shots from the garage...

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sometimes I throw Photobucket shots at the wall and they don't stick.... not sure why. Should be able to see it now.

Overall... we have some work to do, but things are heading in the right direction. Car goes straight as can be, engine runs smooth, have checked rockers twice and they are maintaining. Only thing I have noted is that the 1-2 shift is taking waayyy to long. It occurred with both trans brakes so I should drop the trans out and see what's going on. I'm not even sure who put this trans together in the first place. I know it was done prior to my dad running the W5 deal, but that was years ago.

.....that and I could use a little more gear.

....and on my first round loss that was the first time we'd broke into the 5's in the 1/8th mile. 5.98 @ 114.6
 
sometimes I throw Photobucket shots at the wall and they don't stick.... not sure why. Should be able to see it now.

Overall... we have some work to do, but things are heading in the right direction. Car goes straight as can be, engine runs smooth, have checked rockers twice and they are maintaining. Only thing I have noted is that the 1-2 shift is taking waayyy to long. It occurred with both trans brakes so I should drop the trans out and see what's going on. I'm not even sure who put this trans together in the first place. I know it was done prior to my dad running the W5 deal, but that was years ago.

.....that and I could use a little more gear.

....and on my first round loss that was the first time we'd broke into the 5's in the 1/8th mile. 5.98 @ 114.6

That would be one MEAN stick shift car! Car looks great by the way.
 
Thanks Bob! hadn't seen those..... second one was my first round loss. 9.473 on a .48 dial.... took a little too much stripe :)
 
.....first one was three pairs after that chevelle broad sided that lil white dart. I just remember the guy in the white Pontiac cussing about those "wheels up guys". I was just hoping my car behaved! :)
 
What fun would this all be if..... 8 passes into this new adventure. Despite my shifter issues at the first four test hits, I thought something seemed amiss. 4 clean passes at Famoso cemented that thought. 1-2 shift hanging way to long. No real flare, but the timing was not happy. Band is fried, front clutch steels have heat signature marks and the clutches are on the dark side. Facing material all there, but you can tell it's been taking some load. Talked with my dad and he had a friend piece the trans together. Appears to be mostly stock components, most are, with a steel front drum running 15 springs. Servos are stock, but not cracked. Endplay was .015 prior to disassembly, and no notable issues air checking it. 3.8 band apply lever..... seemed my old trans ran a 4.2. I'm not a fan of the 5.0 as it tends to bind the servo....or break chit, but I'm hoping that with the new found HP, that we just need more holding power. At this point I'd love to push the "easy" button and just haul it over to Pro Trans..... but I'd like to run at Mopars at The Strip, and I have a couple heads up races at Barona in mid April. Either way I'll be giving Dave or Darren a call this morning and at the very least, get some parts coming my way.

 
727 101..... Griner T brake doesn't require an accumulator piston. Pro Trans brake DOES! :p maybe if the dang thing had come with instructions! Thought hadn't even crossed my mind. It was driving me nuts. Endplay was great, clutch pack (front) was great. Air checked ok.... seals on front piston good.... wasn't until the conversation turned to "what do the seals on the accumulator piston look like"...... Uhhhhh there isn't one. :) Got an accumulator coming, new clutches and steels, new band, cleaned the drum up on the brake lathe at work today. Still staying with the 3.8 lever. Trying to think if something like this would have every bothered me... you know, like wanting to point the finger at someone. At this point I'm glad I have an explanation and a solid reason as to why. Huge hydraulic leak will do that. Should be back in business by the weekend. Did't pre enter to MaTS, but looks like we'll make it!

 
thurs night and still no trans parts..... maybe tomorrow, it not..... It's going to be crunch time next week! If I don't make MaTS... this is my next destination:

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Might just do that..... no trans parts have shown up yet. Where you usually park for this fiesta?
 
Just screwed myself..... Ordered the wrong thickness clutches... Way wrong. Must have wrote it down wrong. Probably just screwed myself out of Mopars at The Strip.
 
call Monday am and have them next day spend some of that money and get racing again quit making excuses!! haha
 
Stupid thing had TWO .085 clutch discs and four .055..... had enough different steels and different snap ring and got a cozy .070 clearance, just 5 clutch not 6. It will be fine! Maybe I shouldn't be working on this at 1am! Day in the yard getting things done... will try to have it thrown together and stabbed in tomorrow :)
 
I was shooting for a quick repair.... but everytime I walk in the shed 10 minutes in I'd find something else.... yep, it's broken. Not much for parts laying around, but luckily the thrust washer behind the pump on my spare 47RE was the same od/.100 thickness. I miss my rollerized trans....

