Thread: Maiden Voyage for Dad's '79 Camaro

Tweet

Well Saturday morning I woke up, called my buddy and said let's go racing. So we loaded up Dad's '79 Camaro for it's maiden voyage and then loaded his '70 Mustang so he could get some seat time in his new car.
Unfortunately Dad couldn't make it, was still too tired (Heart attack a few months ago). I called Dad after the first run and told him the bad news ;-) We have to put a roll cage/bar in the car. He was extactic to say the least. First run off the trailer was a 11.67 @ 114.5 mph and shifting at 6100 rpms N/A. I later shifted at 6400 and will go higher in the future.

This was supposed to be a test and tune day however I only bumped the rear up from 74's to 76's in the 650 dp but it didn't make much of a difference and the mph only slightly increased on the next two runs which were back to back. Dad really likes the 4" cowl hood and I'll have to admit it does look great!!

Total timing is set at 36° and I wanted to tinker with it but was afraid to go any faster without a cage, they wouldn't let me race anymore. Rules say anything quicker than a 7.49 in the 1/8 or 11.49 in the 1/4 required the roll bar, jacket (which I have) and it already has a drive shaft loop.

So next time we will try a 750 dp and maybe tinker with the timing a bit. I'll eventually get it tuned in to a low 11 second car. Then we can get Butch to port the heads and see how much faster it will go, in the future.

All in all it was a fun day, we had a blast. The last time run we made with my buddies car I ran it through off the transbrake at 10.40 and 126mph. Felt good to be back in a fast car, my Mustang is still apart so I'll probably race Dad's Camaro the next few big races, maybe this weekend. $5000 to win Top ET and $1500 for Modified which is what I race.

BTW for thos interested Butch Smith of Smith's Automotive Machine Shop in Frankfort Ky built the 385 stroker. Unported Dart Iron Eagle heads that they assembled. Roller cam and about 14:1 compression moved this heavy Camaro pretty darn quick!! 3.73 gear and 26 X 9" slicks with a 9" converter and TH350 tranny.

Can't wait to make some more runs, it was a fun car to drive and extremely consistent. ONly a -.009 kept me from advancing into the final rounds.

60' 1.656
330' 4.785
660' 7.403
1/8mph 93.750
1/4 11.602
1/4mph 115.580


Later

Hey another Kentucky boy, good to see

Those are some awesome times.

Yep,

I usually race at MP Dragway in Clay City but we also visit Ohio Valley occasionally. We may go to Test & Tune on Friday Sept. 3rd at MP Dragway.

We'll have to hook up sometime

Originally posted by codymcgee
Hey another Kentucky boy, good to see

Those are some awesome times.

Good runs. Your times are very close to the times I run in my 73 camaro, even the mph and 60 foots. I want to do the same as you and get into the low 11's or high tens. Haven't been able to get there yet with a best of 11.54. The 750 dp ought to help you get some more ump out of it. I am running a 750 myself and need to so some tuning with it. I am running 77 jets up front and 78 in back. I can't seem to get the motor to make power above 6000 rpm though the cam is supposed to make good up to 7600. Will have to play some more to find the problem. I thought I was being restricted in the heads so put me some Victor Jr. 23 degree heads and a super victor intake, it went from 11.68 to 11.54, though the 11.54 was done in some really bad air with temps up in the 90 degree range with humidity at about 95%, so hope to do better with some good air.

Originally posted by 73RS
I can't seem to get the motor to make power above 6000 rpm though the cam is supposed to make good up to 7600.

I was shifting Dad's car at 6400 and crossing the line about 6300 to 6400. We are supposed to shift it around 7000 but haven't tried it yet, new engine and small carb. So we may go to T&T again this Friday so dad can ring it's little guts out. The only carbs we have available at the moment is a 850 and my 1000+ Pro Systems carb for my BBF. Dad want's to try the 850 but I keep telling him it's too big for the 385 but hey it's his car ;-)

I'll let you know how it goes if we do go to Test & Tune.

Catch ya' later