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What 1 sec looks like in the 1/4 mile.


Banone

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It's time to put your thinking caps on :sick: . I've been considering getting a supercharger installed on my SS. After weighing the pros (more power) and cons (loss of $5000), I tried to visualize just what the extra power would mean.

 

All that really matters to me is how badly I would beat someone at the stoplight. After all, the margin of victory is usually measured by the number car lengths you beat someone by (or get beat by, but those stories usually aren't shared with others :nono: ). Using the times achieved by the supercharged SS discussed in other posts in this forum, let's assume a one second improvement in 1/4 mile times with the supercharger. So, based on a trap speed of 90 mph through the 1/4 mile, here are my calculations:

 

90 miles/hour = 132 feet/sec.

132 feet = about 7 truck lengths.

 

So, if I were to better my 1/4 mile time by one second using a supercharger, am I way off base in saying it would look like a 7 length victory over an SS in stock form?

 

At first thought, one second didn't sound like that much of an improvement :sleep: considering the $5000 investment. However, if my calculations are close, 7 lengths translates to a major ass kicking over a stock SS :thumbs: and would be worth the expense. Any corrections to my calculations are welcome.

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Those 7 lengths are given that you race to a full 1/4 mile. If you are talking about the typical stoplight race, 1/8th mile is closer.

 

One other option is a mid sized torque converter. It will really help decrease your 60 foot times and that will make a big difference in the 1/4 mile. Price for a torque converter is much cheaper than a supercharger too. You don't gain any power with this addition, but you will make better use of the power you do have. With a torque converter, you can jump out to a commanding lead early in the race.

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1 second is a lot in drag racing. As the ETs go down, that one second becomes exponentially more expensive to buy.

For me, drag racing is not my hobby, so I am just using it as a measuring tool. What I really enjoy is the kick in the pants acceleration and surprising other cars that think they are fast :eek:

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All that really matters to me is how badly I would beat someone at the stoplight.

if thats the case, have you considers using the bottle? $5000 compared to $500 is an extreamly big differance. :chevy:

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Thanks guys. I'm running a turbo system on the truck.

 

DunerTurboCBE.jpg

 

That video is from Tucson. The track is at 3075' altitude and it was 103 degrees outside at the time.

The density altitude for the pass was 6000'+.

I might just have to sneak over to Carlsbad to see what it does at sea level.

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  • 1 month later...
One other option is a mid sized torque converter. It will really help decrease your 60 foot times and that will make a big difference in the 1/4 mile. Price for a torque converter is much cheaper than a supercharger too.

BigTex

I'v been looking for a torque converter online....cant seem to have any luck. I never heard of one and would like to do some research. Could someone possibly send me a link to get me started?

 

Thanks

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Here is Yank's website. I would recomend a converter of theirs:

 

http://www.converter.cc

 

Look at their truck and SUV section. I had the Truck 3000 on my 99 excab Z71. I cut a 1.74 60' time with it on nitrous. I think I'm going to step down to the Yank 2600 in trhe SS. A little less aggressive, but still a good improvement.

 

For an idea of what 1/2 second looks like in the 1/4 mile, watch this:

 

 

http://www.z71.net/richard1.mpg

 

I beat this lightning out of the hole with a better 60' time, and we were about tied at the 1/8th mile. Then the lighter truck started to pull away. This was my first time at the track and only wirght reduction was removal of tailgate. Having the off road 33" tires hurt me as well.

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BigTex - got on the Yank site. The converters listed either say they are for the 4.8/5.3 or if you get for the 6.0 it lists the 4L80E trans. Which one do you get for our trucks?

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