AlkyIROC

Same rules as every other year. Make it something obtainable.

Setting new personal bests? Winning an event? Making it through the season without breaking anything? Making it out to at least one race?

I've sat out the last three race seasons now. With the local track shut down, the ambition to travel just to race is very low. I still have a few things to do to the car to make it race ready again plus a bunch of my date coded things are now expired. I suppose my 2016 goal is to get the car running again and make it out to at least 1 race even if it isn't an official bracket race. There's a few small towns that hold big event racing at the local airports. Still better than nothing. There's even a few 100' dash races but I doubt my front tires would trip the finish line beams if traction is perfect.

I still want the bragging rights to have an 8 second timeslip without needing to use any power adders to get it. My car does not have a blower, turbo or NOS. Just old fashioned naturally aspirated brute HP. Seeing my best time of 9.0 just makes me want it even more.

skinny z

I would have thought someone would have posted up their expectations for the coming season.
I guess I'll go first.
I'll admit I was humbled by the elevation at the new (to me) track. At 2100' with DA often in the 3500-4000' range, I learned quickly that I wasn't going to be as quick (relatively speaking) as I was at my old track closer to sea level. Interestingly, my corrected times were exactly as they were back home so at least I know I have some consistency.
All of that said, I guess the goal this year is go a little faster still. Fuel delivery problems kept me from doing too much racing so in the off season I'll address that issue, have the heads refreshed (at 1986Z28OWNER's shop here in town. http://amsengines.com) and step up in the cam department. Once that's dialed in, it'll be time for a new converter. We'll see were that gets me.
There was an offer last year to join up with the bracket racing series. If I can get the car together and be a little quicker, that's something I'll take a stab at.
On a slightly different note, now that I'm living closer to a track that has a vibrant racing community, I'd like to meet some of the local characters. There are a few of you here at thirdgen.org that race and I hope to track a couple of you down.
Good luck everyone.

AlkyIROC

It's bracket racing. Speed means nothing. You can have a 10 second or an 18 second street car. They wouldn't be in the same class but both have an equal chance of winning a race.

Thornburg

Ahhgood old bracket racing...'I remember the first time I went to the track and laughing at the Citation or might have been Chevette beating these street pounding, wheel standing big blocks... Nothing more consistent than a factory car running an automatic.
I might be talked into taking my bone stock 1985 IROC just to see what she will do, maybe 15-16 Secs but it will be fun!

skinny z

I suppose I should have said I want to be a quicker but not for the purposes of going bracket racing. Just quicker.
Then maybe join the racing series for the competition but truthfully I'd rather not win in an 18 second car although I know you can.
Hope to see you up here this season.

AlkyIROC

As a bracket racer, even I admit that watching two 15 second cars going down the track is very boring. However when you're sitting behind the steering wheel, even a 17 second car in a bracket car can be exciting.

We have a local husband and wife team. He drove a 12 second Fairlane. She drove a 20 second Festiva. During king of the hill races where all cars are in one class to see who the best racer is, she could sometimes beat him. She got an 8 second head start and he played catch up right to the finish line. She didn't win every time she went down the track but the crowd always cheered her on.

When I drove my 15 second 454SS pickup truck many years ago, I eliminated an 8 second dragster once. Not much you can do when you're crossing the finish line at 90 mph and a dragster blows past at 165 mph. Cross your fingers and look for the win light on the wall.

It's nice to go fast but going fast also costs more money and you increase the chances of breaking something. When I go racing, I expect to break something. If I don't, that's just a bonus for the day. Last time I was at the track, I put the car up on the back bumper twice before having to call it a day.

For those who have never seen it, this was my last wheelie.

skinny z

It's a question of self respect for me. At one time a 12 second street car was the hot ticket. I found it hard to accept a 13 second time slip when I went out to start last season. I wouldn't sign up for a racing series if that was all I could do. After all, it's a Camaro...
As for going faster and breaking parts, even at my modest speeds, I've managed to blow up a few things. Can't say I've ever been sent home because I put my car on the back bumper though.
So, in the theme of this thread, this year's goals are to deal with the new track and try to go faster. I'd like to see a corrected 11 second time slip but that's going to be a lot of work.
Either that or I'll have to find my old Chevette (what a great car that was) and race my way into the 20's!

