Aftermarket Hemi Heads for LS1

[Merv and Sharon]

I dunno, I was pretty happy with the sound of the Cobra coming through the hills behind the Sunshine Coast at sunset this afternoon ....

[Plums]

Thanks Mike, yes it's going quite well. I was very pleased with the win at my first outting with the car.

I just need to sort out some shifting issues, as the engine keeps hitting the rev limiter before it actually shifts gears. I don't think the computer believes it should be shifting that soon (1st gear only lasts about 1.1 seconds). I have the shift points set at 5500 but it's still hitting the 7100 limiter!!!!! I'll just have to lower them a bit more before the next round.

I nearly bought those wheels too.... They were an absolute steal with new bearings fitted. I was just going to get them as spares.

[Aussie Mike]

7100RPM. Careful those rod bolts don cry "Enough!" and kick a rod out.

I see you've fitted brakes to the front. Are these to help with the burnout? Have you got them on a seperate pedal?

The wheels were a seriously good deal. I'm very happy with them.

Once the Cobra is painted I'm going to start bending tube for a chassis. I'm going a little old school. I've got a MSD ProMag12 Magneto that I will make a drive to run it straight off the front of the cam. Injection will be mechanical on alcohol.

Stock cranks appear to be near indestructible and the only reason to change seems to be to put in a longer stroke. GRP are now making billet aluminum rods for LSX motors. I reckon a set matched to some forged pistons would be the go for a dedicated low maintenence drag motor. Trans will probably be a powerglide 2 speed.

Cheers

[Plums]

I think it was only the earlier engines (up to 2001) that were known for weak rod bolts. This motor is a 2003, out of my VY Sedan.

I put the brakes on the front for a number of reasons.
Firstly, it makes the burnout so much easier and reduces the distance I have to reverse back.
Secondly, when I get used to the car a bit more, I plan to not use the chute and just use the brakes, therefore I can just drive straight back to the pits like a street car. (Mine is the only car in Modified that drives back to the pits. When I do pop the chute, the guys at the end of the strip roll up the chute and put it on the back of the car and I just drive back).
Lastly, the front brakes instantly stop the rear end bouncing. Sometimes when you get off the gas the back starts bouncing, but a little application of the front brakes stops it instantly.

I have a seperate hand operated lever for the front brakes, which is next to the shifter in the centre of the car (between my legs).

I have just received another package from Summit Racing, (gotta love the dollar at the moment) which includes my new rear brakes. The brakes that came with the car are bloody woeful, so I'm putting on some Wilwood 4 piston Dynalites with new hats and rotors.

The car really is a bit different to all the other machines at the track. The front brakes cause some discussion, (Dragsters normally don't have them) and the EFI Commodore engine and 4 speed auto really attracts attention. The best thing is, at the end of the first nights racing of a two day event, I just take the laptop home, study the logged data and timeslips, make a new program and flash it in when I get back to the track the next day..... try doing that with a Carby!!!

When I get my home computer set-up I'll post up a bunch of pictures.