Drag racing my V-8 914 LS6, went out to break 12 seconds today and... Options

[wbergtho]

Good God Rick...That BB red Chevy is fast as hell! Do you still have it?

I don't want to blow any money on drag paraphernalia...but I do rather enjoy going to the strip once or twice per year. My real passion is road racing and would like to get set up with a nice set off race wheels and race rubber...so i can explore more insane levels of traction and speed...Know what I mean? By the way, there will be an event in Sept at Brainerd Int'l Raceway's roadcourse being sponsered by the Slowpoke people (check out slowpokes.org). They are a loose knit bunch of porsche guys (a few other makes sprinkled in) that enjoy tracking their cars on the big roadcourses. Some guys have stock 924's all the way up to the rich dude with the Carrera GT. You might want to see how fast you can get the Alien to lap Brainerd??

[Dr. Roger]

Hey Bill,

very nice!

that's what i'm starting to notice on my MPS's. they seem to have a more narrow threshold of adhesion than some others I can imagine. or maybe i should stop 4-wheelin' my 914... =-O

if you were in the california bay area i'd lend you my 18X11 MPS's for a hand full of runs just to see you break 11.

who here has a 914 that can run a 12.10??? No one i can think of.
awesome!

there was a guy last year who posted video of his 12 second run driving his 283 SBC powered 914.......
quick, somebody get bill a video cam!

[Brett W]

I had friend that went with us last weekend and took some 11.5in road race tires for the back of his RX7. He used them to good success. He would bring the revs up and just drop the clutch. The engine didn't have enough power to send them up in smoke so it would just hook and go.

In your situation you would have to test and see. I would bet you have more than enough power to send them to smoky hell.

If you go to drag radials you may have a problem blowing out gear boxes or axles.

[Chris Pincetich]

Doesn't it always come back to the tires? You did the right thing by bringin old tires to trash at the strip...if you bring some road race tires next time to drag on they will probably be done for after a full day of racing. I don't think your 914 has the same wheels front and back, so no chance of rotating them up. If you want track tires that work really well, better keep them on the track. If you want to get under 12 sec at the strip, maybe you could get some old cookie cutter wheels and mount some fat/skinny tires to drag race with....then post some photos so we can all see the 914 dragster! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[byndbad914]

Does anyone out there think I could improve my 1/4 mile times considerably with road racing rubber? I assume it would be way more effective than street tires. Here's the thing....I don't really want to waste any money on drag related stuff...I'd rather invest in some nice light race wheels and race rubber for the road course. That's really where my heart is. But on that occasional drag strip day....I'd assume the road race rubber would be much more effective than street tires?

Bill

I don't know that road race rubber would help you a lot, but a little. I had Hoosier Rs on my 15s (245/50/15s are cantilevered to about 10.5" width) and I could spin them with little effort. It would hook up, but only if I didn't really stay in it. I could launch 1/2-throttle and start spinning, then ease into it to keep them going for a decent stretch. The launch area of a drag strip may help if there is a lot of rubber already down and it is concrete.

And the car is so light you could launch in 2nd. I never actually lauched in second to say for sure, but seriously - I have 438 lb-ft of torque and I suspect you are similar. I had no need to launch in 2nd but if I were dragging the car, I would try it with the Hoosiers. Maybe then it would work - probably just slip the clutch. Like top fuel (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Otherwise, just get some sticky 10" slicks and some cheap 15x9" or 10" wheels and go for it. With all the 10" tire classes out there, they aren't that much $$ compared to a good set of road race tires you will just wear out anyway. Go with the softer sidewall because regardless of the tire you buy, you will ruin them in a couple drag days anyway.

I intend to do the same with mine when it is back up and running - knock off the front swaybar links, put some slicks on and hit a dragstrip. Now that I think of it, I could probably launch in 2nd and do the whole 1/4-mile in one gear with the 930 if I took it to 8000rpm instead of the usual 7500 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

oh yeah, and 126mph you should definitely be low 11s. High 10s if you had the susp set up (which you won't of course and neither would I - road racing all the way).

