From: jca@bliss.fibercom.com (Chris "Cheesester" Akers)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Increasing power?
Date: 29 Jul 92 18:24:04 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: FiberCom, Inc., Roanoke, Virginia

In article <1992Jul27.210810.22598@kronos.arc.nasa.gov> chucko@kronos.arc.nasa.gov (Chuck Fry) writes:
>In article <1992Jul27.170616.21276@bnr.ca> Peon w/o Email priv (Eric Youngblood) writes:
[stuff deleted...]
>>Traction off the line NOT! I cant get near full throttle until about 5-10 mph,
>>otherwise I'll just sit and spin. I will brake torque the drive train and then
>>apply about half throttle until after 5mph and then full throttle.

Drag racing: You spin- You lose!

>Yeah, you could probably use better tires.  I forget what's the hot
>setup on the strip these days; look around and see what the quick guys
>are using, then stuff as much tire under those fenders as you can.
>But keep in mind that what's great on the strip doesn't work so well
>on the street; you'll want to haul, not drive, your drag tires to the
>track.

The quickest street tire setup I have seen (everyone in this town is using
it) is the M&H Racemaster Street Slick.  _SHITTY_ wear (expect to get 2,000
to 5,000 miles out of them), but unbelieveably sticky.  I would not recommend
these for your setup...  personal experience has shown that Mickey Thompson 
(sp?) Indy Profile SS Compound tires work _very_ well on heavier cars.  If
you are serious about strip times, there are several things you ought to do.
1. You _have_ to solve your traction problem!!!  My 4-dr Chevelle that
gets 22 mpg would beat you on the street!!!  On WHITE-WALLS!!!  Could you 
stand it?  :-)  There are many tricks to reduce weight (or at least transfer
it rearward)  Drop the front sway bar.  (Flame off for you autocross goons!
:-)  Definitely transfer the battery to the back...  but put it on the left
side... the nitrous bottle goes on the passenger side.  Fiberglass Fiberglass
Fiberglass!!!  Hood, doors, trunklid, fenders, etc.  Lots of weight can be
saved on the interior.  Kick the back seat.  Throw out that radio- you 
spend your time listening to the engine anyway, right?  Hell, while you're 
at it get rid of the air conditioning and the heater core and the windshield
wiper motor!!!  Replace the glass with lexan!  We're strokin' now!!!  Wow,
talk about getting sidetracked...  traction, oh yes.  Does your car have
coil or leaf springs?  Ladder bars work wonders for coils while spring clamps
and a pinion snubber are mandatory for leaf springs.  It really boils down
to how much _street_ and how much _drag_ do you want out of your car...
Do you have to drive it every day, or do you just take it out on odd
wednesdays in June if the moon if full?
2. Change your gear ratio as suggested by everyone, but not until you
work out your suspension.  Simply lowering your gear ratio will make your
traction problems worse.  Make sure you have a good posi unit!  It would
also be a good idea to scrap the 10-bolt... in a heavy car with power and
traction, it won't last long.  Swap in a 12 bolt that is set up with the
lower gears and a good positive-traction unit.  
3. Nitrous Nitrous Nitrous!!!  It is perfect street horsepower!!!!  You have
forged pistons and the brains to run enough fuel pressure... go for it.

Solve your traction problems... drop a hundred pounds... lower the gear ratio
... add a basic 175hp plate nitrous setup...  there should be nothing keeping
you out of the low 13's or even high 12's.  (Assuming you have a good
ignition- I don't remember reading what you have???)

Good luck on your quest.
Chris.
  


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