Another "how fast should my car be" thread

Your combo sounds like it is a work in progress....You admit your traction sucks and boost is only at 20, so you need to work these issues out before beating yourself up over losing races....These cars now of days are no joke. Technology has come along ways with turbo charging v-8's, aftermarket tuning tools, tires, you name it!! You will not win a lot of races on 20lbs of boost and a traction problem....Now if you had a stage 2 or stroker 109 with good heads and traction than 20lbs is a different ball game...Turn up the boost and watch the tune. Your damn near wasting that meth trying to suppress knock at 20lbs...Good luck and keep at it!!

Thank you. Though, I haven't run meth in about a month. I just now got a replacement can of it but my tires are done so I never got a chance to use it. Whenever I was desperate to turn up the boost I'd just throw in 3 gallons of xylene and call it a day, but without tires it's all pointless now. She's just a cruiser now, until next season when I am probably going to get some 28's and see what's up. Now that my tune is pretty nice I'm confident my slicks with factory rear springs (which I have sitting waiting to be installed) will be a game changer. Going to take it to the track next spring as well (if it doesn't rain all spring long) and see where I'm at. If there's a break in the weather where it's not raining or snowing I'm going to throw some meth in and see what my wot AFRs are on the freeway. That way I won't spin the tires when I hit it at 50. (I won't spin the tires at 50 will I?)
 
having a street car with a specific combo and comparing it to someones combo that runs x on a racetrack doesn't mean a thing.a track car needs to appy all power right away and can do so because of the track itself,a street car must be setup to bring the power in to not shock the tire.boost ramp, suspension, rpm, converter slip all play a huge roll.having a 10 sec track car that leaves off a transbreak at 20psi is not going to cut it on the street as the power cannot be applied like that.a properly setup 49 car will put a hurting on most cars on the street,trust me.
 
Yea I agree. That's why I kinda picked the parts I did for this car. Wheel slip was a major factor in choosing what chose. I think a taller tire's going to get me where I need to be.
 
Taller tire equals more rollout and you can hit the tire harder with more sidewall
 
How 'bout this. Could I go with a 26" tall tire and the next gear set down, say, 3.18 or something? Would it have the same effects?
 
On my car running 20 psi on my stock turbo vs 20 psi on my new TA5957 feels about the same. I think you need more boost and new tires and you will notice a big difference. On a stock head car you are going to need more boost to make the power. I also just put on M/T Et streets 275/60/15. I could not believe the difference in traction over the BFG radials. Even when cold and at 30psi in the tire, it's like glue on the street. Also when launching the car try to bring up the boost even a little. Flat punching it is giving the other guy the advantage. Also taking off from a roll-not great in my car at least.
 
Get some suspension mods and it will make a big difference. My car hooks good on the street and I run as much boost on the street as I do the track...I'm convinced I could win races against cars that have more HP if the race is done from a dig....
 
On my car running 20 psi on my stock turbo vs 20 psi on my new TA5957 feels about the same. I think you need more boost and new tires and you will notice a big difference. On a stock head car you are going to need more boost to make the power. I also just put on M/T Et streets 275/60/15. I could not believe the difference in traction over the BFG radials. Even when cold and at 30psi in the tire, it's like glue on the street. Also when launching the car try to bring up the boost even a little. Flat punching it is giving the other guy the advantage. Also taking off from a roll-not great in my car at least.

Well yea, totally. I had some bfg radials and GAVE them away after two weekends lol. THOSE tires SUCK lol. As far as bringing up some PSI on a launch? Not happening on my car. I'd be sideways in a NY second. I think a better tire is what I need. And some champion irons if I can get them past my wife :)
 
Get some suspension mods and it will make a big difference. My car hooks good on the street and I run as much boost on the street as I do the track...I'm convinced I could win races against cars that have more HP if the race is done from a dig....

And what kind of tire is this? Could I get away with a higher gear and 26's?
 
When I had a 6131 turbo, stock heads, upgraded springs, 255lph hotwired pump, alky control and a stock intercooler, I went 11.6 at 114mph on a set of slicks at 28PSI. I just went to the track on my new set-up and went 11.3 at 120mph with a shit 60-foot and 24-25psi of boost. The 9x11 converter I am using slips alot, even in the first 1/8th after which I lock it up. Your car just simply needs more boost. Go check out the kill stories section. I've taken on a new 5.0 with bolt-ons and a LS1 Camaro with a 100 shot. They were bakery races though, I only had my street tires on at the time (Hankook Venturas 275/60/15's). Go with the 28" tall tires. It gives you more sidewall to help with launch and helps keep you in the torque range of the motor.
 
