Ok help out the old man..he's going racing has some ???

[DMAN302]

Hey guys our local "car guy" weekend is coming in just a few weeks..windsor weekend we call it. Basically a few hundred of us head to a designated track for a weekend of drag racing and other various events. Anyways here's the questions, after installing the Mac upper and lower control arms can I do away with my quads? or should I put new quads on with the new arms??..I was told to drop them, but I figure I would ask.

Second question is..will I find any REAL advantage by removing the front sway bar in my launch??

Third..should I bother replacing the spring insolators on the rear??current ones are a little disfigured..whell more than a little...springs are mac.

Ok final question is more of an Ego manuver...what times should I expect to find with the parts under the hood found in the sig, and out back..new BFG 275/40/17's g-force DR's, mac upper and lowers, mac springs,non adjustable KYG's (new if that matters..though I know it doesn't)...and finally front sway removed...but ONLY if you guys were to recomend it.

OK one more question..aside from the burn out..could someone help me out on best launch technique with the items above in place
Thanks,
Derek.

 

[DMAN302]

Got some lookers..but no takers, so bump.

 

[stang22]

Derek,

Taking the sway bar off will help with weight transfer to the rear. As long as you are going straight, no worries. If you were going in circles, I could help you. I have no experience on the drag strip, only the oval. Intimidation... you could always bump them at the line? Oh wait, this isn't stock car racing.



Just have fun and use it as a learning experience.

Tim

 

[DMAN302]

I think learning may will be the word of the day...more likely I'm gonna get schooled . I have not seen a track in 12yrs, and won't likely for a couple more after this trip.Thanks for stopin in Tim, ALWAYS good to hear from you..I got your email while back, house looks great!! Ok I'm off to work, take care and keep in touch,
Derek.

 

[rd]

Yes, remove the front sway bar, it will help, better launch and less weight.

Also remove any other loose items, like the spare, the seats you don't need, the axle damper, inner fenders, bumpers, trailer hitches, etc.

If it launches without wheel hop with the quads removed, remove them. Good control arms and bushings should take care of that, but a couple tests will tell.

I would not worry about the spring isolators, unless they are uneven side to side or something.

Sticky tires and gears are the best things to improve times. You just have to practice launches to get the best consistenly. I have a C4 with a converter and I launch from idle and flash the converter. With a stick you want as much power on as the tires will hold, but not spin excessively. A controlled clutch release is what you are going for.

 

[DMAN302]

I was "told" the mac upper and lowers..though not the best by far would do away with the wheel hop. However the poly bushings are not recomended for cornering with authority as they can damage the torque boxes and cause suspension bind. Since I'm not a corner carver (sorry tim) I think the price made them a bargan 150$ for upper and lower. I will install torque box reinforcements in the winter when time is more available as is my boredom. I would REALLY like to see a 12.XX..I think that would make the weekend a winner for me, and the car feels like she's able, but we'll see.

 

[davs5.0]

Derek, I'm pretty sure your car was at Rona if I'm not mistaken. If it was, there were so many Mustangs there they can answer all those questions. but I'll try my best.

Removing the sway bar is a great idea. Less weight on the nose and it allows the front end to rise quicker, just stay out of the canyons for awhile.

You can probably remove the quad shocks and not hurt traction. Most guys with upper and lower arms do so and nothing bad happens. They are there for the non adjustable stock arms.

As far as launching, the best way is using as much clutch as you can without spinning the tires. You pretty much want to ride the clutch to put as much power to the tires without overpowering them. Experiment with air pressure so you don't bog the motor down (too low pressure) or spin the tires ( too much air pressure). Get yourself to St. Thomas or Milan before WW6 and log some miles.

As far as times are concerned, every car is different. 12's may be possible with the right traction and driver. If you drive it like you stole it and have fun, you may just get there.

 

[DMAN302]

Derek, I'm pretty sure your car was at Rona if I'm not mistaken. If it was, there were so many Mustangs there they can answer all those questions. but I'll try my best.

Removing the sway bar is a great idea. Less weight on the nose and it allows the front end to rise quicker, just stay out of the canyons for awhile.

