Mr DOHC wrote on Sun, 06 March 2005 08:28

holy crap, that is freaking mad , can i borrow it next time i go to the drags just remember, once u go quicker than 10.99 u will need an andra approved rollcage, so u may only get one run and then they'll tell u to go home and dont come back till its spec'd. i cant remember the speed limit for needing a chute, i think its either 130 or 135mph so basically, when u go out, do a few half track passes to make sure its gonna go straight and true, and then go for a full track run, cause u may only get one chance to do it.

Ah, Mr DOHC, yes, the 10.99 rule gets mentioned most times I talk about this deathtrap/car/comedy of spare parts, HOWEVER, Adelaide International Raceway is a funny place. It's owned by Bob Jane, like Calder Park. In the mid-late 90's something went down between BJ and ANDRA (I think, although perhaps someone else from Adelaide or Melbourne can clarify?) which resulted in AIR and Calder Park no longer running ANDRA sanctioned events. ie no comp meets.

What it also means though is that ANDRA are not present at AIR in any form and so their rules don't apply either.... There is still scrutineering, however the usual ANDRA way of letting you complete the meet once you have run a ten, but then not allowing you back until 'The List' has been ticked off, doesn't happen. It's all a bit 'freestyle', with there being no real hard and fast rules besides basic vehicle roadworthiness standards . From memory, once you run an 11 at an ANDRA track you have to fit a harness (4 point min?). However, the two times last year that I had the Crown out there with the Landcruiser motor in it, it ran in the 11's both times (0.05 off a ten at the second meet) and none of the AIR staff even looked twice at me. The car was just running new inertia reel shoulder belts and Toyota Surf seats.

The lowdown is that at AIR you can run anything you like as long as it's basically roadworthy!! Having said that though, I suspect that once I run the next meet and (hopefully....)do multiple sub 11.00 runs at 130mph+, they will start tightening up on me just for basic safety reasons.

Last time out on the 11.04sec run with a lazy launch (didn't stall it up at all-just stabbed it off the line so it didn't smoke up) the car's trap speed was 125mph/201kph on the McRearey tyres (25 inches tall) and the datalog on the laptop showed a max RPM of 5950 (redlines at 6000...). On the next visit I'm guessing I should have an extra 100hp at the treads minimum and the short runner intake and bigger arse on the blower should also allow it to pull a lot harder in the 'top end' (ha ha-as if aiming to make power past 4800 can even be classified as 'top end'). Doing my sums again says that with the bigger BFG Drag Radials (27in tall-2in bigger dia than the McRearey X-plys) and the diff ratio changed to 3.08:1 up from the 3.23's, it will reach the 6000rpm redline a bit past 140mph. I'm assuming of course that the changes I'm making to the motor will provide enough grunt to shove through the 13% overall increase in gearing, but even if it doesn't, it should still romp in at well over 130.

What all that MPH crap above was in aid of is this;

Having spent a fair bit of time planning these next set of mods to get the car really hooting, as you can see I've been looking at projected trap speeds a fair bit. Slowly but surely it's dawned on me exactly how fast 130+mph is and exactly how old and designed-like-a-vintage-tractor the Crowns chassis really is -and that even if AIR don't care, I really need to look after myself and take care of the safety side of things. Basically, I'm going to start on the ANDRA 10.99 or faster list of requirements for my own preservation. As a minumum, before I go out again I'll be fitting a 5 or 6 point harness, a 1 piece race seat (no rake adjustment), a tailshaft loop, 2 fire extinguishers in the cab (one of them below my knees) and 2 big battery isolator switches-one in the ANDRA spec external spot and one in the cab where I can reach it when I'm strapped in. I'd also like to go to the Jamboree in November and maybe WSID on the way there or the way back, and so will need everything sorted by then if I want to avoid being kicked out after the first pass! (also want to go to Toyota Nats next year after years of trying)

This probably all sounds a bit excessive, but consider that the turbo on the 8.95@156mph/250kph Bresciani VL commodore is the same one I have but with a comp wheel only one size up (70mm)....and that my engine is 50% bigger in capacity AND has a 4valve head.(I'm NOT saying it'll run in the mid-low nines, just that the trap speed is likely to be getting a bit serious-and a late model car can get ripped to shreds at 150kph-let alone a 33 year old POS like this!!!). Also, because this package has proved to be a lot quicker than I had been estimating when building it, I wasn't prepared for the stupid trap speeds it runs (and will run) and so hadn't planned for 10.99 and under safety when building it.

Anyway-take it easy, and I'll keep you guys posted on progress. I promise video of both the dyno session and when I head to the track!!!

Sean
Adelaide

PS-As for the parachute, with drum rear brakes the ANDRA trap speed requirement is 135mph, and 145mph with rear discs, however at the first outing it should become clear how well the car will pull up. The MS123 front brakes I fitted are not too bad, and the skyline rear discs are great, but as adelaide has such a short run-off area and crown brakes aren't designed to haul up from 200+kph I may need to upgrade again (Huge 80series landcruiser 4-spots are quite tempting....) or start looking at a parachute purely for self preservation........

[Updated on: Sun, 06 March 2005 00:34]

a truck motor, as norbie said

landcruiser donk.. 1fz-fe?

4.5L straight six anyhow

[Updated on: Mon, 07 March 2005 01:41]