Cordova drags

[Jerry Clayton]

Next weekend, NHRA Div 5 has a regional points race at Cordova,Il just north of the Quad Cities area.
It is a nice drive distance from the Chicago area and a chance to see some high performance cars.

Corey and I will be out there , helping out in an attempt to set the BA/A record (7.00 196mph) We are trying to get the first BA/A into the 6s and over 200mph.

Jerry

[wizard man]

has anyone had problems with there motor missing once in a while and when i make a hard right it really miss,s

[Jerry Clayton]

Well--we didn't set any records but did run pretty well considering the weather--rain off on on, hot , humid, density altitudes of 38-3900 feet.

We were qualified #2 after the first round of quals and picked up another thosandth in the second round with a 7.173 at 193 mph, set out the round of qual on Sat morning waiting for eliminations

During elims we took out the number one qualifier and were then looking in pretty good position as all the remaining cars in the ladder weren;t qualified as far under there index as us. After the run we changed a groken valve spring and I found the oil pump belt running about half on/off the pump as the drive pulley was loose.After repairing some loose set screws and aligning the drive we were ready for the next round, However, with the driver shut the engine off in the burnout area when the oil pressure lite came on--it is set at 15psi and when the 0-5 wt oil in the engine is warm it only reads about 5 # at idle and 45 at 9500rpm.

Packed up and went home--after unloading the car we ran the dry sump pump with a drill and had pressure so we started the car and it had normal oil pressure--

Jerry

[Jerry Clayton]

After tear down this afternoon, it seems it is the thrust bearing on the center main. This weedend the car had a different trans, converter, and spacer plate which I believe contributed to the thrust failure.

[Jerry Clayton]

I thought some of you were interested in drag racing and might have been at least a little curious of what it took to keep me away from the club picnic---It certainly wasn't better food at the track!!!!

[Lowell W]

Jerry,

Any photos? I had to work over the weekend so couldn't make it to the picnic OR the dragstrip OR any of the other half-dozen events all on the same weekend. We try to make it to Cordova a couple of times during the season so, if you happen think of it, drop me an email when you're going again and if I'm not working, I'll take a ride over to cheer you on.

You're right: I'm sure the picnic food was better than the food at the track, although for racetrack food, Cordova ain't half bad. Give me a burger and one of those fried onions and a funnel cake and I feel like the coon that just raided the garbage can...

Lowell

[eschaider]

Jerry,

What kind of engine, blower and fuel ( I suspect alky). Sounds like you were running a pglide? What is the weight break for the class. 190+ or 200 don't matter both are impressive especially if you're sitting in the driver's seat. I remember when 8.0 @ 200 needed nitro to get there and I saw this guy named Don from Florida do it at the 1963 or 64 Drag News Invitational at Dragway 42 in Ohio. Hell of a showing congrats!



Ed

[Jerry Clayton]

No photos Lowell

Ed---500 in hemi, normally aspirated, on gasolene--three speed automatic,4.86 gear--shifts at 9700 traps 9500--
This is 2000 dodge neon that was a old pro-stocker--
Belongs to a customer that we have been helping out with some engine machining and welding of titanium parts

I saw the Garlits/Chizeler 204 runs at Alton Il around 59 or 60

Later, 69----John Keeling and I owned the California Charger top fueler that held the NHRA record, several track records and won many races out west--
Also had one of the first 7 second pro stock cars--picture of the dragster in my gallery

Jerry

[eschaider]

Originally Posted by Jerry Clayton

No photos Lowell

Ed---500 in hemi, normally aspirated, on gasolene--three speed automatic,4.86 gear--shifts at 9700 traps 9500--
This is 2000 dodge neon that was a old pro-stocker--
Belongs to a customer that we have been helping out with some engine machining and welding of titanium parts

I saw the Garlits/Chizeler 204 runs at Alton Il around 59 or 60

Later, 69----John Keeling and I owned the California Charger top fueler that held the NHRA record, several track records and won many races out west--
Also had one of the first 7 second pro stock cars--picture of the dragster in my gallery

Jerry

Jerry,

I'm wowed! That is an awesome performance for a late model at 500 inches. It's really hard to get the necessary compression in those engines even at 500 inches to produce the power levels necessary to run that hard. The large chamber takes a large piston, which has a large reciprocating weight ... well you know the story better than I do you're running the engine.

I am amazed at the engine speed! That is truly impressive for that size engine. My guess is probably titanium valve springs?? Are the heads cast or billet?

It just hit me the car is a neon! That has to be a handful at speed. Years ago a friend of mine in Detroit built a Hemi Colt to compete in Pro-Stock. The first couple of times he drove the car convinced him to sell it and go back to a blown car. The little Colt was difficult to control and way too scary at speed.

I didn't get to see the Garlits Performance in person in 59, I was still in school. I turned 18 in 1964 and got my first race car in 67, it was a used Plymouth Max-Wedge car with the factory aluminim package. Watched you guys race through drag news and the magazines. One time on a trip to California I stayed over the weekend to see you guys race I think at Ontario before they closed it down.

Eventually the tug of the Nitro cars was more than I could manage and I built one of my own with my partner in 1970. We raced it locally in the Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania tracks when ever we could. To this day there is something unexplainable about the magic of a blown nitro engine, even idling!

I'm rambling. Your performance is even more impressive normally aspirated on gas. Wow!

Ed

[Jerry Clayton]

Ed--thanks for remembering


This neon isn't anything like the colt--it is 105 in wheel base and is a 2000 ex prostock car.

The hemi isn't the full hemi spere as you are thinking, but a shallow portion of a much larger spere that locates intake vale top plug almost centered and exhaust vale bottom---it is loosely based on the late model 426 ---cast iron, side skirted block with one side cut away for better oil scav in the dry sump. Bore is something near 4.760 at this time and it uses a short 6 in rod with a Honda rod bearing---oh yeah, did I mention that the seat presure of the valve springs are over 500 lbs? This latest block has 9 needle cam bearings

The trans is a 3 speed torque flite with a 8500 stall converter and rear gear is near a 5.00

Trap rpm is usually above 9700

There are some photos of our front engine dragster in my photo gallery that you probably remember

Thanks

Jerry

[eschaider]

Jerry,

Still impressive! Sounds like the engine is the current Chrysler ProStock version of the Hemi. My quick math tells me a 4.76 bore has something like a 3.5 stroke for 498". The bore centers on the block must be 1.2 country miles (5" bore centers?).

How do you get the pushrods to survive with 500# seat pressure. We first started having pushrod probems around 370/380# seat pressure (on a late model style engine) and have to keep after them like a hawk or we burn up a couple each pass. Never got to 500# seat too cheap to buy new Ti spings and too scared about pushrod/rocker life to go there.

How does the Honda journal affect crank life? Sorry, just full of questions about that new generation engine. I've never seen one apart yet and I am curious as hell.

Ed

[Lowell W]

Speaking of Cordova: This weekend is their World Series of Drag Racing. I had planned to be out of town for the weekend but had to cancel at the last minute so I think I'll go to Cordova this afternoon. Anybody interested?

http://www.cordovadrag.com/2007/even...ERIES_2007.pdf

Lowell