AlkyIROC

The muscle cars from the 60's to early 70's were fast at 13 seconds. They also had drum brakes, cloth seats, manual steering, no AC, etc, etc, etc.

Technology changes. Don't expect your 80's car to compete with the latest production car. My 2004 F350 diesel superduty and 2014 F150 Platinum can both outperform my old 1991 454SS and are a lot more comfortable to drive but the 454SS was still a hotrod.

heavy_chevy29

last year I finally got my 8 sec pass. This year the motor is getting freshened up. new heads, cam, intake, pistons, etc. This year we are expecting to compete in the 8.50 index class. no more playing games bracket racing. time to have fun and run a heads up class.

igotta355z28

iTrader: (1)

I'm looking to get my LS 370 finished and swapped to get to do some 1/8 mile 7.0 index racing. Might hit some muscle car club challenge races to get some seat time. Just want to get out to a cpl races this season and shake out any bugs. Then hit it hard next year.

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

7.9's

skinny z

Same here...but in the 1/8th.

fasteddi

iTrader: (2)

Well last year went ok for me. I didn't end up in the sportsman points like I wanted to but I messed with the engine quite a bit. Last year I did hit a personal goal of 120MPH trap speed. I didn't hit my goal of 11.49 though, I went 11.59 so I was off a bit.

This year My goals are:
To not blow the car up again(that's always the most important thing to me)
To end up in the top 10 of the sportsman class at Milan Dragway.
To either run a 11.49 or lower and to top my current trap speed best of 120mph by 2MPH.
And the most important is just to have fun driving the car around and racing it.

Small goals but big in the aspect of what my car is and what I plan to do to it over the winter. I'm really not doing anything too major else then tiding up a few things. Currently i'm still working over the trans freshing it up a bit, since its been 4 seasons since this one has been rebuilt. This will also be the last year of my 3.1/3100 before i tear back into it and rebuild it and or just swap it out for a full 3900 engine. This will be the 3rd full season of racing on it. Last year I made 82 passes on the engine. So it gets a a lot of bracket racing. I went to milan, norwalk, and NTR durring the year. Milan(sportsman class) every points weekend, norwalk(pro class) as many free saturdays as possible and NTR(pro class) was for my bach party. It was a fun season.

Passmenow

After a good day on the dyno next week we can start setting 3rd gen goals for 2016.
Find time in 2016 for a few races in Andy's last Camaro too.
http://www.scca.com/pages/andy-porterfield

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

The Camaro is no longer my primary race car since I got the '57 running again in 2014. I didn't make a pass in the Camaro at all last year, but my son did use it as a backup while his S10 Blazer was out of commission for a bit.

While I remember all of the first round losses and red lights from 2015, it would still be hard to top the results. I ran in 6 classes (plus another in the Vette), and was on the podium at the post-season awards banquet in 5 of them, winning two classes. Was also named the track's "top performer" for the year.

This year I'll most likely run in the same classes I did last year. I only have minor mods planned for the engine; change the fuel system from dead-headed fuel rails to flow through, upgrade the rocker trunnions. The former to see if consistency will improve, the latter to avoid potential failure (although no indication of issues through the first 2 seasons). I may also finally get a speedometer working so I don't have to use the GPS driving to & from the track.

I didn't go to the Div V ET Finals last year because they scheduled a points race at the home track that weekend - had I not been there for that race, I wouldn't have won the season championship in that class. They've already announced the 2016 season schedule and they did it again; I'll have to decide if I go to the ET Finals (assuming I qualify for the track team) as that weekend gets closer. The '57 would be too quick for the Sportsman class at the lower altitude, so that may be a chance to run the Camaro, since it runs right at the 12.00 min ET required in that class at that altitude.

Speaking of altitude, I have to laugh when I see comments like "2100' elevation". Our track is at 5800' elevation, and I've never seen my weather station below 6800' DA - typical DA during the summer is in the 8500'-9500' range, often above 10,000'. Running at 1100' elevation for the ET Finals feels like a hundred shot to us...

AlkyIROC

I love hearing about fast cars in Denver because I know it's hard to make power at altitude. When we had a local track, a typical race day was around 5000 feet DA.

When someone says they have a 12 second street car in Denver, I'm more impressed than when someone in Florida says the same thing.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

My stroked 6.0 with all the good stuff 3850 lb race weight NA driven-to-the-track '57 runs 12.0's here (12-teens on hot summer days, dipped into the 11.9's in cool early fall evenings). It would need a 6-point at sea level.

