Tarheel49

Thanks Guys, This third gen forum has great info and has been the best help for me since buying this car. So I joined up to pay back any help I can be to someone else. I'm still learning about these cars more and more each day. So thanks to you guys for the forum and info and looking forward to some track time this year.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

everything looks excellent with the exception of the firewall mounted fuel regulator. by nhra/ihra rules, the fuel components cannot be attached to the firewall (for good reason, no need to put flammable fuel on the one panel that's supposed to keep fire away from the driver). also i see it has a cell, but can't tell if there is a good firewall sealing it from the rest of the car.

Tarheel49

Thanks Matt for the heads up on the regulator and fuel cell. I've been relying on my friend for most of the safety things, not using that as an excuse though. I guess I need a rule book to make sure all is in compliance. Got the seat mounted and braced to the roll bar. 5 point belt is mounted to bar as well. Only have an 8 point now, but putting in a 10 point bar. Fire bottle going in next to my seat. I'll keep the pictures coming and you guys can critique what's going on.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

that's what we're here for.

AlkyIROC

I was going to comment on the regulator as well as soon as I saw it but someone already jumped in.

You will need some sort of rear firewall to isolate the fuel cell and pump from the driver's compartment.

Tarheel49

Thanks again. Have a question about the bar above the pan hard bar that goes from the brace to the other side of chassis. Is it necessary to have for a drag car? Can I brace the chassis by welding in a tube from one side to the other and achieve the same thing?

Tarheel49

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

there are people that remove it and claim no problems. i decided to keep it, but made it a little lighter than stock. i like having extra support where there may be flex. additionally, it was the single component that kept my axle from rotating completely backwards when my torque arm failed back last spring.

Tarheel49

Thanks again Matt.

Tarheel49

working on moving the regulator to the motor plate or mount next to carb.

izcain

Also make sure that your battery switch has a clear "OFF-ON" mark next to it so the tech can see it easily.

Looks good aside from the items already pointed out. The bulkhead for the fuel cell is pretty important safety for you!

What Alternator mount did you use tarheel? looks like a nice piece.

Tarheel49

Haven't gotten to the switch yet. Going to make a plate with off and on for that. I used the power master kit for the alternator. Came with alt, mount, crank pulley and belt. Had to notch the motor plate just a tad to make it fit. Still working on wiring, got the water pump, rad fan, fuel pump and MSD box wired today. Rear sway bar on also. She's getting there but a long way to go yet.

izcain

Could you post a part number if you don't mind?

My alternator bracket has went thru a few revisions but I still have not found a combo that I totally like yet. Mine is low mounted on the other side.

That one looks a bit more simple then mine. I wonder if my alternator would work with those brackets...... Ill have to check.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

take a look at this one. i believe this is what we used on my cousin chucky's car.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alan-Grove-E...tSUs5I&vxp=mtr

here is what i think is the one that tarheel49 is running.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alan-Grove-S...JuAjSg&vxp=mtr

izcain

That first one you posted is what I have on the car right now. The part I liked about tarheels was that the crank pulley was smaller/thinner. The first one ends up using a crank pulley that spaces things out a ways.

Wolfster14

Tarheel,
You might want to put a ground wire or strap on the metal lip of your fuel cell too.
Also cant see the bottom of the fuel cell but if the plastic sump is exposed, it needs to be covered up.

Tarheel49

IZCain, the part number for the power master kit is #881, got it from jegs. I'm pretty sure they sell just the brackets and pulley with belt though.
Wolfster, i'm contemplating putting the fuel cell out of the car under the floor I put in. Just the filler cap will be visible, then I can put a cover over that part. Putting in a wall is a lot of work. By the way, what kind of front shocks or struts do you guys run?

