How did the old guys launch?

[dirk zeyen]

My way

[Rick Meredith]

Was not a line lock available for the old guys?

I cant figure out why you would or should use the handbrake leaving the rest of the car unloaded in the launch.

-BB-

The idea was to preload the driveline to lessen the shock of starting from a dead stop.

[TexasTom]

Was not a line lock available for the old guys?

I cant figure out why you would or should use the handbrake leaving the rest of the car unloaded in the launch.

-BB-

The idea was to preload the driveline to lessen the shock of starting from a dead stop.

This can also be done using a line-lock. It's all in the technique ... not rocket science!
Do some research into how NHRA ProStock drivers stage their cars ... I'll give you a hint, they don't have emergency brakes
Another ... there's a reason many have a brake-line pressure gauge in the dash
TxT

[Hotrodvw]

Let's add a bit more to this, just to really confuse us all. 

I'm going to install a micro switch on my e-brake handle to operate my Two-step.  Pull up on the handle for pre-load at staging, the two-step is also activated.  Bring up the R's on the limiter.....when I drop the handle, here we go. 

[BeetleBug]

This can also be done using a line-lock. It's all in the technique ... not rocket science!
Do some research into how NHRA ProStock drivers stage their cars ... I'll give you a hint, they don't have emergency brakes
Another ... there's a reason many have a brake-line pressure gauge in the dash
TxT

Exactly!

[BeetleBug]

Let's add a bit more to this, just to really confuse us all. 

I'm going to install a micro switch on my e-brake handle to operate my Two-step.  Pull up on the handle for pre-load at staging, the two-step is also activated.  Bring up the R's on the limiter.....when I drop the handle, here we go. 

Not confusing at all but why not make it easier and forget about the e-brake so that you can have both hands on the steering wheel or at least one on the steering wheel and the other on the shifter? I personally think there is a huge difference between a car pre-loaded using only the e-brake and a car that is standing at the lights pre-loaded with the line lock. I use a micro switch on the steering wheel to control the line lock, the launch rpms and the boost...but thats new school 

[Hotrodvw]

Because I have found that there isn't time to depress the brake pedal, and set the line lock all with both staging lights lit.  So no, it's not easier IMO.  I only need one hand on the wheel, and am not shifting until long after I've dropped the handle.

[TexasTom]

OK, this is how I stage ... your results may differ:
(My line-lock switch is just below my shifter handle and 2-step micro-switch on firewall and activates when clutch is depressed so no need to let go of anything!)

#1 Pull into prestage beam & stop
#2 Apply small amount of brake pressure & set line lock
#3 Drive into second staging beam using clutch (line-lock still set so tranny is preloaded)
#4 Leave at predetermined rhythm with lights ... !

It is EXTREMELY HELPFUL to practice this about 1000 times with car running and not running to get YOUR staging proceedure memorized. Oh, and dobn't forget to BREATH! LOL
 
TxT

[dirk zeyen]

How to make your street car faster:

1) rear tires schould be changed to 195/50-15 for racing with a stock ratio transmission

2) no bumpers and only the driver seat inside the car- less is more just save weight as much as you can

3) practice

1 and 2 makes your car feel like a nice engine update


Dirk zeyen

[BeetleBug]

Because I have found that there isn't time to depress the brake pedal, and set the line lock all with both staging lights lit.  So no, it's not easier IMO.  I only need one hand on the wheel, and am not shifting until long after I've dropped the handle.

You're right, when both staging lights are lit it's too late think about your launching procedure. It's got to be done when pre-staged where you have all the time in the world or until the starter gives you a warning.

[Fritter]

How to make your street car faster:

1) rear tires schould be changed to 195/50-15 for racing with a stock ratio transmission

2) no bumpers and only the driver seat inside the car- less is more just save weight as much as you can

3) practice

1 and 2 makes your car feel like a nice engine update


Dirk zeyen

#1 is not true, when I added M&H cheater slicks to my old '65 Bug with stock trans I picked up .4 seconds due to way better grip.  This was with ebrake preloading, of course. 

I do agree radials are way better for street driving, the M&H's are very squishy.

[dirk zeyen]

Slicks= better grip that's right

but if you run 205/70-15 tires and switch to 195/15-15 it makes a big difference!!!

If you are running 205/70-15 at 100km/h the 195/50-15 will bring you only to 86km/h at the same rpm.

Your acceleration from 50km/h to 160km/h will be much better!!!


Dirk Zeyen

[ED2.4]

Hi all,

here is my racing device 

[ Attachment: You are not allowed to view attachments ] [ Attachment: You are not allowed to view attachments ]

[vintagewagenwerks]

i think all depends on what is your goal in race .Do you want to hunt for a fast ET or do you want to eliminate your oponent.This year i am going to start drag racing again after many years .

My setup for upcoming 1/8 mile race will be 6"slicks on the rear with stock gearbox 4.12 differential and 2017cc engine pulls easily 6000rpm .

So i launch by playing gas pedal do not stand at high rpm .Pull the gas pedal short to 5000 rpm when the second yellow light is burning and then engage the clutch fully at 3500 and put the paedal down with much a little dynamic feeling to the engine ,so you have a much better acceleration if you stand direct on full gas .shift into the second gear so all gears will run on full gas now because the dynamical acceleration with the most torque is now reached by shifting in every gear.

That´s my best recept to do a sucessful race and safe the gearbox for breaking .Everything can be done all depends on your feeling to your engine.

[vintagewagenwerks]

If your engine is a street torque monster bigger tires will be better i think because smaller tires turn the engine much higher and you loose time with shifting up ,so it is dficult to say what will be better.

[Fritter]

Three things being discussed here

1.  Tires - grip lowers 60 foot times
2.  Ebrake staging - allows better launch with much less change of trans breakage
3.  Smaller rear tires - keeps engine higher in RPM/powerband.  This may or may not be good depending on the powerband of your engine

[Larry S]

I had the following engine/trans/car combo that worked so well together it was amazing. The motor was a 69 c/w crank, 12.5 lb flywheel, stock rods polished, 90 NPR pistons, Engle VZ73 cam, autocraft 1:4 rockers, 40 x 35.5 heads that had ports so big that I had to have Autocraft weld a bunch on my skat trac manifolds. When you put the manifolds on before welding the ports stuck out past the manifold. 48Ida's w 37mm venturies, 1 5/8 merge header. We balanced everything and made sure deck height was the same on all the cyls.This motor would buzz to 7400 rpm no sweat. The trans had all the trick stuff and the gearing was 4:12 r&p, a s/b main shaft 1st and 2nd, 1.58 3rd and 1.21 4th. With my 14" alloys and tires the final drive ratio was 5.02:1, as a young guy I loved RPM.
I had Michelin radials and the front shocks were stockers drilled out so they had no oil in them. When I put my foot on the bumper and went up and down quickly the front of the car would follow me and not lag at all. When I loaded the trans with the e brake and left at over 7k rpm the car would just squat a little and just take off like a raped ape. In all the street racing I did only one other car stayed with me across the intersection and it was my friends 65 Chevy with 16" Hoosiers underneath it that he had just spent a minute doing a burnout.

That was the best combo I ever had, so fun, so fast, and I drove it everyday and it saw over 7k rpm everyday. After 2 years the end of the crank got a little sloppy and the rod bearings needed replaced but it never let me down. I beat so many V8's, they never knew what hit them.