[steelrat]

Got out in the Nova yesterday, wanted to see what issue was and what soloutions available to firm up my front end, have been scraping the pan on big dips in the road.

Headed over to Port Moody Wheel Alignment. Who did my rear end install. Met 68SSGrandpa there with his green beast. This years plan is not a total front suspension upgrade, it is on the list for future years to come. So I advised Mike the owner of this. Mike assesed that due to my differnece in front/rear tire size and current rake of the car there were 2 issues. Shocks too soft and Bump Stops too short, need some stiffer shocks and some taller beefier Bump Stops. Left that with Mike to figure out which parts would be best. Quoted me 15 bucks per shock install and overall less than an hour labour with bump stop install. Was going to do at home but...re & re in an hour, with out me under the car in the hot garage toiling. pfft! Mike is another top notch guy to add to the list of stand up guys and shops. He will be getting my $ from the A arm and coil over upgrade in years to come.

68SSGrandpa and I headed out towards Pitt Meadows, brutal traffic and hot. Good test for my fans and cooling system. Stayed at 180. We took the new black sticky Abernathy connector and then headed out to Neaves rd. We had some research to do on the cars.:devil:

On mine, to asses that my blue puff of smoke at starting of car is valve seals only. This was tested through robust bursts of acceleration and decelleration, while 68SSGrandpa followed noting exhaust results. All good, a wee bit of black smoke at launch, and wee bit of blue from passenger exhaust on hard decelleration, no other issues.

Next bit of research, assess if car is performing as per build and performance specs. 68SSGrandpa followed me from a very safe distance as I did a few 1-2 gear launches at 6000rpm shifts, and then a few 1-2-3 gear launches at 6000rpm shifts. 68SSGrandpa matching acceleration from safe distance to ensure accurate data collected on performance

We pulled over and reviewed the..."data". Results, 1st gear is a tire BBQ, 2nd spins a bit then hooks and pulls hard, 3rd is all business and is a rocket. Note: running my car up to 6000rpm in 3rd is a rare event and has my full attention and the pucker factor is very high , but you have to stick to the research plan . I was not watching the speedo, the road and shift light had my attention. 68SSGrandpa's "data" revealed the car went straight and true on launches and shifts, 3rd was clocking over 120 mph. Overall the car went like a "raped ape" a technically assigned 68SSGrandpa term.

Now "data" collection on 68SSGrandpa's. I followed and observed in same safe manner. On launches, much like mine a wee bit of black smoke at launch, and wee bit of blue from passenger exhaust on hard decelleration, no other issues.
1st gear is a tire BBQ, 2nd gear a tire BBQ. 3rd spins at start but then ......, well um. My car the "data" collection car at that time was unable to assess all of 3rd and 4th gear due to insufficent observation opportunity due to 68SSGrandpa's car producing a huge gap between the two of us. :devil:

68SSGrandpa's car fought through all 3 gears to maintain traction, lots of back end swimming. 68SSGrandpa has detailed "data" on current tire/traction challenges. Despite traction issues I also would use the technically assigned 68SSGrandpa term of went like a "raped ape" but times 2 , and screamed like "a banshee"

We concluded our tests and parted ways...smiling the smiles of two big dumb azz kids... I mean researchers.

Note: No golfers, boaters or other Neaves road users were harmed, endangered or mistreated in any way. Do not try this at home, as there is not enough road.... at your home.

Proffesor Kramer any additional "data" ???

Later I headed over to the A & W in Langley as I had never been to that crusie in. Ran into John (forget his handle), who was leaving and heading over to Tim Hortons. I followed and we hung out there for a while, not a big turn out but great to see some different cars. Was my first chance to spend some time with John. He is another avid car guy, quick to laugh and a real great guy. Thanks for the company John :thumbsup:

Back over the bridge and home. Fantastic day.

 

[68SSGrandpa]

Too Close

Shaun has been hanging around me for too long, " Look at the size of his Posts "

Yes, great testing to determine smoke from exhaust, tire addhesion, and safe performance levels on both cars.
Baisc research shows anything more than 500HP and 500TQ is challanging to get all of the power to the ground on street tires, or even MT ET Streets. Both cars have slide-a-link and a lot of tuning would need to be done to move instant center from pleasent street drive mode, to full race mode.
MY ET Streets were way past wear bar, and in fact shot in marble mode, balls of rubber could be picked off them. When MT ET streets get to balling stage the traction co-effecient is like on roller skates, swimmie.
I changed my worn out balled up rubber set to a new early set this AM, I had a replacement set waiting in my garage. Now I can put all 640HP and 600TQ down in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear with almost zero tire slippage with just off idle stomping.
Unfortunatly once those tires get too many severe heat cycles into them, and or 75-100 very hard street passes, they will ball up too. No tire seems to want to live a healthy long peaceful life under the shreading TQ of my SB.


Interseting day of testing yesterday, as Shuan said no wild street manouvers, not a race test, car against car, but a simple machinery test, and no animals or plant life were harmed.

 

[Ken H]

Sounds like you two kids were having a blast ! I'll just bet that Black & White "Car 54" is still out there trying to figure out which way they went !

 

[LeftCoast Carl]

ah yessssss.............. the "testing session" sounds like a lot of fun:devil:
leftcoast carl.

 

[Lil'Deuce II]

Ahhhhh....to be a fly taped to the windshield for those amazing passes:yes:

 

[68SSGrandpa]

MT ET Streets radials

Ahhhhh....to be a fly taped to the windshield for those amazing passes:yes:

Even better was Saturday, I changed the old balled up MT ET streets for a brand new set. Once ET Streets get balls of rubber, or get marbles on them, they don't stick worth poop. The 1st time that happened to me I called MT and asked how to clean the balls of rubber off them. 1st thing Steve asked was how much HP I was making to ball up 275 wide ET streets, after I told him, he said no wonder. Cleaning the ballling would need to be done on the track with a good VHT prepared surface and a good burn out. He said on the street, the pavement basically acts like sand paper, and once they get balled up, they cannot be cleaned via street burnt outs, I have tried that to no avail.
The difference in traction from new to balled is like using a hard compound 235 regular all weather tire, not much traction when they get balled up, actually scarry like on ice in 4 gears.
This is my 3rd set of ET Streets, and I get about 4 to 5,000 street miles on them before they go ballie, so not bad when you consider the traction advantage when new. My BFG G-Force KDW's I average about 8,000 on a rear set, and at about the same price I prefer the traction advantage of the MT's in the hot summer months, and use the BFG's in fall, winter, spring and longer highway drives.
The MT's have all seemed to get balled up right at the wear bars, but I am told if a guy wanted them for track use, just burn the rubber balls off them, and they should be good for lots of decent track only passes, in fact best traction when at the wear bars.
Shaun and I literally rubbed our hands on the tire and balls of rubber fell off.
Steve told me it also has to do with heat cycles on the tire, and this happens only with street use, the rubber gets harder, and then just peels off in layers.