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most efficient way to make your car slower?

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Old 09-07-2008, 07:55 PM
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most efficient way to make your car slower?

I'm looking for some ideas to make my car consistently slower for next month's 12.0 Index race. I have almost no chance of winning since it's a very competitive field and a lot of the cars consistently hit 12.0X but it should be fun either way. How do you guys take power out of the car without causing harm to it? Not looking to spend any cash whatsoever so stuff like buying a new carb is out of the question... I'm also not looking to be one of those guys that hit the brakes at the 1000ft mark.

The car currently runs in the 11.5-11.60's @ 118-119mph with a 1.66-1.70 60ft. So I need to slow it down to a 12.0-12.1. I have a whole month to test various stuff out so give me some ideas and I'll try them
Old 09-07-2008, 08:05 PM
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Re: most efficient way to make your car slower?

Un hook the linkage and make your carb a two barrel then pull some timing out of it.And if you still need to go slower add weight in the rear (fill the gas tank)
Old 09-07-2008, 08:08 PM
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Re: most efficient way to make your car slower?

I was thinking of that, but I thought it may take too much power out? How much is unhooking the secondaries typically worth? The other challenge is that this is a street car that I drive an hour to the track so I need to slow it down and then be able to speed it back up as quickly as possible.
Old 09-07-2008, 08:18 PM
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Re: most efficient way to make your car slower?

I was doing this to a 380'' motor I had and could pull around .7 tenth out of it I would bracket race it set up slower beacuse its so damn hot down here. Sitting in a car with all the windows up + a jacket on and then you have an oil down.
Old 09-07-2008, 08:19 PM
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Re: most efficient way to make your car slower?

Originally Posted by 88IROC350TPI
I was thinking of that, but I thought it may take too much power out? How much is unhooking the secondaries typically worth? The other challenge is that this is a street car that I drive an hour to the track so I need to slow it down and then be able to speed it back up as quickly as possible.

Make a positive throttle stop. Also in the past to slow my car I used the stock air snorkle, this would lose 3/10s for me, I also retarded the timing 8°
that was to slow car from 10.8/9s to 11.49 due to no cage at the time.
Smaller front tire will give you better reaction and less et due to loss of roll-out.
Old 09-07-2008, 09:37 PM
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Re: most efficient way to make your car slower?

Disconnecting the secondaries may not make a huge change. Local racer tried that a few years ago and barely slowed down.

A positive throttle stop is probably the easiest. Keep the throttle from going to WOT will slow it down.

You could always put 50 pounds back into the car. Put a spare battery back up front even if it's not connected.
Old 09-07-2008, 10:53 PM
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Re: most efficient way to make your car slower?

what about a carb plate like the ones they used at nascar, its basically just a plate you put between the carb and the manifold to let less air in the motor.


Old 09-07-2008, 11:08 PM
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Re: most efficient way to make your car slower?

You can always short shift the car from first into second if you manually shift. get it close then add some weight to get it closer to 12.0. If you normally shift at 6000 rpms, try 5000 that will kill it a good bit depending on your gear. You dont want it setup for 12.0 exactly anyway, setup for a 11.97 or so, that way if you happen to spin you wont be too slow. If your out in front, just barely rub the brakes to kill those extra 2 or 3 hundreths.

Last edited by 1bad406; 09-07-2008 at 11:13 PM.
Old 09-08-2008, 02:47 PM
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At the typical 100 lbs/tenth of a second, it's going to take a lot of weight to slow it down.

I'd start with disconnecting the carb secondaries. If that gets you most of the way, retard the timing and/or add weight.
Old 09-08-2008, 06:47 PM
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Re: most efficient way to make your car slower?

Take a plug wire off and run on 7 cylinders.

Put a front sway bar back on.
Jet it to run really fat.

Retarding the timing and short shifting will probably have the best results. Get into high gear as fast as you can.
Old 09-08-2008, 07:21 PM
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Re: most efficient way to make your car slower?

Originally Posted by Stephen 87 IROC
Take a plug wire off and run on 7 cylinders.

Put a front sway bar back on.
Jet it to run really fat.

Retarding the timing and short shifting will probably have the best results. Get into high gear as fast as you can.
I would vote against short shifting to early, you will just be introducing alot of trans heat depending what converter you use.
Old 09-08-2008, 07:50 PM
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Re: most efficient way to make your car slower?

washer under the pedal??
Old 09-08-2008, 08:37 PM
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Re: most efficient way to make your car slower?

pedal stop or throttle stop for sure!

block of wood under pedal to stop travel would work. just anchor it down so it dont get stuck under the brake
Old 09-08-2008, 09:05 PM
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Re: most efficient way to make your car slower?

Originally Posted by 87_TA
I would vote against short shifting to early, you will just be introducing alot of trans heat depending what converter you use.
Short shifting will be the easiest and most consistant way of slowing it down for what he's wanting to do. When I dial my car for 7.00 it shifts right after I let go of the transbrake button and the trans temp never gets over 150, high gear clutches still look new after nearly 2 years. He wont have to shift that early, but moving it down 1,000 rpms or so won't hurt the trans at all.
Old 09-08-2008, 10:05 PM
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Re: most efficient way to make your car slower?

call up those guys at joe gibbs racing, bet they can tell you how much hp those magnets were worth lol....They might be very expensive though with the fines those guys are paying lol

You could , like some have said try short shifting first, since that is free and no real work, unless you hot lap the hell out of it i dont think the trans will get too hot, but keep an eye on it. Also and adjustable throttle stop would be good too, either under the pedal or with the cable, What throttle cable mount do you have? adjustable?
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