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looking for more hp!


Lucas8585

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took my 87 to the track last night and with my new t/c got a 60 ft of 2 seconds flat but only ran a 14.104 at 98 mph. car is pretty much stock with exhaust, intake and throttle body. is there anything else besides getting into the motor that will get me in the 13s???? open to all ideas. already have nos but not a big fan of it.... and is my 14.1 good or bad time for tpi???? thanks!

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I'd go with a set of LT headers, CAI, larger throttle body and new exhaust. This should free up 25-50 extra ponies and will put you just a little closer to that 13 bracket. If you can afford it, I'd also install a hotter cam.

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With consideration of not going into motor. What rear gears are you using? How heavy are your wheels? How heavy are your breaks? Have you done mods to get the nose to lift? Can you go to a different size tire? 2 tenths shouldn't be hard to find somewhere and is a completely atainable goal. Any information on how the car reacts will help us. I have gone through so many phases with the el camino that I can honestly say there is ALOT to be said for mods that have nothing to do with motor at all. Suspension, reduction of rotating mass, and unsprung weight being the biggest areas. My personal favorite mod so far has been the weld wheels. Being lighter they feel more spirited and torqey around town. Spins the wheels easier when I want. And the part I did not expect....stops harder and faster with the stock brakes. I can't give a track time dif since I did not go to the track at the time of the change. Seat of the pants was obvious difference right away. Also seemed to give a boost in mpg as well. Next going to try aluminum brake drums for the rear from an S10 that are suppose to be a direct swap. Also trying a mod next month that may allow me to keep the front swaybar while allowing the front to lift as if it was not there. Wheels were around $100 each on craigslist. Brake drums will be around $70. Swaybar mod will be around $50. Mods do not have to be expensive.

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Also test to make sure your tires are not spinning on the rims. Just use a little whiteout etc. that will wash off. Mark a spot where they meet. Take it for a few hard launches and see if the marks move.

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Put some sticky tires on it, make sure the engine is getting cool air from outside the engine compartment and practice. :)

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traction really isnt an issue so much as when i hit second it doesnt seem to have what it had in first. just had trans rebuilt and car seems to run great and that new stall is launching me faster than guys running 12s. just seems like gearing might be the way i want to go but i d0nt even know what i have in it now. so far all i have done to the car is k&n RAM air intake, 58mm edelbrock throttlebody, 2500 t/c, no more pre cats and eliminated the mufflers. i also have a 50 shot nos but hardly ever use it. what is a good gear to run and what do i have now??? 87 automatic.

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Bromley's Corvettes

I would do LT headers and 3in X-pipe system and 3.70 or 4,11 gears and light wheels. Run that for a bit then big cam and you will need sticky tires at that point. Posted Image

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I would do LT headers and 3in X-pipe system and 3.70 or 4,11 gears and light wheels. Run that for a bit then big cam and you will need sticky tires at that point. Posted Image

i did some research on gearing and found out that my car came with 2.59 gearing and a dana 36 carrier. 3.07 sounds reasonable but 3.70 is a little much dont ya think. and thanks for cats suggestion doug!!!! that was my clanking prob.
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From a 14.1 to something in the 13's can be done for $0 and 10 minutes time. However, as soon as you run a 13.99, you know you'll want more. The real question is: How much are you willing to spend and how quick do you want the car to run? Once you establish your goals, then finding the method to attain them becomes much simpler.

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The 2.59 was standard in '88, but in '87 a 2.73 was the standard. Both years had a 3.07 as the option. All Manuals had the 3.07, so that might be a fairly cheap swap. Most every car I've ever owned had a tag of some nature on the differential that indicated the ratio. Get under there and see what you find.

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The 2.59 was standard in '88, but in '87 a 2.73 was the standard. Both years had a 3.07 as the option. All Manuals had the 3.07, so that might be a fairly cheap swap. Most every car I've ever owned had a tag of some nature on the differential that indicated the ratio. Get under there and see what you find.

put car up on some stands got under there and found nothing except a spotless rearend! lol i look all around. time to do this the old fashioned way turn wheel and count driveline turns and do the math!!! my goal is to be in thirteens and reliable. changing gears is what i have been hearing to make a the difference!
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A gear change doesn't add any HP, but it can help your ET by getting you into your power band earlier. A switch from a 2.73 (orig '87) to a 3.07 (opt '87) will make a difference, but nothing real significant. Certainly don't expect more than .1 improvement in ET and a 10% reduction in MPG. Just curious about your times at the track. Can you post the time of the day and the respective ET.

