1987 Grand National Stocker?

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Chad Rhodes

considering the current crop of stand alone fuel systems (computers), getting one to build boost and cut a light would not be an issue. The hp factor is a bit high now, needs a few off. However considering turbo technology and NHRA's ability to tech a turbo beyond inlet housing size and general appearance, it may not matter.

I still have mine (84 TType, low VIN, low mileage, titled to the original owner), it's sitting in pieces in a barn.

Even nearly 20 years ago, we solved the staging/turbo boost problem. You have to have the correct converter, with the ability to "free stall", while creating load to build boost, and with good torque multiplication to launch the car.

An ATI 8" Treemaster MRT, that Jim Beattie built for me, Charlie Plott sold it to me, was the first one to work right. When we put it in the car, the customer was pissed off, because "it takes a year to build boost". Well, he had put it in the car the day before the race, and never tuned it.

The Monday after the race, he went home, and started tuning. When he trashed the "usual tune" of the day, which had no timing advance to speak of ("you can't put timing in it while you're trying to stage and build boost, it will detonate, and blow the pistons and head gaskets out", or so everyone said) and dumped raw fuel in it ("you gotta throw fuel at it, it needs fuel to make boost and power, it will lean out and melt any higher than 7:1 A/F-R") and started actually tuning it, he found that with decent advance, and an A/F-R of around 11-12:1, it would build boost so quick and easy that it was hard to hold in the lights. Without killer brakes, and a stout left leg, it was nearly impossible. He had to go back and get much better tires, put better brakes on the car, and get real deep in the suspension. After tuning, he was literally pre staging, then getting on the converter, and as he bumped into the stage beam, it would go from 2 psi to 16 psi, blow the rear tires off and roll the beam before the tree came on.