RocketV8

I finally got to drive my Cutlass at the track! We don't have much track time here unless you're actively competing in a class, but this monday there was something called Orsa Drag Fest - an 1/8-mile track open for muscle cars of all kinds. So I raced for the first time ever.

I didn't exactly set the world on fire but damn it was fun! Cars present were around 30% race cars, 50% street and strip, and 20% street cars. I definitely fit in the last category...

My setup:
1965 Olds Cutlass, around 3750 lbs.
Olds 330 turned 352 with a 3.500" stroke.
Unported #2 heads with W31 valves.
Single pattern cam, 211/265 dur, 0.472 lift, 108 lsa, installed at 105.
Quick Fuel HR-680-VS.
Edelbrock RPM intake.
1.75" headers, 2.5" exhaust, Dynomax Super Turbos.
TH350, 2500 stall
8.2" 10-bolt, 3.55 posi.
Kumho Street tires, 225/60R15.

Results:
Best run of the day was 9.33 @ 78.55. 2.38 60 ft.
I experimented with different shift points and 6200 rpm got me the highest trap speed.
Biggest problem of course was traction. My skinny street tires would just spin like crazy. Hell, just half gas off the line lit em up!

My plan right now is to get some decent tires. ET Street a good choice? Any other recommendations?

What do you guys think, any pointers for a novice? I would like to get into the eights with my mild SBO.

Even though I mostly saw tail lights I managed to smoke some Hemi trucks and a 1969 Dart GTS. Did I mention I had a blast!?

wr1970

Man a cherry popped! Now were talking congrats there are several ways to get traction. Is your control arms boxed? You need at least a 9 inch wide tire dot radial no bigger. You can always use slicks 29x9x15! Maybe a rear sway bar and air bag on right rear. I wished we had a picture of the grin because it will take several days for it goes away.LOL

Macadoo

That's so cool! I don't know the first thing about racing so I'm subscribing to this thread. But I would say you definitely need more meat in back. 225/60s are a little thin.

oldcutlass

Its always nice to drive to the track and be able to drive back home with no broken pieces. Glad your first time was a blast. Anymore pics?

Rallye469

Yes, I think a good set of M/T drag radials will being that 60ft down and your 1/8th into the high 8.'s I bet.

Now you've got the bug!!!

Congrats.
-Pete

Macadoo

Just a thought; you didn't try to sticky up your tires by doing the burnout in the puddle, did you? Liquid will hold in the tread until it makes a puddle under your tires while waiting on the tree. Might be best to drive around that thing and back-up into the starting position.

Like I know what I'm talking about

BlackGold

Glad you had fun. Once you get some sticky tires you'll find that your posi isn't tight enough and your converter isn't loose enough. But one step at a time.

oldsmobiledave

Time to upgrade that 8.2" rear axle before you go to drag radials. It wont last long on sticky tires.


Play safe & have fun,

young olds

i always hear that hoosiers are the way to go whether its a cheater slick or full drag slick, i guess it really depends on the car and the track.8.2's arent as week as people think they are, my dad has a 65 nova with an 8.2 all it has is moser street strip axle, c clip eliminator and a mini spool. hes been racing on tracks for maybe 9 years getting into the 10's in the 1/4 and almost 5's in the 1/8. last time it was open for a gear change it did show signs of wear and it probably wont last long but hes gonna run it till it blows.

young olds

with a trap speed like that id say with traction low 8's if not high 7's. my olds 62 cutlass ran mid 9's 1/8 and my best trap speed was 58 or 59mph

RocketV8

Haha, yeah I still got the grin on my face. Seriously, I haven't had this much fun in years!

I don't have any more pictures but if you have Facebook you can check this out:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Orsa-...08410959171008



I did burnout in the puddle, there was no way to drive around the burnout box. And since I wasn't even close to hooking anyway I figured I would try to look cool for the spectators...

