Track Times...The car's retired...

[Joes95GT]

Excitingly, I made it down to Cecil County last night with my hot rod for the first time since putting it back together. It was looking good. The rain was headed to the east and north, the clouds were clearing, and the air seemed to be cooling slightly.

I get teched in, and go rolling down into the lower lanes. There's only about 30 cars waiting, so the line went fast. I get up, set the line lock, pull it into second gear and smoke the tires for a good 6-8 seconds. I'm thinking to myself, "take it easy on the first run and just make sure nothing's going to fly out from the car." So I decided to launch in the 3500-4000 area. I bring up the R's and dump the clutch on the 3rd yellow.













BOOM! The slicks hit and I stop. I cannot move.

I get out and wait for the tow truck. After he drops me off back by my old man's truck, we see that I busted the driveshaft. Bummer...

Good thing a few of the guys are up there have engines built by my Dad. One of them let us use his enclosed jobber to get the car back. The neighbors thought we brought something new and cool home. They were all disappointed when we told them it was a broken Mustang.

With me going back to school in less than 2 weeks, I'm not thinking I'm going to have a chance to run the car again before next year. The slicks are finding the weak points in the drivetrain and the axles will be next.

I only put the smiley face in the beginning of my post to throw people off. The car's making a lot of power, and I'm still gunning for the guy with the yellow convertible.

Joe

 

[Killercanary]

Hey now... why me? J/K! I was hoping to see some stout numbers when I saw this thread. That sucks about the DS. What let go, the front or rear U joint? I raced for YEARS on my stock axles and DS, but then again I've run drag radials for 99% of that time and always slip the clutch out on my launch. My first trip out with ET streets and my strange 31 spline axles I bent them, so I know the feeling. My 31 spline superiors have held up great so far, I HIGHLY recommend them when and if you spring for new axles.

Where is school? Will you be able to come down to the fall Nat's? That is my "big" day where I'm going for broke. As soon as I get home from europe in 2 weeks, I'll be putting my new clutch in. Hopefully now this one will hold a 5000rpm launch as the FMS HD wouldn't. I expect to come home with a signature update!!!

 

[Joes95GT]

Hey now... why me? J/K! I was hoping to see some stout numbers when I saw this thread. That sucks about the DS. What let go, the front or rear U joint? I raced for YEARS on my stock axles and DS, but then again I've run drag radials for 99% of that time and always slip the clutch out on my launch. My first trip out with ET streets and my strange 31 spline axles I bent them, so I know the feeling. My 31 spline superiors have held up great so far, I HIGHLY recommend them when and if you spring for new axles.

Where is school? Will you be able to come down to the fall Nat's? That is my "big" day where I'm going for broke. As soon as I get home from europe in 2 weeks, I'll be putting my new clutch in. Hopefully now this one will hold a 5000rpm launch as the FMS HD wouldn't. I expect to come home with a signature update!!!

Oddly enough, it busted at the weld in the rear. They have the whole driveshaft because they need to measure it, but I'll take pictures of it when I get it back. I'm having a local trucking company make me a new one with thicker wall tubing and solid U-joints. I'm definitely going to switch over to 31-spline axles, and I'm tossing around the idea of either Moser or Superior. I've hear too much bad about Strange.

I go to the University of Delaware for Mechanical Engineering. My schedule in past years has not permitted me to work while I was in school. Hence, the reason why I'm not planning to race until next year. I might try to just buy a set of 28-spline axles and use the stock posi and hope that it holds up until I get out of school (next summer). I need to see what the finances look like.

I am going to try my absolute best to make it to Fall Nat's, with or without the car. School throws curveballs and projects at the last minute, and those are the reasons I can't go: untimely projects. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

There is more in your car and I'd love to see you all out and see what comes of it. If I have my car there, you would be more than welcome to bolt the slicks up and really have at it. The only bad part for you is that you have to drive home.

