Can't stop'em from spinning....

[jasburbak]

Hello, i have a problem in which many of you had or still are dealing with. I have excessive wheelspin during launch and low gears. I have a '67 Nova with a 540 BB, 9' inch rear end, T56, and 4:11 on stock suspension.. I am loosing too much time on the strip during wheelspin and even in second gear. What have you folks done to remedy such a problem.

The case point is i am currently setting my car up to be a "g-machine" and am in the lookout for a set up which would allow me handle on the track as well as hold up on the occasional strip...

Any ideas?

Thank You.

Jason B

[astroracer]

Jason, you need to dump that 540 man... WAY to much power for your Nova! I would be willing to trade you that for the motor we just pulled out of my Astro Van. I will even throw in the trans! Geeze I'm a nice guy!
Let me know when you want to do the trade. The 4 cylinder is looking for a new home... :unibrow:
Mark

[ProdigyCustoms]

Caltracs work awesome

[deuce_454]

well first advice is practice... if you look at pictures of the pros you see them launching with both front wheels 1/4 inch off the with the butterflies barely open.. so if you apply the right amount of power it wont spin.... you could also try a throttlestop... also try dinking arround with tire pressures, or try dragslicks but you are just up there with the big guys where you just cant switch off your brain and mash the throttle..

[fatlife]

what kind of tires are on that thing? I know that if it isn't tubbed you can't fit any kind of tire in those cars, coupled with a 540 and what were you thinking?????? I'm suprised it EVER hooks

[jasburbak]

Jason, you need to dump that 540 man... WAY to much power for your Nova! I would be willing to trade you that for the motor we just pulled out of my Astro Van. I will even throw in the trans! Geeze I'm a nice guy!
Let me know when you want to do the trade. The 4 cylinder is looking for a new home... :unibrow:
Mark

Hehe, i could take you up on that offer :D

It is minitubbed..They're 295 -17's... any recommended suspension? there is a bit of front wheel lift..

[deuce_454]

drag radials and practice.. The faster cars in the NMRA's BFG-sponsored Drag Radial class are in the 8.30s at 170mph!!!!! so practice practice practice !!!!!

[deuce_454]

...... on stock suspension....

perhaps its time for a 4 link btw

[Y-TRY]

It's hard to do with short, hard, tires no matter what suspension is under there. The only feasable option is something simple and tunable like CalTracs and an extra set of 15" sticky tires. All those drag radial guys are going that fast with 275/60/15's. Gotta get sticky and some sidewall. Spinning is just a part of life.

Cool combo, BTW

[ProStreet R/T]

Why such a deep gear with that much motor? Vipers come with 3.08 gears for a reason, you have a chit ton of torque, use it.

But yeah i'd try a 315 drag radial first, then move on to suspension setup.

[sikryd]

Loose the leaf springs, and install a set of ladder bars, and get a tire with some kind of a sidewall. The 540 is putting out a crap load of torque, so try not to have such a heavy foot off this line. I find with a standard trans the best thing to do is don't rev it to much before letting off the clutch. Leave the line like you were leaving a stop sign (well...a little harder than that), then roll on the throttle. You will never hook up a 540 BBC with manual trans if your side stepping the cluch at 3,000 rpm. Unless you have a 10.5 in slick under it, and then your gonna bust that trans wide open.
I got my former 88 mustang with a 460 and a top loader to do mid 11's with no slicks. I would leave the line at a little over 2000 rpm, then roll onto the throttle as fast as the tires would let me.

Also, as the others said, practice, practice, practice.......

[ProStreet R/T]

Loose the leaf springs, and install a set of ladder bars,

You didn't just REALLY tell him to install ladder bars on a street car. . . Right?


Oh and there is no way he will blow that tran with an N/A 540 big block. That motor might be making 700hp (on the very high side) which isn't a big deal for a T-56 at all.

Just stop. :rolleyes:

[jasburbak]

Haha, that would be pretty funny to see me driving around with ladder bars...is it even legal? The trans can hold it, i've been launching by sidestepping the clutch all this time and its fine... Thanks for the input guys, first thing i need to do is handle the rear end and suspension...but yeah, practice is all i'll have to do..

[MaxHarvard]

It's hard to do with short, hard, tires no matter what suspension is under there. The only feasable option is something simple and tunable like CalTracs and an extra set of 15" sticky tires. All those drag radial guys are going that fast with 275/60/15's. Gotta get sticky and some sidewall. Spinning is just a part of life.

Cool combo, BTW


I agree you need something with a bigger sidewall for maximum grip.

[ProdigyCustoms]

I would second gear launch it. The old 4 speeds were only 2.2:1. You tranny is 2.87 in first, 1.89 in second which in second gear gives you right at a 8:1 starting line ratio. With all that torque, you should be better off there.

[MrPushrod]

Caltracs work awesome
I have caltracs and know all about them.
Have you checked your pinion angle?
That could be your problem in why you can't launch.
There are cars that run 7's on dragradials and caltracs.

[MrPushrod]

Loose the leaf springs, ....
There are cars that run 7's on leafs and caltracs.

[Bandit]

Sounds like a good problem to have! :lol:

[MrPushrod]

click the link. 8 seconds on a 275/60/15 drag radial with caltracs.
http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/featuredvehicles/0601ch_1971_chevrolet_nova/
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a143/BadBird67/cars/0601ch_01z1971_Chevrolet_NovaFront_.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a143/BadBird67/cars/0601ch_03z1971_Chevrolet_NovaRear_D.jpg

[deuce_454]

now thats what im talking about.... although caltracs are great for dragracing, i would recomend doing a pair of underrider traction bars instead... i just dont like the way caltracs unload and allows the spring to wind under breaking... not a very PT suspension.. underriders and a watt's link and you should be able to both handle and launch

[MrPushrod]

now thats what im talking about.... although caltracs are great for dragracing, i would recomend doing a pair of underrider traction bars instead... i just dont like the way caltracs unload and allows the spring to wind under breaking... not a very PT suspension.. underriders and a watt's link and you should be able to both handle and launch
Caltracs don't unload. If they unloaded they wouldn't work.
Mine don't unload. If they're setup properly you'll have no problems.
I make 700+ hp on the nitrous and hook a 275/60/15 dragradial.

[deuce_454]

are we talking about the bolt on underrider bars that attatch using the bolt going through the front bushing in the leaf?? and have a bar going across the top of the leaf spring?? if you pull on a calltrack bar, it will just lift the bar from the leaf and allow the pinion to nose down..... which is what happens under breaking... they are great for drag racing... and as you yourself put it hook 700 hp on NOS... my point wasnt hook, but breaking..

[PhilM]

If you dont want to leave in second, I suggest leaving in first and do a quick short shift or almost bog it the stab it. With 4.11's you have a great deal of torque multiplication at the tires. That is a killer.

I agree with the caltracs and drag radials. I dont know how well a small sidewall will react. I had a nova that is a twin to the one pictured and it went 7.70's this october at vegas with a 295 50 MT drag radial.

It will take a lot of patience and you will have to compromize somewhere.

What are you 60' times now? In the 2.2xx range? Once it hooks, what is your trap speed?

[tyoneal]

Buy a Traction control unit for your car, then it becomes a no brainer. All you have to do beyond that is tune the suspension.

TY