Top End Kit or Supercharger?

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https://stangnet.com/mustang-forums/threads/bob-cosbys-12-second-recipe.853108/ That's some cool stuff.
NHRA ET bracket racing times are a lot different than NHRA stock eliminator. Stock eliminators are running the car real hard to run under the index. It got to the point where racers couldn't afford that, so that's where ET bracket racing came in. So most the guys at Lebanon Valley Dragway where I race run power glides, C-4's (that's what I run). Not real aggressive. They want their cars to at least last the season. Alot of the Fox body guys I know are running 351's stroked to 408. They run the 10.90 super street index class in Division 1 or others. When they do the Summit ET brackets they run like 10.30- 10.5 without the delay box. A 408 is average 550 hp. If they wanted to go manual and get a clutch less like they run in NMRA coyote stock. They would be down in the low 9's no doubt. Alot of variables.
I would really like to run the coyote stock class. I could never afford it though. It's all $$$$$$$
 
I've never wanted to run a class... mostly because I don't want to restrict myself from the parts I want. For example, I remember a lot of the classes were outlawing the MSD 7531 box because it has slew-rate control. I guess some of those boys considered it cheating. Well, I wanted one, and didn't want to bother reading rule books when building my car.
 
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NHRA stock Eliminator class restrictions are crazy! Read it sometime. You can hardly anything to the engine.
Lebanon Valley has a group that races called No Time No Rules.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ-QSoUGKy8
Pretty sick cars. They run 1/8 mile. I don't think they'd stay on the track for the 1/4! Pro Tree. No time shown on the board. I like the NMRA, mostly heads up classes. But they don't have many events and the closest one to me is Norwalk. 8 hours away.
 
Think "street is neat" and no rules (outlawed air shifters etc.)
That said the fastest track mustang I have ever driven had a Paxton on it
Drove around 2 thousand Fox body Mustangs (at least) during my dealer days
That was back then
I'd go with a Procharger these days provided you have the funds

Funny story about the two I drove with the Paxtons
His and her race team at Bonneville in Salt Lake back when it was still open for racing
Both cars had identical Paxton setups
The guys car was loosing coolant on hard runs
I had aligned both of the cars for them previously and knew the cars well
The motor man got the job of the coolant loss
He had it several days and then it came back later for a recheck
Nobody on their team could find the cause and had put dye in it
I finally went and drove the car (flogged it pretty good)
The motor guy was screaming about me going to blow it up
Drove it back to the shop and parked it
On the walk back we noticed spots of green alien blood looking coolant
We double checked the car and the coolant all shot out the radiator cap
I believe an underdrive crank pulley solved his issue
 
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I was at a similar crossroad with my 93 5.0 years back. I ended up doing both the Trick Flow kit and the SC, and later transferred those over to a 347.

I started with the Trick Flow street burner top end kit. The street burner is a step down from the kit you linked, I think. in retrospect I probably should have gone with the 11R, but im not unhappy at all with where I ended up.

The street burner kit got me right at 300 whp. I later put on the Vortech. That got me to just over 400 whp iirc. Then I got one piston not holding compression, so i had a 347 built on a Dart block annd transferred over the Trick Flow gear and the Vortech. I’m using a Holley Terminator X on it. It seems to like the stuff that came off my 5.0, as it makes 573 whp and 579 wtq. It runs great, and overall is street friendly, but traction is an issue so pedal finesse is required haha. I have not had it at the track.
 
I was at a similar crossroad with my 93 5.0 years back. I ended up doing both the Trick Flow kit and the SC, and later transferred those over to a 347.

I started with the Trick Flow street burner top end kit. The street burner is a step down from the kit you linked, I think. in retrospect I probably should have gone with the 11R, but im not unhappy at all with where I ended up.

The street burner kit got me right at 300 whp. I later put on the Vortech. That got me to just over 400 whp iirc. Then I got one piston not holding compression, so i had a 347 built on a Dart block annd transferred over the Trick Flow gear and the Vortech. I’m using a Holley Terminator X on it. It seems to like the stuff that came off my 5.0, as it makes 573 whp and 579 wtq. It runs great, and overall is street friendly, but traction is an issue so pedal finesse is required haha. I have not had it at the track.
Sounds like a beast! Sorry you're unhappy, though.
 
