[Brian Morency]

Just wondering which should come first for a better track time. Would someone benefit from drag radials over drag shocks, vice versa? I have an 86 Camaro stock shocks and Bf goodrich t/a 60 tires. They are about 10"wide tread contact but hard rubber. Would a Bf goodrich drag radial help more then drag shocks? Same size tire of course.

[cal1320]

I would start with the drag radials first. I wouldn't run 90/10 strut/shocks on the front of a street car. Buy the more expensive adjustable strut/shocks. Dial in what you need at the track and dial back to the stiffer settings for the ride home.
Free or cheap: Make quick disconnects for the front sway bar (Jeep 4x4 sites have the info). That will help loosen the front end for better weight transfer. Reattach for street use.
Move the battery to the rear. Needs a battery box vented to outside
Fiberglass hood (82 Z28 was fiberglass. Don't know about the other years)
Move torque arm off the tailshaft of transmission and attach to x member. Keep pinion angle at 2 to 3 degrees. Sticky tires will pull the trans mount apart and will hammer the trans into the floor on launch and shifts if you do not do this.
Box the factory torque arm.

[Brian Morency]

I just seen to also weld on a pair of lower control arm relocation brackets. Which will help reduce wheel hop. That this is a must adjustment for these cars. Also that the quickest 60' I will be able to run with stock rear end before it breaks is about a 1.7

[cal1320]

You will definitely need a different axle once you begin to hook it up. The 7.5/7.625 is weak. The torque arm acts as a long ladder bar and puts considerable stress on the housing. A 9'' ford would be a smart addition. The 8.8'' Ford axle isn't bad but has c clips like the 12 bolt.

[Brian Morency]

I found a site for direct bolt on 9" from hawks. Its like 3 grand for the one I want. Guess its time to start saving. I'm not even going to bother welding up some lcarb's seems like a waste of time. I'll box the lca's when I weld up the sub frame connectors.

[eloc431962]

Drag radials.



Cole

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by Brian Morency

Just wondering which should come first for a better track time. Would someone benefit from drag radials over drag shocks, vice versa? I have an 86 Camaro stock shocks and Bf goodrich t/a 60 tires. They are about 10"wide tread contact but hard rubber. Would a Bf goodrich drag radial help more then drag shocks? Same size tire of course.

Drag radials w/o a doubt will be the biggest traction improvement you an make short of a drag slick- which you cannot use on the street.

The caution about your diff is a valid point, too. If you're making any power to speak of, and it hooks up on a hard launch (like at the track on a prepped surface) the diff can easily let go. What saves these spindly rear ends is the lack of traction.

[Rhansen]

+1 on the drag radials and the rearend.
I broke mine 3 times in two years and was only cutting 1.88-1.94 60' times. I've seen people get away with much harder launches than that on 7.5/7.625 rears but it didn't work out so good for me.