The LS6-clone 3400 lb race weight NA driven-to-the-track Camaro with headers, stall, & gears runs 13.0's up here. With some interior stuff removed for weight reduction to 3200 lb, it clicked off a 11.82 early morning in Topeka (was 12.0's most of the time).

Love it when the flat landers run up here and wonder why their car lost a second...

And love being able to say I'm racing my street car at the track, and driving my race car on the street.

Fastbird

iTrader: (5)

10's

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

get the new safety equipment in the car (10 pt and the rest of the goodies to run 9's regularly).

win more rounds

make more races

i went 9.97 last year, so i have no real performance goal other than to run more 9's.

KWIK84

iTrader: (5)

Run a couple of 7.0 index classes, and work on a 10.90 package for 1/4 mile stuff.

Would like to see new best of:
60': 1.45
1/8: 6.8
1/4: 10.7

FRMULA88

I want to work on my 60' to bust into the 10.2s - 10.0s

My MPH says I should be good for that maybe even 9.9-9.8s so I am leaving timing, jetting, and my shift point alone.

I switched to front coil overs this winter, that dropped 5# off the front of the car LOL !!
but more importantly I can now adjust the ride height (raise it) to help shift some weight to the rear (which should help the 60' !! )

As it was, before the conversion, the front air dam had a terrible 3 3/4 " of ground clearance !
After the conversion I now have 5" of clearance.
I am going to leave it there and see how it runs off the trailer next season (not changing anything else from last season except the engine oil and filter).
We will see if the 1 1/4" of weight jacking accomplished anything besides making loading onto the trailer a damage free affair.

If I make progress in right direction then I will look at launch RPM / tire pressure. 2 things that no one seems to agree on LOL, I just do what I think the car likes and the
time-slips don't lie.

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

I want to complain more about the rules.

It's no coincidence that I'm the last of a group of 20 friends that has a strip car. You've got guys with brand new vettes running faster ET's than we're allowed to run because they are "Super stock" and we need tons of safety crap to pass tech.

I started going over the NHRA manual again to see what it would take to run mid 10s in the 130s and I'm thinking about parting the car out again..


I understand safety is important.. but It's starting to get stupid.

-- Joe

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

those rules for mid 10 second et's have been in place for 20+ years. it's only the newer stuff that gets the exception, but last i checked, your car doesn't have 20 airbags in it, or "crumple zones".

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

20 years ago you were not old enough to drive, but I did start racing in the mid 90's and I remember things quite well.

Screw in valve stems started getting enforced a few years ago. I don't recall which year it was added to the books, but it was only required when running tube slicks prior.

Engine diapers or some other "retention device" are required on cars running 10.99 or quicker now. I think that was added within the last 2 years.

Neutral safety switch - this one was added in 2003 if I recall, after some moron started his car in the staging lanes and broke a spectators legs. Now we're all treated like morons. Not all shifters had the capability of adding a switch.

Transmission blanket. Used to be just if you had an aftermarket planetary. Now required for anything faster than 11.49. This rule now extends to 13.49 if you run an aftermarket planetary or have a stall converter. So a stock GTA with a converter and a hot transmission needs a blanket now to run low 13s.

Aftermarket axles on anything faster than 11.49. This rule is the past few years. Retension devices have always been there, but disc brakes were allowed to be used. Now you need legit c-clip eliminators with a minimum pressed bearing size. So now you get to have a leaky rear end.

This rule is pure BS since there is no current SFI or other specification for aftermarket axles. Some idiot, like racecraft, could make axles in their barn that are half as strong as OEM and it's OK with NHRA..


The Roll bar and SFI restraint rules have been there for decades, yes, but I still have some problems with them. I think their should be a bar exemption for 'street registered' vehicles running 10.00 or 10.49 or slower. My reasoning for this is as follows:

1) Roll bars are dangerous on the street. In a collision, serious head trauma can result unless you're also wearing SFI restraints and a helmet.

2) SFI restraints are not DOT approved, and can't be used when driving on the street. (conflicts with #1)

I think NHRA should have different tech brackets for registered street cars up to a certain ET vs cars that don't have tags and come off a trailer.