AlkyIROC

I wish I could low mount my alternator like that. I have an oil filter mounted there beside the block and I have a steering box in the way. The only other way I was able to mount an alternator was roughly a mid mount and I have it mounted backwards. That's the only way I could get it to fit. I also use one of the smaller CS style alternators instead of that old SI style. The CS has an internal fan. The alternator doesn't care which direction it spins and mine isn't running long enough to worry about fan cooling.

izcain

Lets see a pic of yours alky!

It sounds like you did what I was actually contemplating. I am running out of room with a manual steering box, and accusump system, and all the nitrous plumbing and everything else under the hood. Getting a little cramped.

izcain

Thanks for posting that tarheel.

I had a set of 90/10's up front with a pair of home brewed air bags in the front acting as springs. It worked awesome when the car was in low tens, now I went back to moroso springs and tieing the front end down. Planning on moving to DA struts up front and some point.

izcain

ran low 1.4's 60' with the homemade bags and carried the tires a small amount.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

afco here

AlkyIROC

It's a custom made mount. I also have the benefit of having front and rear motor plates so the belt tensioner is mounted on the frame since the engine and frame don't move apart. I use a crank mandrel with 3 different pulleys on it. Innermost pulley drives the alternator. Middle pulley drives the fuel pump. Outer pulley drives the vacuum pump. There's also a crank trigger attached to the balancer so room to put stuff is very limited.

Tarheel49

Thanks guys for posting shock info. IZCain, I think you and I are pretty close in power. I haven't run the car yet but all the paper says low 10's. How high did your tires clear the ground? I only ask because I have a tube k member, arms, rack, fiberglass hood and alum heads so I'm worried about oil pan on the way down. I'm running 90/10s with 150lb springs. The front is not tied down. Do I need to worry or just run the car and see where it's at?
Alky, you got the bomb. That's an awesome ride. At what point do you have to run a vac pump on your motor? Thanks for the help guys.

izcain

When I was at that power I had the stock k member. One thing to note if you are in a wheelie don't cut the power suddenly unless you are really skying it. If you are really worried about it I would just tie the front down and as I got comfortable I would let it hang a bit more and see what happens. Do what makes you feel comfortable and don't worry about anything else. We are all here to have fun!

Mine would pull the wheels about a foot or so and ride it past the 60. It was just about perfect and deadly consistent. But I got bored with low tens. Now I am closer to 1000 at the wheels with everything on full tilt. A lot different ride then before and I am getting used to it now again.

Nitrous makes things a lot different then N/A. Matt pulls some beautiful wheelies he could give good advise also!

Tarheel49

Great info to know. I'm at 650 give or take a little. So it sounds like it will be ok. Raced a road runner years ago that turned 10.80s lifted about 8-10 inches so I think i'll be ok. Sounds like a blast of fun and looking forward to it. How do you have your front end tied down? Hope you don't mind all the questions.

izcain

No problem at all with all the questions its what we go on here for anyways.

You can find limiter kits thru like TMZ or the likes. Or you can make your own. Just something to only let the suspension travel so far.

izcain

Alky that's pretty much exactly what I was thinking for a mount. Cool to see one in action. I have been trying to make some more room to mount a vacuum pump. Running the poor mans Evac only goes so far lol

izcain

Tarheel if you don't mind what are some of the specs on the motor. We could prob get a good guess on what it will turn.

It takes more to turn tens then people think!

Tarheel49

No problem glad to list them- 383 sb, mahle 13 to 1 pistons, crank knife edged, 6" rods, brodix heads 220 runners, solid roller 650 lift- 270-274*, 950 pro carb, victor Jr manifold, dougs headers, power glide w/5000 stall convertor, moser 12 bolt 5.14 gears, 28x10.5 slicks. Car will only see 1/8 mile since 5 tracks close by- all 1/8.

izcain

That should make for a stout setup. The manifold may leave a little on the table though. It will be interesting to see what it turns. Are you street driving it?

izcain

Alky is your mandrel adjustable where you put the pulleys?

I have been working on converting over to the Grid and a crank trigger but not sure how it is going to jive with a mandrel or crank pulleys.

