I can't get more than about 5800-6000 out of first gear but second and third will pull to 6200-6400. It feels like the load comes off the motor when the stutter happens (feels like it almost is ready to backfire). I have to short-shift 1st to get my best 1/8th or 1/4 ets. Car is in sig - stock 360 w/big cam roller valvetrain reg hyd lifters 727 man valve body 4000 stall w/4.88 gears out back on a 31 in slick. Ign is old Mallory tach-drive race dist w/its inductive? output feeding a MSD6 w/stock coil.

Am trying to find a new dist cap & rotor as mine are well worn - I'm thinking it might be timing related. Perhaps loose timing chain. I also noticed it picks up et when I retard the timing a bit.

Don't ask what the timing is because it has been timed by ear to best et due to having a mismatched water pump/front cover that covers the front timing marks keeping me from reading it there.

you can use a piston stop to find t.d.c. and rig up a pointer for the damper.If that doesn't fix it, I would check fuel pump output and pressure. You could be running out of gas in the top of first gear with all the g force a little colt could produce.

Borrowed a new deep cycle battery from my RV and after it got strapped into the Colt - no more problems thus far. Now I need to break the habit of short-shifting.

Running best ets & went four rounds to semis last night!