first weekend out

Well it has been one week now since I finally got to run the dart. Needless to say it didn't go as smoothly as I would have hoped. The engine ran great and I am happy about that. The new front suspension and front brake system unfortunately didn't work quite as well as I would have hoped. After my first pass upon trying to stop the car didn't feel right but I thought it was just me. One the second pass I darn near wrecked the car at the top end. The passenger side brake locked solid and flat spoted the tire. Smoke was rolling out from under the hood so bad that some of my friends watching thought the engine let go. The car was a misserable handfull to get back under control and I was thankful that this was an 1/8th mile track and not a quarter mile as at those speeds I'm sure things would not have went so well? So after two passes and a flat spoted tire I loaded it up and went home. I found several things wrong with the front suspension that I hadn't noticed? This is still a torsion bar front and when I had the cars front end aligned I never adjusted the ride height I had them do it at the shop. They never put the torsion bar adjusters in the pockets that the adjusting bolt centers in? It was riding cocked to the side and wearing a groove in the adjusting cam. After putting the adjusting bolt back where it belonged the front suspension became fluid again as for what ever reason prior to that the front seemed all bound up and not very responsive. Now why did the front brake lock? Wilwood brake system. I'm changing master cylinders and installing an adjustable proportioning valve to see if I can move more braking to the rear? We shall see what that does. But on the bright side of all this the car with a density altitude of 4500' and an absoltuely terrible 60' of 1.48 ran a 6.40 at almost 108mph through mufflers. Never did go that fast at this particular track before with mufflers. I am confident that my next outing will be much improved in terms of performance and hopefully not quite as scary.

Dont know why you locked just the pass side but look
at the left side to see why its not working. Yes put
a prop valve in and put the rear tires to work since
they have more surface area than the fronts

I had one side lock up after the friction material came off from the inside pad backing plate, allowing the caliper to move and lock the rotor. I know you probably checked, just thought I'd mention it. I don't have an proportioning valve in mine, just a M/P aluminum master, Wilwoods and 11 drums. As for the suspension items, wow.

You putting the proportioning valve in the front ?

Sorry to hear of your problems, also for not making the time to stop and talk with you there Maybe next time

Mike I'm kind of wondering myself if the left brake is working at all. Will have a helper this time to see. I also had the machine shop that does my engine work resurface the rotors just to take that out of the equation. They had to treat them like a fly wheel and grind one surface at a time.

Vern Yes I will be putting the proporting valve on the front brakes

Cab I also apologize to you by not stopping over. I was so amped up and worried about driving this thing again my demeanor was not at its best.

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Mike I'm kind of wondering myself if the left brake is working at all.



I think your going to find that the left caliper
piston is seized... if the right one works(locks
up) the left one isnt doing anything or VERY little.
Jack up the front and with the brakes applied see if
you can turn the left wheel