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Organized Drag Racing and AutocrossDrag racing and autocross discussions and questions. Techniques, tips, suggestions, and "what will I run?" questions.
Today I spoke with DRE and also spoke with a few other racers who use DRE diapers. The 3rd gen diaper from DRE runs about $350 which at this point in time is way out of my budget. If I had a 9 or 10 second car, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a DRE which has cut outs for the motor mounts specific on the 3rd gen. I think for now I will use some header wrap and look to cut out the motor mounts on the jegs diaper and find someone to sew it. This seems like the best alternative for my low budget operation.
I am planning to take the car out this weekend to a test and tune at Island Dragway. Weather looks good for Saturday with temps in the high 50s and low winds with sunshine all day. I have a few maintenance related things to get done on the car before leaving for the track. I just purchased a new K&N air cleaner which replaces an ancient paper filter so that should definitely improve the airflow to the carb.
Stay tuned for updates from Saturday's test and tune. Weather looks good to hopefully set a new PB
The test and tune this past Saturday went great. The temps were in the high 50's low 60's with an adjusted altitude ranging from 100-600. I was able to make 7 runs and finally made some progress on my R/T.
Set a new personal best of 13.33 at almost 101mph.
Looking forward to getting back to the track in a few weeks.
The plan was to get the header wrapped but we ran out of time Saturday morning as there were a few other things I needed to take care of such as changing the oil so we decided to just remove the diaper for the test and tune. We are going to try to get the diaper issue resolved before we take the car out next.
Good for you, time to enjoy all that hard work.
I took mine out last Saturday, tried a new converter but the car didn't like it. Slowed 3 mph, and two tenths. Had to put the old one back in last night for opening day Sunday.
Over the past few months I have put about 15 passes on the car. I was unable to race from the end of May to the end of June as I got married. This July 4th weekend marked the 1 year mark of having the car on the track. Over the past year I have put almost 40 runs on the car. Back in the middle of May I struggled to find the tree but earned my first round win only to be taken out the next round by a .020 package (.006 to my .009 on the tree).
This past weekend we raced at Maple Grove where I had the most consistent weekend on the tree. Saturday had lights of .035 and .140 then went -.013 in round 1. In Sunday's race (slips below) I had lights of .093 and .064 in time trials, .088 round 1 (opponent red light) and went -.038 red 2nd round against a former track champion who had a .030 package.
Overall the car has worked great therefore I haven't made any changes since putting in the new converter this past November. Next up is Super Chevy Show at Maple Grove in 2 weeks.
This coming winter I will be upgrading from my current 305sbc to a 356 small block.
A little while ago I bought a 356 short block from a fellow racer at my home track. Below are some details on what I purchased:
356ci filled small block
12.5:1 compression
Callies Crank
Comp Cams Roller cam with .644 lift
Eagle H-beam Rods
Eagle forged pistons with new total seal rings
New oil pump and bearings
Canton Oil Pan
Fluid Damper
Comp Roller Lifters
Comp Cams Roller Rockers
Stud Girdle
Stud Kit
We have disassembled the short block and will be taking it to our machinist to check the clearances and ensure everything is ready to go. Once we get the new set of heads polished and finished, I will post what the specs will be on the new combination.
Today we met with our machinist to discuss our options for the build. To start here is what we had from the motor we bought:
GM 4-bolt main block bored .047 over
JE dome 4.040 pistons
Callies magnum crank
Comp cams 300BR6 roller cam - duration 300/308, lift .630/.630
Eagle H-Beam 6" rods
PBM strike force aluminum heads
After long discussions, we are deciding to sell the .047 over block and either buy a .030 over block or use one of the standard blocks we have sitting around. There was just too much clearance with the Je pistons and the .047 block. I didn't want to have to replace and rings on the Pistons more frequently and risk cracking the cylinder walls since it is bored out more than we would like.
Since the PBM heads are supposed to be for a flat top piston rather than a dome, we are going to change direction and buy a set of AFR CNC aluminum eliminator heads that cc at 210.
We will use the crank, cam, pistons and rods described above to make a 357ci motor that will put out between 500 and 600hp which in my 3200lb car should put us roughly in the mid 10's.
We are in the early stages but at least we have a plan in place
Spoke with our machinist today. He spoke with JE since the Pistons were measuring 4.042 in. The pistons were a custom made with stronger material. JE said with the stronger material we can go up to .08 on the clearance so we will be able to use the .047 over block. We will have to bore the block an extra .02 to make it .049 over since it doesn't expand when hot. AFR heads are being order this coming week. Aiming to assemble the engine in the next few weeks.
Yesterday I took a trip up to our machinist to begin the assembly on the short block. This is my first engine build from start to finish and it was an incredible learning experience. Everything went smoothly and we are aiming at completing the build next weekend or the weekend after. After learning everything about clearances and tolerances, I am lucky that we took the motor apart when we got it back in August and decided to get everything checked as there was a number of clearance issues which could have been fatal to the motor. Once the build is complete I will post the spec sheet but early indications are the motor will make between 570-575hp with the AFR 110 heads. Once the motor is built and installed the next project will be installing new aftermarket axles and fabricating the battery and fuel cell box.
