Phil1320
20+ Year Contributor
- 2,256
- 41
- Dec 9, 2002
-
Rocky Hill,
Connecticut
Guys---BULLET trailered me up to NED in Epping New Hampshire on Sunday to give it one more shot at 11 seconds before the season closed. Special thanks to him for taking the day and helping me sort the car.
The track was great, but believe it or not, I was still spinning all 4 out of the hole like crazy!
DENIED AGAIN! Seems like some kind of nightmare or somehting. But, we figured out some things. Again played with tire pressures and made some rear end alignment changes. I'm running 225/50/16 Nitto Drags that have plenty left on them but are at least 5 years old. At LVD on Friday with the crappy conditions I ran a best of 1.79 60' and all the rest were 1.9's or worse! I did not hit a 1.7X at NED but did make some consistent passes until an accident and an oil down put 4 hours between my 3rd and 4th passes and that was it. Anyway, here goes:
#1 1.85 [email protected] new best MPH
#2 1.86 [email protected]
#3 1.89 [email protected], exactly the same MPH as run #2
#4 2.01 [email protected]
#5 1.92 [email protected]
As you can see in runs #4 & #5, the afternoon runs were nowhere as good.
I cannot believe that I came this close without hitting an 11 again.......it's almost humerous at this point.
I have never been one to like to predict, but, it is plain to see based on my Friday runs at a crappy track, and my Sunday runs at a great track, with a normal 1.70 60', the car would run in the 11's every time. My best 60' ever is a 1.65, nothing too great, but if I could just have that, I'd be Golden. Many are asking why I'm spinning so much. Much stiffer suspension now with the JIC coilovers and every bushing you can think of has been done including rear toe eliminator, Suspension Tech rear sway and all. Also, the huge torque gain the car has over the last set-up 3 years ago.
Anyway, the solution that Bullet, myself, and others have come up with is to drop from a 16" wheel down to a 15" and either get a much better drag radial such as the Hoosier or Mickey Thompson, or just go straight to the full slick. I need TRACTION and the 11 second quest is over, in a nutshell.
I'd like to take this time to finally at least give myself a pat on the back. People that know me would tell you that I'm very hard on myself so this is big for me. Friday was the first time in 3 years that I launched the car. I figured with all the changes that the learning curve might be tough. I actually adjusted very quickly and started to get back in the groove, as showcased by my first three runs on Sunday, and multiple passes on Friday.
The funny thing of it all is that I thought I'd be battling some bogging issues with the lightweight flywheel/driveshaft, I never though I'd be battling the exact opposite!
Last, I will keep at it. Sometimes I do feel resignation, but all it takes is some GREAT friends and some passes down the strip to bring it back full circle.
Thanks to any and all that have supported my efforts in the past, present, and that will on into the future.
Take care,
Phil Beers
The track was great, but believe it or not, I was still spinning all 4 out of the hole like crazy!
DENIED AGAIN! Seems like some kind of nightmare or somehting. But, we figured out some things. Again played with tire pressures and made some rear end alignment changes. I'm running 225/50/16 Nitto Drags that have plenty left on them but are at least 5 years old. At LVD on Friday with the crappy conditions I ran a best of 1.79 60' and all the rest were 1.9's or worse! I did not hit a 1.7X at NED but did make some consistent passes until an accident and an oil down put 4 hours between my 3rd and 4th passes and that was it. Anyway, here goes:
#1 1.85 [email protected] new best MPH
#2 1.86 [email protected]
#3 1.89 [email protected], exactly the same MPH as run #2
#4 2.01 [email protected]
#5 1.92 [email protected]
As you can see in runs #4 & #5, the afternoon runs were nowhere as good.
I cannot believe that I came this close without hitting an 11 again.......it's almost humerous at this point.
I have never been one to like to predict, but, it is plain to see based on my Friday runs at a crappy track, and my Sunday runs at a great track, with a normal 1.70 60', the car would run in the 11's every time. My best 60' ever is a 1.65, nothing too great, but if I could just have that, I'd be Golden. Many are asking why I'm spinning so much. Much stiffer suspension now with the JIC coilovers and every bushing you can think of has been done including rear toe eliminator, Suspension Tech rear sway and all. Also, the huge torque gain the car has over the last set-up 3 years ago.
Anyway, the solution that Bullet, myself, and others have come up with is to drop from a 16" wheel down to a 15" and either get a much better drag radial such as the Hoosier or Mickey Thompson, or just go straight to the full slick. I need TRACTION and the 11 second quest is over, in a nutshell.
I'd like to take this time to finally at least give myself a pat on the back. People that know me would tell you that I'm very hard on myself so this is big for me. Friday was the first time in 3 years that I launched the car. I figured with all the changes that the learning curve might be tough. I actually adjusted very quickly and started to get back in the groove, as showcased by my first three runs on Sunday, and multiple passes on Friday.
The funny thing of it all is that I thought I'd be battling some bogging issues with the lightweight flywheel/driveshaft, I never though I'd be battling the exact opposite!
Last, I will keep at it. Sometimes I do feel resignation, but all it takes is some GREAT friends and some passes down the strip to bring it back full circle.
Thanks to any and all that have supported my efforts in the past, present, and that will on into the future.
Take care,
Phil Beers
) are the number. The big decision is the tire. Drag radials, slicks or maybe cheater slicks. 24.5 is the number, the tire choice is the problem. 
. 
It will come, Theres a last test and tune next weekend at LVD... I may go for my last shot at 11's for the year on pumpgas.
