Old28, we tried a 3500 stall on the slant 6, it would not work, called TCI, they needed all the information posible, cam, carb, rear, tires, ETC. They sent a 4500 stall, works great.
RoadRunner5 -- like I told Bob, I have this race unit and it is not costing me anything but time, and I have lots of that. With the chassis modifications I can get trans out in a few hours now. We will see what it does. There is a big difference between a 2500 & 3500 & 4500 stall convertors and not as much difference between 4500 & 5500 stall. You do have that slant 6 running good. Do you think there is more in it without selling the ranch? Do you have the quickest SDRA slant 6 right now?
Old28 It has ran the best 1/4 mile at 11.53. With an even better 1/8 mile time of 7.21. Sometime in Tulsa at the big races, everyone runs the 1/8 mile, because they run those ProComp cars that some run over 200 in the 1/8. The track was really preped great when I ran that 7.21. When we run the short track we have an index of 7.35, so I broke out in practice, but I came back and won that day. That was last Fall at the "Throw Down in T Town". Check out this vidio at the 5.00 min time.http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=dCePslXqBMc
A little thread stealing...sorry. RoadRunner5, you must be Joe H. with a new HAMB name. Do you recall what diameter your 4,500 stall TCI converter is? Nice run on the video.
Bobw, I don't know what diameter, I think that I still have the box, and if I remember, it had a cardbord cut out, maybe I can measure it. TCI might be able to tell you. I had a problem getting back on here with my name, so I changed everything. Joe Hamby
Bobw -- You also can call TCI and I am sure they have the build records on the one they built for Joe, They keep good records on convertor builds. 8/9/10/11 are the most common sizes. That hole in the box can be a real good indicator on size.
RoadRunner5 -- Joe were you ever able to get a size on the 4500 stall converter TCI sent to you? Is there a TCI stock number on the box? How high can you stall the converter with your foot brake setup? Is there any one in your group running a 194/230/250/292 Gen III chevy 6 with a PG trans?
Sorry Old 28 I had so many other things going on that I forgot to check that cutout. On the chevy, motors, none have made a good pass. One 230 made a pass but he overheated-280 and then he had a cracked block, I think that it was cracked before. There is another one with a 230(purple people eater) but his back is to bad to fix his tranny and he has not ever made a pass with it. Another has a stock 292, but is not finished. I usually do not watch the tach while watching the tree, Pro-Tree is very quick. I would guess around 3 grand maybe a little more. I have the heaviest car running here, 1540 lbs. My first and only build ever, with the smallest motor, 233 cu. in.
Got my new larger 168T flexplate and mini starter in place today. For any out there that are going with Chevy motor they used 153T flexplate and the dual pattern does not have a 11 1/2" bolt circle like the 168T has. Also you need to change to a dual straight bolt pattern starter. Installed a used race 9" 5500 stall converter that I had from my N/E-2 days. Got the car back together enough to run the motor and see if hot rod would hold 1200 idle RPM with only my hand holding the brake. Dropped it in gear and RPM stayed at 1100-1200 fine. Was able to stop wheel from turning with light brake pressure. So far so good. Need to get the seat and the rest of the junk back in so I can get in and see how high I can foot brake the converter and stall it up to. Maybe Monday if all goes well.
Got the car all back together today and will get in and test it on jack stands so that I can use my foot to hold the brake. want to see what I can stall that 9" 5500 converter to with that little 194" 6 motor. I only have the small 9"x1 1/2" mustang drums on the rear. If all is OK will try for a quick street test if the law is nice. Wish I had a nice driveway like yours, then again I wish I had your shop and storage buildings too.
