1st runs with the new 582. New best. Have some tuning to do!

[1nicenova]

Went to Lebanon valley dragway yesterday for the Fall Nostalgia drags. Was a pretty good day a little slow between rounds only made 4 passes. Everything on the car is new, engine, trans, and suspension so it was a learning expierence. For those that aren't familiar with my car its a '69 nova that is mostly street driven with full exhaust & weighs around 3650. It is minitubbed w/caltracs bars & split monos & now has 30x13.50 et streets. It has a new pump gas wheeler racing 582 that supposedly made by the dyno sheet I got with it 822 hp @5800 & 824 torque @ 4800. Did not witness the dyno session so I'm unsure if those are the exact #'s but they should be pretty close. Maybe someone could verify by the et's & mph's I had yesterday. Want to make sure I got what I paid for.
The 1st pass I just left on footbrake to make sure it was going to go straight & only stayed in it until shifting into 3rd gear. It turned out to be my 1st ever 10sec pass running a 10.506 @ 104.88. Checked #6 plug after run lt looked good & car went straight so I launched on the transbrake at a low 3200 rpm. It felt good so I stayed it a little longer and was unsure how quick it was so I hit the brakes again & went 10.43 @ 104.82 On the 3rd pass, 1st elimination round I decided to run it all the way through because if I lost it was going to be my final pass, so I dialed a 10.10 & turned the transbrake 2 step up 4200. Staged it & didnt feel the 2 step come on, tack at 3600 so converter it pretty tight. Good for nitrous. Left the line it felt better out of the hole spun a bit & went a 10.14 @132.46. I won that round so The next pass was definitely going to be my last, had to get to work. So I dialed a 10.00(I dont have proper safety equip. for 9's) and decided to spray it. Hoping it would run well into the 9's Launched off the brake & it felt like the last pass. Never felt the hit I have an arc relay wired in for 1 sec delay. It ran a 10.21 @ 132.65. So I have to figure out is wrong with that too. Oh well guess the 9's will have to wait until next time.
I think based on this mph & lousy 60's it has a 9.70-9.80 on the motor. Did not make any changes to timing or jetting yesteday as I wanted to get a good baseline the 1st time out. Only changed tire pressure & adjusted rear shocks from 5 clicks back to 2 as calvert recommended.
On every pass I hit the rev limiter on the 1-2 shift. This was my 1st trip back to the track in 2 years & I guess things are happening a little quicker for me then when the car was running low 11's. Was trying at first to shift at 6400 but later decided to try lower at 6000. I think it would have went a little quicker shifting at the lower rpm and not hitting the rev limiter between shifts. I think it should have a 3.73 gear instead of 4.11s too, especially for the nitrous. Crossed the line around 6400. I think my tack is a little high. Reads 200 higher than my digital window switch.

Heres the time slips.

1st pass
1.503 60'
4.228 330'
6.533 @ 106.66 1/8
8.54 1000
10.507 @ 104.88

2nd pass
1.501 60'
4.219 330'
6.510 @107.17 1/8
8.503 1000'
10.438 @ 104.82

3rd pass
1.464 60'
4.189 330'
6.472 @107.60 1/8
8.451 1000'
10.142 @132.46

4th pass tried nos, didnt come on.
1.477 60'
4.237 330'
6.535 @ 107.19 1/8
8.523 1000'
10.216 @132.65

I'm sure I'll be posting in the chassis help section & nos section looking for some assistance in straightening those things out.

[John_Heard]

That's a pretty good first time out for the new combo, no doubt there's a nine in there N/A with some work on the tuning.

[mytmouz]

The dyno numbers should be close, based upon the weight versus et. Congratulations.

[1nicenova]

Figured out why the nos didnt come on. I did the same thing ron69ss did. I had the full throttle switch wired on the normally closed circuit. Thinking it would be open when not made. But its just the opposite. Guess I should have rang it out to find out 1st. Now I cant wait to see what it will run on the gas.
Link to picture of launch from 10.14 pass

http://photosbyjim.smugmug.com/gallery/ ... #202939565

[cashier]

nice job. sounds like you had fun and that's what its all about in the end. it should run into the 9s pretty easy with alittle tuning. good luck and have fun!!!

[1nicenova]

Cashier,
It was alot of fun to run it down the strip again. I dont doubt its got 9's in it either. We didn't change a thing with the motor that day. The tires were scrubbing the quarter lip big time from growth, I'm sure that scrubbed off some mph. 1st time with the bias et streets. My other et radials didnt grow that much. I enlarged the quarter opening on the front side to stop that. My best 60' was a 1.46 so theres alot left there too.
I'm ithching to go and try it on the nitrous. I tested it out on the street the other night, big difference!
What body style car are you running? I remember you commenting that your 1st time out you went 9.80's around 140+ with some timing backed out. & your motor went 870 on the dyno. I'd like to know how close your combination is to mine. I'm thinking my motor with some more timing as I backed a few degrees out as well and some testing with carb spacers and carb tuning might have 136 plus in it. A change to 3.73's might help too.

[cashier]

nicenova, i'm running a 70 nova with a 555. th400, figured out the drag radials and it went 1.33 6mopar 8 3/4 rearend 3.91 gear, caltracks, mono leaf, strange shocks, 315/65/15 drag radials, glass hood, bumpers and deck lid. finaly 0ft.

[hsutton]

1Nicenova, Your definately going to have to take out some gear, maybe even go down to 3.55s. It sounds like the converter is tight but it will loosen up when the spray comes on. How much nitrous are you planning to use? With the gear you have, i'd start out with 50-100 H.P. or thereabouts until you see how the car reacts. Good luck.

