New to drag racing. Need advice.

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There is usually a TON of time tied up in the front suspension that nobody ever addresses.

You can get a good baseline idle tune on it in the garage over winter and be ready for next spring.
Not knowing the build, shoot for timing in the 18-24 range at idle/initial and 34-36 total. It takes WORK to get it correct and is another area that people are eternally LAZY to get right.
 
The 2nd video sounds like there may be some misfiring going on when you brought it up against the torque converter. To me the basics need to be sorted first. If it “is” misfiring that needs sorted. May just be my bad hearing too.
 
I'm running SS spring and sliders with no pinion snubber. My car will dead hook at a stop light no problem on cold tires. (4.88 gear) Although I'm not just mating the pedal, I kinda roll into it or it WILL just blow the tires off.

20181125_110600_zpsu47ec2qp.jpg




The only difference is I'm running drag radials. 295X65X15

Oh yeah, fix those welds. That **** is just terrible.
 
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A little engine info would be nice. The shackles need replaced, clamps removed from rear segment and added to front segment as a start. The engine needs sorted out. Is this a 440 powered car with 4.56 ?
 
Nothing wrong with the rear end as I see it apart from the welds, how good those springs/shocks are is another thing. My back end was exactly the same on my old '71 340 s/strip car with stock l/springs which were clamped@the front, we installed longer r/shackles as you have (but used thicker metal) because I needed to raise the car up an 1" or so to clear my 10x28's. I bought some performance std. shocks and fitted 2" extensions, also fitted a pinion snubber and modified it for 1/2" gap to the floor., the car ran low 12's@108 dead straight. You do not need to waste money on sliders or a 4 link or caltracs, you could see my shackles in pics I have move forward around 4>6" on the hit as the axle bit into the track which is basically what sliders do except they are supposed to be more stable, I never had any issues with instability whatsoever and we raised the car more than you have it, the car ran straight and true and would pick the wheels a few inches.
Get the car to a decent track with prep where you can heat the tyres up and run it, get some slips and take things from there, no reason why that car shouldn't hook with what you have with a bit of sorting. If those are SS springs? you prob won't need the snubber, what I would say is to get some adjustable rear shocks, mine didn't have them and worked fine, probably would've been better.....If its a 440 car you may need some better parts/springs than you already have in the rear. You also need to look at the front suspension, make sure it moves freely and has at least 5" of travel.
 
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#1- Engine Tune

#2- Torque Converter

#3- Adjustable Rear Shocks

#4- Adjustable Front Shocks

Start inexpensive and simple, leave is not too bad, needs converter.
 
Cap, Rotor, Wire (don't buy cheap ign wire!!!) and spark plugs.
Timing light and see what your initial/ full advance (Mechanical advance) is.
Most stock distributor have WAY Too Much Advance in them. Which forces you to have way "too little Initial timing."

To little Initial timing will make you think you don't have a high enough stall converter( and you may, BUT) But that distributor many have some hidden power(60' power) hiding in it!

Tune-up and then i'm with "crackedback" DISTRIBUTOR MODS !!!!

Is this a small block or BB eng?
 


My challenge is this: I think my rear suspension is "crap". Here is a close up of trying to get out of the hole in front of my house.


I don't know a lot, but you may want to consider something like this... Your tires looked very full. I was not able to tell if the tires were spinning, my eyes aren't as fast as they used to be.

Pro-precision-tire-gauge-52000.jpg
 
Snubbers are good for a door stop... It's a crutch for weak springs.

A little edit here. Those rear shackles are FINE. As long as the bushings are good and movement is free, you're good to go. Simple and effective as the movement should be linear.
 
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Snubbers are good for a door stop... It's a crutch for weak springs.

A little edit here. Those rear shackles are FINE. As long as the bushings are good and movement is free, you're good to go. Simple and effective as the movement should be linear.

That picture says weak spring to me.......and 100 percent sure if they are SS Spring.
He is trying to do it on the cheap. Pinion snubber is cheaper then new spring........... As is spring clamps for the front segment.
 
A lot of good advice, and some of it is the way I would approach things. Determine what you have right now. Get the engine tuned right, check over the trans, the drive line. Do you even know what shocks you have, if they're still good? Lots of advice about throwing tons of money at it "right now", and while that may be what you end up having to do to get it where you want it to be, what's wrong with sticking with what you have, and see what you can do? I bet the previous owner did alright with it before he moved on to other things and parked it. And obviously you haven't matched his luck with it. Sort what you have before blowing cash, then go from there. That is your best bang for your buck.
 
What I see reminds me of a squeaky door hinge, nothing moves freely, lubrication of all moving chassis parts would be first on my list.
 
My scamp goes high 11s with a snubber and some HD springs. A 3500 stall converter, 4.10 gears, and a locked distributor works pretty good for me. My shocks are just stock replacements from NAPA. Adjustable shocks and some other kind of modern traction control devise might help me but im sick of throwing money at it and it works good enough as it is. Do your burnouts in SECOND gear!!
 
My scamp goes high 11s with a snubber and some HD springs. A 3500 stall converter, 4.10 gears, and a locked distributor works pretty good for me. My shocks are just stock replacements from NAPA. Adjustable shocks and some other kind of modern traction control devise might help me but im sick of throwing money at it and it works good enough as it is. Do your burnouts in SECOND gear!!
LMAO! I hear ya on always throwing money at it. And everybody at the car meet spends your money like your Rockefeller and demean when you don’t!
I wish I had there money!

If your happy your happy and just call it good is all that need be done. I’d rather eat good than go fast. The car can take seconds on that.
 
There is usually a TON of time tied up in the front suspension that nobody ever addresses.

You can get a good baseline idle tune on it in the garage over winter and be ready for next spring.
Not knowing the build, shoot for timing in the 18-24 range at idle/initial and 34-36 total. It takes WORK to get it correct and is another area that people are eternally LAZY to get right.
Maybe some good advises here: Drag Race Suspension Tuning
 
I don't know a lot, but you may want to consider something like this... Your tires looked very full. I was not able to tell if the tires were spinning, my eyes aren't as fast as they used to be.

View attachment 1715262656

I thot the same thing, looked like they could be dropped a pound at least.
Front of springs stiff and clamped, back unclamped and let the leaves spread like the tips of buzzards wings.
You gotta have some initial bite tho-----------with a loose front end , At the present time I haver neither, don`t feel bad!
 
FORGET ABOUT THE SUSPENSION AND GET YOUR TUNE SORTED OUT!

Without a strong running engine it doesn’t matter what the chassis is doing.
 
Pinion snubber is a waste. Other than the welds, the suspension is not your issue right now. Are you always going to go to the no prep 300 ft drags? I know the Brian’s butterscotch duster, it runs clamped springs not stock and no pinion snubber. Suspension is controlled with a very good shock. Plus MIR hooks!
 
It your bracket racing u work on the tree.more rounds u win(don't redlight)the more st u find.separate your plug wires,know your timing,short shift,work on burn out,check valve spring pressures.What car books without aburnout? You need a et slip to learn.Torque converter company's are famous for being conservative.u can always sell a loose converter if it's good
 
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