Well it was a good day as I was able to get in the car (back is a little better) and make a few street test leaves with my used 9" BBC converter installed. Was able to fire the car in park and it idles at 1300 RPM, drop it into drive and it drops no lower than 1200 RPM with light footbrake pressure. Next I tried to see how high I could footbrake the stall up to, went to about 2200 RPM and that was all I could hold with the small 1 1/2" by 9"" mustang drum brakes. With more braking I am sure I could have stalled it up to 3000-3500 RPM. Very rewarding for a small change. With this information I tried two leaves. The first was with the RPM at idle 1200 and it left good, no hesitation and spun the tires for 10 feet. Both rubber patches were even so I know the traction lock is working correctly. Not to bad for first time. For the second leave I stalled the car up to 2200 RPM and let it go. Again a nice matched pair patches 13' long. Motor was a little stronger on the leave at 2200 RPM and pulled hard after it got hooked up. Not to bad for a basic 194 motor with a mild cam and 2 old school 94 carbs that makes maybe 145 HP. This has been a good day. Now on to the track to see what she will do.
Great news Tom I am sure te smile will be hard to get off your face. Now its time to go see all that hard work come together at the track!!!!!!!
injected27 -- Thanks for the good word, I have been wanting to try out my new converter setup for over a month, but medical stuff has taken it's place. My back and my wife had a complete shoulder replacement done two weeks ago and she is just starting to feel like she is among the living. 440 -- Ya Tom I was a happy boy today, it's nice when things turn out as you had them planed. No time to enjoy as I have to install a new intake manifold and carb on my 69 Suburban to make the trip up to Eagle Field. Never enough time and it is still HOT !!!!!!!!! Hope to be there, may need a driver, got your gear?
So happy for you Tom. Do you have a sense of what it will run? Good news on her shoulder and your back.
bobw -- Ya bob, this was a day I have been looking for. The way it sounded after it hooked up was strong for a little 194 motor, carbs worked fine and had no hesitation. I would think maybe low 15's maybe high 14's if I can get it to hook up a little sooner. I would be real happy with those numbers with this little motor. Be cause of the way my street rod PG works (vac shift) it is no different if you leave in low or high. I know one thing for sure my 60' times are going to be high if I keep smoking the tires the first 10-15 feet. Maybe on a track like we run the ANRA race (compound put down) it might hook from the start. I had 18# in my street radials. I was able to get in & out of the car without much problem, but if I make Eagle Field think I will find someone to drive and then let my young shoe run the car at the ANRA Finals the next week. This old body has taken a beating this year and needs some time off. Got a couple small things to do on the trailer and install new intake and Edelbrock 600 cfm carb on the Suburban to get it ready for a short road trip.
Hmm you need a driver???? How much is a plane ticket out there????? Hope you win the whole shooting match Tom you can do it.
300racr -- Ya it was nice to be able to get in & out to do the street test myself. Hope when it is on the track (ANRA Finals at Famoso) I don't smell up the track with junk runs like the first time. Hoping for high 15's and just maybe a 14.99 if my young shoe can make it hook up. We will see if it is still in one piece after the Eagle Field get together the week before. injected27 -- I have no plan of doing anything this time out, I will be happy if my young shoe (19 years old, out of Jr Dragster ranks) has two good Qual. passes Sat and goes a round or two on Sunday. You may have read (old6) recall on the Aug. race when he said Danny V in his 28 roadster altered is a hard guy to get around in the open wheel class that we run on Sunday. Danny V is the Uncle of my young shoe and I know the kid would love to put it to his Uncle in a round. I'm more excited to see the kid in the car than if I was making passes. Hope we can put it all together.
Well I am getting closer to Eagle Field day by day. I got all the trailer item's taken care of and was able to try out my new hitch on the Suburban to make sure every thing was OK. I am going to take a 25 mile test road trip today to see if she pulls the rig and is up for a 5 hr road trip in 2 weeks. Race car is done and ready, just need to clean it up a bit. Was able to find a set of original wheels for the Suburban so I could run the stock hub caps. I like the look. old6's wife Kay may make a few passes at Eagle Field as I only want to make 1-2 check out runs to make sure the car is right. But first I have to get the rig there and I don't have the best record at making races this year.