I have boxed the rear lower control arms and have a 1" rear sway bar. I have the BMR handling package which includes 1" lowering springs all around and stiffer shocks. 1.25" front sway bar.

Rear end has Richmond gears and an Auburn Pro posi. Axles are stock.

Are you saying I shouldn't go bigger than 9 inch on a DOT radial? Why not? There's not much room on a 65 but I should be able to get some 10 inch tires in there I think.

wr1970

John from Rocket Racing has a very fast 65 in the 9 second 1/4 mile .He runs a 9 in slick. Ten inch not needed period. My best buddy runs a 1965 F85 he uses a 9 inch slick he found out the hard way at Tulsa Oklahoma when he cut down a 10 inch slick going around a corner after a run.The slick rolled over just enough to cut the side wall. His car Runs 11.60 quarter mile. Sound like you have the rear set up with wrong tires but correct parts.Hoosiers are a good slick as someone else suggested. Can't wait to hear how your car runs the next time you race it .Show some more pictures please.

RocketV8

Well, if mr Stolpa can pull wheelies with a nine inch slick I guess it's enough for me too...

So, how about the M/T ET Street Radial (3752R), good choice?

Tire Size: 235/60-15
Tire Construction: Radial
Tire Diameter: 26.00 in.
Section Width: 9.50 in.
Tread Width: 8.40 in.
Tire Compound: R2

I'm thinking a drag radial should reduce rolling resistance while still giving me the traction that I need. A true drag slick might be overkill?

Apart from the wheelspin I must say my car comes off the line in a good, controlled manner. It doesn't squat or twist. We'll see if that changes with traction though.

Rallye469

I agree. You don't need to run slicks.
I found a calculator that says 78mph is good for about 8.60 with 1.9 60ft.
(I typed in my mph and it was pretty accurate)
I think you can easily get the traction you need with that drag radial you're looking at.
My drag radials have been good for 1.51 60's and my car launches terribly.

-pete

wr1970

That is why in the beginning i suggested a dot radial. Slicks require lock screws to keep them from spinning on the wheel. The best way to see if the tire spins on the wheel is to white stripe it and have some one watch it.To see how many time it spins before it grabs. When you get set up proper there will be no slipping period. Great to see a new guy get interested in the sport later.Neeley

RocketV8

It's a plan then, I'll go for the DOT radial.

Once i hook up I need to learn how to drive consistently. I'll fine tune the car from there and see how far I can get this package. I'm pretty confident I'll get into the eights but 8.60 - that would be something! We'll see about that...

Thank you for the tips and pointers guys! You have no idea how helpful it is!

This is my first US car and the first engine I've ever built. No one in my family is into cars and not many friends either. Without the help from you guys I would never have gotten this far!

BlackGold

Just remember that drag radials (regardless of manufacturer) should not be driven on wet roads. While they have enough groove to get a DOT rating, they will hydroplane on water.

RocketV8

Here's a video of the event:


No pass with me in it though



Trucks are welcome as well :

jfb

practice,practice,practice on your reaction times mine are in the five ten to five twenty area plus work on your sixty foots and there is a secret on the tree for a better reaction time find it,this will be your biggest ticket to fun and do not post it! the people you are racing will see it and the internet is great but can damage secrecy.

RocketV8

Well, slight change of plans. I got a VERY good deal on some used ET Streets:

Tire Size: 26 x 10.50-15
Wheel Diameter: 15 in.
Tire Construction: Bias-ply
Tire Diameter: 26.10 in.
Section Width: 10.50 in.
Tread Width: 8.30 in.

I'm thinking about buying them and putting them on a cheap steel wheel such as this 15X8 Bassett D-hole Lightweight:

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Basset...eel,73124.html

http://www.bassettwheel.com/dhole_lightweight.html

Manufacturer says they weigh 17 lbs and that sounds pretty good for 80 bucks.


What do you think? Can I make them work with the correct backspacing?

