Camaro vs. Charger update

[Dave Vince]

This race was supposed to take place 2 weeks ago, but weather and some other event at the track this week is holding it up. Race is now set for next Saturday 2/18/06 at Lakeland drag strip, Lakeland Fla. Test and tune is from 4-7pm. Best 2 out of 3, w/Pro Tree. 95Z Camaro with headers, flomaster, comp cam, roller rockers, roller chain, 2.02 - 1.60 valves, pocket porting and port matching, computer re programmed by madz28, stock converter, (ouch), and 3.23 posi, another ouch. The 69' 440 Charger also has headers, cam, 3.23 posi, stock converter, and little hope of winning. Both will be running MT radials. Hope the rear stays in the car. The race will be video taped.

[Reaper383]

that should be a sweet race I LOVE 69 Chargers!!

[fastTa]

Good luck Dave. Get him on the light and never look back! If you had a looser converter he'd have no chance.

[Dave Vince]

Converter

I agree on the converter. The car is a dog in the 60' with a best of 2.18 with the MT radials. Yet it ran 84mph so it is making decent power. We are running on a pro tree and I used to cut some good lights when running the heads up races. That was with a tranny brake however. I have never tried a pro tree with a foot brake car.

[Joe 1320]

I have never tried a pro tree with a foot brake car.

If it feels like you left early, you're right on time.

[fastTa]

I agree on the converter. The car is a dog in the 60' with a best of 2.18 with the MT radials. Yet it ran 84mph so it is making decent power. We are running on a pro tree and I used to cut some good lights when running the heads up races. That was with a tranny brake however. I have never tried a pro tree with a foot brake car.

It can be tricky. What really threw me off, was when they went to the LED tree's. I was so used to the traditional bulbs. I just still used my mental....1..2..3 once I turned the stage light on.

[Dave Vince]

Tree

I have not raced heads up for about 2 years now, since I sold the Beretta. With the .400 pro tree all three yellows come on at once, so it is a true reaction time. The LED lights were just starting to be used at that time and some of the pro drivers were red lighting because the LEDs came on quicker than the incandesant bulbs. With these cars there should be no trouble with red lights as I beleive a reaction in the .600s will probably be good.

[fastTa]

They use a zero reaction time at all the National events now. No more .400 perfect reaction time at the nationals. I like it. They still use a .400 perfect reaction time for most of the other pro tree racing however.

Those LED's do come on faster. NHRA says they come on 3/100's (.03) faster, but it sure seems a hell of a lot faster when compared to the incandescents. The reason for them switching to the LED's was because the Top Fuelers and the Funny Cars were shaking the bulbs so much, they were constantly going out. The LED's are much more resistant to vibration.

[Dave Vince]

.000

Yes I have seen the reactions shown as .000, which would be perfect for a pro tree. Its easier for the spectators to understand. I guarantee there will be no .0 anything trees at our race. I do not know if Lakeland has LEDs as they have never seen a Fueler there.

[Dave Vince]

Race

Race should finally take place Saturday at Lakeland drag strip in Fl. 2/18/06, 4-7pm.

[fastTa]

Race should finally take place Saturday at Lakeland drag strip in Fl. 2/18/06, 4-7pm.

You still have plenty of time to sneak a looser converter in there......

[Dave Vince]

Converter

Well I could but Matt is a friend of mine and he will be embarrased enough with the stomping his car is about to take.

[Dave Vince]

Results

Rematch!!!

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Well I lost the bet. On motor, the cars were pretty evenly matched. On the first run the Charger had a 8.577 82.12 to the Camaros 8.701 85.07. Then my good buddy had pulled a fast one as he had installed a nitrous kit on his car, thanks Matt. On the second run the Camaro ran its best run of the day with an 8.574 86.21 which was the best motor times for both cars. However Matt turned on his juice and ran 7.812 88.76. We did race one final time on motor and both cars ran their poorest times of the day, Dodge- 8.69 82.42 Camaro 8.705- 84.75. This was a lot of laughs however even though I lost the bet. I remember those big boats running in the past and they were no where near as fast as Matts when running stock. Obviously his mods are working well. The Camaro picked up 4 tenths and 2 mph over the previous times it ran and I do not know where it came from!!! It needs a converter big time as it flattens out after the launch and comes on in the upper rpm range. Power to weight the Camaro had 4 mph on the Dodge so the power is there but not getting to the ground well. His 60' were killing mine 1.89 - 2.02. 8.57 is 13.40s in the quarter, which is where our next match is going to happen, Bradenton drag strip on a runday Sunday. The Camaro is outpowering the Dodge so the extra mph might give it the edge in the 1/4, if there is no Nitrous used.

[Kevin - Blown 95 TA]

Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun! Thanks for the entertaining report

[Dave Vince]

Race

You are welcome Kevin. Say what happened with the blown pistons, did the motor lean out? I was told that mine was blowing out some black smoke which means that it was rich. Safe but slow. I thought the computer was supposed to compensate for that!! Unless the O2 sensors are bad.