You can probably remove the quad shocks and not hurt traction. Most guys with upper and lower arms do so and nothing bad happens. They are there for the non adjustable stock arms.

As far as launching, the best way is using as much clutch as you can without spinning the tires. You pretty much want to ride the clutch to put as much power to the tires without overpowering them. Experiment with air pressure so you don't bog the motor down (too low pressure) or spin the tires ( too much air pressure). Get yourself to St. Thomas or Milan before WW6 and log some miles.

As far as times are concerned, every car is different. 12's may be possible with the right traction and driver. If you drive it like you stole it and have fun, you may just get there.

Hey thanks for the input...yeah I'm usually at rona..we've probably either seen each other or talked on occasion. I'll put your advise to good use and hope for the best. I'll be there next thursday...red 88 Gt with a glass hood and fuel pressure gauge on the cowl..stop by and say hey if you get the chance. You could also recognize me by the puddle of power steering fluid under the car everywhere I go..another winter project

 

[davs5.0]

I'll keep an eye out for you. Mine is in the middle of a long tube install (with the required 15 other small things that have to be changed now). Hopefully I'll have mine done and bring it down. 91 Blue Hatch with DAVS on plate. Looks bone stock but has a little bit of punch under the hood.

 

[04sleeper]

I was "told" the mac upper and lowers..though not the best by far would do away with the wheel hop. However the poly bushings are not recomended for cornering with authority as they can damage the torque boxes and cause suspension bind. Since I'm not a corner carver (sorry tim) I think the price made them a bargan 150$ for upper and lower. I will install torque box reinforcements in the winter when time is more available as is my boredom. I would REALLY like to see a 12.XX..I think that would make the weekend a winner for me, and the car feels like she's able, but we'll see.

You should be fine getting rid of the quad shocks. Drop the swaybar like others have mentioned but BE CAREFUL driving to and from the track because your car will handle like a boat.
Do the suggestions like rd and others have mentioned, ice down the intake, heat the tires up good and drive it like you don't own it and 12's should be no problem with your mods.

To maxamize your et and MPH, log your runs and info in a small book or journal with information like launch RPM, tire pressure, shift points, vehicle weight, fuel pressure, timing, humidity, temperature, barometric pressure, etc....

Then make 1 change at a time to see if you are improving. You will learn a lot this way.

Good Luck and have fun!

 

[DMAN302]

I'll keep an eye out for you. Mine is in the middle of a long tube install (with the required 15 other small things that have to be changed now). Hopefully I'll have mine done and bring it down. 91 Blue Hatch with DAVS on plate. Looks bone stock but has a little bit of punch under the hood.

Ah the long tube install...not bad, but not alot of fun. I got lucky when I did mine, aside from the motor mounts being torqued to 800-900 FT.LB (sarcasm yes but seemed like it at the time)..I had no issues, I wish you the best. I've got a spankin new set of Gforce DR's coming friday I'll be putting on and hope to get used to them before WW6. I will def keep an eye out for you, and don't forget to take a second to say hey if you get the chance. By the way did you notice how the Fords were out in force last night...aside from a few dumbasses (kids) it was a good time.

 

[darthcual]

Dont forget the ever important 1/2-1/4 tank of fuel. Just a reminder. Have Fun.

 

[maverick0716]

Good luck at the track DMAN...I'm sure you'll have tons of fun. I'm actually going to race my car today (hopefully, anyway). Removing the front sway bar is a really good idea, it let's the front suspension travel more easily (allowing the front end to come up). I'm gonna try racing mine today with it installed however, and I'll see how much of a difference it makes the next time I go. About the quad shock thing, generally yes, you can remove it if you have aftermarket control arms, but the way I see it is unless you need to remove them for clearance then why bother removing them...they don't do any harm.

 

[DMAN302]

Man you guys are the best!!!
Mav...make sure you get me your times..ours setups are soo close I can't wait to see how "we" can do!!
Thanks again guys for all the tips..keep em coming if you think of anything else.
Derek.

