New Project

[DEANs427]

after getting educated on gear ratio as applied to steering gears and 660 holly tuning and decent weather, I was able to get to the track for a test and tune. track was not good.
time slip attached
7.38 @97mph still a long way to go

[jayb]

What are you shooting for, ET wise?

[DEANs427]

Hi Jay,
in the nostalgia classes my car looks to be in B/gas, that is a 10.50 index in the 1/4 mile. I need to run close to that to be competitive, not sure what that converts to in the 1/8 mile.

[jayb]

Dean, 7 flat in the eighth mile is about a 10.90 in the quarter, so you will need to run in the sixes in the eighth to get close to the ET you need...

[cjshaker]

This is a really cool project, Dean.  I love the old school look and the FE fits that perfect. '56s are the most beautiful car produced in the '50s, IMO. My Dad used to have a glass-top.

It sounds like you may be right on target, ET wise, once you get the tuning good and a good track. How did your traction issues fare with the new set-up? Are you limited on what type of tire you can use? I would guess traction is always an issue with gassers.

[DEANs427]

Hi Doug,
56 Fords are my favorite, I have had many and have 2 of them today.
Traction out of the hole was fair to poor but the worst was at the 1-2 shift were the tires would brake loose again! later in the day a 33 ford 3 window coupe broke loose on the upshift and bounced off the retaining wall with major damage.
I plan on trying again at BIR on Wednesday nite street legal drags if they will let me run it, its pretty loud, even with the header mufflers I have on it now. I am a veteran there with my 66 Fairlane and they know me so they just might let me run it.

[Lenz]

This is a great thread.  I've been following along and enjoying every bit of it, including the Y block comments.  I guess if you stack your intake ports it may be nearly as unique as bolting your valve covers to your intake manifold.  Dean, awesome '56, it caused me to dig back into my garage until I touched a fin.  The neat thing about '57's is that FE's just fall into place..... 

[DEANs427]

got some 10.5 x 30 tall tires and that improved my traction considerably, however I then developed a bad bog from the dual 660's. after trying everything I ditched the 660,s for my old BU/BT vacuum carbs. I attribute the relatively low convertor stall (3500) to my problems with the 660's. just not enough rpm to take all 8 barrels at once.
this weekends time slips attached: temp was 92 and humid with a 15 mph headwind

[jayb]

Nice consistent times, Dean, and really close to the 10s.  Would make a good bracket racer LOL!

[DEANs427]

more improvement, even put a chebby on the trailer, LOL

[DEANs427]

While it has been a bad week for chevrolet; (sink holes, pace car fire, recall announcements), its been good for me, I got my approval and registration for the gasser to run in the melt down drags at Byron Ill. this July. I tried to get there with it last summer but it did not happen, probably for the best as I did not get most of the bugs out of the car until last fall. Also, as Jay mentioned in the bronco post, the car got a little ink the April edition of Hot Rod magazine scene by readers section. I don't know that happened. Anyway, hope to see some forum members the summer at the meltdown event or at any of the local tracks in MN/Wi. I have a bad case of the spring fever!!