New, looking for opinions

[twinscrewed]

Hey guys, first off im new here....I didn't see like a newbie area, so I figured I will start here since drag racing is my biggest interest with my car.

First off, I live in CO at 5800ft, and at our track its not unlikely to see DA's of 7000ft all the way to 8000ft. I've only ran 7 passes this year with the current setup which is just a Whipple HO, 4:30 frpp gears, Steeda springs, and some Nitto 555r's for the most part. My best ET is 12.73 @ 111, and my best trap speed is 114 with a 12.81. My sixty foots are usually from 1.80 to the 1.85 range. Im granny shifting the car right now, because I dont feel comfortable powershifting....so I know that has to be costing me some ET yeah? I feel with the mph the car is seeing, that I should be able to get into the mid to low 12's...what do you guys think? Here are a couple vid clips so maybe some of you guy's can analyze, and give me some of your thoughts and/or suggestions?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfIrhelYrGs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qheQCvfc-sw

I know my shifing is horrible, and I plan on doing an MGW very soon...

 

[stkjock]

couple things I noticed.

1) You need to do a better burn out.
2) looked like you were spinning in first
3) your 1-2 shift needs work ( mine too! similar in some of my passes)
4) your trap speed should be good for 12.2-12.3 at minimum IMO
(i'm running 12.3 @ 112-113 in a 3950lb Vert)
5) A 17" DR would help you out - with a Whipple HO 1.6x 60' should be doable


OH YEAH - WELCOME

 

[thump_rrr]

I'm not a fan of the Nitto's. I prefer the M/T E.T Street Radials and even more the M/T E.T. Street Bias Ply if you don't mind the marshmallow feeling.
Your suspension is lowered and you see the rear of the car porpoise when you shift so I would suggest a set of rear LCA relocation brackets.
I suggest the Steeda weld in ones due to them having the most adjustment or the BMR bolt in ones which I'm currently running.
I would replace the 3rd link before doing LCA's if you are encountering any wheelhop.
I installed the MSD Launch Master a few weeks ago and I think it's the best thing since sliced bread allowing you to launch at the same RPM every time.
Install a Raptor shift light so that you can concentrate more on shifting and less at looking at the tach.

 

[psfracer]

I have seen plenty of people break into the 11's with a 114 trap speed. In fact, if you look at the ET Ranking Spreadsheet, there are 4 people that have turned an 11 sec et with a trap of 114.

If your spinning in first, get a good DR like an M&H or M/T.

That 7000 foot DA has got to be a killer. I bet you would be about a full second quicker at sea level.

 

[twinscrewed]

Thanks for all the responses guys!
I am planning on an adjustable upper, lowers and relocation brackets...as well as a set of ET street bias ply tires, a little leary of those though because of having radials up front with them, and never driving on bias ply tires. I am having trouble getting in decent burnouts with the heel/toe technique, so I really want to do a line lock as well. An MGW shifter I believe will help my confidence with powershifting, the two times ive tried it didnt want to go into gear very easy, so I havent tried since. I read an article that it could be the stock throwout bearing is a limiting factor with powershifting...have you guys had any experience with that? I would be happy to get the car in the 12.2-12.3 range in the near future. After that I am considering dropping a pulley to try and make 10lbs of boost, as im only seeing 8lbs on the stock pulley up here now.

Yeah, being at this altitude really does suck..lol. A few of us want to plan a trip to a track at sea level really bad!

 

[stkjock]

the shifting issue @ high RPM is more likely the culprit of the remote mounted shifter. The engine/tranny torques over a bit and misaligns the shift path. Add a k-member with torque limiters from CHE and that will help a ton IMO.

Def get the line locks for your burnouts!!! PMP makes a very nice kit.

 

[don_w]

There is a lot of good advice already posted above, so all I'll add is...


... Welcome to S197Forum.com!!

 

[twinscrewed]

Thanks Stkjock! Is the PMP a complete kit, or do I need to add anything to it? Whats the install like on the K-member? Ive done everything to the car myself with my friends, so Im pretty confident I can do anything else that needs to be done.....

Thanks for the welcome Don! I know you've been around a long time, so any advice or insight you have, I would be extremely receptive to!

By the way, how do you guys feel about the potential of my car? Considering the mods I have, as well as only making 8lbs of boost at this altitude?

 

[don_w]

By the way, how do you guys feel about the potential of my car? Considering the mods I have, as well as only making 8lbs of boost at this altitude?

I have no real scientific data to back this up, but IMO a supercharged car is much less susceptible to altitude than an N/A car. The blower is making the pressure for you. N/A cars really struggle at altitude. My car doesn't react as negatively to altitude changes now, as it did before the blower went on. It seems to me that humidity and temp are bigger culprits on blown cars, with humidity "possibly" being the more important factor. Funny thing about water in the air... you can't compress it, and you can't burn it. Just my .

 

[psfracer]

I agree to a point. I bet if he goes to sea level---and doesn't change anything, that 8psi of boost would change to 10 or 11. And I would think the car would be faster. I know I am consistently a couple tenths faster at Famoso vs Ca Speedway, but that could also be because of the heat, etc.

 

[FOCBoss]

Welcome! I'm new myself. I run the bias et streets and they work awsome, they're sponge but not bad at all, I wouldn't suggest cruisin around town with them on(although that sure would have been handy with the new vette I played with a while back). I'd suggest some adjustable rear shocks. I've got stock suspension except for upper and lower control arms, and my QA1 helped alot. Just my

 

[stkjock]

Is the PMP a complete kit, or do I need to add anything to it?

it comes with the fittings and hoses. the Jegs solenoids are bought seperately.

Whats the install like on the K-member? Ive done everything to the car myself with my friends, so Im pretty confident I can do anything else that needs to be done.....

Unlike you I haven't done most of the work on my car. FWIW - it seems from the pics I've seen and the reviews I've read its not hard as long as you have a lift to use.

 

[FOCBoss]

SLP makes a nice kit too. I installed it myself, they replace one of your brake lines to the abs box with their own pre bent line with the solonoid plumbed in. You just have to mount the solonoid to the strut tower brace and run your wires into the car(I have a hurst shifter and hurst has a shifter knob with a button plumbed in). I'll take some pics later. The only prob I had was getting the stock brake line out. It has to many bends in it to get out in one piece so I cut it in half to get it out.

 

[Dex]

I always wonder how much tq the K member bolts can handle. i've seen where it breaks off the tranny from being too tight

 

[stkjock]

I always wonder how much tq the K member bolts can handle. i've seen where it breaks off the tranny from being too tight

Dex,

more than one? I know of only one instance of that happening. IIRC there was a over torquing issue.

 

[Dex]

i remember seeing pictures on one but i thought i remember it happening to another person.

was the guy FI?

 

[don_w]

FWIW - it seems from the pics I've seen and the reviews I've read its not hard as long as you have a lift to use.

I did my K-member swap with the car on jackstands.

But, there was no engine in it at the time either.

 

[stkjock]

I did my K-member swap with the car on jackstands.

But, there was no engine in it at the time either.

but you didnt say it was easy!

and I think we are talking two different components??? k-member vs. k-member brace.

 

[don_w]

but you dont say it was easy!

LOL... it wasn't hard.

The only bad part was that I didn't know a couple retaining nuts were tack welded on, and it was a sonuffabitch to break those loose. After I got the thing out, I realized I didn't have to do that at all. D'oh!

 

[ILW84U]

I installed my K member brace & torque limiters with the car on jackstands also. Actually it is an easy install. (my motor was in)