Here is a video from Friday night at Edgewater dragway in Cincinnati, Oh. I have been working on getting my car dialed in all summer. Finally bought some Goodyear eagle drag slicks to replace my Hurst recaps and put on my Demon 750 carb. It finally seems to be hooking up. But can any of you old timers tell me if it is normal for the back end to want to bounce when launching a stick car. From what I have seen in old videos it seems normal. I am runnning leave springs with cal-trac traction bars. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-PsrThJBHc
That's one wicked shoebox! <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/A-PsrThJBHc?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/A-PsrThJBHc?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Another video: <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/g3Di6ptX_go?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/g3Di6ptX_go?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Thanks we have had lots of fun with it so far especally when some of the young tuners or yups with money cars think there going to put an old car in its place on soon get suprised.
Hey Kevin, Thanks I have always liked your 57 since I saw it at the Road Rockets show several years ago.
Nice looking car, what times are you getting out of it?? I run leaf springs and cal-trac style bars, mine tends to lift the body and push the axle down, what are you running for air presure in the tires? If my car spins on the line it will also hop. Jon
Thanks! I hope to line up next to your Ford some day. It would be an honor, not to mention, a great photo op.
too stiff rear springs - no travel in front end - make the chassis work - you're bouncing the tire sidewalls
More: <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LPp7N3tCZDQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LPp7N3tCZDQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lghthQiKSlQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lghthQiKSlQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
If I still lived in OH I would definitely be looking out for your car. <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VkAg-GZamwo?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VkAg-GZamwo?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Falcon Gasser I tried running 12 lbs last time out and 14 the time before. The car wanted to drift more with 14lbs in it, and felt better with 12lbs as far as control. David Wilson I have been playing around with the rear springs all year I was down to five leafs with the Husrt tires but the would spin off the line. With the new slicks running five leaves i beleive it was un arching the rear part off the spring. Since when I left the line the found all those little plastic disc used for sping sliders on the track. I put two leafs back for a total of seven and it did not do that anymore. Plus with five leafs it would hop the rear tires off the ground about 2 inches. Should I soften the front springs or will 90/10 front shocks help since it is not a ifs car. Claymore I will try to set my rear shocks one setting stiffer next time out if the weather permits. Not sure what you mean by lift from the bars?
You need to adjust your Cal traks,you are hitting the tire too hard.Are the rear shocks bottoming out?Make sure you adjust the bars with you or someone close to your size in the drivers seat.You don't need a stiff rear spring,a lot of Cal Trak users use his mono leaf rear spring.I would work on the rear first before you worry about the front,many racers have their front suspension limited to almost no travel.Also check your pinion angle,you want around 3 degrees down.I have been racing a stick car for over 40 years and have tried a ton of ideas.I have my front limited on droop but it is very compliant.The rear is set to lift the car and the shock is set soft,but every combo and car is different,and every body has an opinion.JMO,ROY.
65 Comet thanks for the response. I changed my rear shocks to the 3 way adjustable shocks from summit. I have them on the soft setting, and they are 3 inches longer than stock 1950 shocks. When we set the rear end we put the pinion to -3 degrees. I made my cal-trac bars myself of original patterns since my buddy runs them on his 56 chevy four door. Are they made car specific?. My front bracket buy the spring eye has two holes in it I am using the top most hole. Should I be using the second one or will the make it hit harder. O yeah I originally had my shocks set to extra firm and it would cause the rear wheels to pull off the ground, also in its currant set up with 5 leafs when I unclamped the the top three leafs on the rear of the spring in caused the rear to jump off the ground even higher and caused most all of the slider disc from posies to come out. Which led us tho think the springs where to soft. Let me know if you have any other suggestions or ideas. Thanks to everyone for there input and comments. Kevin
Kevin;3" longer than stock,is the car raised that much?Basically the bars are made car specific for bar length.The hop is caused by the suspension loading and unloading usually from hitting the tire too hard and the shocks not being able to dampen the bounce.Try the middle setting on the shock,then if that does not work try unclamping the rear of the spring pack and only clamp the front half.Are your slicks a soft compound or are they stiff sidewall which are made for stick cars.Try a higher RPM launch to try and get the tires to spin one or two revs before they bite.You also can vary the air gap between the roller on the bar and the spring,they should not touch. ROY.
The front end is 10 inches above stock height and when I unhooked the bottom eye off the rear shock it only extended about a 1" to 1 1/2" past the shock mount. Someelse suggested getting longer shocks since when I launch the shocks where out a travel and picking the rear tires up. I unclamped the back halve of the rear springs when it only had five leaves in them and it hopped off the ground worse than when the where clamped on it let out all those little black plastic disc from in between the spring leafs. Goodyear did not list a stiff sidewall but these slicks where suggested since they are for cars weighing 2000-3000lbs. I am launching at 2800rpms in the video and running 12lbs of air in my tires. Are you calling the roller the pin above the spring on the front of the cal-trak set up. The guy I copied the set up off of told me to set the car on the ground and set the bar length so the pin hits or rest on the top of the spring. Did they tell you different. Once again thanks for all your advice. Kevin
Neat gasser! I like the S10 drag car in that one video too! But then again... I own an S10... Keep the videos coming! Sam
What do you know about instant centers? I, too, think you're hitting the tires too hard. I can't tell but it also doesn't seem like the car is pitching much weight onto the rear tires? You can soften the hit on the tires by adjusting the front mounting location of the cal-tracks, and you can figure that out and quantify it for future reference. Its all based on Center of Gravity Heighth (or CHG) and instant centers, which is very easy with your rear suspension design. Do you have access to a set of scales? Other than that, the car is awesome, really looks and sounds good! what E/T's are you pullin?
without changing the stance of the car, here's what needs to be done - you have got to get the body to rotate on the suspension to make it work - car is oversprung - too stiff shocks - need more "pitch rotation" - best book on this is "dave morgan's doorslammer - the chassis book" - this book is not available in any store - it is expensive - mine's old - i think they're probably about $35-45 bucks - if you're serious about drag racing, you need this book - lamplighter productions -1-800-331-8014
Nice ride,car looks great, I n the video of your car getting squirrely,,,,,,, it looks to me like the left rear is lower than the right side.I dont know if this is your set upor a weak spring. Also have you thought of a lsdder bar set up or something to get the traction bar front mounting point further foreward on the frame to help stop the tire hop. Just a thought
David thanks I will check into the book Anderhart Speed I do not have scales but I will check into it. Plymouth1952 yes it is a stick car
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