 

[maverick0716]

Man you guys are the best!!!
Mav...make sure you get me your times..ours setups are soo close I can't wait to see how "we" can do!!
Thanks again guys for all the tips..keep em coming if you think of anything else.
Derek.

Hopefully I can get a decent time, it definitly feels strong. I am having a high rpm shifting problem, however, where I can't get it into gear if I shift it really fast. Could be my clutch adjustment...could be the tranny So I don't think I'll be getting the times that I could if everything was perfect...I'll try my best though, just have to shift it a little slower.

 

[DMAN302]

Do it for me buddy..do it for me
I will expect a full report come tomorrow..no later than noon.

 

[QDRHRSE]

Hey guys our local "car guy" weekend is coming in just a few weeks..windsor weekend we call it. Basically a few hundred of us head to a designated track for a weekend of drag racing and other various events. Anyways here's the questions, after installing the Mac upper and lower control arms can I do away with my quads? or should I put new quads on with the new arms??..I was told to drop them, but I figure I would ask.

Second question is..will I find any REAL advantage by removing the front sway bar in my launch??

Third..should I bother replacing the spring insolators on the rear??current ones are a little disfigured..whell more than a little...springs are mac.

Ok final question is more of an Ego manuver...what times should I expect to find with the parts under the hood found in the sig, and out back..new BFG 275/40/17's g-force DR's, mac upper and lowers, mac springs,non adjustable KYG's (new if that matters..though I know it doesn't)...and finally front sway removed...but ONLY if you guys were to recomend it.

OK one more question..aside from the burn out..could someone help me out on best launch technique with the items above in place
Thanks,
Derek.

Derek,

I hate to be a total buzzkill but there is no way your going to see 12's with a lowered car on 17's even if your on a DR....not without a blower. In your situation I really doubt that removing the sway bar is going to make a significant difference in your ET. You undoubtedly have the right drivetrain for 12's but your suspension and tire wheel combo will not allow it. I kinda think some of the other guys are being a little overly optimistic. If you can get your 60 ft's under 2.0 I think you have a shot at low to mid 13's. I'm in no way insulting your ride- I'm just being real.

You can ditch the quads.

Eventhough you are on a DR the sidewall is still short and stiff. Don't expect radical traction. I would leave the line at around 1500 rpm (try 2000 too), let the clutch out completely, hammer it, let the tires spin a little and them slam 2nd. After that your traction should be ok. If your car runs really well it may lose the tires in 2nd too. If that happens go into third....better to shortshift than sit and spin.

Let us know how it goes. I would love to be wrong but I'd be willing to buy you dinner if I was. So, if I'm wrong and visiting Canada, dinner is on me!

 

[DMAN302]

That's some great advice...I was wondering about the 17's as well. I will be happy with the result no matter what the outcome is but I like to know what to expect going in and you'r info really helps. Should I suprise you will a better than average ET then I'll split the airfare with you BUT you are definately paying for dinner. I honestly FEEL the car has plenty of power for the times I want, but traction and driving skill are definate questions...we will see. However I will be a little disapointed if the MPH isn't in the 105 region..that is definately a goal.

 

[maverick0716]

Okay DMAN, my results are in....and the times are pathetic, LOL . I'm not really upset however because the mph is there. 13.778 @ 105.75 mph with a horrible 2.34 60' time. The traction was fine with the awsome drag radials, I just need more practice launching on them (obviously) I was launching at around 2500 rpm and it would grip, then bog...and stumble as I almost stall the god damn thing, haha. I used a hp calculator on mustangworks.com and based on my mph and race weight (3120 lbs.) I'm making around 287 rwhp....which is pretty good in my opinion. You have slightly ported RPM heads so you might get better mph than me. Can't wait to see your results.

 

[DMAN302]

Wow your MPH is really strong Mav..right where I thought we should be!!As for your time..well like you that doesn't mean much too me at all. Your 60' time shows just much room to grow you have with that combo...LOTS. Congrats man, you're really getting me excited to head out there. My only questions are first:what was your timing at? how many runs did you get? Great job again man.