Back to basics bracket racing....

Posted By: tboomer

Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/08/13 02:43 PM

Winter sure is boring. Gives a fella lots of time to think! I only went out once last year,it was a blast and I really miss going to the track. Unless a miracle happens,I am going to shelve my MW Victors this year. Can't justify spending another 12-1500.00 to put them on! I have read a lot of threads here and some guys are really squeezing all they can from what they have! Look at Thumpmans car for instance..Man has he got that thing flying!! Pittsburghracer(John) has also given me some great ideas! Thanks,man!

I said a long time back..What if I can find that magic .2 to get me into the 10.20s...If I do..I spent a buttload of money for nothing. Ted

Posted By: dartman366

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/08/13 04:18 PM

I know several fellows that are not doing much to their cars this winter because of finances, just making some little changes, I have not spent money to go any faster but instead to make it more consistant, as I have finally gotten it to run right where I want but some track's around here are not well groomed so that can spell trouble from time to time,,looks as tho more tracks are going the 1/8 mile route so I need to be a little more on my game and have a car that's spot on with consistantcy,,probably do a little more tuning for the hot weather so the car don't fall off quite as bad as it does,,,as far as next winter,probably a motor freshen and some new paint because the old girl is starting to look a little ragged around the edges,,,,,,just like me.

Posted By: tboomer

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/08/13 04:30 PM

Good luck,Bill! Two areas I want to take a hard look at are fuel delivery and ignition..Plus a few pounds off the car won't hurt,either!

Posted By: dartman366

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/08/13 04:42 PM

Quote:

Good luck,Bill! Two areas I want to take a hard look at are fuel delivery and ignition..Plus a few pounds off the car won't hurt,either!

those are two good areas to concentrate on, if those aren't up to snuff then no matter what heads, cam, intake,etc. is going to make much of an improvement, we found on Walts car that a good ignition is imperative.

Posted By: tboomer

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/08/13 04:47 PM

What did you find?

Posted By: dartman366

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/08/13 05:07 PM

switched from a Mopar Perf electronic box to a MSD 6al and a new Jegs brand distributor,and MSD blaster coil, didn't really pick up anything but eliminated a intermittent miss that would cost him a race or two and the plugs stay much cleaner, this is on a fairly mild 451, just need to talk him into ditching his old flat tappet cam and go with a roller so we can really bring him to life.

Posted By: Guitar Jones

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/08/13 05:34 PM

Been where you're at. But right now I've actually been thinking of selling/trading my race car for a street car to play with. Or maybe turning the race car into a street car. I seem to have lost that desire to run my car on a demanding competetive schedule. It's not the first time that has happened, I've quit before but always went back but at my age now I doubt I'm going to get that competetive jones again.

Posted By: Al_Alguire

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/08/13 05:39 PM

Well I am pretty anal about making sure we DONT change the car any. Even when we freshen it up. If I change something in the car all the information I have for the .90 stuff goes out the window and i have to start over. Not that it is a huge deal but would just be one more variable inthe equation. It is nice to be able to go back in my logbook and check what the car did last time I was at a track or under similar conditions when I go to a new track. All is what your goals are I suppose. Being that we travel around and race information is king...

Posted By: Triple Threat

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/08/13 05:45 PM

I had planned on running my new engine another season, fate had other plans and now I am changing everything once again.

Ted, if the car is running, enjoy it! I think people get too hung up on the go fast side of things, and forget to enjoy what they have. I'm sure there is more left in you combo as it sits.

Posted By: Gabby63

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/08/13 05:47 PM

I hear ya on the log book info , I had a tree fall on my trailer last year , poked a very large hole in the roof and lost all my data due to it getting wet from the storm . I also don't like to change anything when I freshen the engine . I am happy with the way it is now . Gary

Posted By: MRMOPAR622

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/08/13 06:41 PM

I'm all the time looking for a way to make more power,make the car better!I run the time trails & dial the slowest # it runs and look at the fastest # and know how many numbers I am holding.

Posted By: quickd100

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/08/13 07:21 PM

I spent some money but it was more for my own saftey and for reliability. Super Sprag, billet front drum, and had my convertor redone to handle the extra hp and match the torque curve.
I've got more than enough hp right now, I'm trying to focus on getting the chassis to handle it and get it to stick to the ground. Talked with Gregsdart

on Sunday and had one of those forehead slapping moments. I believe he steered me back in the right direction. After I get done adjusting and beefing up the chassis I'm going to start checking air pressure differences in front and under the truck with a manometer and see if I can find a way to keep the front wheels on the ground at speed. Dave

Posted By: dartman366

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/08/13 08:01 PM

Quote:

I had planned on running my new engine another season, fate had other plans and now I am changing everything once again.

Ted, if the car is running, enjoy it! I think people get too hung up on the go fast side of things, and forget to enjoy what they have. I'm sure there is more left in you combo as it sits.

I think Ted need's to spend a summer of tuning what he has, still working on the car but spending minimal money,and having fun with it, I also will be starting over to a point but this is somthing that I needed to do, now it's just chassis tuning as the motor will be left alone untill the chassis is to my liking.

Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/08/13 09:19 PM

Quote:

Quote:

I had planned on running my new engine another season, fate had other plans and now I am changing everything once again.

Ted, if the car is running, enjoy it! I think people get too hung up on the go fast side of things, and forget to enjoy what they have. I'm sure there is more left in you combo as it sits.

I think Ted need's to spend a summer of tuning what he has, still working on the car but spending minimal money,and having fun with it, I also will be starting over to a point but this is somthing that I needed to do, now it's just chassis tuning as the motor will be left alone untill the chassis is to my liking.

I love hitting the test & tunes and trying to fine tune race cars. Matt and I are installing a set of Dart Platinum Chevy heads that I ported and removing a set of Edelbrock heads on a chevy truck that a local shop ported. We have a small bet going that it will go .50 quicker but part of the deal is I get to fine tune it at the track. Ted's combo runs GREAT but I think there is more on the table that needs corrected before the victors go on. It will really pay dividends when he upgrades with the Victors.

Posted By: sam64

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/09/13 02:06 AM

building a low deck stroker to replace the blown up 440 in the belvedere,but going to keep it mild enough to run 11.0's.then get the 65 coronet dialed in for some 9.80's.hope for some cooler weather in the summer this year.

Posted By: slantzilla

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/09/13 07:00 PM

Did some trading and ended up with a Flying Toilet system for a Slant. If I keep gathering up pieces maybe someday I'll have a real race car.

Posted By: Bad340fish

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/09/13 07:17 PM

Sending my heads to shady dell for some port work and maybe an exhaust system update. Trying to save my pennies for drag week again.

Posted By: Crizila

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/09/13 07:20 PM

Bracket racing for this year is over for me. Was signed up to bracket race at 2 different tracks. Been out 3 times this year. Went out first round once ( to the eventual winner) and never made it to eliminations the other 2 times - all due to sorting out issues with my new combo. I will probably run Vegas and spend the rest of 2013 T&Ting. I know a lot of guys that just enjoy T&T time. They can pick their times / tracks and run their cars with no pressure. Not a bad way to go and get some seat time - for us older racers.

Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/09/13 07:40 PM

When spring hits I plan on painting the Rampage and
start with some TnT then start bracket racing it to
see if I can tune it in for 10.0 and then using my
mech throttle stop to dial it to run 10.80-90 for DW...
I have to do some work on my hauling truck... seems
the mice have messed with the wiring

Posted By: BradH

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/09/13 08:36 PM

Quote:

I spent a buttload of money for nothing.

I shoud have that engraved on my headstone... and tatooed on my forehead.

Posted By: 383man

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/09/13 09:03 PM

Ted I could not even afford to make it to the track this past year. I am not a weekend bracket racer but I love to race a few times a year and look to improve on my et. And sometimes I get to run in a bracket race if I go to a special event. I hope just to get to the track this year but I wont be able to make any changes. Ron

Posted By: Streetwize

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/09/13 09:43 PM

$1500 more is only a few $100 more....AFTER you sell your old heads

I listed my old 414 Edelbrock heads and sold them within 2 days so my "upgrade" was $2060 (new heads w/shipping) minus $1550 (sale of old heads = $510 dollars.

Didn't want to sell the old ones since they were already GREAT but I couldn't have picked up another 35 cfm out of porting them for only $510 net.

Sold my Fantastic 508RB to Paul PHJ426 which helped partially fund the new 517. Sold the 341 Mini stroker to help fund the 414....it's been that way for 30 yrs for me. What's cool is you can keep up with the old great stuff (and let someone else enjoy them) while keeping your knife sharp whittling on new projects,,,the only way I can keep my brain and hands occupied it to do new stuff....the only way I can keep from going broke (or getting divorced

) is to sell off the old.

I always line up to sell my old stuff BEFORE planning the new stuff...not as hard on the hip that way

Posted By: mopar65

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/10/13 05:06 AM

Quote:

Winter sure is boring. Gives a fella lots of time to think! I only went out once last year,it was a blast and I really miss going to the track. Unless a miracle happens,I am going to shelve my MW Victors this year. Can't justify spending another 12-1500.00 to put them on! I have read a lot of threads here and some guys are really squeezing all they can from what they have! Look at Thumpmans car for instance..Man has he got that thing flying!! Pittsburghracer(John) has also given me some great ideas! Thanks,man! I said a long time back..What if I can find that magic .2 to get me into the 10.20s...If I do..I spent a buttload of money for nothing. Ted

Now now Ted its only money and you cant take it with you.lol

We need a smile that is throwing money up into the air.lol

But i hear you ted, becasue i was going to use my tax money to start working on my duster. But with all the crap that is going on i think i might just pay off some bills with it.So it will probably be another year with no racing for me. But like you was saying just take your time and get the car running great before you go changing a lot of things.well what ever you decided to do best of luck to you this year. Mopar65

Posted By: tboomer

Re: Back to basics bracket racing.... - 01/10/13 02:20 PM

Quote:

But i hear you ted, becasue i was going to use my tax money to start working on my duster. But with all the crap that is going on i think i might just pay off some bills with it.

What is a refund?

Good luck,Bobby! And Wize is correct...Getting rid of the old is the way to go..