1979 Trans Am

Update your progress on your various car projects.

Moderators: MostMint, wxo, Fred32v, Basement Paul, ttamrettus

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MostMint
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Location: planning a race

Post by MostMint »

of course those would need to be propane powered
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Basement Paul
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Location: In the dirt.

Post by Basement Paul »

Problem is, my exhaust exits right in front of my gas tank... :shock:

-BP
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Basement Paul
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Location: In the dirt.

Post by Basement Paul »

So after my mildly disappointing, yet still fun to TRP yesterday, I've had some time to contemplate what's going on. I was thinking about replacing the carb and putting the q-jet back on, but began wondering what jetting I had in there. I know I cut the jetting back from the high 90's that were in the caddy for shakedown purposes, but didn't know what was really in there.
So tonight I pulled the rear bowl off and found I had 87's in there. Thinking this was too low, I went big right out of the gate to 97's. The car seemed to like this. But more important as I was driving around, I started paying more attention to my shift points, and my tach.
Yesterday, my last pass was a little disappointing in that I let the car get too cold, and the car bogged pretty hard off the line, to the tune of a 2.06 60ft (no wheelspin). What was important about this run was that I shifted at about 4800 instead of 5000, and my mph was over 102, even with the crappy start. Remembering this whild driving, I made a couple hard passes on the street tonight shifting shorter still, at 4500 on my tach. This seemed to improve the "pull" significantly, keeping the car in its power curve much better than revving to 5k.

I'm thinking a lot of my problem is not necessarily the car's fault, but maybe my fault as a driver. Not to mention I'm not too confident my tach is working too well. Tomorrow, if time allows, I'm going to try to put my shift light in. This should help me determine if the tach is doing it's job.

Either way, with my new jets, and my new outlook on driving, I'll be out again on Wednesday to give it another go.

-BP
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Basement Paul
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Post by Basement Paul »

So my "changes" didn't really do much, so yesterday I changed the carb back to the q-jet. It's helped driveability, and the bottom end power feels a little better, but I'm not totally confident it's the .3 sec I'm looking for to get back to where I was before. I'll run it this way and find out for sure.

I checked the distributor advance and it's not frozen, so that wasn't it.

Back to the track!

-BP
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Basement Paul
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Post by Basement Paul »

After all the screwing around, I finally switched back the intake to the Performer from the Torker. After the trial and error, it seems the Holley is better than the Q-jet, and Performer is better than the Torker. So now, the Holley sits atop the Performer and the car is back on the road. Since I haven't driven the car in a few weeks, it "feels" a lot better in the low and mid range, and since there's really no high end to this motor, this should get me back to where I was and hopefully more.

See you at the track!

-BP
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Racin'Jacin
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numbers

Post by Racin'Jacin »

BP, Numbers - we need numbers!!!
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Basement Paul
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Post by Basement Paul »

OK, so I'm in the 12's again, on a reasonably warm night. Even bigger is my 1.75 60ft time. I haven't checked my timing since we put the motor in the car, and it was up around 18 degrees advanced. I felt like I was loosing a little top end so I messed with the timing tonight. I turned it down to about 12 degrees, and it was WAY too flat in 1st gear. Kind of felt like it did with the Torqer intake on it. I went back to 15 degrees and it really seemed to like this. The bottom end came back, and it seemed to get me a little more on the top end. "Time" will tell, and tomorrow I'll check the time.

Wish me luck. If I duplicate my .98, I'll know I didn't slow myself down, but I'm hoping for maybe a .94 or so. After this, I'll get my shift light in, and start lightening up the car as fall approaches.

Did I mention how much fun I'm having with this silly car??

-BP
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Basement Paul
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Location: In the dirt.

Post by Basement Paul »

After my last trip to the track, and some 13.0's, I'll most likely put the timing back to where it was. In the meantime, the pinion seal started leaking pretty badly, so on Sunday, Fred32v and I popped one in, but not before I seemed to spill about half the drained gear lube all over his floor.

The car still has a vibration at speed (anywhere from 45 on up) that I can't figure out. It's either the trans, driveshaft, or rearend. I'm going to get a new driveshaft and start there. The transmission is suspect as 32V broke a front u-joint under power, right before he took it out. It moved the output shaft enough to break the plastic gear inside. I betting this is my problem. I have a useable TH350 that came with this car that I'll probably put in the car to test it out. This might not happen til the season is over.