Last edited by camaroracer21; 12-05-2016 at 08:10 PM.
Sorry for the lack of updates but it has been a very busy few weeks with the holidays and work.
The week after Christmas, we finished assembling the 358 which included putting on the new AFR heads, roller rockers, stud girdle, pushrods, valve covers, and torquing the head bolts. Everything went smoothly and we brought the motor back home that day.
As I promised, attached is my build sheet with all specs.
Once we got the motor back, we got the 305 out of the car and started transferring items such as the water pump, crank trigger, and alternator.
A few items we noticed that will not work/need to be updated will be the Torker Intake we used on the 305 will not work so I found a Victor Jr. on Craigslist and pick that up yesterday. The headers will also need to be updated as one of the tubes is against the oil pan.
The remaining items on our to-do list include:
1) Fabricating the rear battery/fuel cell box for the trunk
2) Removing Stock Fuel Tank
3) Purchasing and Installing fuel cell
4) Installing Victor Jr intake, crank trigger, water pump, and alternator
5) Put new motor into the car and ensure wiring, plumbing, and fuel systems are good to go.
I am sure I am missing a few items but will add/delete items as necessary.
Looking forward to the next few months flying by and hitting the track in early Spring.
Make sure you are up to date on the local track rules ( and NHRA) before you buy and install you fuel cell and battery.
Might save you some grief.
Absolutely. We are doing our research and since we are going to redo the fuel system, we figure we will do it right this time in the event down the road where I put a BBC in the car or a motor that will put me in the high 9's, low 10's.
We are going to fabricate something similar to Ed Quay's setup. Unfortunately, I do not have almost $900 to spend on the Quay setup so we will design and build everything ourselves.
Its funny you mentioned the Ed Quay setup, that is what I have in my car.
(From the previse owner.)
It is also what bit me in the *** the first time I tried to bring it to the track.
The fuel cell was plastic and exposed to the bottom of the car.
It was not a major issue to fix but kept me from racing that night.
After working on it for 6 months fixing all the other things I caught,
it was disappointing to say the least.
Absolutely. We are doing our research and since we are going to redo the fuel system, we figure we will do it right this time in the event down the road where I put a BBC in the car or a motor that will put me in the high 9's, low 10's.
We are going to fabricate something similar to Ed Quay's setup. Unfortunately, I do not have almost $900 to spend on the Quay setup so we will design and build everything ourselves.
Shhhh don't tell my stock fuel system that it can't run low 9's high 8's lol
It is on the list but I have not seen the volume dip yet nor problems with delivery with the stock tank.
The NHRA rules are such a pain with our vehicle that when I decide to update it will just get one of the custom tanks that are factory dimensions and factory fill but have sumps built in. They sell for not a bad price. I Will look for the link to show you. Sure makes things really easy.
Shhhh don't tell my stock fuel system that it can't run low 9's high 8's lol It is on the list but I have not seen the volume dip yet nor problems with delivery with the stock tank. The NHRA rules are such a pain with our vehicle that when I decide to update it will just get one of the custom tanks that are factory dimensions and factory fill but have sumps built in. They sell for not a bad price. I Will look for the link to show you. Sure makes things really easy.
The issue is not with the performance of the stock unit. It is the size of the unit as well as the age. Using the stock tank would require a large amount of fuel to be in the tank at all times and since I will be going from pump gas to leaded 110, I will have over 100 dollars worth of fuel in the tank at all times. Would much rather put in a cell and limit that to 40-50 dollars.
The second concern is the age of the tank and worrying about any dirt making its way to the carb and into the motor.
The issue is not with the performance of the stock unit. It is the size of the unit as well as the age. Using the stock tank would require a large amount of fuel to be in the tank at all times and since I will be going from pump gas to leaded 110, I will have over 100 dollars worth of fuel in the tank at all times. Would much rather put in a cell and limit that to 40-50 dollars.
The second concern is the age of the tank and worrying about any dirt making its way to the carb and into the motor.
It will also let you take advantage of shaving off some weight.
1 gallon of gas is about 6lbs.
OP I only run 5 gallons at a time at race weight (50-60 bucks). I don't run around with a full tank.
I can understand about being worried about the age.
Weight saving is another story.
It is a 14 gallon tank. I always kept it full as I did not have a working fuel gauge.
By putting in a 4 or 5 gallon fuel cell, I should be able to save a good amount of weight compared to running the stock tank. With the prior setup, the car weighed 3195 with a full tank of fuel and driver.
Over the past few weeks we have made a lot of progress. 3 weeks ago we got the motor in the car and started the install of the fuel cell. This past weekend we got the fuel cell finished and ran new fuel lines to the fuel pump. We also installed the Victor Jr intake i picked up. Our machinist cleaned and glass beaded the intake and it looks brand new. Not bad for a $125 craigslist find. We are aiming to finish all remaining items this coming weekend and fire the car up for the first time with the 358 next Sunday. We have the remaining to finish:
1) install water pump
2) install alternator
3) install distributor
4) install crank trigger
5) install radiator
6) add oil, fuel, and water
7) bend Aluminum covering for fuel cell
8) install carb
Weather permitting, we are planning to run our tracks first test and tune on April 15th. Looking forward to warmer weather and finally getting back on the track!