Yep, more boost and ported heads would help immensely. Get yourself a supply of alky too. With bone stock heads and 20psi, you're all bark and no bite. With 27psi and stock heads, different story.
If you port your heads and run 20 psi (or more), you'll stomp 5.0s all day. At 27 psi on e85 and stock heads, I have astonished a couple of them, even though my quickest time has been 12.8.
Tires will help too, but I wouldn't go jacking around with gearing. 28" tires with the 3.42 works. Well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
My son's car pretty much has my old set up (my old parts lol) except for a better IC he has a front mount. TE54, MSD 50's, DW300 pump, TT93 chip, THDP, 3K stall at 20lbs of boost runs 12.0's-12.20's at 110 mph on slicks of course.

My son runs 7.70-7.80's @89-90 mph in the 1/8 and that will kill a new 5.0, now in the 1/4 I think the 5.0 will mph better but he has to catch you. So traction makes a big difference.

This guy runs 20 psi for a 12 second timeslip and that's more bark right there. :) I'm going to check for boost leaks too. Who knows. I may be running 23 to get 20 to register on the boost gauge.
 
Get some decent drag radials, get the tuning down, crank up the boost!! My car runs 11.40's @125 all day long. 93 oct/meth 26#'s boost. 1.55 60's cant remember the last time I had a street race that I didn't win by a lot before I hit 70mph.
 
This guy runs 20 psi for a 12 second timeslip and that's more bark right there. :) I'm going to check for boost leaks too. Who knows. I may be running 23 to get 20 to register on the boost gauge.
You are exactly correct, but 20psi on a TE54 is WAY different than 20psi on my stocker. You could be right about boost leaks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thank you. Though, I haven't run meth in about a month. I just now got a replacement can of it but my tires are done so I never got a chance to use it. Whenever I was desperate to turn up the boost I'd just throw in 3 gallons of xylene and call it a day, but without tires it's all pointless now. She's just a cruiser now, until next season when I am probably going to get some 28's and see what's up. Now that my tune is pretty nice I'm confident my slicks with factory rear springs (which I have sitting waiting to be installed) will be a game changer. Going to take it to the track next spring as well (if it doesn't rain all spring long) and see where I'm at. If there's a break in the weather where it's not raining or snowing I'm going to throw some meth in and see what my wot AFRs are on the freeway. That way I won't spin the tires when I hit it at 50. (I won't spin the tires at 50 will I?)

If you run out of meth you can use denatured alcohol instead , Lowes , Home Depot , and most hardware stores carry it , about $15 per gallon.
 
A good dose of hook is really needed against the later camaros and stangs, they really roll on the big end. And it's really hard to compare one car to another,combos mat be really close but one is a lot quicker. With my current combo and Reds 93 chip I have trapped 89 in the 1/8 and 1.6 60ft on slicks. I have busted ass on Ls1 cars and newer stangs also. But the reds chip always seemed to fall off in 3rd, Extreme G chip doesn't. Without the higher boost you hafta kill them on the line.
 
Spinning ain't winning my friend Go to McCormick and get some Mickey Thompson drag radials, the key to beating those cars is using your strengths against their weaknesses.... Buick are torque monsters... New cars come with big wheels and little skinny sidewall tires that dont hook worth a crap.....ive seen these new cars at the track with mostly crappy drivers running 13s.... a few in the 12s..... Race from a dig, make your car hook, and holeshot their ass..... by the time their top end charge comes into play the race will be over.....
 
I see. I really think a good set of 28's will help me out, and I will convert to 28's if my other mods don't help, but does anyone here think I could get away with a set of 26" slicks and a gear change out to 3.23 or so?
 
I use to run 275/60r/15 Mickey's which are 28" but had issues with rub on the wheel wells...I just put on some 255/60r/15 which are 26" tall tires....I have been to the track on both tires and didn't see any down fall to using the 26".....I haven't done anything with my gears still the stock 3.42....
 
I use to run 275/60r/15 Mickey's which are 28" but had issues with rub on the wheel wells...I just put on some 255/60r/15 which are 26" tall tires....I have been to the track on both tires and didn't see any down fall to using the 26".....I haven't done anything with my gears still the stock 3.42....

I think the 255/50s are 26" and the 255/60s are 27" or there about.
 
Top