wanna go faster

[69chevkid]

Any of you guys that are more experienced on the track than me help me out. got a 69 short step that I run at the local strip. 350/350 combo. Im makin right around 300 horse. 2.90 gears, locked up, 28/11.50 slicks, stock torque converter. all I can get is a 16.2. pretty sad huh. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I want to see 14s it is not my daily driver. its just a cruiser.

[Smooth68]

the "2.90 gears" is one problem, a lower ratio like 3.73' - 4.56 would make a big difference. Some more detailed specs of your motor would help.

[wnc mountain]

Not the most experienced but, maybe a taller gear. 2.90 is a little short. try high 3.'s or even 4.'s higher gears will get you off the line quicker but will hurt your top end a little. if your running 1/8 mile go with the 4.'s.

[GoFaSSter]

Your slicks sound a little extreme for what you are running. Too much tire (height and/or width) can actually slow you down.

[Class of 69]

3.73 gears will be like night and day!! Still good for cruising, and a big help off the line. If your gonna stay with the stock converter, trade the 28/11.50 for a set of 26/9.5 slicks. Still won't burn off the line and the smaller diameter will help the gear ratio. 4.11 and 4.56 get pretty deep for the street, and especially the freeway!

[69chevkid]

I am runnin 9-1 comp., a .447 lift I-E 222 duration cam Rpm range 2200-5200 camshaft. Soon to be a set of cammelhump heads. holley street dominator intake, carter carb, thorley headers anything else you need to know? Thanx alot Kyle

[69chevkid]

i think your right about the tires. I spun off the line with street tires but still ran a 15.4. I like the way the slicks hook off the line so thats why I am building around them. Call me dumb I guess for thinkin that way. it would definitely be sweet to run 14s on street tires huh.

[jays68yak]

One thins 14's on street tires aint that hard. I find it hard going faster then 14's on street tires. Not saying that it cant be done.

Are you manually shifting your trans? or do you just leave it in drive?

What are your 60 feet times?

[Stroker]

The changes you're planning to the engine are all steps in the right direction. Have the heads pocket ported and get a good 3-angle valve job. If your using 76cc heads now you'll get a needed bump in compression along with increased airflow with the head swap. If you happen to replace the rockers and the springs will handle the added lift a set of 1.6s will help out that cam a bit. From the specs it sounds like an old Chevy grind a little wide on the LSA and a bit lazy by todays standard, the 1.6s will give you .477 lift, improve the valves acceleration rate and help close up the LSA a deg or 2. But without the gear changes already mentioned, you aren't likely to see a lot of impovement in ET. After you make the changes to the engine and gearing I'd go for a 2,500-2,800 stall converter and then you'll get some good use out of the slicks. Remember the least expensive way to improve you runs is to reduce weight. Especially weight on the nose of the truck. If you aren't using the truck for regular transportation get rid of the sway bar and bumper use the smallest radiator that will still cool your engine. By the time you get to this point I think you'll be well in the 14s. Good luck and have fun with it....Stroker

[69chevkid]

Should I get rid of the fan and run an electric? You guys are a ton of help. With all my four wheeler buddies its like a comp. all the time. Your all just here to help and its great for someone young and inexperienced like myself

[Dads72]

jays68yak asked a good question.
What are your 60' times?
That would be an indication of traction.
What is your mph?
That would be an indication of your h.p.
In theory, you could be going very fast through the lights but still have a lousy e.t. if you can't hook up. (no traction and lots of h.p.)
The opposite is also true.
What do your time slips show?
If you're like me, you might not want to include your reaction times.

[bigjimzlll]

iyes post your MPH..this will give us your HP..Im running 11.5x28x15 ET streets on my truck..going 12.7 at 106..thats with almost 400HP and a 75shot of N20. I did go 14.8 with the same combo you have..except with 3.73-1 rear and 275-15-60 street tires

[lukecp]

With all this talk of drag racing....

What do you think my truck will run after i put some new heads on it? It will be a 9.7:1 compression 355; 186 heads w/bowl porting, smoothed intake ports, 2.02/1.60 valves; cam is a 204/214 @.050 lift, 270/280 @ seat to seat, .420/.443 valve lift; headers going into 2.5" pipes with Deata Flow Flowmasters; Edelbrock performer intake and 1406 carb, jetted 6% richer; stock TH350; and 3.07 gears w/27" tires. All this is in a '72 C10 LWB. I'm hoping for a mid 14 second time at about 95 mph. Desktop Dyno puts the motor at 346hp and 405tq.

[rage'nrat638]

http://www.onlineconversion.com/automotive.htm

Cool website for calculating gear ratios and tire sizes, and other cool stuff too. I don't know how accurate the horsepower calculator is though.

[bigjimzlll]

mid to high 14s sounds about right...the 95 might be a bit high though

[lukecp]

I would be pretty happy if the truck runs 14s. That would give me bragging rights over most fox body rustangs, and almost every rice burner in my area .

The heads are this summer's project. In another year i want to upgrade to a Comp XE268 cam, RPM intake, and a 3.73 posi rearend, and a higher stall converter.....but that is a long ways off, who knows, i may be broke then, lol.

[bigjimzlll]

with that same combo but with 3.73s I went hi 14s...at 89mph

[Shane]

No Replacement for Displacement!

[Project1970]

Yeah, these trucks are not good at the other end of the track...in my quarter mile club, I'm between two other cars (when sorted by MPH) and they're both well into the 16's, while I'm cutting 15's...

Also in my quarter mile club, I've got my sights set on a pair of trucks, an '84 Chevy 4x4 and an '81 Bronco. They're right next to each other, the Bronco running 15.02 at 91.05; the Chevy at 15.32 at 90.73. Sorted by MPH. When I finally get all of my engine mods done, I should be able to take them in a heads-up race no problem...

Not that I'm worried about that. I am the current champion of the bracket race, after all. Only had to beat my dad and then his boss to do it!!!

[69chevkid]

My RT was .542 which I dont think is too bad for a rookie and I'll have to get back to you on the times. I dont have an Old time slip. I got pissed and threw them out the window on the way home from the track. 3.73s is soundin good to me. Im also runnin 275/60-15 street tires. Thanks Kyle

[Jackal2k9]

69kid your tune is prolly off a bit. I have a friend with that exact setup running mid 15's. Only thing i saw diferent is tht he has a vac sec holley 600 that has been jetted, tuned and sprung just for his motor. With a good holley you could drop a second. With an expert tune on that carter you might b able to drop a a half or so.

[MITCH1914]

check your carb and make sure you are getting wot.

[Tracy Focht]

Kyle, sound like your making the HP, but it's not getting tansferred. I would look at a stall, a mild one, 2200-2800 like Stroker mentioned, and swap gears. Gears alone will make a huge improvement. Satll will halp as well, but you do have a pretty mild camshaft. A more agressive one would help, but only if the rest of the valvetrain can handle it.
I see you say something about camelhump heads? If these are, they are about 64-66 combustion chambers, and flow so-so, but can always be worked on.

I would try the gear swap, then add a stall and see where it's at now. the 28x12.50 ET Streets are only hurting your ET, as you have no stall, no gears really to speak of, and a 28" tire. Try or borrow a set of 26x11.50's and see what happens as well.

And your also right...these don't MPH very good.

Good luck!

[69chevkid]

theres a B&M tork master 2400 TC on sale at summit. Does this sound like it would work okay?

[bigjimzlll]

Im getting one from these guys....sound like a good deal..I know quite a few racers with them http://www.torcoconverters.com/cgi-bin/get_catalog.cgi