Cecil County 10-28-23

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SpeedThrills

SpeedThrills

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I’m here at Cecil County today. Going to run the test n tune. Anybody else here? Look for my primer black Duster with primer gray fenders.
 
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Place is packed. Two runs in 3 hours.
Shifted first to third in first run. 11.92 @ 109.
Second run was good. 11.80 @ 110.
 
I got 4 runs total. Third, I spun the tires AND shifted 1st to 3rd (AGAIN!) Fourth was another 11.80 (at 109, the other 11.80 was at 110) I gotta have a heart to heart with that Quarter stick.
Overall, it was a success. There's only 8 runs on the car, and I'm learning about it.
And yes, it was hot! Humid, too. I don't have any weather numbers; I'm not that hooked... yet. Crazy for Oct. 28th, around here!
Previous best was an 11.90 at 108.

I've always wanted to see the F.A.S.T. cars. I couldn't get away from what I was doing. Looks expensive.
 
Although I'm on the West Coast now I grew up about an hour from there and made my first quarter mile passes there in 1973 at the "TRACTION CAPITAL OF THE EAST!!!!!". The Ramchargers used to go there just to set class records because of the superior traction.
 
Great track !! I will be there next weekend running 11.50 index at their Final SSCS race of the year

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BVoelzke said:
Great track !! I will be there next weekend running 11.50 index at their Final SSCS race of the year

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Very nice car! I'm going again Friday night. I'm just sorting out my car, then the body and paint torture (at least it is for me) begins. I have to learn more about SSCS. The last time I raced was the 80s and 90's. There was either NHRA class racing or brackets. I did some of each. Cecil's website doesn't say anything about SSCS. Off to Google I go!
EDIT: I don't see anything online that explains what it is. Got a link?
 
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PRH said:
Cecil County Dragway is at 320ft elevation.

Plenty of tracks lower than that.
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Yes. Just as an example, Bradenton is at 59 feet.
Its all about what the conditions are at a given time on a track that’s near sea level.
Lots of the East coast tracks are near sea level and have really mineshaft air in the fall.
Think that is what PBR was talking about
 
True……
But…….As good as the FAST guys ran at Cecil this weekend, it wasn’t because of the awesome air.
The DA was in the 1400-1500ft range for much of the day.
 
PRH said:
True……
But…….As good as the FAST guys ran at Cecil this weekend, it wasn’t because of the awesome air.
The DA was in the 1400-1500ft range for much of the day.
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But if you put 1400-1500 foot air with track prep which that track is also know for you have some prime conditions.
 
The SSCS rules are on the Cecil County website , I will be there Friday night as well getting setup for Saturday
 
Cecil County is a great track. Those guys worked theirs butts off making everyone look good, it was unbelievably hot, but the track hooked so well we made some killer runs. I saw your car and stopped to take a look, didn't see anyone around.
 
Scampin said:
Cecil County is a great track. Those guys worked theirs butts off making everyone look good, it was unbelievably hot, but the track hooked so well we made some killer runs. I saw your car and stopped to take a look, didn't see anyone around.
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Seems like a good track. I wish I was closer than 2 1/2 hours.
Darn, sorry I missed you. I guess it was in the lanes? I was there waiting, most of the time, like everyone, for a run. It was crowded! I was probably in the only shade at the place, next to the concession stand.
:thumbsup:
 
The track crew worked like crazy to give us the best track. Hats off to them!
 
I went back Friday night (11-03) for what will be my last trip of the year. This is just a toy, but it's fun trying to get things working right. I got runs number 9-12 on this new car, so I'm learning.
My biggest problem has been the Quarter Stick. Looking closer, and with a friend's advice, I believe it's for a regular valve body. not a reverse pattern like mine. If I put it in 3rd (engine off), and shift it like a regular valve body, it only goes one gear, then I have to pull the trigger for what would be the 2-3 shift. That makes sense. The way it is, I have to have the trigger pulled to go 1-2 (it'll go right to 3rd w/o the trigger pulled), and it's not as easy as it sounds with a 1.6X 60' time. I bought an entire vehicle for the driveline, and "assumed" (uh oh) the shifter matched the trans. (I've never used a Quarter Stick before.) The Quarter Stick is made for a specific valve body. You can't just replace the plate in it like a B&M shifter. New shifter is $400! I'm going to start another thread to see if someone could post a picture of a reverse valve body shifter so I can compare it to mine to see if I can maybe weld up and machine (or?) mine to make it work "backwards".
My other problem is traction (and related over revving). The tires are old, and they're 235-60 M/T Street ET drag radials. Only 26" tall. I replaced a noisy 4.10 with a 4.33 with the intention of getting taller tires. It needs them. It's out of breath before the traps. Fuel system checks out. I will check the valve springs, too. But I need the taller tires, and the wheels to go with them, so I'll start there. It has /6 leaf springs that I clamped, and a loose front suspension that has 90-10's. Not ultimate, but I used what I had to get this running.
My previous best (last Saturday) was 11.80 @110 with 1.65 60' a time. Friday, it went 11.83 and 11.84 @111, but spun to 1.83 and 1.81 60' times. So it has some left in it. (the air was better Friday than last Saturday)
I also met member BVoelzke. His car is above in post #8. Nice guy with a very nice car. He's had it for 41 years!
Here's a link to what I bought for the driveline. (Wow, 2009!) Need Help W/ I.D.
 
So this is really apples to bowling balls, but I’m using the stock console shifter in my 68 Barracuda with a RMVB. Stock operation is you push the button to shift from drive to 2nd pulling back, it will go all the way back to 1st if you hold the button. Now, what I did was file away the step that stops the shift from going from 1st to 2nd. Now no button needed for the 1-2 shift in EITHER direction. Care is needed not to money shift to first. The rooster comb detente are pretty stiff. So I launch and slap the shifter back one for the 1-2 shift, the original button/stop keeps me out of third. Then I have all the time in the world to push the button and pull it back into third. This works very well for me. If I push the shifter forward from third it will go all the way to neutral with the no button needed, which would not be fun if the car was moving!!
 
I used to go 1-3-2-3 with my Cheetah shifter. I changed it from 727 rmvb to forward patter powerglide, to use with my glide/brake. Much better.
Replaced the cheetah with a B&M pro ratchet. No more missed gears, unless I forgot which car I was in, and pushed instead of pulled (DOH!). Liked the ratchet enough to buy another for another car. But it was $200 then.
Looking for an inexpensive bulletproof shifter?Try a Winters sidewinder. Been around for 50 years, 727 specific, different part #s for forward or reverse,rear entry cable, to keep it away from header heat, half the price of the t/a cheetah.
Edit: I never have liked the quarter stick, or the pro stick, b&m's version of the same shifter.
 
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I have the shifter partially dissembled. It looks like it won’t be too hard to change the shift pattern to RVB. Grind some metal, and screw and/or weld a piece in another place.
I’ll update after I see how it goes.
 
According to Wallace, that 11.84 pass is about 99% perfect. ("Ideal for 11.84 e.t : 111.9 mph, and a 1.65 60 ft.)
Wallace: 11.80, at 112.25, 60 at 1.64 ideal.
 
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