blue86iroc

iTrader: (2)

I'm sure you guys are sick of hearing questions like "what will my quarter mile time be after I do _______ to my car?" When I drag raced my Camaro for the first time this summer, I achieved some less-than-desirable results. I'd like to know what a truer estimate would be, based upon what I've done to the car and what I'm currently planning on doing. Forgive the long post, but I feel that I have to give a background of my situation before any conclusions can be made.

I own a 1986 Camaro IROC-Z with a 350 TPI V8. I think that either someone swapped the engine in or I have a hybrid 1986 car with a 1987 engine. Either way, I checked the block and it's stamped "5.7L." I have a Hooker cat-back exhaust with an Aerochamber muffler and a high-flow cat. I made custom ram-air tunnels through the fog light holes which feed two K&N filters. At the time of my drag racing, I was running a stock TH700 transmission with a B&M MegaShifter. The car was bought with a crappy ADS SuperChip which replaced the stock chip. I have stock 3.73 gears with a posi rearend. My best run so far has been 14.4 seconds at 94.5 mph.

To me, something seems wrong. I thought that the 350 IROCs were supposed to run in that range stock. Granted, I don't have a lot of modifications but I should be at least a little faster. I think that my transmission and the ADS SuperChip were working against me here. I actually burned up the stock tranny at the track and replaced it with a Pro-Built street/strip TH700 with a 2,400 RPM torque converter. I never ran it with the new transmission, but it shifts a lot better than it did. When I drained the fluid out of the old transmission, it was literally black and smelled horrible. From what I hear, the ADS chips aren't much better than stock, and may even hurt performance.

Now, what would be a good estimate for what I *should* be running with my new transmission and, say, a stock 350 chip from an '87 IROC? Future modifications include a ported plenum and runners and a full suspension upgrade. This will include new springs, shocks, bushings, subframe connectors, ball joints, etc., all of the high-performance nature. Can an estimate be made with those enhancements in mind?

Mid-14s is respectable for a car from the 80s, but I know there's more potential. Sorry if I bored anyone to death, but it's going to be a few more months until the track opens and I can see for myself what I'll be running.

unknown_host

iTrader: (1)

14.2 is an awesome time for an L98. Your mods are indeed mods, but wouldnt pull down much more than a few tenths. Granted time takes its toll on cars and motors and you may have just made up for whatever mileage and time has done to your suspension motor and tranny by adding a few more ponies to compensate. I would not be dissapointed with a 14.2 at all, that converter should even get you close to the 13's!!!

MdFormula350

what kinda 60 foot times to you get?

blue86iroc

iTrader: (2)

The odometer just turned over 70,000 miles the other month, so the engine may be showing some signs of wear. However, the first 50,000 miles or so on my car were strictly highway miles (the first owner rarely drove it on anything other than highways).

My best 60-foot time was 2.007, which is really good. It seems like I have the low-end, but I either need more top-end power to carry me through the quarter mile or a better launch to get me out farther, quicker... hopefully the new torque converter will help with that.

85transamtpi

IMO 14.4 isnt a poor ET for a stock L98 with a few basic mods.

I think you are on the right track to solid 13's with your planned/completed mods. Suspension tuning is very often overlooked, but can help the car dramaticly at a dragstrip. You may want to avoid lowering the car. Most aftermarket springs hinder rather than help drag strip launches...although they certainly help with the handling. Defineltly get a good set of lower control arms and subframe connectors. They will help you launch and will eliminate any wheel hop that you may be having after the converter install.

Porting your plenum/runners has proven to be worth a few mph and tenths in the quarter. You may want to "siamese" the plenum and runners. Do a search and check out how other people have done this. Regardless, any intake porting on L98's is worth while mod.

You may want to think about a set of headers for the car. They would definetly give you a few tenths. After that, you'll probably need some drag radials or slicks, but I would expect mid/low 13's.

Good luck with everything
-Doug

P.S. great move getting the converter. A lot of people overlook this mod!

blue86iroc

iTrader: (2)

I appreciate everyone's opinions on my car. In response to what 85transamtpi said:

A friend of mine is trying to convince me to lower my car, but I don't want to -- not just because it'll hurt my dragstrip performance, but I don't really like the way a lowered Thirdgen sits. Here's what I have planned for the suspension. It's going to cost around $1000 when all is said and done, but it'll handle and steer better than most cars on the road. Tell me what you think.

Front end rebuild kit - ball joints, inner and outer tie rod ends, center links, idler arm.

Spohn - subframe connectors, rear LCAs, LCA relocation, panhard bar, maybe torque arm.

Springs - OEM replacement IROC springs

Shocks - OEM replacement IROC Bilstein shocks

Bushings - PST polygraphite everywhere

I remember reading about siamesing the intake runners... doesn't that reduce my low-end but give me more top-end performance? I think that I could definitely benefit from that. I'll do some research, like you suggested.

I'm thinking about running Hooker headers, but I haven't done enough research to figure out if I should go with 1 5/8" or 1 3/4" size. I'm thinking the latter, because I'm running a 350.

I want to go with a set of BFGoodrich Comp T/A drag slicks, but I'm concerned with how well they will handle... in the summer, my Camaro will be my daily driver.

BRIrocZ

iTrader: (1)

You should do ALOT of research on siamesing the intake. Seems like a hit or miss mod, some people see good gains some actually lose power. Personally, I wouldn't do it, especially with the stock heads and cam. If your going to use DRs on a daily driver, you might consider Nittos over BFGs. Nittos typically last longer than BFGs and supposedly handle well even in rain.

I wish I could say I ran 13s with aftermarket TPI parts, suspension mods, gears and DRs, but I ran horrible at the track last night.

85transamtpi

Just something I noticed...

you will not need LCA relocation bracket if the car is not lowered.

-Doug

blue86iroc

iTrader: (2)

Really? Check Spohn's site... he says that even non-lowered Thirdgens can benefit from the relocation brackets.

http://www.spohn.net/index.cfm?fusea...t&productid=11

91wtROH17's

I think that your gearing is too steep!! 3.73's are too much for a TPI motor like your's, you need to keep your car in the power range, when I cross the line I am around 4000rpm, at anywhere from 98-101mph. I have the stock 3.23 gears and I dont even have headers yet, I still sqeeze off the odd 13.9(I think I have one of the lucky ones though).

blue86iroc

iTrader: (2)

Now that I re-read my post, I think that I might be incorrect about my gearing. I believe that stock IROCs came with 3.23's, not 3.73's... I'll have to pull off my diff cover and check. Like you said, I may have to regear if the gears are too radical.

Don't know what I was thinking .

91wtROH17's

Ya if your gearing is stock, then you are fine for now.