Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

I spent most of yesterday reworking the inside rear corners of the rear fenderwells. I've got an additional 1/2" plus clearance on each side now. I think that will work okay, if there's an issue I should still be able to get slightly smaller diameter slicks in time for Fontana.

Today I put in the interior:

http://i.imgur.com/iFD1cj5.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eh8Y3Pj.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eHZdOUY.jpg

At this point I consider the build to be essentially complete. I do have to hit the hardware store tomorrow after which I can install the belts, and the numbers still have to go on. But that about does it! Friday night I take it to Wild Horse.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Nice build, thanks for sharing it with us.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Looking great. I've been enjoying following your build. Do you have roll bar padding?

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Actually, I hadn't thought about it. But no, not yet anyway.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Call Mr. Derby City for the padding.
Top notch & custom fit as well.
I highly recommend it, Nice n Neat to boot.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Looks great. I did my wheel wells before my paint. Didn't have to worry about cosmetic damage so I used a torch and body hammer. Heat and beat...

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

LOL .... Dave I call it the way I see it...Went I'm at WHP and I see you going rounds race after race .... You may think your a Duck, but that's not the way I see it. Hope to see you Saturday night you can pay me then!!!

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

I'll think I'll do okay once I get it sorted out, but that'll likely take a while.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Dave, good luck on the testing, this has been a real nice build and we're all anxious to see how it turns out for you. Keep us posted.

BTW: If you let off at half track, you'll still probably be faster than my car right now, but I can handle that. :)

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

I'm sure will not take that long as you have a great starting point, thanks for the thread was very cool watching your progress .

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Well, I had the Chevelle out to Wild Horse tonight, with mostly good results. I didn't get a good burnout on the first pass, blew off the tires on the launch and shut down at half track and cruised down the rest of the way. Inspecting the car after the run I didn't see any indication that the slicks were hitting anywhere, so I think I managed to get enough clearance.

I took a second pass and got a good burnout. I wasn't even trying to use the 2-step but it hooked and went arrow straight all the way down. I had thought I might shut down at half track again, but it was doing pretty well so I went on to 1000 feet, and then the stripe wasn't that far away, so in the end I ran it out all the way. Here's the result:

http://i.imgur.com/FeZEcyN.jpg

That's two tenths under the index on the first pass! Now admittedly I was 12 pounds light, but still... and that was at 1200 feet. No idea about the DA, I was focused on other things and never checked.

Now for the one negative, and why I was considering an early shutdown on that run. There's a significant vibration in the drive line from half track on. Doesn't feel like it's really trying to tear itself up but it's quite noticeable. It gets a little worse on the way down until 60 MPH or so.

My inclination under the circumstances is to go ahead and race it next weekend unless someone convinces me I'll hurt the car running it this way.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Fantastic!!!

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Excellent results!

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Re balance the Slicks first, I had the same thing happen with new tires on my 67.
It sounds like you had a great first time out. Cool!

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Great job! Balance the tires, see you in Fontana. Fontana's maybe a tenth quicker than WHP, maybe not. Sounds like your initial set up is pretty good to start with.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

I guess it's possible, though I did have them balanced when they were mounted. But it doesn't really feel like tires to me.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Well done, Dave. :)

Make sure to check the fit of the drive shaft yoke into the transmission if it's been fitted with a bushing or roller bearing. -Al

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Good job on the car, Dave.
I would attempt to fix it before going to Fontana.
Did you have the tires spun balanced? 0-0, while you were standing there?
Who built the driveshaft? .083 wall, 3" ? Should be fine in this application.
Did you bottom it out, then pull back about an inch , for installation?

You have adjustable upper bars? Did you check U-joint angles with a protractor?
This is probably the biggie here.
I don't believe it's the transmission. I check the back half drag many times, by spinning it with a yoke in place .Bent out put would have shown up then.
No extra roller bearings in this trans. It is your basic, entry level model.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

I don't really think it's the trans either, but that was the sensation. Which does lead me to the driveshaft. That was from Arizona Driveshaft & Differential, on Southern near Mesa Ave. I'm pretty certain it was 3". I'll dig through my paperwork. I'll also see how far it can slip into the trans later today. I always had a feeling though that the shaft may be just a little shorter than it should be.

The tires & wheels were static balanced, but I'll have them done again and dynamic this time to be sure. I wasn't watching.

I did set the pinion angle, but I've never done that before and I wouldn't guarantee the work. I used an inclinometer and set the pinion pinion angle parallel to the output shaft, although that left both about 4 degrees off from the driveshaft, as best as I can tell.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

From my experience , most of these high speed driveline vibrations are shaft related. Usually from not having a 3-4 degree balance between the two angles.

Did you say you still had the mufflers on it?

I would guess it was still almost 90 degrees at 8 pm, and ODA approaching 4000'.

