Project Drag 521

[EricJB]

You guys are funny. The GF puts up with more of my shit than you can amagine. She was working and the booger eater was at school. I work swing shift.

 

The trans is in. It goes forward and backwards. And I'm sore as Hell.

 

Stripping the doors tomorrow, and replacing glass with Lexan. It will probably just offset the added weight of the bigger trans.

 

I have a device I'm putting together to release the clutch a bit slower in 1st, to soften the hit and save drivetrain parts. More on that later.

[wayno]

What are your RPMs when you dump the clutch?

Do you start spinning again when you shift into second?

[EricJB]

What are your RPMs when you dump the clutch?

Do you start spinning again when you shift into second?

 

Right now I'm at 6600rpm. I tried 7000, and thats what took out the driveshaft and trans. Last year I left at 5500(full throttle) on a 2 stage rev limiter, but the class I run in doesn't allow them

As far as traction, It's adjustable with ladder bar setting and tire pressure. The ladder bars are a pain to adjust, so I've gone to the track with them not right, and had to deal with it. I started out with it dead hooking ( no slip). Really hard on parts. Then it spun the tires really bad.

It was pretty close last time out. It spun a few revolutions and then hooked, and stayed hooked. But now I will be leaving full throttle again, so I have to start over.

[EricJB]

Only one door today.

 

 

The door panel's back on. I would guess it's 10 to15 pounds lighter.

[wayno]

Wow, that's way differant than how I used to street race, I would drop the clutch at about 1500rpms and when it quit spinning I would start putting my foot in it, trying not to get it spinning again, which I was fairly good at, as I left everyone on the line, then they would start to catch up near the end of the race(1/4 mile), as I couldn't go much faster. :lol:

I didn't have a posi, and the car would burn out at an idle with no one in the car parked against a wall, it was funny watching the tires spin with no one in it.

[EricJB]

So here is my solution to breaking parts. I got this idea from a guy who runs an 11 second karmann ghia, without breaking parts. I finished it yesterday, and it works perfect.

 

The point of this thing is to slow down the return of fluid, and make it adjustable, in the hydraulic clutch. But only in first gear.

 

Step1. Mount a momentary switch on the shifter, that is only closed when in 1st gear. I went with a toggle because it's what I had. I bent the bracket around until it would only close the switch if I push on it.

 

 

Step2. Mount and plumb a cheap Biondo line lock (39.95 from Summit) into the hydraulic clutch.

 

 

Notice the T fittings going through the firewall. They go to a one way adjustable valve, that is free flowing in one direction and adjustable in the other. ( 28.00 from McMaster Carr)

 

 

So when the trans is in 1st, the line lock blocks the flow and diverts it through the adjustable valve. You can literally close the valve and dump the clutch and it just sits there. I did about 15 full throttle launches in the driveway and adjusted it to just slip a bit. I will have to retrain myself on the tree, because there is a bit of a delay ( maybe .2 sec ) . As soon as you pull the shifter away from the switch, it's back to normal.

 

The rear tires are now going back to a dead hook setting (14psi). We'll see if it works on June 2nd, if it doesn't rain.

[wayno]

Good luck on june 2nd, that's an interesting setup, it's like an auto(soft) in first when you let out the clutch, then acts like normal.

Does the stick move around when you dump the clutch, or are you solid mounted?

[AtomChurch]

Wow. I like this. Good job! haha

[Farmer Joe]

dude, this thing is trick...

 

id really like to see it or some video.. sounds like a whole barrel of fun lol

[EricJB]

Pretty damn good day at the track.

 

1st pass. 14.76 @ 88.44 mph

 

2nd pass 14.80 @ 88.17

 

3rd pass 14.76 @ 88.85.

This was 1st round eliminations. When I pulled into the staging lanes and looked over to see who I was running, I knew I was going home. One of the most successful sportsman racers in division 6.

But the truck ran awesome all day, and really consistant. Now I just need to work on my reaction time, And staying away from the badasses for awhile.

[wayno]

Pretty damn good day at the track.

 

1st pass. 14.76 @ 88.44 mph

 

2nd pass 14.80 @ 88.17

 

3rd pass 14.76 @ 88.85.

This was 1st round eliminations. When I pulled into the staging lanes and looked over to see who I was running, I knew I was going home. One of the most successful sportsman racers in division 6.

But the truck ran awesome all day, and really consistant. Now I just need to work on my reaction time, And staying away from the badasses for awhile.

 

This is very good for a datsun 521, keep it up, only a couple more mph and you will be at 90mph, most L block 521s won't do that given all the freeway and time they want.

[EricJB]

Thanks Wayno. Going 0 to 88.5 in 1320 feet is definatly a rush in an old L powered 521. I knew there was a 14.xx in it. Not sure if theres much left with the head that's on it. It might be time to make it breath a bit better.

But I think I'm going to leave it alone and enjoy it for a bit.

[wayno]

Thanks Wayno. Going 0 to 88.5 in 1320 feet is definatly a rush in an old L powered 521. I knew there was a 14.xx in it. Not sure if theres much left with the head that's on it. It might be time to make it breath a bit better.