-BP
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Basement Paul
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Post by Basement Paul »

After getting to where I could not stand to listen to the old starter (whining, grinding, and slow starting when hot), I bought a reman today and put it in. It sure is nice to have a quiet starter now, and after driving it, I let it sit for about 10 minutes like at the track, and it started right up.

It does have a slight whine right after it starts, so I'll have to put a set of shims in to correct this (according to the instruction sheet).

I also turned the timing back to where it was. This coming trip to the track, I'll bring the timing light to see if a couple more degrees will help.

-BP
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TireSmoker
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Post by TireSmoker »

Basement Paul wrote: I also turned the timing back to where it was. This coming trip to the track, I'll bring the timing light to see if a couple more degrees will help.

-BP
By all means, please make sure you do this while in the staging lanes and make certain to rev it to the moon in the process. I haven't seen 'that' guy in a while. :-)

-Dave
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Basement Paul
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Post by Basement Paul »

When I was at the track Sunday, I set the timing while there (and felt a little stupid thinking of that guy). Rest assured, there was no revving...

So, speaking of Sunday, I went out and was able to muster my best ET ever with a 12.95, and my mph was up too. Needless to say, I was pretty happy. This was in 80 degrees, and a reasonable headwind.

Yesterday, I spent some time in the garage (I'm on vacation all week) with the idea of lightening the car. I started by taking the crash beam out of the driver's door. With some screwing around, actually a lot of screwing around, I decided it was easiest to just take the door off and cut both ends where the beams were spot welded and sandwiched between the outer and inner skin.

At the same time I thought it best to give it a quick coat of white paint (pics to come). I save about 20lbs with the beam, plus I took the door panel and armrest off. There was also a useless power door lock assembly in there I removed as well.

With not enough time to redo the passenger's door before racetime, I went after the rear seats, and the rear speakers. I didn't weigh them, but estimate 60-70lbs of weight savings.

Wednesday night had very similar conditions to Sunday except it was getting cooler instead of warmer. My first pass (12.92) told me my weight savings were helping. I followed up with a 12.90, and then an .87 in time runs. As it was getting a little cooler I dialed in at 12.83 (wishful thinking). My first pass was a gimme as my competition stunk. But my numbers through 1000' told me it should have been a 12.85 so I left my dial for round two.
I cut an .03 to my competitions .04, and went .86 on an .83 dial. I won by .006! Tight race...
The next round I ran an .88 on my .83 with an .08 light. The competion cut a .11 light, but ran right on his dial to be me by about .01x.

So I stuck around for a time run and got that 12.85 I was looking for. Also of note is the 103.33 mph and the 1.71 60' time. Apparently, lighter IS better!

More lighten-ing to come...

-BP
markss327
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Post by markss327 »

Things seem to be going in the right direction!!! :D
Sometimes, less is better! And the 1.71 60' is awesome.
-Mark
2012 Impala LT 3.6 VVTDI
300hp - a bit much for FWD!
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GMJohnny
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Location: Auburn Twp, Oh

Post by GMJohnny »

If I were Mostmint and Tiresmoker, I'd be fearing that I was going to loose to an Oldsmobile powered machine in the best et category. Perhaps this will spur those moth balled machines to get to the track again!!! Go Oldsmobile, Go!!!!!! ( even though I drive a chevy, I still love those Oldsmobiles!!! )
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TireSmoker
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Post by TireSmoker »

No disrespect to Paul, but I'm pretty sure my 12.34 @ 110 is safe, at least for the rest of this season.

1.71 60-foot is killer though. I've never done that good.

My motivation level has been slowly building. The Tiresmoker isn't going to see any track duty this fall, but it'll be ready come spring.

-Dave
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GMJohnny
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Post by GMJohnny »

I don't know that I'd be so sure about that, Smoker... I feel BP has at least 2 tenths in cold air, & I always heard that 100 pounds removed was a tenth of a second. The way I calculate, if he goes out in November after removing excess steel, he's gonna be darn close. ( I can feel you shakin' from here!! ) Rocket Power!!!
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