60 ft times for street 455?

Discussion in 'Race 400/430/455' started by cray1801, Jun 17, 2003.

  1. cray1801

    cray1801 Too much is just right.

    I know some of you are running the Comp T/A Drag Radials, I just got mine today :) . They are 275/60-15's on 10" x 15 rims. Other then the lower arms boxed (w/sway bar) and air shocks I'm stock. I'm running 3.42 posi and 3250 stall with a TH-350 trans in a `72 Skylark (~4000lbs.). I think I'm making 460 to 490 HP :Do No: at the crank. What kind of 60' times could I expect?

    What's a good pressure for the street vs strip for these tires? I'm currently running 25 - 26 psi. on the street I can now floor it at 35 mph (in first) and it grips :) . I'm trying to avoid spinning as I'm sure the tread will disappear rapidly, maybe in small chunks?

    The first "strip trip" (Thur.?) I may just drive around the water as I did with the standard T/A tires. I don't have a drive shaft loop yet.

    With my previous 350 engine, 2600 TCI breakaway stall converter and hard T/A 255/60-15's the best I ever got was a 2.03 60'.
     
  2. buick535

    buick535 Well-Known Member


    I've seen info recommending the best pressure for drag racing to be 17 to 19 psi. They require a mild burnout.

    Your air shocks need to go, they definately hurt launch capabilities of those cars. Air bags would work much better. Jim Burek P.A.E. ENTERPRISES
     
  3. gs1970455

    gs1970455 Well-Known Member

    I run the Drag Radials and love em. 60' times depend on the track in my case. At Norwalk, very sticky, I got my best 60' times. 1.61. At our local track, less sticky, I run 1.7

    I found that with a big burn out on the first run, little burn outs are all that's required for the rest of the day. I tend to run between 19-22 pounds of pressure at the track and sometimes, because someone forgets to bring the pressure back up for the street, I run the same on the street :)

    275-60-15 on centerline convo-pro wheels. The drag radials work for me, but from what I've heard, they really vary from car to car.

    The first set I bought lasted 2 years, the second set 1 year and my current set might make it a year.

    Good luck at the track and let us know the results.
     
  4. cray1801

    cray1801 Too much is just right.

    Re: Re: 60 ft times for street 455?

    Jim, what if I seperate the air line (left and right) enabling independant adjustment of the rear shock pressure? I could pre-load the RR more than the LR.

    Thanks for the inputs. Renee can you pull the left front tire?
     
  5. TWO72"s

    TWO72"s Silver Level contributor

    I would dump the air shocks and get some airbags and 50/50 shocks. You should be looking at 60' times around the 1.7 area. Rene could you PM me and let me know what size convo pros you are running and with what backspacing? Thanks, Chris
     
  6. OUTRAGEOUS

    OUTRAGEOUS Well-Known Member

    my car is the exception

    I have air shocks on my 71, with Very mild 8.5 :1 engine with a good converter & 3.73 gears i had a best 60' of 1.70 on the drag radials mounted on stock wheels, with an et of 12.68. The 60' will avg. 1.70-1.75 depending on track & of course me the driver:Do No: I run the same pressure as what Jim Burek suggested. Randy
     
  7. gs1970455

    gs1970455 Well-Known Member

    No matter how hard I wish for it, they just don't lift. I guess my car would rather go out than up! :) Still would be nice to have a wheels off the ground pic of my car though.....its soooooooooooo close!
     
  8. buick535

    buick535 Well-Known Member

    Re: Re: Re: 60 ft times for street 455?




    I'm not a suspension guru, but, air bags are a much better chioce in getting the car to hook. The air shocks I believe put different loads on the suspension and actually hurt traction to a degree. I have also seen air shocks cause pretty severe wheel hop situations. Jim Burek
     
  9. 462 GILLEY

    462 GILLEY Well-Known Member

    I have been running 275-60 on stock Buick mags for 5 years now. I am on my second pair. Last year I started keeping records of all info. on the car per run. This includes everything from time of day & temp., to tire psi, spark plug checks ,gas, carb settings and timong. Plus alot more.