Last edited by camaroracer21; 04-02-2017 at 08:49 PM.
Looking at the pictures and documentation for your 358 engine, I can tell that you have a very good engine builder. You will know for sure in 2 weeks. Best of luck.
We have been busy the past few weeks trying to get the car finished and fired. We had a major setback 3 weeks ago and needed to pull the motor back out and taken back to our machinist for a few days. The setback was a mistake on my end due to inexperience but A learning experience non the less.
Today we got the motor back in, indexed 4 sets of plugs, installed the water pump, converter, and starter.
On the agenda next weekend is to install the radiator and fan, crank trigger, distributor, change the jets and install the carb, prime the motor and fire it up.
I will post a video and some pictures next weekend
Last edited by camaroracer21; 04-30-2017 at 08:00 PM.
After countless hours, a few setbacks, and lots of help and support, we finally got the new 358 fired on Saturday. All that's left to do before hitting the track is fabricating the fuel cell enclosure which we plan to do over the next few weeks. A special thanks goes out to Dave at Dave George Racing Engines, Tom at Goldman Autorace Specialties and the biggest thanks of all goes to my father for helping me every step of the way. Almost time to make some runs!
Over the past few weeks we have spent some time making a mock fuel cell covering with aluminum pieces we had. Last night we picked up the new aluminum so we should be able to finish the enclosure in the next week or so.
We had planned on running a charity race at Maple Grove this weekend for the Ronald McDonald house but my dad's trans is still apart for his car as the front pump is bent so we are waiting on some replacement parts.
There is still a chance we make Saturday's race but if not hopefully we get out for the first time in the next few weeks.
The car is just about done as we are finishing up the tin work for the fuel cell enclosure. See attached picture for the progress we have made. All we have to do is add the Zeus fasteners and we should be ready to go.
We are schedule to race the following dates in July (weather permitting)
1) Season debut - July 1st - Maple Grove Raceway - weekly bracket race
2) July 8 & 9 - MGR - double bracket race weekend
3) July 14-16 - Super Chevy Show at MGR
4) July 29 & 30 - MGR - double bracket race weekend
After almost a 12 month hiatus, we finally made it to the track yesterday! We arrived at Maple grove to find out it was one TT and right to eliminations due to incoming weather.
First run off the trailer was an educational run as I learned what would and would not work in the routine I used to have. The pass was a 10.97 with an early shift from 1st to 2nd and letting off at about 1000ft.
The second run (1st round) I dialed a 10.85 and ran a 10.790 but went .007 red. I short shifted 2nd-3rd and let off at the MPH stripe as I did not see the red light since The track uses true start and I was focused on my shift points and driving the top end.
All in all we are very happy with the cars performance and all I need is more seat time to get comfortable with my new routine for the burnout, staging, and shifting.
Last edited by camaroracer21; 07-02-2017 at 09:38 AM.
Reason: Add pictures
Awesome weekend of racing this past weekend at Maple Grove. In both races, i was a first round runner up with a red light in Saturday's race and was caught on the losing end of a .0047 MOV in sunday's first round. Overall the car worked great with the best ET of 10.492 in Sunday's first round match up.
Next up is Menards Chevy Show at MG this coming weekend.
My 2017 season has officially come to a close. Ran our last event this past Saturday. To summarize the 2017 season, it was a success even with getting a late start (end of June). I learned a tremendous amount throughout the season which included assembling my first engine from carb to pan, learning a new staging process and how the car reacts, and driving the finish line in a 10 second car. This combo has proven to be extremely successful posting a best ET of 10.334 and best MPH at 130.27. After this past weekend's event, I have a total of 68 runs on the car in three seasons 25 of which coming this year. While round wins were tough to come by this year, I finally found the tree on my last outing where my worst lights were -.020 and .097.
Plans for the upcoming winter include new M/T slicks, strange axles, and new belts. I also plan to run the points series at my local track in hopes of winning more rounds and getting more hits on the tree.
All in all, the 2017 season proved to be the best season yet and I am already looking forward to the 2018 season!
Last edited by camaroracer21; 09-13-2017 at 06:15 PM.
Reason: Add pictures
Have not been on this site in over a year. The past year has been hectic as my wife and I bought a house and spent all of my free time working on the house or working on the racecar. Want to make a post on the results of the 2018 racing season and share a few pictures.
In 2018, I ran the points series at Maple Grove Raceway in the footbrake category. Unfortunately due to buying the house and other family commitments I missed 4 out of the 11 races during the year but still ended up finishing 45th in the points with the best day losing at 15 cars. I made a total of 55 passes during the year which included all points series and special races such as super chevy and big money races.
Overall it was a good year on track. Already setting my sights on goals for the 2019 season. Attached are a few pictures from some of the 2018 events.
Last edited by camaroracer21; 01-09-2019 at 10:29 AM.
Reason: Additions
03-24-2016, 08:18 PM
