Event Coverage Official 2016 Meltdown Drags Thread - What are you doing to get ready?

James,that was the pass right after I tried to drive right off of my rear axle housing!lol!

That Chevy launches so hard it just makes one big ol bounce and GOES!
My Dad and I watched you make a couple passes from behind the line (cause there was plenty of time for that sort of thing after I blew the smithereens outta those spring perches),and it just flat out works!

Scott

 

I also want to thank everyone associated with the Meltdown for putting on this incredible event,and also apologize to all of you for being a big,fat failure,and busting things up before I could even make a single full pass.

I was really looking forward to putting on a show for the spectators with this new motor until it chewed up those spring perches like they were made of paper.

We've already started working on several small improvements that should guarantee the car is bulletproof for next year's event,and the rivalry between the Okie Doker and the Lakeshore Shaker will be in full effect next year!
10 second side by side passes...?

Thanks for everything guys!

Scott

 

Well look at it like you have a year to get your car dialed in now.
And on a good note you didn't oil down the track.

 

You make a couple good points there James:
1: We've got a few small refinements to take care of,and Dad and I brewed up a new scheme on the way home for a rear spring arrangement that should keep the main leaf from wrapping up so bad.Jim Dillon watched me leave and said he was shocked we didn't break a main leaf it wrapped up so bad.
Also going to extent the spring perches a few inches on the back side,and box them both front and rear.

As far as not oiling down,I did the best I could to get out of the groove as soon as I realized it was broke,but with no power to the rear wheels,I could only coast toward the wall,and that stopped abruptly when the housing
Slid far enough forward on the springs to jam the slicks into the quarter panels and bring the car grinding to an abrupt stop.

All I could think of when you guys were pushing me back was "Oh shit....I just royally screwed up the night racing for these guys!I bet I oiled down pretty bad."
Luckily it spit out a U-joint,but no gear lube....

Scott

 

Good reaction Scott
I f your not in the race get out of the way.

Not sure why you had spring wrap maybe the track bars didn't work?

 

Scott you must have learned a good lesson from me glad to hear you learned something from my mistake last year fortunately my mess was the last run of the day


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Scott I've got a picture of you car by the wall with all the MDA crew around it but I can't figure out how to post it. Maybe that's a good thing.

 

Going to try to post some video of cars in tech area on Friday...


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Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I'm calling air under the left & right front, as well as soiled underoos! The house of hook definitely had a grip on the ole Child's shoes!

 

Yeah Yeah Ric I get it.
Give me a year or two.

 

What's your next one plan for the '62?

 

The 62 is just to play with for now.
I do have a 460 inch 409 base engine to play with in this car and a 60 Pontiac rear end for it.
But the winter plans are to get the 61 ready for some track action next year.

 

Just how much power will we need to stick to make our front wheels come up? [emoji849][emoji6]

 

Looks great, do you guys run an anti roll bar to get an even launch? Im trying to figure out what to do to mine. It picks up the lf and rr sinks down pretty good. would like to straighten out before i ever go to bigger stall or transbrake . Or if i ever get a manual trans

 

All you can afford.

 

air bags or more spring on the right side.

 

Springs have always been even, never tried more leafs on rr. someone mentioned coilover on rr? i have a small coil spring i could mount in. Anti roll bar isnt a cheap deal, how would it have been done outside of adding springs to rr.

 

Air bag or move your trunk weight to the left.

 

you can tighten the shock on the right if yours are adjustable. sorry to say but you have reached the point were you need to spend some cash on the rear of the car. there is no easy fix. it will go faster if you do it correctly.

 

We run the battery in left corner, not the right. We run the right shock one click stiffer, and a little more coil over spring preload on the right rear too. No sway bars allowed in the South East Gassers. Our ladder bars are even, I try not to run any staggered preload on the bars, this old car has got enough crooked stuff already.

 

Back in the stone age of the early 70s we would run twin line air shocks and pre load the right side with and additional 25 to 30lbs or so, . The rear end of the car will sit higher on that side . But it is basic physics , the longer your car exserts down force planting its butt the longer it takes to move forward. You are actually looseing bottom end torqe because it is being used to lateraly twist your chassis. Wether you use adjustable shocks, air bags or additional leafs. You need to firm up your passenger rear suspention. I am not saying it is good for a second or two off your et. But you may surprise yourself. Looking forward to watching all you guys improveing your rides for next year. Larry

 

One quick and easy trick if you haven't already done it is to clamp the leafs together. Not a miracle fix but it will help if you haven't already done it.

 

I think I said this at the event - "Dude !! You're running 10.60's - without any traction devices !! Don't change a thing..." (says the guy that makes major changes to his ride every year then thrashes to be ready for Meltdown...) I also recall recommending an airbag in the left rear...

Pretty impressive that you've got that land barge to launch and et the way you have... kudos to you bud... well done

 

Thanks Dave, the smack in the forehead jarred my memory about you saying something about the airbag lol, the body roll is getting close to my rr slick. The dana is a little wider than the other rear so have to worry about tire clearance and the only way is to keep the rear under control at launch.

I also broke the trans mount and engine shifted rearward. Bent the crap out the cheap hurst mount bolts from speedway, ended up spacing it out solid and installed some 3/4" grade 8 bolts to Hurst mount and kept stock trans mount set up

 

This should make you meltdown guys happy.my 15 yr old daughter (who dislikes all old cars but Camaro) watched the live feed to see me race because she was at camp. just bought her first car a 1966 dart GT, while we were on vacation. She wanted something she could run next year at the meltdowns. Thanks again for all the hard work you do for this event. We get it!!

 

Now that it's all over, and I missed it....a friend sent me a couple posters. I didn't realize my car was on it! Thanks guys....quite an honor....

 

rawcjwl9, now that is cool she bought her self a MOPAR , not a chevy!

 

She was looking at a 72 dart swinger. But her little brother pointed out the 66.and he could race her with his Ford.