[wbergtho]

By dissconnecting the front sway bar...you are allowing the car to roll freely and the rear tires will hook faster...correct? I understand that a really tight suspension would induce wheel spin. Oh...I cannot fit any wheels smaller than 16" due to the 930 calipers. If I were really inclined to play with this...I could remove the rear brake calipers altogether and run front brakes only (unsafe?)...this would allow me to run 14-15" wheels with TALL WRINKLE WALL drag slicks. Fun to think about...but there's a .001 chance I'll ever do it.

Bill

[mskala]

there was a guy last year who posted video of his 12 second run driving his 283 SBC powered 914.......
quick, somebody get bill a video cam!

I think you're talking about Ed up here in Mass, he only had one run and was
not experienced and it showed as 13.40.

[drive-ability]

I have to be honest I have never spun the rear tires. I guess I'm just chicken (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) On the other hand once you do it you never stop, maybe its not a bad thing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) You guys have limited slip? How does the car feel? Fun I bet!

[Andyrew]

It wants to come around really fast...

Even with non limited slip.

We have 2 944 turbo's, one limited, one non.. The non limited, when you get on boost will just light one tire up and if your turning, no big deal. The limited, you light it up... YOu will swing back and fourth, or your gona be spinnin.

btw.. You have the setup... Light up those tires!! Throw it in second, rev it to 2k, and as you drop the clutch, throw your right foot down... Its really fun to look at the speedo.. If your worried, do it on slick pavement.

[rick 918-S]

Good God Rick...That BB red Chevy is fast as hell! Do you still have it?

I don't want to blow any money on drag paraphernalia...but I do rather enjoy going to the strip once or twice per year. My real passion is road racing and would like to get set up with a nice set off race wheels and race rubber...so i can explore more insane levels of traction and speed...Know what I mean? By the way, there will be an event in Sept at Brainerd Int'l Raceway's roadcourse being sponsered by the Slowpoke people (check out slowpokes.org). They are a loose knit bunch of porsche guys (a few other makes sprinkled in) that enjoy tracking their cars on the big roadcourses. Some guys have stock 924's all the way up to the rich dude with the Carrera GT. You might want to see how fast you can get the Alien to lap Brainerd??

Nope, Sold it 20 years ago. I really miss it thou. I never lost a street race back in the day.

Sorry to hijack your thread but here's a story for you. Sandy and I were coming back from a car show on the Iron Range with group of street machiner friends. There were some heavy hitters in the caravan. two Hemi cars, a wicked 340 Dart, etc. A buddy in a 1970 Z28 with a built 350 4sp rolled up along side me on the freeway. We stopped traffic on I35 and went for it. His passanger flagged the GO!

My car pulled so hard I had to back off and let him go about 4 car lengths, then nailed it. I passed him as he was shifting into 3rd gear! We ran for about 1/2 before he caught me and passed me. (I was twisting 7800 RPM's when I backed off) I ran out of gears!

Those were the days!

BTW, yes, loosen your suspension, and lighten the front for wieght transfer. You'll be in the 11's.

[LS6/914]

The main difference between road race and drag race tire construction is the side wall and compound. The drag tire sidewall is designed to buckle under torque to provide a better contact patch and grow in height with wheel speed. For me this resulted in another car on jackstands/tranny in pieces

[wbergtho]

Hey Drivability,

You have to experience wheel spin. It can help you in a tight spot once in a while...Say you want to turn the car around on a road that's tighter than the turning radius of your car?...just rap it up to 2,500-3,000 rpm and crank the steering wheel in the direction of your intended path and give her a nice stab....wheels spinning....car coming around right now. After a few times, you'll be a professional at feathering the throttle and steering with your smoking expensive rubber. I don't suggest to do this all the time (especially if you have a 901 or a 915. It just comes in handy when you want to be a jackass and do stupid showey stuff with your car). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

[byndbad914]

Oh...I cannot fit any wheels smaller than 16" due to the 930 calipers.
Bill

Bill, I have 930 calipers and 15" wheels. In fact, THAT IS WHY I have the 930 calipers - so they would fit under 15s.