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Mopars at The Strip went well..... but man was it HOT for being so early in the spring. Ditched the old Phoenix 29.5 X 11.5 slicks in favor of some MT 29.5 X 10.5 stiff sidewall slicks. Got enough hits at the track where we actually got a handle on launching on a hot track. That's something we never quite mastered with my old Mirada. It was very predictable until you were faced with an afternoon track 85 degree plus day..... and then it was a crapshoot at best if it would hook. Kept the new skins up around 15 psi and lowered the launch rpm down to 3400 to allow the torque converter to "hit" the tire at it's flash rpm of 6000. We were rewarded with a string of 1.30 sixty times....not stellar, but consistent. We also ran a best for Vegas Friday in the am with a 9.46. After the .43 in Bakersfield, I was thinking we'd be dialed in the 9.7 range up there..... Even in the heat we were dialed in the 9.5's, but only at 140. Still, we were happy with the ET at altitude. Made it to the fourth round, but missed our call and I barely made it up to the line for our pass.... head wasn't in the game and I redlit bad.

Last weekend made it to Barona for my first visit. For anybody who's never been there, it's quite the adventure towing into that place. 6 to 8 percent grade, narrow twisting road.... I'm sure the transmission guys keep busy in those parts! ....and the small block shootout?? It was all about the Mopar that day! :) These matches are put together by the promoter. I submitted all the info I had on the car honestly.... but also banged a best 1/8th mile time I've had right off the trailer with a 5.96/114.9 (damn.... just can't get over that 115 hump!). Not sure if the other cars even dipped below 6.20's.....but I was the only one running a 4150 carb :).

the track..... not a great pict, but you get the idea

CEA2886F-1C93-421E-8301-3687B5E00C3A_zpsx2sndtlh.jpg


all about the mopar..... :)

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Glad you had a great weekend.... Eric Wadded up his car I hear... :(
Shermans Do a great fun deal there at Barona....
Job Well Done..... We can call you "ACE" now!!!! Mopar Babie !!!
 
yes he did.... I was looking forward to seeing it run. I've heard a lot about it. There was another early chevy big block on nitrous that went up in smoke on the top end. He braked hard to slow, flooded the engine, went to crank it and pushed the pedal to the floor to clear flood........and yep, microswitch on the nitrous..... BOOM! Was a sad deal, beautiful car. At least both drivers were ok. We will return for a matchrace deal someday. Little too far to travel to make a regular deal of it.
 
The learning curve continues....... paperwork. Back in February I got a number for the chassis cert guy in Vegas, where I left numerous messages and never got a reply. I ended up hauling the car 4hrs to Phoenix to get the "deed" done. Passed and got sticker.... step one out of the way. Bought all the hotter n hell clothes for this "experience". Got the paperwork off the NHRA web site for licensing..... and here's where I went into the process blind. I've NEVER done this.... all new. I guess I "thought" (bad start already) that I was to get the passes, paper signed and physical done and I submit all this and another bucket of cash to NHRA...... well, I figured wrong..... and after I was told to leave it did make sense, I guess. I towed the car up to Vegas (2hr) to get my passes in. I couldn't get the physical done until Wednesday. Many of you experienced can see where this is going. Can't make runs without doctor paperwork first..... matter of fact, they wouldn't even let me tech the car in to make 60 hits..... Loaded up, and returned home. :) we'll try again some other time. Makes me think I should have just kept running until someone finally said something!
 
The track staff is much more helpful in that way.... Lead Tech inspector and Track manager.
I hope the Vegas Staff got you sorted out, and headed in the rite direction... Good Luck.. :)
 
the licensing passes are complete.... now just send the paperwork and a bucket of money to NHRA and I'll finally be legal to wheel the Duster.

....but I'm not at all happy with the trans. If there is ONE thing I wish I would have done before I sold the Mirada was to pull the "good" trans and install the backup unit I had for it. That trans just plain worked. It shifted so quick. I'm at a crossroad here.... both of my torque converters were spec'ed for the W5 mill, and seeing the data with the Racepack on the W8 mill, I'm betting they were way wrong even for the W5 which is most likely why it never had a decent 60ft representing the ET's it was capable of. So I'm looking at pulling the trans again and just biting the bullet and hauling it across the desert to Pro Trans. I'd also send at least the 8" converter back to UCC and have it loosened up hopefully about 400rpm. The alternative........... finally just put a 2 speed in it and get it over with. Judging the prospective costs I'm not sure there is much of a spread, and from a consistency point.... it's a no brainer.
 
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