Re: Drag racing
 

72Kool - You beat me to it...:) Tires, brakes Steering, suspension... #1 priority...

Re: Drag racing
 

Ok. I'll upgrade all of that
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Re: Drag racing
 

Hayden - Jack up your truck and pull each wheel. Visually inspect each brake, and don't forget the rubber brake lines. Any crack in the lines and replace them. If the pads/shoes are thin, replace them. Of course check the brake fluid level in the master cylinder. Personally I would flush the entire system and put in new fluid.

That is actually what I'm doing now. Toy #2 is a 69 vette. have all 4 corners tore down and replacing everything.

How does the truck steer? any slop at all or if it pulls either direction, take it to a front end shop if your Dad doesn't know how to check out the components. Probably a good idea to go to a good alignment shop anyway. They can get it on a rack and check it out.

What are the tires like? Check tread depth. Look for any cracks in the sidewalls, proper pressure etc...

BTW.... Aussie has some good advice on the engine. You have a bunch of I don't know. Try hotrodding something you aren't sure about and you could be building a 400hp hand grenade... But first make it safe.

Re: Drag racing
 

I have brand new brakes and brake lines. It has been alinded in the last 3 weeks
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Re: Drag racing
 

Cool.... That is very important...

For some of this, it would help to figure out how post a picture...

Next identify the engine. In fron of the head, there is a flat spot where the block extends about 3/4" Hopefully there is a number stamped there. If it isn't there, you have to climb up in with the engine (Remove the breather). The lip where the bell housing bolts to the block. Should be a number there if it wasn't in the front.

Next pull a valve cover and get the casting number for the heads. It will be in the area with the rockers. While you are looking in there, see if there are rollers for the tips of the rockers where they meet the valve.

On the intake, since it is aluminum, magnet did not stick, right? There will be a manufacturer name and style name. It will say something like Edelbrock Performer. This will tell us what the performance characteristics of the manifold.

What type of distributor? Guessing it is HEI but may nto be. Is the coil square and in the center of the cap?

Carb - is the overall shape kind of rectangular front to back? It could be kinda round. If rectangular then probably a Holley, if not then Edelbrock or Rochester. I don't know a lot about Edelbrocks and Rochesters other than I usually change them out rather than rebuild. Never learned that skill to really tune one of those. If it is Holley, then there will be a number stamped on the front of the air horn. Need that number.

Last item, Headers... Where do they end? Do they hookup to the exhaust right by the side of the block, a little bend towards the back or drop down, go back about a foot and then hook to the exhaust pipes? What is the Outside Diameter (OD) of the tubes and then for the collector?

Bet you thought it was summer break and no homework...:)

Re: Drag racing
 

By new brakes I am assuming you mean you have installed new pads and you have replaced the three hoses? Since our trucks are 45 plus years old and that's alot of years for things to get damaged. Take the time to inspect all of the hard brake lines. By inspect I mean run your hand over every inch and look at all of it. You may find kinked, smashed, twisted, or wet areas that mean a pin hole leak. My Burban had steel lines that were twisted where the hoses hooked up and a smashed line next to one of the headers. I posted some pictures of the damaged lines on page 8 of my WMB thread if you are interested. (Link below) This inspection will cost you nothing but some time, but it may save your truck.
Also pop the top off of the master cylinder and shine a light in. You should see the nice clean fluid and be able to see the bottom of the reservoirs and they should be nice and clean. If there is a bunch of crud in there, sipon the fluid out and then carefully remove all of the debris and crud. Without getting any of it into the small holes in the bottom. I have used a hand vacuum pump to sucessfully suck the dirt out in the past. If it is bad and there is 1/8" or more of crud I personally would pull the master cylinder, tear down, clean and rebuild it if I didn't find any corrosion in the bore. If the bore was corroded I would replace the master cylinder. If the fluid is not clear it needs to be replaced by bleeding the complete system.

