Watts link, LT1, polished aluminum, red powder-coat, updated pics (9-14-10)
09-14-2010, 02:13 AM
#82
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Miles City Mt
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Update (9-13-10):
Just took the car out for a little test romp and much to my amazement the car feels completely different, but in a good way. I have read a few different threads where people state they could immediately tell there was a difference in the car, but I questioned how true that could be without testing? Well, I was wrong. It is immediately noticeable just driving down the street. Maybe it's just me, but the rearend just feels more secure. I headed out to the cloverleaf close by to do some spirited driving around the interchange a few times at different speeds. It was very impressive to keep pushing the car in 3rd gear out of the bottom of each loop. The car seemed like I could just keep feeding it pedal input. The car use to have a fair amount of oversteer at the edge before doing the upgrade. After installing the Watts Link it's as if the car won't let me oversteer the rear. I actually was pushing the car fairly hard through the last loop of the cloverleaf and exited the corner on to the freeway at 6100 rpm's in 3rd; bang'd 4th gear, and got some scratch on the concrete
I must say, I'm just about ready to purchase a set of KYB's or Koni's and take the suspension to the next level 
I'm going to recommend this product for two reasons: 1-it appears it really works, 2 - I think it looks really cool 
Just took the car out for a little test romp and much to my amazement the car feels completely different, but in a good way. I have read a few different threads where people state they could immediately tell there was a difference in the car, but I questioned how true that could be without testing? Well, I was wrong. It is immediately noticeable just driving down the street. Maybe it's just me, but the rearend just feels more secure. I headed out to the cloverleaf close by to do some spirited driving around the interchange a few times at different speeds. It was very impressive to keep pushing the car in 3rd gear out of the bottom of each loop. The car seemed like I could just keep feeding it pedal input. The car use to have a fair amount of oversteer at the edge before doing the upgrade. After installing the Watts Link it's as if the car won't let me oversteer the rear. I actually was pushing the car fairly hard through the last loop of the cloverleaf and exited the corner on to the freeway at 6100 rpm's in 3rd; bang'd 4th gear, and got some scratch on the concrete
I must say, I'm just about ready to purchase a set of KYB's or Koni's and take the suspension to the next level I'm going to recommend this product for two reasons: 1-it appears it really works, 2 - I think it looks really cool EDIT: By the way, your tags are expired >
Welcome to the club....haha, In reality I just moved and the new city I moved to wants more for me to re tag and get new plates so Im headed back to my old town to pick up one last set of tags. Then going to go with new Plates Next year 
Last edited by ninjai_ruken; 09-14-2010 at 03:14 AM.
09-14-2010, 03:02 AM
#83
Update (9-13-10):
Just took the car out for a little test romp and much to my amazement the car feels completely different, but in a good way. I have read a few different threads where people state they could immediately tell there was a difference in the car, but I questioned how true that could be without testing? Well, I was wrong. It is immediately noticeable just driving down the street. Maybe it's just me, but the rearend just feels more secure. I headed out to the cloverleaf close by to do some spirited driving around the interchange a few times at different speeds. It was very impressive to keep pushing the car in 3rd gear out of the bottom of each loop. The car seemed like I could just keep feeding it pedal input. The car use to have a fair amount of oversteer at the edge before doing the upgrade. After installing the Watts Link it's as if the car won't let me oversteer the rear. I actually was pushing the car fairly hard through the last loop of the cloverleaf and exited the corner on to the freeway at 6100 rpm's in 3rd; bang'd 4th gear, and got some scratch on the concrete I must say, I'm just about ready to purchase a set of KYB's or Koni's and take the suspension to the next level I'm going to recommend this product for two reasons: 1-it appears it really works, 2 - I think it looks really cool
Just took the car out for a little test romp and much to my amazement the car feels completely different, but in a good way. I have read a few different threads where people state they could immediately tell there was a difference in the car, but I questioned how true that could be without testing? Well, I was wrong. It is immediately noticeable just driving down the street. Maybe it's just me, but the rearend just feels more secure. I headed out to the cloverleaf close by to do some spirited driving around the interchange a few times at different speeds. It was very impressive to keep pushing the car in 3rd gear out of the bottom of each loop. The car seemed like I could just keep feeding it pedal input. The car use to have a fair amount of oversteer at the edge before doing the upgrade. After installing the Watts Link it's as if the car won't let me oversteer the rear. I actually was pushing the car fairly hard through the last loop of the cloverleaf and exited the corner on to the freeway at 6100 rpm's in 3rd; bang'd 4th gear, and got some scratch on the concrete
I must say, I'm just about ready to purchase a set of KYB's or Koni's and take the suspension to the next level I'm going to recommend this product for two reasons: 1-it appears it really works, 2 - I think it looks really cool 
09-14-2010, 02:33 PM
#85
SRZ: No kids that I know about, lol.
