Launch techniques with stick

Gee Cahorne, with times like you have I would think that you would be here teaching us the ins and outs of how to launch an old Mustang.
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Well my times are acceptable, but the frustration of not being consistent haunts me. I know the auto is the answer but thats not going to happen so I just want feedback so I can optimize what I have and what I do at the track. I think I will go to a TNT and loosen everything up and see what it does. Right now I launch at 4500 RPM and have had a best of 1.49. Lately the 60 times are in the 1.59-1.61 and I can't live with that after consistent 1.54's last year. maybe the tires are going away (125 passes or so)????

With regard to the nitrous I launch with a WOT switch and leave without delay. The difference in my setup is it is a fogger so there is an inherent time delay vs the plate before the system really hits hard. It actually works out perfect for launching. I have contemplated doing a small hit of the WOT switch after the burnout (rollout) just to precool the lines and get the system primed better than a purge. The RAM techs have suggested against this as it is very hard on clutches. In fact they do not want you to roll out of the burnout at all.

Thanks for all the feedback. Keep it coming.

Originally Posted by Smittyktm

BigJoe and others. Let's elaborate on flywheel weight.

My 3500lb Fairlane with 420hp at the crank is running a 40lb Hays with a Hays street strip clutch. At the time I built the car I was 15 or 16 and driving it on the street several days a week. Now the car is getting more and more hardcore every month (roll cage, no heat, etc..). I still want it to be a street/strip but can I decrease my flywheel weight and improve et? Current set up is at 12.28

The less weight you have in your rotating assy (balancer, crank, rods, pistons, flywheel, and pressure plate) the higher rpm you can leave at without blowing the tires. Weight is mass, and mass when spun stores major energy. Get a 40lb flywheel going 6000rpm and your tires don't have a prayer of biting. Get an 11-13lb flywheel (I'm using a chromoly unit, but the alloy ones are just as good) going 6000rpm and your tires will do much, much better, while allowing you to launch into your power band. The right gearing, rotating mass, and tire height will always be faster than a crutched system like a too tall tire with mediocre gear and a heavy rotating mass to try to compensate.

The motor will also accelerate MUCH more quickly, which always equals a lower ET, even with the same junk.

Hope that helps.

Cris

Looking through those questions I find some common sence , some silly and some would get into a long deep descution . So I am just gona type away mostly cause I like these threads and some good views of people here I enjoy reading .

I run most here knows a 427 in a 69 mach 1 not too shabby . I run a stroker 427 bored to 488 with at this time a doug nash but richmond switching 4 speed . My gear ratio is a 588 , tranny gears are close ratio and I have to change gears very fast . I run 16 wide slicks 35 1/2 high . Wheely bars with fiferglass leaf springs ,with 4 link , 35 strange axles .

We want the front wheels to carry but not too high and alway want tires to spin less as possible . When your front tires in air you know you are not spinning and hooking very well . To keep your front tires in the air you turn it way above your power band . As tires come down your car is coming back into it's power band and pulls front back up still pulling well . The reason we run a large tire and low gear we have as much tire on pavement as possible and use low gear to compensate for the large tire .

I always heard a stick car needs to be stiff and a automatic where you can push the car down with your own weight in rear . We run very high rpms with a compleatly ballanced assy to the flywheel . All is lightweight as possible in the motor . As important as ballance is in everything . All pistons weighs the same , all rods same . We heat 3 sets of rods and mic after cool down to get a match set , pin bearings not to spin . The crank is turnned out of round on the jornals as well rods to match to handle the rpm load . If you turn high rpms thats where your parts are going anyway so we compensate ahead of time . Our motors live pretty well I would say .