[Baaad65]

So ever since I got this car together I wanted to see if it had any balls at the track, I've only been a passenger once so this was my first time racing. First time up my catch can starting puking because I cleaned it out and over filled it so they backed me off the track and I had to siphon some water off. Then my first run I didn't get good traction and let off to early because the finish line isn't marked good so I ran a 13.64. Next time I jumped the light and ran a 12.9, the third pass after the intermission I lowered the rear tires to 15lbs from 22lbs and they re coated the track so I hooked and booked, as dumb luck would have it a leaf blew into the finish photo eye and wiped out my time. The fourth and fatal pass I popped the clutch and broke something in the rear end. Luckily my son was there and he was going to ride with me on the next pass but now was helping me winch the car onto the trailer and then helped
me unload it pushing it into the garage for a long winter. It was a fun, nerve wracking, crapping my pants exciting, disappointing and expensive, can't wait to do it next year day.

 

[Baaad65]

 

[AZTempest]

Man that looked so cool. Looks like you really got with the program.

 

[Baaad65]

Thanks, it was exciting and I was getting the hang of it but then the rear end gave out. Looking for suggestions on something that will hold up better.

 

[Jared]

Gotta figure based on the 1000 foot that your third pass was a tick quicker than the one where you jumped the light. Decent run! All in all this was a good outcome, even considering the blown rear. Maybe it's not too bad, or time for a Ford 9"?

 

[Sick467]

Track time fun / break time...not so fun. Sorry to hear about the rear. Do I remember correctly that it was a 12 bolt?

 

[armyadarkness]

Thanks, it was exciting and I was getting the hang of it but then the rear end gave out. Looking for suggestions on something that will hold up better.

Unfortunately, there's no way to race and drive on the street. At best, you'll be fixing stuff left and right... even more so than every other 60's muscle car owner, which is weekly. At worst, you'll be dumping endless coin into it to make it hold up to abuse... and then still fixing it constantly.

 

[Baaad65]

Track time fun / break time...not so fun. Sorry to hear about the rear. Do I remember correctly that it was a 12 bolt?

Yes it was built 12bolt with Strange axles and an Eaton posi, I jacked up one side at a time last night and each wheel turns by itself and my kid could see the driveshaft turning but the car wouldn't move. Boy there was a bad clunking noise under the car when they pulled me back to the pits, but at least I didn't loose an axle going down the track, here I was thinking I would finally get a TKX 😉

 

[Baaad65]

Gotta figure based on the 1000 foot that your third pass was a tick quicker than the one where you jumped the light. Decent run! All in all this was a good outcome, even considering the blown rear. Maybe it's not too bad, or time for a Ford 9"?

Ya that was a shame a leaf messed it up because I felt good on that one, I was hoping to break 12 seconds but I guess I need more car. Idk if I'm going to trust another 12bolt or I give up the racing, what about a Dana 60? And maybe I try a 3.55 gear because I would barely get it into 4th before the finish line with this 3.42 but then my rpms are up on the street, but maybe someday a TKX will be in it 😉

 

[BearGFR]

9" --- stronger and better than a 12-bolt in my opinion at least.
A friend of mine "up north" runs a 9" in his '69 with a manual transmission, and it's an honest 10-second car that pulls the front wheels during launch.

 

[Baaad65]

Obviously I haven't had time to research it but do they make a 9" that plugs into my '65 using my lift bars, sway bar, shocks and the adjustable upper arms I just bought? I know I would have to adjust the drive shaft but I really don't want to have to change all the suspension.

 

[BearGFR]

Yes. - I also have a 9" in my car. I bought mine through Spohn Engineering. It's made by Moser, has their good axles in it along with a Wavetrac limited slip, 3.50 gears, 1350 series U-joints on both ends. It was "plug and play" on installation, except for needing a custom drive shaft (which I also got from Spohn along with the different front yoke for the 1350 joints). Mine's a Moser but other manufacturers such as Currie have them too. I'll admit, they aren't cheap, but during my build my intention was to use good parts and over-engineer things, hopefully so I'd only have to do it once.

