Ranger finally made some passes

[Dan B.]

After cancellations and rain outs, I finally got the Ranger to the track to try out the 387W/PA C4 combo. Got in four passes and drove it home.....success!! Each pass was void of drama........line lock, rev to 3k in first, 4k in second and roll out. Staged, foot braked to 2K and wacked it when the light dropped. It hooked great and went dead straight...success again!! All four passes went 12.50-12.55 at 104.9-105.5 mph. 60' times were 1.69-1.73. Over the old 351/C4 combo I gained 1.4 seconds and 7 mph. The trap speed seems low since I saw 13.50 ET cars also going 105mph.

For a vacuum secondary carb and 3.55's w/ 28" rear tires (325/50-15 MT DR's) I think I'm content. I know......a vacuum carb....yuckl!! Yes.....but it's so smooth on the street and I drive this thing a ton. I have a good 750DP on the shelf and 26" ET Street mounted on extra wheels. Need to throw them on for the next trip down and see what happens. Also have a set of 4.56's ready to rock on the shelf but pretty sure I'd run out of RPM's before the end of the track....unless someone can convince me otherwise!! ;)

[travj31]

nice times... congrats

[PaxtonShelby]

Nice runs Dan - VERY consistent, especially considering it is a new combo for ya.

[Martin0660]

pretty sure I'd run out of RPM's before the end of the track....unless someone can convince me otherwise!! ;)

Never out of RPM's, just not enough of valve train or connecting rod :D :D :D :D

Good to see you leave the track happy, that is ALWAYS a good first step ;)

[Cam99]

Nice Dan, congrats on getting it down the track and back!

[speedracer]

Never out of RPM's, just not enough of valve train or connecting rod :D :D :D :D

Lol!!!

[scott5]

With the 26s I think you will pick up some. Congrats on the Times.

[CobraII]

Nice runs, congrats! I saw the Ranger going down track in between wrenching on my junk, and never put 2 and 2 together. Nice ride, runs great! If you bracket raced, I'd agree about dumping the vacuum secondaries carb, but you've got a good set up now it sounds like. Is the carb on there a 750? Maybe jet up a little, see if the mph improves. Nice 60' times too. I like the idea of trying the 26" tires.

[Dan B.]

Yes....carb is a 750 Holley vac w/ the lightest spring.

At this point I'm torn. Would really like to see an 11 second time slip but don't want to be jacking it all up for street driving. If it could happen with gears and tires would be great but don't think that will do it. Would really like to take it somewhere and have it tuned on a dyno to eliminate any guesses as to what it really would like for timing and carb.

What were you wrenching on?

[scott5]

Try the tires first if you have them. Imo with that gear your hitting yourself big time with the 28s. If you do change to a 4.56 the 28s it will probably work out at the same as the 3.55/26 setup.. and a street setup with 4.56s and auto aren't fun.

My fast car runs a 3.90/th400 and a 275/60/15 et radial pro and slow car runs a 3.73/4l60e on a 315/35/17 Nt05r. The slow car gained .3 but lost mph when I put the 275/60s on it. It was all in the 60'

[somethingclever]

Drive to track make passed and drive home....success!!! Great times and good 60' for not much converter and gear/tire combo. Ever had the truck on scales?

[Mark Aubele]

Dan I know we talked a bit about the carb, but I don't see why you can't make the mechanical secondary carb work on the street. My '64 and every other car I've had a mech carb on had very acceptable drivability. Before I went too crazy I would absolutely get it on a dyno (you'll probably find 30hp), and I would try the 26" tire before I touched anything.

The mph is a bit low (but 13.5@105 isn't the norm), with your 60' I would expect 108-109. Even more reason to tune it on a dyno or at least get a wideband, sounds like it is lacking on top for the mph to be low.

[THE BIG KOALA]

Nice talking to you at the track

[scott5]

Race weight?

[Dan B.]

Think the truck weighs around 3400-3500 w/ driver......I'm not exactly a horse jockey but not Hulk sized either. The convertor is a Hughes 3500. I do have a wideband....at idle and cruise it's right on. Idle is around 14 and cruise is high 12's to 13. But WOT is goes rich.....mid 11's.

I've driven mech sec carbs on the street before and never had issues. But I like the smoother part throttle driving of the vacuum. Maybe over the long weekend coming up I'll swap carbs just for you Mark!! That and a tire swap.....then maybe see what happens next week for weather and try to make some hits at the track.

[CobraII]

I was wrenching on my Cutlass, putting the engine back in. It broke a lifter, thought I had wiped out the cam. Couple of bent pushrods too.

I agree with Mark about your mph, and the 13.50 at 105mph. I also drive my mechanical secondary carbs on the street, 850 when it had the big block, 650 on the small block.

If you can make Saturday at PRP, the weather looks awesome. You'll get about a tenth right there compared to last Thursday. If those 26" are DOT legal, you can run Trophy for $25, guaranteed at least 3 runs (2 times trials plus first round of eliminations). Not that I put much faith in a forecast 8 days away, but next Thursday is looking wet.

[Mark Aubele]

Dan, if your A/F is in the 11s at WOT you are leaving a ton of hp on the table.

[Dan B.]

Dan, if your A/F is in the 11s at WOT you are leaving a ton of hp on the table.

Can anyone recommend a good tuner that works on carb'ed vehicles??

[travj31]

How far you willing to drive? I know a couple of guys that are great, but they aren't that close to you and it's hard to get them to work on things sometimes.

Can anyone recommend a good tuner that works on carb'ed vehicles??

[PaxtonShelby]

Sent you a text Dan.