81 Z-28 in full street trim. 355 with world s/r heads(1.94/1.5 valves), roller rockers, MSD everything(timing is 35 @2,900rpms), Comp. Pure Energy Cam 203/212@.050(.425/.439), Holley 650 Double Pumper, Tremec TKO, Mcleod 11" clutch, 3.42s with Nitto Drag Radials. First time at track with new tranny/DRs best timeslip in 80 degree heat:

60ft-2.11
330-5.99
1/8th-9.22
mph-76.4
1000-12.00
1/4-14.35
mph-96.5

That was spinning the drag radials...on my other runs the tires stuck and I got horrible horrible wheel hop in all of 1st and on the shifts. I need to find 4 cheap tenths this Weds. the last racing night before I go to college. I am gonna get some cheap Lakewood traction bars but I'm not sure how much they will help me or how much the wheel hop is costing me. Any ideas to help me find the time? I can't go another year waiting for a 13 sec. slip!

launch it in second gear! The tko gear is steep and the 3:42 rear should, at a minimum shave shift time, decrease you wheel spin and lower you 60' time.

good luck
joe c

launch it in second gear! The tko gear is steep and the 3:42 rear should, at a minimum shave shift time, decrease you wheel spin and lower you 60' time.

good luck
joe c

I use BFG 235/60/15 drag radials (26 inch tall 8 inch wide)and get a 1.70 60 ft time but I have to be very careful and lightfooted. I launch at 2500 rpms at half throttle. Tire pressure is 11 lbs.
I also have a set of caltrac bars that work great, unfortunately, you won't be able to install them within the next two days. A lot of guys use Lakewoods but you need to tune them. I presume that you have a nonposi rearend so the right side (passenger)rubber stop needs to be closer to the spring than the driver's side to give it more downward pressure.
My suggestion is to not wait until you get to the track to test. Hopefully, you can find a very long driveway or deserted road to practice launching. Changes to be made: different tire pressures, launch rpm, part vs full throttle, adjust Lakewood rubber stops.
Burning rubber feels great but low 60 ft times are the result. You want to blast off the line with minimum tire spin and no wheel hop.
You may be able to get your 13 time on the launch and then be surprised at the high end trap mph.
Good Luck
Ken

1) Are you running with or without the filter and air cleaner top ?
2) Are you running with less than half a tank of gas?
3)practice makes perfect.

borrow some ET Streets...

The tires are sticking when I get a good burnout on them and go after a slicked car...but thats half the problem. I get horrible wheel hop when they stick. I only spun off the line once, which was my fastest 60ft time?(Explain that to me!)

The gas thing is a good idea. I was running 4-5 gallons under a full tank(filled up right before I left). Gonna try it at half tank. I'm running with the air cleaner too...does taking it off actually help at all?! I have one of those K&Ns 14x3s with an 'extreme lid' top.

less gas in the tank helps with weight, but hurts due to less weight over rear... gotta 50/50 shot.

the extream K&N top might give flow disturbance at the carb. venturi...never hurts to try w/o it?

one other thing to try, works for me, is to launch at @ 1500rpm, just to get the car to leave w/o spinning, and as you start rolling give gas at a steady rate, fast but not "tromped".

You should easily be able to shave that 4/10ths off in the first 60ft. That will usually equal even more on the other end. Like everyone above has said you need to figure out what your car wants off the line. You have more than enough power and gear to get where you want to be. I bet if you just leave a little softer that will drop 2-3/10ths. In your case you don't want to shock the tires to hard that will cause wheel spin and or tire hop. Nitto's are great tires (I've seen sub 10 second runs made on them). The source/reason for your wheel hop is the leaf spring trying to wrap (actually too much traction for the spring to control). this is where traction devices come in handy. Your basic slapper bar should get you into the 13's with ease (you still won't be able to launch at full throttle), they should be enough to keep your springs from trying to wrap. Good luck.

Went tonight. Man am I a horrible driver. I didn't get one good run....car bogged down for some reason on one run and got a 2.4 60ft time, I missed a shift in 3 runs! 3!!!!! And I've never missed a shift before in my 25+ other runs! I couldn't get the car to even hook at all tonight, it just wanted to spin(still just 2.1 60ft times). I need to learn this 'ease the clutch out' method you guys are talking about. Right now I get it around 2,500 and just dump it and gas it. I had one good run that I prolly would have seen a 14.1 or 14.2 but I backed off cause it was an elimination run and I had a fender on the guy and didn't want to break out(got a 2.09 60ft on that run and still a 14.6@83 even though I got out of it good).

It stinks cause it was the last race before I have to go to college...hopefully next year with some SSM Lift Bars, XE262 cam, and lots more practice with the clutch I can have a solid 13.8 car.

Hey Allgo, at least you had a last hurrah with your car...I go back to college tomorrow and my camaro has yet to see a run this summer! I took a perfectly good running engine apart in June expecting it to be track ready early July...and now it is August and the engine is still down to the shortblock. redface.gif

You really should work on getting those 60's down. Ive never launched a clutched car so I can't preach, but you might want to try feathering the clutch while keeping the rpm's constant or slowly climbing, until the clutch is fully engaged and you have traction. Im sure it's much trickier than my TH-350 though. Enjoy school!

Wow, it's interesting to see that others are having a similar problem that I'm having. I'm trying to bust into the 12's before school starts (8/25) and Friday is it. Hopefully it won't rain though.

I'm sorry about not being in the 13's, I was in your shoes in April this year. If your car goes to college with you, you can still practice launching it(somewhere safe). My 97' Z28 would run nothing but mid 14's, but I sold it to a guy who could really drive and I saw it run a 13.9 exactly the way I had it!!! Just practice and you'll be there. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Originally posted by sik68:
Hey Allgo, at least you had a last hurrah with your car...I go back to college tomorrow and my camaro has yet to see a run this summer! I took a perfectly good running engine apart in June expecting it to be track ready early July...and now it is August and the engine is still down to the shortblock. redface.gif

Wow I've been there this summer too. Oo the tranny swap will only take 4 days tops and then I'll have a month and a half to tune it down to 13s. Well everything goes wrong on the tranny swap and suddenly it takes 5 weeks and I only get 2 days at the track to try to get 13s.

Toad, I go to college in new york city and there are pot holes large enough to eat my whole car, and the mufflers and bolt in subframe connectors would be ripped off withint 5 minutes. Good luck on the 12s!

I think I need some ET Streets, I don't know why I got the Drag Radials seeing that I don't race anyone on the street or anything.

Get yourself some E/T streets and SS traction bars heat up the tires for a harder launch - you are good to go, I guarantee it!!!

Been there.

Try shifting at a lower RPM too. With your cam and heads I'd guess your fastest times will be when shifting around 5000. Its tempting to let her rev nore, but going too high puts the engine way past its peak power and slows you down.

Your right Eric, I shifted on 1 run at 5500rpms and I lost nearly a 2mph and 3 tenths. I shifted right around 5K, never did get to see if shifting even sooner at 4,500K or so would have helped...always next year tho!