AlkyIROC

Nobody ever has to run a vacuum pump but they help. The old electric pump I used to run was a modified smog pump from an LT1. It couldn't pull enough air when the engine was at WOT but after a run, I would leave it turned on to pull all the condensation out of the crankcase. Oil always looks clean.

With the belt driven pump, it pulls more are out of the crankcase the faster it spins. If the engine is sealed up good enough, it can actually pull oil out of the wrist pins and bearings. I use a vacuum relief valve and have it set at around 12 inches of vacuum. I drain an ounce or 2 of water out of the puke tank after every pass.

Alcohol engines run cold. That radiator is for a Pontiac turbo Firefly. I normally don't turn the fan on until after a run and by the time I drive back to the pits, the coolant is under 160F. Cold running engines make condensation in the crankcase and any sort of blowby past the rings pressurizes the crankcase. With a vacuum pump, it's unlikely you'll ever see an oil leak since there's no pressure pushing oil out past seals and gaskets.

Wheelies... Do a youtube search for alkyiroc and the first video that pops up should be my last pass down the track where I pulled a 4 wheels off the ground wheelie all seen from an in car camera. It was my second pass of the day and I put it on the bumper twice before calling it a day. I didn't have wheelie bars on the car at the time. My front shocks were cranked up as tight as they would go but I didn't have my travel limiters tightened up. I have pics of my limiter setup on my computer at home that I made up. Might not be as nice as commercial purchased ones but anything is better than nothing. I'll post pictures when I get home from work. At least it will give people ideas.

My next pass down the track will be a little bit different. I now have wheelie bars. Front shocks will still be cranked up tight and the travel limiters will be adjusted to allow as little front end travel as possible. I'm also going to move my 4-link bars to drop the IC down and forward slightly which will also help keep the front end down. Technically the wheelie bars are only a safety precaution. The car should come up and hit the bars briefly but shouldn't ride them going down the track. I have carried the front end well past the 60' mark.

I know I have the power to make an 8 second pass. I just need to keep the front end on the ground.

Tarheel49

IZCain, no I don't drive on the street, car is stripped inside except door panels, power windows and stock dash. I know the manifold is holding me back but I want to get used to this thing first. I have an 8 point roll bar but looking for someone to install a 12 point. I want to tie the front frame to everything and have a halo bar also. Safety first.
How much spray are you using to make 1000hp? Alky, you must be pumping gobs of power, that thing sounds unreal. Going to check out youtube now.

izcain

between 250-300 worth.

Car makes between 680-720 on motor alone, 383 also but some good hot rod ingenuity lol That and the help of lots of camshaft, shaft rockers and profiler heads......

I have some things that are holding the car back but those should be off of it by the start of this season. They are always a work in progress but as long as your having fun!

izcain

I just updated to 8.50 cage over this last year and got it certed. Anything you can do to be safer is a plus.

izcain

I still have to tidy up some wires before running again. I tore it down some for some updates to the nitrous setup and ignition. so there is more wires and lines now lol

I was pulling the speedo cable that's why it is hanging in the pic.


Ugly but its a workhorse lol

AlkyIROC

I've never had it on a dyno. Theoretical HP based on power to weight and adjusted for altitude, a dyno should say I'm putting around 930 HP to the wheels.

Yes and no. It comes with a bunch of different sized spacers so you can adjust where the pulleys are but you are limited to exactly where they will go. If something like the alternator, vac pump don't quite line up then trimming mounts or adding washers for spacer needs to be done. I also used a straight edge to make sure the accessory pulleys were lined up as close as possible to the crank pulleys.