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I've never wanted to run a class... mostly because I don't want to restrict myself from the parts I want. For example, I remember a lot of the classes were outlawing the MSD 7531 box because it has slew-rate control. I guess some of those boys considered it cheating. Well, I wanted one, and didn't want to bother reading rule books when building my car.
This is why I built a 8.5 O/L heads up class car.
Make as much power as you want, you just have to get it through a 26 X 8.5 slick or a 235/60/15 Drag Radial.
If you want to be "competitive" it takes a lot of money, which is pretty much the same deal with any motorsport.
But at least I don't have to worry about "breaking out" or if someone does not like the assortment of parts used.
There are some weight breaks depending on suspension/power adder type/N-A ect.
A N/A car weighs the least.
Nitrous cars weigh more than N/A, Turbo cars weigh more than Nitrous cars, S/C cars weigh more than Turbo cars.
There are also weight breaks based on displacement.
A 600+ inch Sonnys BBC is going to weigh more than a guy running a 363 SBF ect.
But if you want to make 2,500 HP then have at it, you just have to get it to go through that little tire. So power management is HUGE.
Even then, I have seen a lot of times where the slower car beats the fastest baddest ass HP car because it is very hard to get tons of power through that small tire on a consistent basis. Get the car to hook every time and you can go rounds. I have done it.
Some of the 8.5 O/L cars can run 4.6's in the 1/8th. Just not every time. Track/prep/tune/driver have to be on point to do it.
I am happy with low 5's. Lots of fun and more repeatable. Obviously if the car went faster/quicker I would be ecstatic.
My pockets are only so deep, and I handicapped myself by choosing a combo that is unique and costs more $ per HP than most.
I have a blast, and that is why I do it. If I go rounds that is great, if not oh well, I still had fun.
 
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Maybe I need to tag along with a guy like you to see what it's like, first-hand. I just hate the idea that there's a group of people getting their asses kicked by a guy that has it figured out, so the group votes on rules that make that guy change his car, next season.

But yeah, cubic dollars will always be greater than cubic inches.
 
Maybe I need to tag along with a guy like you to see what it's like, first-hand. I just hate the idea that there's a group of people getting their asses kicked by a guy that has it figured out, so the group votes on rules that make that guy change his car, next season.
Look whats happened to the INDY car and Formula 1 series because of rule changes throughout the decades....
 
I was at a similar crossroad with my 93 5.0 years back. I ended up doing both the Trick Flow kit and the SC, and later transferred those over to a 347.

I started with the Trick Flow street burner top end kit. The street burner is a step down from the kit you linked, I think. in retrospect I probably should have gone with the 11R, but im not unhappy at all with where I ended up.

The street burner kit got me right at 300 whp. I later put on the Vortech. That got me to just over 400 whp iirc. Then I got one piston not holding compression, so i had a 347 built on a Dart block annd transferred over the Trick Flow gear and the Vortech. I’m using a Holley Terminator X on it. It seems to like the stuff that came off my 5.0, as it makes 573 whp and 579 wtq. It runs great, and overall is street friendly, but traction is an issue so pedal finesse is required haha. I have not had it at the track.
Good information! Sounds like you have a nice build there! What do think the total cost was?
 
Maybe I need to tag along with a guy like you to see what it's like, first-hand. I just hate the idea that there's a group of people getting their asses kicked by a guy that has it figured out, so the group votes on rules that make that guy change his car, next season.