I hear lots of guys run these tires without tubes. Do I really have the power to spin them on the wheel?

wr1970

Well to answer the first part of your question. I would think a 10.5 wide tire is to wide for a 65 olds cutlass unless the body is modified someway.Will they go under the car yes but they may be too tight and can rub cause them to get cut.Not worth the risk.You need no more than a 9" with the hp your motor is making.The answer two your second question is yes you have enough hp to spin the tires on stock rims or the rims you posted not all slicks need a tube. Hoosier slick is one that no tube is required.They have a stiffer sidewall than Mickey Thompson slicks.I hope this helps.

olds 307 and 403

I ran 9.495 at 72.12 mph with weak 2.175 60 ft. I have the same tires as you are buying but should have taken 5, if not 10 psi out. I started at 20, guys were saying around 9-10 psi is right for our track. I was going to lower it 5 psi a round but said f it, after waiting 4 hours after the second car blew up. I am running no tubes, guy who installed them said if they are put on dry they stay in place. Mine are close with stock 76 Cutlass 15 inch rims and rub very slightly with 10 psi on my 88 CSC. I say there is an easy .5 gain with traction. Unfortunately things break with traction, been there and done that.

RocketV8

Time to update this thread!

I bought the ET Streets (26x10.50-15) and with custom wheels they fit very well. Tight but good. See other thread:

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-pictures.html

Then, to get some more track time I got myself a competition license (valid down to 7.50 ). The driving test was the only run I got though since my safety equipment wasn't up to par (helmet, seat belt).

So, one chance... Got stressed by the pro tree, think I spun pretty bad on launch (tires are 10 years old, pressure was 15 psi) and missed the second shift a little. Pretty bad run but...

13.94 @ 98.84. 2.17 60 ft (1/8 mile time was 8.97 @ 79.39).

Can't wait to get the car safe/legal and start working on those times (parts are ordered and one the way)!

GEARMAN69

Congrats on cracking 13's man , nice to hear. Its funny how the ET Street is rated at 10.5 is more of a 9.5 but a ET Drag 10.5 is a normal true 10.5 wide. I noticed this a while back they rate them differently.

wr1970

Congrats on your PB and getting in the 13's. I hope to see more of your efforts.

coppercutlass

I always say this but when i was running 14.0's going to an x pipe netted me a tenth and a half. Ended up running 13.86 with the x pipe through the mufflers. the 14.0 was with open headers. Also anything that eats up power i went to electrical or manual . Like electric fans and water pump drive and i had manual steering from the getgo. Those little dumb things add up. I also found out taking off the front sway bar at the track helps the chassis move faster. I run a 275-50-15 drag radial to get a little more gear off the line.

Currently with my combo taking the mufflers off and running the x pipe open is worth 1 tenth.

Hope that helps.

RocketV8

Thanks for the tips. I will start by getting my driving and basic tune more in order, need some track time for that first. Right now I'm running true duals, love the sound and simplicity. Does the exhaust note change much with an X or H pipe? They say it mellows out a little.

coppercutlass

it's more agressive sounding and very raspy.i got a video of my car crusing around in the clubhouse section with my go pro. It's named I finally got a go pro. Should give you an idea.

RocketV8

I'll definitely look into it.

RocketV8

Nice video!

coppercutlass

Thanks . I my track videos you can hear it open.

Driving goes a long way. last year I started out with a 13.09 for a best pass first time at the track in 3 years. our second time with a few changes like proper carb , went back to electric fans and water pump got us into the 12's with a 12.91. Our 3rd outing no changes to the car ., we went 12.80 Our 4th outing we went a best of 12.68 with no front sway bar and cooler weather. Our last outing for last year we clocked off a 12.62 in damn near perfect racing weather. The only changes that where done was like i mentioned going to a 750 cfm carb from the 825 cfm loaner , electric water pump and fans , and front sway bar removal. I like to believe driving was half of my gains. figuring out what the car likes etc etc.