In the near future I will probably go to 17x10/17x12 or 13s on mine, so won't matter that I spent all that money on them (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) Anyway, early 930s had 15s on them originally and were a nice, tight package... you have early rotors in the front and turbo rotors in the rear, right (both are around 12.1 or 12.3" diam IIRC)???

[drive-ability]

Hey Drivability,

You have to experience wheel spin. It can help you in a tight spot once in a while...Say you want to turn the car around on a road that's tighter than the turning radius of your car?...just rap it up to 2,500-3,000 rpm and crank the steering wheel in the direction of your intended path and give her a nice stab....wheels spinning....car coming around right now. After a few times, you'll be a professional at feathering the throttle and steering with your smoking expensive rubber. I don't suggest to do this all the time (especially if you have a 901 or a 915. It just comes in handy when you want to be a jackass and do stupid showey stuff with your car). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

I need to find a place where jackasses and show offs are allowed (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap56.gif) I'm sure theres a place somewhere (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)
I finally found out why my engine was running "stupid" at light throttle. A while back I replaced my M.A.P. sensor line because it was getting soft. Turns out a small amount of liquid rubber attached it self to my map sensor vacuum inlet. The little thing would move around and skew the signal at light throttle and it would run lean. Thats not a big deal but as you know these cars tend to have twitchy throttle reactions at slow speeds especially in first gear. Now it runs much much smoother when transitioning from idle to 2k. Wheel spin sound like so much fun, but what If I start doing it and can't stop (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif) :

[Andyrew]

Drive ability, how much hp do you have? You should have wheel spin in first gear if at full throttle with street tires.

[wbergtho]

Hey Tim,

I didn't know the stock 930 wheels are 15". That's good news if I want to buy a set of ugly wheels with drag radials for the strip. Drivability,
I'm glad to hear you have it all dialed in now.

Bill

[andys]

Hey Tim,

I didn't know the stock 930 wheels are 15". That's good news if I want to buy a set of ugly wheels with drag radials for the strip. Drivability,
I'm glad to hear you have it all dialed in now.

Bill

Bill,

Get yourself some iinexpensive Diamond wheels, and mount some race tires on them. Drags, roadrace, etc. 5x130, any offset, 15" or 16".

http://www.diamondracingwheels.com/RoadRaceSeries.htm

Andys

[dwillouby]

Bill I am wanting to do a 930 upgrade as soon as the wife lets me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) Your setup appears to work very good.
What type of mounts, shifter, axles, ect. Cost est.?

Thanks
David

[wbergtho]

Hi David,

Cost on a 930 box varies wildly. The single most expensive thing is the core...at about $2,000-3,000. I lucked out and found a slightly damaged one from a non Porsche boneyard that didn't know it had LSD. It needed a new tail cone casting and the required flipping of the ring & pinion (unless you want to run inverted), new bearings, synchros, sliders, etc. I lucked out and found my core for $600 shipped! The bill to have everything else done was $4020 from CA Motorsports.

I then hooked up a custom made cable shifter mechanism. It cost about $250-300

The axles & CVs are new 73 911

The mounts are all custom fabricated (not hard to do)

Start searching for a core. If you have a trans shop source it for you...they won't be motivated to find you a good deal and you'll spend over $2,500 for one. The best cores to find are 76,77 and 88' because the 76 & 77 are already short bell housing (fits better in a 914) and the 88 has a solid thicker rib on the bell housing where you cut it to make it shorter. Any other year will work fine as well...

Hope this helps

Bill

[dwillouby]

Bill,
Thanks. That helps a lot. I had thought of going through Renegade for this. I can hopefuly source most of this and save some cash.
Thanks again
David