    Last year I started around 18 lbs., and went down to 13 lbs.. Recording burnouts (short,med., long) and no burn out, most all of my 60 foot times are in the low 1.7, to high 1.6s.

    72 Skylark, 455/350 3500 stall, 3.73 gears

    12.50 at 107+ mph

    Not bad for a daily driver weather permitting. But I am waiting to get my NEW motor together to see what it will do.

    New Ericks cam, carb built by Catlin, and rebuilt converter. Hoping for 11:00s

    Mike Gilbert
     
  10. cray1801

    cray1801 Too much is just right.

    Well the rain has delayed my first strip trip. :ball: Looking on the bright side.... Sat. the 21st is going to be sunny, low humidity and a high of 80! I'm planning on hitting the Fayetteville Motorsport facility to show and go! :) http://www.fayettevillemotorsportspark.com/_wsn/page4.html

    A friend of mine gave me 5 gal. of VP gas, he said it was ~$7 a gal. Inputs?

    Is there a good test to determine if your converter is slipping too much? I have a Torco that stalls at 3250 rpm, not the most expensive but it has a one year 100% warranty. I do not have a manual valve body in my trans.
     
  11. grant455gs

    grant455gs Well-Known Member

    I would think that loow 1.6's are very possible.. under the very best of conditions. What converter are you using? IMO, take the air shocks off and throw them as FAR as you can! :Dou: They suck for drag racing, and will hinder the launch.. in my personal experience. Get some 50/50, OR some cheap oil-filled, not gas, even stockers!!:Smarty: :bglasses:

    I'm suprised they let you run without a driveshaft safety loop with the sticky tires. My track considers them the same as slicks.
    Remember, safety stuff like this is in your best interest! I had to take out front seats and carpet to drill holes for bolts, and I used Grade 8 fasteners, especially the washers!!
     
  12. 70 gsconvt

    70 gsconvt Silver Level contributor

    You can get a driveshaft loop from Summit/Jegs that bolts right into the tranny mount bolts. NO DRILLING!!! It costs about $50 and installs in about 1/2 hour.
     
  13. grant455gs

    grant455gs Well-Known Member

    Not that I doubt you, but I've looked Summit/Jegs and only found the "universal" ones. Do you have a photo, or a link w/a photo??
     
  14. 70 gsconvt

    70 gsconvt Silver Level contributor

  15. grant455gs

    grant455gs Well-Known Member

    Umm, that's not Summit/Jegs!! :jd:
    but hey, thanks! those look really cool!:bglasses:

    :beer
     
  16. cray1801

    cray1801 Too much is just right.

  17. grant455gs

    grant455gs Well-Known Member

    Yes, There is one there for T-350. Different part#.
     
  18. gswes

    gswes Founders Club Member

    BFG comp drag radials

    Hey Guys,

    Got a question about the drag radials - read somewhere that when you first install them, BFG recommends a big burnout, then let them sit for 24 hours. Once you go to the track do a decent burnout, then the rest of the day & night just clean them off. Have any of you experienced users heard this before? I just got a pair of 275/60/15 & want to make sure I "break" them in correctly.

    Thanks, Wes
     
  19. 70 gsconvt

    70 gsconvt Silver Level contributor

    I know. I couldn't find it on their on-line catalog. The more I think about it, the more I believe I got it from T/A or Postons. You may have to call them to see who has it.

    As for the DragRadials, that's how I broke my pair in.

    At the track, do a good 7-10 second burnout THE FIRST TIME ONLY. John Force wannabees need not read this. After that, you just have to haze them a bit for a second or two to clean them off and race away. They chemicals in the tires that make them sticky stay active for several hours once heated up.
     
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2003
  20. TWO72"s

    TWO72"s Silver Level contributor

    I would use the drag radials for track only use. Mine are still loaded with small rocks, sand etc. Anything you drive over sticks to them only to be sandblasting your quarter panels as you drive. I really heated mine up one time in front of my house, just testing the linelock :laugh: So mabye I ruined them myself:af: I am running bf goodrich t/a"s on the street and will be getting slicks for the track:beer
     

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