How things went at the strip.

[rhipsher]

You'd better pull some popcorn for this one.
I paid the $30 bucks and got my tech card. Went to start it and that sorry SOB of a starter decided to flip me the bird and wouldn't start after a week 1/2 of starting just fine after the first time it got stuck. I couldn't believe this crap. You've got to be freakin kidding me I said to myself. So I got these two big 6'5 tall guys to try to help me push start it. After two tries those poor guys were tired. I was done before I even got started. Called the wrecker to come out and get me $145. An hour after I called the wrecker I gave it one more try with the key and the damn thing started. Called back and cancelled. There was no way I was going to take a chance and turn that thing off again. If I had to go to the bathroom I left it running. When I went inside to get a hot dog and a coke I left it running. So of course I was not able to turn it off between runs to let the car cool off so it was running on the hot side of the temp.
So I had several things going against me from the get go. Hot engine temp. Car is running rich from the porting and no headers. And the car has never been tuned. Trying to launch with the Fidanza was a bit more tricky than I anticipated. Launch at to low of RPM's and that car boggs down to almost 0 rpm's before picking back up but by that time the other guy is half way down the track. Launch at to high rpm's and you just cook the tires. I had a real hard time finding that sweet spot for launching. I know the car has more power than before. But getting it to hook up is the tricky part. And I know all three of the first factors make a difference. The latter is driver skill and more sticky tires. So I made 8 runs. The car was on solid for at least four hours and was never shut off until my azz was back in my garage. So this is all I was able to do. I just could not get my tires to stick good. And I was hoping for better times but it just wasn't in the cards for me tonight. It was fun though.
The guy that beat me on the right was in a 2008 ZO6. Kept up with him almost half way down the track but after that he just pulled ahead of me.

I was surprised there were allot of 11 sec cars I was going up against. I tried my best guy's to do use proud. I'm sure next time will be better with headers a tune and and a new starter that I can shut the car off with between runs.

[tomtom72]

Man that does stink about the starter issues. You did say that you still had fun, right? That's the important part of all of this so I'd be smiling all the way home.

I think hanging with a C6/ ZO6 until the top end of the track, and he has traction control too, would make me look like this

I think the results are outstanding!

[flyin ryan]

Decent time considering the not so great 60' & MPH...& the fact you were pissed off didn't help .

[rhipsher]

Originally Posted by flyin ryan

Decent time considering the not so great 60' & MPH...& the fact you were pissed off didn't help .

I know. My engine temp would go up to 240 degrees waiting in line and I'm sure that caused the ECM to retard the timing a bit. Out of 8 runs I didn't have one launch that I was happy with. Once I would make it out of the sketchy launches that motor would just wind up and I was getting 1 2 3 4 5 gear tire scratch when shifting into the next gear which didn't happen with the duel mass. But getting out of the whole was just killing my times and mile per hour. If I would have achieved a good launch I would have probably pulled a 12.7@113mph. But shoulda coulda woulda. So even with headers and a good Corey henderson toon if I was having trouble getting traction now I'll really have a hard time getting traction then. To me the launch is everything. And when you get a good one you know it. Those tires just dig in and that rear end squats a bit then its just a matter of pounding through the gears.

[jonszr1]

rick ,maybe you can borrow a set of drag radials from someone. trying to launch your car with street tires now is just too dicey. what you need to do is when funds become available get the headers and that will finish her off . on the good side you at least got into the 12s.love the way you gutted her out when the starter acted up

[rhipsher]

Originally Posted by jonszr1

rick ,maybe you can borrow a set of drag radials from someone. trying to launch your car with street tires now is just too dicey. what you need to do is when funds become available get the headers and that will finish her off . on the good side you at least got into the 12s.love the way you gutted her out when the starter acted up

Yea the whole 40 min drive home I kept thinking damn Brad was getting the white Z in the 12.4-12.5 sec range consistently even before Corey did the killer tune on it. But I had to remember that you also have 3.92 rear gears and headers and top end porting which probably makes the 4 tenths of a second difference. So I didn't feel like such a failure after that.

[Hammer]

Nice run, your temperature definitely affected the outcome.

[Hammer]

Originally Posted by rhipsher

To me the launch is everything. And when you get a good one you know it. Those tires just dig in and that rear end squats a bit then its just a matter of pounding through the gears.

Yep, I knew it on this one. Hit really hard on the launch.

#458 time slip. (Clutch was slipping a little too)!!!
K&N Filter w/ Open Air Cleaner Lid
Marc Haibeck Chip
Watson 1 7/8 Headers - No Cats
Flowmaster Cat Back System
Goodyear GS-D3's
That's it folks.
NHRA corrected would have been a 12.12 at sea level. That's pretty stout for the mods. No?

[rhipsher]

See now thats more in the ballpark of what I was hoping for. But I'm still running the stock exhaust manifolds with stock cats and Borla exhaust which doesn't compliment the top end porting very well. When I told Corey about what happened he just laughed. He said don't worry Rick. I'm fabing up three sets of Jeal headers and the third set is for you. Once they are on the car then I'll tune it properly and that car will just come alive. But that I might have to move up to sticker tires to get grip.

[Hammer]

No doubt. Make sure your u-joints are in good shape when you do step up. I replaced the clutch in #458 and added a Fidanza after that run. First launch it reared up and popped a half shaft joint. Never ran it after that as I bought #473 and didn't want to chance breaking anything else.

If you were following the posts, the new owner drove that car 10,400 miles with no problems to the drivetrain. Since then, he was home and stopped at a gas station. When he went to leave the clutch was solid. haven't heard anything from him since then as to what the problem might have been.