But yeah, cubic dollars will always be greater than cubic inches.
This happens at my local drag strip.
"Hey, lets make a fastest street car category!"
"You should run your car!"
Me: Ok.
Them: well...you have plexiglass on your Hatch.
Me: so? I can see through it.
Them: yeah, but it is not factory
Me: Where does it say fastest street car category has to have stock glass?
Them: well obviously, nobody with a "real" streetcar would have plexiglass...
Me: OK anything else?
Them: yeah, your race mufflers are not real mufflers, and your horn don't work. Proceeds to lay out a dozen other reasons why I would not be allowed.
Me: So why did you invite me?
Them: Crickets
Me: thinking to myself "their car is not as fast, so they can't win, so lets make it so he can't run..."
Same goes for "Fastest Radial Tire" car.
Me: shows up with a 275/60/15 Drag Radial.
Them: Hey! That's not DOT approved!
It is always something.
Anymore, when I am invited for anything, even a No-Time event, I politely refuse.
I will just show up and run the car in brackets and probably lose first round cause I try to go faster every round. I have fun either way.
I don't want the fatigue of dealing with their BS.
 
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This happens at my local drag strip.
"Hey, lets make a fastest street car category!"
"You should run your car!"
Me: Ok.
Them: well...you have plexiglass on your Hatch.
Me: so? I can see through it.
Them: yeah, but it is not factory
Me: Where does it say fastest street car category has to have stock glass?
Them: well obviously, nobody with a "real" streetcar would have plexiglass...
Me: OK anything else?
Them: yeah, your race mufflers are not real mufflers, and your horn don't work. Proceeds to lay out a dozen other reasons why I would not be allowed.
Me: So why did you invite me?
Them: Crickets
Me: thinking to myself "their car is not as fast, so they can't win, so lets make it so he can't run..."
Same goes for "Fastest Radial Tire" car.
Me: shows up with a 275/60/15 Drag Radial.
Them: Hey! That's not DOT approved!
It is always something.
Anymore, when I am invited for anything, even a No-Time event, I politely refuse.
I will just show up and run the car in brackets and probably lose first round cause I try to go faster every round. I have fun either way.
I don't want the fatigue of dealing with their BS.
Holy Crap!!! What track is that?
 
Actually, that is my sentiments exactly. I just wanna do my own thing.... but I can also see how a competitive class could be a ton of fun. I just know it's going to END in bull:poo: & drama like all human competition does.
 
Actually, that is my sentiments exactly. I just wanna do my own thing.... but I can also see how a competitive class could be a ton of fun. I just know it's going to END in bull:poo: & drama like all human competition does.
I never had a problem in the 8.5 O/L Class when I was out in the Seattle area. Even went to the Street Car Super Nationals in Vegas to compete.
Only thing is, here in Maine, NOBODY does small tire drag racing.
So I took the 26 X 8.5 Hoosiers off and stuck a set of 275/60/15 Drag Radials on the car.
There are only 2 Drag Race tracks here in Maine. Both are 1/8 mile, which is great, cause that is what my car is set up for anyway.
 
I never had a problem in the 8.5 O/L Class when I was out in the Seattle area. Even went to the Street Car Super Nationals in Vegas to compete.
Only thing is, here in Maine, NOBODY does small tire drag racing.
So I took the 26 X 8.5 Hoosiers off and stuck a set of 275/60/15 Drag Radials on the car.
There are only 2 Drag Race tracks here in Maine. Both are 1/8 mile, which is great, cause that is what my car is set up for anyway.
God bless! That's a hell of a drive. Hope you turned that into a multi-week vacation with several stops or something. Otherwise, I'd say you've got some serious commitment to your sport, sir.
 
God bless! That's a hell of a drive. Hope you turned that into a multi-week vacation with several stops or something. Otherwise, I'd say you've got some serious commitment to your sport, sir.
It was a a Wednesday through Sunday event. Left Seattle on Monday morning early, stayed over in Salt Lake City and then hit Vegas on Tuesday afternoon. Had a blast the rest of the week and towed back starting Monday morning and getting back home sometime Tuesday afternoon. About 2,300 miles of towing. Thank goodness gas was under $3 a gallon cause that 6.8L V-10 averaged right at 9 mpg round trip. I did not go the previous year because gas was over $4 per gallon and I calculated it would have cost over $4K for fuel alone.
I would do it again, but not from Maine. It is almost 3K miles one way, Lol. That is to much of a haul for me right now. Maybe in Retirement when I have no time constraints.
 
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