Good luck and welcome aboard. Every one here has been where you are. You however have this great forum for advice, whereas a lot of us learned things the hard way as it was our only option. I believe I am speaking for the group we really want you avoid the pitfalls and bad decisions so you can enjoy your truck for years to come. That is why we are willing to give up our time to help you. All we ask is to respect our input.
Marine-58 has gone out of his way to help and I thank him for his patience and contribution to the next generation of Gearheads

Re: Drag racing
 

I can't find any numbers. The distrupter is a Holley. My truck has a Holley carb on it. The manifold is cast they hearts are long the run back to about the trans then run to the exhaust. I think the heads that r on this truck are camel humps. The tires are primewell PS860 15 inch
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Re: Drag racing
 

The air horn says. SPARTON. No numbers/didgets.
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Re: Drag racing
 

I have 1/4 inch inside diameter steel hose for my fuel. And I will not run anymore nitrous thru my motor. That way the motor last longer
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Re: Drag racing
 

HO455, Thank you for the kind words. Kind of refreshing to see a kid interested in more than the tuners. Most of the younger bunch at work wouldn't know what to do with points, don't even mention tuning multple carbs...:)

Onward... Tires are decent brand since they are Firestones but how much tread is left? Old school checkis take a penney. If you can see the top of the head, you need new tires. Better ways to check than that, but it is an easy sanity check. Is the treadwear even across the tire, inside and out?


Full headers are good, but what is the tube and collector diameter. Bigger is not always better.

Blocks can sometimes be challemging to find the numbers. Maybe one of the other guys has a suggestion.

Heads, on the front, if there are 2 half circle at the front driver side, then they are camel humps. Problem is there are different castings. Under the valve cover is an 6, 7 or 8 digit number. This will tell us which ones they are.

I dont ever recall a holley with sparton written on there, but no numbers you can see? Anyone know about that?

Also can't tell much about the distributor, Holley made different ones and each has a different model number.

Try some web searches for some of the unanswered questions. Maybe you can find some info we can use.

Re: Drag racing
 

Well I check the tires and I will have to get new ones before I race this weekend. The distrupter is a Holley red box SOARTON series. The headers r 2 1/2 inside diameter.
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Re: Drag racing
 

Oh man I was confused. Carburetor air horn! Not air horn air horn like the one I have for my Burban.
.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sparton-Dual...-/401334358837

Re: Drag racing
 

Yea those kinda air horns. Where r the air horns on the carb? I can't even find it online?
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Re: Drag racing
 

I still would like to see a picture of this truck with a current news paper in the photo. You have made several contradicting statements and it seems to me you are making this up as you go along.

Re: Drag racing
 

If you read my earlier post you would know that I can't upload any pics. I have no computer only my phone and it won't upload
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Re: Drag racing
 

Also I posted a big long post on the last page on this thread read that then u will see what I have in the truck
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There u go here's the pics
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Re: Drag racing
 

I have to get new tire what kind do you all prefer?
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This is the kind that is on there now.
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Re: Drag racing
 

You don't have camel hump heads. You have newer, probably early 90's heads because the valve cover hold down bolts go through the center of the valve covers. Pretty 87 heads use perimeter hold down bolts. Looks like a dual plane intake and a holly carb. Looks like it was set up as a driver, not a performance engine.

Re: Drag racing
 

Ok. It was a daily driver now it's been converted to racing.
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Re: Drag racing
 

Don't go racing on those tires or until a good mechanic has gone completely over that truck . it's nowhere near ready for the track. start out by cleaning up the engine compartment and straitening out all those dangling wires . as far as tires a lot of guys like the BF Goodrich TA radials :chevy:

Are you driving this truck on the road ? or just plan on using to go racing ?

Re: Drag racing
 

Also, under hard exceleration fuel can slosh or move away from the pickup in the tank and away from the Jets in a holley carb.

Did you buy a nitrous kit or did you piece it together. If you bought a kit it should have come with 2 solenoids. One is for nitrous, the other for fuel. You should get an ignition that can compensate for nitrous also. Your spark plug requirements change based on how much nitrous you are using.