire jacket. Sure enough, got to end of the track and the secondary track marshal said either go home or go slower.
Setup like it is from the prior single turbo, I was leaving the line at 3,000 rpm which yields 2 to 3 psi from the turbo's. With these new slicks, I can obviously put it up higher like 10 psi.
Tonight's hurried, single pass yielded a 10.57 @ 127mph (Caddy turned 12.0) I'm running a really crappy Torque converter that is very 'loose' while I wait for my new TC. A new, much more efficient PTC TC with a mechanical diode is on it's way, I expect a quicker ET and much higher MPH when it's installed.
Wednesday nights are 'Test n' tune' nights at the local drag strip (Lebanon Valley) so I rushed to get the floor jack, tools, slicks, helmet, tire pressure gauge and other necessities into the back of the Z28. The forecast was actually predicting rain but looking at the horizons, it looked like, if I got going, I *might* be able to squeeze in one pass before the rain actually got to the track.
It was quite hot and humid already and when I got to the track (thankfully about 7 miles away from my house), I was already sweating. As I anticipated, not nearly as many racers here tonight since the forecast had rain predicted . I raced from side to side, taking off the 315 radials and putting on the slicks, torqueing them down to 91 ft lbs. The mounting guy put a bit too much air in them and I wanted to start out at 20 psi to start , with the intention of lower that figure if they spun. I put the radials and the floor jack beside another racers trailer, hoping that would dissuade any would-be thieves from taking them and quickly went to the staging lanes.
To my dismay, the lane that I would race from was just about to the last car and so I had only a minute or two to get the air down to 20 psi on both and was only able to get one to 20 the other to 24 before I saw the track marshal waving me to 'come on and get staged!' I jumped in the seat, fired her up and went to the burnout box, putting on my helmet at the same time . So freakin rushed.... ugh...
So, I activated the line lock, cleaned off the slicks a bit, got up to the first stage bulb, then creeped into the second stage, quickly armed the 2 step (rev limiter set to 3,000 rpm) and the transbrake (puts the automatic transmission into 1st and reverse till you let go of the button) and waited for the last yellow. I was paired up with one of those quick Cadillac CTS-V cars and he had a better reaction time but I'd murdered him by the 60' mark. I didn't spin one bit. I figured with rain coming soon, I wouldn't let off at the 1/8th mile mark like usual. I'd just let them kick me off the track for going too quick w/o a cage nor fire jacket. Sure enough, got to end of the track and the secondary track marshal said either go home or go slower.
Setup like it is from the prior single turbo, I was leaving the line at 3,000 rpm which yields 2 to 3 psi from the turbo's. With these new slicks, I can obviously put it up higher like 10 psi.
Tonight's hurried, single pass yielded a 10.57 @ 127mph (Caddy turned 12.0) I'm running a really crappy Torque converter that is very 'loose' while I wait for my new TC. A new, much more efficient PTC TC with a mechanical diode is on it's way, I expect a quicker ET and much higher MPH when it's installed.
TECH Resident
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 994
Likes: 119
From: Mechanicsburg, PA
Given the air quality and only one pass, I'd be tickled with that pass. How did it feel? Could you tell you were running through the converter? Should ET and MPH even better with the converter dialed in.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 133
From: East Chatham, New York
I was mostly elated that I made it to the end of the strip, lol. I wanted to log the run with my Hptuners but with the rush of it all, I felt lucky to have made the pass at all. The one moment that made me smile in the pass was looking for the proximity of the caddy and seeing him well behind me.
I wanted to use another PTC or Vigilante TC but both companies told me there was 6 to 8 weeks wait time. They are buried with orders. I know that's a good thing for them, but it left me in a situation. I reached out to the local car clubs for a good TH350 TC but no responses . So i posted on FB a guy quickly responded that he had a used "Boss Hog" TC. I knew it at $3xx.xx brand new, it would be an under performer for my setup, but at least I could drive the car till the PTC shows up.
I wanted to use another PTC or Vigilante TC but both companies told me there was 6 to 8 weeks wait time. They are buried with orders. I know that's a good thing for them, but it left me in a situation. I reached out to the local car clubs for a good TH350 TC but no responses . So i posted on FB a guy quickly responded that he had a used "Boss Hog" TC. I knew it at $3xx.xx brand new, it would be an under performer for my setup, but at least I could drive the car till the PTC shows up.
TECH Resident
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 994
Likes: 119
From: Mechanicsburg, PA
The first pass or two after a build or heavy mod is always exhilarating. Took my brother's car to the track after a complete teardown and upgrade. Did a burnout breaking up, ran like poop (16.65@ 67MPH) lol. Finally figured out the methanol pump gave up. Glad your rush to get there was more productive.