Well guys & gals It is looking real good for Eagle Field this weekend. Got the dragster and the pit cart all loaded. This is the first time that they have been on the trailer I built last spring and I am real pleased with the way it all came together. I am going to make 1 or 2 passes and if the hot rod is good to go then Kay (old6's better half) is going to try it out for a couple of blasts. I ain't counting my hogs until I am in the pits Friday afternoon and ready to run Sat. Remember I don't have a real good record this year for getting the dragster on the track, maybe this is the weekend.
Well got back late last night from Eagle Field and a fun day. There were 9 HAMBster rides 5-HA/GR, 3-NW Vintage Dragsters, 1-SDRA Dragster. I think this is the biggest turnout of this type car that there has been & we are looking forward to next May when we will have 14-16 cars running. I was able to make one check out pass to see if all the front end, brakes & converter worked as they should. A big thank you to all that said I needed to have some type of shocks on the front end, the Speedway Friction shock worked great. Kay (old6rodder) wife was able to make 3 passes and she did great for her first time in a SDRA PG/loose converter car. On her last pass she was able to get on the brake hard and stall the converter up to 2000 for her leave, mighty good for first time in this ride. I only wish I could have gave her a little better running ride, motor was never real on all day, but that's racing, any time in the seat is better than time in the stands. I'm sure old6 will fill you in on the racing from both Sat & Sun. My 69 Suburban make the 300 mile round trip great and the trailer worked out fine. If there was a down side to the trip it was that I blew a rear tire on the burb on the way home and had to change it out on the I-5 Freeway (No cell service in the area to call AAA) so 1 hour later I was back on the road.
Tom great to hear about it all. Well except the tire. What kinda time did it run. I bet it was a relief to get it down the track with no problems!!!!!!!!
Tom, sure nice to hear almost everything went well. I'm sure you'll tune your way to success. I love the Suburban. Is ANRA coming soon?
injected27 -- Eagle Field is a old air field in the middle of the central valley of Calif. They use 1/8 mile of the original landing strip for old school flag start racing. No frickin timers or lights, winner is shown by a girl at the 1/8 mile mark with a flag showing left/right hand lane winner. LIKE IT WAS WHEN IT ALL STARTED. I still got to do some tuning on the motor and improve the carb linkage. They had some old style AA/FA for exhibition that smoked the tires the full 1/8 mile on and off the throttle 3 or 4 times. They covered 1/8 mile + another 1/16 mile if you straighten the run out. Way wild ride. Opened the race with a jet dragster run, Talk about covering the 1/8 in a short time. bobw --Thanks bob, the changes to the front end, brake peddle and the converter all worked out fine. I just need to tidy up some motor stuff and I think it will be fine. The last ANRA race is this coming weekend and will be on web cast again. Then for a lot of people the Hot Rod Reunion is the week after. Going to be a packed couple of weeks at old Famoso raceway. I was real pleased with the suburban for it's first trip. You are going to be real pleased with that 300"/PG setup from what I saw this weekend out of the NW Dragster ride. I don't know a lot about the motor mod's but it is a mild wormed over build that runs 3x2. With the slicks you should be in the 11.50-12.00 sec area with no problem. Big inches still works.
TOM (Old28), Thank you again so very much for allowing me to use your SDRA for my 1st time driving a dragster. I do have to correct you that I only ended up getting 2 passes before the carburetor problem made us call it quits. Have to tell you that the grin is still in place. I look forward to "shoeing" for you anytime and Dick (Old6) had better get a move on and get my pedal set made so that next year I can drive our rig. Sorry to hear about that flat, you take care of your back. I hope your wife's shoulder heals quickly.
HAMBsterLady -- Kay it was my pleasure and we will do it again if Dick is still working on your ride. Will have that linkage in order so we don't test the bottom end at 7,000 to many times. Good job and quick reflexes. I am going to pass on the last ANRA race, pull the motor and get started on my winter project for the Hot Rod. Hope 2014 is a more race productive year than this last one. Good racing next week.
The Jalopy Journal