Ninjai Ruken: I don't think you would be disappointed from the results. Yes, I know the tags are expired. I'm so lazy, I don't even feel like I should have to purchase tags considering the car is never driven
Firehawk 238: I've been able to produce a best of 1.80 60ft with almost no mods back in 2000ish. I suspect with everything I have suspension wise on this car now it should be capable of at least 1.6x's (in my opinion). I don't think the Watts link will make one bit of difference at the dragstrip. I personally don't know how it could translate to anything negative or positive. I suspect that the small weight addition from doing this mod in miniscule in the grand scheme of things. If anything it would be a plus by placing a touch more weight in the rear of the car. I think my difference from the BMR items I removed was only an extra 6 or 8 lbs?
Lgoldtop: Thanks for the comps. I think I purchased this item for $650 and the polishing would cost you another $75 to $100. So, in total about $725 ish +/-.
Ninjai Ruken: I don't think you would be disappointed from the results. Yes, I know the tags are expired. I'm so lazy, I don't even feel like I should have to purchase tags considering the car is never driven
Firehawk 238: I've been able to produce a best of 1.80 60ft with almost no mods back in 2000ish. I suspect with everything I have suspension wise on this car now it should be capable of at least 1.6x's (in my opinion). I don't think the Watts link will make one bit of difference at the dragstrip. I personally don't know how it could translate to anything negative or positive. I suspect that the small weight addition from doing this mod in miniscule in the grand scheme of things. If anything it would be a plus by placing a touch more weight in the rear of the car. I think my difference from the BMR items I removed was only an extra 6 or 8 lbs?
Lgoldtop: Thanks for the comps. I think I purchased this item for $650 and the polishing would cost you another $75 to $100. So, in total about $725 ish +/-.
09-14-2010, 08:09 PM
#87
It's always appreciated Real Quick 
FYI, Firehawk238: I forgot to mention the 1.80 60ft was with a set of ET streets launching at 5200 rpm's. The car never held any better than the 1.8's, but some of that had to do with the stock suspension. I never really have had the car back to the track since 2003 (IIRC). I would definitely be willing to do some 5,000 rpm clutch dumps on my Bogart's in the near future just to see what the results of all of the suspension work would produce
FYI, Firehawk238: I forgot to mention the 1.80 60ft was with a set of ET streets launching at 5200 rpm's. The car never held any better than the 1.8's, but some of that had to do with the stock suspension. I never really have had the car back to the track since 2003 (IIRC). I would definitely be willing to do some 5,000 rpm clutch dumps on my Bogart's in the near future just to see what the results of all of the suspension work would produce
Last edited by 96silverram; 09-14-2010 at 09:07 PM.
09-15-2010, 04:07 PM
#91
I actually took the car out just the other night to go get some gas and I had a little run in with white 75' SD455 poncho. It was kind of funny because I was wondering if there would be any difference at all on a street launch on BFG 315/30/18 drags and the Watts link. So, as I was coming up to the light and I see to the left of me a 1975 SD455 T/A (White with the single blue stripe). It was actually in pretty good condition and sounded like it had exhaust and maybe a small cam (factory?). I looked over at the guy and he seemed pretty stone faced about the whole deal and I decided that meant he wanted to jump me JABRONI style like us Ital's do it on the upper east coast. I almost decided to bring the revs up, but thought it would be better to just roll out in 1st gear and see if he bites. Well; he did, and so did I. About 4500rpm's in 1st he trounced the big block and I immediately pinned his car from a roll and bang'd 2nd gear and almost immediately started to pull out on him. We both got out of it and talked for a moment at the next stop light. He told me the car was factory 4 speed, stock except for a true-dual setup, with longtubes and reworked carb. He said my car runs really hard and wondered what I had done, "simply stated: I just said all the bolt-ons." I told him he had a cool piece of muscle and the car runs well. We both went our separate ways. I was wondering if anyone knew what the stock horsepower on a 75' SD455? I'm assuming somewhere in the 300 hp with 425ish torque (flywheel rated of course). My best guess with his mods is maybe a 350hp flywheel car with a bunch of torque (450ish torque). I actually have a soft spot for the 73 SD455 TA's.
PS: Once again the Watts Link made the car feel very stable in power delivery in a straigt line. Maybe its just me, but it seems the rear-end tracks better under heavy acceleration. The car just squats and goes straight as an arrow.
PS: Once again the Watts Link made the car feel very stable in power delivery in a straigt line. Maybe its just me, but it seems the rear-end tracks better under heavy acceleration. The car just squats and goes straight as an arrow.
Last edited by 96silverram; 11-07-2010 at 11:50 AM.
05-11-2011, 11:50 PM
#92
Well, bringing this one back from the dead. I just pulled apart my exhaust so I could adjust the center bolt of the propeller on my Watts link. I originally had set the bolt into the #3 position out of 7. I now have the propeller bolt setting in the #5 position out of 7. The scale starts at the bottom of the Watts, position #1 and moves to the top at position #7. If your car is at stock height you generally pick position #3 or #4. If the car is lowered, (in my case) you start moving up from the #3 or #4 position. This is dependent on how much the car is lowered, in some cases, if the car is slammed you would put it potentially on position #6 or #7 out of 7. I will give an update when I get a chance to take it out for some spirited driving, hopefully soon. 
05-12-2011, 12:51 PM
#96
There is absolutely no noise on this setup. Granted, I can only speak for my particular selection of parts. I will definitely say it has made a world of difference in my car, and I have not even taken the car out for an assessment of the newest setting 
