Recent Drag Racing Update

WSID Track Champs #1 (23rd March 2013)

After modifying a set of CB Wedgeports (and inlet manifolds) for a number of months I was all prepared for the first round of the WSID Track Champs expecting some consistency in my performance
The first time trial produced some promising times - 11.771 @109.68mph
On the second time trial half way through 4th gear, I heard 2 loud backfiring sounding "bangs" after which the vehicle lost power
After trying to re-start the vehicle on the return road, I realised that I had no compression in 2 cylinders. Had to get it towed back to the pits and then went straight on the trailer
I didn't even get to the 1st Round of racing!!!
- Bugger, after pulling the engine down I found I torched a cylinder head due to a crack that developed between the cylinders and propogated into the combustion chambers on 1 / 2 cylinder head. As big a holes (2) I've seen in any of the forced induction VW heads I've seen to date.

WSID Track Champs #2 13th April 2013
Seeking more track time before the Nitro Champs, I refitted my trusty (highly modified) Street Eliminators (that sounds so easy as I type this - I don't know what I was concerned about)
With all runs for the day in the low 12 second range, I ended up running the current points leader in my class in the first round - what a privilege!!!!!!!!!
Anyway, after a burndown (and a .014 light), the car bogged badly off the line , so with a 1.911 60 foot time, I wasn't going to win anything.........

WSID Nitro Champs 2013
After pulling the engine down again, purchasing ANOTHER set of CB Wedgeports, getting them machined (thanks Dave S.) match porting them to my intake manifolds, fitting different springs and retainers then fitting them to the engine as well as modifying tinware, fan housing, carby linkage, exhaust as well as making pushrods, I was ready - sort of. Another set of intake gaskets were needed after running the engine just before loading it onto the trailer for the Nitro's.
At the track, the weather was good (corrected Altitude was between 340 feet and 1800 feet (good air)
With more power comes new clutch problems and inconsistent 60' times. The circle starts again!!
However, the second Time Trial produced the best run of the car to date
60' - 1.575
330' - 4.657
660' - 7.291
1000' - 9.599
1320' - 11.570 @113.81 mph

I was ready for the 1st round (with that MPH, the V8's wern't going to top end me at the finish line!!!)
Bugger - a -.015 RED LIGHT as well as the #1 spark plug lead coming off after the 330' mark
As you can imagine, I was very disapointed

The moral of all this is that lots of work doesn't always bring results and what looks easy on the outside is generally far from it
A bit of a rest, more thinking, modifying and I will be ready for the Winters'

Some days you can do everything right and still have a bad day . Been there many times. Mike McCarthy

great race report Henry , thanks for the updates mate as it does really interest all of us how much work goes into getting a car ( or cars ) running fast & reliable , and how for all of us it sometimes turns pear shaped .
Looking forward to hearing of your progress & successes 👍👍

You have been working hard Henry!
It is both amazing and interesting to hear of the ongoing challenges that you have to overcome. Thanks for that.
Good mph 👍

Wow you work hard..... Easy to think that yellow oval just gets rolled off the trailer each week to run beautifully with little work without these updates

Thanx for sharing Henry

Henry what was your reasons in changing heads to cb wedges from the street eliminators? Only if you want to tell of course!!

LIFE IN THE LOW LANE wrote:Henry what was your reasons in changing heads to cb wedges from the street eliminators?

Brennden, In Super Street you have to drive it everywhere (no tow cars allowed). At the bigger meetings (National Title Events), the pace along the return road and in the pits is SLOW, with all the spectators and competitors meandering through the pits, the cylinder head temps get very high. The Street Eliminators I use are chunky and can take the heat but I get worried about the titanium valves stretching and becoming two piece valves
The Wedge Ports have more thinner fins which I expect will increase the heat dissipation plus they seem to have good sucess with them in the USA
They also have smaller ports which equal port velocity which helps the cam, valve springs and rods I am using
Not to mention, I suscribe to the popular saying "Nothing happens until something moves" - How do you know until you try it?

Seemed to work too.

Going to the smaller heads have yougone to a cam profile with higher
Lift or more duration with the higher air speed in smaller ports?

Thanks for the reply!

Henry, thanks for the updates alway good reading/learning material.
Brennden, I think you may be asking for a little too much info.

Rose and I went down Saturday , but didn't see you run , we seen your bug on the trailer but didnt find you,
Man there was some money in those pits.

ian.mezz wrote:Rose and I went down Saturday , but didn't see you run , we seen your bug on the trailer but didnt find you

And it only took 13.917 seconds to get it on the trailer!!!

LIFE IN THE LOW LANE wrote:Going to the smaller heads have yougone to a cam profile with higher
Lift or more duration with the higher air speed in smaller ports?

Thanks for the reply!

None of the above - the cam is a Engle FK89 that I have used since 1982 (I guess it's settled in by now) that I have used in most of my engines - it's down .012" lift at cam compared to the cam card
The only reason for the initial Wedgeports is that Reub had them for sale
Brennden, will higher lift, more duration make the car faster or more consistent?? (guess what I am looking for?)

In theory it may make the car a little quicker mid range but top end may suffer. Theory vs real world doesn't always work especially when it comes air cooled volksies!!

Only posed the question Henry as I am looking at same scenario with my engine ATM. Will be putting heads on flow bench to see what is exactly happening flow wise. Small ports with big valve and big cam doesn't seem right in my head but I could be wrong!!!

The wedgies and FK89 is right on the money, proven combination time and time again, velocity makes HP.
Paper calculations will get you in the ballpark, real world trial is where it's at.

LIFE IN THE LOW LANE wrote:Small ports with big valve and big cam doesn't seem right in my head but I could be wrong!!!

Curious... I'm going through the same kind of thinking/discussion with DB at the moment.

Being a roundy-roundy car talking a slightly different scale to you guys of course... 1999cc, fk87 (ish), 044 Super Pro heads and 42mm valves... which in your world is more like medium cam, medium ports and small valve.

😂

btw - awesome glimpse into the thinking and development that goes on behind the scenes Henry !!!

👍

I recall Pazzan running a very similar set up with GB315, that white beetle ran hard, Paul may be able to chime in.

dont you mean GB 316 ... Competition Eliminator (42 x 38) 90.5 bore 77.5 stroke ..1'25 rockers .1 3/4 berg headers .45 mm throttle bodies =130 hp atw .

Mine is a little bigger dave with 2961cc with webcam 86c and 48 x 38 914 heads. Flow bench here we come!!

You have a webcam in your engine???????
Talk about keeping an eye on things😂😂

At least we can all watch when it goes BANG!!😂

fish26 wrote:Paper calculations will get you in the ballpark, real world trial is where it's at.

VERY WELL SAID BEN !!

whathaveidone wrote:You have a webcam in your engine???????
Talk about keeping an eye on things😂😂

You've had a webcam fail?

Heh heh - I think Ben means a Webcam as in a Web Camera Brennden...

😂

:headsmack:

Smelling to many soap suds at work Brendon?????

He just loves engine porn......nothing wrong with Web Cams

fish26 wrote:He just loves engine porn......nothing wrong with Web Cams

Spot on Ben!!

Benny I'm guessing you have had a lot of webcam fails lol

Man I need sleep!! Insomnia is starting to take its toll on me!!