by spencerforhire » Tue Oct 21, 2014 7:36 am
There are a couple of pics of the motor from back in April/May on page 1 of this thread, but why not one more....
Also, Zeke mentioned he wasn't a fan of "computer controlled racing classes"; when I originally built this car, I was going to do it "old school" with no help from electronics. The harsh reality is that in order to compete at this level of competition, I had no choice but to join the party. Before the delay box, my logbook shows about a third of my lights were red; after, I think I've had 6 or 7 in 2 1/2 seasons. Sure, there are a few guys out there that can cut a light in an 8 or 9 sec. car without a delay box or any other electronic assistance, but I soon discovered I wasn't one of them. lol. First came the delay box which is not a very complicated piece of equipment; all it does is let me react to the first yellow instead of the last. Mine is an ancient, first generation Dedenbear RTD-7; no fancy digital readout, just a row of little analog click wheels to adjust seconds, tenths, hundredths and thousandths. It presently reads 1.057 which is how long it waits from the time I release the trans-brake button on the steering wheel until it disengages the solenoid holding the Powerglide in both low and reverse. The other piece of low-tech electronics I use is a home-built "three-step" which lets me select 3 different RPM limits for burnout(6000), launch(4600) and redline(8100). It aids in consistency(the most important thing in bracket racing) and lets me do a burnout with my right foot planted instead of trying to modulate the RPM, keeps the motor just below the converter's stall speed while it's waiting to launch and of course keeps the rods inside the motor when the wire breaks on the shift solenoid and I hit 8100 in low gear. Only ever happened once; scared the crap out of me as I had to take my right hand off the wheel to shift manually. No real magic to the electric shift either; it's hooked to the "shift" light on the tach.
When I run the 9.90 heads up start Super Rod class(it's a .500 tree here, but in other places it's .400), the delay box is only set for a .045 or so; I could probably switch to a taller front tire and run without the box. Theoretically, if I stepped up to the 8.90 Quick Rod class, then I could pitch the delay box. I might not be able to hit the .400 tree, but at least I wouldn't be able to red light.
The one type of electronics I've resisted adopting so far is the throttle stop; it lets a car launch hard, then partially close the throttle for a very exact amount of time through the middle of the race and then return to full throttle for the end. To a non-racer this sounds kind of silly, but it lets a high horsepower car slow down to run a specific number, be it 10.90, 9.90, 8.90 or 7.90. The advantage of doing this is not very apparent until one of these guys blows by you a foot before the finish line 20, 40, or more MPH than you are going. Makes it very hard to judge; you think you have the race won, you might even lift so you don't break out, and whoosh! I run a mechanically adjustable restrictor plate under my carb to slow my car for the 9.90 bracket; there's no way to change it from inside the car. Again, it sounds silly to go slower, but I do like the heads-up, Pro Tree start; all 6 yellows light at once with no stagger to the tree. If you've ever been distracted by the lights in the other lane while bracket racing against a slower car, you will know why I like it.
Rant over.
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The "fleet"-
72 Vega HB Drag Car -383/'Glide/9"(9.35@146.19)(5.94@117.28 1/8th)
77 Vega Estate wagon- project(someday)will have TPI305/T-5, S-10 spindles/axles
76 Vega GT- 400/4spd/9" retired from active duty(rusty)
06 Silverado 2WD ex.cab daily
03 Silverado 2WD ex.cab (retired)
06 Haulin' 20ft enclosed car transporter
06 GMC Canyon Shop truck
07 Colorado project( 5.3 4L60e swap)
99 Saturn SL1- wife's car
01 Saturn SC2- son's project
07 Saturn Ion Redline project
and 4 more Saturn "parts cars"
Note- the very act of listing all of these has made me realize I have some kind of problem.....
Visit http://www.spencerforhire.ca