Im leaning towards a bit more drag racing with my 86 Z28 I am currently building and wanted everyone opinion on the suspension. Engine is a dyno proven 510HP cast iron headed 383, TKO 600 5 speed. (Dont want to hear any comments about the stick, its my choice)

Suspension wise, this is what I have. Id like to be able to cut a 60' somewhere in the low 1.5x range.

- Moroso trick springs(the heavier ones)
- CE 90/10 front struts
- PA racing tubular a arms
- PA racing caster camber plates
- Spohn SFC's
- 6 pt. roll bar
- Moser 9" 3.90 gear, 31 spline, spool, 5/8" stud
- 245/50-16 Nitto 555R drag radial
- Spohn double adj LCA's
- Spohn double adj PHB
- Stock rear springs
- CE 3 way adj rear shocks
- Spohn anti roll bar
- Spohn pro series adj torque arm

Anything reccomendations on things that can be improved upon? It will be about 50/50 street/strip but I would really like a squeeze a low 11 out of the car by the end of next summer. Thoughts?

 

ditch the nitto tires...trust me...had them on a stick car and didnt work...thats a small cam you have....could help you out with low end torque.

buy some good tires

 

Id like to stock with a drag radial, any reccomendations? The cam is small but the combo has a well designed valve train that works really well.

 

Personally, M&H if you really want to stick with DR's. From a considerable amount of personal experience I can tell you making DR's work well with a clutch takes a lot of time, tuning, alterations & more tuning. - I would more likely switch to a bias-slick.


What you have suspension wise should get the job done, will just take time finding the right tune between the suspension & the clutch. If I were to change anything it would be fully adjustable shocks/struts for more tuneability.

 

It will eventually get better shock/struts. but there just isnt room in the budget right now. Next winter I plan on making more upgrades.

 

I may have scored a deal on soem BS streelites for the front and rear, Would a mickey Thompson 275/60-15 suite me any better with say a 4.11 gear?

 

we have a pretty similar setup (i'm running a short jegster torque arm though).

Buddy from M/T told me to run a bias ply ET Street/tubes/rim screws for my setup, and that's what i'll be running. the stiff sidewall of the radial tire just doesn't like the shock of a clutch trans. a 3.90 with a 26" tall tire would have an equivalent effective gear ratio as a 4.30 with a 28" tall tire. if you go to a 28" tire, i recommend the 4.30's. i am going to a 4.56 with the 5.3, but i'm certain you will make more torque than my 5.3 will, even with the heads/cam i'm running.

good luck man, i'm glad to see you're going in the drag race direction with the car!

 

What size rear tire are you going to run? It would kill me to put wheel screws into my brand new wheels. lol I leaning towards running a MT ET Steet 28x11.5-15 PN 3754.

 

I'm going to run that very tire, on a 15x10 with tubes and screws. I put screws in these the first day I got them, lol

 

What backspacing wheel are you running and how much beating with the BFH was required witha the 15x10??

 

I'll tag ya in some pics on Facebook when I get home. I have 6.5" backspacing, which ticks it just right. Needs offset rodend lca's and the bump stops need to be cut out, as well as some bfh work around the front lca mount.

 

I used to try and run 27" Et Streets behind my T56/383 combo. Best ever 60' was only a 1.65 with very little consistency. I'm running a 26" stiff wall ET Drag now, and as far as I'm concerned its the only way to roll. Super easy 1.62 60's leaving at 4500rpm, and I haven't even begun to look at shock tuning. Heck, that's on an autocross suspension with a disconnected front sway.

 

i have to run a DOT tire for the local quick 8 i run, so that's why i'm looking at that tire. not sure what all requirements charlie has, or if he just wants a DOT tire.

 

Yeah, I know it depends on the class. I just had to chime in, having been down this road before. I'm like a slick evangelist after seeing the results, big fan of consistent traction.

 

Well I scored the BS streetlites, 15 x 3.5" fronts and 15 x 8" rears w/ 4.5" back spacing. WAYYY lighter then the IROC's lol...

 

 

I love those wheels, real nice buy!!