How do you think my car would run in 1/4.

[JohnP]

71 hatchback, mild build 400sbc, Victor Jr intake, 194 heads. Solid lifter cam specs unknown, roller rockers, 750 holley, Don Hardy headers and 12-bolt rear, T350 trans. I'll be getting drag radials on 15x8.5 wheels. Car is also set up for single stage of nitrous, but I have never used it in the car yet, have not even checked what jet is in the plate under the carb.

Car seems fast to me, did not want to run it down track til I have more then just lap seat belts, and wonder if it will be fast enough that I'll need a rollbar.

Attached is pic of car when I got it end of last summer, I'm changing the cowl hood to an L88, and will prob repaint the car with a Motion stlye stripe.

[gerbsinmd]

John,

Thats not a lot to go on, but I have a buddy that had a Monza built to roughly those same specs that eventually got it to 12.2 in the quarter without nitrous. When he first put it together with 13" tires and NO posi it ran in the mid - low 13's. That was with a 400, with the equivalent of the 350hp 327 CID cam. Mid - Low 13's to mid to low 12's depending on the cam and traction.

Darrel

[JohnP]

Darrel,
Thanks for opinion, yeah I know not a lot of info, but thats about all I have. I had the cam specs from the previous owner, but can't find them. Cam sounds a bit on aggressive side, but not real radical. I was told engine was a "mild build". Just wanted to get an idea what a car like this might do. Traction will be a challenge, car has stock wheel wells.

Will just have to get it to the track to find out. low 12's would be good, high 11's on nitrous a possibility? Nervous about nos, never drove a car with it before.

John

[mldeolde]

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH I AGREE"but what do i know i'm a road race guy" I THINK A 12 SEC 1/4 IS DOABLE. DEFINATLEY WITH THE SHOT. WHAT GEARS IN THE 12 BOLT AND WHOS POSI HAS IT GOT IN IT?

[2lucke4u]

John
Nice starting point for a great race/street car,,my guess based on the info is high to mid 12's,on a 100 shot mid 11's,i'm basing this on a 373 geared rear and 350hp on motor,dont' be affraid of nos ,,start small and grow into it,,hard to hurt a motor on a 100 shot,we ran 6 bottles thru our car last year and ended with a 125 shot,we will start with that and go up to a 175 shot for this season,just put safegaurds on this system and all will go fine,,good luck and keep us posted,,
Charles

[JohnP]

Guys,
Thanks for advice. I'm 99% sure the 12 bolt is a Don Hardy. Seems all the v8 conversion items look exactly like the Hardy stuff. I was told rear has 4:11 gears. Have no idea what posi is in it, but it does have a posi. And line lock. Believe car was drag raced sometime in its history. the rear axles have long studs and the lug nuts are type that are open at the ends. Trans seems set up for racing also, shifts hard and at about 5600rpm, not smooth like a reg street car.

I have to educate mysefl on nitrous, especially the safegaurds you mention Charles. I'll definitly work my way up til I get use to it.

Hope to get to the track this spring for shake down runs to see where I'm at.

[heinz057]

was the car bought in nj . and what exit are you at? i'm 74

[2lucke4u]

John
There is a lot of great info on the site concerning this,,a wot switch is a good idea,it attatches to the carb and turns on the nos only at full throttle,a hobs switch for fuel pressure will shut down the system if your fuel pump fails,it keeps the system on at lets say 5psi and up but if it drops below that it will deactivate the system,I have both on my setup,I also run a rev limiter set at 7500rpm in case I blow the tranny or rear using the nos on launch,of couse there arte lots of other things to consider like timing and nos/fuel jet size,,need help ,,,just ask,,
Charles

[JohnP]

System has a wot switch, don't think it has hobs switch, does not have rev limiter. Both good idea and will add to system. I downloaded instructions from Holley NOS website, just as start for similar system, has do/don'ts timing jet suggestions. I def will ask if I have any questions, thanks!

I got this car off Ebay end of last summer, it came from Mich. I don't really want to get into what I paid etc, think I did alright based on what Vegas have gone for on ebay since I got mine. I check Vega every day on Ebay. Hard to find a decent 71-73 Vega, that did not need a lot of work, or was not a full all out race car. This car was set up just like I wanted, and just needs fine tuning and a bit of personlization to be what I wanted.


I don't live near turnpike or GSPW. I'm Hunderton county, Flemington area.

[JohnP]

I understand what it does, but was just surfing thru Summit and can't find this item, is it nitrous specific, or a general fuel pressure switch, thanks.

Would this work in addtion to an oil pressure switch to turn off the fuel pump when oil pressure drops?

[2lucke4u]

John
some call it a fuel pressure safety switch,,check jegs,summit,or ebay,,,may have one around here,,I'll look
Charles

[heinz057]

found my wagon in flemington 3 years ago.old mans car no rust paint good and he just had the seats redone.

[JohnP]

Good find, I could not fine a hatchback local that was not rusted to hell or was not a 71-73. Plus I wanted one already converted to a V8.

Flemington has a cruise on main st during the summer. I saw a brown wasgon there once, maybe it was your, or the guy you bought it from

[greg72]

Guys,
Thanks for advice. I'm 99% sure the 12 bolt is a Don Hardy. Seems all the v8 conversion items look exactly like the Hardy stuff. .....................

Those are definitely Don Hardy headers. I recognize them from the location of the collectors pointing outwards from behind the front tire. I have the same headers on my '72.


Before I tubbed my car its set up was similar to what you are describing. With street tires and 3:73 rear gears it ran a best of 12.10 at something like 120 mph ....the 60 ft time was not great , but the top end was wild! The car just kept wanting to go

However the car was very inconsistent , i mean right after that run i was trying to brak into the 11's , but on the next run I ended up spining through all of first and part of second . Ran something like a high 13

[JohnP]

Does a "5" on the jet/nossle that is in the plate under the carb mean 50hp shot?

Should I get a purg and blow-off valve?

Should I add a nitrous filter and where is best place in system to have it?

This is single stage system, I'm guessing a "wet" one as hoses from fuel pressure reg go to solenoids, then to plate under carb.

Still have to check to see if I have a fuel pressure shut off already installed. Car did not have a bottle, and just got one off ebay. I was checking to even see if the system worked. I turned the system activation switch in dash on, indicator light works. Pushed micro switch in on carb and did not hear anything. Then turned ignition key on, fuel pump started, then pushed micro switch and heard solenoids turn on. Does this mean there is a pressure switch. I will check wiring to be sure, just wondering.