And No I don't have 20 airbags, but neither does all 2008 vehicles..


My original post was somewhat sarcastic, and I guess you didn't get where I was coming from, but basically it's kinda hard to built a 'street legal' car that competes with a newer car and still be able to run it at the track. I mean, dude, you can have a helmet, cage, all the SFI crap, diaper, etc and then get absolutely spanked by a stock vette or GTR driven by a guy in a t-shirt. How is that fair?

-- Joe


-- Joe

tRoUbLe+MaKeR

I have had a 1992 firebird since 2006 that I have allways talked about making in to a racecar but have never had the time or money, ( lack a little mechanical ability as well) I have said ever spring that I'm going to get it back on the street/strip

I've spent a lot of time reading here on thirdgen.org and have learned quit abit

My goal is to get the car done and running,
The closest track to me is an 1/8 mile
I have never done any track racing but have always dreamed about doing it...
I will be having my first child in July so this year as already been interesting

Just bought a pile of parts I have someone else's combination as the motor its oddball at 392 cubic inches,
( destroke 400 bored .060 over) aluminum heads 670 Street Avenger 700r4 3500 stall, motor dyno just over 400hp at the crack
Hoping to put 320whp to the ground on a set of 275 drag radials has full subframe connectors aftermarket panhard bar control arms,
Just bought the rear coilover kit from umi, 90/10 drag strut tubular control arms for the front,

Will probably put a 150 shot plate kit on it,

Want to see if I can make a couple passes at a 7.?? second 1/8
Before my child is born in July...

Is a 7 second et. out of the question for a setup like mine?

I've been considering starting a build post on here to show my progress throughout the rest of the spring just kind of show what I've got what I'm working with and hopefully someday what I achieved



As it sits

izcain

I agree with you totally.

I have been working on getting the cage updated from the 8 to a 10 point. Also adding the chute and window net along with updating as many things as I can. I have decided though to dial the car back to keep tech at bay. I am sick of giving Nhra a ton of money.

At the end of the night I will shove the big pills in the car and let her eat, pull the chute and head home. If I get booted so be it. I really need to find some ihra tracks closer to me.

AlkyIROC

Have fun.

I'll tell you right now that you won't pass a tech inspection with that huge chunk of rubber fuel line. Make a hard line with short pieces of rubber hose to join them or install a steel braided line.

izcain

I thought it was something like no more then 12 inches of rubber fuel line total in the car or something like that...... I cant remember but I think it was something like that.

There was something else about having to have a locking trans dipstick also if I remember right.


So many rules it is hard to keep track.

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

The locking dipstick is tied to ET or MPH or both if I recall.

-- Joe

tRoUbLe+MaKeR

That's one of the things among many that need to be addressed yet this spring,

zacharyhorn

iTrader: (1)

Upgrade compressor size and not run at the track. (Cage is needed) Drive it 10,000 miles or more.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

i'd be interested in more information on the engine in the car there troublemaker. the combo seems really strange. i think it has 7 sec capabilities, but not in it's current state.

tRoUbLe+MaKeR

It is an odd combination, it's a 400 small block that is bored .060 so it's 4.185 with a 3.56 stroke,
Cid comes out to 391.76
So I call it a 392sbc

A similar to 377 which is a destroked 400 stock bore with a 350 crank at 3.47

Like I said someone else's combination it was in a mid-eighties Corvette the guy had for autocross racing road course type stuff, I had it refreshed and motor dynoed

Supposedly a a fast reving high RPM motor

I believe the crank is along the lines of what they use for dirt track cars with special bearings to accept the smaller crank...

I know there's a lot I need to do to get track certified... I'm hoping someday soon I will complete this goal...

Anything you guys have for input is much appreciated thanks in advance

tRoUbLe+MaKeR

I would start a build thread if I no there might be any interest,

tRoUbLe+MaKeR

It has 64 cc aluminum heads out of a prior to fuel injection 80's Corvette, full roller set up not sure exactly what the cam specs are... but it's a fairly large cam it has pretty good size rockers and tall valve covers so it's got some left.
I figure with 150 plate on it assuming I can get it tuned without blowing the thing to smithereens I would like to be 450 horse to the ground on the button,
100 mile an hour speed trap and the 8th would be cool by me

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

your own thread would help, since it would derail the scope of this thread.

