Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Well, this past weekend was rather humbling to say the least. Saturday I went to Mason-Dixon to get some runs on a "fast" track and was greeted by a killer, nonstop headwind that went on all day. To make the long, painful story short, I went a best of a 15.03 at just under 88 MPH. That was after trying a Y-pipe(hated it), retarding the cam(hated it but it did help the MPH) and advancing the cam(best ETs but lost MPH).
I went back to "The Beav" on Sunday and went mid to high teens all day with a best of 15.150 at 87.58 and a 2.05 60'. It still wants to be leaner and it still wants more timing than I think that it should need. The only other thing I did was do away with the metering rods which seemed to clean it up a bit.
I'm now at a point where I think that I'm just tuning around a problem and I'm sorry to say that the problem is my $80 converter. It's just too heavy and too tight even for the torquey 301. In low gear, leaving at an idle it will only stall to about 2200 RPM and when it shifts it is "staggering" the motor. I'll be doing a little detective work and making some phone calls to try and find something that won't "kill" the budget. I'll be reporting in.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

I'm surprised you haven't cut the thing apart and started bending fins with a pair of vice grips yet.

WWBD (What Would Billy Do?) :cool:


I've made more gains tuning by actual time slip results than what something "should" want. If it likes it, it likes it, as long as it's not destroying itself.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Billy, I'll bet that car would 60' better with a stock camshaft with the converter you got. Of course you'll give it all up on the other end.
I got my 79 Lemans 301 /4bbl running and moving around..Stock cam, 3.08 posi , 2.74 low...It'll burn rubber all the way through 1st gear.
That's with a GN Buick 2050 stall, lockup 12 ".
Let me look around and see what I have for parts for a 9" .
How much do we have in "the bank"?

BTW, 75 jets in my original Dual Jet...The Qjet likes that size too.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

I might like to try a 9" as well Mark

77 350 Cutlass
N/SA

I'm done with the 455 combo

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Me too Mark !!!! that's three you need to build, and I can come pick mine up. :)

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Stay tuned , guys .. I might have an announcement to make ..soon!

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Have you done an alignment on the car yet? It's an old car, good chance that it doesn't meet Billy's Drag Race Alignment specs yet. There can be a decent amount of ET there.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Remember when I posted that? Well********* shame on me.
At least I "only" wasted $80. Although this might make a nice "Saturday Night" or "Hot Street" converter, it's just not going to cut it as a "Stocker" converter. It's just too tight and too heavy.
For plan B, I'm having a 10" converter built that will(hopefully) get me a few tenths and under the NHRA index. I will say again, there is more to be gained in the correct torque converter than anything else in the car. I'm trying this 10" just to see if it is a practical substitute for an 8"er. I haven't gotten a final price on the 10" yet but it will be in the $250-275 range. That will put me either just under or just over the 1K budget cap.
Now understand, this 10" will get me racing and (hopefully) under the index but in the grand scheme of things it will (would) be replaced by an 8" converter built for the combo. Basically, what I guess I'm trying to say is if you really want to go racing and CAN'T afford the right parts then this will get you to the track, but at some point in time you will have (want) to step up and spend the money for the right converter. At that point, the money spent on the 10" converter becomes wasted. You will have to decide that for yourself with your own project.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Best is 15.03 so far .... that IS under the IHRA index !!!

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Ok boys and girls, this is the post I have been waiting for the last few weeks. Billy will prove his point and the GP will run under the NHRA index with some more tweaking. Then WATCH OUT ! The cuffs come off and he will have this combo in the 13's by seasons' end !! STAY TUNED !!

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

How bout No Hop Bars? :)

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Here's a good thread on the subject:

http://www.classracer.com/classforum...ad.php?t=19328

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Good picture Mike.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Grand Prix - $1000
Picture of Billy - PRICELESS!

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Nice!

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Alright everyone not doing anything today please get on your local craigslist and find a BUMPER FILLER for Billy :)

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

At least Billy's smilling!

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Look again Lee I don't think so Lol.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...70859649_n.jpg

Billy was grumpy before Grumpy Cat.


I had a spy photo of Billy actually smiling many years ago, had it on Beaver Springs website. The server crashed. I've never been able to prove anything.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Mike all I can do is LOL.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Jose Cuervo has always known how to make Billy smile.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

x2

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

I've seen it happen..Honest to God!

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

I've personally seen Billy smile, in fact I helped him have a big smile a couple of weeks ago !

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

I've got a new torque converter to put in today!

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Any predictions here? I'll take 14.80

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Well, all that I did was get wet yesterday! Ya gotta love weathermen, 0% chance of rain until 3PM on every weather site I looked at. It started right about the time I paid my entry.
Michael will be happy to know that I spend the afternoon doing an alignment on the car.
It looks like I get to try the converter at the Grove on Friday. Keep an eye on DRC and I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Whattaya got for oil in there? I've got some 0w30 CAM2 I can bring this weekend. It's not stupid-go-fast oil, but better than the heavier stuff most people run, and protects better. No break-in period either... just as fast on run #1 as the last.

What's the bolt pattern on the front? I've got my spare 25" front runners... might be lighter than what you've got on there. I think I have a wore out set of 30x9 radials, but they're in storage several hours away, 'fraid I'm not going to have time to run up there this week, but it's something we may be able to try later in the year.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

[QUOTE=Michael Beard;382239]Whattaya got for oil in there? I've got some 0w30 CAM2 I can bring this weekend. It's not stupid-go-fast oil, but better than the heavier stuff most people run, and protects better. No break-in period either... just as fast on run #1 as the last.

What's the bolt pattern on the front? I've got my spare 25" front runners... might be lighter than what you've got on there. I think I have a wore out set of 30x9 radials, but they're in storage several hours away, 'fraid I'm not going to have time to run up there this week, but it's something we may be able to try later in the year.[/QUOTE

It's got 5W20 Napa oil in it because that's what was on sale. It's got 27.5 M/Ts on it with spare tire wheels. I have light wheels that I could put on it but the long wheel studs aren't in the budget at this point.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

I did manage to drive the car around in the rain on Sunday with the new converter and I can say that it's definitely "different". Although it is a 10" converter, it seems to hit like a tight 8" converter. I guess that I'll find out on Friday.
Time for a budget update, the new converter was originally quoted to me at $250-$275. Picked up at the door price, $200! I've gotta love that!
total $822
-$80
=$742
+$200
=$942
I'm still under but not by much! Fingers crossed, heading for The Grove!

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

You are definitely an inspiration to all and good thank.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Not hedging my bets, but my prediction was for The Beav.

Good luck, Billy

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

What kind of oil pressure are you seeing? Do you have a way to restrict it?

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

It has about the same oil pressure that I used to have in my 6 cylinders.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

So when you remove a part that doesn't work, the cost of said part is removed from 'the budget' and the cost of the new part is added ?? Makes sense to me !!

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Why not? It was my bad. The car can only have one converter in it at a time.
Speaking of the car, it got a "Bonami" wash and it's on the trailer ready to go to The Grove!

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Got to love that Bonami.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Billy's under the NHRA index for under a grand!

73 1188 U/SA Billy Nees, Millmont PA, '79 Grand Prix 14.842 14.85 -0.008

Nice job Billy!

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

x2