Welcome to our weekly updates page.

A number of different problems surrounding the addition of a set of Edelbrock Performer RPM heads, put us a month behind. The following is just a taste of the problems I encountered:

  1. Piston to head clearance problems; shaved pistons, changed head gaskets, reinstalled heads. Cost, $231.00
  2. Valve spring bind; changed valvesprings, reinstalled heads. Cost, $126.00
  3. Rocker arms hit retainers; machined rocker arms, reinstalled rocker arms. Cost, $100.00
  4. Pushrods touch the heads; grind pushrod bosses, reinstalled heads. (Do you see a pattern forming?) Cost, My sanity
  5. Milk of Magnesia in what used to be oil. (Does this ever end?) Drain instant Quik out of oil pan, stream of water. Replace front cover; steady stream of water. Replace intake gaskets; steady stream of water. (pattern forming again). Find headbolts loose; nickname now "Torquey"
  6. Finally, Friday night, going racing tomorrow. The only thing left to do is bleed the brand new Aerospace brakes. Last brake; blow brake line, retire to house saddened by turn of events.

Saturday morning; I call all over and hey guess what find a brake line that works. Get to the track and waiting for dad to show and watching near wall misses right and left. Dad gets to the track and we bleed the brakes after installing the line. The car is running good and is even idling right. (long story about a vacuum leak) Now keep in mind that the fastest lap the car has turned is a 7.16 at 92 mph and lifts the tires once in a blue moon. Over the winter I added:

  1. Aerospace brakes
  2. Dana 60 rearend
  3. Freshened motor with Edelbrock aluminum heads.

Pass 1. I pull out on the track and start my burnout and let go of the lineloc as I shift from first to second. I have never used a lineloc for a burnout before now. I pull to the line, now nervous as hell because I have watched everyone and their antics on a very green track. Set the brake; 4000 rpm, release finger, front end goes up, car goes right, and I am looking at the wall when the tires hit the ground. Incidentally the right tire was off the track when the tires hit. 9.80 at 45 mph Well, scratch that pass! The car had an impressive 60 ft time though. (1.512) That’s only two hundredths off the best pass ever.

Pass 2. Burnout sucks as I did not have enough brake pressure when I set the lineloc. I pull to the line. Wondering what it is going to do this time, I forget to flip the switch to activate the transbrake with the lineloc. The car starts scooting as I bring up the revs. I stop (now deepstaged) flip the switch, punch the gas, car goes right, steer car all over track, over rev first, car popping and snapping in second. 7.18 at 93.6 mph 1.57 60 ft. Well I lost 6 in the 60 ft and went within two hundredths of my best pass ever. Now I am excited. In fact that was the best mph ever. Increase jet size for popping in second.

Pass 3. Start doing burnouts in second gear and then to high. That is much easier. Finally a good burnout! I even remember to flip the switch this time. Stage, lights come down, release button, see hood, see wall, see other wall, see end of track, hear revlimiter, second gear no pop, cross line and get time slip. 7.04 at 94.5 MPH 1.472 60 ft. Now my brother is telling me that the headlights are not supposed to point at him when leaving the line. Time to adjust the ladder bars.

Pass 4. Burnout goes well with the exception of turning on the water pump. (I did mention that I won the track championship in this car last year, cause I am driving like I had never been in a racecar) Now 15 degrees warm on the line. Car goes right and runs 7.31 at 89mph. All these wheelies are cool but seeing that wall is getting old. So more bar moving is in the works.

Pass 5. I do everything right and get to the line. Stage, release button, go right, turn wheel before tires hit, run 7.02 at 94.4. It didn’t go right as much that time. So one more adjustment should do the trick.

Pass 6. I am excited now. Do a hurendous cross the starting line burnout. Yeah; this is fun! Stage release the brake, see hood, see more hood, see track straight in front of me, see finish line in 6.98 seconds at 95.2 MPH. Now we are having fun. It went straight as an arrow. The car is sitting funny but is going straight now.

Eliminations. Dial 6.96     Darn this stuff! 

  

Mother Nature wins this round!

See ya next week.