Thread: todays "HOW TO"

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today...lets talk weight

excellent article on roll bars/cages mr insptrman, many people will appreciate that one

as a general rule most folks will tell you each 100rd pds is a tenth... ...just like that pile of parts in your garage that jegs says will shave .3 off ...

it will save time cause it takes less torque to get the car movin...so put her on a diet...here's some easy ways(well, takes some work) to shave a few hunerd pds off your hotrod

1. every door car has big heavy support runners inside the door skins...they are held in place by spot welds on each end...you can find these welds easy by looking and then just drill em out...some cars may have an inside brace...it's good for a hun

2. best weight comes off the front...alum heads, water pump(elec preferably, more on that later), and removal of ALL un-necessary braces for body work

3. loose most of the grill supports

4. chunk most all the bumper supports and use only the shell

5. git rid of the interior and under the carpet you will find some real heavy-ass insulation...logged with beer and other stuff...CHUNK IT...reinstall the carpet if you want

6. alum radiator

now that'll get you started...there's lots of things you'll never need in a streetbomber or track car...LOSE EM

FOR THE REALLY GOOOD STUFF

the above is all dead weight which will save you and make your sleeper wake up....but the savvy track rats know this

1. lighten ANYTHING that spins....like the rotating assembly...the driveshaft(MW makes great chromoly ones, i never liked alum or matrix)

2. lite wheels

3. NO drum brakes..you gotta spin em ya know, takes power

4. change anything on the front of the motor to elec...like fan & water...underdrive the alt if you gotta have one...it'll take load off the motor

5. lighten the valvetrain with titanium and chromoly (not as expensive as it sounds)

6. lighten the ring gear by having it backcut.

7. gundrill the axles when you order them

hope this'll save you some honest time...anything that spins saves more time than anything dead...but they both work well

sound good and have done the cheese holes on things to like bumper brackets aluminum floor and got my 66gto down to 2800 with me in it 210 for me and moved the big block chevy back 6 inch and work on the cowl this is were all the weight is on cars. not to bad for a all steel car with a glass hood gass wind shield and back glass full steel pro stock cage. the fast way to get weight off the front is bummper alum raid willwood brakes aluminum master clylinder glass hood and a donovan block.on my street gto i am going to make the front bummper out of aluminum and brackets and keep the steel hood . i like my hood .it dos not look like glass wash broad. some day i like to try to make a new hood from aluminum

Originally posted by Bryan TTM
today...lets talk weight


FOR THE REALLY GOOOD STUFF

the above is all dead weight which will save you and make your sleeper wake up....but the savvy track rats know this

3. NO drum brakes..you gotta spin em ya know, takes power

4. underdrive the alt if you gotta have one...it'll take load off the motor

hope this'll save you some honest time...anything that spins saves more time than anything dead...but they both work well

Regarding 3 & 4 above:

3. If you are using stock iron components, disk brakes are generally heavier than drums, they also cannot be backed of like drum brake shoes can so they will have some resistance. If you are going with aftermarket components disks are lighter. If you are running a stock eliminator car, or are on a budget, then drums might be a better choice. Ability to stop safely not withstanding.

4. You can also put a switch in the field wire of the alternator, with a flip of the switch it turns off completely and just free wheels as you make your pass. Then flip it back on on the return road to bring the battery back up as you drive to the pits and back up to staging. Make it part of your start up and shut down routine so you don't forget.

Pat

very good additions...i overlooked and just assumed most were using Wilwood or Lamb or etc...good save there Stu

OTAY...today lets talk about STUDS

IMO, ARP makes the best but there is a proper way to install them

first you'll want to chase the threads on your clean, newly got back from the 'chine shop block...then put a dab of oil on the first few threads that go into the block or head....next, hand screw it all the way down til it bottoms...and then, BACK IT OFF A HALF TURN...that way it'll clamp just right and NOT bust the block

yall have fun now, ya hear

lets talk brakes

most of us use Wilwood, but Lamb & Mark Williams also make good ones...the Lamb master does not have a residual valve which will preload the calipers to drag...its light and costs about the same

Wilwood makes very good brake calipers and rotors...make sure you get ones rated for the weight of your car...going light will only cause problems like fading brakes when you dont want them to fade

they have a break in procedure...to properly "bed" a set of Wilwood pads you will need to make some low speed stops...dont lean on em too much and let em cool between each bed...get to the track early and run it leisurely down the track and do two stops...bring it back to the pits and let em cool....do that twice and they should be good for a full blast

you can also bed the rear by jacking up the pumpkin and runnin and stoppin em...dont get em too hot so's they wont glaze...and dont let the car fall....oh, dont let mr techman see you either

how bout braided lines

they look cool...they work great...but man are they a pain in the butt to make ...pokin your fingers....frayin when you try to get the fitting on it and then bein too short to cut off

i started using PushLok everywhere...it dont hurt to assemble...its cheaper...works everbit as good...looks really cool...and comes in a variety of colors while still uses those cool an fittings we all love

just cut it with tin snips to length...put some spit on the end...and press em together...and the pain is gone

what happens if you twist on the 4-link bars

the bottom two locate the rear end square to the body....DONT FOOL WITH THOSE (most of the time)

the drivers upper sets the pinion angle and the pass upper adjusts for preload...preload may or may not be needed but is used to make the car drive straight...for instance, if its pulling without any input from the steering...one flat in(shorten the bar) will make the car veer left...out or lengthen the bar will push it right

what front end alignment goes straight the easiest

toe in 1/16.....10-12 deg negative castor

Originally posted by Bryan TTM
what front end alignment goes straight the easiest

toe in 1/16.....10-12 deg negative castor

Bryan, I think you mean POSITIVE caster.

uh..probly

this is what i mean...if you stand at either side of the car by the front wheel and look down at the upper & lower ball joints...the top one's gotta be layed back(closer to the rear of car) from the bottom one

yep, positive.

how to piss off your wife

make sure she's had a hard day ...on the way home from the office(or anywhere, we just work together so its easy)....drive your big black smokin diesel...she'll be in her car of course and the first chance you get....when her window is down...inch up beside her open window with the big 4" tailpipe pointing at her....NAIL IT... ...FILL HER CAR WITH BLACK SMOKE... ...make sure its caked in her hair & makeup ...be ready for no booboo that nite

hey guys anyone have any info on s10 conversion

how to convert your limited edition RST by Foose into a total loss

first, have too much on your plate and get really drunk the nite before

next get in your pristine show truck and head off for your day...with your head up your ass

next...taste that cigarette as the airbags cram it down your throat when you rear end a row of parked cars at 60 mph