it needs more carb for sure from what i'm seeing here as well as more converter and probably gear since i'm sure it wants to live in a high RPM range. i'd also like to see you go away from the shorty headers and put a better flowing exhaust system on it.

without cam and head specs i can't really give you any good recommendations on what parts to replace those areas that i mentioned with though.

tRoUbLe+MaKeR

I will start my own thread this weekend...
I have a 3 inch from the y pipe it goes straight to a cut out q te C, right underneath the passenger floor, 5 seconds open to close...
It's a fairly free flowing exhaust

The suspension is pretty stout...
Subframe connectors S&W race car
Control arms relocation brackets
Panhard bar rear coilovers hundred and ten pound 14 inch springs
UMi tubular a-arms upfront
Lakewood 90/10 drag struts
Still has stock driveshaft and torque arm... plan to upgrade those two though

Just need wider tires and to put it all back together, are the tech inspections as strict when they do no prep Friday night street style races...

I have talked to quite a few people that say for the Friday night drag races at the track in Glenwood Iowa all they do is roll your car in make sure its not leaking oil and let you run it down the track people have said they were running rubber fuel line excetera and they never gave them a trouble...

tRoUbLe+MaKeR

Not trying to hijack a thread by any means... just enjoy everyones expertise

Wolfster14

Would like to pick up right were I left off, maybe get a couple more super comp wins. Do some fine tuning on the car.
No major changes except for a converter swap to a FTI converter. The old one was used and not really set up for my car.

muddyjimmy

iTrader: (2)

I would like to run a 9.99 at least once but I don't think my engine has the power to get it done. So I would settle for a consistent 10.20.

Get the 60' time down to the lower 1.4x's from current mid 1.5x's

Keep the crown for "King of Street" at the LTX Shootout True Street class.

startat2

iTrader: (2)

Sad to say, or maybe not so sad to say, this year doesn't involve a third gen f body. About 5 months ago I picked up a 4 speed/350 3rd gen nova. I plan on hitting the first TnT of the season, work on her this summer, and see how much faster I can get her running over the course of a season!

izcain

Well after going back and forth I decided to give nhra some more money since I don't want them chasing me around the pits every race lol......



Just gotta turn in the stuff for my comp lic renewal.

plum92_camaro

The LS1/T56 swap should be complete in two weeks. The car is ultimately an autoX/RR car so my goal is simply to beat my best time with the LO3/t5 drivetrain of 1:23.02 at the local autoX track. With 100#s off the front, twice as much power, and some new rear suspension mods to replace worn stock parts, it's going to be a completely different car.

Because I occasionally go to the drag strip with my buddies, I've also got a 1/4 mile goal of 12.9-13.1. I also hope to beat my buddy's 600hp 03 terminator. Car wise the odds are in his favor, but he bought the car recently and has no experience racing it or a car like it at a drag strip. Having made many passes at the strip I'm hoping to out drive him!

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

My son got tired of all of the issues that kept cropping up with his LS-swapped S10 Blazer, so he sold it. He had already picked up a '75 Vega into which he plans a new LS build, but that won't be ready for awhile. So he's going to run the Camaro this season, help it remember how to race.

skinny z

A Vega eh? A sentimental favourite.
As for your earlier post regarding elevation, I've been humbled by the DA here at the local track. Somewhere, some place a half second has disappeared! Interestingly, when using the correction tables (at Fast Times), I'm as slow as I ever was. Just not slower. To reiterate my earlier post regarding this seasons goals: Try and match my best sea level pass but at my new altitude.
Good luck to you and your son.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

My first "race car" was a '76 Vega with 3.8 V6 5-speed. I also had a '75 wagon (into which the 3.8 & 5-speed were swapped after the '76 was totaled) and a '74.

The stroked LQ4/4L80E currently in the '57 run quicker at altitude than the 396/TH400 did at sea level...

Thanks. We run in a couple of the same classes, so we may meet up sometime during the year...

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

i hope that my kids want to race with me when they are old enough

Amillionoh7

iTrader: (1)

Goal: Finish engine and make it to the track before December

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

It's a lot cooler than I would have imagined...

383backinblack

I'm a little late to this party, but after being in CA for 4yrs, and finally having the car out here, it's time to go back to the track and finish the unfinished business of becoming 9sec street car.

So, run in the 9s Then Party like it's 9.99