Already been over 100 in the valley.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Yes, mufflers still on. It was warm but not really hot. I'll be double-checking some things a little later today.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

I don't really see anything wrong with the driveshaft. It pulls back 1 1/16" from fully inserted into the trans. And it's a 3 1/2" shaft. Maybe there's just a problem with the balance? There is room to go even larger on the shaft.

Here's how it looks installed.

http://i.imgur.com/xBnEzr1.jpg

There's a little over a half inch of output shaft protruding from the transmission.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

That's plenty big for the shaft.You could use a stock driveshaft in that car.
If you've got time, I'd take it to Phx rack and axle , north of the airport.
See Bernie. Have him check runout and balance. He's the best.
Maybe it's the camera angle, but I don't see any down angle on the U-joint.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

You can't really tell from that picture.

I just got the slicks dynamically balanced, and the prior job was done with clip-on weights on the inside only. This time they're stuck on in the middle of the wheel.

I have three days, I'll check into that Mark, thanks for the tip.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

We've always bubble balanced our tires ourselves and use stick on weights in the inside (duct tape) for additional security. Never had a problem. The two times we experienced vibrations at speed it was the driveshaft. Have it rebalanced by a shop that can spin it fast enough. I took one to a local shop and had it balanced and still had a vibration. Mark Williams told.md you have to find a shop that can turn it 10k I believe is the number they gave me. I did that and no problem.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Ed, Usually not a problem. They bubble balance at national meets, of course.
But , if you can get the wheel and tire under the safety hood, it's good way to check for wheel runout or a defective or improperly mounted tire.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Here's a couple of pictures from my test session, courtesy of Jerry Hutchcroft, of Roddin' & Racin' magazine.

http://i.imgur.com/XYKACSM.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/o5Ns52d.jpg

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Great looking car!

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

I took the driveshaft in to Bernie today and he found .019" of run-out. He straightened and rebalanced it while I waited; didn't even use up my whole lunch hour. I'm very optimistic at this point.

I also hope to have enough ballast in to remove the headers. Oops--I meant remove the mufflers. My fingers type faster than my brain thinks sometimes!

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Dave, You found that rulebook section on ballast for Stock Elim.?

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Yes, I always have a lot of trouble figuring out exactly what they mean. But it does sound like the bolts need to be welded, so I'll do that. I'll make sure I add extra weight before I do, since I can't easily add more at the track.

When I upgrade the brakes, I'll add a weight box since the new brakes will be lighter.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Made it to Fontana!


Got through tech okay. Either I miscalculated or the scale here is calibrated differently than Wild Horse, but I'm 50 pounds heavy. But at least I'm good for the class, and I won't have to hold my breath going over the scale later.


http://i.imgur.com/t4fCLkX.jpg

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Who did your converter?

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Figuring that Dave will be busy in the morning, I'll answer for him. I don't think he'll mind.
It's in this thread , back aways anyway.
We did the engine, converter, and transmission. (Blue Streak Enterprises)
Kadar Performance cylinder heads.
I did a 4GC carb for it , but it's got the Deano carb on it now, that he got with a spare motor. We'll play with my carb someday, when the car and I are in the same place.

Thanks for asking.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Did you build the converter? If you did what core did you use? I'm interested in your work, good converters are hard to come by.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Actually, not a core, but rather re-production parts based on the Opel 8 " old standby.
We do the light weight package with something of that hp and torque level.
Not a sponsor here at the moment, so best thing to do is to PM me.
Thanks

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Got two runs in today. The first one I had the RPM up pretty high when I staged, and went -.036 red. Also had my brain in reverse valve body mode resulting in a very late shift into second gear. And there was a head wind. The result was 12.829 at 100.58. It ran quite smooth, but wandered around at the top end. I guess at least part of that was the wind, but I'm not all that impressed with the steering box. Seems to allow it to wander more than my Camaro does. Vibration was mostly or completely gone, not quite certain.

http://i.imgur.com/GpusKPW.jpg

The second run I staged much lower, around 2400 and got an .040 light. Wind had dropped a lot and I shifted on time (6800 RPM). It ran 7100 RPM at the stripe and ran 12.560 at 103.53.

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Doug Holder and I were first out. The wind down by the end was an 18 MPH headwind, we both got blown around a bit. Lots of racers had the same effect down there. There's probably nothing wrong with your car.Second pass at 2:30 or so was with a 5 mph tailwind, no funny stuff at the finish line. Your car is living proof that good race cars can be built at home with very satisfactory results. Great car!!

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Well, darn... out first round.

I thought I had worked out how to get good lights with this car--obviously I was wrong, an .061 wasn't gonna help against his .008. But we had a blast and I'm very happy with the car overall.

Here are some pictures from todays first qualifying pass:

http://i.imgur.com/AHFpoBk.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1os7xoQ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/XZjiPss.jpg

Re: '66 Malibu N/SA
 

Oh well ..That's good that nothing fell out of the car anyway.
Just need to bring it up more on the line...Say, about maybe, I don't know..a thousand ?