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1/8th mile help

Posted By: CudaPete

1/8th mile help - 10/08/09 01:19 AM

I use the automath calculators on the wallace racing site. There is one where you can enter any time and it will tell you what your ideal time in the other catagories should be. My car was dead on last year (08). If I entered my 1/8 mile time what it said my 60 foot should be was right on as were the 330 time and MPH. My car was very consistant. One particualr day my quickest time was 7.50 my slowest time was 7.52. I made it to the finals and red lite.

For this past summer I changed to a fiberglass front end and shaved about 75 pounds. I also added bars from the firewall to the front frame to stiffen up the front in hopes to get better weight transfer.

Now to this summer (09. On one day my 60ft times were all over the place, 1.59 to 1.72 my quickest time is 7.39 slowest time 7.52 but my MPH is pretty consistant at 93 MPH +-.4 MPH.

It is a 74 Duster, 6 point roll bar, leaf spring rear, with a 8 3/4 w/pinion snubber. 4.88 gears, 727 reverse valve body, 383 engine, frame connectors installed too.

My question; is the problem in the rear suspension? And would caltracs be the way to go? Why did changeing to a fiberglass front end and adding the bars to stiffen up the front make it inconsistant? any input would be real helpful.

Thanks,
Pete
Posted By: rowin4

Re: 1/8th mile help - 10/08/09 01:32 AM

Might be that your tires are going south, how many runs and how old are they?

Posted By: CudaPete

Re: 1/8th mile help - 10/08/09 01:50 AM

My tires 3 years old. But, one season on a heavy 73 charger probably 70 passes. Then I built the duster, got busy, and haven't raced much, about twice a year for the last two years, 08 & 09. So, they have about another 30 passes at the most on the duster. There still is about 1/2 or a little less left in the wear holes.
Posted By: Hemiroid

Re: 1/8th mile help - 10/08/09 02:00 AM

You probably need tires. Contrary to popular belief, they lose a lot of their traction compounds and dry up over time, even though they still have tread.
Posted By: Dodgeman67

Re: 1/8th mile help - 10/08/09 02:20 AM

I agree, the tires need replaced first, but if you don't plan to race much till next year I would wait.

And a heavy car will break the sidewalls down in a tires pretty quick.
Posted By: CudaPete

Re: 1/8th mile help - 10/08/09 02:33 PM

It certainly makes sense, but I never knew that tires would lose traction over a few years time.

I'll have to buy new tires next spring before the racing season and go from there. I was over anyalizing the situation, thinking that losing the weight in the front end somehow caused a change in weight transfer for the worse. I skipped right over the obvious.

Thanks for the help.\

Pete
Posted By: justinp61

Re: 1/8th mile help - 10/08/09 03:31 PM

Quote:

Might be that your tires are going south, how many runs and how old are they?






I think that's part of my problem too. My slicks are four or five years old but have less than 20 passes on them. My new radials will be here Monday . Weather permitting a week from Saturday I'll can make some clean passes, finally.
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