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Change gears, loose weight from the car (take the passenger seat out), slicks/ skinnies, Headers, Cold Air kit. Or.... Put the car on the road course, which is a lot more fun.... :) I have done both... My vette runs deep into the 10's and I can tell you that running for 20 min on a road course is so much MORE FUN.

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I would do LT headers and 3in X-pipe system and 3.70 or 4,11 gears and light wheels. Run that for a bit then big cam and you will need sticky tires at that point. Posted Image

i did some research on gearing and found out that my car came with 2.59 gearing and a dana 36 carrier. 3.07 sounds reasonable but 3.70 is a little much dont ya think. and thanks for cats suggestion doug!!!! that was my clanking prob.

Mine is a '92 with a 700r4 and a Dana 36. Stock it also had 2.59 gears. Long before I bought it one of the previous owners changed the gears to 3.73s. I love them. 85 mph is 2900 rpm, not great on gas mileage, but quick out of the whole. The 700r4 has now been modified to work with the LS3 Hot Cam now in the car, but the Dana 36 and the gears have not been changed. I was told that as long as I don't put drag radials on the car and go to the track, the 700r4 and Dana 36 should take the extra hp and tq.

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Change gears, loose weight from the car (take the passenger seat out), slicks/ skinnies, Headers, Cold Air kit.

Or....

Put the car on the road course, which is a lot more fun.... :)

I have done both...

My vette runs deep into the 10's and I can tell you that running for 20 min on a road course is so much MORE FUN.

Road course are great... if you have the money. its too hard on my car!!! i know drag racing isnt the best on them either but i enjoy it!
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A gear change doesn't add any HP, but it can help your ET by getting you into your power band earlier. A switch from a 2.73 (orig '87) to a 3.07 (opt '87) will make a difference, but nothing real significant. Certainly don't expect more than .1 improvement in ET and a 10% reduction in MPG.

Just curious about your times at the track. Can you post the time of the day and the respective ET.

:

Ran about 9pm on sat nite. cool outside

What do you think about the performance computer chip for my car???

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A gear change doesn't add any HP, but it can help your ET by getting you into your power band earlier. A switch from a 2.73 (orig '87) to a 3.07 (opt '87) will make a difference, but nothing real significant. Certainly don't expect more than .1 improvement in ET and a 10% reduction in MPG.

Just curious about your times at the track. Can you post the time of the day and the respective ET.

:

Ran about 9pm on sat nite. cool outside

What do you think about the performance computer chip for my car???

tried to post time but didnt come out so great! lol
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A gear change doesn't add any HP, but it can help your ET by getting you into your power band earlier. A switch from a 2.73 (orig '87) to a 3.07 (opt '87) will make a difference, but nothing real significant. Certainly don't expect more than .1 improvement in ET and a 10% reduction in MPG.

Just curious about your times at the track. Can you post the time of the day and the respective ET.

:

Ran about 9pm on sat nite. cool outside

What do you think about the performance computer chip for my car???

tried to post time but didnt come out so great! lol

This Sat night will have about the same weather conditions as last week, so to get that 13 sec. timeslip do this:

Pull out the passenger seat and everything thing else that is not attached. (not regis & ins)

Pump up the front tires to 45-50 psi.

Pump up the rear tires to 35 psi. You can always let some out 2-3 psi at a time until you hook good. I hooked with 30 psi a few weeks ago and cut some 1.5x 60' times.

Pull off the air cleaner element, but not until you get to the track.

Use up all but 1/8 tank of gas.

Don't go through the water box, but do spin the tires just enough to get them cleaned off. No real burnouts.

Shallow stage so the second light just barely comes on.

Bring up the rpm a bit, but do not exceed 1200 rpm.

Wait for a full green, because you'll be fully focused on the launch.

If you spin, just motor down the track and try again at a slightly lower rpm or drop tire pressure.

If you hook, pick up that 13 second slip and smile.

I'm hoping to be there to cheer and support you. Maybe Victor will go too, if he's still alive. Then we can talk about going deeper into the 13's.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Change gears, loose weight from the car (take the passenger seat out), slicks/ skinnies, Headers, Cold Air kit.

Or....

Put the car on the road course, which is a lot more fun.... :)

I have done both...

My vette runs deep into the 10's and I can tell you that running for 20 min on a road course is so much MORE FUN.

Road course are great... if you have the money. its too hard on my car!!! i know drag racing isnt the best on them either but i enjoy it!

It's not to harsh if you just maintain it afterwards. Teh previous owner of RedCar tracked it quite a bit (Laguna Seca), and other than massive cleaning duties underneath, it wasn't bad at all!
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