Taking It To The Track

[pittsburghracer]

Power valves are funny. You either like them or never used one. I’m in the never used one row.

 

[7e5hangten360]

for your next step, you should concentrate on your mph at the other end of the track. re-read reply number 20 where it is suggested to look at the fuel pressure gauge at high mph wot for a fuel delivery problem. you could have a look at it on the streets (highway) . if it is good, which i think it would be, judging by the blue pump (and 1/2 in. lines ), you could try richening-up the 3310 on the secondary side. mine was running lean at wot, so i drilled the plate in the back. i could feel the difference. if you decide to try drilling it, first measure to what size you are at now. you would have to select a drill bit precise to the thousanth of an inch.

 

[Demonx2]

I finally made it to Atco last night and it was an (almost) total success! It went straight and very smooth.

Small issues:
-The first run it stumbled off the line, and I went 1st to 3rd, I also lifted near the top because it was out of breath. (The 4.33's are a bit much, I plan on taller tires) It runs out of steam about 5800. A bigger pump nozzle fixed the stumble.
-On the second run, instead of 1st to 3rd, I short shifted 1-2 somehow. It's a Hurst Quarter Stick, and I have no prior experience with one. (By the 4th run, I was getting more comfortable with it.) I stayed in it, it went to about 6500, though out of breath.
-The third run went perfect.
-The fourth also was nice, it slowed a bit as I went down the track.

The Wallace calculator say it makes 291 hp at 3000#. (car-2760, about 40# more gas in it than when it was weighed, and I'm 200) I thought it makes more. It has a 360 with 11.25:1 comp, 292 purple cam, 915 (I think) ported heads with 2.02 intakes, Holley 750 vac sec, Torker II. (As I bought it, I just took it apart to check it out and put rings and bearings in it.) Maybe the 108 mph isn't accurate because it runs out of steam before the traps, lowering the hp estimate?


I had no idea if it would hook. It did. It has the original .850 torsion bars CE 3 way front shocks, set on "loose", the original slant leaf springs with the front half clamped, and parts store rear shocks. It also has 'glass fenders, hood, bumpers, and the battery in the trunk, helping with weight transfer. It has M/T 235/60 drag radials that are maybe 10 years old!

Having driven it on the street, I got the bugs out of it. I had no idea how it would launch though, since there's no hook on the street.

A friend is sending me pics and video. I've had difficulty posting video before, but I'll try, and get the pics up.
View attachment 1716105086

Great stuff - your first time out antics sound like I was driving!! Been there, done that! Grabbed 2nd when the front end was up, etc, etc. I've done all kind of stupid things. Maybe the dumbest was when I had been watching Pro and Super Pro who run 1/8 mile then I went down the track in Sportsman and was ahead at the 1/8th and lifted!! Only to lose since Sportsman runs the full 1/4 mile! (Took the walk of shame (buyback) and went to the finals that night!).


Keep tuning and trying. Each pass down the track will get you more comfortable and consistent.

 

[SpeedThrills]

Soooo, I got the car running better. Using the thread mentioned before, I drove it and got 13" of vacuum between 2200ish and 3000 rpm. 60% of that is 7.8. I took out the 2.5 valve, and put in an 8.5. While I can't run it up to 6k in third gear to see if it lays over like it did at the track, it feels much smoother and stronger.

It's not much of a street car, but I'm also going to tune the Holley using the info in that thread by sizing the PVCR's and richening them, while leaning the jetting.
It'll also need a (tuned) vacuum advance, the Mallory that the engine came with (I bought a running, totaled D150 for the drivetrain) has none, nor a provision for one.
If by some chance, I was able to add overdrive (it has 4.33 gears), it would probably get decent mpg.

Problem is, because Atco just closed, it's not as easy now to test. I'm about 2 3/4 hours from Cecil, and about 3 hours from Maple Grove or Island. Yeah, I was spoiled. Years ago, my partner and I traveled some, and this wouldn't be a big deal. But now I'm 64, and not really interested in traveling much just to play. I know, 1st world problems...