i have a very slow 69 and cant get it to hook. Run's 9.30's 1/8mile it's a daily driver so i can't go crazy with the suspension. 350sbb 750/vacuum 1200rpm launch 2200 stall 60'- 2.00 dead hook 60'- 2.09 slip on line MSD AL-6 timing 30* locked out Launch retard -14* ramp 1.5sec drag shocks all the way around QA's single adj up front stock sway bar front rear 12 bolt 3.73 Hotckis upper and lowers no hop bars Summit 3 ways shocks MT Drag radials 225/60-15 Cheers!
You're timing is all wrong. Daily drivers shouldn't have locked out distributors. Read Larry's Power Timing thread in the FAQ forum.
If you "dragrace it" take the front sway bar off. It's counter productive in strait line racing. It will let the front transfer the weight to the rear. Install a ARB in the back,
It's my only car, i can''t drive it with out a front bar. The front comes up just fine. Not many cars hook on this track but i would like to be one of them. The 9 and 10 second back-halfed cars don't hook either. but i only have 250hp!
Having a normal distributor timing advance does not affect consistancy. If anything your car is less consistant with locked out timing.
Read very closely. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?63475-Power-Timing-your-Buick-V8 If your max advance is only 30*, that right there is leaving power on the table. 350s generally like around 34* total timing. Also the "Launch Retard" is simply not needed. Get rid of that and I'm sure your 60' will improve, if you can hook.
I'm not sure i agree with this statement. care to tell me why you feel this makes a car less consistent? i contend that this will have nothing to do with consistency
I run a big front bar and 225's on the front. Don't like the feel of skinny tires. Still get 1.7's 60 fts. Restall the converter to about 2600 so you can foot brake up to 1200 on the line and then let the motor hit the converter. With a 12 inch converter you will be fine on the street. For this to work well you need to have a motor with good off idle response so get the timing set up like everyone else said. Not a fan of the poly bushings. Best advice is to keep them greased. Try to soften up the rear suspension and get as much friction out as possible. Improvements to the rear sway bar can help a lot. One of my friends did a home built frame mount on his Regal and made big improvements. There are some kits on Ebay that are cheap and look like they should work. Shocks on softest setting. I ran Nitto 275/60's, not as good as some other tires but did OK. Your 225's might be a bit small. The converter will make the biggest difference.
I know how you feel. New rubber stock rubber bushings locked my front end down!!!! Put moog 6204 springs on front. Put global west del a lum bushings in your front suspension. I guarantee you will smile. I tried traction bars, sway bars, bigger tires, air bags, removed front sway bar, etc. Did't help, but.... Get that front end to fly up and everything changes. I had traction problems just as bad from 9.30 to 7.70's in the eight mile till I made these changes few guys ever mention. ---------- Post added at 10:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:29 PM ---------- Also moog 5379 rear springs helped even more. You can then see the rear sway bar and other devices work but you may not need them at all. Do not loosen front bushing bolts to free up the front a-arms as this will wallow out the bolt holes and cause serious alignment problems. The del a Lums are like bearings and releive all the bind.
Gary - What application are the Moog 6204's? I'm looking for more rise on launch with the 65, and want to change the springs to bring the front back up where it should be..maybe even higher, I wouldnt mind an extra inch. If you look at my avatar, thats all the rise I get on launch I'd ask how the ride height is on your car, but it might not apply to me as my nailhead is about 50-80 lbs heavier that your BBB I think. My car also has kinda oddball upper bushings (that look factory) - not a traditional rubber bushing, and they have grease fittings - are they roller bearings or something? Are they stock? I'm open to spring suggestions - the car is a 65 401 - no AC. Thanks,
Gary when you say use dela lum bushings, which bushings? All the upper and lower A-Arm bushings, front sway bar bushings and end link bushings? There's tons of bushings up front. Which specific ones? Plus, what the heck does it ride like on the road with these bushings in? Stiffer that poly graphite? Would you go with all rubber in the rear?
Hey Ken - I know at least Del-a-lum sells upper a-frame bushings, and from what I've been told those are the most critical for front end rise, I dont think the lowers matter as much. I think the other critical bushing are the sway bar bushing at the frame - if that's too tight it will keep the front from coming up too.... Am I right? Are others as critical? And as far as my bushings, the product description for the 65 Skylark Gran Sport describes "H.D. upper control arm bushings" as part of the package... is that a one year only thing? How are they constructed? ---------- Post added at 12:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:41 AM ----------
The 200r trans has a shorter 1st gear then say a TH350. Coupled with the 3.73s your car has a 1st gear of 10.22 compared to 9.4 with a TH350. You also have a rear tire that is too short. You could help yourself out by going to the tallest rear tire that will fit. Find a set of take offs from a local stock eliminator car. 28x9 or 30x9 will fit. "done it" You could relocate the battery to the trunk, and pulling off the front bar is a good idea. NO you dont need the front bar to drive the car on the street. Or dial it for spin and fender race em.
Answers 1 Will fit 64-72 a-body. 6204 springs are small dia wire and tall free height. Work geat for front lift (except with tight bushings). 2 Del-a-lum bushings for A-frames will leave them free to move like door hinges but are rock solid and have no lateral play. Last a lifetime if you remember to grease the every 5 years. Also, adding low friction ball joints will just about take 100 percent of all the friction out of the front end. Will not harm street handling. 3 I think the 1964 a-frame with greese fitting is a friction free bushing. Check with one of our resto guys. The whole idea is to have the A-frame move up and down freely when disconnected from the ball joints (but no lateral slop at all). Any Squezed bushing such as poly or rubber is going to cause bind, period.