Joe

 

[GTJake]

Damn, too bad. Chit happens though. Makes me want to get my DS loop on the car right now. Good luck getting her back together.

Jake

 

[blksn955.o]

Joe95gt, you should look into a F150 t-loc, they are 31 spline and with a extra clutch type (like whats done to stock mustang t-locs) and some 31 spline axles it should be a realy stock cheap diff. setup, there are some guys local that have done deep 10s launching with slicks for years with no problems.

sucks your DS went, do you have a alum. or stock one?

 

[Grn92LX]

Did you at least roll to the 60'? j/k. So what exactly broke? I've broke down twice at the track, 1 time needed a tow and the other I limped it home. Our local track just shut down for good, dunno if i'll get to race (besides the street) anytime again

 

[Stangfreak95]

Sorry to hear about that

 

[94TURBO5 O]

Gid I hate when there is mechanical failure when you get to the track. Cecil is one of my favorite tracks around here and I ran my best time there. Look on the bright side....When you have it back the weather will be more cooler and optimum to run in.

 

[Joes95GT]

Let me start off by saying that I think a DS loop is needed for any type of racing situation for any reason. Fortunately, I had one because you have to when you run slicks. If I had ET Streets on the car, I may have not been so lucky. Even with the loop in, the driveshaft beat up the floor a little bit and boogered up my emergency brake cables. Luckily, my Dad hasn't taken the car to get the "emergency brake recall" done, so now is looking like a good time. If it wasn't for the DS loop, I'd be looking at buying a new H-pipe and catback exhaust, at a minimum.

blksn955.o - I would love to do that, but the car fund was tapped about 1500 bucks ago. My posi was rebuilt when we put in the rear gears in the beginning of this year, so I don't want to go spending money where I don't need to. Or do I? It was the stock driveshaft.

Mike - I broke the beams, and I did get a slip. I think I moved about 6 inches. I would have rolled about 20 feet, but I hit the brakes as soon as I heard the kling-klank. I did cut an .048 light . The weld on the flange of the rear U-joint busted. It was a weld failure, which is kind of scary.

Thanks for all the well wishes. As JR said, Cecil county is one of the nations best cold weather tracks. Hopefully I can find some time to get some better axles in it and launch at 6k!

Joe

 

[blksn955.o]

well if that , gets the better of ya there is a guy local here that builds them real well (for the guys that are in the 10s for years) and I have seen him sell them for 100$, now add in some superior axles at (5.0 mag price) $225ish and add your gears and damn dats cheap. Now you would need shipping but that still would not that much. Just letting you know what I have found if you end up going that way.

For the price why dont you just get an alum. DS, I mean the fix would have to be more than the 150ish of the new DS?

no matter what it still sucks, I hear you on timing, I am tring to get this motor back together and classes just started for the fall sem. Wed. the 18th

 

[Joes95GT]

well if that , gets the better of ya there is a guy local here that builds them real well (for the guys that are in the 10s for years) and I have seen him sell them for 100$, now add in some superior axles at (5.0 mag price) $225ish and add your gears and damn dats cheap. Now you would need shipping but that still would not that much. Just letting you know what I have found if you end up going that way.

For the price why dont you just get an alum. DS, I mean the fix would have to be more than the 150ish of the new DS?

no matter what it still sucks, I hear you on timing, I am tring to get this motor back together and classes just started for the fall sem. Wed. the 18th

Luckily, my Dad is an ASE Certified Master Ford Tech., and has been for 20+ years. I'm always covered. Thanks for the offer though.

I'm paying 225 for my new driveshaft, and it's way stronger than Ford's aluminum piece. It's made from a thicker wall tubing, I opted for solid U-joints instead of the greasable type stock ones, which are more susceptible to breaking under load. It's also guaranteed for 5 years, regardless of what I do. So if I break again, I have to worry about getting the car home. Repairing the DS will be on them.

Joe

 

[blksn955.o]

cool, good luck getting it back on the road ASAP.