Shellehamer front suspension kit

-
Tory does amazing work. I reached out to him a while back about a front suspension for my early A but it seems he’s really backed up with work. Did he build the upper A arms also?
I believe he did, yes.
 
You could flip those Afcos around. I have the bodies on top (unsprung weight :) )
 
Made the maiden voyage to New Oxford Dragway, Oxford, Maine, this past Friday night. Knew traction was going to be questionable as they had just installed new concrete on the starting line and new asphalt on both lanes. Other than the new front suspension other changes were a Quickfuel 2 circuit 1050 dominator style carb and new TTI 1 7/8 step headers. Had the AFCO coil overs set to AFCO's recommendation. First time trial run was less than stellar. Car felt like it spun to just past the 60 beam, then hooked and pulled hard. 6.88 @ 104 with a 1.89 60. Not good. Pulled a couple of plugs and notice the carb was jetted way lean. Went from 92 square to 94 square. lowered rear tire pressure from 13psi to 12psi. Second time trial was a little better. Still spun quite a bit off the line, went 6.78 at 104 with a 1.77 60. Still way off. Buddy of mine did a video of that run and I was getting almost no weight transfer so the front shocks were set way too stiff. Re-checked the plugs, still too lean, so upped the jets to 96 square. Loosened the shocks by 4 clicks. Lowered rear tire pressure to 11psi. Third time trial was a 6.69 @ 104.85, 1.67 60. Gaining on it. Didn't make any further changes as we were heading into eliminations. Anyway, long story short went 3 rounds, got anxious in the 3rd round and lit the ugly red bulb. So I ran it out the top end to a 6.60 @ 105, 1.50 60. I'm still about 2 tenths off the 1/8 mile ETs I was running last season, but the MPH is close. 60 times still need to improve so going to loosen those AFCOs up even more before this weekend. Car felt a lot more solid with the Shellehamer suspension kit. I'm not convinced that the engine likes that QuickFuel carb so I'm going to put my trusty old first generation Holley 1050 Dominator back on for this weekend's fun. Car usually runs in the low 6.40s @ 106 in the 1/8th so got a little ways to go. I'm wondering if the new TTI headers are having an adverse effect. I was running Hedman 2 inch race headers with adapter plates for my W2 heads, but I went with the TTI stepped headers for two reasons, no adapter plates and they will fit both of the engines I have. The TTI race headers would only fit the W2 heads on the engine currently in the car. Is it possible the smaller tubes are 'choking' the engine? I didn't think it would make very much of a difference.
 
IIRC. Ryan Johnson told me the 1 7/8" Hedman's were worth 30 or 35 hp over TTI 1 7/8" headers.
 
TTi's fit great... the rest not so much

What did it 60' when running 6.40's
 
TTi's fit great... the rest not so much

What did it 60' when running 6.40's

My Hedman's are the easiest to install headers I've ever had. Yes, I have a set of TTI's in the attic of my shop.
 
Sounds like a TON of jet.
I ran 88 squared and 90 squared( depending on weather conditions) on a heavy(3350) pound car that ran well into the 9’s with an 1100 Dominator.
I am not a carb expert at all, but something is going on to require that much jet on your motor to make it not lean.
What does your car weigh.
 
Sounds like a TON of jet.
I ran 88 squared and 90 squared( depending on weather conditions) on a heavy(3350) pound car that ran well into the 9’s with an 1100 Dominator.
I am not a carb expert at all, but something is going on to require that much jet on your motor to make it not lean.
What does your car weigh.
I'm in Maine so the weather conditions last Friday night was cool (60s into the 50s) with low humidity. Car weights 2680 without me in it. I based the jetting upon plug color. After the first run the plugs had no color at all to them. After upping the jets two sizes still wasn't much color to them so I went up two more. Didn't check the plugs after that as we were going into eliminations and I didn't want to make any other changes. However, I will say that each jet change resulted in a better run.
 
I'm in Maine so the weather conditions last Friday night was cool (60s into the 50s) with low humidity. Car weights 2680 without me in it. I based the jetting upon plug color. After the first run the plugs had no color at all to them. After upping the jets two sizes still wasn't much color to them so I went up two more. Didn't check the plugs after that as we were going into eliminations and I didn't want to make any other changes. However, I will say that each jet change resulted in a better run.

yea, so at that weight( adding more for driver) you are talking 525-550 horse motor needing that much jet. Just doesn’t sound right to me. Maybe someone else will chime in.
I am in Michigan , we get our chances in 50-60 degree air at times as well..lol
 
yea, so at that weight( adding more for driver) you are talking 525-550 horse motor needing that much jet. Just doesn’t sound right to me. Maybe someone else will chime in.
I am in Michigan , we get our chances in 50-60 degree air at times as well..lol
I appreciate your comments. It just seems to be what the engine likes. I will add that I don't use power valves in my 1050s and jetting has always been in the 90s.
 
Les, just out of curiosity, why a Dominator?

My 408 went 6.57 @ 104 with 1.37 60' at 3220# (w/me) with a Bigs 950HP in decent air. My Dart is a pump gas street/strip deal and is by no means a fully optimized race car.
 
Les, just out of curiosity, why a Dominator?

My 408 went 6.57 @ 104 with 1.37 60' at 3220# (w/me) with a Bigs 950HP in decent air. My Dart is a pump gas street/strip deal and is by no means a fully optimized race car.
If you use the math formulas to determine carb size, my engine should use a 750. However, I tried a 850 DP season before last and it didn't like it at all. So the dominator went back on and has been on since. My 360 stroker (383 if you believe the math) is pushing almost 14:1 compression and has a fairly big cam (Comp Cams roller, .654 intake, .655 exhaust, duration @ .050 269 intake, 276 exhaust) and I use 113 fuel with W2 ported heads. It's just what it likes.
 
If you use the math formulas to determine carb size, my engine should use a 750. However, I tried a 850 DP season before last and it didn't like it at all. So the dominator went back on and has been on since. My 360 stroker (383 if you believe the math) is pushing almost 14:1 compression and has a fairly big cam (Comp Cams roller, .654 intake, .655 exhaust, duration @ .050 269 intake, 276 exhaust) and I use 113 fuel with W2 ported heads. It's just what it likes.
Curious what that combo dynoed at? Or your best guess estimate.....sounds like a lot of carb.
 
Curious what that combo dynoed at? Or your best guess estimate.....sounds like a lot of carb.
I haven’t had it on a dyno yet, and I can’t even make an educated guess. I know a 1050 sounds like a lot of carb but it is what the car seems to like.
 
I haven’t had it on a dyno yet, and I can’t even make an educated guess. I know a 1050 sounds like a lot of carb but it is what the car seems to like.

never added a bigger carb to a small block and not had it be faster.
My old enginemasters stock stroke 318 was quickest with a 950 on it.
Doesn’t surprise me your Dominator works best at the track
 
-
Back
Top