But I think I'm going to leave it alone and enjoy it for a bit.

 

 

What head you have?, or should I know that already. :confused: :lol: :hmm: :lol:

 

OK, I went to the first page and found you are using an U67 cast head, which is open chamber, but has the big valves the best I can recall, have the intake passages been ported?

Seems like you would have done that to match the intake manifold, what else can you do?

[mrbigtanker]

Pretty damn good day at the track.

 

1st pass. 14.76 @ 88.44 mph

 

2nd pass 14.80 @ 88.17

 

3rd pass 14.76 @ 88.85.

This was 1st round eliminations. When I pulled into the staging lanes and looked over to see who I was running, I knew I was going home. One of the most successful sportsman racers in division 6.

But the truck ran awesome all day, and really consistant. Now I just need to work on my reaction time, And staying away from the badasses for awhile.

Good job bro,i think your a little faster then these guys would run with a KA24 swap in my opinion.I got a 2.3 and i hope it runs even close to what your running.

[EricJB]

 

 

What head you have?, or should I know that already. :confused: :lol: :hmm: :lol:

OK, I went to the first page and found you are using an U67 cast head, which is open chamber, but has the big valves the best I can recall, have the intake passages been ported?
Seems like you would have done that to match the intake manifold, what else can you do?

It has the stock( and I mean $4.00 stock) Z intakes and stock exhaust valves. So first off is bigger stainless. I have a friend who is an outside salesman for central welding, Working on getting a deal on a tig welder. the plan is to make a bunch of closed chambered, big valve U67's. Maybe even raise the floor of the intake ports a bit. I need to find an old oven to pre heat, and a freshly decked block to bolt them to upside down to keep them straight. Bigger cam, and I have to get rid of that SHITTY short header as well. And I will probably go with a set of 44 Mikuni's I have collecting dust. So more of a whole top end upgrade.

Thanks Mr Big. I made 2 passes against a good ol dude running a Mustang 5.0, and he was running 14.56. I would leave on him and then he would blow past me at the about 1250 feet. Had a blast running him.

[Farmer Joe]

damn dude!

 

14s from a L powered 521 is impressive, sir!

 

how'd that clutch release system work for ya?

[EricJB]

The clutch gizmo ( we call it the flux capaciter ) works perfect. Being able to leave at 7k with the pedal mashed, dropped my 60ft time from 2.055 to 1.78 seconds. Thats what made the difference in ET. i'm going to a test and tune on friday to dial it in better. I also have been having trouble with the throttle linkage, that I think I have sorted out. So maybe theres a bit more in it.

We had a good laugh yesterday when we realized the flux capaciter made it go 88mph.

[Farmer Joe]

 

We had a good laugh yesterday when we realized the flux capaciter made it go 88mph.

 

:lol: :lol:

[EricJB]

Forseeing the race last weekend being rained out, I decided to tear the 521 apart and build some solid motor and trans mounts. Leaving full throttle was torquing the motor over and pulling on the throttle linkage and bending the tabs (stops) on the carbs, allowing the butterflies to go past center (closing).

 

 

 

 

 

Tonights TnT rained out too. So now I have to wait to see if it goes faster on July 6th. 14.6 is the target.

[wayno]

I seen the solid motor/trans. mounts you fabbed up in the drag truck, is that nessasary?

Is it a common thing to do?

Seems like it would start to cause things to break, you have a cushion with motor and tranny mounts, it's just a hammer without them.

You posted before I could get my reply done, so there is a reason, don't you have a cable for the throddle?

[EricJB]

Solid motor mounts are pretty common. Solid trans mounts are not recomended on anything with a lot of torque.

 

I do use a cable, but the rear carb linkage is really close to where the cable comes through the firewall, so I had to tie it away. When the motor torqed over, it pulled the bracket on the manifold and pulled the cable way tighter than I had adjusted. It took me awhile to figure it out. Now I have to wait to see how much less than full throttle I have been running with.

 

When I lifted at the end, the motor was at 5500 with my foot off the gas. It was bending it that bad.

[EricJB]

Well after having my throttle linkage self distructed last Friday, and having to run 2 races on Saturday with needle nose visegrips holding it together. (Yes, I got through tech with it hanging under the manifold) I got it fixed and finally got to play with the GoPro.

 

This was the first pass on Satuday the 14th, and the 2nd fastest to date. 14.66 @89.55mph. Turn the volume way up!!

 

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iS9ouXak8E&feature=youtu.be[/media]

 

 

 

Later that night, I ran 14.645 on a 14.650 dial in, ( Thats a breakout of 5 thousandths of a second) putting me on the trailer for the night. It was by far the best race i've had so far. Door handle to door handle the whole way.

 

 

More to come. This shit is so addicting.

[Dirttrack510]

Cool Video, keep em' coming. Nice Job :thumbup:

[wayno]

Awesome guy, you know how many of are 521s won't even do 90mph, and your doing it in less than 15 seconds. :thumbup:

[Farmer Joe]

man you have that thing down to a science!

 

the engine sounds really tame at idle.. surprised me a bit...

 

it does rev pretty well tho! this this gets outta the hole in a hurry. what kind of 60fts are you gettin?