[1nicenova]

Harold,
Thanks for the reply. Yes I believe the converter is a little tight. As I'm only getting around 3600 on the transbrake out of it. The flash is a little tight as well. Could be why its only 60 footing 1.46's. Driving around 45 mph in 3rd and flooring yields around 4400 before it locks up. I was surprised Trans Specialties was able to make it this tight. The converter was setup for this motor with a small shot of nos. I have one free stall change so I can go that route if I need too. But like you say on the nitrous it will definitely loosen up. I think a gear change will loosen it up a little as well. So I will leave it alone for now & see how it is on the nitrous. I can only go as high as a 3.73 gear. My rear is a moser 12 bolt with spool & I guess no one makes a 3.55 gear for a 12 bolt with spool. The switch to the 30X13.50 bias et streets helped out with the gear ratio as they grow quite a bit. I was only tacking 6400 thru the traps on the 132 mph passes. And I'm pretty sure my tack reads around 200 rpm high. I only plan for now spraying a 150 shot. I have the basic nos plate cheater kit good to 250 hp. I'm pretty confident that with fixin the tire scrub and a couple of suspension changes, plus adding a little more timing(timing mark was near the tip of ground strap with 34 total) it will run 9.80's - 90's on the motor. And should run around 9.40's if it doesn't run out of gear with the 150 shot. I would try a 100 shot to start but I not sure its safe to go that low with the cheater kit. Maybe on of the nos gurus could answer that one. Will be running it again near the end of the month. Last day at our track is the 28th. But I may make the drive to Atco as I hear that is a much nicer track to run on.

[Necessary Evil]

Atco is one of the fastest tracks i think on the east coast. I was there last Tuesday with my buddy. His Monza ran the fastest there as compared to E-town and Island drag. He had awesome 60 foot times too. Bye the way NICE NOVA!!!!!

[hsutton]

Harold,
Thanks for the reply. Yes I believe the converter is a little tight. As I'm only getting around 3600 on the transbrake out of it. The flash is a little tight as well. Could be why its only 60 footing 1.46's. Driving around 45 mph in 3rd and flooring yields around 4400 before it locks up. I was surprised Trans Specialties was able to make it this tight. The converter was setup for this motor with a small shot of nos. I have one free stall change so I can go that route if I need too. But like you say on the nitrous it will definitely loosen up. I think a gear change will loosen it up a little as well. So I will leave it alone for now & see how it is on the nitrous. I can only go as high as a 3.73 gear. My rear is a moser 12 bolt with spool & I guess no one makes a 3.55 gear for a 12 bolt with spool. The switch to the 30X13.50 bias et streets helped out with the gear ratio as they grow quite a bit. I was only tacking 6400 thru the traps on the 132 mph passes. And I'm pretty sure my tack reads around 200 rpm high. I only plan for now spraying a 150 shot. I have the basic nos plate cheater kit good to 250 hp. I'm pretty confident that with fixin the tire scrub and a couple of suspension changes, plus adding a little more timing(timing mark was near the tip of ground strap with 34 total) it will run 9.80's - 90's on the motor. And should run around 9.40's if it doesn't run out of gear with the 150 shot. I would try a 100 shot to start but I not sure its safe to go that low with the cheater kit. Maybe on of the nos gurus could answer that one. Will be running it again near the end of the month. Last day at our track is the 28th. But I may make the drive to Atco as I hear that is a much nicer track to run on.

The only gear problem is the type carrier (spool) you have. A four series carrier only goes down to 3.73 gears but a three series carrier goes all the way to 3.08 and requires a spacer when used with four series gears. Actually a Ford bolt in rear end is a much better deal as they have any gear ratio you need and the pinion is supported on both ends. It doesn't spread under load like the Chevy. If you have a T/S spragless converter change it out. I have a friend that has built transmissions all his life and he told me they never lock up and cost you lots of H.P. Lots of E.T. can be lost in the wrong converter.

[1nicenova]

Harold,
I was under the impression that nobody made a 3 series spool either for the 12 bolt. I know you can get a 3 series posi unit but I dont think a posi unit would hold up.
Also I do not have the Trans Specialties spragless converter. I heard those exact same horror stories about the spragless ones. Mine is the mechanical diode style 9" extra heavy duty low stall. I'm pretty happy with this converter so far. Except for what we talked about it being a little low on the stall. But based on my mph/gear ratio/tire rollout & rpm thru the traps I'm betting it's pretty efficient.

[sc racing]

Lots of 3.73 available for"4 series" dont know of any 3.55.Atco will be 1 to 2 tenths faster than Valley.I used to run 10.48-10.55 at Epping,Lebanon Valley with my small block camaro went to Atco and ran 10.38-10.42 with 60's about 1/10th better.The firebird only went 11.30's-11.teens at Island Dragway and Epping ,10.90-10.99 at Atco.Make the long drive its worth it.

[hsutton]

Harold,
I was under the impression that nobody made a 3 series spool either for the 12 bolt. I know you can get a 3 series posi unit but I dont think a posi unit would hold up.
Also I do not have the Trans Specialties spragless converter. I heard those exact same horror stories about the spragless ones. Mine is the mechanical diode style 9" extra heavy duty low stall. I'm pretty happy with this converter so far. Except for what we talked about it being a little low on the stall. But based on my mph/gear ratio/tire rollout & rpm thru the traps I'm betting it's pretty efficient.

You definately went the right way with the converter. You might be able to get down the whole quarter with 3.73s and a 29.5 tire and a 150-200 hit. Less gear will make any nitrous car quicker and faster. You might be able to get a Detroit Locker that would hold. My son, John Heard and most other serious racers use the Ford because they are stronger by design and the gear selection is much better. I take it you're using a 400 Turbo transmission. They will probably hold up down to about 9.0s after which you might want to think about a 'glide.