Bear

 

[armyadarkness]

I give up the racing,

There you go, answering your own questions.

Nothing wrong with racing, but it just goes hand-in-hand with breaking.

 

[armyadarkness]

Obviously I haven't had time to research it but do they make a 9" that plugs into my '65 using my lift bars, sway bar, shocks and the adjustable upper arms I just bought? I know I would have to adjust the drive shaft but I really don't want to have to change all the suspension.

My vote is to give up racing, and build a solid BOP to start getting some originality back, which will increase the value of the car as well.

Even if you get a $$$$ 9inch rear, the minute that you attempt to exploit it, something else is just going to break. Regardless of the fact that your engine was built to run, your car was only built to walk.

This is an age old dilemma. Ive been hanging around and driving in GTO's, since 1986, and all of the fastest ones I ever saw, were broken down more than running. You have to consider that; when on the showroom floor, these engines in stock form, made more power than these cars could handle. So when you add 200hp, 175 ftlbs of torque, and 58 years to the age of the supporting components... what would you expect to happen?

OTOH, if racing is your flavor, then pull the body, box the frame, add a full cage, buy the 9", and enjoy!

 

[Baaad65]

Yes. - I also have a 9" in my car. I bought mine through Spohn Engineering. It's made by Moser, has their good axles in it along with a Wavetrac limited slip, 3.50 gears, 1350 series U-joints on both ends. It was "plug and play" on installation, except for needing a custom drive shaft (which I also got from Spohn along with the different front yoke for the 1350 joints). Mine's a Moser but other manufacturers such as Currie have them too. I'll admit, they aren't cheap, but during my build my intention was to use good parts and over-engineer things, hopefully so I'd only have to do it once.

Bear
View attachment 158408 View attachment 158409 View attachment 158410 View attachment 158411

Wow that is a nice setup and does look expensive, so did you do this just for the occasional race day or did you plan on doing a lot of racing?

 

[Baaad65]

My vote is to give up racing, and build a solid BOP to start getting some originality back, which will increase the value of the car as well.

Even if you get a $$$$ 9inch rear, the minute that you attempt to exploit it, something else is just going to break. Regardless of the fact that your engine was built to run, your car was only built to walk.

This is an age old dilemma. Ive been hanging around and driving in GTO's, since 1986, and all of the fastest ones I ever saw, were broken down more than running. You have to consider that; when on the showroom floor, these engines in stock form, made more power than these cars could handle. So when you add 200hp, 175 ftlbs of torque, and 58 years to the age of the supporting components... what would you expect to happen?

OTOH, if racing is your flavor, then pull the body, box the frame, add a full cage, buy the 9", and enjoy!

Dose my car look like I'm worried about originality and I'm not selling it so I don't care about the value either, I think if I would have cracked the 11's I would be happy and not have to race it anymore because I know this or something worse can happen. So I have to decide if I want to still chase that which means a better rear end or rebuild what I have and stay off the track because it's just going to blow out again with a stick shift. It's to bad because the motor ran like a beast, I didn't miss a shift and I was just starting to get traction plus the car was stable all the way down....it was just getting fun and not so nerve raking.

 

[armyadarkness]

Dose my car look like I'm worried about originality

YES!

 

[Baaad65]

YES!

Ha ha, ok maybe some things I like to look close to stock.

 

[Baaad65]

The silver lining of this is that my wife was scared to death for me but after the first run she was good and having fun, so to my surprise she said fix the car so we can do it some more and she would like to go to some bigger events...course she had a couple glasses of wine 😉 I'm taking that as a green light to a new and improved rear end right? I got lucky and picked a good one 👍

 

[armyadarkness]

Ha ha, ok maybe some things I like to look close to stock.

"Admitting" is the first step in the healing process.

Obviously I try to keep my car appearing as stock as possible, too. It's my preferred style.