OK. Front end travel limiter pics. Nothing special. Commercial purchased version have adjustments by moving a pin to different holes. Mine has infinite adjustment however there's no way to be sure both sides are exactly the same length other than measuring the length of the rod. I used 1/2" threaded rod. (Might be 3/8". I'd have to go see what size wrench I need on the nuts) Drilled a hole through the upper shock tower where there's lot of metal and not just sheet metal. Nuts and washers on both sides. In the wheel well is an eye bolt attached to the lower control arm with a cable that attaches to a clevis on the threaded rod. Since the rod itself is positioned by the 2 nuts, it doesn't turn so it just slides through the hole then the nuts on both sides clamp it tight. When the rod is positioned with very little showing off the top, the suspension is allowed full travel. When there's a lot of rod showing off the top, the cable is almost tight with the car stationary. Even in this position, there's enough room to close the hood. Travel limiters are the best thing to keep the front of the car down. As the front end rises, it will start picking up the wheels off the ground sooner. That's extra weight it has to lift and should prevent the front end from getting too high.

Tarheel49

Alky, that's perfect, I love that idea. Going to the hardware store tomorrow. Thanks a million. By the way, where are you, in the rockies? Did a little racing in Denver awhile back when I was stationed at Cheyanne Wyo. When I moved east felt like my car had 100 more hp because of the altitude loss. lol. But you don't need to worry with over 900. lol

izcain

Those are some great pics alky. Looking at your control arms I think we might have the same ones. Are those pa racing?

Wolfster14

these are the ones Alky was talking about with the holes. chassis engineering. you have to weld on tabs to secure the cable. I got these at a swap meet for $20. they are about $65 on line.

AlkyIROC

I'm in Calgary. We haven't had a race track here for about 5 years now. Track elevation was 3350 feet. Not as bad as Denver but noticeable when you go to lower elevations. I get to race in Edmonton and Medicine Hat now and both have track elevations at roughly 2300 feet. When I was racing in Calgary, my estimated 930 dyno HP was closer to 770 going down the track with a typical summer race day of 5000+ feet density altitude. Lowest elevation I've raced was in Yakima. Something like 1700 feet elevation. I'd love to get to Mission some day which is at 24 feet.

Yes, PA Racing K-member and control arms. My a-arms have bushings. Rod ends would have been nicer but were not in my budget those many, many years ago.

Remember when clamping the cable, you don't saddle a dead horse. Even though I double clamped both ends of the cable, a single clamp should be enough.

Tarheel49

Thanks again Alky and Wolfster for the info. I like the double clamp idea just in case one lets go. Just being overly cautious until I get used to it. Fastest I've gone so far is 10.80s so might take a little time. In the process of getting a drive shaft made right now, should be done by Tuesday. Finishing up the wiring this coming week and will be ready to fire this puppy up. AZCain, awesome looking motor.

VAGOGTA

Goals for 2017:
get into the 10.40's and 60fts in the 1.2's, go to all the money races we can and finish Summit series in the top 5

skinny z

Me too. I miss sea level.

Tarheel49

Vagogta, nice car. Love the wheel stand. What size rear tires you running?

VAGOGTA

Thank You !
The rear tire size is 28x10.5 MT stiff wall I love how this ones work ,I tried the Drag Radials and soft wall they do work too but this stiff wall tires work better for my set up.

Tarheel49

Thanks for the info. Are they mounted on 8" or 10" wheels? And do you have to put screws in the wheels?

AlkyIROC

I don't use tubes in my tires and even I don't use rim screws. The only time you really need rims screws is if you use tubes. If you spin a tire with a tube, you'll tear the valve stem off.

Use a paint pen of even your window marker (bingo dauber, shoe polish etc) and put a dot on the tire at the valve stem. After a day of racing, check to see if the tire has turned or not.

A don't think a 10.5 slick will fit very well on an 8" tire. Rim width should be within an inch of the tread size so an 8" rim shouldn't have a tire with more than 9" of tread. A DOT tire is measured across the tire section so a 10.5 DOT tire actually only has about 8.5-9" of tread.

VAGOGTA

They are 15X10 and we don't use screws , we may not make enough HP to need to use the screws , tires spin just a little the first 2 or 3 runs and after that they "lock" in to the wheel