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Looking for a car I can take to the drags.


aenigma

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Congrats on your "new" car! I really like those cars & that one, in particular, really looks cool! I had a red '88 TA like 20 yrs ago. I grinded out some material in the upper plenum, just behind the throttle body. It's for the EGR, I think. It's a big restriction. I also relocated the intake air temp sensor to the air box, common mod, & installed AC Delco RapidFire spark plugs & MSD wires, cap & rotor. That along with a high flo cat & a cat-back exhaust and a shift kit netted me consistent 13.8 1/4 mile times. Not a big deal today, but 20 yrs ago... I had a bad ass street car! It felt ALOT faster from the drivers seat!!! I miss that car, you'll love it! It's not a newer ZO6, but man is it fun to cut your teeth at the track with. Have fun & get used to smiling!!! All that's left is to make a 'mix' tape with some Billy Squire & Def Leppard!!!!

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I bet, with modern tires, I coulda cut a few more tenths off that time. That car burned serious rubber! What times did you run with it? Doesn't matter, as it's all for fun, just curious though.

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Congrats on your "new" car! I really like those cars & that one, in particular, really looks cool! I had a red '88 TA like 20 yrs ago. I grinded out some material in the upper plenum, just behind the throttle body. It's for the EGR, I think. It's a big restriction. I also relocated the intake air temp sensor to the air box, common mod, & installed AC Delco RapidFire spark plugs & MSD wires, cap & rotor. That along with a high flo cat & a cat-back exhaust and a shift kit netted me consistent 13.8 1/4 mile times. Not a big deal today, but 20 yrs ago... I had a bad ass street car! It felt ALOT faster from the drivers seat!!! I miss that car, you'll love it! It's not a newer ZO6, but man is it fun to cut your teeth at the track with. Have fun & get used to smiling!!! All that's left is to make a 'mix' tape with some Billy Squire & Def Leppard!!!!

So what do you think about replacing the fuel injection with a carburetor? And head change? I'm going for 12s. Any faster than that and there are too many mods to make.

I went automatic because I'll never trust myself to shift quick enough - my vette is stick because I prefer that in normal driving. But this car shifts too early on the track. I could shift it myself but then I have the same problem as a standard. Recommendation?

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Bromley's Corvettes

I love the plan to swap to carb. T.P.I motors dont make any power there a joke. If you want to get in the 12s your going to need to dump that crap and change intake carb cam long tube headers open exhaust as in no cats and like 3in x-pipe. Also converter like a 4k stall and 4.11 real gear and sticky tires. You can have tranny set up so it wont up shift at W.O.T tell like 5500 or even 6k. You should do a drag pack set of wheels and tires you can still drive on street like that I did it for 20years.

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Bromley's Corvettes

It was funny when you said you where buying a T.P.I car that ran 12s lol. I was like not likely lol. Thats like saying a Cross Fire. car runs 12s lol.

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I love the plan to swap to carb. T.P.I motors dont make any power there a joke. If you want to get in the 12s your going to need to dump that crap and change intake carb cam long tube headers open exhaust as in no cats and like 3in x-pipe. Also converter like a 4k stall and 4.11 real gear and sticky tires. You can have tranny set up so it wont up shift at W.O.T tell like 5500 or even 6k. You should do a drag pack set of wheels and tires you can still drive on street like that I did it for 20years.

I was going to get mickey Thompson street radials. I don't want the complication of changing them out.

I'm happy with my purchase because the car is clean and I can submerse myself with adding to it instead of trying to fix it. Lots of cars are out there trashed and this one was perfect. If damage will be done, I want it done by me. Does that make sense?

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Bromley's Corvettes

I hear you sense its not a DD you can put drag style tires on it and just leave them on all the time. You have a clean car to work with just needs more power lol. I would dump that T.P.I crap asap. Buy a nice TQ converter and have tranny set up to stay in gear longer or learn how to shift it your self at the right RPM.

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I hear you sense its not a DD you can put drag style tires on it and just leave them on all the time. You have a clean car to work with just needs more power lol. I would dump that T.P.I crap asap. Buy a nice TQ converter and have tranny set up to stay in gear longer or learn how to shift it your self at the right RPM.

I don't think I'll ever have the shift ability on the track. I'm too high strung for it. Maybe lots of practice but I've driven sticks for years and tend to lag too much normally.

Good idea.

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Bromley's Corvettes

Ok have tranny set so you can just leave it in drive and it will up shift at like 5500 or so and just keep the car straight and work on the launch and reaction times. If you get super good on the light you can win races that way. You dont need to be the fastest just the most consistent. First thing I would do is carb and intake and air cleaner and dist and converter and tires. What headers and exhaust does it had you need to get ride of any smog crap. You have classic insurance right:)

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No classic insurance yet. I'm waiting to start the work to switch it. I know once I start the work, it won't pass emissions.

Right now - corvette 113 cylinder heads, edelbrock headers and manderal bent exhaust

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I don't want to be fastest, I do want to be consistent. you're right.

Right up til I get better times. I see how people end up doing so much to their cars. It is addicting.

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I see how people end up doing so much to their cars. It is addicting.

I don't know what you mean? :facepalm:

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I see how people end up doing so much to their cars. It is addicting.

I don't know what you mean? :facepalm:

I know!! I already felt it when I was last at the drags. The wheels in my head were spinning already. I know the faster it gets, the faster I'm going to want to make it. Grrrr

What will stop me is the ugly fire jackets. I can barely stand a helmet.

Such a girl.....hahaha

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Doug, As I recall you worked at Arizona TPI around the time I had that TPI car, so you would know the downfalls of TPI. Even with the inherent shortfalls there were quite a few 12 sec TPI cars at Friday night drags back then. As far as the early shifting, you may want to try adjusting the throttle valve cable. It may just be too loose. It literally takes like 30 seconds to do. Hard to explain without pictures though. I bet you can Youtube search it & see exactly what to do. Don't know if it'll make a huge difference tho, as TPI motors like to shift early anyways. I think a 4500 rpm wide open throttle shift is about right.

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Bromley's Corvettes

There where some 12 sec TPI cars but it usually took a lot of work and money to get them there:) Most of them ran 13s and 14s. Most of the 12 sec TPI cars I knew of where using NOS to get them there. LIke a 150h.p kit.

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