Pure Stock Drag Racing tips & tricks

[Chevy454]

M:

I hope you have better luck with your cam decision than I did. Against someone's advice, I went with something other than the GM (Crane) cam and it came in way short. I the stood back and watched a GM cam spec right on the money...live an learn!

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Rob;
I know, I have heard both sides of the Crane Cam story. I never built an engine before the deuce's, so I had to weigh all the stories that I had heard. Neal has had good luck with the Comp's so that's what I went with.

I also used the TRW pistons, 11:1's, because I figured they were the stock ones. If I could do it over again, I'd use JE's after hearing your experiences with the TRW's.

Oh well, I'll wait till spring, and see if I can get it to the track. Doing a little drag racing with the Yenko is the last part of my goal with this project. What good is a Yenko car if it looks pretty, but doesn't run the number [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[COPO PETE]

Neils had good luck with his comp cam???????? When he was running his big block, for two years he kept asking me, "what cam?". I'd tell him, "go to GM and order the real deal. Finally after the Ohio race, he was frustrated and asked again. I gave him the same answer. He tried to get me drunk on Canadian beer to see if I would change my answer. First off, never try and get a Canadian drunk on Canadian beer and try and stay with him drink for drink. He would'nt remember if I told a different answer anyway! The following week he finally put in the GM L78 cam from gm. First pass was 2 tenths and 3 mph quicker than the car ever ran!!!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] I expect the same difference on his small block!
Peter

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

I was referring to the Comp cam he has in his red Deuce.

The Comp Cam that Neal had in his '68 BB was a little cam he had put in for the street many years ago, he didn't have a local source of higher octane fuel. He knew it was much smaller than stock, but thought it would work better with the iron mani's. He was indeed happier when he put the L78 cam in, so was the BB [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

I wouldn't try matching you guys beer for beer! You must admit, JJ is awfully funny when he gets a few in him though. Quite animated when he shows you how to shift the 4hitter in the middle of the hotel room, then he burned himself with his cig!

[Salvatore]

Marlin, I am new to the site, but I met you at the Vargo Dragway Reunion 2 years ago. Your car is great. I love the overspray on the cowl panel. In 1971, we put a 1970 LT1 crated motor in my 1969 SS Nova. I bought the motor from chevy, and we took it apart and went over everything and had it balanced and clearanced. It had a stock LT1 intake, and the stock 1970 LT1 chevy cam, I think we set it at 24 and 26!!?? The car had the original 4:10 ring and pinion, and the original re-jetted 780 holley and went 12.56 at 108 mph. I still have the time cards. The stock single point ignition was also good enough. The 780 was from a 1969 Z/28. I changed the M21 trans and put my spare M20 trans. in and immediatly picked up 2 tenths. 90/10 shocks in the front and 50/50 in the back. The stock cam was a bear. Once it hit 3000rpm it pulled to 6500 instantly. I had 7 inch tires in those days 28 inches tall, and open headers. Everything is about the right combination. I bought the car new from Mullin Chevrolet in Ambler Pa. in April of 69. Cloth bench seat 4 speed, no gauges. Dark Blue, lite blue interior. A good guy to help you out on your tune up is a few miles from you. (Pete Suriano) Pete's Automotive Pottstown. (610)326-8322 Good Luck! Sam

[Chevy454]

Now we are getting somewhere! Great info, Sam! What was the Nova's "average" 60 foot time with the 12.56 setup? What exhaust were you running?

[Salvatore]

Rob, In the old days, I don't remember Maple Grove Dragway with 60 ft. timers back then. I forgot to mention I had Lakewood traction bars. Really the key to everything is the right combination. I had a set of Casler headers, and I made a set of 6 inch collectors and bolted them on. I truly think to this day with a set of 488's I could of put this car in the 11's. The car weighed 3250lbs to run small brute eliminator. Nothing trick, just a real good hone job on the cylinders, and good basic head work.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Oh my! Do you have ESP or something??
I was just talking about you to a neighbor, and was trying to remember what shop you told me about in Pottstown. I will be needing some machine work done in the near future, small world.

I totally believe you went the 12.xx numbers with that combination, also the 2 tenths from the M20. My buddy Neal and I have compared the slips from an M20 vs. M21, the M20 60 foots better and the M21 does better at each marker after that I think. But the M20 does such a number on the M21 in the first 60 feet, you run out of track before you can catch him.

Hope to make it back to the Vargo show next year. Stop by the shop sometime in Perkasie, behind the daycare on 5th street. My new project is in there, '69 rallye green, L78, 4sp, 3.55 12 bolt, custom interior w/ buckets. It will be at Vargo in a few years [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Salvatore]

Marlin, Pete is a great guy. Has been around for many years. Has done all my work since 1970. I finally did a real good motor for my Nova about 1974. We used stock LT1 pistons and moved the ring land up and put an 1/8in. ring up top. We put an old engle roller cam, with about 500inch lift, put 88's in the rear and took the back seat out and went 11.58 at 122 down Cecil County. That car was unbelievable. The MPH was high, because I should of had 538's in it. Basically stock pistons,the first guy in this area to use the angle plug heads. I think they were the 292's, bought them from Shaws Speed Shop. Pete did the heads and cut them for the big springs. I have some old pictures of the car at Maple Grove, I have to see if my kid can down load them for me. I live in Souderton, so I am not far at all from Perkasie. None of this is rocket science, just basic! Do you know that guy in Greenlane with the orange Yenko, original paint etc. He bought it in about 1970, coming out of Nam. He told me he paid $2700 for it. It is a very, very nice original car. Says it is original motor. I don't know. Sam

[Verne_Frantz]

sc69,
Just started reading this post and was floored when you mentioned Pete's Automotive in Pottstown. He just did the block, heads and crank for my newly found "W" motor (409). He came recommended by a good friend, Ronnie Evans, who runs the '62 Wildfire car. He's the only guy I felt I could trust with my engine. Pete's forte is head work.
Verne.