Since I'm an idiot when it comes to drag racing and can't beat a 2.2 60' time, how about everyone chime in with tips and tricks to getting better drag times. Launch, shifts, car setup, etc.

Please post car specifics along with reductions in times you have seen with your tips if appropriate.

 

Man, are you kidding me? TTT

 

if you don't mind the risk of damage...POWER SHIFT, it took a couple tenths instantly off my time.

get good tires because KDWs dont grip worth shiat (i just swapped mine out for nitto 555r drags)

on your tires, slip it quickly from about 2500rpm. the goal, because you wont have traction, is to stay on the verge of spinning them, but only chirp them slightly.

also, do NOT do big burnouts, just spin em around 1-2 revolutions before pulling up to the line

 

So would you mind explaining the "slip shift" deal? I'm just dumping the clutch as fast as my foot will get out of the way. Even at a dead idle the tires just go up in smoke.

Thanks!

 

I'm making this topic a sticky, since I would love some advice as well

here's my question, with stock gearing, is it better to wind it out in 3rd or shift it into 4th at the end of the 1/4?

 

Azoufan--

First of all, welcome to the "no go" club (I have yet to beat a 14.1 @98mph)

A few "tips" from a fellow rookie. First of all, do NOT dump the clutch. Sidestepping is just a quicker way of dumping it (since the recoil will revert it to starting position faster than you can lift your foot). Only two outcomes can result from doing this on street tires. Low RPM: Bog. High RPM: Smoke. Neither is going to help you bringing those 60ft times down, which is crucial.

You've got the trap speed (100mph) to run high 13s. Get a 2 second 60ft time and you'll be there. Try 22 psi in the rears (35+ in the front). Slip the clutch at 2250 while dialing in throttle, and for the love of god, turn off your traction control! On street tires, you actually want to launch with a little wheelspin. But you'll never learn how to do it with the ETC on, cuz it will smother you if it detects too much.

FYI, even with a less than ideal tune, I know you can hit those times, because I got close despite severly handicapping my ride (heavier, but less grippy street tires, SLP loudmouth's w/o a tune, over 100 lbs of audio equipment and 1/2 tank of gas...doh!). Just keep at it.

Galaxie -- Long time no see man! Since I never trapped at 100 or higher (I think 3rd gear redlines at about 103mph in a manual with stock gearing), I've never had to do the 3/4 shift.

 

I'm another member of the 'no-go' club. Now of course I'm in Denver where the air is thin but geez. Even with all the mods I have the best run I've managed thus far is below; Will try the air pressure tricks to see if that helps with traction etc. I'm curious what this time would be at sea-level.

4/30/06
6:19pm
Temp 63/Relative Humidity 64/Barometric Pressure 23.80

R/T 0.445
60' 2.260
330 6.422
1/8 9.793
MPH 73.79
1000 12.635
1/4 15.068
MPH 93.00

 

 

Altitude correction factors are not precise, but based on this one from Wallace Racing, your 15.068 @ 93mph would be about 14.06 @ 99.5mph (assuming 5300' elevation).

 

With a 1.82 60' time, you should be a lot quicker in the 1/8 than 8.61. My car was running consistent 8.40s and 8.50s with 60' times in the high-1.90s and low-2.0s.

 

I have to work on shifting easier into second gear to much wheel spin power shifting into second any tips

 

Better tires or an automatic trans...

 

what`s the best tires for daliy driver and strip use

 

Well the track is actually at an elevation of 5860 feet above sea level. So according to that thread (thank you by the way) I'd be running 13.96 @ 100.27mph at sea level. Good to know. I'm sure there's still more in there and think the combination of adjusting the tire pressures front and rear and getting a dyno tune will help. I'll let you know next Thursday as I intend to take her to a test and tune night next Wednesday!

By the way, if I read your signature correctly you run a 15x9 rim at the track? I thought I read that the smallest rims that would clear the brakes were 17's. I bet running 15's would help too as I'd have less reciprocating mass. Thoughts?

 

Getting 15" wheels to fit this car involves one of two scenarios: (1) Bogart makes a set, but you are looking at $1600-$1700 for all four (I think the rears alone are around $900/pr), or (2) get lucky like I did and find a pair of the discontinued Weld XP wheels (they must be "XP"), that are 15x8 or 15x9, with a bs of 5.5". They will fit. I found a new-in-box "used" pair for $350 a while back. Here are some pics from a few days ago (the engine is still out of the car, so it sits high in the front).

 

I wish I had a KB and drags!

 

Don, with an auto., should I manually shift or let it shift itself?

 

I never shift it myself... that is defeating the purpose.

BTW... here's what it looked like in race trim at the track on Saturday:

 

Don, Your car looks AWESOME!!! I kinda thought I'd let it shift itself but just wanted advice from an experienced auto. trans. racer. Thanks

 

I recently had this problem myself. I was breaking loose bad on the 1-2 shift, and I was even considering short shifting at about 5000-5500 rpm but I figured out something to do.

I have a 93 octane tune so I shift at about 6200 or 6300 rpm. As soon as lift off the clutch I push the throttle only about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way to the floor, then I pause just for a moment, barely enough time to realize I am pausing. Then floor the throttle the rest of the way to the 2-3 shift. That brief pause is all my car has need to make sure the tires girp.

At most I've gotten a slight chirp out of the 1-2 shift, and the 1-2 shift doesn't noticeably take any longer than it did before and I'm still maintaining the same rpm range after the shift. I'm sure pausing does take up a little extra time, but it sure is better considering all the traction I was losing before.