I've got a SERIOUS problem with my girlfriends camaro.......I can't ever seem to cut a 60 ft below 2.4, and if I were to get 2.3, that would be AWESOME for me. i think this is really hurting my 1/4 mile times.

Car ran a best 14.6 @98.5mph with a 2.4 60ft.
305 carb, Comp 262 cam,TH350 short shaft auto, no shift kit, stock TH350converter, 3.42 gears, peg leg, solid torque arm connection (have it rigged up so the torque arm is bolted to the crossmember), stock control arms, stock everything suspension, Comp T/A 255/50/16 tires (SUCK!!!) on stock camaro rims, stock springs.

I know that obviously adding a posi would help things, but I know that I could make it faster by doing other stuff. My friend has a built 357 Firebird that runs well into the 12's with a non posi 3.73 rearend.

how exactly should I launch this car for best 60 ft times? Power brake or just gun it? I tried a small power brake at the track and ended up with a 2.7 60 ft What are some traction tips for a peg leg? I doesn't really spin THAT much at the track.......it just kinda bogs if I just ease into the gas then gun it. What should the camaro be running if I got a decent 60ft? Would the MPH change any?
chris

 

What is your tire height? You should beable to go with a 28" or 29" tire, that will make the footprint a little bigger and maybe alieviate a little more tire spin. Are you doing a pre-run burnout? [one tire burnouts are so embarrassing], if you are, stay OUT of the water as much as you can! Water = BAD for radial tires. If you are not doing any sort of pre-run burnout, try one about a couple feet past the water, guys used to tell me not to bother with a burnout with radial tires at all, but withOUT a bunout my 60' was around 2.12, WITH a burnout, i've gotten a 1.94 60' with General radial tires [15x8 28" tall, stock posi w/2.73 gears]. It is also very much about the track, here in So. Cal. i frequent 3 different tracks and i get 3 different 60' ET's, so only compare 60' times to the same track. Also, what tire pressure are you running? For radials you want to run 35 psi, or atleast nothing LOWER than 30 lbs. - Let us know how it works out.

 

Well, I think I discovered half the problem at least. Looked under the camaro today after hearing a loud knocking noise and found that my "custom" angle-iron torque arm mount (TH350 swap) is halfway snapped. Doh!

 

That would ruin your pinion angle. That could be a big part of your poor 60' times. Invest in a good aftermarket adjustable torque arm and some LCA relocation brackets. Put an air bag in the passenger side rear spring. Start with 15 PSI of air and work up from there.

You have good MPH. A better converter will wake the car up.

 

Definetly try everything you can think of. What everyone else so far has suggested is great...but remember that every car is different. Just make a lot of runs at the track, and document how you launched at the top of your timeslip. That way you can compare launching techniques when the day is over.

It takes some time to figure things out when you change your setup. The LCA's and getting a nice torque arm will help a bunch.

-Doug

 

It`s all in the gas pedal

 

Try different pressure settings in the tire. Maybe 28-30 in the right side and 34-36 in the left. A good accurate tire gauge is a must. Do not drop the pressures below 28psi though. With that torque arm flopping around that would completely screw up your setup. Being able to adjust your suspension is a great thing. That could really help you out.

 

Stephen 87 IROC, I have been looking around for an air bag and have had trouble finding one, you have any part#'s. Thanks

 

ive never heard of 35psi or more for racing with radials. if i have anything more than 25psi in my Vettes tires, i spin all over the place! with 20psi in both rear tires, i have clocked off 2.0-1.9 60fts